“I hought we would be walking through Kyoto so casually.” Arangbō remarked. “Did you, Haanōbō?”

  The white-wiengu shook her masked fa response. “No, it was not something I ever saw myself doing.” She agreed, casting a gnce around. Beside her, Haru spoke up proudly.

  “This is my Territory. And mount Atago is part of this now. So it’s ours. How I lord it over Akio-kun’s precious sister?”

  Haanōbō sighed, not dignifying that joke with an answer, but her yellow-gold eyes were sparkling as she surveyed the area, and the vast swarm of Fae that were ing and going, moving artificial Buildings here and there. That reminds me, we picked up a few Etherites. The mountain had surprisingly few as most of the ether was absorbed by the Territory rather than building up, but a few isn’t none, and any will help Ixitt out. Speaking of Ixitt… I couldn’t help but be excited. The long-deyed pns were about to hit full force.

  “That’s not all the surprises.” I poio the Ring Gate that was shimmering with energy. “This Territory also links to mine and also the realms of the Fae, so you e and go as you want. Though it’d be great if now we have an alliance you help me out in future expansions.”

  “I will sider it.” Haanōbō crossed her arms under her chest, head tilted. Her brhed, g me on the back yet again.

  “We have to defend the mountain and the Sacred Fme, but… that responsibility is shared now.” He boomed. “So long as our charge remains protected, the Spri fears no battle. I enjoy w up an appetite, and fighting is thirsty work, is it not, hearty eater?”

  Motoko nodded, but flushed. “I have a name. I am more than just my appetite.”

  As roached the Ring Gate to the sound of ughter, their eyes alight with curiosity, Haanōbō finally said what was on her mind, her tone pensive. “Brother… why did Great Tarōbō, our father, cede like that? It was not the agreement…”

  “I think it’s pride.” I pointed out. “Tarōbō has a great deal of it. When he was defeated, he wao maintain his dignity. The rest was as he stated, I imagine. I know that family, kin, is important to me, and I believe it’s important to him too. So even though I’m not human… he felt he could trust me, as I showed respect for you. And I think…”

  “The corruption of the fme and the loss of our brothers weighs heavy.” Arangbō shook his head. “Times are ging. Battles, chaos… it is no longer safe to stand alone. Better we choose than have it chosen for us.”

  “Better we choose…” The words seemed to resoh Haanōbō, who nodded. “I see, brother. That makes sense. And father chose.”

  “As did we all.” Arangbō agreed. “Now, let us proceed. I wish to satisfy my curiosity…”

  As we stepped through the Ring Gate, I could see Kinneka dragging his feet, tail drooping, before I was swallowed up by the light, and emerged oher side. Haanōbō was looking up at the massive spectacle of Asha’s Tree, and as her eyes went wide, Arangbō chuckled.

  “That certainly is quite the sight.” He said. “It would be good to per the heights.”

  “Yes, we have a café up there.” Motoko said happily. At the unfamiliar word, the Tengu seemed fused, so she expined further. “It is a pce where food and drink are served, and one enjoy the views out over the Boundary here. When we are firaining, we quite enjoy it, do we not, Natsumi?”

  As she joined in, praising it, we were greeted by a rge gathering of those in my Territory. The first thing I noticed is a number of them were wearing a strange, military-style outfit, in bd silver. I have to admit though, I like it. It’s cute. On seeing the group, Kinneka let out a yelp, and he was suddenly leapt on by the silver blur that was Ginneka, her tail shilessly.

  “Brother, it’s you, nya! I thought I could feel you. Though…” she paused, ears ft against her skull, taking a few cautious sniffs. “…you seem different, nya?”

  Before that versation could go any further, Hyath appeared, and vines grabbed her by the legs and tail, hauling her off with a squeal. “Bad kitty, running oooff. I did nooot give you permission for that.” She then turned her radiant smile on me. “Wele back, Akio. Mistresses.” She theed the others, before eyeing the Tengu, looking amused. “Whooo is this, Akio? A new mistress?”

  “I am not.” Haanōbō decred, irked. Kana then ughed, adding her own teasing to the mix.

