A week had passed since Uta disappeared. I knew it was in vain, but I tried looking for him all over the city that day. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I didn't want to believe he was actually gone, that maybe he was trying to live as a human being.

God or not, Uta had his whole life ahead of him. Why shouldn't he be allowed to live it? Instead of experiencing an actual childhood, he was forced to sit alone in a shrine on that cold mountain.

Mio and I were over at Kana's house today to cram the rest of our winter homework on the last day of break. I just couldn't get my head in order. All I had left of Uta was his ring that still wouldn't come off my finger.

"Alright." Kana sighed as he brought snacks into the living room. "Eventually you're going to have to talk about it."

"Pft. As if talking ever cheers anyone up. What Saeko needs is a good fucking. How about we double team you? Shayle brought some of those juicy dick-granting potions, and I happened to get my hands on a few vials." Mio waved one in the air, but I was unfortunately not in a mood to humor her.

"And sex doesn't always cheer someone up." He snatched the vial and placed the plate of cookies in her hand instead.

"Works for me every single time, but fine. I'll shove it for now. Come on, girl. Put the pencil down." She suddenly and forcibly charmed me to actually lie down on the couch.

"D-Damn it, Mio! This isn't how you're supposed to cheer someone up either!" I groaned, unable to move or do anything.

The two of them, like amateur therapists, sat at each end of the couch. Mio was by my head, eating cookies. She lowered one down to my mouth to feed me by hand.

After that day, these two were the only ones I confided in. I was scared that telling more people might invite bad omens when it came to gods. While Mio was more readily inclined to believe in the existence of gods— her reasoning was that her world had them, so why shouldn't this— Kana went through an existential crisis trying to ruminate on it.

"You can probably break out of it," Mio began, munching so messily that crumbles sprinkled on my face. "But what's the fun in that?"

"It's just… doesn't seem fair to Uta. He looked so sad right before leaving. I wish I could have done more," I said.

"Saeko, do you think you're fixated on Uta because he reminds you of yourself?" Kana asked.

Mio and I stared blankly at him.

"Whoa, buddy. There's a world of difference between them in case you haven't noticed. For example, have you seen these tits?" Mio asked.

"That's not what I meant! Saeko, what words go through your head when you think of Amaterasu?" Kana posed a question to me that was answered in an instant in my head.

"Controlling, mean, cold, abusive, negligent… I can go on, but do you really want to stay here all day?" I asked.

"Man, I really hope she doesn't smite us… Now do any of those words sound like a certain two people in your life?" he continued.

"My parents." The answer came to me as naturally as I sucked dick.

Now the more I dwelled on it, the more similar Amaterasu and my parents seemed. Both were absent parental figures in life, wanted to dictate every little thing, and never showed an ounce of affection.

"Okay, talking-therapy session over." Mio snatched back the vial from Kana. "I was promised a reward for studying, and my ass aims to collect on it. Time for fucking-therapy session. We're gonna double-team Saeko, and that's all the therapy she needs."

"Drop your control over me first, damn it!" I cried.

School had begun once again. Students were back to their routines, greeting classmates and friends, and groaning about needing to wake up early. I, like any other, missed being able to sleep in late, and knowing that college entrance exams were coming, wished our break would continue for much longer. There would be no more breaks from here on out. It was a straight shot of three months until graduation.

Nervous? Not really. Anxious? More than I could describe.

Mio and Kana split from me at the shoe lockers to find their other friends. As I headed upstairs, my butt received a hard slap that almost sent me flying.

"Welcome back, Saeko!" Kameshiro creepily sniffed the hand that dealt the blow and raced past me 

I charmed a student ahead of him to stick their foot out, tripping him onto the floor. That was one guy I couldn't get rid of any sooner.

"Morning, Saeko!" Koga called out to me in the hallway. "I-I'm surprised you're still wearing the collar."

"It's a nice change in style from what I usually wear anyway." I smiled.

The two of us walked together since our classes were adjacent to the other, catching up about what we did over winter break. I had offered to hang out with Koga after the New Year, but I was disappointed to learn that he had gone to the countryside to visit family in Okayama. While overhearing other students, our topic of conversation steered to post-high school plans.

"Have you already chosen a university to go to?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm actually going to take over my family's farm and candy shop. If school taught me anything, it's that I wasn't really cut out for it," Koga said.

