Scion - God Ascension Downtime 1 of 4
[The following entry is composed of a series of excerpts, some public and others private, from Erika's livejournal over the span of several months leading up to July 2010]
[Livejournal entry - Apotheosis!]
I have become a goddess. Not just a mortal who calls herself a goddess, but a real, breathing divine being! To all of my fans whose devotion and love helped my legend grow and spread, I offer my sincere thanks. ^_^ I am and always will be your goddess, DJ Yomi, a.k.a. Hinokagehime, the Sun's Shadow Princess, Goddess of Light and Darkness, Patron of Goths and Vampires.
Yeah, so enough of that grandiose stuff...it's still me. Just a more divine me. I've transcended my demigod status to join the ranks of the Amatsukami as one of their own. I'm not just Izanami's daughter anymore. I'm Hinokagehime (Sun's Shadow Princess), or just Kagehime for short. ^_^
Why "Sun's Shadow Princess"? Well, because I'm a goddess of light and darkness, life and death. And more to the point, I'm now joined to Amaterasu through fate and have become her shadow, the darkness to balance her light.
My ascension happened at the conclusion of the final concert of my aptly named Apotheosis Tour, which was held in Izumo in honor of my mother. The concert was charged with even more energy than usual, even for the final show of a tour, and a lot of people from outside of Japan had flown in to see it, so the venue was packed. The show was one of my best ever! I could almost hear the hope and desire and pain of every last one of my fans. And when the concert reached its climax...something changed. I experienced nirvana. And in that moment, I transcended. The next thing I knew, a shaft of sunlight fell upon me, even though the concert was indoors and it was night outside. And then Amaterasu was there, blindingly beautiful, and her arms were around me, and I closed my eyes...and when I opened them again, I was in a huge, walled estate in Takamagahara, a closed annex of Sakokushiro Palace (where the Amatsukami live).
Amaterasu explained that now that I had become one of them, I deserved a home in Takamagahara, and the estate was mine to do with and decorate as I pleased. My taint, however, made it difficult to maintain the sanctum without corrupting the rest of the pantheon's overworld, so the walls surrounding it were covered with paper warding charms to keep the taint from spreading beyond the borders of the estate. And until I'm purified, my sanctum is the only part of Takamagahara I can visit.
So, by now I've made the place my own. It's called Kurayashiro ("The Shadowed Shrine"), and it's a beautiful estate nestled in a shaded hollow at the base of the mountains that rise majestically behind Sakokushiro Palace. The whole place is covered with gigantic, elliptical, parasol-like awnings that shade it from the omnipresent sunlight of Takamagahara and leave it in a permanent state of dusk. I adore the neo-Japanese architecture and lighting, and parts of it are basically classy, airy trance, chill, or darkwave clubs. And I have a host of kami and rokurokubi servants ('cause guess what? Rokurokubi, nopperabo, and shikome are now closely associated with the myths and legends of my godhood! ^_^). I even installed shrines to Echo and Miko!
Also, Amaterasu and I are now bound by fate. I know Yi isn't happy about it, but Amaterasu and I are more-or-less unified now. I'm the shadow to her light. It feels so....right. ^_^
[Private journal entry - Amaterasu]
I was still reeling from my ascension and marveling at my new heavenly estate, wondering what I should do to make it my own, when Amaterasu took my hands and led me into the traditional, Japanese-style bedchamber of one of the estate's elegantly refined buildings. The look on her face softened and she turned to me with bedroom eyes and said, "Now that you are a goddess, it is time for our union. You will be the shadow to my light and from this point on, for better of for worse, we will be one. The demands of my station, your marriage to Echo, and the taint that still soils your spirit prevent us from truly being together, but know that I am deeply, truly in love with you." And with that, she kissed me passionately and...well, it was one of the most incredible unions I've ever had! ^_^ I mean, I felt bad about cheating on Echo and Yi...but they both knew this was coming. Hell, Echo has even made some sort of deal with Amaterasu to justify it all! O_O
I quickly realized (as I had always assumed) that it was the first time Amaterasu had ever been with a woman. She was a little nervous about it, but obviously desired it even more than I did! So I did my best to make it special for her. And I think I succeeded. ^_^ As we made love, though, the shikome in me was roused. I guess it was an echo of the purpose for which dark Miko had been created, to turn me into something that could corrupt even Amaterasu. My desire for Amaterasu became ravenous, and she seemed to enjoy it. But then...I couldn't help myself, and I bit her, hard enough to tear her flesh so that her blood poured freely. And I drank and drank as long as she let me. Strangely, she seemed to enjoy that as well, in a guilty kinda way. Then again, the darkness that I represent is one of the things that draws her to me. I like that...a lot. But I'll like it a lot more when I'm finally cleansed and that darkness truly becomes pure.
