Traveling on

The kitsune look at each other, blinking, and then decide and say that would be equitable....

"Good," Eric Jones says, nodding before continuing on in Japanese, "I also give my word of honor in supplying answers suitable for your needs as well."

Japanese was the other language he'd learned growing up. Had to learn it, since his grandparents, who'd been attending an international Martial Arts competition in Tokyo, had been marooned in Japan (the one on Earth 13 of Home) on the sneak attack of the Enemy....the Night of Blood. Things had pretty much gone to Hell, Japan's government (like so many others) had collapsed under the strain after that, but his family and close local friend had been able to pull together to survive. In the course of growing up, Eric had learned much about the history, beliefs, and mythology of the fallen nation of Japan. Some of it had raised a lot of questions in the young boy's mind, and they hadn't vanished upon Eric growing to a young man. Some of those questions concerned kitsune. (Note: if interested, a good place for a basic guide can be found here: http://www.comnet.ca/~foxtrot/kitsune/kitsune1.htm ).

That aside, his upbringing had paid a handsome dividend more than a few times. He'd been quiet a bit better at hand to hand, half again as good as those his age now back when he'd been fifteen....and had met that @#^&* S Federation Officer, Arlen. Would have been a heck of a thing on that wedding day if.....

Eric forces himself to stop woolgathering and pay attention to his audience (who'd soon upon arrival on Nantucket Earth decided to switch the style of dress and such to their old homeland, basically mediaeval Japan.

The kitsune blink again, surprised for a second or three that a foreigner would be able to speak their home tongue. Then they feel utterly stupid in the feeling, knowing that whatever the case may be back in the world that they'd received these earthern bodies from (bodies they would now wear forevermore as Champions), things were different from the human beings they were used to back near Walants (and the memories they'd inherited from the former owners of the bodies they now wore).

It had been quiet the shock, these others...

They then notice that the human begins to speak and focus on him.

"The reason why they and I trust you is two fold," the mechanic explains to his fox tailed audience, "First, the tale you told of how and why you had that thief steal that Crystallic, while a bit brutal, is perfectly square with them. You did it to protect your unborn children, who'd be ten months dead (re: episode1729) if the....er....former owners of your bodies had had their way in a futile attempt of returning to human."

Eric Jones was new to the family, but the few discussions he'd had with his new relatives had left little to no doubt that the various Astras and Fred had despised those now departed analogs a bit from what they'd learned of them from the kitsune.

"The other reason is the people who brought you into this new clan," Eric finishes up, "See, the Rules and Agents, I've sensed, are rather picky in who they ask to become their Champions. Yes, sometimes they got Champions that were of less than savory character.....but from what I've heard is that those fiends turned Champions are under so many magical restraints and geises that.....it's eerie. They're too....plastic in personality. Plastic smiles and plastic good manners. Can almost see them pleading to be released so they can die rather than be prisoners. Those Celestrials didn't want the fiends, but make sure that there wouldn't be immortal monsters running around committing heinous acts between Quests. You two aren't that way, so that's a pretty good characters reference. Kind of lowers the chance of you having lied about your situation, also."

The kitsune's ears quirk up and down as this percolates their vulpine minds.

Odd creatures, these humans, Vix sends to her mate.

Yes, but I do believe I'm beginning to really like these particular ones, Freddy Vulpine sends back, smiling a bit in his mind, Makes getting along with....our new Clan so much easier.....

Wasn't like they had much choice, otherwise. Even the most vile of their old Clan would rather belong than try to be rogue. In the realm of the Kitsune, there was no such thing as "going solo."

"That...makes some sense," Vix finally says, tail twitching, "Why didn't we see that?"

"You're kitsune....and not human," Eric Jones sighs, "There is a difference."

Sometimes, Eric had the feeling, a kitsune's way of seeing things could or would be rather convoluted and complex. Tricky even. In such, they can sometimes miss what is obvious to non-kitsune....

The fox spirits decide that there was truth to that statement.

