Akari practically floated through Christmas and the next several days after. To her, the world was alight with warmth and magic and love, and every little thing was perfect and wonderful. She had work to do around the shrine and with Inara's art commissions, but she did it with cheer and passion. While the other girls were relaxing around the house or bickering about inconsequential things, Akari was diligent and productive, wearing her full priestess outfit and humming all the while.

The cause of her good mood was no mystery. Everyone in the house knew that she'd been on a romantic Christmas Eve date with Inara, and they even knew it had ended in Inara's bedroom.

What they didn't know, with the singular exception of Inara, was what had happened after that. They didn't know about the powerful vision that had overwhelmed Akari's mind and had nearly been too much for the goddess to handle. To Inara's great relief, even Akari didn't seem to remember it.

Akari had completely forgotten the vision, the tears and the terror, and even the words she had spoken, the bleak prophecy she had uttered.

But Inara remembered, and it weighed heavy on her mind.

"I'll bring it up to the girls after Hatsumode," she had told herself, after seeing the full vision for herself, after weathering everything that Akari had endured and more.

The shrine's New Year celebrations were approaching, and Inara was having a hard time looking forward to it.

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On the 30th of December, Inara closed the shrine to the public. Technically Akari had been the one who put up the sign that read 'Closed for Private Event', but it was Inara's magic that would prevent humans from so much as setting one foot across the shrine's boundary.

Then everyone leapt into action, preparing the shrine for Usagi's special end-of-year party. It wasn't a festival or formal event; it was just a day for the shrine's residents to cut loose and relax before the hectic events of Hatsumode that would monopolize everyone's time for the first few days of the new year.

Usagi woke up early that morning to pre-cook the meals and a bunch of snacks, and she had some help from the others. Akari made a last-minute run into town for some drinks and recipe ingredients, Hebi assisted in the kitchen, folding inarizushi pockets and packing finished meals into containers in the fridge, and even Inara helped by cleaning every corner of the shrine with her purification magic.

Seshi, always a late sleeper, stayed in bed until the party formally started at noon. She shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and magically switching her clothes from a loose black t-shirt and pajama shorts to a tight black t-shirt, a short black skirt, and thigh-high pink socks.

She pulled her hair back into two pigtails, conjured a silver and black choker, and declared, "Hell yeah, I'm ready to party!"

The others, who were already seated around the table with lunch served in front of them, blinked up at her, but not in surprise. The outfit and behavior were both pretty standard for Seshi.

"I don't know…" Usagi hummed to herself. "Should people who didn't help prep for the party be allowed to participate?"

"Good point," Inu said, nodding. "I think everyone else helped out." Her sleeves were still rolled up to the shoulders from her own contribution. With a little help from Inara's magic to keep her human form up, Inu had just carried a massive rental TV into the shrine, so that they could watch movies on it later.

Seshi held a hand to her chest and feigned shock. "You think a party's success is locked in during planning? I've been to a lot of parties over the years, and a good party needs someone on the floor, watching and reacting and adding spice here and there. For the next, um—" She looked at the clock over the stove. "—fifteen hours, I am 100% committed to the success of this party."

Usagi and Inu stared at her for a moment, dumbstruck. Fifteen hours was definitely too long for a party, but the rest was good. Usagi finally spoke, "Uh, good call, actually. I would really appreciate that, Seshi."

Inu nodded firmly. "Excellent plan, sensei. I apologize for doubting you."

Inara clapped her hands together and said, "With that, let's get this party started. Feel free to cut loose, girls. I know I will."

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After lunch, Inara told everyone to stay around the table while she slipped away to her room. She returned with a few bottles of wine from her collection. She shared them with the other girls, explaining each bottle's vintage and origin.

"This is Akari's favorite," Inara added after pouring everyone a small amount of a recent-vintage white wine. "It's as sweet as she is."

Seshi downed the wine in two quick gulps, then said, "Nice. This tastes a hell of a lot better than the cheap beer and hard liquor people my age are always drinking."