  “No, she’s something even more precious. She’s Akio’s new sister!”

  There was surprise at that, and everyone looked shocked, so I waved my hand. “All right. It’s been a long day. The girls are tired, so those of us who want to talk about it do so up oerrace, and we’ll expihing…”

  ********

  “So that’s it.” Eri sighed, her cat ears twitg. Kinneka had been eyeirahis eime, and she was starting to get tired of it, her bck tail shing stantly. “When you were gone when I woke up this m, I knew something . I wasn’t worried though…” she promised. “…you said it might happen. I was just a little sad to wake up without you.” She looked at Haanōbō, a little exasperated. “Dive him, he’s genuinely upset when girls are bullied. But if he has called you his sister, that makes you mioo.” She paused, her smile suddenly amused. “Even if nobody else would, I’d wele you to give Aiko a taste of her own medie. I think colleg sisters would teach her just how I’ve felt all this time.”

  As some of the others, particurly Shiro and Shaeu, ughed at that, Kinneka finally spoke up. “So why have we returned? We didn’t end…” He refused to say die. “…on good terms. And how?”

  “I am not as big a fool as you, nya.” Ginneka said proudly, puffing out her chest, her tail twitg, as did her fluffy ears. “I admit it was good fortuhat we got snared within the skill I stole, nya, but…” She looked at Eri, a slight smile on her face. “When this little girl ended up in trouble, I extended a helping hand, nya. And now she will call me sister.” She purred happily, only for Eri to roll her eyes.

  “I’m grateful, and I keep my promises. But as big sisters go, you are a disappointing one.” She turo Kinneka. “She did help me out of a grave situation, so Akio naturally repaid her, and she asked for your return. A sister helping her brother… it’s something of course Akio will respect. But…”

  “It does not-not wash away your sins. I still rather-rather despise you.” Shaeu grimaced. “Though if you work hard, that ge. I am magnanimous, and I have made accord with far-far worse.”

  “You didn’t lie.” Kinneka said to me, stunned. “I feel it. Seventy-First. In such a brief moment, things have ged. It is like I have been … gone… for decades, not mere weeks.”

  “Time moves fast.” Shiro agreed, and with a smile she turo the other surprising visitor, who was sitting down, uned, drinking some fine Fae wine. “It’s good to see you again, Tsukiko.”

  The Divisukiko-san, who was trying to ighe attention, missing her veil a little, her cheeks slightly pink, nodded gracefully. “And it is good to see you, Hungry Ghost. I trust your thirst is quenched adequately now?”

  Shiro shot me a sidelong look, lips quirking into a smile. “I don’t know about that. I’m quite the thirsty girl. But if you mean is that which lies within me tent… I’d have to say so. Things are moving along nicely. Now more than ever.”

  “Tsukiko-san has a decision to make.” I pointed out, and she nodded. “But first I’d like to get Yukiko-san’s input, so when I return to the Material I’ll call her over. But before that, it’s time to sider our pns.” I grinned, cheg the build queues and the shining mass of ether that surrouhe Anchor and the Silos. “We got more out of our trip to Kyoto than we bargained for.”

  “Isn’t that the truth?” Kana whispered to Daiyu, who nodded, her expression inquisitive as she watched me.

  “Thanks to our engu allies g mount Atago to us, which was a Territory of some note, we gained a lot. Firstly, Haru gained a number of Silos, quite outg my own. But since we are all one big collective due to the Ring Gate Hub, that means that with the help of Ixitt’s crafts, we use those Silos to store ether, meaning that our o build them here has diminished, and wait until after both Territories are Rank four.” It’s a hundred ay million for the full rush build, even with Haru’s new Silos we ’t hold it all, though with a few tweaks ush it close. But if we reduce the period of vulnerability enough, it should work…

  “Haru, huh?” Shiro noticed. “Seems like you’ve grown closer over the trip. I almost wish I’d have gone.”

  “You’re close enough already.” Eri snorted, but she too was watg Haru carefully. Their eyes met, and after a silent exge, Eri nodded. “It doesn’t matter. As long as everyone came back safely and achieved what Akio wanted, I suppose it’s fine.”

