While I'm not entirely sure how it happened, it seems like Soraja also brought some furnishings over.
I'm rather sure I would've noticed if expensive vases, ornaments, jewelry, or decor weapons had been flying past us during Soraja's instant construction of the temple.
This means that she apparently can also create something like small portals within the temple to fetch this kind of stuff.
At least, that's my guess on it.
Would explain the odd feeling I had of interdimensional holes opening in my stomach, yet most of this was likely the big one.

So Chiaki and I head to the inner chambers of the temple, where we'll hopefully be hidden from whoever is about to come.
As it's even more spacious on the inside than it looks, something that already long ago stopped surprising me, they'll at least have to put some effort into looking for us.
In general, one can say that this goddess has a very expensive taste.
Though, maybe it is to make a stronger impression on potential believers.
Speaking of them, once we come to a stop I let my all-encompassing world sense tell me about this group that is supposed to be heading our way.
It shows me a bunch of knights in heavy armor.
The metal looks quite battered, as they were possibly already in use for quite some time.
At the moment, the people are currently at a fast pace on the way to the lake, right now passing the rice fields I created some time ago.

Those seem to make many of them uncomfortable.
Should I have put a sign there like "free to eat" to disperse their worries?
Or it might simply be that it's something new in a world that doesn't know change as long as I don't make it happen.
Whatever the case may be, as the rice isn't attacking them they eventually head further along the river, which will ultimately lead them to us.
Not like the huge mountain I erected isn't a dead giveaway.

I proceed to observe them closer with some unobtrusively placed eyes, so they may tell me what to expect from them.
Things are still more than just a little tense, and I'm worried that they might be on their way with the set plan of eradicating the unwelcome intruding goddess.
But of course, you can’t get all that much out of the fact that people are walking in a direction.

 

"Hey, what are you doing, Iori?!" (C)

 

Sigh.

 

"I'm trying to check if the knights that are coming are hostile or not." (I)

"Unfair! I also want to see something! Can't you show me?! Pleeeeeaaaaase!" (C)

 

Oh damn.
I know what to expect when Chiaki is like this.
She isn't going to stop until she gets what she wants.

 

"How am I supposed to do this? It's not like I can just connect your brain to my mind." (I)

"I'm sure you can! It's not like you are limited here! How about a screen or maybe some kind of vision lenses, or any kind of looking glass!" (C)

 

Before I can think closer about possible actions I realize that I have already unconsciously formed some kind of weird meatbag.
Seriously, what the heck!?
I only know that it's in some way related to Chiaki's request.

 

"Iori, what did you just do?" (C)

"I have honestly no idea. I can only tell that some rather disturbing part of mine told me that this is for you to use." (I)

 

Which is a rather good reason to throw it far, far away.
If possible, to another dimension.
That at least would be my solution if I wouldn't have made bad experiences by doing this kind of thing.
But seriously, only a lunatic would take... And Chiaki grabbed it.
Though, she seems to be equally at a loss regarding how to use this indescribable thing consisting of violet-purple organic matter.

 

"I honestly have no idea what this is. How do you think I’m supposed to use this, Iori?" (C)

 

She truly brings this most ominous thing closer to her eye to ogle it some more.

 

"How would I know? My body does weird stuff at times. That doesn't mean it's safe!" (I)

"Awh, you worrywart. What could be dangerous about this piece of-... Mmph!" (C)

 

Abruptly, the "totally-safe-piece-of-flesh" somehow twists in itself, forms appendages, and propels itself from Chiaki's hand to her face where it promptly latches on.
Oh my god, what am I doing now!?!

This can't be good.
Should I somehow rip it off?
But who knows what that might do to her.
As tightly as it clings, I might accidentally peel off her face.
This means I can't act recklessly, but what else?
Maybe I could go into some kind of analyzing mode?
Wouldn't be the first time I pulled off something like this.
But first and foremost: Panicking!!!