Afterward, once I was calmer and we both basked in the afterglow of our lovemaking, she warned me that the rest of the Amatsukami must not find out about our affair. I realized then that Amaterasu intended to continue seeing me, not just to make love, but because she needed a friend and confidante, someone around whom she could relax her stern, perfect visage for a time. I gently stroked her cheek and assured her that I would be there for her whenever she needed me.
But she's right, the Amatsukami can't find out about us. I mean, they know we share a special bond, but if they knew she and I were intimately involved, they would be furious! In fact, most of them, especially Hachiman and Himiko, think I'm part of some conspiracy to corrupt Amaterasu and bring about the fall of Takamagahara. Granted...I almost was, and Erebus probably has some nefarious plans of his own. Amaterasu was fully aware that her association with me would be impure. But I have no intention of betraying the Amatsukami. Sadly, Hachiman and Himiko are more likely to kill me than listen to my side of the argument, so I have to tread very carefully...
It's not fun being hated by most of your own pantheon. >_< T_T. At least Amaterasu loves me. ^_^
[Livejournal entry - Reikou]
So, not only do I have an incredible sanctum in Takamagahara, but my mom arranged for an estate in Yomi too! I've called it Reikou ("Ghost Light"). It's a sprawling, neo-Japanese complex on the terraced lower slopes of Yellow Spring Mountain, over looking the Gardens of the Celestial Son. The whole place is a darkly intriguing mixture of estate, garden, shrine, and cemetery. A big portion of the place is like a sprawling club complex with dance halls themed to different brands of goth, EBM, or industrial music, with haunting halls of tightly spaced torii leading, maze-like, from one to the other among the Japanese grave markers and ghost-lit stone lanterns that decorate the gardens.
My home lies beyond the apex of the estate, inside a vast cave in the side of Yellow Spring Mountain. Inside the cave, which is lit with the finest club lighting I could devise ^_^, is my neo-Japanese mansion and personal garden. It's so cozy and dark and creepy (when I want it to be). Even Yi, who still has issues with anything Japanese, kinda likes it there.
In the back of the cave is a passage that leads into Yellow Spring Mountain and eventually opens into the cellars beneath Izanami's Palace, in case I need to access it directly without hiking up the mountain. Convenient, huh? ^_^
The whole place is home to a constantly revolving population of shikome, youkai, and ghost guests who come to enjoy the clubs and music, and it's rarely quiet, which is why it's nice having my private quarters in the seclusion of the cave. My servants are all shikome, ghosts, or nopperabo, and they seem to take care of the place very well. Of course, visitors should be warned to stay away from Hisame Hall; it's a really hardcore industrial section of my club complex dedicated to shikome, and it gets pretty crazy in there. And dangerous for non-shikome. >_<
[Live Journal Entry - Tabby the Black Mother]
So, I've just been through one of the most painful experiences of my life...but for the sake of my beloved Tabby and my plans for Erebus, I'm glad I did it.
As I've become a goddess, I knew it was time to help Tabby transform into a Black Mother shikome. So I visited Dionysus, who put me in touch with Cybele. She gave me the secrets I needed to perform the ritual transformation.
We enacted the ritual in Yomi, with the Black Mother Shikome of Yomi presiding. All of my shikome were present and participated, and we held the ceremony in a ritual circle atop Yellow Spring Mountain, in my mother's gardens. The ritual was frenetic and demanding, and at its conclusion, Tabby had to tear my heart from my body and consume it to empower her transformation. I gotta tell you, that is not something I ever want to experience again. I had to focus every bit of my will to regenerate my heart and prevent myself from dying as my last breaths fled from my body. Fortunately, I was barely able to do do so, but for a few moments there I almost faded away, and would have had to rely on my mother to bring me back.
And in return for my sacrifice, Tabby became a Black Mother, almost a god among the shikome. And she, in turn, bit and empowered my other shikome. She transformed Ophelia, Audrey, Mercy, and Sadako into shikome that can rival the physical stength of many demigods. I think I'll call them Yomotsu-shikome, which is a more elaborate and traditional term for the shikome that (for me, at least) implies beings of terrible power. Tabby made Emilie, Sophie, Kaori, Steph, and Robin into elite shikome. Maybe in time they'll become Yomotsu-shikome, but they haven't reached that point yet.
I can sense how the dynamic between Tabby and me has changed. She's still unwaveringly loyal to me, and she still loves me dearly, but there's a bit more give and take in our relationship now. I may be a goddess, while she is "only" a Black Mother, but she still has the distinction of being my shikome sire, and I cannot deny the dominant influence she wields over me because of that. I'd like to say I'm unhappy with that arrangement, but the truth is, I kinda like it. >_<
Even so, I'm thrilled that she is now fulfilling the potential instilled in her when, at Miko's urging, I first turned her into a shikome. And my Yomotsu-shikome are finally the bodyguards I've always wanted and needed! I look forward to seeing my girls in action! ^_^
[Livejournal Entry - Diplomacy]
So...being a goddess isn't all fun and games. It didn't take long after my ascension for the Amatsukami to start piling on the duties. Amaterasu has made me one of the Amatsukami's main diplomats to the other pantheons. To tell the truth, I love the job. I get to travel all over the place, meet lots of gods and goddess, and help mediate between the Amatsukami and other pantheons. And I've discovered that Amaterasu made a very good choice in selecting me for the task. See, the Amatsukami are very traditional and a bit intolerant, which occasionally alienates them from the rest of the pantheons. I'm not like the other Amatsukami, though, and while I think I do a good job representing their interests, I don't come across as an old stick-in-the-mud. ^_^ The other pantheons really seem to prefer dealing with me to dealing with, say, Amaterasu or Hachiman, so it's really a win-win situation for everyone.
The only downside is that I don't have as much free time as I did. I'm away from my family a lot these days and only get back to Red Mountain, Kurayashiro, or Reikou once a week or so. In a way it's good that Echo has Yi to keep her company when I'm away, though Yi has her own duties with the Celestial Bureaucracy, so she still spends a lot of time in China. And I miss Rose a lot. She's growing up so fast (a little more than twice the rate of a normal child), and now that she's older and we can do lots of different things together, I want to be with her as much as I can.
[Private Journal Entry - Keiko, Echo, and Yi]
I don't know if I made the right choice or not, but I finally surrendered and gave tacit permission to Keiko and Echo to have an affair if they want. It was a hard choice, and I discussed it at length with Echo, Keiko, and Oda too. I just...feel so bad for Oda. He says he's resigned to the fact that his wife, though she truly loves him, will always be enamored of me and Echo. But I still think it's unfair to him. Even so, I don't want to be a hypocrite. Echo said once, long ago, that as a goddess, I wouldn't be able to remain completely faithful to her, and that extramarital affairs were not only inevitable but expected. And she was right. In many ways, that makes me very, very sad. I'm not proud of my short affair with Persephone or my ongoing relationship with Amaterasu, but I do treasure them. And Echo understands, even if she's not really happy about it.
It would be selfish and hypocritical of me to deny Keiko the romance she's wanted for so long when I'm indulging my own affairs with Amaterasu or Tabby. And Echo's interested in Keiko too, of course...though not as much as Keiko is interested in her (in fact, I almost get the feeling that Echo's mostly just humoring Keiko at this point). It feels somehow wrong to enable this sort of thing, but given my own inclinations, I feel it would be more wrong to continue forbidding it.
I've come to treasure Yi more and more because of this. I would never reveal this to Echo, but I sometimes feel like Echo isn't really mine (and yes, I know it's selfish to feel that way). So many others love her and she indulges them: Keiko, Audrey...even Angela from way back before we became demigods. Even if she doesn't sleep with some of her admirers, like Pierre, I know they want her and she enjoys that desire. I know that the same could be said of me, which is why I'm not necessarily proud of my various lovers even though I adore and cherish them. I guess that even though I've come to accept that Echo was right when she said that affairs would be inevitable, and even though I've found that I can love others like Amaterasu or Tabby enough to become involved in affairs with them, I still long for a singular, one-one-one relationship. Just two people, devoted only to one another.
And that's one thing that makes Yi so special to me. Of course, we aren't an exclusive couple. There's Echo, if nothing else. But whereas Echo has other lovers, Yi is mine and mine alone. There's something special about that, something that I can retreat to when I'm feeling overwhelmed by Echo's...popularity, for lack of a better term. Something quiet and intimate and comforting. Echo would be furious if she knew that Yi offered me something she herself cannot. But in my opinion, the fact that Echo and Yi fulfill different needs for me is one thing that I hope will make our tripartite marriage strong.
Gods, I can't wait for our wedding. It's only a few weeks from now!
[Livejournal Entry - A Goddess's Servants]
So...my own legend (and probably T-Bone, Elisa's, and Pierre's) has enveloped my youkai followers. Over the course of the past month or so, they've transcended the chains of their own mortality and have become something like demigods themselves. Needless to say, their new abilities are proving invaluable in helping them keep up with the demands of serving their goddess. I'm so glad they're here to help me, because I'd be lost without them.
Keiko, Sera, and Kimiyo are almost alway close at hand if I need them, of course. But I don't see Quinn or Dahlia as much as I used to, since Dahlia spends a lot of her time with T-Bone, and Quinn lives with Pierre and Elisa. It's kinda sad, but I'm glad they're happy, and of course my homes are still their homes too. ^_^ As it is Quinn and Dahlia are beginning to find a place among the myths and legends of the Loa!
[Livejournal Entry - Visiting]
So, in the course of all my diplomatic travels, I've had the opportunity to visit a lot of my recently transcended friends and see how they're coping with life as gods.
Let's see...I visited Storm in his sanctum on Mt. Olympus, a huge complex that can become an athletic stadium, a training field, an arena, a debate hall, or any number of other things at his whim, as befits a God of Champions. He's doing quite well, and entertained me for a day or two. His satyr squire, Taelid, is much more noble than any of the satyrs I've met in the past. Of course, Tabby was excited to see Storm again. She really has a thing for him! Naturally, those two did a little sparring to test Tabby's new strength as a Black Mother shikome. And as usual, their sparring eventually turned to other things. ^_^
I saw Helena and Cesar in Helena's amazing (if kinda stiff and way too formal) cybernetic skyscraper in Asgard, which was filled with her computer systems and servants and enclosed in glass-paned windows covered with a permanent (and beautiful) layer of frost. Despite the strict, intolerant atmosphere of the sanctum, Cesar seemed perfectly at home there. And Helena was genuinely glad to see me. I think she's warmed up to me a lot since she doesn't feel threatened by me in her relationship with Cesar, which is good. Maybe it also helps that I did, in my way, help her to acknowledge and act on her feelings for him. ^_^ It's a classic good girl meets bad boy story. Anyway, they are both doing well.
Oh, and I helped Helena name her sanctum. I off-handedly suggested "Silicon Valhalla" as a joke, but she liked it, so it stuck! ^_^
Finally, I was able to visit Carina and Sam, where they received me on Carina's huge barge that floated as part of the Pesedjet fleet on the river of Iteru. They are doing well, though Sam is still his paranoid self. I brought Maneki with me so that she could catch up with her sister this time (they always love seeing one another ^_^). Carina was excited to show off her twins, Thomas and Melanie. They are so adorable!! Carina also introduced me to all of her cats, of which there are quite a few! =^_^=
Carina also asked me if I could put her in touch with anyone in among the Deva who could help in her attempts to establish some sort of game preserve or animal shelter in India. I agreed immediately, and next time I visit the Deva on behalf of the Amatsukami, I'll make sure to mention Carina's plans to Ganesh.
[Livejournal Entry - God Party]
I'll be hosting a huge party to celebrate the ascension to godhod of both my own band and Storm's band. I've invited virutally everyone I know! It'll be held in my orverworld sanctum, Kurayashiro, on July 7th to coincide with the Japanese Tanabata festival.
