Inaho/Stories
Inaho uses a powerful treasure from her mother's collection to contact Stella via dream. Inaho explains that she's been grounded, and Stella offers to spirit her away to Starview Village using the World Flipper.
Stella: Where... where am I?
Stella: Starview Village? ...No, something feels different.
Stella: ...A dream?
Stella: Are these memories? Or mirages?
Inaho: OWWIE! Why can CATS land on their feet, but not foxes? That is hardly fair.
Stella: Inaho?!
Inaho: Stella! We meet again! I find this most pleasing!
Stella: Me too, but...
Stella: Are you the real Inaho?
Inaho: Well, I certainly am A real Inaho!
Stella: I don't understand, though. Why are you here?
Inaho: Here? Excellent question. This IS awfully empty and dreary for a dream.
Inaho: Oh, I know! Come, Stella, I have thought of a much better place to dream in!
Inaho: Lovely! The scenery here should prove far more enjoyable. It has long been my favorite!
Stella: The place of your dreams?
Inaho: Ahaha! The place of my dreams, indeed!
Stella: I didn't know you can visit people's dreams, Inaho.
Inaho: Mwahaha! Impressive, is it not? A simple task for a yokai as powerful as myself!
Inaho: A-although I may have, ah, BORROWED a small trinket from my mother's collection.
Stella: A trinket?
Inaho: The Crystal of Connections. A treasure which enables its user to communicate with anyone their imagination fancies, apparently.
Inaho: Mother said I must never EVER touch it! Which naturally translates to: Inaho, you simply MUST play with this fancy little rock!
Stella: ...Won't you get in trouble?
Inaho: Gulp—
Inaho: T-that is no longer of my concern!
Inaho: I have already made up my mind! I, Tamamo Inaho, shall run away from home!
Stella: Run away? Why?
Inaho: Be-because Mother is a big! Fat! Meanieee! You shan't believe what she has done THIS time!
Stella: What did she do?
Inaho: I spoke with her about you and all the adventures we had. How we fought that dumb diviner, how I got to play with Soushiro...
Inaho: And she said she'll not tolerate her daughter playing with humans! ...No matter what she says, I know you would never betray me!
Inaho: She grounded me for life—for LIFE!— and sealed off our connection to the mortal realm.
Stella: How did you get here then?
Inaho: I connected my dream to yours, so I am here in spirit only.
Inaho: Oooh, I should have plotted my getaway FIRST! I-I will be in—sniffle—in SO much trouble when Mother finds ouuuut!
Stella: Inaho...
Stella: Who—?!
Inaho: YOU! Do not think I have forgotten!
Inaho: This day shall be your last! Behold the TRUE power of the Nine Tails!
Inaho: Oh? Nothing to say for yourself? After all the malice you spewed last time?!
Stella?: ......
Inaho: This is weird... Perhaps, did you come to enjoy the scenery with us?
Inaho: I TOLD you sharing dreams is hardly so difficult as—
Stella?: Silence, you wretched fox.
Inaho: Hmph! What is HER problem? Still a meanie, I see!
Stella: Inaho, I—
Stella: I'll help you run away from home. We can try using the World Flipper.
Inaho: Really?! Will that work?
Stella: Yes, as long as we are connected via dream.
Stella: I think I can establish a link between your world and Starview Village.
Inaho: Oooh, Mother DEFINITELY will not be pleased...
Stella: She can't ground you if she can't catch you.
Inaho: Ahaha! You have a little mischief in you after all!
Stella: You might be right.
Stella: World Flipper activated. Commencing remote launch.
Stella: Welcome to Starview Village.
Stella: Inaho!
Inaho laments that her favorite manga is on indefinite hiatus. She visits the author, hoping to give him some much-needed inspiration. Serialization resumes, but Inaho can't stand the new "Inaba" girl crawling all over her favorite character!
Inaho: Ooooh!
Inaho: Awww!
Inaho: Oh my. Oh MY! Ehehe... Ehehehe!
Alk: So THIS is where that old saying comes from... I can read you like an open book, Inaho.
Inaho: E- EEEEEP?!
