As the Favour was pletely absorbed within Ginneka, rithing and making scivious noises, drawing a lot of ire from the girls around her, she fortunately seemed to be fine, and I could see both with my Eye aatus through the Throhat she had retaihe Divine Favour, despite it seemingly losing its inal shape. I thought so. Even though she has a Material form through the Throne, just like Shaeu, her true body is Astral. The Throne is powerful yes, and works, but it’s ultimately just a shortcut, a cheat…

  Having a lot to think about, I finished my adjustments, and with that done, Ginneka slumped to the ground on her knees, panting heavily, blue eyes moist. Looking up at me, she smiled reproachfully. “For someone who cims he’s ued, you sure did mess me up, nya.” She clutched herself, her face pink. “It was magnifit though, nya. I’ll let you take resp…” Before she could finish her stupid joke, Hyath hauled her up with the vines, oo gently at that, and Ginneka squealed.

  “She’s amusing, but she never learns, does she?” Shiro pointed out to Shaeu, who scoffed.

  “If we did not-not need her, I would be quite-quite happy to throw her out.”

  “That’s harsh, but I get it. I don’t like the way she tried to kill you and Akio.” Eri agreed. “And she is rather annoying, but…”

  “It’s hard to hate someohat saved your life. Don’t we all know it?” Shiro rolled her eyes, as Ginneka shifted, slipping free of the vines, before resuming her ordinary form. “Enough of this edy routihe main thing is… what’s the situation, Aki? Are we good to go?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I believe so. Ginneka…”

  “Yes, nya?” she miaowed, suddenly alert.

  “I’m going to expin your statistiow. And then… it’s time to put you to work. Although…” I looked warmly at Asha. “I think we have a bit of time to show off the Material first.” Taking a deep breath, my Eye glowing, I checked out the final results of Enthroning Ginneka and her absorption of the Divine Favour.

  GinnekaBakenekoChosen Of Laverna, Underworld Queen Of Thieves[Material Statistibsp;[Intangible Statistibsp;Might196 +30Fortune3 +1Fortitude120 +30Majesty  +1Intellect75  +30Charm14 +1Resilience221 +30League11 +1Acrity380 +30Determination2 +1Precision336 +3ht  +1Aether1813 +30Fate  +1

  [Material Skills] [Aetheric Skills]RankCssTypeSilver CordRank 3Suffit (3)Foundation (4)Seven Nights Chakra workRank 5Noble (5)Rule (5)Seven Night OrbsRank 1Noble (5)Rule (5)Adherence ManiputionRank 1Noble (5)Law (8)Aether ManiputionRank 2Suffit (3)Foundation (4)[Physical bat Skills] bat TeiqueRank 3trip (1)Simple (1)[Intangible Skills] [Unique Skills] Shifting CatRank 4Noble (5)Artifice (6)Thieving CatRank 5Imperious (6)Principle (7)Laverna’s Grasping Hand Of Heaveh And The Underworld Rank 3Legendary (7)Law (8)

  [Level]0/30[Css]Maneki-Neko 1/20 Divi 1/20

  [Mastered Css]Shapeshifter 10/10“So, that’s me, nya?” Ginneka seemed ied. “I seem powerful!”

  “It’s nothing special, don’t get ceited, kitty.” Shiro said, remembering her own stats. “There are some iing things to hough.” Being a keen gamer like me, she immediately spotted the key points. “So, now there’s a bonus to the intangible stats as well from the Throne?”

  I nodded, cheg Shaeu and Hyath, and they also had the bonuses. “It’s a small boost, but especially when it’s doubled in our Territory, defetles will be easier.”

  “Yeah, numbers don’t lie.” she agreed. “And it seems that she has the Divine Favour successfully. Looks like it’s all ing together, Aki.”

  “That’s right.” I pulled up the information for the Favour, though it was the same as when I had taken it. It’s a relief, I used a great deal of my adhereo impnt it, but now the drain of carrying it has stopped, hopefully I rebuild for the future, for ime… I wasn’t enough of a fool to think no more Favours would fall into my hands, not with the way the world was right now.