Between sips from her own glass, Akari elbowed Seshi and said, "People your age? There aren't any 200-year-old humans."

"More like 'people with her level of maturity'," Inu said. Despite her new student-teacher relationship with Seshi, Inu couldn't resist a good jab.

Everyone's eyes snapped to Seshi, expecting a retort.

Seshi just shrugged. "When you're right, you're right."

Meanwhile, Inara had her eyes on Usagi and Hebi, both rare drinkers who had surprised her by accepting her offer of wine. When it came to Usagi, that was definitely good news; it meant she was getting over her hangups about interacting with Inara in an altered state. The less Usagi put Inara on a pedestal and the more she treated her like a real person, the better.

But Hebi was different. Due perhaps to her very slender figure, she was an extreme lightweight when it came to alcohol. And more than that, Inara knew that Hebi's normal poise and reserved attitude could fracture in unpredictable ways when she drank. There was no telling how Hebi might behave after just one glass of wine, and at a party like this, there was little chance she would stop at just one drink.

"Is it hot in here?" Hebi asked, undoing the top few buttons of her white blouse.

"It's a little warm," Akari responded. "I can open the window if—"

"Or is it just me?" Hebi finished with a grin. Her narrow eyes were alive with mischief.

"Woo, go Hebi!" Seshi cheered, pumping a fist in the air. "Glad to see you actually having fun for once."

Hebi left it at that, but only for a few minutes. While everyone was relaxing around the table, enjoying their wine and the mix of snacks that Usagi had prepared, Hebi suddenly unbuttoned her entire blouse and tossed it aside. Then she started on her bra, which was a simple white bralette, far from necessary for her nearly-nonexistent bosom. She only wore it when she needed to look formal and didn't want her nipples to be visible through her blouse.

Usagi leapt into action. "Um, Hebi, dear…" she cooed as she tried to put Hebi's shirt back over her shoulders. "This isn't that kind of party."

"Bras are so uncomfortable," Hebi replied, squirming out from under the shirt and unclipping her bra. "And it's nothing anyone here hasn't seen before."

Usagi glanced around at the other girls and saw a bunch of reddened cheeks, and it wasn't just from the alcohol. Seeing the ever-serious Hebi in a tipsy state was surprising enough, but watching her strip in the middle of the kitchen was something else.

"Um…" Usagi scrambled to find an explanation that would get through to her. "It's not just that. Seeing you naked is a bit distracting."

"And you'll get cold," Inu added. "The temperature's going to drop tonight, and the forecast said we'll get a foot of snow by morning."

Usagi nodded rapidly. "Right, you'll be freezing cold."

Hebi wasn't listening. She stood up and started removing her skirt. Usagi tried to stop her by grabbing Hebi's hands, but as soon as she was restrained, there was a puff of smoke and Hebi disappeared. A slender and snow-white snake about four feet long fell to the floor and landed on Hebi's empty clothes, then a second later there was another POOF and Hebi's human form returned. She knelt formally next to the table, completely naked, and picked up another glass of wine.

"Hebi?!" Akari blurted. She'd seen Hebi's nude body before in the bath, but that didn't prepare her for the shock of seeing the snake spirit's pale skin, her slender figure, and her rosy pink nipples right here in the kitchen. And the table was low enough that the tops of her thighs and lower belly were visible, including a glimpse of grey in between.

"Much better," Hebi sighed. "Anyone want to join me? It's quite freeing."

"Not just yet," Inara said, rising to her feet. She grabbed a white fleece blanket from a cabinet and draped it over Hebi's shoulders. "Please at least keep this on. You know how easily the cold affects you, and I'd feel terrible if you got sick."

"You got it, Boss," Hebi said with a smile. She pulled the blanket tight around her shoulders, pulled her tail in under it, and wiggled happily.

Akari's heart was still beating fast from the startling exchange. If things like that keep happening, I'm going to need more wine just to deal with it.

