Chapter 6: 5. Pizza, Cheeseburgers and Goddesses

The day of the festival dawned bright and clear, with the sort of clarity of light that Paul had thought was just artistic license by anime artists, making all the colours seem super-saturated and bright. The morning dew added a sparkling shimmer like someone had sprinkled rainbow dust on everything.

Paul looked over the neat rows of booths filling the wide courtyard and grinned, thinking to himself that certain anime artists would probably give their eye-teeth to able to paint the scene.

“Good morning Paul-sama!”

Paul glanced over his shoulder to where Shoko-san was kneeling and smiled, turning to look at her.

“Good morning to you too, Shoko-san. You’re looking splendid today!”

Shoko-san blushed and ducked her head, but not before Paul saw her smile. She’d changed her outfit, dressing as traditional shrine-maiden. Her usually rowdy mop of strawberry blonde hair had been teased and tamed into a neat ‘do’ which cleverly hid her ears, as the folded back of her robes hid her tail without a bulge.

“Thank you! Although mother Inari did most of the work… Ahh, I should say thank you very much for that.”

Paul raised an eyebrow as he kneeled.

“Oh… what have I to do with that?”

“I… I don’t know what you said to her, but Inari-Okami is much more... awake, than she normally is. She’s trying very, very hard.”

“Oh.. that. Yes, we had a few words. I just shook her up a little, made her think… and maybe promised that I’d try to fix things a bit.”

“Oh? What things?”

“Nothing much, we can talk about it later. Let’s just enjoy today shall we?”

“Yes! Ok.. I’ve prepared breakfast for you, omelette and English tea!”

“Thank you Shoko-san. Oh, one question, what’s the order of business today? Is there some sort of ceremony to open the Festival or.. what?”

Shoko-san looked thoughtful and then shook her head.

“There would have been, before. But you’re not a priest so… I suppose anyone who wants to come will just arrive. Traditionally, ordinary folks and those that can pass as human come during the day, and then after the sun sets, Inari or one of the other kitsune would light blue fox fires in the gate lanterns as a signal that it’s safe for the Others to come out..”

“Hmm, makes sense. There could be a problem though, what with a lot of locals not being ‘in the know’ about the Others now. Could I ask you, and some of the Others who intermingle with humans, to quietly pass the word around that I’ll announce the temple is closing once the sun starts going down? Anyone who wants to can hang back and then when it’s clear of the ordinary people, we’ll light the fox-fires and everyone else can come out.”

Shoko sprang to her feet and started to run off as she spoke..

“Ok! I’ll go spread the word!”

Laughing Paul called after her..

“Thank you, Shoko-san. Don’t forget to eat!”

Shoko spun on her heels, darted back, and grabbed a breakfast roll from the table, half-stuffing it in her mouth. Shoko bobbed her head in an abbreviated bow of acknowledgement and thanks, before running off again, leaving Paul chuckling in her wake.

Sipping his tea later Paul wondered about the day. There would be a mix of ordinary people and ‘Others’ mingling during the day. The Others would be keeping their appearance hidden, but he felt sure there would be slip ups, and not all of the ordinary people knew about the Others.

There needed to be some sort of cover story in place, he thought, but what? He stared out over the festival ground pondering. His eyes lit on the stage where there would be plays later… and his eyes widened as an idea pounced on him.

Getting up he went in search of paper and writing tools. After carefully pencilling in the kenji characters he went back over them with a broad nib felt-tip pen, emulating the effects of an ink brush, writing.

“The Hidden Theatre cosplay group is performing ‘Hidden Yokai’ and asks for your co-operation. If you spot one of the performers among the crowd please preserve the illusion and make them feel welcome without drawing attention to them.”

After three attempts, he felt he had something fairly presentable, and called out.

“Shoko-san, could you come here please!?”

After a moment Shoko simply… arrived. He wasn’t sure how or where she’d popped up from, but she was just there.

“You called Paul-sama?!”

“Yes, I need to ask a favour. Can you make duplicates of this for me and make sure they are posted around the place where people will see them.”

Shoko looked at the poster, frowning.

“What’s the Hidden Theatre cosplay group?”

“An excuse… if any of the Others slips up, and reveals something unknowing ordinary people shouldn’t see, then they can just claim it’s all part of the performance. Like.. umm… like a play where the actors stay in character and mingle with the audience, so there is no stage and it happens all around them.”

Shoko frowned, thinking it through, then her eyes went wide as she let out a long drawn out;

“Ohhhh!!”

“Can you make sure any of the Others attending know about this?”

“Yes! Right away! That’s so clever!”

