"M-My, my carefully laid plans! They're all…!"
Uzume stood there, unfortunately, very much clothed in one of her usual kimonos, patting another Kami on the back as he nearly broke down where he was standing.
Omoikane. The God of Intelligence and Wisdom.
Or, as Uzume likes to call them, the nerd.
So, the nerd stood there, standing straight and stock still, his arms trembling as he mourned the loss of all his carefully laid preparations aloud, slurred and stumbled speech and all.
He had even dressed for the occasion, too! Instead of the long white traditional Japanese magician's robe he usually sported, this one was a multitude of colors!
And by multitude, she means two: red and gold.
Uzume inwardly snorted, betting that took a whole lot of divining to figure out.
Somehow, someway, the nerd's simple oval-shaped glasses were whited out, sparing her from the view of his eyes, but the tears running down either of his cheeks despite his hard and stoic expression told her pretty much everything she needed to know about how he felt right now.
"Oi. Nerd. Come on. You can move now. Everyone has already gone home." Uzume said, blandly, for what felt like the millionth time by now.
Honestly, she doesn't know why she's still trying to get him to head back inside anymore.
Boredom?
Yeah, boredom's as good a reason as any.
See, once the titular stars - Uzume grinned slightly at her inner pun - of the show turned out to be no-shows, everyone left.
She'd say it was awkward, but somehow, someway, the masses managed to convince themselves that everything was fine.
Her little Ama had never really made a point of showing herself much in public, after all. Not only because she didn't want to, but also because she's her.
As in, if the humans of Japan consider the Japanese Royal Family as something akin to living gods, the riff raff in Takamagahara consider her little Ama as something similar.
Something beyond even a normal god. Of course, her little Ama wouldn't show herself to them; she's beyond them, they aren't worthy of basking in her light!
That's what Uzume would hear them say in hushed whispers.
And it looks like that moved over pretty cleanly to her son.
Excellent. That means less work for her later!
Now, while that works for the faceless mob of nobodies that don't really do anything, but can get very annoying all as a collective…the same can't really be said for the kami who actually are something.
Besides the nerd here. He'll get over himself eventually.
Yomi, it's not even most of the kami around here that had a problem with it.
Takemikazuchi and Hachiman, the Sword and Thunder God and God of War, respectively, just looked glad they didn't have to clear out the riffraff in case they tried to riot in adulation or something.
Others just looked more amused than anything, not all surprised.
Some, like Inari, didn't even show up despite how grave an insult that could be taken as.
It brings a sickly sweet smile to her face, remembering watching several of the useless fobs start to get uppity when they realized some of the most important Earthly Kami didn't show, and they immediately tried to drum up support for putting them in their place again.
Only for Nori and Ama to not even show, and for that talk to get quickly shut down before it could go anywhere. Lost in the wind, with about as much worth as the air that made it all up.
Uzume blinked.
Ah, she is reminiscing again.
A glance to her side showed her the nerd, still standing there rigidly, unmoving at her words.
This time, he didn't even respond!
Or, well, she's pretty sure he didn't.
She wasn't paying attention if she was being honest.
With a huff, she dropped her hand, "Suit yourself." She said simply, before turning around and walking back into the Palace.
The whole backyard of the Palace was remade for the event, that's how grand it was supposed to be.
What was once a simple yet elegant balcony hanging over a garden became a whole stage with a raised dais, the garden moved, and a chunk of the mountainside at the Palace's rear was carved out, with pathways built to enable as many of the 'common' kami to attend as possible.
Uzume remembered rolling her eyes at the number it could fit, remembering mentioning it wouldn't be enough.
It was an effort, at least, but space for several thousand simply wouldn't be enough.
Everyone had tried to attend. There were more kami in the sky than on the ground by the time it was supposed to start.
But now, as she leaves it behind? It all lies empty. Starkly so.
Save the nerd, who stood next to the raised dais, right next to the seat where - had they shown - Ama would have sat.
Honestly? Uzume knows she should feel bad for the God of Wisdom.
But at this point, anyone would question his whole divine wisdom and intelligence thing when he doesn't seem to possess basic pattern recognition skills.