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After wine and snacks came movie time. Akari hooked her laptop to their rented TV and played some cheesy comedy that was far from good, but entertaining nonetheless. It was also easy to make fun of, with everyone getting in some nice jokes at the movie's expense. And true to her word, Seshi remained committed to keeping the party lively. Unprompted and largely unnoticed, she slinked around the room keeping everyone's drinks and snacks topped off.

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As the film's credits rolled, Usagi and Hebi were loudly debating which character had the best line and Inu was trying to convince them that one of her own mocking quips had actually been better. Akari and Inara were watching the argument while giggling and eating popcorn, a treat which was brand new to the goddess. And Seshi was off by herself, slowly and deliberately typing something on a scuffed but functional smartphone.

It had been a gift from Nezumi, one of the phones she'd refurbished as practice for her new business. Seshi was admittedly behind the times on this sort of technology, but she couldn't deny it was useful for keeping in touch with Nezumi and Shika. She usually kept her communication related to their probation and debt agreement, but sometimes they texted each other just to chat.

Thirty minutes later, after the conversation moved on from the movie and as the energy of the party started to stall, there was a loud knocking sound. It was rhythmical and deliberate, and it echoed down the hallway from the front hall.

"That's weird," Akari said. "Inara's ward should have kept people away."

Seshi jumped to her feet. "Now that our little family got our quality time, I figured I'd liven this party up a little. I invited the mouse and deer."

Usagi stiffened and narrowed her eyes at the nekomata. "You what."

Seshi kept her cool and said, "I waited until we all got to have our relaxing party, with just the six of us. Then I invited two lonely dorks who need some friends. And if we like spending time around them, they can potentially help out for the New Year rush in a couple days. Win win."

As Usagi opened her mouth to reply, Seshi added one last thing, "Oh, and they're bringing more booze. We're out of everything except Inara's most vintage wines, and I assume she'd rather save those for wooing Kari-chan."

Akari flushed as red as pinot noir at hearing that nickname again, and from someone else's lips. When did she hear that? Inara hasn't said it to me in weeks. Has Seshi been saving it for a moment like this?

"When you're right, you're right," Inara said with a grin, echoing Seshi's own words from earlier. Then she put an arm around Akari's shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze, whispering, "Love you, Akari."

"So we're letting them crash our party?!" Usagi nearly shouted. She turned to Inara with a pleading look on her face. "Mistress Inara?"

Six tails flicked excitedly behind the fox goddess as she stood up and kissed Usagi gently on the forehead. "I think it sounds like fun. If it turns out badly, I promise I'll make it up to you, Usagi."

Seshi dashed off down the hall, shouting, "Awesome. Be right back!"

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"I'm still not sure about this, Seshi," Shika said as she slowly crossed the massive front hall. The brunette wore a orange cable-knit sweater and a long brown skirt, and she was in the process of removing a forest green scarf from around her neck using just one hand. The other hand held a canvas bag filled with bottles of liquor. The outside of the bag featured a simple depiction of a spotted deer and a pine tree, and the words 'Shinjō Liquors'.

The deer spirit's nose started to wiggle like she smelled something. It wasn't a scent, but something else that permeated the air and grew more and more dense as she crossed the room. It was spiritual power, and this place practically pulsed with it, completely eclipsing the charms they wore beneath her clothes.

"It's okay, Shika," Nezumi said. Her silvery-blue hair was pinned back with simple bobby pins, and despite being indoors she was still wearing her puffy silver winter coat, with black leggings visible below. Her hands clasped the handles of another 'Shinjō Liquors'-branded bag filled with drinks. "If we can trust a literal nekomata, we can trust this fox goddess."

Then her face scrunched up into an uncomfortable scowl. "Though I could do with fewer mouse-eating predators in my life."

Seshi waved one hand dismissively. "You'll be fine. Inara's a total softie, and she loves basically everyone."

Shika smiled at that, then eagerly skipped ahead to meet the goddess. Seshi and Nezumi hurried after her, and soon all three of them were standing in the kitchen, seeing some new faces and some they had seen before, but under less-than-pleasant circumstances.