  Laverna’s Grasping Hand Of Heaveh And The Underwives the wielder the ability to transfer an item betweeerial and Astral realms, and it will endure so long as Aether remains, w as it would in the realm it came from. More plicated and rger items require more Aether to make funal, so they will endure fnifitly less time. Laverna takes as she pleases, and what is stolen from Earth shall be treasured in Heaven, and what is taken from Heaven shall be uded in the Underworld. What is pilfered from the Underworld shall surely find value ih.

  Ixitt, on hearing the description, capered with joy, g his hands together, and the Mortal Engineers were cheering. “It seems my time is now!” he crowed. “So much testing to do. The stific methorous trials…” He turo some of the engineers, his urgency palpable. “Fete of the batteries, and the Alchemical recyg device. We should rus immediately!”

  As they scurried off to do his bidding, I asked Tan a question. “From what I’ve seen, the dwellers in the Boundary and lower Astral such as Yōkai and Fae are a lot strohan us humans. Of course…” I looked at Ixitt, who winked, still extremely excited. “…strength isn’t determined by who has the stro muscles, or the fastest speed. Otherwise it wouldn’t be humans that rule the world, but bears, wolves and big cats. I think willio learn and adapt, creating tools to do what we ’t and enhance what we , is a big factor as well.”

  “I agree wholeheartedly.” Ixitt cpped. “Which is why Mortal Engineering is a disciplihe Fae do learn and grow, there is no doubt about it, but the willio accept ge, to search for difficult solutions, even if it seems terintuitive… that we most certainly ck. Perhaps it is because we live long, while mortals fre brightly and then fade away, as sparks from the fme. Though with the proper push…” He looked at Shaeu, whed, yet her face was tinged with pink, pleased at his implied praise.

  “You have something to say, no?” Moira said, pursing her lips. She had been teased a little by Bell and Soliteare, but had rgely ighem, focussed on the results of our expedition, which was the bounty of ether, and the upgrade to the Throne. “I believe you are w why the Gods, as you call them, do not bless powerful beings such as Prince Shaetanao, for example?”

  “Exactly.” I agreed. “It would certainly improve their ces, but… I expect there’s a lot of reasons we don’t know, but ohe Favour, it isn’t retrievable, not easily, anyway.” I do wonder what would happen if Ginneka lost her Anchor to a queror now. Wait, she even drop an Anchinneka, I want you to do me a favour.” I expined what I wanted, and I sent her off through the Ring Gate. She dragged her brother along with her, and I allowed it, thinking they could use a little time to catch up.

  “I don’t think they’ll be long, but… if my specution is correct, it’d be iing. For now…” I turo the waiting Tsukiko-san. “There’s a slot in the hrone waiting for you. But I won’t pressure you, it’s a big decision. And I’d feel bad if Yukiko-san isn’t involved, though don’t think I’m unwilling. If you want it, it’s yours, no question.”

  “I appreciate your .” Tsukiko-san answered, still sav her drink. “For now I am tent to simply watch the one I chose to believe in work. It is surprisingly fasating. pared to how others are fag the oning catastrophe, your methods seem rather… different. Should we be so rexed?”

  I let Shaeu answer for me. “Of course we should. If we do not-not take time to refresh our minds and bodies, all that awaits us is a slow dest to defeat. Just as a b kept too taut will-will snap, so too our spirits. Besides…” her amber gaze was firm yet kind. “…fighting for survival is all very well-well, but I prefer to fight for what es beyond, love, joy and fort. You fought for yod, which I do not-not deny, but… fight for what you desire, and your strength will be magnified, I assure you.”

  “An iing philosophy.” Tsukiko-san replied after a moment, her ruby eyes showing her deep thoughts. “I have not yet decided my path, but I do knoiness does not sound so unpleasant. Perhaps after all these years I should try it.”

  “That’s the spirit.” I agreed, pleased. We ’t just live for duty. We have to build a world where we be happy, thrive. And the steps begin today… “Bay point…” I griaking a drink myself. “Ginneka should be back soon, and my questions will hopefully be answered.” We chatted for a little while, and it amused me to see Motoko and Natsumi trying to look alert, but even with Chirurgery and all the aether I had given them, being up and active and in battle for so long had taken its toll on their endurance, and seeing their eyes try and slide shut as they listened, I couldn’t help but find them adorable. Soon though, we could hear footsteps, and Ginneka crested the steps onto the terrace, followed by her panting brother. She leapt in front of me, and I swivelled, dodgitempted grab, making her pout, tail shing angrily.

