/jp/ - Otaku Culture

Story time:

>Once upon a time in the 5th era, the heavens had decided that with all the many farms across Irva, a god was needed in order to watch over them to keep the peoples who relied on them fed. Thus, Kumiromi ascended to the position of the God of Harvest, and for his first task planted a tree; these roots spread across the earth, and the tree grew mighty.

>Though his was a place of harmony and peace, the world as a whole threatened to descend into a time of strife as the gods mistrusted each other. Among these gods was the Shinou the Cat King, whose lineage spanned seven generations and represented the ideal of good luck, seeking out a heir. The other gods envied him, and his still pregnant consort was posioned so as to disrupt their line. As a result, she gave birth but to a single indivdual, a cat known as Ehe. Ehe was born deformed and sickly; worst of all, she was black - an omen of bad luck and evil. Shortly after, her mother succumbed to the posion and passed away, the Cat King powerless in spite of his status to save her.

>Ehe was dubbed "Ehe of Doom", and disowned by her father. Cast away, she barely managed to cling to life in light of her deformities, and the peoples spurned her: children fled when she attempted to play with them, and settlements cleared away out of instinct. She was seen as a sign of bad luck and disliked for her hideousness.

>Tired and dejected, Ehe went up to the great tree of Kumiromi and wept, her small dark figure an ugly contrast with its grandioseness. A fair boy with gentle features noticed the sad kitten and approched her, quitely observing the peculiar creature without sound. Ehe soon noticed his presence, surprised that somebody wasn't trying to run away from her. She attempted to flee, afraid that she would do something to offend him like she did everyone else, but this boy held onto her tightly, petting her head with a gentle, caring embrace. She expected him to shift at any moment, to express disdain like the others did before, but he merely smiled, not minding her at all.

>Weary, Ehe dozed off into a deep sleep. When she woke, the boy had already left. The tree became Ehe's favorite place, one she visited many times to play with the boy. The power of the tree and the boy's love affected her, and the ugly cat transformed into a pretty girl. Yet the serenity was eventually shattered, as the conflict between the gods had finally reached the area, and the surrounding forest burned in the collateral damage.

>Ehe feared it was her inherent misfortune that had caused this. Yet the great tree remained unharmed, and the boy told her that it was in fact her power of luck that kept it defended from the quarrels of outside. He finally informed her of his identity, Kumiromi of Harvest - the caretaker of the tree. He dubbed her "Ehekatl of Luck", and embraced her tenderly. The two would be wed as the first divine couple of Irva.

>Though the fate of the Cat King was lost to time, Ehekatl eventually rose to take his place among the pantheon of gods after the period of strife had ended. She joined hands with Kumiromi, and they ascended into Heaven.