Anyway, I still have a lot to do to get ready (even if Keiko and Sera are taking care of most of the details), so I can't write much for now. But I'll give you a full report on the party afterward!
[Livejournal entry - Apotheosis!]
I have become a goddess. Not just a mortal who calls herself a goddess, but a real, breathing divine being! To all of my fans whose devotion and love helped my legend grow and spread, I offer my sincere thanks. ^_^ I am and always will be your goddess, DJ Yomi, a.k.a. Hinokagehime, the Sun's Shadow Princess, Goddess of Light and Darkness, Patron of Goths and Vampires.
Yeah, so enough of that grandiose stuff...it's still me. Just a more divine me. I've transcended my demigod status to join the ranks of the Amatsukami as one of their own. I'm not just Izanami's daughter anymore. I'm Hinokagehime (Sun's Shadow Princess), or just Kagehime for short. ^_^
Why "Sun's Shadow Princess"? Well, because I'm a goddess of light and darkness, life and death. And more to the point, I'm now joined to Amaterasu through fate and have become her shadow, the darkness to balance her light.
My ascension happened at the conclusion of the final concert of my aptly named Apotheosis Tour, which was held in Izumo in honor of my mother. The concert was charged with even more energy than usual, even for the final show of a tour, and a lot of people from outside of Japan had flown in to see it, so the venue was packed. The show was one of my best ever! I could almost hear the hope and desire and pain of every last one of my fans. And when the concert reached its climax...something changed. I experienced nirvana. And in that moment, I transcended. The next thing I knew, a shaft of sunlight fell upon me, even though the concert was indoors and it was night outside. And then Amaterasu was there, blindingly beautiful, and her arms were around me, and I closed my eyes...and when I opened them again, I was in a huge, walled estate in Takamagahara, a closed annex of Sakokushiro Palace (where the Amatsukami live).
Amaterasu explained that now that I had become one of them, I deserved a home in Takamagahara, and the estate was mine to do with and decorate as I pleased. My taint, however, made it difficult to maintain the sanctum without corrupting the rest of the pantheon's overworld, so the walls surrounding it were covered with paper warding charms to keep the taint from spreading beyond the borders of the estate. And until I'm purified, my sanctum is the only part of Takamagahara I can visit.
So, by now I've made the place my own. It's called Kurayashiro ("The Shadowed Shrine"), and it's a beautiful estate nestled in a shaded hollow at the base of the mountains that rise majestically behind Sakokushiro Palace. The whole place is covered with gigantic, elliptical, parasol-like awnings that shade it from the omnipresent sunlight of Takamagahara and leave it in a permanent state of dusk. I adore the neo-Japanese architecture and lighting, and parts of it are basically classy, airy trance, chill, or darkwave clubs. And I have a host of kami and rokurokubi servants ('cause guess what? Rokurokubi, nopperabo, and shikome are now closely associated with the myths and legends of my godhood! ^_^). I even installed shrines to Echo and Miko!
Also, Amaterasu and I are now bound by fate. I know Yi isn't happy about it, but Amaterasu and I are more-or-less unified now. I'm the shadow to her light. It feels so....right. ^_^
[Private journal entry - Amaterasu]
I was still reeling from my ascension and marveling at my new heavenly estate, wondering what I should do to make it my own, when Amaterasu took my hands and led me into the traditional, Japanese-style bedchamber of one of the estate's elegantly refined buildings. The look on her face softened and she turned to me with bedroom eyes and said, "Now that you are a goddess, it is time for our union. You will be the shadow to my light and from this point on, for better of for worse, we will be one. The demands of my station, your marriage to Echo, and the taint that still soils your spirit prevent us from truly being together, but know that I am deeply, truly in love with you." And with that, she kissed me passionately and...well, it was one of the most incredible unions I've ever had! ^_^ I mean, I felt bad about cheating on Echo and Yi...but they both knew this was coming. Hell, Echo has even made some sort of deal with Amaterasu to justify it all! O_O
I quickly realized (as I had always assumed) that it was the first time Amaterasu had ever been with a woman. She was a little nervous about it, but obviously desired it even more than I did! So I did my best to make it special for her. And I think I succeeded. ^_^ As we made love, though, the shikome in me was roused. I guess it was an echo of the purpose for which dark Miko had been created, to turn me into something that could corrupt even Amaterasu. My desire for Amaterasu became ravenous, and she seemed to enjoy it. But then...I couldn't help myself, and I bit her, hard enough to tear her flesh so that her blood poured freely. And I drank and drank as long as she let me. Strangely, she seemed to enjoy that as well, in a guilty kinda way. Then again, the darkness that I represent is one of the things that draws her to me. I like that...a lot. But I'll like it a lot more when I'm finally cleansed and that darkness truly becomes pure.