Alk: I wasn't trying to scare you...
Stella: What were you reading?
Inaho: Huh? No, WAIT! ALK, NOOO!
Alk: Let's see... "Koizora☆Azuki Style: An Illustrated Tale of Forbidden Romance."
Alk: You read this kinda stuff?
Inaho: Well, excuse you! How DARE you make fun of KoiAzu?!
Alk: Koi... Azu?
Inaho: KoiAzu is a MASTERPIECE! All of Yamato has read it! Laughter, tears, action! Romance and bittersweet farewells!
Inaho: And most importantly—The main character, Kusanagi, is really, reeeally, REEEEALLY good-looking.
Alk: Oh, is that this guy? How come he's barely wearing anything?
Inaho: So you can see his— N-never mind! YOU would never understand! Give it back and go away, Alk!
Alk: Oh, c'mon, it's fine.
Stella: A story told through pictures and dialogue... I believe we saw something similar in the Endless Blue.
Stella: I would like to read it myself.
Inaho: Really?! You would? You are going to LOVE it, Stella!
Inaho: KoiAzu is so good! The story is very deep too. This manga taught me sooo many big life lessons!
Stella: It's an educational text? If I read KoiAzu, will I learn to be like you, Inaho?
Inaho: Definitely! Let us dream together, Stella!
Alk: There's no way it's... Well, as long as they're having fun.
Inaho: I will warn you, however. KoiAzu has one big problem.
Alk: You mean graphic depictions of violence and—
Inaho: Of course not! KoiAzu is on hiatus.
Alk: So you're left waiting on a cliff- hanger?
Inaho: Exactly! The author, Gramp Zigza, goes on hiatus all the time.
Alk: Gramp? What a weird name. It kinda sounds like Grampa.
Inaho: I suppose? Anyhow, his break this time is taking especially long.
Inaho: How long must fans wait for another glimpse of Kusanagi? Maidens across the land weep in his absence!
Stella: I wonder why he takes so many breaks.
Inaho: He said in the latest volume's afterword that he has run out of inspirations, and no longer has the will to draw.
Alk: Yikes... He actually wrote that?
Stella: Perhaps he could find new inspirations in some of the books here.
Stella: Art and stories from another world might give him fresh ideas.
Inaho: I see. What an amazing plan, Stella!
Inaho: That settles it! I must deliver books to his house at once!
Alk: H-his house?! You know where he lives?!
Inaho: Of course! I always wanted an excuse to visit and ask him to draw Kusanagi for me.
Inaho: And now, I have one! No time like the present! Bye-bye!
Alk: Whew. Inaho comes and goes like a storm.
Stella: Agreed, but that's what makes her Inaho.
Inaho: Alk, Stella. I have returned.
Alk: That was fast! How'd it go? ...Inaho?
Inaho: He DID agree to start writing again, but...
Alk: But? That's great news, Inaho!
Inaho: It is, and yet... It is not! Look at the draft he wrote! Look!
Alk: Ooh, sure, I'm curious what he came up with.
Alk: Hmm. Inaba? Is this a new character?
Inaho: Yes, and she is absolutely AWFUL! This Inaba girl shows up out of NOWHERE, but she already is crawling all over Kusanagi!
Inaho: She talks like a GRANDMA and is so stuck-up! Does she think those ears and tails make her special? Cute? Hmph! I cannot BELIEVE this!
Stella: I don't know, I think I like her.
Alk: Me too. She makes me feel like we've been friends for ages.
Inaho: WHAT?! Why? You two are unbelievable!
Inaho: What are you laughing attt?!
To assuage the fear directed at yokai, Inaho decides to put on a play. She plays the part of popular manga character Inaba and vanquishes evil monsters with her yokai powers, showing mortals that yokai aren't as scary as they thought.
Inaho: Hmm, yes, that sounds grave indeed.
Inaho: Fear not! The great yokai Tamamo Inaho has heard your grievances, and they shall be addressed!
Light: What is going on here?
Inaho: Oh! Light, Nimbus, great timing! Would you mind lending us a hand?
Nimbus: To do what, exactly?
