[IC] Unsettled Spirits

[Luxx]

It had only been a week, just one week, and already Haruka was regretting ever purchasing this little home. Certainly the scenery was lovely, being off in the countryside. The home itself was surrounded by cherry blossom trees, which weren't in bloom yet, but still stood tall and beautifully just outside her window. There was even a stream nearby and a path that led down to it. The home itself was small, but modern for the most part, and a bit westernized. In truth, when looking at the home and the area, Haruka had nothing to complain about. Even the weather had been perfect throughout her stay. The only things that made her nervous were the strange occurrences at night. She would wake up with small scratch marks on her arms, hear odd noises just outside, and even find things broken. Now being logical, she brushed it all off as her imagination, but just this evening, she was greeted by more than just scratches or sounds.

Just walking up the steps to her house after working into the evening, Haruka notices a strange figure out of the corner of her eye. Upon closer inspection, they looked close to human, but when the creature faced her, it had no face at all, only a mouth and it's entire body was pitch black. In a panic, Haruka ran to the house and shut herself up inside, heart racing within her chest. Never had she seen anything like that. Maybe the villagers were right after all...
Being curious as ever, the girl ended up asking around the village just a mile off where she worked. Nearly every person she asked knew exactly what she was talking about, claiming that angered spirits roamed the area. They spoke of a shrine that sat upon the hill where she lived, nearly a hundred years ago. The only way to calm them is to build another shrine, but nobody wants to put in the effort and no one is willing to be the priest or priestess within the shrine.

At first, they all sounded crazy, but after running into the dark spirit, Haruka felt that every word of it was true. She wanted nothing more than to do something about it too. If she could ease these spirits somehow, as insane as that sounded, then maybe she could go back to her normal life. Unsure of how to do such a thing, Haruka knelt down on her futon and did the only thing she could; pray. It may not change anything, but it might help her sleep, so in a soft voice, she prayed out loud.

"Please, please ease these unsettled spirits. Send something that may calm them, someone that might calm them. Bring the shrine back if you must, please, anything to put them at ease."

It wasn't much of a prayer, but Haruka had never really prayed like that before. No matter. Now that she'd put that off her chest, she could finally relax. The petite girl rested her head on the pillow and pulled her blanket up over her shoulders after turning out the lights. In no time at all, sleep came for her and unlike the other nights she spent in this little home, nothing awoke her from her slumber.

[ruronihs]

A raggedy old fox rested at the base of a crumbling old statue at the bottom of the hill and watched the girl walk up to her house again. It had been the same girl for a while now, about one phase of the moon, so he assumed that she would be the new human living there. He didn't care though, she would leave like all the others... or perhaps she would be stubborn and get herself spirited away. He didn't understand why a human would choose that place out of all possible plots of earth to live. It was a cursed place, a sad place. He remembered when the last priest had died so many years ago. He had no heirs, and nobody wanted to take care of the place, so eventually became dilapidated. He remembered when the humans came with their machines, tore down his old home, and put one of those new box-houses where it once stood. The man who tore it down even asked for his blessing! The fox couldn't blame the spirits for getting violent. He probably would have looted the place himself if he wasn't so tired...

Yes, it had been a long time since somebody had paid him an earnest offering. Perhaps a child would walk by and throw some bread crusts at the cute little fox that knew the words "sit" and "paw." But nobody could be bothered to leave him a simple bowl of rice or piece of tofu. Of course people still prayed to him though. "Please let my marriage be happy." "Please let me do well on my test." "Please let me win the lottery." The humans had stopped paying tribute, but the had never stopped begging him for luck. Well, he was out of luck himself, so that meant they were too. Not that he'd share any of his luck with them if he had any. Even that new girl failed to pay tribute despite taking up residence on his hill. Well, perhaps she hadn't seen him; he hadn't formally introduced himself yet. But, ignorance was no excuse and whatever those spirits did to her was what she deserved.

