#tetsuyazorua

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[the pink barrier dissipates briefly as tetsuya passes through the gate.]

i will send word to lord ninetails that you’ll be meeting them later. i cannot leave my post here to guide you, but the restaurant where lord ninetails will meet you at is this building on the left with the haunter lantern. you can also find lord ninetails’ shrine past the gate at the other end of this road. if you need any other directions, please feel free to ask any of the villagers.

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[kon stares silently at inari, studying them for a long while. only the sound of wind rustling the leaves takes up the silence before kon straightens up and rolls their shoulders.]

well, as long as you keep to your promise, then i’m sure it’ll be okay! and look, it seems you’ll be allowed in the village after all.

[further down the path, a trail of fireballs begin to light up one by one, winding around the trees and through the dense underbrush.]

if you would please follow the kitsunebi, it’ll lead you right to the gate. i’ll go ahead and let the villagers know about your arrival. bye bye!

[with a sudden cheerfulness, kon waves casually before leaping back up into the trees. it doesn’t take long for them to disappear among the foliage, leaving inari alone once more. it’s easy enough to follow the fireballs, and despite being so close to flammable material, nothing catches fire. even being close to them doesn’t feel hot or painful. eventually, the trees begin to thin out, the fireballs stopping at a clearing.]

oh, excuse me! you’re lord inari, right? i’m tetsuya, and i humbly welcome you to our village. but first, please take this.

[tetsuya lowers his head in reverence before producing a charm that he offers to inari. the symbol adorning it appears similar to the marking on tetsuya’s shoulder, as well as the one on kon’s flank.]

this is a charm that will allow you passage through the forest and entry to the village. lord ninetails would like for you to have it. i was told to ask if you’d like to meet them at their shrine right away, or perhaps at the local restaurant, if you’re hungry? oh, but if you just want to walk around first, i can send a message to lord ninetails if your meeting isn’t urgent.

“Wonderful! Thank you so much for your time and information. I’ll be sure to keep everything in mind. Safe travels!”

Watching as the Zoroark disappears back into the shadows of the trees above, Inari would continue down the illuminated path of kitsunebi before arriving at the village gate, were a Zorua promptly greeted them and offered the charm, courtesy of Lord Ninetails.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tetsuya; and thank you for the charm. I understand Lord Ninetails is busy, so it’s fine with me if they’d like to meet me in town for some lunch later if they’d like. It’ll give me plenty of time to take a look around and meet the folk of this village. It’s no trouble at all.”