  “I grew closer too!” Bell said cheerily, eyeing Soliteare, earing one of the new military-style outfits. “Seems like I missed a few things though.”

  “I will tell you ter.” The other elf promised. “Though I am tempted not to. I wao go to Kyoto…”

  “All right, all right.” I chided, the banter distrag us, though seeing Tsukiko-san sitting there, uned, it was as if o had been lifted off my shoulders, which I needed retly, as hard decisions had been piling up, and there were more to make. “The first thing to do is to spend the ether we accumuted from Tarōbō’s generous donation. There’s ohing we need urgently, and that’s the Throne Of Heroes at Rank three.” I sidered the description.

  Throne Of Heroes Rank 3 – This Building empowers the Chosen Heroes of the Territory Ruler, granting them multiple bes. They exert greater trol over the Territory, allowing access to the Territory build queues and other features, aris be pced on their as and abilities should the owner of the Throne wish it. They will gain a somewhat rger boost to all of their statistics, which is greater withierritory proper, and have a maximum level of thirty. They are also more likely to develop new special abilities. They also ma a Material body, or an Astral body, if they do not possess the ability to do this. A Rank 3 Throne support six Chosen Heroes. Cost 2,500,000.

  The stat boosts will increase to thirty, doubled in our owory. Not that useful when talking about someone like Shaeu, whose stats are ten times that or more, but every little helps. The level cap increase is also very helpful for those who ’t be from Lovers’ Link, although again with the first Throhat’s not too relevant. What is… With three more slots, the first two choices were obvious.

  “At two and a half thousand astral days to upgrade, there’s no way we wait. But for just a little shy of seven and a half million, we take the one in our build queue and finish it. And we have way more than that on hand.” Not just Asha’s Tree, but the bounty we made from mount Atago. With a smile I spent the ether, and the Throne glowed brilliantly, and soon was further imposing and bigger, covered in shining silver and crystal. “As for the rest of the ether, around nine million… while I’m tempted to push other projects… with the Silos in py now, we should make haste for Rank four.” While the sooner we get Ether Spires upgraded the quicker they’ll pay for themselves and start geing profit, having Rank four defences and the ability to cim more Territory, build Satellite Anchors and so much more… I smiled ruefully. My infrastructure was going to get worse, gging far behind the Territory Rank, but it was something I repared to live with.

  “But before that…” Shaeu said, amber eyes gleaming happily. “…there are those who should-should be Enthroned, no?” She looked at Asha, atg quietly, as graceful and elegant as ever. She stood, walked over to Shaeu and started whispering something in her ear, careful to prevent me hearing, so I only caught a few words. I’m not going to eavesdrop. I could, but… I trust them. If it’s important they’ll tell me in due course.

  “… sure… fine. Have to… at some point. Might… be you-you.” Shaeu was saying, and Asha nodded, her smile calm ale. Turning to me, she came over.

  “My dearest Akio, I am prepared. The others have told me much of the mortal world, that is it not so , that nature is rather suppressed, but… it is the world you see, and I would see it too. Besides…” Her smile ged, now a radiant, happy one. “… you promised me you would make all nds bloom, the Fae, this Boundary, and the Mortal world too.”

  “And so I will. In fact…” I looked at Ginneka, who proudly stretched, showing off. Too bad I’m not ied. I already have the only catgirl I’ll need… Somehow Eri seemed to have read my thoughts as she was blushing. “…The pn starts in earoday. So… are you ready?”

  She took a deep breath, aree also shook its branches around us, leaves and blossoms swaying. Blossoms? Those are new, right? “Every day is a day I hought I would ever enjoy again. I have s. I am ready.” she promised me, and as I ected her to the Throne, she shivered, feeling the new, strange sensation.

  “I… feel a power rising.” she muttered, and a surge of brown nature energy surged, a thick st of wood and wild growth in the air. My Eye fred, and I could see that she had gained a new Unique Element. It’s been a while. Shaeu got the Befuddling Winds from taking up the Throne, and now Asha’s beed…

  Two Worlds Fl Wood Rank 1. This unique Wood Element is full of the power of Nature, as well as the e between that which is Material and that which is Spiritual, anchored by a presehat exists in both realms. This Wood creates seeds that sprout freely, roots reag between worlds, drawing sustenance from both. As it draws from Principles of both Material and Astral, these fl pnts have innumerable strange properties, the majority merely trivial, yet in rare cases, the results be astounding. [Css: ype: Principle]

  I wonder… I looked at Asha’s Tree, and just as Asha had gained a skill, so too had the Tree.