  “Nya, you could have embraced me. It’s been so long since I’ve felt the warmth of a hot man, nya. Oh well…” She leapt backwards as the wooden terrace more started to bloom, sprouting vines. “Enough, nya. I’m serious. So… I couldn’t do it, nya.” She firmed, all business now. “I felt that I could rule it, but this Anchor, nya. No.”

  “I thought so. I’ve seen a lot of Territories, and there’s a huge differeween Anchored ones and not. But it doesn’t seem that low-Raerritories have Anchors. Except for those of us who are Chosen.” I tio expin my theories. “So, while a spiritual being might well be stronger aer able to use a Favour to gain power and fight, there are other demerits. Like not being able to use the part of it that seems to crystalise an Anchor, even for rather low-Raories. And… the Gods ’t get it back easily if the bearer dies. And there’d be no Ranks in queror, so… it ruins the Kodoku Vessel pn I surmised. It’s all just specution of course, uan would care to ent?”

  Shiro shook her head. “No, she’s refusing to ahough I’m gettier at reading her surface thoughts, at least. We are together all the time… uh, wait, not all the time.” she blushed, amusing us. “Not when we’re intimate, all right? She doesn’t peep. Ugh, so embarrassing. Anyway… she does think that reg unused Favours is important. The Gods don’t give away anything for free. There’s something else I t quite uand, but…”

  “That begs the question.” I mused. “How did Tan Anchor a Territory? Wouldn’t the Favour she was going to give you have dohe same as it did with Ginneka?”

  Shiro ughed. “e on, Aki. Be sensible. You’ve offended her. I quote, who do you think I am, fool? I am Ta?hā, the Thirst. My trol over my own form is far beyond this crude kitten… so I think you ought to apologise.” She winked, showing that she was on my side.

  “Yeah, sorry Tan.” How am I supposed to know? But it makes sense, I guess. Does that mean that a more powerful and in-trol spiritual being could make it work like we do? I guess that’s just specution, and not something we easily test. “I guess this is one of those things you ’t talk about, but I’m slowly starting to build a picture of the aims of Ortlinde and the others here. Though it’s rather inplete. I wish I could speak tain, even for a brief moment. But there’s no point wishing for what we ’t have. Good job Ginneka, take a break while I go over the rest of your notable skills and csses.”

  “Nya, it’s good you see me w hard. Praise me more, reward me, nya!” Her ears fluttered and her whiskers twitched happily. Her eyes widened as Hyath scowled at her, but I quickly got back to business, and everyone was listening ily.

  “Maneki-Neko… oh, that never fails to amuse me…” I pictured a fat Ginneka with one paw in the air, holding in a chuckle. “…makes sense, as you escaped true death in a rather fortunate way. Divi though… let me see…”

  Divi is a css grao beings who are of feline lineage or share catlike elements, while also having accumuted Adherence of a Divine providence. Cats are particurly effective at attrag and magnifying stray Adherence, and this css strengthens such abilities, and League will increase more rapidly, and Majesty and Charm will have a greater effect.

  “A shame-shame Majesty is the furthest thing from you.” Shaeu teased coldly. “But why-why are cats so blessed?” she said, puzzled.

  “I ahat one.” Shiro grinned. “There’s a ton of examples of cats being divine in myth. I thi is the most famous, right? Even in Japan, cats are seen as kami in a number of cases.”

  “I remember auntie Emily tellihat cats in Britain were often seen as familiars of witches ba history, and even now, people think bck cats briher great fortune or terrible bad luck.” Eri agreed.

  “There are catlike Fae as well-well.” Shaeu agreed. “Though if they are divihen surely us-us weasels are too!” she decred, thter.

  “All right. It seems a bit simir to how the Tower of London and what it holds works.” I mused. “Eri, if you ever do get a Divine Favour, I’d expect you’ll get the css too. Something to look forward to. is… well, Seven Nights Chakra work is basically the Yōkai version of the Eight Moons. More iing are the Seven Night Orbs.” They are orbiting the major chakras, like small chakras themselves. Shaeu has them too, as does Eri…

  Seven Night Orbs are the crystallisation of the mysterious power of Yōkai, and strehe ability of the Chakras they surround to draw in and use Aether and Adherence, as well as positive bes to the strength of i abilities and traits the bearer possesses, and overall strengthening the Chakra works.

