Unlike the elaborate and solemn ceremonies of later ages, the rituals for worshiping gods in the Age of Gods were quite ancient and primal, with little regard for the separation of men and women. In fact, back then, procreation was considered a sacred act, just like battle.
This was especially true for a goddess of fertility like Ishtar. Having livestock and even humans copulate during festivals had always been part of her rituals. Thanks to this, although Ishtar herself was inexperienced, she was well accustomed to such acts.
However, even she had only ever observed the ceremonies outside from within her temple. Never before had she been kicked out of her own sanctuary, forced to watch others perform the sacred duties of fertility inside her own temple.
What infuriated her even more was that she was powerless to stop them. After all, one was her Mother Goddess, and the other was her Father God—or rather, her Mother Goddess's Father God.
While Ishtar was stewing, a roar echoed in her mind.
"Why aren't you going in?!" Rin Tohsaka demanded excitedly. "This is a golden opportunity! If you miss this, you might not get another one!"
The twin-tailed girl was extremely unhappy that Tiamat had jumped the gun, but if she could join in, she could grudgingly forgive it. So, seeing Ishtar crouching at the entrance of her own temple, drawing circles in the dirt, she felt a mixture of pity for her misfortune and anger at her lack of resolve.
Hearing Rin's prodding, Ishtar's eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you talking about, Rin?! That's my Father God! Have you lost your mind?"
"I really don't want to hear that from you..." Rin was momentarily speechless. "Weren't you gods supposed to be super open-minded? Why are you getting all shy when it's time for the main event? According to your ethics, it shouldn't even matter that your daughter is also Lord Su Mo's daughter, right?"
You talk a big game, but why do you chicken out at the crucial moment?
"That may be so, but I'm not ready... And Father God might not be willing to accept me..." Ishtar said, tapping her index fingers together, suddenly lacking confidence at this critical juncture.
Seeing her pathetic display, Rin felt an immense sense of frustration, like trying to forge scrap iron into steel. "Stop hesitating! Ana and Gorgon already went in! If Lord Su Mo can accept them, why can't he accept us?! Stop dawdling and get in there!"
"B-but..." Ishtar glanced up at the temple, still feeling timid.
"No buts! If you won't go, then give me control of the body! I'll go!" Rin had completely given up on the goddess. Gritting her teeth, she said decisively, "Losing to Sister Kanae and Lady Shiroyasha is one thing, but now even Madoka is ahead of me! If I don't seize this chance, won't I become a fool just like Jibril? Ishtar, if you don't have the guts, then step aside! I'll do it!"
The twin-tailed girl's fighting spirit was now fully ablaze.
"Eh?" Hearing her, Ishtar's eyes widened. "You'll go? What's the difference between you going and me going? I'm possessing you right now! I can feel everything you feel!"
"You can end the possession and cut off the sensations, can't you? Don't tell me you can't do that!" Rin immediately retorted.
"I can, but... wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on such a rare experience...?" Ishtar mumbled shyly. "But not missing it would be a transgression against Father God, and I might get... from him..."
"You can't do this, you can't do that, what the hell do you want?!" Rin was on the verge of a breakdown. Ishtar wouldn't go in herself, but she also wouldn't sever their sensory link. Wasn't she just trying to sabotage her?
"Wait, wait! I know you're anxious, but Rin, calm down first!" Hearing the tone in Rin's voice, Ishtar seemed to have an idea and quickly tried to placate her. "I think I have a solution!"
"What kind of solution?" Rin asked suspiciously, not having much faith in Ishtar's brain.
"Eresh and I are sister goddesses! Our divine structures are very similar!" Ishtar said with great excitement.
"So what?" Rin asked, confused.
"Since I can possess you, Eresh can possess you too! It's nighttime now, so with a little stimulation, she'll definitely come to you!" Ishtar declared proudly.
"And? How does having one more person to share the experience with solve anything?" Rin still didn't get it.
"Then we can let Eresh take the lead!" Ishtar said righteously. "That way, even if Father God gets angry, she'll be the first to get scolded! I can just hide behind her and be fine!"
"...Can you please act like a decent person for once?" Hearing this plan, Rin was dumbfounded, her opinion of Ishtar hitting a new low. To avoid being scolded by Su Mo, she'd push her own sister out to be ravaged? This person truly had no bottom line!
"I'm a goddess. Why should I act like a person?" Ishtar lifted her chin proudly, taking pride in her shamelessness rather than feeling ashamed.
Then, she muttered in a very low voice, "Besides, that idiot wanted to get close to Father God anyway, she just couldn't find a chance. I'm just giving her a push. She should be thanking me!"
Clearly, the goddess wasn't as heartless as she appeared. It was just that her way of being nice to Ereshkigal was... questionable.
"If that's the case, I guess I can accept it..." Rin recalled the underworld goddess's attitude towards Su Mo during the day. It seemed Ishtar had a point.
Thus, she accepted Ishtar's proposal and bravely walked into the temple.
—That way, if I can't take it anymore, I can let the two goddesses take turns.
With this thought in mind, Rin and Ishtar had clearly forgotten one thing: for Su Mo, he could summon the divine bodies of Ishtar and Ereshkigal at any time.
And so, within the temple, a pair of twin lotuses soon bloomed under the moonlight. The small seedling finally had its wish fulfilled, not falling too far behind Madoka.