Sure, maybe an argument could be made that Nori isn't like his mother, so the nerd thought it'd be alright, but…well.
If he did some basic research, by, oh, she doesn't know, asking the one person who was around him the most about him, he'd find out that the assumption is incorrect.
Even Nori himself wouldn't admit it, or rather, he wouldn't know.
For obvious reasons.
But Uzume does, and beyond that, she knew he wouldn't care for any of this anyway.
Uzume let out an annoyed sigh as she finally made it back into the Palace proper.
Now? She was practically at a loss for what to do!
Without Nori and Ama here, there's nothing really interesting to do, nor someone who would take being bothered by her!
That'd be assuming everything was normal, though.
Unfortunately, things couldn't be further from normal.
She tensed as she walked through the halls, golden and resplendent as usual, yet suffocatingly empty in a paradoxical way.
Usually, even with Ama out, someone would be around to guard. For appearances' sake, even if she didn't need it.
But at this moment? Such lesser kami aren't required. Not even Hachiman or Takemikazuchi.
Before his eyes, even kami of their level are lesser.
Before his eyes, Uzume herself may as well be a gnat, and a newborn deity on top of that.
She knows she shouldn't risk it, but she wasn't really thinking about the path she was taking. Hundreds of years of muscle memory made her cross straight through the throne room.
Uzume had already stepped into the throne room before she realized what she was doing and where exactly she had headed.
Where he was awaiting.
There on his knees, not in supplication but in waiting, was a man.
And if looks are all one had, that's all they'd see.
A large, muscular man, with wide, stout shoulders, thick corded muscles running down his arms and legs, seeable even if faintly through the simple light brown robe that came down from his shoulders to his toes.
The man's skin was tanned, almost as though it was kissed by the sun itself, and atop his brow was a thick yet fluffy and well-groomed head of light sandy hair, complete with a trimmed beard covering his face.
Even as she stopped and stared, he never moved from his place. Not even a twitch to announce he was aware of her presence.
His hands remained relaxed on his thighs, his head pointed down, and his eyes closed.
Unlike the man, however, Uzume froze, completely and utterly locked up.
Uzume is used to standing in the presence of those superior in power to her.
For as long as she can remember, she's been by some of the strongest gods of her pantheon, if not the strongest!
Unless, of course, you count the gods that stand above even that.
Nowadays, nobody really counts their Primordial Gods in dick measuring contests of strength.
That's because, although they are of their pantheon, Primordial Gods aren't really part of their pantheon, in the useful sense.
Primordial Gods are forces of nature, first and foremost. Not only in terms of power, but personality as well.
Zeus can't order around Uranus, Odin wouldn't be able to order around Buri and Borr if they're still around, and Ama…
Ama can't order around the Kotoamatsukami.
Five Primordial Gods, the original creators of the entire Shinto Pantheon. All deities, in some form or another, trace their lineage back to them.
Even Izanagi and Izanami. Their divine weapon, their purpose, came from them.
Uzume has seen a lot of things, but never once has she seen a Kotoamatsukami in person.
Felt the presence of one watching? Sure, more times than one would probably think, but a manifestation?
She felt the presence of a Kotoamatsukami watching the ceremony. She wasn't surprised. Ama having another kid would get their attention; of course, they'd want to see him.
When they didn't show, she felt the presence not leave, but move, here.
The Kotoamastukami, like most Primordial Gods, don't truly have a set form. They can choose what they manifest as, if they manifest as anything at all.
In their case, by what Ama told her, the Kotoamastukami exist in the Shinkai. Permanently.
Somewhere.
Not even Ama knows exactly where. Just that they are away, but watching.
So for this…
Was the ceremony truly that important to them!?
The kami opened his mouth, "Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto."
His voice, despite how deep it was, carried like a gentle breeze over fluffy reed stocks.
Despite that, Uzume gulped like a parent would when addressed by their parents with their full name.
Because in a certain respect, that is exactly what just happened.
"I…um, y-yes?" Uzume barely managed to make words out of the sounds that wanted to spill out of her throat.
The kami seemed entirely unbothered by her discomfort and instead asked a simple question, "Do you know when Amaterasu Omikami and Akaruihiruotoko Okami are set to return?"