“Yeah.. I borrowed the idea from a very smart writer. You know what they say, always steal from the best! Ok, so... we need about a dozen copies put up. Starting at the front gate and around the place. At places where people will gather, like the food stalls etc. Can you do that?”

“Sure thing! Hiroshi-senpai taught me to use the copier!”

“We have a photocopier?”

“Yes! In the office!”

“We have an office!?”

Shoko giggled as she nodded, and pointed over at what had been the former priest’s residence.

“In Hiroshi-senpai’s residence, his study is an office.”

“Okayy...”

Paul studied the low building and sighed.

“I should probably check that out...but .. it sort of feels wrong to go in there you know, like entering someone’s house without their permission.”

Shoko nodded slowly…

“Yes. I used to go there all the time… but now...”

“I know what you mean. Still, we need those copies. Show me where, and I’ll do it instead Shoko-san. You can get busy telling everyone who needs to know, ok?”

“Ok! I’ll do my best!”

Shoko showed Paul to the small office… which wasn’t much larger than some closets and full of old papers. Under one mound he located the ancient photocopier. Shoko quickly walked him through operating it, and then dashed off to go tell people about the plan.

Paul in the meantime stared at the machine, and then set about trying to make copies of his poster. Half an hour later and after several inventive curses, Paul had his posters and had sworn undying vengeance upon whoever designed that machine. He’d also added modern office equipment to his mental ‘wish list’ of things to buy should he have the money.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of people, pizza and toppings… Paul was glad of the time he’d supported himself though University, working at an Italian pizzeria. The local people seemed impressed too, there were admiring Oohs and Ahhs as he tossed and spun the dough to make the pizza bases, and there seemed to a never ending line at his ‘booth’ which was more of an open air restaurant. The Tenuki work crew had set up an outdoor wood-fired oven for him, along with small round tables and chairs and a long wooden table with a copper sheet nailed to it as a work surface.

Shoko-san was kept busy too, fetching and carrying wood for the fire and ingredients for the pizzas. But even so, she seemed to find time to enjoy herself, bringing Paul treats from other booths… and a steady trickle of people who wanted to greet him, all of whom were Others in various guises.

Eventually evening wound its way around, the sun painting the grass blood-red as it set. Paul breathed a sigh of relief. There would at least be a short interval between sun-set and moon-rise, when the festival would reopen and those Others who couldn’t pass as human would arrive.

A long shadow fell across the grass in front of him, as he sat with a cold drink in his hand. Paul looked up...and saw the shapely figure of the Goddess Inari gliding across the sward towards him. He started to rise, but she raised her hand.

“Sit Paul-san.. you have earned your rest, and more.”

“Thank you Lady. I saved you a pizza, hope you like fried tofu pizza with bacon and pepperoni.”

Inari laughed musically.

“Why thank you Paul-san… did you ask Shoko-san my favourite, or did you guess?”

“Mostly guesswork. I haven’t had time to ask her, Shoko’s been a busy little helpful fox.”

Inari hopped up and sat on the counter next to the pizza oven, leaning against the brickwork and apparently enjoying the warmth.

“She does love helping yes… I’m glad she is of use to thee.”

Paul drained off the last of his drink, and got up, dusting off his hands, and took Inari’s pizza out of the oven, placing it on a plate decorated with a running fox motif around the rim. With a pizza-wheel in both hands he cut it into slices rapidly. Inari clapped her hands, giggling, when he presented it to her.

“Well, if nothing else, today has made sure that the temple isn’t going to run short of funds for a while yet.”

Inari nodded, nibbling on the slice she’d taken. She swallowed.

“And I have had SO many people making prayers to me! It’s... invigorating, to have worshippers again!”

Paul smiled.

“It’s always good to feel wanted and useful.”

Inari nodded energetically.

“Yes! It is.. and to be a part of the community once again. I feel… hopeful...”

Paul nodded, and placed his flour-dusted hand over Inari’s slimly elegant one.

“I’m glad you came out Inari. It’s not good to shut oneself away, to dwell in darkness for too long… and honestly, I would’ve missed you. I know I was... rough.. with you, but I hope we can be friends.”

“Hmm… just friends Paul-san?”

“Oh lay off with the flirting, you know that’s not going to work with me. I’ve had my happy ever after.”

Inari sighed, and putting her plate down for moment, leaned forward against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Around them the lanterns strung up throughout the festival ground quietly lit themselves one by one, in all the colours of the rainbow.

“Ahh.. Paul-san.. you are the only man for miles and miles, and years and years who wouldn’t want me in his bed.”

“I’d be happy enough to call you a friend though, if you’ll forgive the presumptuousness.”

Inari lifted her head slightly, turning to look into his eyes.