That night, though, after all the lights went out in the box-house, the fox felt something different. Something was pulling him. It was a prayer, but it wasn't like all the other trivial pleads he had been bombarded with for the past century. This one was warm, sincere. "Please, please ease these unsettled spirits..." He couldn't remember the last time somebody had prayed for the spirits' well-being. Of course, she was praying for her well-being too, but the girl was honestly frightened. But the fox could understand why, this was a matter entirely out of her hands. That is what prayers were for. He was on his feet, trotting up the hill. "Bring the shrine back if you must, please, anything to put them at ease." She would give up her box-house for this? The fox peeked in through one of the windows and saw the girl lie down on her futon, the prayer apparently putting her mind at ease. Then, his eyes darted to the front of the house.

That angry spirit that had scared her before stood at her door. The girl thought she was safe inside, but walls were nothing to spirits. And the fox could tell that the Eyeless One was particularly restless. It would enter tonight. Perhaps it would kill the girl, perhaps it would simply decide to haunt her. However, there was nothing he could do; he was just a decrepit old fox, and that thing was a true monster. Well... there was one thing... if it was still there. He darted back to the crumbling statue and began digging furiously at its base until his paws struck glass. Yes, it was still here, and it was full of energy! he clamped down on the object and pulled out a glass ball, and then ran back to the front door, intercepting the Eyeless One's slow, menacing path. The small fox stood staunchly in front of the spirit and then let go of the glass ball, but it did not fall to the ground; rather, it hovered in place and glowed with a gentle blue light. "I will grant your prayer," the fox said, speaking for the first time in over 100 years. "I will give everything I have to grant it, and perhaps together we can put this land at ease."

The light from the orb intensified and blanketed the house, then drenched it in blue flames. The walls, the floors, everything of the house became flame, and then it twisted and grew. The floors became tatami, the doors became sliding walls, and giant red arches formed in front of the reborn shrine. Standing at the entrance was no longer a ragged old fox, but a young man with three gorgeous tails. "This is the shrine of Junkojuro!" he called out for all the spirits to hear. "No harm is to come to this place!" Then he pointed to the Eyeless One, his finger mere inches from its gaping mouth. "Begone at once!" It seemed the display was enough to thwart the creature, at least for tonight; it had not come expecting a fight. The Eyeless One turned away and disappeared into the night, and all that remained was the ambient noise of the night.

Junkojuro then entered the shrine to check on the girl. She was still sleeping, oblivious to the fantastic display that had just taken place around her. Junkojuro knelt down next to her futon, a warm smile on his face. "It may be some time before the spirits are at ease," he said in a soft voice, not loud enough to wake her. "I cannot do it alone, but if you help me, I can grant your prayer. But, for the time being..." He gently stroked the girl's hair. She was so small, even for a girl. She was certainly brave for choosing to live among such dangerous spirits. "I know why you prayed to me. You are frightened. Do not worry, I will protect you." With that, Junkojuro laid down beside her and wrapped his arm about her waist, ready to ward off any harm that may come to her, be it from spirits, her own kind, or the gods themselves.

[Luxx]

Soft sunlight filtered in through the leaves of the cherry blossom trees, casting a dappled shadow over the from of the girl asleep in her futon. Haruka was still fast asleep late into the morning, only waking when one of the specks of light managed to fall over her eyes, and even then her body only stirred at first, arms stretching out above her head. For some strange reason ,she felt very warm and safe beneath the blankets, and she had no pains from scratches like she had before. For the first time in nearly a week, Haruka got a wonderful night's sleep, and now she didn't want to get up. Of course, she knew she had to. Laying in bed all day was bad for you, and although she didn't have work today, she still wanted to get up and maybe pick up the house or the area around it.

Letting out a deep sigh, the girl's hazel eyes fluttered open slowly to stare up at the ceiling. At first, she didn't notice the change, still drowsy as ever, but slowly, very slowly her eyes began to dart around. Something seemed odd about her house, different. Only when her eyes landed on the sliding door did she actually become confused though. Pushing up to a half sitting position, Haruka looked around the room, awestruck. What in the world?...
Everything was different, the floors, the walls, the windows, the doors, even the decorations looked very traditional. It looked like a tourist attraction....like an old shrine.