  Two Worlds Sapling Rank 1. This Rhyming Tree, as the Dryad that is one and the same with it, pass between two worlds. A seed has sprouted, filled with verdant Wood Element, and life will grow. The roots ect, both Material and Astral, and the Tree will take on the aspect of both in time. [Css: ype: Principle]

  With a surge of tration, ign my fatigue, I gestured to Kana to return to the Material, as I created my Material body as well. Soon, I was looking at a Tree growing out of the hillside, perhaps half my height, young and frail, yet the density of ether around it was growing, and I could taste Wood, Water ah element, though it quickly dispersed, the world around it so bereft of such things that it was like p water onto a desert of dry sand.

  “That’s incredible. We have a Fae tree on our property…” Kana’s jaw had dropped open, and seeing me looking she closed her mouth, shooting me a reproachful look. “Hey, I’m allowed to be surprised. But what does this mean?”

  “It means even when I move home and the Anchor, your shrine will still be important. I promise not tet you.” I teased, and she pouted, so I ruffled her hair gently. “Not that you thought you wouldn’t be. After all, Asha’s Tree is there. In both senses, it seems.”

  While this was going on, I expined ba the Boundary, and Asha seemed stunned, squeezing shut her yellow eyes, uning with her other self, her Tree. Moments ter she opehem again, and her smile was radiant. “It is true. A sapling, yet not in the normal se is a Tree, but not a ree, a Tree that is still me, still us. Your world… it is irange. I se faintly, but…”

  Shiro put a hand on her shoulder. “Seeing is believing. Don’t spoil the surprise. You might as well wait until you see it with your own eyes. After all, you go any time you want now. But don’t worry, I’ll take you to all the good pces.”

  Seeing her grin, Eri shook her head. “Don’t listen to her, Asha. She’ll just lead you astray. I’ll be sure to show you around. But anyway, what does this all mean? Other than you’ve grown stronger.”

  “I do not know.” Asha admitted. “I have never heard of a Tree that straddles the Boundary and the mortal world. Perhaps father would know, or…”

  “That’s something that’s been bugging me.” Shiro said suddenly. “You say Orion is the father of all Dryads, right?”

  Asha nodded. “Yes, we are his daughters.”

  “Then when you have kids with Aki, will they be his, or Orion’s?”

  I hadn’t sidered it. Wait, kids? It’s too soon for that… I did wait for the ahough, and after a while, Asha shrugged. “They will still be daughters of Oriohey will be your daughters too, Akio. For unlike many Dryads, they would be birthed by the two of us.”

  “Shit, that’s going to be awkward. That’s not how it works with us.” Shiro ughed, and Shaeu frowned.

  “I uand, as Orion is precious to the Treekin and Pntkin. Even that old-old miser Primal Forest has respect for him. But… being a daughter of Orion is not-not so literal. Many are indeed born from the nds of the Fae, no-no father or mother, and thus are so cimed, but there are those borween two Fae, such-such as those the Dryads have kissed. All are of Oriohere is quite-quite a difference.”

  Asha nodded. “Fear not, my beloved. I shall never allow our daughters to revere Orion more than they will you, their true father.” She touched her belly tenderly, and for a moment I had a troubling premonition, before shaking it off. That’s for the future, for now…

  “What matters is that you cross between worlds now, just like the others, Asha. And with the Throne bonuses, you’re stronger. is…” I could see Ixitt practically salivating out of the er of my eye, and a number of other Mortal Engineers were ag the same way, so I couldn’t put it off any lourning to Ginneka, ith her brother, I watched as she stood to attention, tail and ears erect, and her blue eyes were shining.