"And now you're question?" Freddy asks, hoping that the question wouldn't be.....to trying.

Eric Jones looked down at the male kitsune, seeing him still sporting a beard, but now done along oriental lines (re: http://www.geocities.com/asthefurflies/Pictures/Vulpine1.jpg) rather than that full, bushy thing he'd worn before while wearing occidental styles. Thing had looked horrible before, in Eric's opinion. He then looked over at Vix, dressed in her kimono (re: http://www.geocities.com/asthefurflies/Pictures/Vix1.jpg). Frankly, knowing what he'd had thought he'd known of kitsune.....

"In the Japanese myth...er...historical culture of my world, there was a god (sometimes goddess) called Inari, the Shinto Fortune of Foxes and Rice," Eric finally asks, "The kitsune were closely associated with this god. Some were even....his messangers.

"However, the thing about the kitsune in legend was the majority of them were female," Eric pauses, then plows on, a slight embarrassed look on his face, "The few male kitsune there were in legend were male....but....not overly so."

Vix and Freddy look at each other, ears perked up in surprised shock.

"And male or female those kitsune took the form of comely Oriental woman to bewitch men?" Freddy finishes up, "That being that the kitsune were an effete race in legend....and you were wondering why perhaps I wasn't?"

"I was going to be asking in a rather less blunt manner," Eric says softly, still in Japanese, "But basically yes."

Freddy barked an order of saki to the waitress, drank it in one gulp when it came (and wondered briefly at the rather poor quality), before continuing.

"That, my friend, is true enough for those traditionalists I and my mate left behind in Nippon....that which you called Japan," Freddy finally says in a low, earnest voice. A slight trace of embarrassment was in it. "A growing dissatisfaction within the ranks, wanting a change, leapt at the chance of leaving to travel West....to form a new....less restrictive life. One of the new things is.....well, being less effete amongst other things. Simple as that and we'll leave it at that. I and she are devout followers of Inara, but the branch of devotion we belong to doesn't call for.....that close of devotion in that manner."

"Sorry if I was prying," Eric begins.

"No offense taken," Vix put in before Eric could embarrass himself (and them) in this manner, "You were just curious. Amongst other things, kitsune are curious by nature, like being curious by nature, and we can not fault others for such things we like in ourselves."

The Vixen then paused, suddenly realizing that mayhaps by this foreign Japanese standards he wasn't committing a social gaff. He was by her homeland's standards, but then her homeland wasn't exactly like his homeland, eh?

Human and kitsune then nod, and it looked that now a better understanding between these two at least now existed.

By this time, Triakoth and Fred had recovered from their flash blindness. The pixie, seeing his query, flies over to Fred and delivers the news. The smile Fred then gets is almost right enough to bust his face, and Triakoth had a feeling what the answer to one certain question will be.

The male pixie isn't disappointed.

He senses a sudden warm feeling from his long time travel partner. Nothing but a slight nod of approval from her, but Fey senses are a bit more sensitive in some areas.

Triakoth has to wonder when, and if, things would actually come out into the open here.....

Thessamar ix'latl and her Fred, pride or not, find them reluctant to turn down the one last offer of help given by Jarlath in this dragon hunt. Thessamar ix'latl's pride wasn't hurt over the idea of aid in this rather dangerous task (dragon slaying isn't easy), and aid was welcome. Ditto for Fred. Point in fact, the King of the Great Kingdom had left the option for anyone who wished to volunteer to go along with Fred in slaying this dragon would be fine by him (i.e. no dishonor to him or them if they volunteered). Nobody took up the invitation....

Now, he had aid in the form of Jarlath, Joan, Andrea 2, and Astra 9! The others would have come along, but then only a small band of adventurers would do in looking for a dragon in those tight cavern tunnels....

Only a few minutes later, Velus is sadly wandering off from where his friends had vanished....when.....

1. "I take it that's Velus I've heard so much about?" Astra 9 asks Fred, nodding toward the canine.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree