The Temple of Inari

[Keeper]

Sanctuary

Steven nods. "Well, I think I'd be called something else if I went like this. But still, perhaps I'm just being dramatic. I mean, the inner sea isn't that warm, is it? I'm built for enduring quite cold depths. And my other form has a coat, we can just have a heating crystal if it really is chilly normally..."
Dwarven stonework is highly prized in her world. He would certainly be willing to accommodate a few things if it meant getting workers so skilled.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline only half listens as she quietly mumbles a spell. Her eyes go wide and her ears stand straight up while her tail goes all bushy.

There ... there is a WinterHearth here?! In the Nexus! There has always been! Of course it is not the same city, but ... there is one. And there is a snow-fox temple there. I had no idea... I never looked...

She looks at Steven

There is no way it could be just a coincidence, right? There must be a dwarven stronghold nearby ...

[Rebonack]

[A Fond Farewell]

"I'll still come back and visit when I can, okay? And I can still help you practice possession if you want," Khannie promises as she offers one last hug. "Just no getting in too much trouble without me, okay?"

Keiko getting into trouble?

Pah.

Such things would never ever ever happen.

Ever.

Definitely not.

If ever Keiko wanted to have one last hurrah while Khannie is still technically a student at the temple now would be the time.

[Fenric]

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko looks around surreptitiously

Wanna give it another try? I see a general lack of boring or annoying people for a change, and I think I figured out my problem: if I wanna do a nogitsune trick...

She holds her hand just in front of her chest and concentrates. Shortly after, an ink-black sphere with the faintest sheen of endlessly swirling colors appears in her hand. It's about the size of a standard baseball, and even without her trying to mesmerize anyone the moving colors are strongly hypnotic.

I need to use nogitsune methods! Grandfather Koi is so cool: have you ever met him? He taught me how to make my dragon-pearl and how to change it into a nogitsune ball!

[Keeper]

Sanctuary

Steven knows about the snow foxes but I can't recall if he ever met any. He probably didn't know about the city in that case.
"Do you want to pay them a visit? We could get someone to cover one of our shifts for a day." Given that they're the high priests they don't even really need to be manning the sanctuary. They both have people for that. They both kind of just end up doing it anyway because they can. And to keep the number of named characters down.

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

Khannie looks thoughtful at the suggestion. "I guess we could try again? I'm still not super great at charms and getting to sorta watch while you cast some helped a lot. You get practice and I get practice, so everyone wins, right?"

It sure sounds like everyone wins to Khannie.

"Yeah! I met Grandfather Koi he gave me this magic rock that let me be human."

She frowns.

"But then this ogre guy broke it."

Khannie really wasn't terribly happy about that incident. That bit of misfortune is what lead eventually to her making the wish to be human. So far the magical girl stuff has been... mostly okay? Stressful. Hard. But she's made some friends? That's something, right?

When the marble comes out Khannie-
-actually doesn't zone out at it. Her force of personality and willpower are both pretty strong. The magic catches her eye, though, and she can definitely feel the pull.

"So what did you do wrong the first time? Besides catching Lord Buttface's attention?"

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline nods

Yes, I think that would be good. If nothing else, we can get to know another branch of the temple here in this world. Felina will have no trouble minding the temple while we're out.

---

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko looks distant a moment as she works to remember the things she was taught

I tried to move right in... like a golem-spell or something - that won't ever work. Well, not without killing you first. They way they do it is through the border of the dream-world, which is why it kinda makes you sleep but not exactly but it's the same overall ... uh ... path?

Keiko's hopeless lack of detailed technical knowledge about much of anything makes her explanations jumbled at the best of times.

So it's not your soul I'm replacing, it's your mind... soul... thing that can end up getting your real soul caught if you mess around in the dream-world too much and ... uh ... I'm sorry, I know I'm doing a terrible job of explaning. I get the technique, it's not all that hard to be honest. But why it works was kinda lost on me.

