Volume 18 - Ski Lodge Kobold, Chapter 141 - Clash of Titans

"It's just us? Really?" Mara frowned, but even the sad expression couldn't dampen how adorable she looked in her puffy pink winter coat and fur-lined hood.

Yuisu nodded, sending the puff-ball on top of her green knit cap swinging. "Yep. It's way too bright and early for Chione, and Aluru insisted on enjoying the clear weather from inside the hot spring. Rem graciously offered to help Sya with the inn while we're out."

"Ooh, we could invite Quess and Iormu and Pwess!" Mara cheered, bouncing left and right on her eight legs. The driveway gravel crunched lightly with each landing of her small body.

Haru put a black-tipped wing on Mara's head to get her to stop bouncing. "Way ahead of you, Mara. We asked them, but it's a school day for Pwess and Iormu. They said they'll join us another time. The ski resort isn't going anywhere, after all."

Tsuen spoke up, "Sorry again for causing so much trouble with scheduling. This was the only day I had off this week." Her long brown ears were folded down, as if they were trying to hide beneath her short magenta hair.

"Don't worry about it," Yuisu said with a smile. Then she turned to the group and announced, "Last minute gear check! Make sure you've got hats, gloves, earmuffs, goggles, and anything else relevant. I'm sure they sell everything there, but I'm still paying down Korbin's business loan and I'd rather not give him more money than necessary."

The quietest member of the group shuffled her big white feet and said, "Um, in that case, are you sure you want me to come with you? The lift ticket isn't cheap, and I feel like such a burden."

Mara leapt into the air, expertly landing right in front of Hakuto. She peered up at the rabbit-woman and said, "You definitely need to come. You're part of this family, and you need to get out and do things! And besides, the lift tickets fall under the Exchange Program's activity budget. Yuisu'll be reimbursed for that."

Hakuto put on a nervous smile and said, "Oh, okay then."

"Alright then! All aboard!" Yuisu called out. Then the five women climbed into a liminal-accessible van, the same kind that took Tsuen to work whenever the weather was bad.

The driver was none other than Flare, the social and literal butterfly and gearhead. "Heya girls!" she called back from the driver's seat. "You picked a good day to visit Ski Lodge Kobold. Judging by the taxi trips alone, they were totally swamped all weekend. I even drove a group of eight to the train station the other night."

She turned and directed her multifaceted gaze at Yuisu. "They were looking for something warm to do and I made sure to mention your inn. You don't happen to have a referral rewards system, do you?"

Yuisu chuckled and said, "No, but maybe I should make one. Thanks for thinking of us, Flare."

"It's the least I could do," Flare replied as she hit the gas and steered the van down the winding driveway. The roads were still covered with a bit of snow, but she was an excellent driver, if a bit too speedy.

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Since they didn't need to check in to a hotel room, the group went straight to the equipment rental counter. It was behind the main lodge building, next to the training slope where some beginners were already learning from a cat-earned instructor.

Yuisu was paying for skis and poles for everyone when a strange feeling came over her. Her hair stood on end and goosebumps formed on her arms and legs. The air was practically humming with power, and the temperature was be fluctuating between the normal chilly temperature of a snow-covered mountain and the bitter cold of the previous week's cold snap.

Yuisu turned around and saw the source of the sensations. Hakuto was staring intently at someone about twenty feet away, and that person was staring right back. The air between them shimmered with magic that Yuisu could feel more than see: the force of their instinctive rivalry.

This was the real reason Hakuto had been reluctant to visit Ski Lodge Kobold. She recognized the blue-skinned woman as the spirit of this mountain, and she could feel the woman's raw power. There was no doubt that the frost elemental was stronger than Hakuto, but she felt like she had to stand her ground, to show that she wasn't a pushover. Hakuto was Okayado's first modern-era god, and she wasn't about to give up her followers without a fight.

Twenty feet away, Rosty stood with a hand casually resting on her hip, as if wondering what to do about the Inaba hare before her. Having another mountain god on her territory felt strange, but the difference in their power meant that Rosty didn't feel afraid, just unnerved.

"Oh no," Yuisu gasped as she realized the situation. She had never considered the possibility that Hakuto and Rosty wouldn't get along. She'd actually been hoping that they could become friends, so Hakuto would have a similar magical liminal to talk to.

Luckily, a very welcome interruption appeared before things could escalate further. Korbin spotted Yuisu and approached, waving a paw and shouting, "Hey, Yuisu!"

