Sakura Genetics (Rei no Kaado)

[mugenginga]

The first signs of sunrise had just begun to illuminate the shrine on the outskirts of Bonsai Village. Still called simply "Shinto Shrine" by most of the inhabitants, it wasn't what the head priestess considered it. The least the ungrateful mortals could have done was called it Bonsai Shrine. And honestly, it was a shrine dedicated to the goddess Izanami, why were they ignoring that.

Mana scrunched up her face at the thoughts and brushed the stone walkway with a bit more force. Despite the time of year, it still seemed more like autumn. Stupid trees were shedding like crazy, and it wasn't spring so there were no cherry blossoms to appreciate. Not that this area had any of the damn things. She'd planted some, but she doubted she'd be in this world to see them grow.

Honestly, considering the upcoming events, they'd probably never get the chance. She couldn't force them. Izanami was a goddess of the underworld and things relating to death, not birth. Even with the symbolism of the trees and their blossoms, they were still living things. Just like he was.

She stopped and looked around before lifting a hand and bringing it down at a fast pace. A chilling wind swirled through the area and the leaves on the path rotated up into the sky before being taken off the shrine grounds. Her brother was immortal, but he wasn't. That's why this was all so very stupid. She turned around and headed back to the main part of the shrine, grumbling under her breath as she went.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

As the first rays of sunlight began to rise over the horizon, something very curious occurred. A burst of flame appeared in front of the sun and suddenly rushed straight toward the shrine. The flames hovered near the ground for a few moments before swirling around some unknown form and finally gathering at one point on the form's back, revealing the true form of what was underneath.

It was a wolf. To most people, the wolf would just appear to be a normal white wolf. Most people, even those who lived in Bonsai Village, didn't truly believe in the gods. They prayed, they claimed they did, but in their hearts, they didn't really believe, so none of them would be able to see the wolf's true form. Those who could would see something much different from the white wolf. It would still be white, but there would be odd red markings on its body, and on its back would be a large clay disc with flames swirling around it.

The wolf yawned before looking around at where she had landed. It appeared to be where she had been expecting to land, which was good. Then she realized something was off, and looked back at her fur. If a wolf could sigh, she would have. Of course she wasn't at full power here.

She stood up and shook some dirt from her fur before beginning to walk forward. As Amaterasu walked, a bit of grass rose up from her feet and died again. While this wasn't her own shrine, she felt a slight connection to the place... meaning it was either a shrine to one of her brothers, her father, or even less likely, her aunt.

[mugenginga]

Izanami had reached the honden before anything happened. Home of the shintai indeed. It was pretty important for her presence outside of Yomi at all, even with the vessel born as Tadoru Mana providing its support. She had reached under her top to pull out the key to it when she sensed the burst of energy. Her eyes went straight to the right place, which lead to a rather amusing hiss and shielding of the eyes.

The goddess kept her remaining senses focused on the rising sun. When it pretty much crashed towards the sandou, she turned around and dropped her hand. That was divine in nature, although she was having a trouble getting a fix on it. She let out a short string of expletives in ancient Japanese before just dropping the broom and speedwalking towards the path. She wasn't running because she refused to get panicked over something probably far simpler than her imagination was making it.

Ameterasu would see an annoyed silver haired miko coming out from behind the haiden. While there was no "true form" to see in the case of an avatar, there would also be no way the "wolf" would not realize who she was. In any case, Mana stopped cold when she saw the figure complete with flaming disc and red markings. She glared.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Amaterasu stopped walking when she spotted the shrine's miko coming toward her. Except it was definitely not a miko, just as much as Amaterasu was definitely not a wolf. The miko was scowling at her, which cemented what was already a fact to Amaterasu. Amaterasu sat back down again.

Izanami-obasan. I can't say I expected to see you here, Amaterasu said. Certainly a more pleasant one than our last meeting, though I believe it was not the same you I met then.

No, the other one had just been an incarnation of Izanami who as far as Amaterasu knew (which wasn't much, what with being a statue for most of that time) never awakened to her true self. The implications of things then... "Nami" and "Nagi" falling in love like that, what irony.

[mugenginga]

Mana crossed her arms. She seemed to be apprising Ameterasu's appearance for a moment before her hand twitched. She looked about ready to facepalm, but she managed to avoid it. She loosely remembered that time, part of the fuzziness being from having never really awakened. A cloudy and distant observation grown from the transition period a shell went before losing itself in that sense. In any case, that and her own knowledge had put things together.

"You can't leave here like that, can you? Well you just picked a great time to trap yourself in another dimension."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Amaterasu gave a surprised bark at that. Couldn't leave...? She didn't like the sound of that. She didn't like the sound of that at all. She had been sensing some rather odd energies from this island for a while, but it hadn't been until she'd sensed the arrival of two rather powerful gods that she had made the decision to leave the Celestial Plain and come to this island. But she couldn't leave...?

My powers are significantly weaker here, Amaterasu stated. But what do you mean 'trap yourself'? Is something going to happen on this island soon?