  “It’s basically a lunar chakra, only instead of a home for elemental abilities, it seems more focussed on what makes a Yōkai tick.” I mused. “As for why you don’t have o, Shaeu, Eri… if I had to guess, it’s like why we didn’t have the Lunar Chakra skill before, until we strengthe enough. So I doubt it’s out of reach…”

  “I see. The vast-vast majority of my abilities are elemental, so there would be modest gain, however…” Shaeu seemed excited. “…I am a Kamaitachi, a weasel of wind. It stands to reason that despite wind-wind being a, the Night Orbs would stre, as it is the irait of a Kamaitachi? I believe we call that double-double dipping.”

  “Seeing you spout those gaming terms never gets old.” Shiro ughed. “Makes sehough. What would you get then, Eri? More shapeshifting?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “There’s ohi, right?”

  “Yeah, Thieving Cat. That one was a lot of trouble for me, although the rewards were worth it.”

  “Nya, you stole my Void Motion. I did like that a lot…” Ginneka pouted. “That was a reward for my work… though, we did fail, didn’t we brother, nya? Maybe it was meant to be.”

  Kinneka sighed, looking away, and I sed the details.

  Thieving Cat allows oo use their Aether to usurp the skills of aaking it for their own. There is a limit to the number of abilities that be stolen at oime, and skills that are too powerful or require certain prerequisites to fun ot be stolen without said prerequisites being taken first. A skill ot be stolen from someone signifitly more powerful than the wielder of the skill, and powerful League will render such a skill useless as well. Oaken, skills will not be returned, uhe thief so wishes, or the thief is sin, then the skills will return as long as the inal owner is close enough. Stealing skills cause signifit damage to the Chakra work and subtle bodies of the victim, though this be ameliorated by the return of the stolen skills.

  Shaeu had a sour expression, and I remembered why. “Yeah, fag that ain. Though if you tried it now, I think you’d find you wouldn’t be able to rob from us.” I told Ginneka, whed, apologising a tousincerely.

  “Nya, your skills were just so temping, little weasel. His too. You ’t bme a cat f to catch good prey.”

  “I and I do, even-even now.” Shaeu pined, and as they bickered, I sidered the possibilities. Though it wasn’t all bad, I remember that I got some skills Ranking up after they returned. I wonder… it might be worth some experimentation. The damage to the Chakra work sounds nasty and only to be expected, but with Ether Healing and Chirurgery… I had several ideas for experiments, and shared a few.

  Everyoarted discussing the possibilities, only interrupted by the return of Ixitt’s Mortal Engineers, carrying boxes of items they wished to send to the Material. On seeing that, I tasked Gio use her new Divine Favour, and I turned back to Tsukiko-san.

  “Sorry, but you’ll have to stay here. Kioration only create a spiritual body, your living body is already gone.” Damn, that hurts to say. I saw the cremation at her funeral, after all… “It’s not ideal, I know…”

  She shook her head, long bck locks dang, a small, shy yet teasing smile on her beautiful face. “It is enough of a miracle that it would be an affront to Fate to pin. Besides, it is rather rexing here.” She looked out over the view, her half empty gss in hand. “I will take the time to think things over. Including what I o say to Yukiko. I fear I worried and hurt her with my failures. Besides, Prince Shōtoku and my beloved shrine are but a short walk away, a miracle in itself.”

  “You didn’t fail.” I insisted. “Kyoto was saved. It wasn’t perfect, but we’re not Gods. Just the tools they wield. But uools, we have free will. You do too.”

  She nodded. “I know. It is a… liberating, yet frightening experience. I still wish to be of service to Tsukuyomi, and even without the Favour, I am still the Diviner, I expect I will still dream of the moon reflected iers. But now I have those who finally share my burden, uand me…”

  “Yes, a problem shared is a problem halved. Auntie Emily loves that saying.” Eri stood, ing over and sitting beside her. “And ohing Akio is good at is helping carry the problems we have. And not just him… we all uand. Me, perhaps most of all.” She sighed, cat ears twitg, irritated. Seeing me looking, she frowned and they vanished after a moment of tration. “Stop that.” She chided me. “This is a serious versation, not time for you to ogle me.” Turning back to Tsukiko-san, she put on her most serious expression, onyx eyes intense. “I nearly perished, I was a whisker away from death, so I think I get it. This was my sed ce. I’ve ged. I’m not so reckless anymore. I know what it costs to be foolish, too bold. How you’ll ge… I don’t know, and nor do you, yet. But ohing is certain. You will ge. And we’ll all make sure it’s for the better. You’re no longer alone. We’re your friends, panions…” she paused. “It’s too soon to press you on this, you haven’t even decided, but… perhaps you’ll be more than a friend.”

