Kiko paced across the room, vaguely annoyed that her footsteps were silent as her feet hovered half an inch above the tatami matting. The sound of Shoko sliding the door open and closed behind her arrested her pacing and she turned to look at the young kitsune, taking in her flattened ears and drooping tail.

“How is he?”

Shoko sighed, shaking her head.

“Paul-san is physically and mentally exhausted. Emotionally, he’s a wreck. As far as I can gather he thought Inari was lost to him, truly dead, after she and the others vanished.”

Kiko paled, one hand flying to her mouth.

“Oh no! With his history…”

Shoko nodded. Kiko had learned of the fate of Paul’s wife Kate, and his reaction to it.

“Yes… he was trying to die when he wandered off. Not earnestly, but he wasn’t going to avoid it.”

“He told you that?”

Shoko shook her head slowly.

“No, you know what he’s like. He’s a proud man and won’t admit it when he needs help. But it was obvious.”

Kiko sighed.

“We need to do something, we can’t lose him! If for no other reason than because he’s the best chance to get Inari back.”

Shoko nodded, crossing over to the table and helping herself to a drink.

“That’s true… he said he knows she’s not dead dead, he can feel her presence, just not living yet either. He also said that the woman he brought back is linked to her, and all the other Kami. That’s part of his plan in some way.”

Kiko tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“That’s.. weird. Did he say who she was and what his plan is?”

Shoko shrugged, and shook her head, sighing. Kiko looked downcast at her.

“Bother... I’m sure the pressure of fixing everything is what’s causing his problems but if he won’t tell us anything, how can we help?”

Again Shoko shrugged wearily, and then jumped with a small “Yip!” sound as a soft, English accented voice spoke behind her.

“I can help.”

A woman’s figure faded into view, wearing a dark blue kimono that accented the vivid red hair that spilled in waves down one shoulder. However, she was slightly translucent and her lower half faded away completely from below the waist, leaving only a wisp of faintly blue mist to suggest legs.

“Who..”

The ghost, for it was obvious that what she was, bowed slightly.

“We haven’t met, but I’m Kate… or rather what’s left of her.”

Kiko blinked at the apparition, and looked at Shoko who shrugged and nodded. Looking back at the ghost Kiko asked her.

“What are you doing here?”

“I go where Paul goes, we’re bound. But I don’t need to sleep when he does so I couldn’t help hearing you talking. I want to help. He’s in worse shape mentally than you realise.”

“You can tell that?”

Kate nodded.

“We’re linked, I can tell what he’s thinking, feeling… I try not to pry, but right now he needs help badly. His plan is basically a suicide mission. I’ve no idea if it would work, even he thinks it’s a slim chance… but even if it does, it’ll kill him.”

Shoko gasped slightly.

“That would be bad, very, very bad… Inari would be grief stricken!”

Kiko nodded then frowned.

“Could she revive him if he succeeds in getting her back?”

Before Shoko could answer Kate interjected.

“I don’t think there would be enough left of him. You remember why Inari said she couldn’t share her power with Paul?”

Kiko nodded.

“Something about it amplifying his Sight beyond what was endurable wasn’t it?”

Kate nodded.

“Yes, well, that’s what he’s planning on doing. Taking on a fragment of a Divine Pearl. It would destroy his mind Inari said, and there’s no reason to suspect it would be any different if Izanami shared hers with him.”

Shoko frowned.

“But… Izanami is just a mortal, even if she does share a name with that goddess.”

Kate shook her head.

“I know what Paul said.. but Izanami is that Goddess, or she was. She doesn’t remember anything after she died and went mad, so Paul thinks she shouldn’t be blamed for everything that happened.”

Kiko and Shoko both stared at Kate for second. Then, as Shoko drew breath to shout, Kiko sighed and shook her head.

“I hate it, but he’s right. She wasn’t in her right mind. Even Kami are not immune to insanity, and you can’t hold someone responsible for their actions when they’re like that… are we sure she’s ok now though?”

Shoko glanced uncertainly between Kiko and Kate, looking for all the world like the lost and confused child that she was, in some ways.

Kate shrugged.

“I don’t know. Paul always was a much better judge of character than I, but he’s not firing on all cylinders himself right now. She seems to be on the level though…”

Shoko, having gotten over her shock, piped up.

“Why didn’t he tell us who she was though?”

“I think he thought you’d react negatively…”

Kiko pulled a rueful face.

“Can’t blame him for that. I might have under different circumstances. Very negatively indeed.”

“Me too!” Shoko added, nodding slowly… “I would have tried to kill her again. I mean, she killed Inari! That’s hard to forgive.””

“Me three… She hurt Paul.” Kate shrugged. “But I understand his thought process. By his way of thinking the present Izanami is a different person, or personality, than the one that murdered Inari and plotted to destroy all life as we know it.”

There was a moments shocked silence, which Shoko broke.

“Is that what her plan was? Mother defend us! She was insane!”

“Very! But she’s sane now, and Paul has a point, she’s not the same person really.”

Kiko shook her head, dismissing terrifying thoughts of what might have been.

“Ok, putting that aside. What are the specifics of Paul-san’s plan, and how can we avoid him killing himself out of a misguided sense of duty or whatever it is that’s driving him?”

Kate smiled slightly.

“You’re not wrong on his motives… he thinks he screwed up so this is his way of atoning, honorable idiot that he is! Anyway, as I understand it, his crazy idea is to charge Izanami back up to goddess levels. That’s why she’s soaking in the pool which is supercharged with mana. Then she subdivides her ‘core’ and gives him the bit that’s linked to all the other Kami, which he’s thinking of using to create a sort of super talisman out of… that bit I don’t understand but I gather it’s because nothing physical could withstand the power involved.”

Kiko blinked, and then shook her head.

“Ok.. why is he doing this?”

“Oh! Yes, I forgot to explain that. Inari and the other kami are trapped in the void because it’s too chaotic, there’s no direction or time there. They need a sort of half-way step between the void and the mortal realm to orientate on and find their way back here with. Paul was planning on creating what he thought of as the Celestial Realm, 2.0.. because Izanami assimilated the original into Yomi.”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Kiko and Shoko both stared at Kate for moment, then as one turned to stare wide-eyed at the door to the room where Paul was sleeping.

After a second Kiko quietly remarked.

“He really doesn’t do things by halves does he?”

Shoko nodded.

“Umhm! That’s crazy!”

Kate laughed quietly.

“That’s Paul! He dreams big… but you can see why that would kill him now.”

Kiko nodded.

“If it doesn’t drive him mad first, the power he’d need would burn him up like a moth in a flame! Where is he thinking he’ll even get it all from?”

Kate shrugged.

“Izanami said the void was seething with it. I think she means all the power that was in Yomi, plus the power Katsumi threw at her, ended up going there. Must’ve burned a hole in Yomi’s fabric or something, and all that raw energy leaked out that way. Might’ve been why the Kami disappeared. Being just spirits even if they were physically manifested, they got sucked into the void along with it. Also explains why no-one else was though, their bodies anchored them. At least, that’s what Paul thinks.”

Kiko shrugged.

“That sounds no less insane than anything else so far… ok, so what do we do to help?”

Kate sighed.

“I have an idea.. but I don’t think anyone is going to like it. Least of all Paul.”

Shoko and Kiko listened to Kate as she outlined her modification to Paul’s plan.

After she was done explaining Kiko stared at her for a moment, then shook her head.

“You and he are a matched pair. You’d sacrifice yourself in his stead.”

Kate shrugged.

“It’s not that big a sacrifice, I’m already dead after all. I’m not even a real person, ghost, spirit whatever… I’m just the memories that the real Kate shucked off like leaving a coat behind. I haven’t a soul to damage if I do this.”

Shoko tried to hug Kate, and ended up circling her misty waist with her arms.

“You sound real, and Paul’s feelings for you are real, even I know that!”

Kate smiled sadly.

“I know… and that’s why I have to go. I’m holding him back. He’ll never move on while I’m still around. But I can’t go as I am, I am literally bound to him. Without him I’d just fade way. I need to do something to become independent. This way, even if it’s only for brief moment, I’ll be a Goddess. I think perhaps I might be able to forge my own soul, maybe even a body to go with it.”

Kate sighed, and seemed to stare off into the distance.

“Paul’s told you both what happened? That’s partly why I crawled out of the tent into the freezing cold. I knew it would kill me...I mean Kate knew..the real one. But.. I couldn’t stand the way what was happening was robbing me of everything that made me, me! And I was afraid it wouldn’t kill me, not all the way. Just leave me as a broken empty husk, or worse, still somehow aware but trapped in a paralyzed, blinded body, dependent on Paul to look after me...trapping him as well.”

Kate shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as tears tumbled down her cheeks unnoticed.

“I couldn’t do that, so I chose to face death on my own terms. To take back control over my own fate. So, you see, this is the same thing. I’m taking myself back. If it destroys me, then so be. But at least Paul won’t be shackled to a ghost any more.”

