"So, Whaddaya think so far?"

I took a few gulps from the cup of water Takasaka had offered me and wiped my mouth before responding.

"Piper's pretty workable, and so is Vera," I told Zoe, setting the cup down on the countertop. We were alone in Takasaka's kitchen; Tio had pulled aside the policeman a few minutes ago to discuss something concerning house security. Everyone else had seemingly gone to their respective rooms for the time being, leaving me with a bit of time to clear my head. "Iris is the only one I'm really worried about right now," I said.

"Ah, that one," Zoe grunted, folding her arms beneath her chest and leaning against the wall. Her eyes narrowed slightly in the direction Iris had wandered off a while ago. "If she wants to be miserable, let her, I say."

"I... can't leave her in that condition," I replied, frowning and scratching my head. "I have to do what I can to help her out."

"Even though she called ya a hairy pervert?"

I shrugged. "At least some of it is true," I said, running my fingers across my growing facial hair for emphasis. "I'm certainly not a pervert, and not in the way she was implying." I paused, considering the situation. "Okay, maybe not quite, but not in the way she was implying."

"That so?" She quirked her eyebrow and smirked. "Little girls ain't yer thing?"

"Sorry to disappoint," I snorted. "I got this problem where I-"

"Akiiiiiiiiiii!" Tio called out from the hallway, cutting me off. "We're good to keep going now!"

Damn it, Tio, I had a suave line to make Zoe swoon!

She was spared from further ruminating internally, however, when Zoe playfully smacked my Ass as she sauntered past me. "Maybe next time, eh chief?" she said with a wink, leaving me behind. My heart skipped a beat before I suppressed a smirk; it seemed that I was the one that was supposed to be swooning today, not her.

Well, worse has happened. I'll get her next time! I should probably focus on work for now, though.

Takasaka, Zoe, and Tio greeted me in the hallway, the latter standing tall in her imposing armor. "Tula is expecting you," Takasaka informed me, motioning down the hallway. "Just a warning, she's a bit hot-headed, so be careful what you say."

"And what are the things I shouldn't say?" I asked.

Takasaka sighed as he explained, "It might not be relevant to you, but she can get quite competitive sometimes, especially if you try to outdo her. She and Mako often engage in heated arguments, though I'm sure Mako's just doing it to annoy her most of the time."

"Competitive, got it." My brother and one of my best friends both were frustratingly competitive back home, so I was used to the type. "Anything else?"

"She gets very defensive regarding the smuggling group that brought her here," he continued. "When Mako needled her about it, she almost threw her through a wall."

I quirked an eyebrow at that while silently thanking every god I could think of that Zoe and Tio were here with me. "Sounds like those two clash a lot."

He agreed, his voice growing stern, "Mako is a troublemaker, and Tula's attitude doesn't help either. However, it could be argued that the same could be said for everyone in this house."

We remained silent for a few moments as we strolled down the hallway until it suddenly dawned on me. "Wait a minute, doesn't Tula live in the attic?" I queried, recollecting Rachnera, who had expressly requested to be housed in our attic.

Takasaka shook his head. "No, I thought it would be better for her given her size, but she specifically requested to be 'closer to the Earth,' whatever that meant. I assumed it was about her religion and decided not to ask further questions."

I nodded silently, scratching my chin and pondering what religion Preya might adhere to. Rachnera had mentioned that all arachne believed in the Arachne and considered her their god but also noted that this did not mean they only worshipped her. Preya had also pointed out that other liminal species, apart from the harpies, venerated the Three Sisters depending on the qualities they embodied. Thus, liminals did not solely worship the deity or divine creature belonging to their species.

Despite my lack of faith, I was still excited to learn from my first encounter with a devoted adherent of a liminal religion. I was eager to learn the lore but apprehensive about the potential fanaticism that could arise. I approached the experience with an open mind, hoping to be enlightened without being overwhelmed.

Once we arrived at Tula's door, I noticed the numerous scratches and claw marks on the walls and floor. A musty smell emanating from the other side of the door caused my nose to wrinkle in distaste. Tio stood opposite the entrance with her arms at her sides while Zoe moved to a diagonal position against the other wall. I understood their caution; the large breed arachne was the most powerful of a powerful and dangerous liminal species. Despite my confidence in their abilities, I could not shake my apprehension.

After reflexively wiping the sweat off my palms, I knocked on the door. "H-Hello?" Shit, did my voice crack? "This is Akihiro Bando, a counselor from the Cultural Exchange. May I come in?"