 

"Chiaki! Oh no, oh no, oh no! What is going on!?" (I)

"Grmbl"

 

I rush to her side but am already uncertain about how to even touch this thing.
However, before I do anything concrete I hear Chiki's voice.

 

"Wait! Wait a moment, Iori. I think this is fine." (C)

 

You seriously wanna tell me this is a friendly face-hugger!?!!

 

"Chiaki, that thing is clinging to your face and doing god-knows-what! How do you know that it isn't laying eggs into your stomach at this very moment?!" (I)

"Because it left my mouth free? Damn, this is freaky!" (C)

"Would you mind telling me what is freaky, so I can appropriately freak out?!" (I)

"Well, I think I have some kind of interface here. Like a technical input menu. It’s asking me... Woah!" (C)

"Chiaki!" (I)

"Okay, right. I think this is some kind of camera operation device. Since I have no controls I'm apparently using my mind to input commands." (C)

 

Seriously, that means somehow that thing is connected to your brain!
Are you sane?!
No, of course, you're fucking not, but that doesn't make me the best choice to make the calls here.
Can I do brain surgery?

 

"I doubt very much that this is something you should just accept! How can you even stand there so calmly without being able to see anything?" (I)

"It does have different modes. One is some kind of spectacles set. See?" (C)

 

At this, she looks in my direction and I quickly spot hundreds of little eyes on the surface of her flesh mask.

 

"Do you have any idea how that looks from the outside?!" (I)

"I think I can... So... Here! Say hello, Iori'" (C)

 

What!?
Suddenly, my senses tell me about an opening eye that I could seize control over, but currently, this is outsourced.
To that little flesh thing that is.
This thing is a VR device for remote supervision!

 

"Damn, you're right, this looks really weird! How does looking through those even work? I can somehow still have both perspectives. Though, I think I am fine. But it's kinda cool!" (C)

"I'll say it again that you're taking this too lightly!" (I)

"Nah! You have no idea how comfortable this thing is to wear. Not to compare to my own headset. It barely weighs a thing and is totally ergonomic!" (C)

"It's a goddamn headcrab!" (I)

"Yeah, yeah. Now to switch settings again. Here! Hah, this is so cool!" (C)

 

At this, I somehow perceive a connection of intangible information that somehow leads to the knights, or rather another eye close to them.

 

"Okay! I think the blue guy might be the boss." (C)

 

Blue is good.
If I remember it right, they embody a sense of calmness.
Yet the color can also refer to someone emotionally cold or distant.

 

"No, looking closer, I think it's the green one who is their boss." (C)

 

Green?
With those it depends.
Green can refer to a certain level of thoughtfulness.
A bit like blue, greens aren't acting rashly, yet where a blue would rather want to avoid getting into trouble, a green might actively think about a situation, making them far more emotionally involved.
But, for example, Nanako has a very peculiar shade that indicates she'd use this thinking ability to her own benefit rather than to solve problems in general.

 

"Hey, it's a woman!" (C)

 

A woman?
That's novel.
There might really something have changed here regarding recruitment rules.
However, I shouldn't lose focus on the fact that Chiaki still has this thing on!

 

"Could you now please take this off?!" (I)

"I could, I think. There's a panel that has a logout symbol. But there are many more functions! I need to try those first!" (C)

 

Yeah, why not?
We are already past all reason, so we can just see it to the end.

 

"What exactly do I need to prepare for now?" (I)

"I have no idea! This is so crazy! This looks like... an avatar creator? So cool!" (C)

"Chiaki, I really think you should stop now!" (I)

 

I already prepare to peel that thing off her face with a billion nano tentacle blades if she won't comply soon.

 

"Seriously, put it down!" (I)

"Whatever. Almost done. Last adjustments. Aaand... Confirm!" (C)

 

Promptly, something changes in the room.
Rather, on the floor in front of us.
Within the shortest moment, the ground squeezes together there, and a black round object rises out of it.