"Your parents aren't forcing you or anything, are they?" Those words left my lips a little too harshly that even he was taken aback.

"No, not at all! It's what I want and what I've decided for myself. My folks were nothing but supportive. Besides, we live in the digital age. Even if I'm out in the boonies, I can still contact all of my friends. What's wrong? Did your parents force you to choose something you didn't want to do?" he asked.

"It's not that." I shook my head and sighed. "Say, what if your parents gave you an ultimatum. Like you had to get into Tokyo?"

We stopped in front of our classes and backed up against the window to let students pass. Fellow classmates waved and greeted us on their way in. Others made no effort to hide their jealousy, seeing that I was talking to a boy. If only they knew how much Koga and I had sex.

"You know… I'm not sure. Even if they force me into cram school or hire tutors, no amount of studying is teaching this thick head of mine. Sorry. Wish I had more words of wisdom, but I'm just a geek with more anime and manga knowledge than I know what to do with." Koga shrugged.

Talking with Koga wasn't entirely a waste. It made a lot of sense. Some people's brains were just wired differently. I could sit Mio and Hana down for a lesson on behaving properly, but they would always be troublemakers. Parents were only able to control their child so much until they just stopped budging.

The first bell suddenly rang, and students heading to class quickened their pace.

"No need to apologize. If anything, thanks for talking with me. Let's hang out some other time since we missed out over winter break. Maybe more intimately." I entered my class, then glanced over my shoulder to give a wink that made him beet red.

Throughout the day, the atmosphere of third year students was more subdued than usual. First and second years were obviously excited at the prospects of going up a grade, but for us who were soon to graduate, meant that we would be saying goodbye and entering a new phase in our lives.

Today, at least, were mostly just complaints of having to take the entrance exams.

After school, I went to the nurse's infirmary in hopes of talking to Yumi, but I found Shayle instead, who was putting some things away into the medicine cabinet.

"Hey, Shayle— Shayle?!"I stumbled back out the door, noticed a few students still walking the halls, then went back inside and shut it closed. "What are you doing here? Where's Yumi?"

"I'm filling in for Yumi for the day since she's been called to substitute at an all-boys elementary school. As you can see, I haven't gone back to Elza yet. Thought I'd spend some time on Earth for fun," Shayle said.

It sounded like it was one of those days for Yumi. Despite that matronly and kind demeanor, she had a very ravenous appetite underneath it all. I just hoped she wasn't going too overboard that I or Hatsumi needed to step in.

However, a more pressing problem presented itself in the form of Yumi's replacement. Although Shayle was dressed in a white coat, her pointed ears and dark skin very obviously showed that she was not human.

"I don't know what Yumi was thinking, but we need to get you out of here before a student or Nurse Naruse comes in," Saeko said.

"I'm not quite sure what the problem is?" Shayle tilted her head.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Is Naruse or Yumi in? My friend came down with a cold!" a student called.

"Coming!" Shayle went to answer the door.

"Wait!" I cried, blocking the way. "If someone finds out what you are, I'll have to charm them!"

"Is that what you were worried about? Just watch." She scooted me aside and opened the door.

Two students came in, a sickly one being carried on the other's back.

"Naruse or Yumi won't be in today, but rest assured, I'll look after your friend." Shayle took over carrying the ill student into a bed.

"Thank you," the boy said, then left the room like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Uh… What happened?" I asked.

"Did you forget we dark elves are masters of magic?" she whispered so the other student wouldn't hear. "Nothing a little illusion spell couldn't trick. Everyone sees me as a human being even if my physical form isn't."

Shayle went about the infirmary, bringing down some medicine and water for the sick student. She then placed a hand on the boy's forehead, mumbled a spell to put him to sleep, then casted another that made his complexion visibly better than before.

"That was healing magic you just casted, wasn't it?" I walked closer to the bed to hear his breathing had become less hoarse.

"Yumi taught me. She's very skilled, and I'm glad to be under her tutelage." Shayle smiled.

"I can imagine. You're able to fully see again? Are your eyes okay?"

The dark elf nodded. "It is, thanks in large part to the succubus healer. So, what can I do for you? You don't appear to be sick. If it's Yumi you're looking for, I can give you her location."

Seeing Shayle here was such a surprise that I almost forgot why I went to visit Yumi for. It worked out anyway, since it was actually the dark elf I was after.