  “I get to have the wonderful ability, nya? I want it, it smells so good!” she purred happily, and Kinneka was looking at her as if he didn’t know her. Seeing that, she scowled, whipping him with her tail. “None of that, Kinneka! You’ve ged too, I smell it, taste it, nya. You’ve lost ye, though you’ve gained something else, nya! As for me… most of my abilities are gone.” She looked downcast, and I felt a brief twinge of sympathy, before I crushed it ruthlessly. “Void Motion, I liked that one, nya.” She looked at me acgly, before sighing. “My abilities to shapeshift are tangled with Eri there, and while I still steal, nya…”

  “It is your own-own fault.” Shaeu ughed meanly, and Ginneka hissed, her fur standing on end, only to calm down as the ground under her started sprouting vines, and she quickly apologised, not wishing Hyath to bully her.

  “Yes, I know, nya. I was bad, I see that now. In the Hyakki Yagyō, might makes right. And we weren’t mighty, nya. But… I want it. It resonates with me! I deserve it!”

  “I don’t know about deserve…” Eri said with a sigh. “…but I’m still grateful. A life for a life is fair, but if you want more…” Her dark eyes were hard. “Then you know what you have to pay.”

  “Nya, I know. It feels bad, a proud Bakenek under someone, but… at least he’s hot, nya.” She said coquettishly, twisting her body, looking very much like a cat at this moment. “Are you sure you don’t want a tumble, handsome? I’m rich with experienya…”

  “He doesn’t he town bus.” Shiro said, a touch spitefully. “Why would he, when he ride high-end sportscars like us.”

  “Nya, so rude. What does it matter? It is all pleasure.” She scoffed, insulted, before she was finally serious. “No, I uand. We could return to the Parade as losers, face s, nya. Humiliation. Or I could find a pce. Better a rich servant than a beggar master, nya.” Her mind made up, she shed her tail, irritated. “Besides, it smells so sweet, nya. I must have it. And when I do… brother and I, we will be fiven?”

  “We shall see.” Shaeu said, her tone cold. “I hold great-great aowards you, but… serve Akio well, and I shall find it in my heart to be merciful, I do-do promise you that.”

  “Nya, so hard to win over.” She fluttered her eyeshes at me. “Is that the sort of woman you like? You’re missing out, nya… no, no, stop…” she cried as vines ed around her legs, squeezing painfully. “I’ll be serious, nya.” She stopped her pyful, catlike banter. “I am ready. I accept…. Nya?” She felt the sudden sense of e as my Throne lio her, and she didn’t fight it, embrag it, and soon it was dohough uhe others, I’m going to tweak her permissions a lot. I hought to do it with Grulgor, that was an ht, but we had the Oaths then at least. Here… I’m not going to make a mistake.

  “Sister… are you well?” Kinneka asked, and she shuddered, before nodding.

  “Nya, no issues. Though it feels strange, as though I am pelled to do certain things, or not do them.” She looked at me then, lig her lips. “So, master…” she called me, teasing. “…I want it inside me. Give it to me, nya, shove it in, make me gasp and pant and… Argh, stop, stop!” she cried as Hyath began to twist her. “’t I have some fun, I’m one of your own now, nya!”

  Ign the fracas, I let my Eye shihe Divine Favour of Laverna, which had been draining my adherence like a parasite for so long, quivering eagerly. I see. Now she has a Material form as well, it’ll be easier to make the Favour fit. These little pieces of Adherend something else that I couldn’t yet prehend seemed tailored for humans, or at least Material creatures, which perhaps e hadn’t seen any spiritual beings with them yet. If Nurarihyon had one, for example, it might make him strong enough to fight the goldeoad, maybe… I gestured to Shiro and she came over, smiling happily.

  “Aki, what do you need?”

  “Buffs please. The general one, and on my Chirurgery.”

  “Always a buff-bot. Way to make a girl feel special, Aki.” She chuckled. “But it’s not so bad. I o show off my good points when I get the opportunity. Being number one is hard, but it’s a cross your perfect Shirohime will bear for you.” Energy flowed into me, and with the sensation of reag the third pinnacle, Rank 10, temporarily, I began to work on Ginneka. She immediately started filing, g out, yowling louder than when Hyath was tormenting her, and I motioned for her to be quiet. This isn’t as easy as it was for Kana or my sis. So please, don’t break my tration… I dismissed my Material body once more, leaving Kana and her pareedly Asha’s ree there, and delved deeply, expl the mysteries of Ginneka’s body, Split Thoughts burning, Body Enha sharpening my mind as well.