Uzume's mind blanked for a second.
For one, at the sheer amount of respect that was just shown by the way he simply said their names.
Using their full names like that and adding onto what he did for Nori's, it was extremely respectful.
Outwardly, he didn't appear mad or mocking. Maybe a little stoic, but definitely oddly gentle.
It feels odd. Off, in a way that Uzume can't quite place. Maybe it's because she's never meant one of them before, but she always kind of imagined the Kotoamatsukami as…well, uncaring. Indifferent to it all.
That's certainly how they've acted so far.
Then say something broke that indifference, made them do something instead, that's when the holier-than-thou attitude comes in.
Except she feels no attitude, not even a little annoyance, coming from him.
"No," she finally said after a moment of collecting herself, "I do not."
She does know where they are right now, however.
But if they want that? Well, they can't have it. Not unless they tear it directly from her mind.
The kami gave a hum, a rumbling thing that resonated like a swaying reed field.
"Very well." The kami replied in kind, "Then, I shall wait."
And that, it seemed, was that.
He didn't dismiss her, but that felt like enough of an implied one where she could turn tail and book it.
Not that obviously, she didn't flee like that time Susanoo had his little 'victory' freakout.
Yet.
She turned and powerwalked her way out of the throne room, right back the way she came.
No risking staying there any longer than need be, especially by crossing through it!
Once she made it back to the hall where she originally came from, where he couldn't see her…
That's when she took off like Susanoo was chasing her with a flayed horse.
It was the long way around back to Ama's room, but it was worth it, not having to be in the same room with a manifested Kotoamatsukami for an extended period of time!
The worst part about all of this?
She isn't even sure which Kotoamatsukami that was!
There are five in total, which, after ruling out the first one who practically vanished entirely, leaves only four, and it's not like she's met any of them before hand to put faces and powers to names!
For once, when Uzume burst into Ama's room, she didn't immediately throw off all her clothes and flop onto something or someone.
Instead, her back hit the door as soon as it closed, and she let out a barely audible trembling breath.
She clenched her hand and held it to her chest, suppressing a whimper of emotion before gasping, her body locking up as she abruptly realized something.
Her senses. She didn't truly sense a thing in that throne room.
Even now, all she can feel is that presence. It's not a power, it's not a pressure, it's the feeling of being watched magnified by a greater being.
Yet that greater being was a complete blank to her spiritual senses. Wind, practically. It's like he was never even there.
Senjutsu practitioners can achieve something similar, but no matter how much they try to mask or hide their lifeforce, it doesn't stop them from being alive.
Those good enough can still sense them, regardless. It's not absolute. There are signs, at least, if you look for them.
So, for a kami to be practically void of her senses?
"Greater being, i-indeed…" Uzume slid down the door, another shivering breath coming out of her right before she hit the floor.
The beanbag chair just across from her looks mighty tempting, and yet, her legs felt too much like jelly to move.
"Ama…N-Nori." She almost snorted, instead of whimpering out their names like a lost child.
Yes, she knows that, logically, she isn't in any real danger. She also isn't weak, but she isn't as strong as Ama.
And that Kotoamatsukami are definitely stronger than Ama.
It's just, she hasn't felt so genuinely terrified sense…sense…š̵̤ē̸̹n̴͉̒s̶̖͌ĕ̴̳.̴̩̉.̸̠̕.̷̣͋
She perked up, barely still seated on the ground, her hand coming down to right herself right before she fell over.
…What was she thinking about again?
Oh, right!
Without Nori and Ama here, things are going to be stuck like this for however long they're gone.
Uzume can't imagine they'd take absolutely forever to come back, but it certainly may be a while.
After all, it's been ages since Izanami has seen Ama, she's certainly going to invite - Uzume smirked at herself again - them to stay quite a while.
But, eventually, Ama's sense of finally getting something done will bring them back!
It's been a while already, hasn't it?
She hopes they come back soon.
And when they do, well?
Honestly, she can't see how anything will go.
Then again, none of that is really her business, either!
If she can help out, she will!
But, uh, she doesn't expect her attacks to be so useful in a fight of those proportions.
