Fun in Takamagahara

Episode Quest Fun in Takamagahara

* Avaliable

Feb. 4, 2019 until Feb. 11 06:00 UTC

**Hel** So I'm free to go after this?

It's the beginning of the new year.

Skuld invited us to offer greetings to those who helped us through the last year.

**Hel** was reluctant to help at first, but ultimately couldn't refuse Skuld's request.

We've reached Takamaghara, our final destination.

**Skuld** It's important to offer greetings and thanks to everyone who's helped us.

**Skuld** I want to see what they've been up to, too!

**Hel** Sure, sure. Let's just get this over with. I want to go home.

**Chihaya** Oh, Marveille and friends!

**Chihaya** Happy new year!

Tail wagging, a familiar face dashes toward us.

**Skuld** Chihaya! It's good to see you!

Chihaya, one of the 12 Great Gods of Yamato. She's an Aesir of high stnading in Takamaghara.

**Chihaya** Yipe!

...But in her excitement she trips, dropping the box she was holding, spilling its contents.

**Skuld** Are you all right...?!

**Chihaya** I-I'm not hurt... I'm a big girl. I won't cry...

**Hel** So she says with eyes full of tears.

**Chihaya** Th-That's eye sweat! I'm not crying!

**Chihaya** stands up straight and quickly wipes he "eye sweat" as Skuld gathers the contents of her box.

**Skuld** What is all this? I've never seen anything like these things before...

**Chihaya** Oh dear! I guess you wouldn't know. They're toys of Yamato!

Chihaya's face, full of tears only a moment ago, quickly closeness into a winning smile.

**Chihaya** In Yamato, we play with these toys at the new year.

**Chihaya** Tops, kites, face making games... And cards!

**Chiahaya** Since you came all this way, we should play!

**Skuld** Oh, that'd be lovely!

**Skuld** looks happy to join, but Hel sighs.

**Hel** I'll pass. I'm a bit tired being pulled around all over...

**Chihaya** Oh, then you should join. Playing will bring your energy back!

**Hel** Skuld and Player will be happy to play with you.

**Skuld** Oh Hel, won't you join us?

**Chihaya** I want to play with you, too, Hel...

Skuld and Chihaya, hands full of toys, stand still looking at Hel expectedly...

Hel shakes her head then looks up.

**Hel** ...Fine. Just a little bit.

**Chihaya** Yay!

**Chihaya** Then, as one of the top five top spinners of Takamaghara, the magnificent Chihaya will teach you how it works!

**Skuld** A top spinner?

**Chihaya** Just watch! You use this string on the top...

As Chihaya demonstrates, Hel quickly looks behind us.

**???** ... ... ...

Hiding in the shadow of a tree, an unfamiliar girl watches us quietly.

**Hel** I don't think I know her...

**Chihaya** Let's go someplace with a little more space!

Chihaya jumps excitedly and Hel, looking exasperated, joins me as we follow her.

### PART 2

Following Chihaya's instructions, we manage to get our tops spinning.

Still we're not able to get them to spin as well or straight as Chihaya.

**Chihaya** Watch it fly!

Chihaya's top spins our way, knocking our tops down.

**Skuld** That's amazing! You really are a master top spinner!

**Chihaya** Of course I am! Even Amaterasu praises me for that!

**Hel** I wouldn't be so proud of something so worthless.

As she says so, Hel concentrates intently on her top as she sends it spinning again.

**Hel** How can I beat Chihaya? What's she doing differently?

**Hel** Chihaya. Tell me how to do it.

**Chihaya** You gotta pull it, like SWOOSH! Then it'll fly, like BAM!

**Hel** Frankly, that advice is useless.

**Chihaya** Just study me! I'll show you again!

**Hel** stares intently at Chihaya's hands as she readies her string.

**Skuld** Hehe... I didn't realize you hated losing so much, Hel.

I smile at the conversation, when suddenly I sense someone behind me.

**Susano-o** Hey! Happy new year! Looks like you're having some fun already.

Susano-o, another god of Yamato, approaches.

**Skuld** Oh, it's good to see you, Susano-o!

**Skuld** We're spinning tops.

**Susano-o** Tops, huh? I'm not so bad myself. Give that to me.

Susano-o pulls the string with an exaggerated waving of his arms and sends the top flying.

His top bumps into another, sending it flying away.

**Chihaya** Oh! It's one of the other top five top spinners of Takamagahara, Susano-o!

**Skuld** Oh, Susano-o's ranked highly as well?

**Susano-o** Ahem... Technically, but you don't have to draw attention to it.

**Chihaya** Why not?!

**Hel** You're good. Tell m how you do it.

**Chihaya** I want to learn too!

**Susano-o** Sure. First...

We listen closely to Susano-o's lesson, when suddenly Hel looks up.

**Hel** I sense eyes on my back again...

She turns around to see the same girl watching us from afar.

**Hel** Susano-o, do you know who that is?

**Hel** She's been watching us.

**Susano-o** ...Hm? Oh that's Kushinada!

**Susano-o** What are you doin' over there? Come on over!

At Susano-o's words, she nervously makes her way toward us.

**Skuld** Do you know her, Susano-o?

**Susano-o** Yeah. She's one of the gods of Takamagahara.

**Susano-o** You could say our fates crossed, so I'm sort of like a guardian to her.

**Kushinada** Sorry about earlier. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kushinada.

### PART 3

**Kushinada** Susano-o mentioned that our fates crossed, but to be more specific, he saved my life.

**Kushinada** He's take care of me ever since.

**Kushinada** I came to see Susano-o to wish him a happy new year.

**Hel** OK, but you've been following us since before Susano-o showed up.

**Hel** Explain yourself.

**Kushinada** Oh, I do apologize for that! I wanted to wish Chihaya a happy new year as well.

**Kushinada** But when I saw you having so much fun, I didn't want to interrupt.

**Kushinada** I was just waiting for an opening. There was nothing else to it. I'm so sorry!

Kushinada again bows to us, her body bent at a right angle.

**Skuld** Oh, you don't need to worry about that! We'd welcome you any time!

**Hel** In fact, watching us from the shadows is much worse.

**Kushinada** Oh, you're right. Thank you for your kind advice...

**Kushinada** From now on I will not wait to greet!

**Susano-o** Oh right. Kushinada is great with strings for some reason.

**Susano-o** I'm sure she could teach you to spin a top much better than I could.

**Skuld** Please do, Kishinada!

**Kushinada** Of course.

**Kushinada** I'll try to help you, as an apology for earlier!

Kushinada readies her string on her top.

**Kushinada** There's really no trick. It's very simple.

**Kushinada** First, you must become one with the string. You must want to be pulled hard.

**Skud** If I imagine I'm the string I think I'd want to be pulled gently...

**Kushinada** Oh? Most people would say the opposite.

**Skuld** I don't even know anymore...

As we ready our strings, Kushinada watches us extremely intently.

**Kushinada** Excellent! Yes, yes! Wonderful! Wrap your string tighter! More! Faster!

**Kushinara**'s eyes light up as her breathing grows rapid.

#### **/...Are you OK?**

**Kushinada** Yes, I am quite OK. I want you to tighten it more.

**Chihaya** Wow, Kushinada, you really know your stuff!

#### **/Here I go! Faster! Tighter!**

**Kushinada** Oh, yes...! I feel like I'm floating on air...!

**Chihaya** Umm... Why?

**Susano-o** This is the part of Kushinada I really don't understand...

**Susano-o** wears a confused expression as he shakes his head, when all of the sudden...

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