"You must be Shika," Inara said with a gorgeous smile and a nod of her head. She turned to face Nezumi. "And Nezumi. It's wonderful to finally meet you both after hearing so much about you. I hope that we can put our past troubles behind us and become great friends."

The goddess was breathtaking in her royal purple kimono with her hair pinned up in an intricate flowing wave. The two spirits might have stared forever if Seshi didn't take charge.

She pointed past Inara at the other girls and said, "You already met Akari and Inu, and the one with the bunny ears is Usagi. And the drunk snake in a blanket is Hebi. She's normally uptight and super serious, if you can believe it."

Nezumi smiled and greeted each of them, but her composure faltered when she got to Hebi. As a mouse-spirit, and an actual mouse in a former life, snakes set off some primal fears that cut right through the cool and collected attitude she'd been trying to project. "Uh. Um, t-thank you for writing that contract for my repair business… It helped a lot."

Shika had no such problems. She blushed at Hebi's nudity, but walked right up to her and immediately hit it off by pointing to her tail and saying, "I love your scales. So pretty!"

"Alright!" Seshi shouted, clapping her hands together. "Let's get this party back into gear. Shika bought a bunch of booze on employee discount, and we're not sleeping 'til it's all gone!"

Akari rushed forward to help with the bottles of liquor. "Oh, you got a job at the liquor store? That sounds like fun."

"It is!" Shika chirped. "Most of the customers aren't very talkative, but some are really interesting people, and I just love learning about their lives. I'm so glad I decided to apply after seeing their adorable logo. See? It's got a deer, just like me."

"Not as adorable as you, though," Nezumi added. It sounded a little forced, like the mouse was trying to make sure everyone knew that she and Shika were an item.

Shika set an array of bottles on the kitchen table, then put a finger to her chin. "Um, I noticed you girls have your ears and tails out. Should we?"

Akari and Inara gasped in unison and their eyes went wide. "Oh yes, please," Inara said.

At the same time, Akari blurted, "I want to see them! I mean, I've seen your animal and human forms, but I've never had a good look at your spirit forms."

Nezumi rolled her eyes and stepped back from the table. "Fine. Gawk if you want."

Shika didn't make a big deal of it at all. She just dropped her illusion, causing her human ears to lengthen and grow furry. Her real ears were white on the inside and the same cinnamon-brown as her hair on the outside, and they twitched and swiveled adorably whenever her attention shifted. When Akari leaned to try to get a look behind her, hoping to see a cute deer tail, Shika smiled and clarified, "My tail's nothing special, just a few inches of fur, so I keep it under my clothes."

Nezumi's reveal was more dramatic. Big round mouse ears popped into existence on top of her head, and each one was as big as an open hand. Then a thin, whiplike tail nearly as long as she was tall appeared behind her. As it flicked from side to side, Seshi's eyes followed it instinctually as if she wanted to swat it.

"There. My true form," Nezumi grumbled. "Now let's get drinking. I have some catching up to do."

Shika and Usagi nearly collided when they both went to serve drinks at the same time. They giggled, then worked together to pour each of the other women a glass of something that suited her.

"Nezumi likes anything made from grains or honey, like beer or mead," Shika said. "What do your girls like?"

Usagi blinked, blushed, and busied herself with the drinks. "Um, well, they aren't really my girls. If anything they're all Inara's."

Shika looked over at the others, then back to Usagi. "Oh? I got the impression you're the house mom, making sure everyone eats right and takes care of themselves. Was I wrong?"

"Well, that's not wrong. But I only have eyes for Inara."

Trying and failing to stifle a giggle, Shika said, "That doesn't mean you can't love the others in a different way. There are lots of kinds of love, and they're all wonderful."

"Huh. Okay." After that, Usagi was quiet for a while, just pouring drinks with a thoughtful look on her face. Shika smiled proudly.

