“I appreciate that, Emi-chan!” Madoka smiles, fidgeting a little. “Are you certain you want to spend so much time looking after me?” she asks Emi.

Emi nods and smiles. “Of course. It’s not just about looking after you, it’s for my curiosity just as much,” she confesses.

“Awww… you’re such a good friend, Emi-chan.” Madoka smiles.

“What will you wear to this training?” Emi asks. “I don’t think I’ve seen everything that you purchased with your mother today in the store?” she says. “Though I’ve seen a lot of it, including that lovely silk yukata!” Emi grins.

“I couldn’t help commenting, Mistress.” The door opens, and Kozuke steps inside, bowing. “Please wear the robes Kami-sama bestowed upon you earlier today. I ask that you bring the yukata that that foxy wench bestowed upon you,” Kozuke murmurs.

“Why?” Madoka asks, blushing. “It shows too much of my…” Madoka places her hand on her chest, fidgeting and thinking about how her big breasts look framed by it. She bites her lip.

“A very important step before your training, although you may end up falling asleep. We shall see,” Kozuke responds, cryptically.

“A yukata? I have one at home, but surely we don’t have time for me to pick it up?” Emi frowns, thoughtfully.

“What?” Kozuke blinks. “You truly intend to follow the mistress?” Kozuke asks with a slight frown himself. “It would not be safe for you to follow her,” Kozuke murmurs.

“Not safe? What do you mean, Kozuke-san?” Emi murmurs. “Are you truly a lion dog youkai?” Emi asks, having puzzled out the arguments between him and Kiyomi. “A guardian spirit?” she asks. “Surely you could protect two as well as one,” Emi suggests.

“Certainly not as effectively, though I doubt that my mistress is at risk,” Kozuke murmurs.

“What makes you think so?” Madoka asks. “I’m exhausted, Kozuke-san,” Madoka complains softly.

“I can’t explain it in advance. It’s far better if it’s a surprise, Mistress.” He smiles. “A certain foxy wench could be listening in on our conversation. I am wary of her espionage.” Kozuke shakes his head.

“You think she’s listening in, really?” Emi asks Kozuke. “I’m worried about what she might do to her, too.” Emi giggles.

Madoka blushes from head to toe and looks at Kozuke. “She seems worried for me; is it really a problem if Emi-chan comes along?” she asks.

Kozuke hesitates a moment, but finally nods in assent. “Yes, but I think we can manage,” he murmurs. “Where we are going, your young friend need take nothing along,” he points out.

“No matter where I go, I like to look stylish.” Emi frowns, then grins.

“That is a vain concern.” Kozuke smiles wryly. He steps over to the closet and removes from inside the closet a hanger with the costume that Madoka was wearing when she left Kami’s place. He holds it up towards Madoka.

Emi gapes at it. “I didn’t see that! What is that adorable costume! Is this cosplay? I love cosplay!” she enthuses with a wide grin. “It’s so cute and stylish! Doesn’t it look like… a little like a miko’s robes?” she observes.

“Yes. These are the robes that Kami-sama gifted the mistress.” Kozuke smiles warmly.

“Is there any chance I can have one too? Aren’t pretty girls usually allowed to take on the job of Miko at shrines?” Emi asks with a wistful expression as she gazes at the beautiful kimono-like cute costume with lilies, leaves, and vines embroidered on its sleeves.

Emi blushes as Kozuke moves forward to strip Madoka. He removes the cute vest she wears over her blouse, but Madoka blushes and gasps, eyes wide.

“No!” Madoka protests.

“Are you really a butler too?” Emi smiles. “That is surprising, I thought it was just an affectation,” she murmurs. “Your home isn’t high enough class for your family to be able to afford high level help,” Emi points out with a chuckle. “Aren’t you lucky to get one for free?”

“Ah… in a manner of words it is an affectation, yet I do pride myself in my work and service for my mistress,” Kozuke murmurs solicitously.

“That’s interesting, so loyal. Are you looking for a job?” Emi inquires with a big grin. “Having a dog for your butler would be interesting.”

“What kind of person are you?” Madoka asks Emi, startled at her observation.

“I’m not looking for alternative career opportunities.” Kozuke chuckles. “I’m flattered.”

“Well, you do seem very capable. Keep it in mind, Kozuke-san.” Emi smiles.

“I-is your family rich?” Madoka asks, eyes wide.

“What? Oh, no… we’re not so well off.” Emi gestures dismissively. Kozuke moves to strip Madoka of her blouse. With a little startled shriek, Madoka runs away.

Emi laughs aloud. “Don’t fight it! It’s nice having help. You should appreciate it!” She grins at Madoka’s cute flustered flight.

“But it’s a man!” Madoka protests, cowering in front of her door as she poises to flee from her room.