[Keeper]

Sanctuary

Steven gives a triple-nod.
"Alright. Well. I'm always set." he has his sword and his pouch of necessities. What else would he need?
"Um. Should I not go like this?" he thinks to ask.

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

This must be difficult for Keiko, focusing for so long on one thing.

Anyway!

Khannie replies succinctly to Keiko's description.

"Uuhh..."

Yep! A very thorough assessment.

"My soul is in my magical girl gem, if that makes any difference?" Khannie helpfully offers.

It's sort of like a fox marble. The source of her Magical Girl power! As opposed to her regular girl power. That's mostly in her blood. Unlike her soul gem it is much harder to take all her blood away from her.

"So what do I have to do? Take a nap?"

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline smiles

It may be best not to, at least at first. I don't know how large their sanctuary is, or how well they would react to a dragon.

---

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko shakes her head

Nope, it shouldn't. And no: I can't do this if at all you're asleep - I need your mind... thing... to be here, not wandering off in the dreamlands. It helps if you're charmed, hypnotized, or not paying attention, but if you don't fight me it should work even if you're expecting it. Not that the target has to cooperate, but you're really strong and I'm really inexperienced, so I'm sure you could keep me out.

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

"Well that's good I'm not tired," Khannie admits.

She isn't one of those people who can just go to sleep on a whim. Khannie has always got things rolling around in her head. Her thoughts don't like quieting down.

Anyway!

Mind thing.

Here.

Sure, she can do that probably.

"So I guess don't fight you and maybe... not pay attention? Umm..." Khannie muses before turning her back to Keiko and begins rehearsing spell formula in her head. Specifically the evocation she's been working on. Firebolt is a relatively simple spell (supposedly) but doing blasty spells like her dad is HARD. So far everything has been weak and sputtery and will hardly even set PAPER on fire. Which means she has to refine the formula so maybe she could-

[Keeper]

Sanctuary

Steven heaves a great sigh, but this time he is prepared. He reaches into a little alcove and pulls out a fresh robe for himself. He still hasn't mastered producing clothes for his shapeshifting, but at least he's prepared nowadays. He throws it around him dramatically, sliding into it as he shifts into his more manageable bipedal shape.
"Whenever you're ready then."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline smiles affectionately

It won't be for too terribly long, I promise. Come over to the circle: the temples are linked. It's very nice to use a divination to ask questions about other temples: you get such detailed information.

---

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko concentrates on her ball, then looks at Khannie and abruptly vanishes.

Within Khannie's mind an odd distraction will begin. Should she not resist, she will begin to feel sleepy and disconnected which will rapidly increase as Keiko tries to take over.

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

Okay.

Khannie remembers this from last time.

Last time around she got really out of it as a result of the possession and she started having trouble distinguishing herself from Keiko. But THIS time she's a bit more prepared. She doesn't want to force Keiko out, but she doesn't want to totally zone out, either. So instead?

She focuses all of her attention on her magical girl gem, the little amethyst ear stud she's wearing.

That's where her whole self is.

Without it she's just an empty body.

So while Keiko is filling up her brain Khannie focuses on being a tiny purple magical rock.

Sleepy, but aware. Disconnected, but present.

Let's see if it works!

[Keeper]

Sanctuary

"Linked? Did we just do that now?" Steven asks, following Caroline. If they were linked and they still didn't know this temple existed they must have lost the paperwork at some point. They should have known about such things.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline shakes her head

It was quite a while ago, back when Fenric was the high priest. Presumably he did the spells for it, just like the mirror... after all, he was always more of a wizard, just like grandmother. Apparently the temple had a secretary back then, but the records were either lost or destroyed since then and I'm not entirely sure where the office even was.

Once Steven is inside the circle, she concencetrates: visualizing the pattern on the floor. The pattern responds and starts to glow brightly.

