The Straw

. . .

What? You actually thought that would have been that? Just have this total stranger (powerful though he is in the kitsune community), wave his hand and fix all the problems? Well, that's not going to happen. As stated here already, this isn't going to be easy.

This Inuyasha is as constrained as other kitsunes, but he's doing what he's doing out of a sense of obligation (as our young nameless female kitsune will find out).

"Girl, do you know your name?" Inuyasha asks softly. "Do you know who and what you are, now?"

"I . . . I'm . . . female?" the young kitsune female blinks, as if suddenly realizing that.

. . .

Considering all the magicks that had been upon her mind, that might be more true than what one should be comfortable with. Oh, in the end it shall return to . . . well let us just call her by the name she eventually takes: Rei! Rei shall remember being swept up in a column of light and . . . meeting what she believes is her newly adopted diety, Inari. She shall recall that she had been informed she was to be, IF she chose, to be gifted with a stunning transformation in mind, body, and spirit: into a kitsune. A kitsune female to be exact. The last part made the then male human hesitate for a second or three . . . . but in the end the temptation was too great and . . .it overcame his sense of duty and obligation in a way to those still left behind (i.e. Astra and the unborn).

Let us just say that he was a bit drunken upon the possibilities presented him . . .now her.

. . .

She saw the abilities and all that was kitsune and so went for it. But upon returning (as Inara had warned) she was betrayed and spell cursed into becoming a servant to Lady Ikira.

Now, the curse is lifted. Nice eh? But the thing is that Rei cannot just waltz out of this free and clear. Customs and social standings must be met and all that, by kitsune society (which she is now part and parcel of). See, due to custom and all that--what with Lady Akira, for whatever personal reason--HAD "uplifted" Rei into her new form through her actions. That said, she still had a claim on Rei (and would redress what Inuyasha had undone if given the chance). However, because Rei and Akira's gang had trespassed (in their physical "shells" no less) without permission upon Inuyasha's territory . . . the six tail has a bit of a claim on Rei as well.

Well, it was either have a tail plucked from each and every trespassing kitsune present or stake a claim on Rei. Being that Rei's freedom was at stake (and Inuyasha WANTS to win Rei's freedom . . . being due a personal debt of honor at the very least) . . .

Well, it is a round about way and Inuyasha would take Rei as a clansmember of his house but it beats all to heck what Ikira wants, eh?

But the thing is, there must be a contest here to decide the matter . . . The idea being that Rei first must win the TRUST of Synizn and Astra so as to let her inside the house they'd barricaded themselves inside. Second, Rei and the others must last the siege that Ikira would lay upon that said house (a stronghold built to Synizn's specifications well before his bought of lycanthropey) until all the demifoxes had completed their transformation into kitsune. THEN Rei at least would have won her freedom and thus be given the chance to CHOOSE which clan to join (not joining some clan wasn't an option . . . clanless kitsune did not happen).

Well, something like that was the idea. Only the bare basics was allowed to be given to the young Rei and only the basics (that footsoldiers and the like of Lady Akira would be after her and her friends) given and such. Thus when the playing field is suddenly gets changed by the straw that . . . . broke the camels back (events not shown in this story so far but important). The net effect is that our young kitsune (and our unwilling demifoxes turning slowly into kitsune) get swept up into things not of their making . . .

First, let us tell of the straw's fallout. It hits this tried and true (if a bit clichéd) challenge and pretty much snuffs it out before we get too far on it. In fact, it pretty much stillborns it but due to casualties of war (i.e. Rei and gang) the targets of the challenge get lost in the chaos. See, for the longest time an uneasy truce existed between the two competing factions within the kitsune Celestial Court, one being the side that Akira belonged to (more malignant to human beings than anything) and the one that Inuyasha belong (which is relatively benign towards humans). Now? Thing have finally come to a head and the factions have finally polarized enough and something akin to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts exists (a house divided and all that).

Oh, it's a scandal! !

But when the word comes down about this, this challenge breaks up (regretfully for some) and it's forgotten (bigger fish to fry). The magical teleportation in fact is disrupted in part because of this sudden change in affairs, and our young kitsune finds herself . . . elsewhere on another mortal plane which has NOT had her kind visiting in SUCH a long time! And due to the "fate links" that Synizn, Astra and her brood share . . . . the teleportation magicks also sweep them along and deposit them a bit away from where Rei is.

They all know something up and know that where they are (what'll prove to be a version of "our" world's Japan . . . only a bit more advance and crawling with Japanese Defense Forces due to some kind of fracas). In the distance we see . . . . what some anime viewers would recognize as a mecha (huge humanoid fighting machine) laying upon it's back, wrecked and sprawled out from a battle. The sight is cordoned off and troops are combing the area for trespassers and looters (to keep them away and whatnot).

Two roving patrols (Japanese Defense force types) almost trips across the fugitive demifoxes and kitsune. One side (the more "modern" ones, the JDF) mistake (by understandable default to their logic) them (the humanoid foxes) as some kind of alien invaders similar to what nearly defeated their defensive mecha this time around. The other side (kitsunes and demifox) thinks that these strange green clad people (the JDF with their eldritch equipment, like "guns" and "radios") are actually Lady Akira's forces, come to hunt them down . . . .

It does not help at ALL that neither side can speak the other's tongue . . .

1. A bit of Hell breaks looks might be in the making....

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