Amaterasu wasn't going to question what Izanami was doing here at the moment. That could wait for now.

[mugenginga]

This time Izanami did facepalm. She would have called it some kind of messed up cosmic genetics if Izanagi hadn't been her brother. The other goddess hadn't thought to look more closely into the condition of the place she visited? Maybe it was something only Izanagi bore. Her speech was a bit muffled as she didn't bother to remove her palm from her face as she spoke.

"This world is set to be destroyed in nine or so days thanks to Nyx and her avatar," Izanami lowered her hand, "Although I don't suppose you thought to study other lands' pantheons, though, did you?"

It was a fair bit insulting. Then again, it didn't seem directed straight at Ameterasu...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Amaterasu began to growl at that, and she entered a rather hostile pose, whipping her tail back and forth.

I didn't see the need to. As far as I knew, there wasn't much wrong with the Island, just that two powerful gods had already been attracted to it, Amaterasu growled. It also didn't help that she didn't have her Celestial Envoy with her. She did rely on Issun a fair bit for these kind of things, since she wasn't able to converse with mortals, and she hadn't really seen him since the Ark of Yamato left for the Celestial Plain...

Speaking of which. If you're here, Izanagi can't be too far behind. Where is he? Amaterasu asked. She was curious as to the whereabouts of her father, even if the last time she'd seen him (once again, in a mortal incarnation) had been less than pleasant. Did Izanagi breed lazy jackasses to be his avatars or something?

[mugenginga]

Izanami responded with a scowl and a stare straight into Ameterasu's face. Any passer by's would think the miko a little nuts, and there were those that wouldn't argue with the point. Mana lifted three fingers into the air.

"Three to my knowledge, quite possibly more. This place seems to attract them, probably in a similar way it attracted you. Nyx' avatar is here as well, although the specificity of it means she isn't. You'll probably understand come midnight. It's the whole reason this world is ending," Izanami spoke. And then Ameterasu spoke again.

The silver haired woman gave a death glare to the wolf, "He's at the Apartments in a city quite aways from here known as Void City," And then, oddly, her expression seemed to soften and carry traces of pain, "It might be better for you to talk to his avatar. At least he isn't a complete asshole..."

Not that Izanami had shown a tendency to be a good judge of character in regards to Izanagi's avatars...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Amaterasu blinked at that. Izanami's expression had softened, which had been surprising enough, and then she'd said she should talk to his avatar. But from the sound of things, Izanagi had already awakened in the avatar. So why would the avatar's artificial personality still remain?

The avatar? But Izanagi's awakened already, correct? Amaterasu asked.

Still concerning was the comment about the world ending and something happening at midnight. She would have to wait for midnight to find out exactly what was going on, it seemed.

[mugenginga]

Izanami sighed, "It's not for lack of Izanagi's trying that Souji still remains. A power I granted seems to have mucked up Izanagi's control over Souji. I'm likely my brother's stubborn nature prevented any chance he had of erasing Souji as well. It's for the better, in my opinion. Jerk needs someone to set him straight about things...."

Of interesting note is that Izanami had used the name of the avatar three times in that little speech. While it was possible Ameterasu thought she was using the avatar's surname, it didn't change the fact she was using a name, not a euphism for him. And in other awakened incarnations, Izanami had never been one to run around with even that measure of politeness. The time when she had been a bit more proper had been before Ameterasu's birth, after all.

Still, it was worth noting.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Amaterasu flicked her ears. She counted. Three times Izanami had regarded the avatar with a name. Not something Amaterasu ever remembered Izanami using in regards to... well, anyone. She wasn't very polite for a goddess. So something like this was a bit odd. More than a tad bit odd, really.

I see. Well, in any case, I should be going. I'm interested in this 'Souji.' Considering this avatar of Izanagi's managed to earn the right to actually have his name said by you, he must be something special, Amaterasu said. She looked back at Izanami for a second before suddenly rushing forward and ramming into Izanami.

That's for all of the times you threw sake bottles at me when I was patrolling around Kamiki, Amaterasu stated. She gave what might be construed as a wink before starting to walk a tad bit faster toward the shrine's exit.

[mugenginga]

Izanami had been thinking about saying something else when Ameterasu finished her first phrase. She had stopped with her mouth open and hesitated for a moment, before going into a deeper glare than before. She hadn't meant to, but thinking back she had been a bit heavy with Souji's name. Man, was she that infatuated? Once again she had to wonder about her mortal age in regards to things. She was acting younger than her avatar appeared to be, for the Celestial Plain's sake! In any case, it got her into a rather nice tizzy of distraction and gave her no chance to avoid being head butted by the small white wolf.

She hit the ground with a resounding thud and got out maybe half a word of angry ranting when Ameterasu explained herself. She looked lost for a moment before a few faint memories clicked into place. Oh come on, that hadn't even been her in the strictest sense! She got up and mumbled some more before turning around and picking up the broom. The attitude problem she'd gotten after the situation involving holing herself up in cave wasn't all that pleasant. Not that she had room to talk, really. She grumbled some more and rubbed her backside as she headed back towards the honden building.