 

"Wha-..." (C)

 

Suddenly it seems like something cut Chiaki’s strings, and she drops down like a lifeless puppet.
Before she can hit the ground, I'm at her side, holding her.
Okay, this ends now!
I'll cut this away from her face and focus all of my unlimited powers on fixing whatever just went wrong here.

 

"No! Don't!" (?)

 

Before I can get started a voice calls out from inside the black stone that rose inside the room.
The black, ominous thing opens like a sarcophagus, and out of it a young lass steps.
A somewhat small girl in a pure white priestess gown with black-red hair, wide blue eyes, pale white skin, and a tiny black stubby nose.
Oh, and she also has fox ears sprouting from the top of her head!
Wait, is that skin or fur?

 

"Oh my god! It works! What do you think? I hope it transferred well!" (fox girl)

 

That manner of overbearing speech...

Could it be..?

 

"Uh... Chiaki?" (I)

"The one and only! What do you think? This is so awesome!  Can you believe it? This thing has a surrogate function! It's like I am right there in front of you! And that while I know that I'm here as well! I could completely customize a character to the last detail! My god, there were so many features I could've tried! And how intuitive the controls were! Totally cool! By the way, what do you think about the fox ears I added?! Aren't they just gorgeous?! Oh damn, I need to figure out how to get back to outside perspective" (Chiaki fox girl)

"Chiaki! Are you aware that your real body dropped down like a wet meat sac! How can you be so carefree?!" (I)

"That's no biggy! See..." (C)

 

Promptly the foxgirl drops down.
I'm honestly overstrained regarding who to save.
But before I can decide, Chiaki stirs in my arms.

 

"And I'm back! The connection still works flawlessly!" (C)

 

This isn't flawless!
This isn't even normal!

 

"Now excuse me, I'm going back!" (C)

"Chiaki! You..." (I)

 

And she's limp again.

 

"Uh, I fell with this body. Just good that it doesn't have a sense of pain." (C)

"I don't even know what to say anymore. What in every dimension's hell makes you do this stuff?" (I)

"Well, didn't you hand out this headset?" (C)

"You know perfectly well that half the time my body does things I'm not even remotely conscious of! Hell, you even talked to another persona of mine! You can't hold me accountable for such stuff." (I)

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just teasing you. But I think this could be really helpful!" (C)

"Helpful for what?! How does it help that you're now some kind of white Kumiho?!" (I)

"Don't you remember that the people here have a thing with color? Soraja has already her golden tone, so she will fit in just nicely, but I should play my part as well. This way I can pose as Soraja's miko, see all the action first hand and nobody will recognize me!" (C)

 

So here it finally becomes apparent what Chiaki's wretched mind planned.

 

"All this just so you wouldn't feel left out?" (I)

 

If I'm ever invited to partake in creating a universally recognized lexicon, I'll make sure to post below "overdoing something", a picture of Chiaki.

 

"This sounds like a really terrible idea. What if something happens and they attack?" (I)

"Well, that would suck, but just saying, you're aware that this is only a surrogate? It's just my avatar, not my real self that is involved." (C)

 

Oh damn, why does she have to be so convincing?

 

"Goddamnit! You win! Just wait a second!" (I)

 

And so I activate a thought I would've rather not have had.
In a fragment of a moment, I'm covered by black gunk.
Below this dark surface, my body twists and turns, and once it's ready, the blackness recedes, and my intended form surfaces.

 

"Oh my god! You're a fox girl too! We've got a twin look!" (C)

 

Sigh!
Can't break the pattern after all.

 

"This is totally only a measure to make sure that you won't cause or get into trouble, you understand?!" (I)

"Sure, I get it. But one last thing has still to happen!" (C)

"Wha-" (I)

 

Before I can even state the question, Chiaki's fox girl body wraps her arm around my shoulder, raises her smartphone in one fluid move, and clicks.

 

"Snap"

 

This lunatic just shot a selfie!