Kiko studied her for a moment, her own eyes bright with unshed tears.

“But… what if it works? What will you do then?”

Kate sighed.

“Make up an excuse, and leave. As it stands, things can’t go on the way they are. It’ll break my heart, it’ll break his too… but he has Inari to recover with. And when all is said and done. I’m not really Kate.”

Kiko nodded.

“You know Inari wouldn’t want you to leave. She does not mind sharing.”

Kate nodded.

“I know… but Paul isn’t like that. He can tolerate her loving other people, but he’s a one and only kind of guy… I don’t know, maybe if it all works out I’ll become the new Goddess of Death, I hear there’s an opening now. I can always say I’m too busy..”

Kiko sighed, nodding.

“Kate-san… I think you would make an excellent Goddess of the Dead. Compassion is something that has been lacking from that role for a very long time.”

Shoko nodded, then looked at Kiko.

“Is there anything in the records that could help Kate-san? I want her to live too now!”

Kiko shrugged, looking thoughtfully over her shoulder in the direction of the inner temple.

“I don’t know...shall we three go and see what we can find then?”

Shoko nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes! Lets wake up everyone else, and get them helping too” I know Rin can read the old scripts, and Mistress Arakune would be really good at climbing around in the stacks! Even Yuko and Yuri could help carrying heavy stuff!”

Kiko laughed, nodding.

“Alright then, we will all help! Go wake people up.. but not Katsu and Suzana, they need their sleep still. ”

Shoko giggled merrily and blurred as she ran off...

----------

Paul stirred, consciousness seeping into his head like bubbles rising though thick black mud. He was dimly aware of a warm body curled against his side. For a moment he thought of Inari, then a stab of pain in his heart reminded him that Inari was gone. Awakening fully he realised the small body pressed against him was Shoko, curled up against his side.

Carefully he moved his arm from around her, and stopped as almost instantly she was awake and looking up at him with a bright and inquisitive gaze, obviously awake and alert the moment she opened her eyes.

Paul smiled slightly.

“Morning, you been there all night?”

Shoko nodded, and sat up, stretching.

“Umhm! Yes. You worried us Paul-sama! I stayed at your side in case you awoke during the night.”

“Yeah, no chance of that. I was utterly done in. Listen, sorry for coming over all unnecessarily emotional last night..”

Shoko placed one small finger over his lips and shook her head.

“Don’t apologize Paul-sama. We understand. Kiko said it was healthier for you that way and a natural reaction. We don’t need to talk about it if you don’t want to, but she does want to talk to you about other matters. After breakfast!”

“Um.. right. Ok...Oh! Has anyone checked on..umm..”

Shoko giggled.

“It’s alright… Kiko and I know who Izanami really is.”

Paul stared at Shoko, processing that for a moment.

“Ah… you do? And you’re ok with that? Also.. how?”

“Kate told us! She appeared after you fell asleep and filled us in. She said that you thought Izanami wasn’t the same personality really now… and we decided to trust your judgement.”

“Okayyyy…. I admit, I’m surprised. Are you sure?”

Shoko nodded, then bounced to her feet.

“Ok! Breakfast. You stay there and I’ll make it for you Paul-sama!”

“Er… No, I’ll help. Otherwise I’ll just fall asleep again, and there’s too much to do today for that.”

Shoko frowned.

“As you wish.. but Kiko said you weren’t to push yourself so hard any more. We’ll all help you now, you’ve been taking too much upon yourself she said, it’s not good for you and we can’t afford you collapsing because you’re the only one who understands all this!”

Paul pulled a wry face.

“I wouldn’t have said that I understand it all… but I guess she’s not wrong about trying to do too much. Otherwise I wouldn’t have crashed so hard last night. Hmm.. ok, agreed. I’ll need everyone’s help and that means I need to bring them up to speed. There’s one last hand of cards left to play, and it’ll require finesse this time, not brute force. Which means if people are to help they’ll need to know what’s going on in detail.”

Shoko nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on her toes as she did.

“Yes! Ok, breakfast in the kitchen hall? I can run around and tell everyone we’re meeting there and we can eat and talk at the same time!”

Paul winced slightly.

“Ok, we’ll do that. But I’m not saying anything until I’ve gotten some food and coffee inside me! Now scoot while I get dressed you fuzzy bundle of energy… How you and Inari can be related I just don’t know! You’re complete opposites in the morning! Was your father the Energiser bunny or something?”

Shoko ran off, laughing as she headed off to organise, leaving Paul to get changed.