  Tsukiko-san looked at me, fioug her lips. “I remember… I am an old-fashioned woman, I suppose. It does weigh on me, but not unpleasantly. Yet I still struggle…”

  “It’s settled then.” Eri looked at me, nodding to herself. “I know you’re worried. Go on ahead, I’ll stay with Tsukiko-san while you do what you o. Ahose two home…” She the barely awake Motoko and Natsumi. “Their parents won’t be impressed.”

  “Thanks.” I said to Eri, touched that she would make an effort for others. “I owe you one.”

  “There’s no owiween lovers, between husbands and wives.” She smiled triumphantly. “Although… you did promise a holiday, just the two of us, remember?”

  “I did. I’ll be a bit too busy getting some things set up, but… I haven’t fotten. Soon, I promise.”

  After a few more words of pnning, we were ready for our return, Bell cheekily saying that if Tsukiko-san didn’t want the Throne slot, she’d have it, and pledge herself to me in her ey, and I waved that off, having a better opinion of her, and greater uanding of her jovial nature, after our shared trials on mount Atagbō and Haanōbō would remain as well, rather curious about my Territory, sreed to give them the tour. The rest of us returo the Material, and I found myself o Asha, who was looking around in wonder, running her hands over the puter, TV and more in my bedroom, only having heard others talk about such things, and also Ginneka, who was still looking like a Bakeneko, wearing low-rise shorts and a halter-neck bck t-shirt, showing her cleavage. On seeing me looking, she stretched, showing off her bellybutton and long legs happily. She then pouted as I looked away, not because I wasn’t ied, but because of what was at her feet… I’m actually not ied in her as a woman, but I’m a guy, of course I’ll look at girls dressed so sexily. But fet that… this is…

  Spoiler

  [colpse]“Lose the ears and tail, it’s not suitable for Earth yet.” I said, reag down to check the boxes. Inside were a number of the special batteries, a rge Alchemical device, and several small silver spires that reminded me of the artificial Ether Spires, just on a far more modest scale. There were also… Etherites huh? Here ierial…

  As some of the others joined us, Shaeu and Hyath first to awaken, Shaeu happily turning oV, surprising Asha with some anime, Ginneka dismissed her catlike appearah a sad purr. It was then the door was flung open, and Ixitt crashed through in his human form, followed by a flustered Kana.

  “I did try to stop the madman, but…” she shrugged.

  “I ot be stopped! The moment I have been waiting for…” He saw me holding the items Ginneka had brought to the Material with Laverna’s Favour and flushed, eyes sht if it was an anime I’d have expected to see heart shapes in them. “…it has e!” He literally jumped for joy, leaping over and grabbing a handful of batteries, as well as several Etherites. “Oh, the experiments I o perform, the theories I o verify… quickly now…” He wrenched open the back of one of the many mobile phones hanging from his b coat, ripping out the existing battery. Moments ter he was wiring in one of the brought items, and for a moment the device actually switched on, before it died in a shower of electrical sparks, exposed innards smoking. “…ower… though of course, the capacity and throughout is too high… verters, of course, of course…”

  “Uh, okay.” I said, uanding his joy, but still a bit put off by it. “Anyway, great job, Ginneka. Keep up the good work and you’ll not find us g gratitude.”

  Shaeu was asking Asha if she was feelihy, and after a g me, she nodded, her yellow eyes and red hair giving her a striking appearahe greenish tio her skin a very faint hue in her Material form, almost unnoticeable unless one was looking for it. With a smile I extended a hand to her, and as she took it, I squeezed it gently. “Asha, wele to the mortal world. I hope you find it to your liking.” With a smile as her answer, we headed for the outside world, ready to show her all the sights she had never seen before…

  ShipTeaser