Inaho: WE, THE YOKAI, DEMAND PLACES TO HAUNT!
Inaho: PEOPLE TO SPOOK! PRANKS TO PULL!
Inaho: Just yesterday, someone attacked the Terrible Tub-licker! UNBELIEVABLE!
Light: Inaho, what are you doing?!
Inaho: What I should have done long ago— fighting to make the mortal realm a better place for yokai!
Nimbus: A better place for yokai? What's wrong with it now?
Inaho: Lately, the mortals have been slapping wards and protective talismans on EVERYTHING.
Inaho: The Terrible Tub-licker has no bathtubs to clean. The Prankish Pillow-flipper has no pillows to restuff and fluff! What are we to do?!
Light: I see. That is a cause to action, indeed. However, there are better ways to approach the problem.
Light: Look at the crowd. Their awe stems from fear. Screaming at them with demands may well exacerbate the situation for the worse.
Light: They all saw Orochi. I imagine it is the cause for the increase in wards.
Inaho: B-but! What else can we do?
???: Are you whipper-snappers the idiots who've been making all this ruckus?!
Inaho: You—G-Gramp Zigza?!
Nimbus: Gramp Zigza?
Gramp Zigza: Well, look who we have here. We meet again, little fox.
Gramp Zigza: I was sound asleep, I'll have you know! Why are children so loud? Do you WANT to wake every screeching, squawking babe on the street?!
Inaho: N-no... No, Sir...
Inaho: ...I'm sorry.
Inaho: Sigh—
Inaho: What should I have done? What should I do now?
Alk: I guess just let the humans get used to you?
Stella: What do you mean?
Alk: I don't think they're afraid you're dangerous as much as they're afraid you MIGHT be dangerous.
Alk: Once they get used to you, they probably won't mind so much.
Inaho: How long will that take though? Is there a way to speed the process up?
???: Princess Inaba?!
Little Girl: Princess Inabaaa! Um, hi Miss Fox Lady! You're Princess Inaba, right?
Little Boy: Wait, there's no way she's—Oh my gosh, she really is! P-Princess Inaba!
Inaho: Inaba? What are you talking about? My name is Inaho.
Stella: Princess Inaba is a character in KoiAzu. You know, the one who looks exactly like you?
Inaho: Oh, THAT Inaba? Wait— You all think I look like that ugly jerk?!
Alk: You never realized who she was modeled after?
Little Girl: Princess! Do the special move you always do! Thunder bloooom! Lightning blossom!
Inaho: Oh! I just had an excellent idea! This will be perfect!
Inaho: I cannot show you the move now, but I promise I shall in time!
Inaho: Sorry, I have to go! I must speak with Gramp Zigza IMMEDIATELY!
Little Boy: Hurry! It's gonna start!
Little Girl: Wait for usss!
Stella: Come ye, come all who would hear this tale of Inaba, Princess of the Yokai!
Stella: It is in a town not unlike this we set our stage. What's this?! An ogre is attacking the town!
Goblin: GRAAAAARGH! KENGY— Wait... KUSANAGIII!
Goblin: I DEMAND THINE PRESENCE, KUSANAGI! HURRY, LEST I GROW HUNGRY AND GOBBLE UP THESE CHILDREN!
Inaho: Stop right there, fiend!
Inaho: Hah! You think YOU are worthy of fighting Kusanagi?!
Inaho: I, Yokai Princess Inaba, shall be your opponent!
Nimbus: Heh, look at 'em go.
Light: I'm honestly impressed. Even Stella is in character.
Gramp Zigza: Hey there! You're those kiddos from the other day!
Gramp Zigza: That fox friend of yours has quite the imagination. Who would've thought to introduce folks to yokai in a play?
Alk: Gramp Zigza! Thank you so much for writing the script.
Gramp Zigza: No need to thank me, boy. That encyclopedia of yokai you lot gave me is chock full of story ideas!
Gramp Zigza: Shhh, we're getting to the good part.
Inaho: Thunder bloom! Lightning blossom!
Fox Kit: ARRRG! YOU HAVE BESTED US!
Inaho: W-wait! You dummies, why did you transform back?! Quick, hideee!