"Korbin!" she called back. "Nice to see you. We just got here, so I can't speak to everything, but the resort is very impressive so far."

Korbin walked right between Rosty and Hakuto as if there wasn't a terrifying field of magical energy there and said, "Thanks. So, have you and your homestays met Rosty?"

Yuisu shook her head. Behind her, Haru, Tsuen, and Mara gathered. Haru kept casting nervous glances at Rosty, but said nothing.

"That won't do at all," Korbin said, then he jogged to Rosty's side and put a paw on her shoulder. "Ladies, I'd like you to meet Rosty, the spirit of this mountain and my dear friend."

Then he pointed at each of the other girls and introduced them. "This is Yuisu, my business partner of sorts, and her homestays Haru, Tsuen who does amazing work at my gym, Mara, and you must be Hakuto." He smiled warmly and his casual attitude worked well to diffuse the tense atmosphere.

Rosty tilted her head in the slightest bow and said, "It's nice to meet you all."

The other girls mumbled greetings of their own. They were all unsure of how to interact with such a powerful mountain god, especially when she and Hakuto seemed to be openly hostile toward each other.

Then Korbin said, "I know you've got more liminals living up there with you than this. The others aren't into winter sports?"

"Well, Chione's nocturnal and light sensitive. Do you have anything for nocturnal liminals?"

"Ah, I'm very sorry. Our night skiing program isn't up and running yet. I need more night-vision staff first, to safely monitor the slopes."

"That makes sense," Yuisu said, then she turned to Haru and said, "Your night-vision is amazing. Maybe you could apply for that."

Haru blinked in thought. "Hmm, maybe."

Tsuen piped in with, "I don't want to pressure you, Haru, but Korbin's a great boss."

After that, Korbin and the other girls made small-talk for a few more minutes, talking about life in Okayado and sharing updates on the Mountain Lily Inn and on Ski Lodge Kobold's profitable opening weekend. The entire time, Hakuto and Rosty loomed in the background, but their expressions slowly softened as they watched Korbin and Yuisu interacting so cheerfully.

Then Korbin frowned and said, "Sadly, I've gotta cut this off. Rosty and I have some business to attend to. I'm sure we can meet up again later. Have a great day!" With that, he guided Rosty away toward the Shinto shrine.

When they were out of earshot, Haru went to Hakuto's side and said, "Are you alright? What was that about?"

Hakuto pawed at the snowy ground, then said, "I guess it's an instinct thing. Mountain gods don't meet each other very often, and my territory and hers overlap a bit, so she's kind of my rival."

Haru nodded knowingly. She understood that feeling well because the same instincts flared up every time another predator liminal joined their household.

Then Hakuto smiled and added, "But at least I'm not afraid of her anymore. I think she just felt the same instincts I did, but we got past it."

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Yuisu held Hakuto's paw and said, "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize things would get so intense."

Hakuto shook her head. "It's fine. We're going to be sharing Okayado for a long time, so I needed to meet her eventually. In any case, you girls all came here to ski, so let's do that."

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Mara and Tsuen were both beginners at skiing, so after some instruction on the training slope, they stuck to the easy slopes that were free of bumps, sharp turns, and trees. That still wasn't enough to keep Mara from careening into snow banks, however. Tsuen carefully dug Mara free from yet another pile of snow, looking very much like an adult helping a small child.

"Sorry about that, Tsuen. Turning is trickier than I expected, 'cause my legs keep going different ways."

Tsuen smiled and said, "It's okay. Just try to avoid the trees." Tsuen's athleticism had translated to excellent control of her legs and she had no trouble cornering. Braking was a little tougher due to her weight, but having four skis on the ground helped.

As Mara stood up and shook some snow from her hood, she said, "This is really fun. We should bring Rem next time, even if she just ends up riding with you."

Tsuen brushed some lingering snow from Mara's back and abdomen, then said, "Yeah. Let's mention that to her when we get home."

Mara peered up at Tsuen, grinning. "Ooh, we can plan it together while we're in the hot spring! That'll feel so nice after today."

"Good idea. Let's get our muscles good and tired first. The hot spring can be our reward for all the exercise," Tsuen said as she pushed off and started down the gentle slope.

Mara smiled and scooted after her, mumbling, "Always with the exercise…"

Meanwhile, Haru and Yuisu were further up the mountain on one of the intermediate courses. Yuisu had gone skiing as a child with her uncle Ichiro and she picked it up again quickly.

Haru was new to skiing but she got the hang of it instantly. Within an hour, she was swooping down the mountain and expertly zipping in and out of the trees. Her wings gave an impressive amount of control and her low body weight made it easy to maneuver on the fly.