“But you were a man. What is the problem with a man seeing your body when you were one yourself?” Emi asks. “That reaction is so girlish. How can you adapt so much in such a short period of time?” she wonders as she watches Madoka.

“B-but… nooo...” Madoka whines.

“Maybe it would be best if you let my friend change her own clothes for the moment,” Emi suggests to Kozuke.

Kozuke frowns a little and chuckles. “Perhaps given her reaction, I cannot blame her.” He bows to Madoka and steps towards the door. Madoka shrieks again, going to her knees and crawling rapidly past Kozuke as he walks to the door. He looks over his shoulder at Madoka and smiles reassuringly. “I will not do anything to make you uncomfortable, Mistress. Please be at ease,” he murmurs as he opens the door and steps through, hanging Madoka’s robes from the doorknob as he steps outside.

Emi watches with an amused grin and her eyes fall upon Madoka crawling towards the bed.

After a long moment watching her stiffly curl up on the floor of her room by the bed, Emi shakes her head and sighs. “You should change your clothes soon. Kozuke-san might come in if you take too long,” she points out.

Madoka gasps and leaps up to start stripping her clothes off, but once she has her top off she turns scarlet from head to toes, realizing that she’s stripping off in front of Emi.

Emi stares at Madoka and giggles. “I took your mother’s word for it, but I certainly would like to see what has been hidden underneath those stylish clothes.”

Madoka squirms, looking away.

“B-but... You’re a girl… how can you be so casual about this!?” Madoka moans.

“Because you’re a girl now. You used to be a boy and I can see how you would be embarrassed, but you don’t need to be ashamed. Finish undressing,” Emi murmurs.

“B-but...” Madoka stammers. Emi stands up with a rolling of her eyes and suddenly reaches out and pulls Madoka’s skirt down, leaving her standing in her underwear. “N… No!” Madoka shrieks.

Emi examines the costume that Kozuke had hung on the doorknob before stepping out and she shakes her head. “You can wear the panties, but the top isn’t the kind that you can wear a bra with. Take that off!” Emi waggles a finger at Madoka.

“W-what?” Madoka asks, gasping.

“You don’t wear bras with such clothing. The obi helps support your chest,” Emi points out.

“But it shows off so much!” Madoka complains.

Emi steps behind Madoka and unclasps her bra quickly. Madoka struggles for a long moment, but Emi wrestles her down as she strips the bra off forcibly.

Suddenly behind them comes a whistling sound. Emi stiffens and looks over her shoulder. Madoka looks over her shoulder, covering her ample breasts.

Kiyomi whistles again as she watches them.

“W-where did you come from?” Emi gapes. Madoka shrieks.

“H-how?” Madoka mewls.

“A foxy lady has her sneaky ways.” Kiyomi giggles, licking her lips. “It’s not like I didn’t get an eye full of what you look like naked twice.” Kiyomi licks her lips. “At least twice,” she adds cryptically.

“More than twice?” Madoka gapes, her eyes wide.

“It’s not like I’m a stalker, I just appreciate the sight of you,” Kiyomi purrs.

“Oh, Kami, it’s exactly like that.” Emi places herself between them, hands on her hips.

“It’s a shame this can’t turn into a slumber party.” Kiyomi grins. “Keep your voices down… that mutt has a great sense of hearing,” she whispers, moving her hands.

“Maybe I should scream,” Emi says.

“Don’t do that. I’ll look after you too in the place the lion-dog is taking you tonight. Pinky promise!” She smiles warmly at Emi. “I’m fond of you too, you know.”

“N-no… I don’t need that…” Emi protests.

“Maybe you do.” Kiyomi licks her lips. “Just finish dressing so he doesn’t come barging in again, Madoka. I’ll look away if it helps.” She grins, crossing her arms underneath her lovely breasts.

Madoka squirms as she darts to the robes hung up on the doorknob of the door and quickly changes into them, her back firmly to Kiyomi and Emi as she squirms into the skirt and the robe top with its billowy soft sleeves. She takes the magitama from around the hanger and slips it over her head. She considers the missing shoes and realizes they were left behind in the genkan downstairs on the shoe rack. Madoka walks over to the bed to take a seat and slowly roll the stockings that came with the robe, roll up above her knees to her creamy thighs, and they feel like they’re softly caressing her legs.

Mana stands at the door as Madoka and Emi follow Kozuke outside. Kiyomi waits outside, arms crossed, and Kozuke eyes Kiyomi suspiciously.

“Why are you here, foxy wench? Didn’t I tell you that you are not welcome here after hours?” He scowls at her.

“I have reasons, Lion-Dog-Butler-sama,” Kiyomi responds with a smile.

“You’ve been up to your wily sneaky foxy mischievousness, haven’t you? I knew I smelled you again.” Kozuke frowns.

“You can’t stop me from coming along, hound. Lead the way. You will see how futile it is to try to keep me away.” She smirks.