Afterward, once I was calmer and we both basked in the afterglow of our lovemaking, she warned me that the rest of the Amatsukami must not find out about our affair. I realized then that Amaterasu intended to continue seeing me, not just to make love, but because she needed a friend and confidante, someone around whom she could relax her stern, perfect visage for a time. I gently stroked her cheek and assured her that I would be there for her whenever she needed me.
But she's right, the Amatsukami can't find out about us. I mean, they know we share a special bond, but if they knew she and I were intimately involved, they would be furious! In fact, most of them, especially Hachiman and Himiko, think I'm part of some conspiracy to corrupt Amaterasu and bring about the fall of Takamagahara. Granted...I almost was, and Erebus probably has some nefarious plans of his own. Amaterasu was fully aware that her association with me would be impure. But I have no intention of betraying the Amatsukami. Sadly, Hachiman and Himiko are more likely to kill me than listen to my side of the argument, so I have to tread very carefully...
It's not fun being hated by most of your own pantheon. >_< T_T. At least Amaterasu loves me. ^_^
[Livejournal entry - Reikou]
So, not only do I have an incredible sanctum in Takamagahara, but my mom arranged for an estate in Yomi too! I've called it Reikou ("Ghost Light"). It's a sprawling, neo-Japanese complex on the terraced lower slopes of Yellow Spring Mountain, over looking the Gardens of the Celestial Son. The whole place is a darkly intriguing mixture of estate, garden, shrine, and cemetery. A big portion of the place is like a sprawling club complex with dance halls themed to different brands of goth, EBM, or industrial music, with haunting halls of tightly spaced torii leading, maze-like, from one to the other among the Japanese grave markers and ghost-lit stone lanterns that decorate the gardens.
My home lies beyond the apex of the estate, inside a vast cave in the side of Yellow Spring Mountain. Inside the cave, which is lit with the finest club lighting I could devise ^_^, is my neo-Japanese mansion and personal garden. It's so cozy and dark and creepy (when I want it to be). Even Yi, who still has issues with anything Japanese, kinda likes it there.
In the back of the cave is a passage that leads into Yellow Spring Mountain and eventually opens into the cellars beneath Izanami's Palace, in case I need to access it directly without hiking up the mountain. Convenient, huh? ^_^
The whole place is home to a constantly revolving population of shikome, youkai, and ghost guests who come to enjoy the clubs and music, and it's rarely quiet, which is why it's nice having my private quarters in the seclusion of the cave. My servants are all shikome, ghosts, or nopperabo, and they seem to take care of the place very well. Of course, visitors should be warned to stay away from Hisame Hall; it's a really hardcore industrial section of my club complex dedicated to shikome, and it gets pretty crazy in there. And dangerous for non-shikome. >_<
[Live Journal Entry - Tabby the Black Mother]
So, I've just been through one of the most painful experiences of my life...but for the sake of my beloved Tabby and my plans for Erebus, I'm glad I did it.
As I've become a goddess, I knew it was time to help Tabby transform into a Black Mother shikome. So I visited Dionysus, who put me in touch with Cybele. She gave me the secrets I needed to perform the ritual transformation.
We enacted the ritual in Yomi, with the Black Mother Shikome of Yomi presiding. All of my shikome were present and participated, and we held the ceremony in a ritual circle atop Yellow Spring Mountain, in my mother's gardens. The ritual was frenetic and demanding, and at its conclusion, Tabby had to tear my heart from my body and consume it to empower her transformation. I gotta tell you, that is not something I ever want to experience again. I had to focus every bit of my will to regenerate my heart and prevent myself from dying as my last breaths fled from my body. Fortunately, I was barely able to do do so, but for a few moments there I almost faded away, and would have had to rely on my mother to bring me back.