Movement at her side caused her to flinch, and at last, she noticed the boy that was laying there. With just a quick glance, he looked like any normal boy, so her first instinct was to panic. Her first thought was that some perverted intruder had entered her home in the middle of the night. As soon as she saw him, she reacted without even thinking, letting out a scream. All of this confusion, this panic was starting to get to her. She didn't even know if this was her home even. Maybe she was kidnapped or something. All of her logic was kicking in and trying to put together a logical excuse for all of this, but nothing added up.

Haruka placed her hands on the boy's arms, her legs kicking the blankets off as she tried to pull away from the boy. She could probably have easily gotten him off if she tried for another moment, but when the blanket came off, her entire body grew tense. This was no normal boy. She could see the three tails now, and didn't know what to make of them. Were they part of a costume or something maybe? No, they looked real, very real. That was impossible though!

Everything was just so confusing. Her eyes moved from the boy to herself and her breath caught in her throat. Someone had changed her, because instead of her nightgown, she was clad in traditional shrine maiden robes. Red and white cloth, softer than any other fabric she'd ever felt.
Things seemed wrong, very wrong and she didn't know what to do.
"What in the world is going on?!"

[ruronihs]

Junkojuro lied next to the girl for the whole night, awake but content. As a youkai, he didn't succumb to sleep in the same way a mortal did. In a sense, he had been sleeping for over a century, and now he was finally invigorated by that prayer; it would be some time before he felt the need to sleep again. He was eager to introduce himself to the girl, to show her that her prayer was answered, and to serve her in any way she wished, but for now he simply held her close, listening to her breathing and familiarizing himself with her biorhythm. The sun peaked through the windows, landing on Junkojuro's peaceful smile, but the girl did not stir. It was not surprising, though; now that the spirits that had been harassing her were warded off, her body was probably catching up on missed sleep. Mortals were strange like that, but it just gave him all the more reason to protect her.

Finally, the girl began to stir. The smile on Junkojuro's face widened and his eyes became bright with excitement. This was the first miracle he had worked in a very long time, and even in his prime he generally did not do things on such a large scale. He hoped that everything was to her liking. He saw her eyes open; she was taking in all of his work. He couldn't tell if she was pleased or not, though. Perhaps she had been dreaming of this very shrine and couldn't tell her dream from reality. Mortals were strange like that. But then the girl did something he never expected. Screaming and panicking, it seemed she was mustering all of the strength in her frail body to keep him away. But why? He only wanted to protect her... Ah, but perhaps she didn't know that. After all, he hadn't introduced himself yet, so to her he may very well just be another vengeful spirit. He would clear up that misconception straightaway.

"Milady, please calm yourself, I mean you no harm." The girl seemed to be calm enough for him to speak, but she was demanding an explanation and had a look of utter bewilderment about her. Was this not what she had asked for? Ah, but it had been so long that he had forgotten: mortals tended not to understand miracles and often needed them explained, even after they had just asked for one. "I assure you, there is no need to be distressed. What you see before you is merely what you have asked for. Last night, I heard your prayer. You said that you wanted something to calm the spirits, so I have restored the old shrine, which has kept you safe for the night. It will not be enough on its own to calm the land, but if you become its priestess, then I can guarantee that your prayer shall be granted.

"My name is Junkojuro, the protector of this hill, the one whom this shrine was built to honor, and from this day forward..." He leaned forward and placed his hand on the girl's shoulder, confident that she would refrain from violence after that explanation. "...I shall be your personal guardian. I will teach you the ways of a priestess, protect you from any and all harm, and will serve you in any way you see fit. My life is yours to wield. Now, might I have the pleasure of knowing Milady's name so that I may properly address you?" He spoke with a calm and sincere tone, and his eyes once again shone with a bright eagerness. This day was perhaps not the happiest of the fox's life, but it was at least the best one he'd had in the past century.

[Luxx]

Only when the strange fox boy told her it would be alright did she relax a bit. In truth, she still didn't quite trust him, but he had her attention, and if he could give her a good enough excuse as to why he was on her futon, then she may just forgive him. The more he explained the situation, the more confused she became. Her prayer? How in the world did he hear her prayer? He had to have heard it though, because he was telling her about it. Her heart beat quickened within her chest. She was trying to believe him, she really was, but it all just seemed like some messed up dream. For some reason though, Junkojuro didn't scare her now that he spoke to her. His voice was smooth like honey, and his gaze was sincere.