“Stalker woman.” Emi frowns at Kiyomi.

“Don’t say things like that, cutie!” Kiyomi winks at Emi.

“Don’t you say things like that, you creepy old fox woman.” Emi blushes and hides behind Kozuke.

“Old?” Koyomi gasps, glaring at Emi, her form seething suddenly, and in her aggravation, her ears and tail suddenly pop out, thrashing agitatedly.

Kozuke pats Emi and chuckles. “I’ll look out for you,” he comforts her, shaking his head. “If I were you I would take care with the things you might say to her. She is a formidable opponent.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that.” Emi chuckles, hands on hips. “I don’t want an oba-chan hitting on me all the time,” she snarks.

“O-oba-chan? What about these are an oba…” Kiyomi gapes and stalks around Kozuke to get at Emi as she flaunts her bosom. Emi flees with a grin as Kiyomi chases after her.

At Koenji Hikawa shrine, the four step onto the grounds after dark. As it is a smaller shrine, there aren’t any others there, though the grounds are lit up.

Emi looks around, arms crossed under her breasts as she looks around. “I don’t have a kimono… do I need to wear one to pay respect to the kami-sama?” Emi asks.

“Not at all.” Kozuke smiles. “A yukata will be provided in time.”

“Oh, you’re in need of a yukata? That’s a shame. I favoured you, but those comments earlier made me rethink my fondness of you, Emi-chan.” Kiyomi frowns at Emi.

“Emi-chan?” Emi asks. “That’s too familiar.” She returns the frown back to Kiyomi.

“If you want a pretty kimono, you’ll have to make it up to me.” Kiyomi flips her fan out, flitting it at her face. She hides her face after a moment and laughs a haughty laugh.

“I can’t stand your type. It’s too much like the people I grew up with.” Emi scowls. “I don’t need anything from you, oba-san!” Emi says.

“Watch your words, mortal.” Kiyomi suddenly waves her fan and a burst of air from the fan knocks Emi down onto her butt on the stone pavement of the shrine grounds. Emi shrieks and gasps, struggling to her feet and rubbing her butt surreptitiously.

“Leave that comforting to me,” Kiyomi teases. “If you keep that up I’ll paddle it so hard you’ll want comforting,” she threatens.

The brave Emi actually shrinks away from her suddenly.

“So when... Wh-when does training actually start?” Emi stutters, complaining.

“Now.” Kozuke smiles, walking over to Emi. He pulls a length of silk cloth from his pocket and steps behind her, suddenly winding the cloth around Emi’s eyes.

“This will ease the process for you, Hasegawa-san. A mortal without spiritual ability will have a difficult time making the transition,” Kozuke states.

“N-no! I want to see! I want to see everything! No fair! Don’t blind me!” Emi complains.

“Go where I guide you and you will soon see what you have been wanting to see,” Kozuke murmurs.

“What is going to happen, Kozuke-san?” Madoka asks, looking around. “What am I supposed to do?”

“What you need to do is follow me. Focus your spiritual abilities on what I’m doing,” Kozuke murmurs.

Kozuke walks towards the shrine, and takes Emi’s hand, leading her onwards towards it and the stairs leading up to it. “Beware the steps, mortal,” he murmurs, warning Emi.

“Steps? You’re leading me up to the shrine? Why do I need to be blind for this? Are we going to pray to Kami-sama?” Emi asks, puzzled.

Madoka follows, and Kiyomi follows. 

Ahead, Madoka senses a disturbance as Kozuke finishes climbing to the shrine. Suddenly, the altar slides to the side and the doors that are normally locked open up wide. Holy objects are normally visible inside, yet Madoka sees only phantom halls as she saw previously when she was taken to Kami-sama’s place. Madoka gapes, understanding what is going to happen now!

The four finally step up to the door and inside.

Emi squeaks as she seems to feel everything around her changing. Behind, the doors close, and the four step down the hallway.

“Can we remove her blindfold now?” Madoka asks, listening to Emi mewling and complaining.

“I suppose we can.” Kozuke frowns and pulls the cloth from Emi’s eyes. She gasps as she looks around.

“W-what happened? Did we teleport into a rich mansion?” Emi gapes, looking around. She looks back at Madoka with gratitude in her eyes. Impulsively she runs to Madoka, throwing her arms around her and hugging her. “You’re such a good friend! Thank you for looking out for me!” 

Madoka blushes and smiles, awkwardly hugging her back.

Kozuke continues to lead the way up the hallway, and they come upon a genkan.

“Oh no! We’re wearing our shoes in Kami’s place!” Madoka gasps, mortified. She claps her hands to her cheeks, flushed with her embarrassment.

“You’re right!” Emi gasps.