"You're the one I wanted to meet. It's about the ring you were looking into with the spyglass. A lot has happened since then, so… You might want to take a seat," I said.

Explaining to Shayle and for her not to react oddly like the others did was a breath of fresh air. She and the other succubi were probably the only ones who weren't perturbed.

"Now I know why my eyes were nearly burned out of their sockets." Shayle chuckled at her past misfortune. "This Goddess Amaterasu seems like this world's counterpart of the Everlight since they represent the sun. Except your deity has little interest in listening to reason. I should be glad mine did."

"I haven't given up yet. Do you think there's any way for me to reach the gods? With artifacts or something?" I asked.

She reached forward to grab my hand, then raised it between us. "You already possess the means right on your finger. It can't be a coincidence that only you can see Uta and Amaterasu."

After school, I asked Mio to accompany me. We flew to Fukuo shrine with the intention of meeting with a kami. I should be studying for the entrance exams in February, but I wouldn't be able to rest until I put this matter to rest.

"You haven't given up on the kid, have you?" Mio asked, her hair fluttering from the cool winds.

"No," I said firmly. "Not until I give Amaterasu a piece of my mind."

"Heh. Feels like a rite of passage for a succubus to piss off gods. I'm with ya, like always." She grinned.

Having Mio with me took a load off my shoulders. She might not be able to see gods, being with her gave me a piece of mind after all we went through together.

We landed at the entrance where the torii gate was. No one could tell a couple of succubi had a battle here. The restoration done to this place made it look a lot better. I just hoped the kami who resided here wasn't still pissed at me for having a hand in the destruction.

There didn't appear to be any people or shrine maidens around, so we were able to look around without being bothered. Decorative stone lanterns framing the path up to the worship hall were kept clean of any moss and without so much as a layer of dust. Cherry blossom trees in the courtyard were absent of their leaves and petals, still a few more months away from blooming.

The jingle of a bell tickled my hearing. It was very brief. I followed the sound to the main shrine hall, then glanced up to find a peculiar white fox staring at me from the rooftop. It had unnatural red markings like someone made brush strokes over it rather than being part of its natural fur coat.

"Uh. Mio, do you see that?" I pointed at the fox.

Mio followed my finger to the roof. "You find a funny-looking bug or something?"

"No! I mean the white fox!"

"I don't see a damn thing." She scratched her head. "Maybe that's what we're looking for?"

If Mio couldn't see it, but I could, then it had to be divine in origin. Shayle was right, I really was able to see things other than Uta and Amaterasu. Talking to it was worth a shot.

"Excuse me, I want to speak to your kami! It's very important!" I shouted to the fox.

It took off running, the bell jingling as it raced to the back of the shrine. I followed after it with Mio close behind until we came to the honden, a slightly larger building than the front which supposedly enshrined kamis. The white fox entered the door left ajar. At the top of the entrance was a thick rope going from one column to the next with shide, white zigzagging paper streamers, adorned the length of it.

Going inside one if you weren't a shrine maiden or priest supposedly brought bad omens. After all, gods lived within them, and trespassing into their home was bad luck. But superstitions be damned. All of it was real, and I didn't want to stop now.

I opened the door and entered the modest shrine made of polished, tan wood. The shrine was empty, with the exception of a red cushion at the center and mahogany altar behind it, upon which incense sticks burned. The fox emerged and took a seat on the cushion, then tansformed into a handsome young man, but retained some of his bestial features like the ears and tail. The pristine, ivory coat of fur became long locks of hair. He wore a white and red shrine robe that was coming undone, revealing much of his bare chest.

Laying eyes on him took my breath away. Another real god, but my innate senses were telling me that he wasn't as powerful as the ones I'd already met.

"Hmmm. It has been ages since a mortal human was able to see me, though something tells me you aren't quite human," the man said.

"Wait a minute," I began, thinking back on what little Shinto knowledge I had. "Fox spirit… kitsune… Are you Inari Okami?"

"Haha! Oh, by the beaming rays of Amaterasu, no. Thank goodness. That old fox is spending his days drinking away in Takamagahara. My name is Kon, and I am but a mere lesser god of Inari's kin. Might I know your name?" Kon extended a hand forward.

"I'm Saeko." When I took his hand, he folded his fingers over mine and kissed my knuckles, sending a shiver through my body.

"Is there actually someone in here?" Mio asked me.

"Yeah… another god. His name is Kon," I said.

