The birth of Hope, Inari's Tale

Another day dawns on my lands. Aurus giving everyone warmth and light, plants already gathering from the energy. Most people who weren't already awake, most probably due to spending the night doing something specific, open their eyes to start a new day. And I watch over them all. And I thrive when I see them enjoy it. Perhaps they're having some food that they really like. Or maybe someone they had a crush on looks at them for an extended period of time. Or some of them go back to their hobbies or jobs, with a smile on their face. This is what I live for. And sometimes I feel I'm the only out of the 6 who understood the assignment. I merely guide them from the sidelines, give them a nudge in the right direction when they need it, but I don't meddle in their affairs. At least that's usually how it goes. I give them favorable winds to sail, I give them rain when their crops need it most, I bring them the animals they hunt, making the earth a bit more fertile, warming up particularly cold days, or giving them some refreshing breezes on summer noons. But today, I couldn't stop myself from meddling further. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, despite my clear distaste for it. Bloodshed. Bandits, attacking a home. A little girl and her aunt, who had raised her after the rest of the family had died during a catastrophic forest fire. And now, bandits were going to take what was left for them. I could see them. I could feel my heart aching as I saw this needless conflict. Stealing to survive. Despite all the efforts I make to make my lands fair to all, where everyone has chances to be successful, there is still crime out of need. I knew in my mind I shouldn't help. But my heart was crying out, I couldn't leave them to die. The pair of bandits had the older woman surrounded, on her knees, sword to her throat. But the girl hadn't been seen yet. The other bandit went to go inside the house, to look for any valuables or food. The girl was hiding nearby, feeling powerless, and terrified. But I knew what to do, and I did it, despite my vows to keep out of their business so directly. I sent one of my foxes to reassure her, but then, inside the home, she spotted something. A family heirloom, belonging to her father, an honorable warrior whom had died saving his daughter and sister during the fire, after having already lost his wife. His katana. White and red, and very well crafted. I found myself admiring the good craftsmanship. But I could feel her entire being determined to save her home. So... I nudged her in the right direction. Cherry blossom petals carried by the wind, landing right on the stand where the sword was held, she knew it was me. She knew I had her back, so she steeled her resolve, and snuck her way into her home, and took the sword. Without hesitating, she unsheathed it, and with one swift movement her hand was covering the thief's mouth, as the blade plunged up through his shoulder and down his body. The wound proving fatal almost instantly, despite his attempt to scream. There was no turning back now. She left her home, to confront the other bandit, holding her aunt hostage still, perilous blade at her neck. She stopped, beautiful clothes ruined by blood, sword seeing action once again, but she knew that if she tried it her aunt would die. I had to do something. These people were innocent. They didn't deserve such a sudden death. The wind and petals began to flow nearby once more, and envelop her sword. She trusted me with every fiber of her being. The fox I had sent snuck behind the man, preparing to strike, and right as it did so, the wind guided a swift strike to the man's neck, the girl following behind like she had trained for this her whole life, like her father himself suddenly imbued her with his knowledge of swordsmanship, and as the bandit went to scream from the bite at his ankles, his head was falling off his now lifeless body. I had done it, I had saved these people. I saw the two hug and cry in relief, cleaning their home from this near tragedy. Days later, the girl went to the shrine built after the forest burnt down, and prayed to me. She promised that just like I had saved her from injustice, she vowed to do the same. Father's katana at her hip, Kitsune mask on hand, she set out into the forest, to stop injustices like hers from happening again.

A short story, detailing a bit of how Inari works on her lands, as well as some dramatic events.