If she really thought about all of this, there was no explanation besides some sort of miracle. Her house was completely gone, but she knew deep down she was still on the same little hill. The cherry blossom trees were still outside the window after all. Haruka sighed and looked down at her lap, not flinching away from Junkojuro's touch after he placed his hand on her shoulder. She was the one that asked for all of this and yet she didn't know if she was really up for the task. It wasn't a matter of belief, there was no possible way for her to not believe in all of this, not after this sort of change, and not after seeing that spirit the night before, it was simply a matter of whether or not she could do it.

Wouldn't he need a true priestess for all of this to matter? She was just a normal girl, who worked a normal job, and tried to live a normal life. The spirits, the shrine, all of it just seemed so stressful. She was scared of it all. Of course, Junkojuro said that he would be there, but could she trust him to keep his word? He's done so much already, so there was no way she couldn't trust him, but her nerves were still on end. This was her home though, so there was no where for her to run.

All sorts of thoughts and feeling filled her, but she pushed them aside in order to not be rude to the boy that sat before her. In a timid voice, she spoke at last, giving him her name, just as he requested. "Haruka Aomori," she took a deep breath, her gaze meeting his own, "My name is Haruka." He did seem very warm and awfully excited to meet her. Maybe this really was what the area needed, a shrine and a priestess, someone to give the spirits that used to live here hope and a place to call home. Of course, she would also have the job of warding off angered or evil spirits. Things would certainly be different from now on. "I-I'm sorry....this is just quite a lot to take in." No use in hiding things from him. Her decision had practically been made for her after all, since that prayer escape her lips the night before. "So what exactly would I have to do if I were to become the priestess of this shrine?...".

[ruronihs]

junkojuro had expected the girl to be more excited about his news. After all, she was now the center of one of the greatest miracles this town had seen in centuries, and she was now being appointed a position of great honor. But instead the girl appeared to be nervous, full of doubt and skepticism, as if she hadn't believed in spirits until this moment. But then why pray? He knew that the prayer had been sincere; she wanted the spirits to be at ease, comfort and protection for herself, and was willing to allow the shrine to return. But then again, humans were naive in many respects. They often forgot that words had power, especially prayers. Haruka's prayer was not particularly verbose, but it was powerful enough to reach him, powerful enough to harness the energy that he had been saving for over a hundred years. Perhaps Haruka just needed some time to realize this. Junkojuro didn't mind giving her all the time she needed. After all, even simply sitting idly with her was better than sitting idly alone.

"Aomori-sama," he began, relishing a moment in the sound of his new master's name. "First let me say that you needn't doubt your abilities. Everything that you need to know can be taught, which will be one of my duties to you. I understand that you are a stranger to this hill and that the world of mortals has changed drastically over the centuries, but in time you will come to understand this place and the spirits that live here." He smiled warmly, hoping that those words would give her some confidence before he instructed her in her duties. "As for what you must do, I suppose the simplest answer is 'whatever you like.' You are now the head of this shrine and you may run it as you see fit, but understand that everything you do -- or don't do -- has consequences. I have restored the shrine with my magic, but now it must be maintained as any mortal building would. The grounds, as well, should be maintained lest you offend the spirits. You should remember to pay tribute through prayer, offerings, and rituals, lest my powers fade or the gods grow envious. Likewise, while the shrine is built in my name, I am but an adherent of Oinari-sama, so any rituals should begin by honoring him. You will want to get to know the local spirits and nearby deities, and since these are troubled times, we will have a number of angry spirits to deal with. But, as I said, you will learn all of this in time and I will aid you every step of the way. You will not fail so long as your heart remains honest.