Hakuto had done the same beginner lessons as Mara and Tsuen, but she just couldn't get into skiing or the other available athletic activities. She didn't like the feeling of ski bindings on her feet, and snowshoes would just be redundant with her wide, furry feet. Instead, she decided to visit Rosty's shrine.

As soon as she stepped through the red torii gate, she was stunned by the number of visitors there, especially for a weekday. There were nearly as many people there as Hakuto's shrine got in an entire week. Hakuto was jealous at first, until she noticed what the visitors were actually doing.

Tourists were taking photos of themselves, each other, and the scenery, or they were standing around and talking, but very few were actually praying or giving tribute. It seemed they cared more about selfies and socializing than Shintoism.

Hakuto visited each of the shrine buildings, curious how the full shrine complex compared to her tiny shrine. She was admiring Rosty's apartment-like honden from afar when a wave of people flooded into the clearing. It seemed to be a tour group of some sort, lead by a guide with a megaphone.

Hakuto was quickly overwhelmed by all the noise and people and she retreated to the steps of one of the smaller buildings to get some air. She had barely sat down when a voice whispered, "Shh, don't tell anyone I'm here."

She turned to find Rosty stealthily approaching from behind the building. Hakuto flinched at first, then relaxed when she realized that Rosty wasn't there for trouble.

"Ah, you needed a break from all the tourists too?" Hakuto asked as Rosty sat down next to her.

"Yeah. It can be exhausting. I assume it's like that for you too, at your shrine?"

Hakuto's ear twitched. She wished her shrine had even a tenth as many visitors, but it was no time to be petty. She said, "I get a lot fewer visitors, but otherwise yes. The prayers can be particularly overwhelming."

"I know what you mean. All those voices, and all those problems I can't fix. How do you deal with it?"

Hakuto shrugged. "I guess I just got used to it, and figured out how to help as best I can."

Rosty rolled some snow into a ball and fidgeted with it, adding fresh snow and building it out in various directions. Then she said, "How do you help them? People keep praying for money and health and happiness, but all I can do is make snow."

Hakuto ears perked up. "Can't you control the plants and animals on the mountain, too?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't help their prayers."

"Maybe it can. You just need to get creative."

Rosty raised one eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Let me give you an example. A man with a farm on the south side of town was having issues with wild boars eating his crops. I couldn't reach his crops to help them grow, but I was able to reach out to the wild boars, since they had wandered through my territory in the past. I lured them all to my mountain and his crops were saved."

Rosty went back to her snowball, which was quickly becoming an elaborate sculpture. "Yeah, I'm not seeing how that relates to prayers for happiness."

Since back before Hakuto had become a mountain god, and even before she'd become a spirit, she knew that people could find comfort and happiness in cute animals. She suggested, "When someone asks you for happiness, try encouraging the local animals to be friendly with them. A cute bunny can cheer up nearly anyone."

Rosty unconsciously added two rabbit ears to her sculpture. "Hmm, alright. But what about the prayers for money and health?"

"If they're here at a fancy resort, they probably don't actually need money. You can ignore most of those prayers. For health, happiness can be effective medicine, so just try to make them happy." Then Hakuto put a paw on Rosty's leg. "And there will be people you can't help, but that's not a failure on your part."

Rosty was silent for a moment, then said, "Alright, I guess that's a starting point at least. Thanks for the advice, Hakuto."

"You're welcome," Hakuto said, then she looked closer at Rosty's snow sculpture. The details were really coming together and it was pretty obvious what she was sculpting, due to the rabbit ears and feet and the puffy winter clothes. Hakuto blinked a couple times, then said, "Wait, is that sculpture of me?"

Rosty looked down at her hands for the first time. "Oh, I guess it is. My power and my hands just do things on their own sometimes, making sculptures of whatever's on my mind."

Hakuto examined the foot-tall figure that was a near-perfect copy of her. "It's really good. You could sell those to tourists, except they'd melt so fast."

"Haha, I'm sure Korbin would love that idea. He'd market the melting issue as an upside." She mimicked his gruff voice and said, "The transience of the sculpture encourages you to move forward, to enjoy the experiences of life without letting yourself be held back by them. Get your own snow caricature today for only 2000 yen!"