“Ohh.. you know what? I don’t think I’ve ever had someone I called a friend! Lovers, rivals, fellow gods and goddess and many other things… but never that. I would be pleased for you to think of me as that!”

“Ok then, friends it is! Oh! That reminds me! Forgive me Inari, I need to dash off. I have a promise to keep and Aimi-san will be here soon.”

“Aimi-san? Oh, you mean the Yurai you bound?”

“I’d prefer not to think of it like that. She’s a young girl, or was, who’s had a harsh life, a horrible death and who is in need of a friend.”

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Inari looked at him with an odd expression, then shook her head.

“Paul-san, are you sure you’re not a priest?”

“Pft, as if… no. Anyway, sorry to love you and leave you, but I’ve a cheeseburger to make, and I’d like to meet her off the bus.”

“Cheeseburger? What’s that?”

Paul stopped, surprised.

“You’ve never..? No, of course not, why would you. Ok, new plan. Grab your plate and bring your pizza with you. I’m going to show you how to make a cheeseburger, ah, that is, if you’d like.”

Inari nodded eagerly, picked up the remaining quarter of her pizza and the plate and hurried after Paul, following him to the newly refurbished kitchen. She watched in fascination as he put a skillet onto the propane fired stove and took out the ingredients from the fridge.

He worked deftly, mixing and shaping the ground beef and herbs as he answered questions from Inari. Within minutes he assembled the burger, with two patties and a slice of cheese both between and on top of the meat, with salad and a pickle between lightly toasted sesame seed buns. Decanting the burger and fries into a cardboard box, he wrapped it and wrote the characters for ‘Aimi Takeuchi’ on the wrapper… and on a whimsy added a little sketch of a fox mask in one corner.

Inari giggled as she saw that, tucked one strand of silver hair behind her ear and holding her hand over the meal, whispered something. A golden glow formed around her slim white hand and settled over and into the wrapped burger and fries.

Paul raised an eyebrow at her, and she shrugged.

“A simple blessing. It is, or was, one of my duties after all. Go now, meet your friend, and make her happy. I shall be about the festival, welcoming people as they arrive. Should you need me Paul-san, just call.”

Inari leaned in, and planted a swift, and surprisingly chaste, kiss on his cheek, before walking off, her geta making a merry clatter as she crossed the paving stones.

Paul shook his head, and placing the wrapped meal along with a large coke on a tray, went off to wait by the gate.

He didn’t have to wait long before the bus pulled up, although it seemed at first as if no-one alighted. But as it pulled away, he could see a faint shadow which seemed to drift nearer… resolving into the sadly bedraggled shape of Aimi.

Paul waved, balancing the tray on one hand.

“Hey! Good to see you Aimi! Glad you could make it!”

The drowned looking shade came closer, not so much walking as drifting.. but as she drew near, she looked less and less like a corpse as she flushed in happiness.

“Paul-sama! You remembered!”

“Well of course I did… what, you think I’d forget a friend? Here’s your order miss.. although I made you a double cheeseburger since it’s a long trip and I thought you’d be hungry.”

“A..double..cheeseburger? I only ever got those on special occasions!”

“Well, it’s a festival, that’s a special occasion isn’t it?”

Paul had to hurry to put the tray down on the marker stone as Aimi wrapped herself around him, hugging him tightly. He placed his arms around her small, slim shoulders and hugged her back.

“Hey, it’s ok… no need to cry.”

“I’m so happy!”

“Ok then.. take your time.”

Paul stood for a few moments, gently rubbing Aimi’s back as she hiccuped her way though her happy tears. She lifted her head, her cheeks flushed and eyes still bright with unshed tears. He smiled down at her.

“Ok, better now?”

“Yes! Thank you…!”

“Ok, lets go find some place quiet for you to eat. The fox-fire lanterns aren’t lit just yet so there’s a few minutes until the festival reopens for Others… and then I’m back to making pizzas again!”

“You’re running a pizza booth at your own festival?!”

Paul grinned and nodded.

“Yeah... I’m not quite sure how that happened but yes. But it’s fine. I like cooking, it’s relaxing, and pizza if it’s done right is as much performance as food. Everyone seems to like it, they stop by, say hello and so on and I get to meet everyone. Plus I feed them tasty food at the same time, so they think nice things of me.”

Aimi giggled.

“Sneaky! Winning people over by feeding them tasty food.”

Paul picked up her tray and handed it to her, causing her to giggle and blush again, as he remarked.

“Well, it seemed to work with you so..”

By the time Paul led Aimi-san to his booth, she seemed quite normal looking. She’d sneaked a few fries along the way, but she’d waited until she was seated before unwrapping the burger proper.

“Ohhh…. It looks almost too good to eat! … Almost!”