Kon turned his sharp eyes to Mio and seemingly took interest. He stood up and walked circles around her to inspect her. Because my gaze followed his every movement, Mio gave me a weird look, wondering what I was doing. All I could do was shrug and wait.

"Go on. Why is it that you have come to my shrine? You are not my mikos, and you certainly have not come to profess worship of me. Then for what reason?" Kon asked.

"I was hoping you could help me. I want to speak with Amaterasu," I answered, only to receive a hearty laugh.

"No one simply speaks with Amaterasu. She resides deep within the heavenly palace, far from reach to the likes of myself and especially you. I shall hazard a guess— this is regarding your relationship to Utako, isn't it?" He cast his eyes to the ring on my finger.

"It is. I want to see Uta again. That's my right as his wife."

The lesser god went back to his cushion and sat down cross-legged. He chuckled, placed a hand to his chin and fell into thought, and continued to stare at me. Something about this was funny to him, but I wasn't sure what. It seemed like an inside joke that only he knew. 

"Very well. I shall help," Kon said

"Really?" I gasped.

He continued. "On one condition: I would like to lay with your companion. Her wild appearance reminds me of a farmer girl I made love to centuries ago."

"Y-You want Mio?"

"Who wants me?" Mio turned to me after her name was brought up.

"W-Well… In exchange for Kon's help, he wants to have sex with you," I hesitantly told her.

Her eyes glistened. "Can't say I ever fucked a god before, but I'm down."

One side of me was scared of what that might entail. Would this god make Mio his wife? What if a succubus was able to overpower a god and accidentally drained him to death? Either way, this was our only lead.

"Mio says she's okay with it, but how?" I asked. "Neither of you can—"

"Have her wear this. If you two are to head into Takamagahara, then she must carry within herself something that is divine." Kon took off one of his tiny earring bells and handed it to me.

I helped Mio put it on her ear, and she immediately became aware of Kon's presence.

"So this the guy that wants to fuck? I hope he knows what he's getting himself into." Mio licked her lips.

"Stunning. To think that such foul language could come out of such a beautiful woman's mouth." Kon nodded to himself.

"I'll… step outside and let you guys do your thing," I said, backing away and shutting the door on the way out.

The noises were very sensual at first. I even started masturbating and thought about joining. Partway through, however, Mio's dominatrix tendencies surfaced.

Crack!

The sound of her whip made me flinch.

"Oh? You were a masochistic sub all along, huh? What kind of pathetic god kneels and begs? Come on~ Tell me how much you like my feet!" Mio cackled.

"I'm not a masochist— stop!"

Crack!

"We stop when I say stop!" she shouted, cracking the whip again.

"Ow! Please, this isn't what I had in mind! I'm— aahh!"

Another half hour passed and a naked Mio opened the door to let me in. The shrine smelled heavy with sex. Kon was lying on his back, half-naked and twitching, red whip marks scarred his once pristine body.

"What did you do to him?!" I cried, running over to check on the god.

"What? I gave him what he wanted," Mio said.

"If he doesn't help us because—"

"Whew!" Kon sat right up. "That was the most fun I've ever had. Thank you, Saeko. Thank you as well, Mio! What a thrilling experience."

Today I learned even gods could be hopeless perverts.

"Alright, time for your end of the bargain," I said, trying not to be grossed out by him.

Kon dressed himself in his robes again, but some of the marks were still visible on parts  of his exposed skin. He walked over to the altar and picked up a larger, handheld bell and rang it three times. The echoes rippled back and forth, overlapping with each other, and distorting reality before my very eyes. 

When everything settled down, Mio and I couldn't fight the dizziness and fell to the ground. I wanted to barf because of how nauseous that made me.

"What… happened?" Mio groaned.

Kon helped me and Mio to our feet, then walked to the entrance of his shrine to open the door.

In the distance, across a literal sea of clouds upon which rowboats traveled out of torii gates toward, was a sprawling city built upon a mountain. Like a picture right out of a history book about ancient Japan, traditional architecture of tiled rooftops, pagodas, floating lanterns, and enormous cherry blossoms in bloom.

An enormous sun wreathed the mountain from behind, and a moon, smaller in size floated above it. Flying humanoid creatures with red skin and long noses, serpentine dragons, and crows soared above the celestial city, home to the kami of Japan.

"Welcome to Takamagahara," Kon said.