"You will need help, though. Performing your duties to their fullest is time-consuming, and none of the previous masters worked alone. They all sought volunteers from the village to help with the menial labor, such as cleaning and yard work, while they handled all of the spiritual aspects." He knew this was a lot for a mortal, especially a young one like Haruka, to absorb all at once, but it was best that she understood that the path she was choosing would not be easy. He also knew that she would not succeed without his protection. He knew not when, but the Eyeless One would be back, this time ready for a fight. If they weren't prepared, a creature like that could easily end everything before it even started. He didn't want to tell Haruka just yet, though, seeing how uncertain she was already. News of that creature's return would likely scare her off.

"I believe that is enough information for now," Junkojuro said in a bright tone. "Do you have any other questions, or would you like me to show you around the shrine?" His tails were swishing slowly with excitement. He was proud of his work and he hoped that now that Haruka understood what was happening she could enjoy the shrine... and perhaps cook him some tofu as thanks.

[Luxx]

Haruka thought the explaining would never end. The information in itself was wonderful and she was grateful to have it, but it was so much to take in all at once. The poor girl had gone her entire life without really worshipping at all. She would visit a shrine back in her hometown once a year for festivals and would pray on occasion, but nothing so elaborate as all of this. She was trying to go back through her mind to remember all of the rituals and the different forms of worship that took place. Making offerings would be easy enough, since she'd done it in the past, but all of the rituals would have to be taught to her carefully. Junkojuro agreed o teach her these things though, so after the explanation, things were beginning to fall into place. Certainly she was still a bit leery to commit to such a life, but if she didn't, then who would?

Pushing all of these things aside, Haruka finally pushed up out of bed. She seemed much more relaxed now, wit both Junkuro's presence and the change of scenery within her home. This was what she asked for after all. If she was goin to be spending quite a bit of time with Junkojuro, she might as well try her best to make him feel at home. He didn't seem nervous like she did, in fact, he seemed a rather excited, but that didn't mean he couldn't need to get used to having her around. She needed to show him her thanks first and foremost, to show him that she really was grateful that he went through so much trouble to make her prayer come true.

For the first time in a while, she showed a smile, giving it to her new companion. "You don't have to address me so formally," The girl assured him and flattened out the shrine maiden garb, making a note to take it off later, "You can call me Haruka if you like." Junkojuro didn't seem to be one to stray far from tradition, but it was worth a shot. Being refered to as Aomori-sama felt strange. "I think being shown around the shrine might be a good idea, just to get me used to it, but before that we should eat something." Haruka didn't know about him, but she was starving, so cooking breakfast for the two of them would be no trouble at all. Besides, she enjoyed cooking, especially when was able to cook for friends or family. "Is there something I could make for you? Rice porridge, maybe? I'll make anything you like, It's the least I can do for you."

[ruronihs]

What a humble master Junkojuro had! There were few mortals that would decline being regarded so highly, and fewer that would voice their concern so cordially. "Very well," he said with a small bow. "If it pleases you, then I will merely refer to you as Haruka-sama." Of course, the fox assumed that being called by her surname was the only aspect that she took issue with. It didn't even cross the fox's mind that she may have found the honorific a bit excessive; after all, she was now the master of the shrine, and the only spiritual leader in the village, so she deserved to be called "sama."

Then, she moved on to the topic of food, and if he wasn't mistaken, she had actually offered to cook something for him. He couldn't remember the last time he had a real meal prepared for him. Even many of the late masters merely paid tribute by offering him a bowl of rice once a week, which he took no issue with whatsoever; now, his master was asking him for his preferences? This was one prayer he would never regret granting. At such a generous offer he dropped to his knees, bowing as low as he could without having his voice muffled by the tatami. "I would not be so insolent as to burden Milady with such things as petty requests. You needn't concern yourself with my nourishment; youkai such as myself do not subsist on mortal food. I will accept whatever tribute you choose to offer without complaint whenever you see fit. However..." Here a very fox-like grin crossed his face. In a roundabout way, she had asked him what he liked, so he would fulfill his duties as a teacher. "...Only to satiate your curiosity I will say this: there is nothing I enjoy more than fried tofu with a warm cup of sake."