"Yeah, come on in," a gruff voice grunted from inside. I took a deep breath and swung open the door, my eyes widening when I beheld the woman inside.

Fuzzy!

Well, that was my first thought, for there was so much hair. Her entire body was covered in bright orange fur, with brown and black stripes crossing her legs and abdomen. She resembled a red panda, though her size and features were more akin to a tiger. She was massive; her legs were almost as thick as me, though it could've been the fur giving her a bigger appearance. Her arms looked more like a bear's than a spider's, each ending in thick dark claws as big as steak knives. She was almost as tall as Cerea, and if she stretched up, she could give Tio a run for her money.

Tula's round, almost heart-shaped face seemed intimidating despite its softness. Six muddy eyes were set beneath a voluminous, blazing mane of orange hair, and I couldn't help but sense the judgment within its depths. As she folded her arm, I noticed her tattered jacket barely covered her upper body. Her stance only made me more aware of her unspoken condemnation.

"So you're the shrink that the fuzz called in, huh?" Tula said by way of greeting, quirking three eyebrows. At least, I thought it was three; the uppermost eyes were right at the edge of her hair, so it was hard to tell if she even had an eyebrow between them. She looked up and jerked her head at someone outside the door. "Ogress. What line are you from?"

I looked back to see Tio tilt her helmeted head for a moment before perking up when she realized what Tula was referring to. "Oh! Mama told me it was Orcus. Sorry, I don't get asked that often."

Tula responded by resting a single claw on her throat, lowering her head, and murmuring lowly and reverentially, "May the deep roads guide you home." Tio tensed at the words and raised her hand halfway to her throat before stopping herself. She then silently nodded once at Tula in acknowledgment.

I felt I was missing something, but I bit down the question for now. Whatever it was, it had been significant to Tio, and prying right now might not have been wise.

The reverential atmosphere surrounding Tula dissipated instantly as she retracted her talon and spun away. "Make sure to close the door behind you," she instructed me. "I desire for the air to stay inside."

I glanced at Tio and Takasaka; Tio was motionless, while Takasaka shrugged. Zoe hadn't emerged yet, so it seemed like they were all okay with that. I closed the door and wandered over to Tula, taking the time to observe the rest of the room now that I wasn't solely focused on her.

Despite the musty smell, it was surprisingly clean; the only hair I saw on the floor had just recently fallen off her head. In the corner beside the bed, there was a thin and tall bookcase packed almost to bursting with odd tomes, mostly pertaining to philosophy. However, I noticed what seemed to be erotica towards the bottom, judging by the titles of the books.

"Fuzz said you're here to figure out if we're suitable for society," Tula said, folding her legs and settling comfortably. Her legs were covered in thick fur, resembling a plush futon. "Is that the case?"

"If you want to phrase it that way, yes," I replied, feeling awkward as I searched for a place to sit since there were no chairs. Eventually, I decided to remain standing. "But I wouldn't say 'good enough'- more like 'prepared,' I guess."

"So they send a human and not a liminal that would know that better?" Tula asked skeptically. "Pretty arrogant."

"No one else was willing to take on the job," I replied. "But I'm embracing the challenge and learning as I go. It's a great benefit that I genuinely want to do something to help people, from my point of view."

Tula hummed, her pedipalps poking out from the mass of hair and running through it. I belatedly realized she was grooming herself. "Uh-huh. And how're you gonna make that kind of call, to begin with?"

"By talking with you all," I told her. "Getting to know you and all that jazz. Nothing special."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "If you say so."

Of course, she was suspicious. After being tricked by humans into coming here, it was clear that she had lost her trust in them. Hence, I knew I had to work hard to break this barrier of mistrust. I couldn't just make rash declarations of wanting to help her or make it my life goal to get her to trust humans again. I had to take it slow and prove to her that humans can be trusted.

No, the best way was to get her talking and go from there.

"I was curious about liminal religions," I began, my fingers nervously drumming against my neck. "I understand you are here for religious reasons, so I thought I would take the opportunity to ask you a few questions about it. Would you mind if I do so?"

Her eyes widened with amazement in response to that before she ran her long, painted nails through her lustrous hair. Eventually, she shrugged and enquired, "How much do you know about the local tales and legends?"

"Not much," I admitted. "I know of a couple of types of yokai, but beyond that, I barely know anything."

Tula sighed. "Then you don't know about the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons?"

"Nope."