“Don’t worry about it, cute ones.” Kiyomi grins at the two girls. “Stepping into the spirit world is a cleansing experience. You left earthly soil behind. Do not worry about tracking dirt into this place. It isn’t Kami-sama’s place, however, just a gateway,” Kiyomi reassures them.

“A gateway?” Madoka asks as they step down onto the stone genkan. Kozuke throws open the door ahead. Madoka notes the golden urns on either side of the door looking like holy objects inside of a shrine. It makes her think that they’re inside the shrine, but they aren’t.

When the doors open, Madoka gapes, looking outside, and suddenly notes that the stars shine brightly above, a galaxy shining in the sky making it look more beautiful than she has ever seen before in her entire life. Emi gapes similarly and they look around, noticing that they’re on a town street, yet a town like in the old days, with stone pavement below and buildings that are something out of classic Edo days. Youkai of every type walk along the street. Some looking incredibly creepy with claws and fangs, oni, animals that walk around in little kimono, people without eyes or even no-face youkai. Some looking like children with their families.

Emi shrieks as she notices a youkai looking like it’s all tentacles, like a nightmare out of a hentai. “A monster!” Emi gasps.

It looks at Emi and shrieks in response. “Mortals!” It panics and dashes away.

“Take care with your insensitive remarks. You would not want to attract the wrath of youkai, little one,” Kiyomi warns Emi, stepping behind her and placing her arms around her in a comforting gesture.

“N-no!” Emi complains loudly, thrashing.

“Tch… I’m just comforting you. Calm yourself.” Kiyomi frowns.

“Really? Is that all?” Emi asks, nervous.

“That’s all.” Kiyomi pats Emi’s head fondly.

“Step along, girls. We have somewhere to be.” Kozuke gestures, his ears and tail now clearly visible. The youkai stop to stare at the girls, but after seeing Kozuke and Kiyomi, they shrink away from their aura. Kozuke leads them down the street, their shoes slapping against the stone pavement as they make their way. Beautiful lanterns light up the whole length of it as they make their way towards a larger boulevard with many more youkai in it. Oddly enough there are youkai, strange looking ones on bicycles and some on palanquins borne by muscular types such as the gorilla youkai Madoka saw before, but other types, equally imposing, that seem to be brute oni types. A few of them sniff the air in the direction of the girls, looking as though they want to charge towards them, but the auras from Kozuke and Kiyomi keep them warily going on about their typical business.

They continue up the large boulevard and they pass a street vendor offering takoyaki; oddly enough, its limbs are tentacles like those of an octopus, but its face is human-like, unlike the thing that was all tentacles previously. Madoka gapes at the irony of the form of the vendor and the product it sells. The scent from the takoyaki is delectable, yet oddly sweet.

Madoka hesitates. “Kozuke-san… can I interest you in a delicious snack!” the youkai gurgles and slurps familiarly at Kozuke.

Kozuke shakes his head and moves his hand dismissively. “Perhaps later, Mitsumaru,” Kozuke replies easily, bowing slightly to the vendor.

“I’m interested. Do you butcher yourself for your product?” Kiyomi asks Mitsumaru.

“Not at all. I don’t sell youkai flesh,” he protests, waving his tentacles.

“Oh, I’m pleased to hear that. That would be disgusting,” Kiyomi points out with a wry expression.

“It was a good question.” Madoka blushes, giggling a little.

“I disagree.” Mitsumaru scowls with his beak mouth somehow.

Kozuke leads them onwards to the end of the street towards a large building. He leads them out of the street and into the large building. Two burly youkai stand at the door on either side. They bow to Kozuke and the other three as they enter.

“Good evening, masters. Welcome to the Seimei Onsen!” one greets them.

“An onsen? What kind of training is this? Are you messing with us, Kozuke-san?” Emi asks, seeming eager but also annoyed somehow.

“Recovering spiritual power is important to make the best use of the time that we have. Mistress will train here as well, but you will feast here and enjoy the hot spring. The waters here are rejuvenating, full of a great amount of spiritual power.” Kozuke smiles reassuringly at the two.

“Would even I gain spiritual power from this?” Emi asks, squealing in sudden delight. “A wonderful hot bath surprise and a traditional onsen feast. How wonderful!” Emi squees.

Madoka grins. “I did not expect this, but how can we reject it?” Madoka smiles a suddenly pleased smile.

“Welcome to my onsen.” Madoka hears behind her, and suddenly gapes at Kiyomi. 

“This onsen belongs to you?” Kozuke’s eyes widen.

“My family, yes. By proxy, mine.” Kiyomi smirks. Emi stares at Kiyomi.

“O-onee-sama… please take good care of me!” Emi asks impulsively.

“Onee-sama?” Kiyomi asks, her face flushing, her voice suddenly dripping with arousal. Kiyomi grins a lascivious grin at Emi, and she shrinks away from that expression, hiding once again behind Kozuke.