Winterhearth

With a surprising lack of special effects, the pair is suddenly in

[WinterHearth Sanctuary]

The first thing they'll both notice is that it is quite a lot colder than the place they just left. And then the white-furred priest in silver-lined deep blue who begins to greet them

Oh! Welcome, neighbors: the blessings of Inari...

but he trails off entirely as he realizes what Caroline's silvery robes signify. He bows deeply, as do all of the acolytes scattered around

My deepest apologies, your holiness: we were not expecting a visit... How can we serve?

----

[Fond Farewell]

It is very different this time: for one thing, there's no feedback from Keiko's side - There is a strong sense of a foreign presence, though disconnected from any emotional impact makes that less worrying than it might be otherwise. It's also much harder to focus on things that are going on in the world around than it was last time.

Keiko, for her part, is trying to sort out how to operate Khannie's body without having her direct help anymore.

[Keeper]

Winterhearth Sanctuary

"Do not worry; our visit is rather impromptu. We're here to greet our neighbors! And maybe later to ask about our neighbors' neighbors."
Steven doesn't want to insult them by telling them that they were primarily here to ask about a different group of people, so he'll mention it as a secondary thing.

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

Well!

It's probably good that Khannie isn't getting flooded by Keiko's formative memories and traumas.

That definitely wasn't a fun thing to experience.

BUT! It did give Khannie a lot more perspective into Keiko.

Speaking of perspective, Khannie is having some trouble focusing on what her senses are telling her. However, she has a secret weapon.

Maridia!

The fairy dragon is sitting in one of the cherry trees nearby and Khannie's mind is very much connected to the critter who has, thus far, manages to refrain from stealing any of the food offerings in the sanctuary. Khannie has told her in no uncertain terms that's not okay. So Khannie still has her familiar as a window into the outside world. Very tricky.

Khannie herself, though, is definitely feeling a little loopy and out of it. She can feel Keiko trying to pilot her body around and wow that's definitely a feeling.

Can you hear me thinking?

An important question.

[Fenric]

[Winterhearth Sanctuary]

The acolytes resume their business while the priest motions Caroline and Steven out of the circle

Please do step over here: we must keep the circle uncluttered.

It has been over a decade since anyone from either the main temple or the shadow temple has visited here, and now you have both come! All is well, I trust?

---

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko's mental reply is very faint and sounds like she's talking through a sewer pipe.

Sort of... You sound like you're wearing a really thick scarf! Well... now I know how Caroline felt when she got changed into a dragon, but I don't really understand why. I've been in human form lots of times - this shouldn't be a big deal.

Khannie's body stumbles around a bit and finally sits down on the floor with a thump. She will hear her voice say "I'm fine, don't worry" as Keiko tries to fend off a helpful Acolyte.

[Keeper]

Winterhearth Sanctuary

"Yes, all is very much well. Things came up and we realized that very same fact. It wouldn't do to remain out of touch, so here we are. Is everything well with you and yours?" Steven asks politely as he steps free of the circle. They really should have sent a letter or something. Caroline being unaware of their mere existence means there really was no communication. He wonders what their business title is. They've always been Temple of Inari - Nexus Branch. Are they considered second branch? Or Winterhearth - Nexus Branch?

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

Does it really have to be through a SEWER pipe?

That would probably smell gross.

It takes some focus for Khannie to direct her thoughts toward her own memories rather than being stuck in a foggy extension of 'now' thanks to Keiko's presence. She sifts through her thoughts and recollections of the last time they tried this out. What had Keiko said about...

She talked about how the magic filled in the details when she transformed.

But that must not be happening this time, then.

Khannie gives voice to that. You said transformation spells fill in the details on using your new body. But there's none of that this time.

To that end she sort of... digs through her own memory. She doesn't really remember learning to walk and so forth, but she still tries sort of PUSHING that muscle memory toward Keiko.

And try not to bruise my butt, you sat down really hard.