"Well, it's exactly what it sounds like, and I want to see it. One hundred yokai march through the streets of Japan in the summer, supposedly killing or taking away any who see it unless they're properly protected."

"Ooh, that sounded intriguing. But why would you want to take the risk and attend a potentially fatal parade?"

That prompted a wolfish grin from Tula, revealing a row of sharp, glistening fangs, and there was a fierce, hungry gleam to her eyes. "I'm going to fight off every single demon with a might and courage that will make even the mighty Typhon take notice of me," Tula purred confidently.

"The moment I heard the name, I recognized it instantly. But I wasn't happy about it. 'Typhon...I've heard of him,' I said with trepidation. I desperately hoped that the Typhon I knew wasn't the one we were thinking of."

"As well you should," Tula nodded, folding her arms again. "He's the greatest monster there is and ever will be, and it was through his union with the Mother of Monsters that we were all given life and strength."

Something told me she wasn't referring to Tiamat.

I inquired, "Do you mean Echidna when you say 'Mother of Monsters'?" I was familiar with this from middle school, but I wanted to verify it, especially if Typhon was a real being in this realm.

"That's right!" She smiled again, but appraisingly this time. "Of course, there's the added benefit of challenging a great foe, one of the trademarks of Arachne."

I shifted where I stood. "So you follow Typhon, Echidna, and Arachne? Are those three what your religion is based on?"

Tula replied dismissively, "You could say so. They are three of a pantheon I revere, those who are here to challenge the gods. I highly esteem most of what they stand for, so I stick to them and look to them for guidance."

I pondered this for a few moments. "So there are liminal religions entirely focused on fighting against the gods? But didn't the gods also create many liminals themselves?"

"They may have created many of us, but they certainly didn't show us any compassion," Tula replied in a low voice. "Yes, there are several movements that promote strength through your own merits and challenge the gods. The Prometheans, Divine Defiant, and The Stars Look Down are some of the more well-known ones. My religion is called the Titanomachy, after the Titan War - I assume you know of it?"

I slowly nodded. "I've been aware of them since I was young," I informed her, feeling many conflicting emotions. I wanted to discover more and more information; however, something was unsettling me, and I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. "The ancient Greek myths...perceived as myths by humans, was something I was passionate about during my childhood."

"Is that so?" Tula seemed pleased by that. "Are you religious yourself?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. I was raised Catholic, but my family stopped attending church when I turned seven. Although taught Christian values and beliefs, I never felt drawn to religion. That's not to say I dislike it; it wasn't my cup of tea."

Tula remained silent, her six eyes fixed upon me as a few seconds passed. Eventually, she spoke again. "It's rare for humans I meet to show much interest in my faith. Fuzz seems anxious whenever the subject arises—I'm unsure why."

"Religion can be a sensitive subject for some individuals," I elucidated. "Rather than personally adhering to any religion, I prefer to learn about various religious beliefs to understand how people think."

Tula inquired, her claws flexing, "And that's why you ask about my religion? To try to understand how I think? You're not implying that I'm defined solely by my beliefs, are you?"

"I certainly didn't think that was the only aspect that would help me understand you," I admitted. "I wasn't lying when I said I was curious about liminal religions. My job is my priority, but satisfying my curiosity about them is an added benefit since it ties back to helping me do my job better."

Her pedipalps slowed down their grooming as if she was giving herself a massage. I couldn't help but wonder if someone with an exoskeleton could even feel the benefits of a massage. "So, you're a liminal counselor, and yet you don't know any liminal religions? How is the Cultural Exchange preparing you for this job?"

"They aren't," I groaned. "I was just someone they found that gave a shit."

Tula snorted disdainfully. "Of course, the Cultural Exchange would do something like that." Her smile disappeared, and her gaze sharpened. "Before you go any further, remember this: simply caring won't be sufficient here. Just talking with us won't cut it." Her claws tightened, forming into rigid fists.

"I may not care if you assist me," Tula said coldly, "but I acknowledge your eagerness to learn. However, you are still just a stranger to me. Once I have triumphed over the Night Parade, I will return to my home. If, however, you are sincere about aiding the girls here..." Her piercing eyes met mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine as her fangs protruded. "You must strive to be more than what you currently are."

Right then, facing Tula, I felt she and the task ahead of me was Typhon himself, and I was still a lowly human. Ultimately, there was only one way to respond to her, even though all I wanted to do was go home and pretend I had nothing to worry about.

"I will," I promised her.

To be continued...