  The normal points of attat are mostly there, but some of the branches and minor chakras are out of alig. The Favour… I let it enter Ginneka, and it coalesced into a shimmering hand-like shape, occupying Ginneka’s left hand, but sending tendrils to her , heart and root chakras. The problem is… Ginneka’s still a bit of a mess. Her ability that Eri had ied, Shifting Cat, was within Gioo, but it was damaged, aether leaking from it irregurly in pulses, like a punctured, beati. I quickly patched it up, and Ginneka shivered, shrinking until she was the size of a child, her fur standing up on end. She let out aic moan, before looking armed at Hyath, but even ry maid was not going to mess with her when I was doing such delicate work.

  “That feels better, nya. Like an old scar has stopped itg.” She said, blinking at me. “Though you are treating me roughly. I don’t mind on the bed, nya, but…”

  “There’s no time for jokes…” I grimaced, as I made further adjustments, notig that the Divine Favour was ging a little, almost as if merging with her subtle bodies, the Favinning to melt away. Huh… wait, could… that be the reason that they are giving the Favours to humans? Really? If so… as my Eye shone and I tio work on her Astral and Material bodies, I shook my head. Gods… are so damn selfish…

  ShipTeaser

  So yeah, this year hasn't been all I've hoped. And there's a few reasons for that. The biggest one is... I'm actually quite zy. *looks at word t* - uh... writing isn't usually feeling like work, 95% of the time I love writing the story, and that hasn't ged. Despite my more irregur schedule, my enthusiasm remains undiminished, no, perhaps eveer after my efforts st week. But...

  keeping the bad stuff up to date DOES feel like work, so it's suffered badly. I may have mentiohis, but I write in a number of pces on a number of puters, so my relevant dots like timelines and so forth are split between them, and after midway through the st arc of act 1 I got zy...

  I have now solved this issue, and have created a draft on Royal Road that will hold timelierritory details for all knowories, Queue Tracker etc. as well as the test character sheets for each character that has them, and any ges betwees to hopefully prevent missing stuff, at least when I've dohe re-read aing and pulled them all. For characters that don't have sheets but gain skills, they be added to the Dramatis Persoo keep it up to date.

  So yeah, I went through 1700 pages from Thursday onwards, it wasn't a full edit, as I didn't fix typos or pull data, but it will make the actual edit speedier, I'd say. I have now crified the timeline (luckily there was no errors introduced) and all the other relevant issues I was worried about. That's a good thing.

  So... I'm no loing to talk about when the editing is done. I'm just going to grind it silently lol. Every time I make projes I get them wildly wrong anyway. And to be fair to me, while I'm most definitely NOT looking for sympathy, I have also mentioned on occasion I do have a health issue. It's nothing too serious, and is well managed by medication and has been for well over a decade, but it ebbs and flows, and it's been flowing for months, and it leaves me REALLY tired, sometimes by 8.30pm I'm too tired to do much other than sleep. I've generally mao do most of the writing, but i admit we've had a few poor weeks retly.

  But again, that will pass, and this story WILL be told. Because when I reread for this... I enjoyed doing so *smile* Which is why I wrote it in the first pce. I dream of ten years from now being able to sit down ahe whole thing. (over the course of three months most likely due to length then lol)

  Well, of course I well noticed I say well way too mud well, I'll stop welling all the well damn time, well it. *wink*

  So yeah. Long rant here, what you take away is... I have the solution pnned, and when I do finally sort it all, we won't have to ehis sort of crap again as it'll be easy to keep updated no matter where I do the writing, but... ah, this was long enough. Laters...

  [colpse]If you don't, well that's fioo *smile* And we should be visiting the Material with Asha and likely Ginneka chapter I'd think... when the real empire-building begins heh. And on a side his takes p the afternoon of Friday 29th November in story.