By the time Paul was on his second cup of ruinously strong coffee and everyone else was scraping the remains of breakfast off their plates or bowls, Paul felt up to the task of explaining his plan.

Well, some of his plan… he was certain that people would object to key points so he thought he’d just gloss over that and hope for the best.

“Ok everyone… if I can have your attention.”

Tatsuo looked up from where he was feeding Katsu, or rather, trying to, and glanced around. With a sheepish grin he leaned back. Paul shook his head at the pair of them, and then glanced over at Rin who was looking thoughtful.

“Alright… here’s what’s going on as far as I can figure out. We.. no, I screwed up. When the counter-frequency mana beam hit the mana field coming off the convertor that Izanami built and we monkeyed with, it blew a hole in reality. The result was like puncturing a balloon, all the mana leaked out and sucked anything spiritual based with it, meaning all the kami. Aside from you two that is, because you were incarnate and thus anchored.”

Katsu dipped her head in acknowledgment.

“Well, that explains where everything went. But it’s at least partly my fault for not being more aware of what was behind Izanami.”

Paul shrugged.

“We’re not here to say who’s to blame. As it stands, Inari and all the other Kami are trapped in a formless void. The only way to get them out is to give it some structure, build a big Exit sign in effect. Thankfully, there’s a way to do this, but it means we have to trust someone I understand everyone would probably not..”

Suz-metal piped up.

“You mean Izanami, yeah, we know. Kiko told us.”

Paul stared at them, taken aback.

“Um.. what?”

Katsu shrugged.

“You think I wouldn’t recognise her, even without Kiko telling me who she was? But we all know she’s cured of her insanity now, and not the same person since her memory is gone.”

Paul took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, tension leaking from him that he hadn’t even realised was there.

“O-kay… well that saves on explanations. You’re all ok with this?”

Kiko shook here head.

“Not ok… but we’ll allow it since she’s the only who can help. Kate explained what your plan was.”

“Ah… Kate did? All of it?”

“All. Yes.”

“Oh. Um… bugger. I suppose you’re going to tell me not to do it, aren’t you?”

Kiko shook her head.

“The plan is workable, with one change. You won’t be going.”

“But, it has to be me...who else..”

Kate manifested before them all, floating half in and half out of the breakfast table. She glanced down and giggled.

“Oops, sorry everyone.”

Moving like mist on a morning breeze she drifted until she was no longer bisected by the ancient slab of wood. Floating next to Paul she looked at him, her face unusually serious.

“I’ll be going in your place lover!”

Paul stared at her aghast for a second, then shook his head.

“No! No, you can’t! I can’t lose you as well!”

“Silly, that’s the good thing about this, you won’t. Look Paulie, we both know I’m not really Kate. I’m her memories, given shape and form by magic. I don’t have a soul.. but that’s the great part! If Izanami shares her core with me, it can’t hurt me! If anything, I might even get a soul of my own out of this… I still won’t be Kate, but I might be someone new instead. Someone who remembers being Kate. Either way, I stand a better chance of surviving this than you do. I’m already dead after all!”

“But…” Paul paused, his brain grinding to a juddering halt as he considered the idea. Closing his mouth he heaved a sigh, then spoke slowly, leadenly.

“Ok, I get it. I hate it, but you’re not wrong. Are you sure though Kate? With this many unknowns involved it could still prove fatal. You might have your pattern irrecoverably destroyed.”

“I know Paul, but if it’s a straight choice between you and me, then I choose you, even if I don’t survive. You have so much more life left to live! Whereas my time is long since up. Plus if I do somehow survive, I might get lucky and wind up more ‘real’ than I am now.”

Paul tried to grip her shoulder, only for his fingers to close on empty air. Ruefully he glanced at them and sighed.

“I’d say you were real enough for me.. but I understand I think. I still hate it though.”

“Let me do this Paulie, for you, and for Inari.”

Kate smiled sadly, as she stood facing Paul. For a moment a whole unspoken conversation passed between them as she stared into his dark eyes. Paul’s shoulders sagged and he sighed, looking down at the floor in defeat.

“Ok..dammit. I never could say no to you. Despite my better judgement! But you had better survive this, or I’ll be coming after you to haul your ghostly ass back home!”

Kate laughed.

“Well, we can’t have you making a habit of it! It’s not like you’ve got a season ticket for Charon’s ferry after all. So I guess I’ll have to now!”

She then turned to face the rest of the room, putting on a brave face.

“Ok, now that’s settled, what else do we need to do to prepare?”