And in return for my sacrifice, Tabby became a Black Mother, almost a god among the shikome. And she, in turn, bit and empowered my other shikome. She transformed Ophelia, Audrey, Mercy, and Sadako into shikome that can rival the physical stength of many demigods. I think I'll call them Yomotsu-shikome, which is a more elaborate and traditional term for the shikome that (for me, at least) implies beings of terrible power. Tabby made Emilie, Sophie, Kaori, Steph, and Robin into elite shikome. Maybe in time they'll become Yomotsu-shikome, but they haven't reached that point yet.
I can sense how the dynamic between Tabby and me has changed. She's still unwaveringly loyal to me, and she still loves me dearly, but there's a bit more give and take in our relationship now. I may be a goddess, while she is "only" a Black Mother, but she still has the distinction of being my shikome sire, and I cannot deny the dominant influence she wields over me because of that. I'd like to say I'm unhappy with that arrangement, but the truth is, I kinda like it. >_<
Even so, I'm thrilled that she is now fulfilling the potential instilled in her when, at Miko's urging, I first turned her into a shikome. And my Yomotsu-shikome are finally the bodyguards I've always wanted and needed! I look forward to seeing my girls in action! ^_^
[Livejournal Entry - Diplomacy]
So...being a goddess isn't all fun and games. It didn't take long after my ascension for the Amatsukami to start piling on the duties. Amaterasu has made me one of the Amatsukami's main diplomats to the other pantheons. To tell the truth, I love the job. I get to travel all over the place, meet lots of gods and goddess, and help mediate between the Amatsukami and other pantheons. And I've discovered that Amaterasu made a very good choice in selecting me for the task. See, the Amatsukami are very traditional and a bit intolerant, which occasionally alienates them from the rest of the pantheons. I'm not like the other Amatsukami, though, and while I think I do a good job representing their interests, I don't come across as an old stick-in-the-mud. ^_^ The other pantheons really seem to prefer dealing with me to dealing with, say, Amaterasu or Hachiman, so it's really a win-win situation for everyone.
The only downside is that I don't have as much free time as I did. I'm away from my family a lot these days and only get back to Red Mountain, Kurayashiro, or Reikou once a week or so. In a way it's good that Echo has Yi to keep her company when I'm away, though Yi has her own duties with the Celestial Bureaucracy, so she still spends a lot of time in China. And I miss Rose a lot. She's growing up so fast (a little more than twice the rate of a normal child), and now that she's older and we can do lots of different things together, I want to be with her as much as I can.
[Private Journal Entry - Keiko, Echo, and Yi]
I don't know if I made the right choice or not, but I finally surrendered and gave tacit permission to Keiko and Echo to have an affair if they want. It was a hard choice, and I discussed it at length with Echo, Keiko, and Oda too. I just...feel so bad for Oda. He says he's resigned to the fact that his wife, though she truly loves him, will always be enamored of me and Echo. But I still think it's unfair to him. Even so, I don't want to be a hypocrite. Echo said once, long ago, that as a goddess, I wouldn't be able to remain completely faithful to her, and that extramarital affairs were not only inevitable but expected. And she was right. In many ways, that makes me very, very sad. I'm not proud of my short affair with Persephone or my ongoing relationship with Amaterasu, but I do treasure them. And Echo understands, even if she's not really happy about it.
It would be selfish and hypocritical of me to deny Keiko the romance she's wanted for so long when I'm indulging my own affairs with Amaterasu or Tabby. And Echo's interested in Keiko too, of course...though not as much as Keiko is interested in her (in fact, I almost get the feeling that Echo's mostly just humoring Keiko at this point). It feels somehow wrong to enable this sort of thing, but given my own inclinations, I feel it would be more wrong to continue forbidding it.
I've come to treasure Yi more and more because of this. I would never reveal this to Echo, but I sometimes feel like Echo isn't really mine (and yes, I know it's selfish to feel that way). So many others love her and she indulges them: Keiko, Audrey...even Angela from way back before we became demigods. Even if she doesn't sleep with some of her admirers, like Pierre, I know they want her and she enjoys that desire. I know that the same could be said of me, which is why I'm not necessarily proud of my various lovers even though I adore and cherish them. I guess that even though I've come to accept that Echo was right when she said that affairs would be inevitable, and even though I've found that I can love others like Amaterasu or Tabby enough to become involved in affairs with them, I still long for a singular, one-one-one relationship. Just two people, devoted only to one another.