Hakuto and Rosty both laughed at that, but Rosty stopped first. She was thinking of the other snow sculptures she'd been making subconsciously for the last few days. Nearly every one had wide shoulders and strong arms and tufts of fur on its perky kobold ears. Korbin had been on her mind at all hours of the day, and she wasn't sure why.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and said, "You hibernated for a long time too, right? How are you adapting to this crazy new world?"

Before Hakuto could respond, a group of tourists noticed Rosty. They gathered around and excitedly asked for a photo with the mountain god. Rosty couldn't turn them down, so she apologized to Hakuto and held a small piece of paper toward her.

"This is the number to my phone, which might be my favorite piece of human technology. Give me a call and we can talk or meet up again."

Hakuto took the paper and said, "That sounds wonderful."

Rosty started to leave, then turned back and added, "And sorry for earlier. It just felt so strange to have another mountain god on my territory. I didn't mean any hostility."

Hakuto shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm also to blame for my half in it. Now go make your followers happy."

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Six women were soaking in the Mountain Lily Inn's guest-only hot spring, but none of them were guests.

"Ahh, that feels amazing. Isn't it so much better after all that hard work, Mara?" Tsuen said as she stretched her arms above her head.

Mara was more focused on Tsuen's chest than her words. After admiring the wonderful toned curves on display, she said, "Huh? Oh yeah, it feels amazing."

Rem watched the exchange with a smug and catlike smile on her face. She loved watching Mara and Tsuen interact, since even when they weren't on the same wavelength, they always made it work. They had a strong bond and they'd graciously allowed Rem to join them.

Across the pool, Hakuto said, "Oh, I figured you might want to know… I ran into Rosty again at her shrine."

Mara's gaze switched in a hurry from Tsuen's body to Hakuto. "Really?! What happened?"

Tsuen, Yuisu and Haru were all watching intently as well. Rem, who hadn't been filled in on the day's events, was glancing from person to person, trying to figure out what they were talking about.

Hakuto shrugged. "Not that much. We talked a bit about being a mountain god and handling prayers. She's really quite nice."

Haru tilted her head. "Are you sure she wasn't just pretending to catch you off guard?"

Yuisu bopped the side of Haru's boob and said, "Hey, don't be rude. I'm sure she was genuine."

Hakuto nodded eagerly. "She apologized for the tense moment earlier, even though it was just as much my fault. And she gave me her phone number."

Tsuen said, "Sounds like you made a friend. That's great to hear, Hakuto."

Yuisu couldn't help but smile, since she'd been hoping for just that outcome. "Congrats, Hakuto. If you want to go visit her sometime, just ask and I'll happily drive you over."

"Thanks everyone," Hakuto said. Then she stood up, sending steam rising from her pale skin into the cold night air. "I'm actually getting a bit overheated, so I'm gonna head inside."

"Gonna call Rosty?" Mara asked as she fought to keep her eyes off Hakuto's naked body. She was definitely attractive, but it felt wrong to look at her in a sexualized way.

"Maybe," Hakuto responded. "Have a good night everyone," she added as she willed her red and white miko outfit into existence around herself. Then the suddenly clothed woman waved and left through the dressing room.

"I wish I could make my clothes just magically appear," Rem mused, sinking deeper into the hot water until just her head was above the surface.

Mara giggled and said, "I'd prefer making them disappear. Fully clothed one second, then BAM! Surprise nudity!"

Rem and Tsuen laughed at that, but the other end of the pool was surprisingly quiet. Mara peered around a boulder and saw why: Yuisu was sitting on Haru's lap and they were making out. Soft wet kisses and faint moans could be heard from the oblivious lovebirds.

"Hey, get a room, you two!" Mara joked.

The kissing stopped and Haru and Yuisu both flushed red with embarrassment. As Yuisu stood up from Haru's lap, she said, "Oh, sorry. Lost track of where we were for a moment."

Haru stood as well and said, "Uh, we'll be heading inside then. Seeya." She waved a wing, then quickly followed Yuisu into the dressing room.

Mara paddled back to her girlfriends, shaking her head. "Those two just have no shame sometimes."

"Look who's talking," Rem teased.

Tsuen raised a hand, "Unrelated, but I wanted to mention it before I forgot. Rem, would you like to come skiing with us next week? I asked and they have a mini-scale slope for small liminals, or you can ride with one of us."

"You'd want to ride with Tsuen, because I keep crashing into snow banks," Mara admitted.

Rem grinned. "I'd love to go with you. I'll probably at least try skiing myself, but I'd rather spend the day with you two than off on the small liminal slope."

Tsuen clapped her hands together. "Then it's a date! I'll let you know what day once I check my work schedule."