[MC POV]

She came to with a start.  She felt like she was laying on a soft bed that was placed under an unending blue sky.  She felt like she could stare at this sky forever, but something nagged at her.

 

“I could stare at this sky forever, but why are there two suns?  One is normal, but what’s with the blue one?”

 

{You think one sun is normal?  How very strange.}

 

The beautiful voice of a woman came from somewhere behind me.  I sat up in the bed I was laying on and turned around to face whoever spoke with a jolt.  The second my eyes laid on the origin of the voice, I was stunned.

 

Sitting in an elegant chair sat a woman.  She was tall and had black hair that fell to her ankles.  The end of her black hair was a vibrant orange that seemed to flicker like flames.  She had a well featured face with glowing orange-gold eyes and four red marks, two on each cheek.  She had large breasts that seemed like they would spill out of her kimono-like clothes.  Breasts aside, she was lean, but I could tell she had no useless fat on her body.  Her long legs were crossed in an elegant manner.  But the most eye-catching things about this beautiful woman were the fox ears that adorned her head and the nine tails that sprouted from her back.  They were the same black as her hair with the same fiery orange at the tips.  All in all, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes upon.

 

Seeing me staring at her so intently, the woman smiled.  This smile sent my reasoning flying and before I could even process what was happening, I was wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug.

 

{Hehehe.  My, my, quite bold for our first meeting, my Fated One.  Not that I mind. }

 

‘Fated One?’

 

Those two words echoed around in my head and they were all I could think about.

 

“Fated One?”

 

Saying it out loud, I felt something inside me click.  Staring into the eyes of this woman I was still hugging, I knew.  We were meant to be together.

 

“My Fated One.”

 

{Hehehehehe.  It seems like you instinctually feel the connection between us, even if you don’t really understand what it means.}

 

“Then can you tell me?  But before that, what is your name?  Where am I?  What happened to me in that cave?  Do you want children?  Wait, that’s not possible since we’re both women.  Eh, not like I ever wanted children in the first place.  Too much trouble.”

 

{Slow down.  I can only answer so many things at once, and we don’t have that much time.}

 

“Tch.”

 

{I understand your feelings but listen to me.  To start off, my name is Amaterasu.}

 

“Like the Japanese Goddess of the sun?”

 

{I don’t know what a Japanese is, but I am a sun goddess.  My other Authorities are Life and Magic.}

 

“…So, my Fated One is a goddess…I don’t know how to react to that.”

 

{Anyway, the place you are right now is my home in the Divine Domain of this world.  It’s a place where all the other gods and goddesses live while we maintain this world.  As for what happened in that cave you were in, to put it bluntly, you died.}

 

“I figured as much, but I guess the reality of all of this still hasn’t set in yet.  But if I’m dead, how am I talking to you?  And since you said that you don’t know what Japanese is, this means that this is most likely another world than what I know, right?”

 

{In reverse order, correct, this is not the world that you know, but a different one altogether.  The reason you are able to talk to me is that, when you died, your soul was thrown into the Sea of Chaos for various reasons that I’m not too sure about, but I have been told by someone important that something like this, while rare, has happened before.  Anyway, your soul was brought to this world through our connection as Fated Ones.  I found you lying on the ground in horrible condition and brought you here to help you recover using my Authority over Life.}

 

“Then I thank you for saving me, Amaterasu.”

 

{Think nothing of it, my Fated One.}

 

“Can you explain that to me?”

 

{It means that our souls are bound by Fate.}

 

“Can you simplify that more?”

 

{In mortal terms, we are soul mates.}

 

“Ah…AH!  I mean, I figured that was the case, but still, to hear it confirmed is so much better!”

 

{So, you have no problems that I am a woman as well?}

 

“Of course not.  I’ve always been a lesbian, so this works out perfectly.”

 

{Good.}

 

The smile on Amaterasu’s face widened more.  As I was lost in staring at that beautiful smile, I started to feel tired.

 

{We’re running out of time.  Long story short, you are going to be reincarnated in this world.  That way you become part of it and become a goddess one day.}

 

“That answers my next question then.”