Yomi, when was the last time she had to well and truly fight?
Ah. Right.
Back then.
No fighting for her then.
For now, how about she look into those computer games Nori's pet cat plays all the time? It'd be at least something to kill time with!
~ A New Sun ~
By the time it came to say goodbye, I wasn't starving or anything.
"Whew~!" I whistle out, as golden light takes us back to the place we had left to Yomi from, "That took longer than I expected." Without any further fanfare, I turn to Ama, "So, what passes for food around these parts?"
However, that doesn't mean I wasn't curious!
My mother returned my look with a narrow-eyed stare, not of suspicion, but out of tiredness.
"Mm. Food." She mumbly replied, so utterly succinctly that even I was baffled.
"Whoa." I blinked, in dramatic shock, "I had no idea."
She grumbled nonsense before flopping right up against me, once more.
"Jeez," I huff, wrapping my arms around her to hold her up, "what's up with you, huh? You got all that sleep there, why are you still so tired?"
"Mgh. Comfy." She mumbled into my chest, like she was looking for something, "So, comfy…"
That's, uh, huh.
Not going to lie. I don't know what to think of that.
Slowly, Ama lifted her head off my chest and groaned.
"Why, why are we…ngh." She flopped back against me without much effort.
I roll my eyes, "Izanami sent us back, don't you remember?"
I do, because a very tired yet very grumpy Ama was adamant about not.
"Mah." She breathed out before replying with a very plain yet baby-sounding, "No."
Okay. I think that's enough of this.
"Right, let's-"
I pause, the sound of keys clicking and clacking away making me do so.
I turn around, once more, dragging Ama with me.
I am then greeted by the sight of Uzume, sitting at a new desk that definitely was not in the room before, which had a few monitor screens that were most definitely not here before either.
She was playing the World of Warcraft ripoff.
In her lingerie. And a bright pink headset.
Without a word, Uzume turned, slowly, to look at me and Ama.
She lifted a hand off the keyboard and waved.
I promptly decided to ignore that.
"Right." I turned back around, continuing, "Let's go get some food, yeah? Something to wake you up!"
"Ah, wait-!" I heard the sound of a computer chair sliding across the floor, as Uzume went to likely get up.
But I was already walking out of the room.
I closed the door behind me as I heard said chair fall over in the room, and Uzume let out a surprised cry.
"NO! DAMN IT! MY HEADSET WAS CONNECTING TO THE THING!"
I couldn't help but wince, sympathizing with her pain there for a moment.
Despite my pity, however, I didn't stop and headed straight down the hall, carrying Ama with me all the while.
I didn't feel anything. Yet, as we approached, closer and closer to the throne room, Ama began to perk up, her grip on me growing tighter and stiffer.
"Ah, don't worry, alright?" I pat her on the head, "We'll go down and visit your mother again sometime. But for now, we really should get to work on…Whatever I'm going to do up here."
Seriously, nobody's really briefed me on that. Am I going to have any responsibilities, or am I just a piece of very divine meat to show off at court and make everyone swoon over my existence?
We really need to get that sorted, huh?
"N-Not…that." Ama spoke, slowly, with far clarity than she's had all day.
I blinked down at her.
"Then what's up, huh?" I ask, my eyebrow raising.
I step into the throne room, and a shadow abruptly looms over us both, coming into existence out of nowhere.
I only stopped because I saw the source of it.
The giant man that suddenly appeared right in front of us.
How could I have missed him?
Because I can't sense him whatsoever.
At first, seeing how tall he is, with the amount of muscles he has, I thought he was Vasco Strada.
Then he spoke.
"Akaruhiruotoko Okami." A shiver ran down my back. I don't know why it did, "My name is Umashiashikabihikoji."
I can understand all languages through divine power, but not even I understood what the fuck that word vomit of a name was that was just spouted at me.
The man smiled, his light brown eyes flickering with amusement, "You may call me, Umashia. I understand that it is easier to say. I am of the Kotoamatsukami, and we have been very interested in meeting you for quite a long time."
Ama sucked in a breath against me and stilled so hard she practically became a statue.
I, meanwhile, only had one thought at that.
Oh.