And that's one thing that makes Yi so special to me. Of course, we aren't an exclusive couple. There's Echo, if nothing else. But whereas Echo has other lovers, Yi is mine and mine alone. There's something special about that, something that I can retreat to when I'm feeling overwhelmed by Echo's...popularity, for lack of a better term. Something quiet and intimate and comforting. Echo would be furious if she knew that Yi offered me something she herself cannot. But in my opinion, the fact that Echo and Yi fulfill different needs for me is one thing that I hope will make our tripartite marriage strong.
Gods, I can't wait for our wedding. It's only a few weeks from now!
[Livejournal Entry - A Goddess's Servants]
So...my own legend (and probably T-Bone, Elisa's, and Pierre's) has enveloped my youkai followers. Over the course of the past month or so, they've transcended the chains of their own mortality and have become something like demigods themselves. Needless to say, their new abilities are proving invaluable in helping them keep up with the demands of serving their goddess. I'm so glad they're here to help me, because I'd be lost without them.
Keiko, Sera, and Kimiyo are almost alway close at hand if I need them, of course. But I don't see Quinn or Dahlia as much as I used to, since Dahlia spends a lot of her time with T-Bone, and Quinn lives with Pierre and Elisa. It's kinda sad, but I'm glad they're happy, and of course my homes are still their homes too. ^_^ As it is Quinn and Dahlia are beginning to find a place among the myths and legends of the Loa!
[Livejournal Entry - Visiting]
So, in the course of all my diplomatic travels, I've had the opportunity to visit a lot of my recently transcended friends and see how they're coping with life as gods.
Let's see...I visited Storm in his sanctum on Mt. Olympus, a huge complex that can become an athletic stadium, a training field, an arena, a debate hall, or any number of other things at his whim, as befits a God of Champions. He's doing quite well, and entertained me for a day or two. His satyr squire, Taelid, is much more noble than any of the satyrs I've met in the past. Of course, Tabby was excited to see Storm again. She really has a thing for him! Naturally, those two did a little sparring to test Tabby's new strength as a Black Mother shikome. And as usual, their sparring eventually turned to other things. ^_^
I saw Helena and Cesar in Helena's amazing (if kinda stiff and way too formal) cybernetic skyscraper in Asgard, which was filled with her computer systems and servants and enclosed in glass-paned windows covered with a permanent (and beautiful) layer of frost. Despite the strict, intolerant atmosphere of the sanctum, Cesar seemed perfectly at home there. And Helena was genuinely glad to see me. I think she's warmed up to me a lot since she doesn't feel threatened by me in her relationship with Cesar, which is good. Maybe it also helps that I did, in my way, help her to acknowledge and act on her feelings for him. ^_^ It's a classic good girl meets bad boy story. Anyway, they are both doing well.
Oh, and I helped Helena name her sanctum. I off-handedly suggested "Silicon Valhalla" as a joke, but she liked it, so it stuck! ^_^
Finally, I was able to visit Carina and Sam, where they received me on Carina's huge barge that floated as part of the Pesedjet fleet on the river of Iteru. They are doing well, though Sam is still his paranoid self. I brought Maneki with me so that she could catch up with her sister this time (they always love seeing one another ^_^). Carina was excited to show off her twins, Thomas and Melanie. They are so adorable!! Carina also introduced me to all of her cats, of which there are quite a few! =^_^=
Carina also asked me if I could put her in touch with anyone in among the Deva who could help in her attempts to establish some sort of game preserve or animal shelter in India. I agreed immediately, and next time I visit the Deva on behalf of the Amatsukami, I'll make sure to mention Carina's plans to Ganesh.
[Livejournal Entry - God Party]
I'll be hosting a huge party to celebrate the ascension to godhod of both my own band and Storm's band. I've invited virutally everyone I know! It'll be held in my orverworld sanctum, Kurayashiro, on July 7th to coincide with the Japanese Tanabata festival.
Anyway, I still have a lot to do to get ready (even if Keiko and Sera are taking care of most of the details), so I can't write much for now. But I'll give you a full report on the party afterward!