He would not dare ask for such a thing, though. Not only was it unbecoming, but it defeated the purpose of an offering. Humans made offerings to spirits out of the kindness of their hearts, not out of a sense of obligation. It was this sentiment that was so nourishing to the spirits, not the food itself. Of course, kitsune like Junkojuro still had very real tongues with very real taste buds and very real preferences. After he finished speaking, he looked up at Haruka with an eager look on his face, as if awaiting further instruction.

[Luxx]

Haruka sighed softly, hiding how uncomfortable the honorific made her feel. She'd been called all sorts of things and had many different honorifics used on her; Haruka-san, Haruka-kun, even Haru-chan, but never had anyone used 'sama' before. It made her shift a bit on her feet. At least he was calling her Haruka at all, as opposed to her surname. She couldn't help but smile a little bit. His formality was actually enjoyable in a sense. All of such traditions had been lost over the years, she only ever witnessed them in places of honor; old shrines, sometimes in school, but this was her first time being treated with such respect. Maybe after a while she would get used to it.

Of course, things got much worse when he dropped to his knees to bow. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared down at him, flushed and embarrassed. She didn't know what to say, it was as though she was his master or something. How in the world was she supposed to respond to such an action. Thankfully, he loosened the mood by answering her question. Fried tofu and warm sake. That seemed easy enough, and quite tasty as a matter of fact. It had been some time since she'd had fried tofu. Of course, Haruka wasn't a fan of sake, but she had some on hand. She always had some on hand, for guests that may show up.

Another smile brightened her features as she knelt down next to her new companion. "Well then Junkojuro-san, you should be happy to know that I was already planning on making fried tofu for breakfast," she told him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder before standing up and turning to head toward the kitchen. He would have to be patient of course, but she would have their meal finished soon enough, and then Junkojuro was free to show her around the shrine in which she would be calling home.
The moment she was in the kitchen, she began to cook, the smell of the spices and the oil filing the air, making Haruka all the more hungry. Patiently she cooked and soon enough she had two plates of the fried silken tofu, warm and ready for eating.

Walking to the what looked to be a dining room, just as elaborately decorated as the rest of the shrine, she set the plates down on opposite sides of the small table, only to walk back to the kitchen for the sake and the pot of tea she'd been boiling. She came back and glanced toward Junkojuro as she knelt down on her side of the table, motioning for him to join her. "It's ready, feel free to eat," she gave him a curt nod and then poured a small amount of the warm sake into an ochoko for him. Just because to him this was an offering didn't mean he had to eat alone. Eating in the company of others made food taste better anyways.

[ruronihs]

Junkojuro was elated to hear that Haruka was going to make fried tofu for them, and he simply couldn't hide his wide grin when she placed her hand on his shoulder. Perhaps he was compelled to grant this girl's prayer because of the boundless kindness that he sensed within her. "Indeed, this pleases me more than I can express in words, Haruka-sama," he said, and then she headed towards the kitchen. As he waited, he positioned himself just outside so that he would have a clear view of Haruka and the entire kitchen, yet not obstruct any of her movements. He sat respectfully on his knees, never letting his vigil falter even for a moment lest any stray knives or spattering grease would dare to cause his master harm; he would spring to his feet at a moment's notice to protect Haruka from even the most trivial dangers.

It was fascinating watching her cook. It seemed as though even the way mortals cooked had changed since the last master. Her hands, though tiny and delicate, wielded the pans and controlled the flames masterfully, and she navigated her way about the room with steps as elegant and decisive as a geisha's. And yet, this girl doubted her ability to perform the duties of a priestess? She clearly had ability all she lacked was knowledge.

And then the scent of spices drifted through the air. Junkojuro's nose twitched and his mouth began to water, though he had enough discipline to keep himself from drooling. He could tell already that this would be a fabulous meal, and that his spirit would be thoroughly nourished. As he said, it was not the physical composition of a meal that nourished spirits, but the sentiment behind them; when a mortal put the kind of effort that Haruka was putting into something as simple as tofu, then a spirit could ask for nothing more refreshing.

