Yukiko: Welcome to my temple. Come in and please enjoy.
A spirit arises from the temple, a young and vibrant vision in blue and silver.
Yukiko: And please ignore the sign. I really am quite friendly.
From the garden, a maiden alights the stairs and stands staring, staring at the temple guardians, seeking her one true desire.
Sapphire: Oh great fox gods! Please hear my prayer. I beseech you to grant me my one true wish.
To the maidens's surprise, a child appears before her, seemingly out of thin air.
Sapphire: Oh! My goodness, you gave me quite a fright. Now run along, child. Run and be with your family.
Across the child's face, a smile spreads.
Yukiko: Nay. I am already at home, miss. I am the guardian of this temple, and I have heard your prayer. I am here to grant you your greatest wish!
With a flick of her paw the wind picks up, rustling the leaves and downing the sakura blossoms. In a snow storm of pink, they fall!
The maiden finds herself on a rocky shore, basking in sunlight.
Sapphire: Oh my goodness! What is this place?
Yukiko: This is paradise. To you, I would give this land. It is a land of forever sun. The fish are plentiful, and you could spend your days in peace.
Yukiko: All of this could be yours! Your one, true desire. All you need to do is say the word.
Alas, the maiden frowns. This is not her desire, and she had no will to make a deal with the bright child. The child frowns as well, and with a flick of her paw the wind picks up, rustling the leaves and downing the sakura blossoms. In a snow storm of pink, they fall!
The maiden finds herself in a finely-made pavilion of dark wood, overlooking a well-manicured garden and a pond full of koi.
Yukiko: The koi is a lucky fish and will bring you great joy, but not as much as I could bring you!
The child waves her paw, and another creature is suddenly summoned to that place.
Yukiko: I will give you this cat, who has always been known to give her masters good fortune. With this cat at your side, your pockets will fill with gold and all of your business ventures will be profitable.
Yukiko: All you need to do is say the word, and this cat can be yours. You will be forever rich!
Lacey: I'm not a cat!
But again, the maiden frowns. This is not her desire, and she had no will to make a deal with the bright child. The child frowns as well, and with a flick of her paw the wind picks up, rustling the leaves and downing the sakura blossoms. In a snow storm of pink, they fall!
The maiden finds herself perched high, high upon a temple, overlooking the Earth!
Yukiko: Then I will make you a goddess! Say the word and you will be all powerful, and all your desires will be yours!
Sapphire: No! No, small child! This is not what I want! I can not command what I desire! Not as a goddess!
The child frowns, and with a wave of her paw, they fall.
Yukiko: I have tempted you with the greatest treasures of the world. I have offered you paradise, riches, and power. What more could you desire? You prayed to my temple, maiden. What have I not been able to offer you?
The maiden blushes and thinks deeply. Then, she clasps her hands and states what she most wishes for.
Sapphire: Truly, child, I wish for love. I wish for a man of my own to offer me the paradise of his arms, the richness of his voice, and all the praise worthy of a goddess. That is what I wish for.
But alas, love is the one thing this child cannot grant. Feeling failure, she begins her retreat back to her temple. Many a wayward traveler over the years have fallen prey to her temptations. How could they be defeated by love?
But the maiden is grateful. Although she was tempted by so many things, she now knows what it is she truly wishes for. And she leaves the garden to go find him.
