Kamiko calmed her thoughts again, and tried to meditate, this time going back inside her hollow tree for some safety. Although it wasnt as safe as it was in the past due to her power having been reduced, it was the safest and most familiar to her at the moment.
How long has it been since i slept? What happened before that? I cant remember clearly... Oh wait. I remember something now! Kamiko hurriedly transformed back into her fox form and darted out of her tree. She trotted eastward for quite sometime, before arriving at another tree, similar looking to hers. She could sense another kitsune lived in here. She pawed a few times near the hole, and before long, a woman came out of it. That woman had fox ears and ears too, but was much neater in terms of physical appearance. However, unlike Kamiko, who had very light pink as her body colour, this fox lady instead had it purple. Her four tails swished from side to side as she exited the hole.
"Ahh! Miko! Is that you??? You look very... different... Are you alright??? You haven't woken up in so long you had me worried! What are you standing for? Come in!" The purple fox gestured.
Kamiko smiled and replied, "Thanks Asura!"
The duo quickly settled down on their tatami and started their conversation.
"So, Miko, how have you been? Its been nearly a hundred and twenty years since I last saw you... Are you alright?"
"Thanks Asura, I have been coping well... except the fact that I lost alot of my powers, I think I am doing quite alright."
"Do you mind telling me what happened at the trial meeting with the gods? Because nearly a few hours later, you randomly dropped out of the sky looking like that... They said you were exhausted and going to sleep for a long while, so nobody disturbed you."
"Ahh yea. I can sort of remember what happened then. You see, its like this..."
Miko slit her wrist and dripped the blood onto the center of the lotus bloom, surround by several candles and an array. The lotus opened its petals, as the array started moving. Bright pink light flashed periodically, signalling the array was starting.
"You think you'll be okay?" Asura asked.
"I'll be fine..." Miko answered dully.
The array flashed repeatedly, in a quick rythmm and before long, a portal appeared in front of them. Miko stepped inside, her face as stern as ever with Asura behind with worry. The gods were not to be messed with. As soon as Miko stepped into the portal, it dissapeared in a flash, just like how it was summoned.
Appearing in front of the enormous, heavenly gates, Miko bowed to the guards.
"I request an audience with the god of reincarnation."
To this, the guard scoffed hautily. Did she really think a high and mighty god would pay attention to an insignificant little fox? On top of that, one without nine tails?
"Little fox, I urge you to hurry back to the human realm. The heavenly realm is- actually rather, you are not ready for it yet. How about lets wait until you cultivate to god strength and live till you gain nine tails first?"
"Its about an important matter. To me at least. To show my sincerity, I will kneel here until it takes however long for the god of reincarnation to accept my audience." Miko immediately kneeled down, her head lowered.
"Aiya! Don't make things difficult for me! You can continue kneeling here for ten thousand years and he might not even accept your request! Instead, it will be on me to throw you out, and if I don't, the person here next shift will blame me and I'll be punished! Whatever problems you're having, wait till you're stronger and then maybe you'll have a chance. Don't implicate me into your issues!" The guard spat. However, Miko stood her ground unyeilding at those hurtful remarks. She continued kneeling, not saying a word until "BANG!" A sudden force pushed open the heavenly gates. The god or reincarnation was now right in front of Miko.
"Whats the commotion here?!" The god demanded. To this, the guard timidly explained the situation. The god gestured for Miko to come in, abit imaptiently, with a solemm look.
"Who are you, what do you want? To the point please. Its late and i should be resting now, not listening to your stupid audience," the god commanded, sitting atop his grand chair. Miko gulped. He certainly was a straightfoward man.
"Are you going to say anything or are you wasting my time?" The god spoke once again.
"Your honor, My name is Azuki Kamiko. You may adress me as Miko. My purpose here today is to ask you to hurry the reincarnation of my lover, Kinoko Takei. Please accept my daring request." Saying this, Miko knelt down, pressing her head on the cold, hard floor of the god's palace.
"Check the name." The god instructed his attendee, while staring at the fox knelt down before him. His attendee imediately waved his hand with a large, thick book appearing before his hand instantaneously. He passed the book to the god beside him, as he flipped through the many pages.
"Kinoko Takei. Are you sure you got the right name? He is but a mere mortal, human being. Why would you even like him?!" The god questioned. Miko glanced up to the grand chair, and said, "Love happens even when you don't notice. It was out of my control I fell in love with him. But since I love him, I will do whatever it takes to quickly see him again."
"Kinoko Takei. Cause of death: Stabbed and excessive loss of blood after. Life lived: Full of sin and practised 4 of the seven vices, specifically being, Lust, Envy, Greed and Pride, all at the 10th degree. You must wait for his reincarnation for more than ten thousand years. His punishment will end then."
Miko widened her eyes in horror. It was already difficult to live a day without him, let alone ten thousand years!
"Please! I'll take whatever punishment he has on his behalf! Just let him reincarnate sooner!" Miko cried. The god looked pensively at her and asked, "Are you sure? Lust was one of his sins, and at the tenth out of the eighteen degrees. I advice you not to waste your heart."
"Im sure! He told me he loved me! After we got together, he dumped all of his women he had before and stayed loyal! And that for 15 years! Its a long time in human eyes, so that must mean he is genuine!"
What a naive fox! Didn't anyone tell her humans are the best at deceiving?
"You should know by now, humans are best at deceiving. Best you don't trust them." The god remarked.
"I know, but some are different. Besides, they don't have powers, so fox illusion magic is second to none!" Miko joked.
The god chuckled. What an interesting fox, to be able to joke at such a time.
"Alright. I shall grant your request. Since you put me in a good mood, I shall reduce your price. Take it as a discount. You will only have to give me your current years of cultivation. Then, his punishment will be lightened and he will reincarnate 100 years from now. Also that is the maximum you can take or you risk dying so don't bother bargaining for more."
Miko immediated bowed her head, kowtowing several times to express her gratitude.
"Thank you so much!" she kept repeating. The god smiled as he raised his hand. His power summomed a sudden pressure, which caused Miko stopped thanking him. Soon, the white trail of the god's power pulled back, attatched to Miko's trail of pink power. He took as much power as he promised, and trapped it in a small vial. Drained of an immense amount of power, Miko fell to the ground.
"Send her back. After this, she will need a long rest." The attendee which witnessed the whole proccession nodded, and escorted her back to the portal.
The god stood by his chair and sighed. Is that what the goddess of fate meant? "The fox that loves with her heart whole, yet with a man whose heart loves her with none..." Well, that was predicted to happen only within the next ten thousand years. There's still a long time to wait and see...