Finally, the meal was finished and Haruka set a place for him at the table. It was unusual for humans to dine with kitsune, but his master didn't seem to mind his company and he felt it would be inexcusably rude to have her dine alone, so Junkojuro took his seat, keeping his posture straight and respectful. He looked down at the little slice of heaven set before him, but before he could eat, something needed to be done. He closed his eyes, placed his hands together in prayer, and began to speak in a soft but clear voice. "We give thanks to Oinari, benevolent deity of the fields, for blessing us with such fertility that we may enjoy the bounties of the earth. We eat today because of thy kindness and rejoice that we have been smiled upon. Amaterasu, hear our praise and thanks for warm and nurturing rays you bestow upon us. Tsukuyomi, hear our praise and thanks for the clear and placid nights you grace us with. Susanoo, hear our praise and thanks for the kind and tranquil skies you bless us with. May this hill prosper, may this shrine be safe, and may Milady be forever blessed with your protection. Itadakimasu." Now, Junkojuro was ready to eat.

The kitsune delicately lifted the tofu to his lips with the chopsticks, took a bite, closed his eyes, and remained silent as he ate. The food was superb, quite possibly the best he had ever eaten, and when he was finished, not a single particle was left on the plate; in fact, it hardly needed to be cleaned. Then, he washed it all down with the warm sake and let out a satisfied sigh. The meal seemed to revitalize the fox and the color in his tails seemed to become just a bit more rich. "Haruka-sama," he said, "I am afraid that I do not possess the vocabulary to adequately praise your cooking. Please do not take it as an insult when I say that the meal was excellent."

[Luxx]

It was surprising, hearing a prayer like the one Junkojuro performed. Even when she was growing up, her family only prayed on rare occasions or whenever her grandparents were over for meals. The prayer never lasted that long either, mentioning multiple different Gods, thanking them for specific things, even things that had nothing to do with the meal. Haruka wouldn't complain about it of course, it would just take some getting used to, and she would have to learn the prayer herself so that one dayshe could say it, instead of Junkojuro.

Once the prayer had ended, Haruka wasted no time, pouring herself some tea and then lifting the tofu to her mouth. She hesitated however, eyes lingering on Junkojuro. This meal wasn't made to please herself, so she watched her companion for his reaction. To her dismay, he was rather quiet about it. Maybe he would say something when he was finished. No use waiting to eat her own meal until he was done, so Haruka took a bite of her own meal, the warm tofu leaving a wonderful taste in her mouth. She didn't know if perhaps it was because she had been cooking for someone else's sake, but this was the best tasting tofu she'd ever cooked. If she thought it tasted good, hopefully Junkojuro thought the same.

Sure enough, the moment he set his chopsticks down and looked up at her, he immediately told her he loved her dish. Haruka's lips curled up into a smile. She really was glad he liked it, despite how simple it was to make. "That's very kind of you, Junkojuro-san," Haruka gave him a small nod and finished off her cup of tea before finally standing up and taking Junkojuro's clean plate, as well as her own, to go and clean up. "If you really like it, then I'll be sure to cook for you often."
Haruka took the dishes and cleaned up, leaving no signs of the breakfast that had been made, before coming back to Junkojuro's side.

"Now, if your offer still stands, a tour around the shrine would be nice. If I'm going to live here, I should know my way around." Haruka was still not quite sure if this was the life for her, but it had been her prayer, so she would see through with it. Maybe this was the kind of change she needed anyways.

[ruronihs]

Junkojuro was visibly pleased when Haruka offered to cook some tofu on a regular basis, so he wanted to make sure he earned such generous treatment. "Of course, Haruka-sama," he said, springing to his feet, eager to show her around the shrine. "It is not terribly large, so you need not worry about getting lost, but I will make sure that you know your way about nonetheless." He walked up to her with a bright smile on his face and took her arm in his, gently urging her forward. "Once you see the amenities, I am sure that you will no longer have any doubts about your ability to run the shrine." With that he lead her about the place, pointing out all of the rooms and their purposes.

The first room they entered was an open room with a large statue of an old man bearing rice standing prominently in the middle. "This room is where people, including yourself, may come to pray. The man with the bale of rice is Oinari-sama, a benevolent god associated with fertility. We kitsune are his followers and may deliver messages from and to him. If he is ever displeased, I will surely know and inform you. As for the others..." he waved his hand in a sweeping motion to a series of smaller statues, each representing a different deity. "Although this shrine is devoted to Oinari-sama, it is important not to neglect the other gods. While we serve Oinari-sama, it is neither harmful nor forbidden to keep the other gods in our favor." As he explained about the gods, he led Haruka in a circle about the room so that she could get a good look at all of the statues.