[Fenric]

[Winterhearth Sanctuary]

The priest smiles and nods with a small wag of his tail

Oh, yes! Everything's been rather "normal", I dare say, since the last bizarre planar disruption the removed those odd werefox fellows from whatever shadow place they were from. The blue-ice orders from Town stopped, but so did essentially all demonic activity which was an enormous relief. Without any names to go by, we weren't able to contact anyone in the other temples and unfortunately, the last time anyone here used the circle was to visit the dwarven stronghold - and none of us are wizard enough to reset it back.

He smiles sheepishly and his ears flick in embarrassment.

Not that anyone left here had ever been to the temple in Town so we don't know the location even if we could reset the circle. And to be quite honest, there was enough to do that it seemed inviting trouble to look too closely into that den of chaos and drama.

No offesnse meant, of course.

---

[Fond Farewell]

"Sewer Pipe" to give the accoustical setting of "a significant length of straight 18 to 24 inch concrete pipe partially occluded by water" with fewer words, not literally a sewer pipe. And I did not mention "sanitary sewer" - a storm runoff sewer wouldn't smell particularly awful.

Moving right along...

Sorry! I felt that too, you know: automatic systems seem to be working normally, which is good.

Keiko then receives the information as much as she can

You organized your motor skills? And since when is "jump" a special... what? I don't even understand. Some of this has got to be your magic stuff... and ... yeah.

She sounds both frustrated and disappointed

It just can't need this level of cooperation every time, they can even posess people who don't want to be. I've obviously done something wrong again... but I don't understand what.

[Keeper]

Winterhearth

"Ah. Well, I can understand that. We had wanted to visit the stronghold while we were here. We can keep our visit brief so our aura of trouble isn't near you for too long." he grins, letting them know he's joking (it's part of his duty as the head of the nogitsune department to keep people on their toes with tricks, jokes, and pranks, even if he rarely does). But no really it's entirely true that trouble follows them around. Who knows if visiting Winterhearth while on this errand could drag some of the snow foxes into dragon and dwarf affairs?

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

Okay I was kinda worried you might not feel stuff like I do, Khannie admits.

Because if that were the case then Keiko might get Khannie hurt without noticing.

Remember I was born a pokemon. Moves and abilities and stuff are just things you know. Everything is really organized. The jump is a magical girl move I figured out. Um... probably don't use that right now.

Not unless Keiko wants the two of them to go shooting off like a rocket into the sky.

This is your second time, you shouldn't feel too bad, Khannie encourages the fox spirit. It might be because of my magical girl gem? Since my mind is in there instead of in my brain where it's supposed to be.

At least she's pretty sure that's how it works.

[Fenric]

[Winterhearth Sanctuary]

The priest chuckles, his ears returning to a more relaxed position

Indeed. So, you say you have an errand with the dwarves? Since I rather doubt it is weaponry you need, coming from where you do, I assume there is a building project? Do either of you speak their language? Because you should know that as a rule, they speak nothing else when discussing business.

Caroline nods

It has been some time, but I am respectably fluent in that tongue. I presume our circle is linked to a similar one in the temple of the Great One there?

The fox nods and Caroline turns to Steven

I'd say the name, but I'd really rather not get his attention right this moment. We're going to need an appropriate offering, though: we don't dare arrive there empty-handed, especially not as priests ourselves.

----

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko chuckles

Oh... no, I had completely forgotten that. I'd never even heard of Pokemon before I came here the first time. So that's one strike right there: they warned me that it gets expo... ex.. nen... tent... uh... LOTS harder if the target was shape-changed regardless of how or why. And then your mind-soul-thing being in your earring is another strike - in fact, that's a standard defense against them.

Khannie will feel Keiko withdraw and she reappears sitting next to Khannie on the floor

So it turns out, you're actually one of the more difficult targets I could possibly pick! Which makes me feel a lot better about myself and about you!

[Keeper]

Winterhearth Sanctuary

Steven scratches his chin.
"Hm. We probably should have thought of that before we got here. I'm sure we could have raided the wine cellar for something strong. We could always go back?"
Sadly they're not wizards or a few dragon scales or even some dragon saliva/venom would probably be enough. Wizards love things dragon related.