“Go on, eat up. I hope you like it, it’s my own secret recipe.”

Aimi pressed her palms together, and inclined her head saying,

“Thank you for the food!”

Picking up the burger she took a bite, and her squeal of joy was only slightly muffled by the mouthful.

“Eeeee! It’s SO! GOOD!”

Paul grinned broadly.

“Glad you think so, although in part that might be because Inari blessed it.”

Aimi paused mid chew, and swallowed hard.

“The Goddess Inari.? She blessed this?”

“Yes, she wanted to know what a cheeseburger was, so I showed her as I made it for you. That… is ok... isn’t it? She said it was one of her duties..?”

Aimi stared down at the burger.

“I...I’ve heard of her blessing harvests and feasts before, but a burger…? That seems some how disrespectful.”

Paul shrugged.

“It was her idea… I didn’t ask her. I think she likes you, maybe. Wishes you well anyway, and this is her way of helping.”

“Oh… still...”

“You know... not eating it might be considered disrespectful too.”

Paul almost didn’t have to finish his sentence as Aimi rapidly bit off another mouthful, closing her eyes in bliss as she chewed. Paul laughed, and patted her back as, trying to swallow it too fast, she choked.

“Steady on, take your time. After all, better to savour it. Who else can say they’ve tasted the Cheeseburger of the Gods…?”

Aimi almost choked again as she laughed.

By the time Aimi sat back with a happy sigh and an empty tray, Paul had returned to making pizzas as the stone lanterns held by the fox statues down by the torii gate were filled with a blue/green fire and the festival ground was filling up again. One by one, various yokai, spirits and other beings that defied definition were sidling in via the torii gate, where Inari herself stood, greeting them.

Paul couldn’t help thinking of a certain anime film… but as the tenuki Sako had hinted, that was probably not coincidental. It was also probably not coincidental that a large number of the attendees were buying pizza; he suspected he was something of a curiosity to them. Aimi volunteered to help, taking customer orders and writing down who wanted what in neat kenji. Apparently when she’d been alive she’d had a part-time job in the family store. Paul was just glad of the help, but he couldn’t help noticing that Aimi was humming a happy little tune to herself as she worked.

Paul was a tiny bit concerned when he noticed that not all of what the festival goers paid in was yen, but Shoko-san reassured him that at least with the Others, Spirit Money was just as valid. Although, according to her, it was more like a marker system for favours in effect. Paul decided he’d try and figure it out later, as he’d only listened to her with half an ear at best, being rather on the busy side.

The moon was a hand-span above the shoulder of the mountain when Inari came up behind Paul, and quietly asked.

“Paul-san.. do you have a moment or two to spare?”

Paul glanced over his shoulder at her, noticing that a short distance behind Inari a tengu with his black wings wrapped tightly around his small body stood with Inari between him and a tall willowy woman who had leaves tangled in her long wispy green hair.

“Sure, do we need to go some place private or is it ok if I talk while I work?”

“Oh, if you can talk and make pizza, then that’s good. I can make certain none will overhear.”

“Alright, what’s the problem then Inari?”

“The tengu and the dryad have a dispute, and no Lord to hear and make a ruling on their case”

“And…?”

“And I was hoping that you would listen to them. For me. Maybe make some sort of ruling on the case perhaps...”

Paul stood slowly and knocked flour off his hands, eyeing the pair of them.

“Are you both willing to abide by whatever decision I reach?”

The Dryad bowed like a sapling in the wind, and the tengu nodded, inclining his head a fraction as he rustled his crow-like wings.

“Alright, I will listen to you both and see if something can be decided. Although, I can’t promise I’ll be able to figure something out, seeing as how it’s gotten you stumped, Inari.”

“What! How did you… ahem… I mean I could but..”

Inari wilted a bit under Paul’s level stare, grinning sheepishly.

“Oh alright… you got me Paul-san. No, I don’t know what to do either.”

Paul rolled his eyes and then shook his head slowly.

“Inari, Inari… you are a terrible liar you know. Which is actually reassuring in a Goddess. Ok then...”

Paul turned to look at the small crowd and sighed.

“… if everyone could please cooperate with us and wait for just a little bit, while I take care of this? You can give your orders to my lovely assistants Shoko-san and Aimi-chan, and I promise I’ll get to them as soon as I can.”

There was a rumble of amused agreement from the assorted beings and one tenuki at the back piped up.

“Hey lord, gods business is bit more important than making pizza! We can wait!”

The crowd dispersed good naturedly, laughing.

Paul grinned, and then sobered as he turned back, taking in the grim expressions of the tengu and the dryad. He nodded and pulled over a small table and a chair each for all of them.

“Right.. sit down and tell me what seems to be the problem?”

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