 

{I’m now going to give you my Divine Protection.  Before you ask, it’s something that will be very beneficial to you in your mortal life.  It also acts as something akin to a wedding ring, so with that we will be recognized as a couple.}

 

“Then what are you waiting for?  I’m ready to receive anything and everything from you.”

 

{Hehehe.  We’re going to get along so very well.}

 

Amaterasu’s eyes glowed even brighter than they already were, and I felt some sort of power enter my soul.  It was warm and gave me a sense of comfort.  This warm feeling also sped up the tired feeling.

 

{It seems our time is up.  I’ll talk to you again when your body and soul becomes accustomed to my Divine Protection.}

 

“Ah.  I never even got to tell you my name…Oh, I can’t even remember it.”

 

{It’s fine, I’ll learn your new name when you are reborn.  I’ll be watching over you, so be at peace.}

 

Those were the last words I heard as my consciousness drifted away once more.

 

[Amaterasu POV]

 

I smiled at my Fated One as she was fading away from my home.  This moment was supposed to be peaceful, but just as she was about to completely disappear, a shining door opened up in front of the bed and one of the people I didn’t want to show up appeared.  Before I could even say anything, raised his hand and the soul of my Fated One flashed before completely disappearing.

 

{PHOBOS!!!!  WHAT DID YOU DO??!!!!!!!!!}

 

“Lady Amatera-”

 

Before he could even finish my name, I was in front of him and punching him in the face.  Every time my fist moved back he tried to speak but was interrupted by another punch.  This continued for an unknown amount of time before I decided I’d let him speak.

 

“Have you had your fill of violence, my fair lady?”

 

{Not nearly.  I need to know what you did to her and why.  NOW!  Only then will I decide if I use you as a punching bag for the rest of eternity.}

 

“If I said what I did was for the sake of the world, what would you do?”

 

I punched him in the face again.

 

“I see, well facts are facts, what I did was for the world.”

 

{You have two seconds before I punch you again.  What.  Did.  You.  Do?}

 

“While I could still interfere with her soul, I used my Authority of Fate to make it so she is the one to acquire the Authority of Death.  Then, I used my Authority of Time to speed the process up a little and had her acquire said Authority of Death as well as her Authority of the Sun that she gets as your Fated One.”

 

I was dumbfounded.  So dumbfounded that I let go of Phobos’s collar.

 

{You…YOU ABSOLUTE IMBICIL!!!!!  DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HER SOUL IF YOU GIVE IT TWO AUTHROITIES IN ITS CURRENT STATE?!}

 

“I am well aware.  That is why I made arrangements beforehand and why I was nearly too late to do this.”

 

{What kind or arrangements?}

 

“The two Authorities will be sealed until her body and soul are strong enough to handle them.  The caveat is that the effects of your Divine Protection are also weakened.”

 

{…What?}

 

I could feel tears falling down my cheeks.

 

{What?  What does that mean?}

 

“Relax, my vixen friend, it is not gone, only weakened.  You will still be able to speak with her once that time comes.”

 

{Then what was weakened?  You know, right?}

 

“Yes.  Our friendly God of Chaos told me what would happen when I put this plan in motion so I could relay it to you.  First off, the effects that deal with your Sun Authority are completely intact due to her having Authority over the other Sun.  The aspects related to Magic, her mana that would have been infinite is now lessened, though it remains a high amount more than even sages of ages past.  As for the Life aspect, it is gone completely due to the Authority of Death.”

 

{Then I need to make sure that she survives.  I will temporarily bless her mother.}

 

“Do just that.  I shall now take my leave.  I bid you good day.”

 

Just before Phobos left, I grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face me.

 

{One day when she meets you, you are going to allow her to punch you as I did.  AND, if this has any negative effect on her physically, I’ll cash in every favor I have to get you sealed away for 1000 years.}

 

His usually carefree face turned serious at this moment.

 

“Worry not, while she won’t have an easy time in the beginning, things will work out.  She will never hate you, and if she suffers for any reason in these first five years, I will personally take any and all blame.  I may like this theatre we call the mortal world, but I hate tragedy.  I assure you that she will make it to your side as a Goddess one day.”

 

He then shook off my grip and left.  I sat there in silence as a million and one thoughts rushed through my mind.