[Fenric]

[Winterhearth Sanctuary]

Caroline ponders the question, thinking out loud more than addressing anyone directly at first.

I think a more pertinent question is "what would they want that would be very difficult if not impossible to get here in the Nexus?" This place is good at bringing people and powers, but tends to be more least-common-denominator when it comes to generic plants and wildlife.
The people of WinterHearth back home traded fish, game, and wine to the dwarves. But while we certainly have wine in Inside, it's from Nexus grapes and doesn't taste the same as, for instance, what the Bregtan family produces. In fact, come to think of it, this lot would probably kill for few bottles of their own Anak'zunzilbar ice whiskey.

She pulls out her cellphone of all things and looks at Steven

There is a benefit to living in a place that connects anywhere and everywhere, as well as having our second-ranked priestess be Felina Merisenne. But I am beginning to worry that this is going to turn into one of those ridiculous fairy-tales in very short order, where we end up having to get something to initiate a long sequence of trades in order to finally get what we are after.

[Keeper]

Winterhearth Sanctuary

"Well, usually being a dragon and growling at someone tends to ward off those scenarios but I should probably avoid a diplomatic incident."
Everyone hates diplomatic incidents.
"I'm afraid my expertise is mostly in literature and lore. What do you normally trade with them?" he asks of the local priest.

[Rebonack]

[Fond Farewell]

"Shape changed for any reason? Even though it was a wish thing?" Khannie muses aloud as the feeling starts coming back to her... everything.

That was weird.

It felt like when you wake up from a nightmare and feel really still. Like nothing wants to move. This was a little less scary, though, since she knew it was going to be happening and she trusts Keiko.

Which...

May or may not be wise.

Khannie pulls her legs up, hugging her knees to her chest. "Do other people really stick their souls in magic stones? Before this magical girl stuff I thought only liches did things like that."

And liches are, typically, bad guys.

"I think you did pretty okay even though I'm extra hard to possess," Khannie admits. Granted she has no other experience with this sort of thing but hey sometimes a sample size of one doesn't matter much when you're trying to encourage someone.

[Fenric]

[Winterhearth Sanctuary]

The priest laughts, not realizing that Steven is quite serious

Her holiness is not so terribly far off: We trade blue-ice, crafts, and spells to the merchants to get grains, wine, silk, and other products that simply do not grow here in the frozen lands. Those along with fish and meat from game the dwarves have little skill to hunt we trade to them for metal and stonework.

The crafts most prized by the southern merchants are those made by the tribes of the moving ice, whose wants are few. Cloth, predominantly, as they neither grow crops nor herd animals from whom wool could be collected, and replacements for such metal tools as break or wear out during their endless travels.

But ignoring him entirely, Caroline looks at Steven

That's it! You're exactly right: just not so much growling - we should easily be able to collect the very best grade of the magical ice and short-circuit the whole thing. Thanks to Felina, Merisenne Life Sciences keeps a portal to this world and they put a very high value on the alchemical ice which doesn't occur naturally on our world. We just have to get some and use it to buy what we need from them.

The priest now looks slightly uncertain and a lot lost.

---

[Fond Farewell]

Keiko nods

Your mind doesn't really belong to this body. YOU know how to work it but the magic gets confused by the mismatch. I was expecting a human, the magic was expecting that kangaroo-thing you used to be, and it all got scrambled. Wish is a really really powerful spell, but it's still just a spell in the end. Continuity remembers what you used to be, no matter what.

Hm... well... Keiko thinks it makes sense. Then she nods

Liches do that, yah, and things like Michaud. But I don't mean that - it's more like you, but instead of some weird witch and a thing just shy of a curse, it's a defense against posession and soul-stealing. If you know you're going somewhere dangerous, you tuck everything away in the gem so they can't get you.

It's not really the same as the immortality stuff since everything's just as tied to you in the gem as it was before and if your body dies then PFFT! you're off to wherever you're destined to go - no reforming two weeks later. That and it's not really permanent like being a lich is.