When Usagi and Shika presented the drinks to everyone, Nezumi wasted no time in her quest to catch up. She looked at Inu and raised her glass of pale beer. "Betcha I can drink this faster than you."

Inu raised her own glass. "You're on."

Akari counted them off and they started at the same time, but it wasn't even close to a competition. Inu finished long before Nezumi, slamming her glass down triumphantly while Nezumi's was half-full. It was a bit impressive that the petite spirit eventually finished the whole glass.

"Alright, maybe I underestimated you, Inu," Nezumi said with a grin as she wiped the foam from her lips. Then she looked at Akari. "How about you? You're more on my level, I bet."

Shika poured them each a glass of beer, then said, "No more races after this, Nezumi. Two glasses is usually enough for you."

Akari wasn't used to chugging liquor, but she gave it her best shot. Nezumi lost again, but by the way she was smiling it seemed like losing had always been part of the plan. She had picked the most sober-looking people and successfully encouraged them to drink more. It also broke the ice between them, something the introverted mouse normally struggled with.

After the race, Akari, Inu, and Nezumi started chatting about nothing in particular, and Inara watched them closely from a seat in the corner. A look of worry was plain on her face, but the reason was still secret from the others: alcohol had been involved in two of Akari's overwhelming visions, and she was concerned about a repeat.

Shika saw that worried look and approached. "Hi, Inara. Having fun?"

"Yeah, I think so," Inara answered. She had five tails behind her, and they were all still and tense.

"Why so unsure?"

"I just don't want anyone to drink too much and… feel bad later."

Shika put one hand on Inara's shoulder and pointed with the other. "No need to fret about that. Usagi's on the job."

Sure enough, Usagi was watching everyone closely and keeping track of how many drinks they'd each had via tally marks on a notepad. She even kept it up when she was pulled into a minor argument between Nezumi and Seshi.

"Alright. She does seem to have that handled. I'll try to relax more."

Shika smiled as she watched all the other girls interact. "You really love them, don't you?"

Inara nodded. "I do."

"I fall in love easily," Shika suddenly confessed. "Not always sexual love, but sometimes. It makes things… tricky sometimes. I care so much, but that's not always enough to make things work out, you know?"

Inara looked at the deer spirit, truly considering her for the first time. There was an aura of sorrow and joy and experience around Shika. She had lived through a lot in her time, and had learned even more. Heartbreak had that effect on people, at least the ones who were able to move on afterwards.

Inara answered, "I can empathize with that. I've been known to fall in love quickly as well." She paused, then added, "Though I'm slower to open up to people than I used to be."

"Really?" Shika asked innocently. "You opened up to me pretty quick."

"Huh. Must be the alcohol," Inara said, but she sensed that there was more to it. Shika was easy to talk to, and didn't seem to want or expect anything from Inara. After so many centuries of godhood, it was refreshing to find someone that didn't care about her status or power. Talking to Shika satisfied a need that had been woefully underserved: simple friendship, without power dynamics or concerns of fairness.

After that, Usagi switched everyone over to water for the rest of the night and the party started to wind down. Seshi brought a bunch of blankets and futons into the room, and Akari wasted no time crawling into a cozy pile. Inu and Hebi both transformed into their animal forms and snuggled up with her and the trio quickly fell asleep.

Only then did Inara fully relax. Akari had made it through the night without another vision. The goddess approached the party's host and said, "You did a wonderful job with this party, Usagi. Thank you."

Usagi fidgeted, but didn't look away. "You're welcome, Mistr— er, Inara."

Inara placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder and pulled her close. "I can be your Mistress if you want. Though at the moment, I'm mostly just sleepy. How about we let Seshi handle the clean up, and you can be my little spoon?"

Usagi glanced back at the table that was covered in snacks and bottles and empty glasses. Seshi and Shika were cleaning up as quietly as they could, while Nezumi was sprawled across the top of a bare futon, covered by a light blanket. Her coat and omamori charms had been stacked neatly next to her, almost certainly by Shika.

Usagi smiled and hugged her goddess tightly. "That would be wonderful."