The next room was significantly smaller, though there was plenty to offer in terms of content. Hundreds of scrolls rested in tiny square cubbies that covered the walls. "I imagine you will be spending a great deal of time in this room. These scrolls contain all the information you will need to know about your duties, and much more. They contain prayers, rituals, histories, spells, and all kinds of information. I will be able to recommend particular scrolls to direct your studies, but you are free to read them as you like."

They went through a few more rooms, some containing tools of the trade, some sleeping quarters for guests or followers, and some just decorated living quarters. Finally, Junkojuro circled back to a room in the center of the shrine that featured a statue of a fox with a glowing glass ball in its mouth. "This room is of great importance," he said in a soft voice. "The sphere you see is my Hoshi no Tama, my very soul, and the object that allowed me to create this shrine. Without this ball, I am virtually powerless, indistinguishable from any other stray fox. If my Hoshi no Tama is ever removed from this shrine, all you just saw will be as it was before your prayer, and I will be as I was. But, I do not foresee this being a problem unless the gods themselves see fit to remove it." With that he lead them out of that room and back to where they began. "So, is everything to your liking?" He wanted nothing more than for his master to be comfortable here and was now ready to make any alterations that she wished for.

[Luxx]

Haruka followed close behind Junkojuro, paying careful attention to the rooms and the explanations they were given. Of course, most of the rooms were fairly normal, or at least they were familiar to her. The ones that really caught her eye were the scroll room, the room of prayer, and the room with the fox statue. To think that such important looking rooms would be apart of her home now. It almost made her unnerved again, to be in such a position of honor. She wondered if others would treat her as Junkojuro was treating her, if they were to see her in these red and white robes. They held importance in here, but did they hold as much importance in the real world? Perhaps that was the reason for her doing this, for the prayer she sent forth the night before. Maybe this was exactly what the people needed, a bit of peace in the form of a shrine. Thinking about this made her decision more solidified.

After giving one last look within the room with the fox statue, Haruka was led back out to where they began and she was asked if everything was to her liking. Of course it was to her liking. It was, once again, quite a bit to take in all at once, what with the importance of this shrine, and the fact that she'll have so many duties to attend to, but it was to her liking none the less. This was the kind of change she needed, the kind of change that she wanted. If she worked hard, she could actually make a difference here, in both the human world and the spirit world. Haruka turned and gave Junkojuro a warm smile. "Everything is perfect," she replied to him, clearly a bit more comfortable with her situation now.

The girl was about to speak again, but a small voice sounded from outside, one that actually surprised Haruka. Then another one could be heard and Haruka's curiosity was officially peeked. She looked to Junkojuro for a moment before moving to the door, in search of whatever made those sounds. She was nervous actually, wondering if they were spirits, but when she slid open the door to the shrine and found three children there, staring at the shrine, standing just under the large red arch that signified their entering onto hollowed ground. They looked surprised when she came out, dressed in her shrine maiden garb. They didn't move from their spot though, standing there, as if frightened of the place. It wasn't a dangerous place though. They were probably just confused, seeing as the shrine did pop up out of nowhere.

Slipping on the wooden sandals near the front door, Haruka walked out toward the children, giving them a warm smile to show that she meant them no harm. It was two boys and a girl, and each of them still looked dumbfounded. "Hello," she greeted, kneeling down in front of them, "Have you come here to pray?" The little girl hid behind one of the boys, and both boys looked just as wary. Haruka would have to choose her words carefully. "There's no reason for you to be afraid. This is a peaceful place."
The children each smiled, and in return, Haruka smiled. "You're free to pray here whenever you like, but for now you should run back to your parents before they worry." They seemed hesitant to leave now, but one of the boys nodded, and coaxed the others to go. This was a strange job, a strange lifestyle, but she it was going to quite enjoyable to say the least.