A Song of Wood and Water

[Spekkun]

"Why did I do that?" Damian raised an eyebrow at her, partially in disbelief. "I did that because I woke up to a fox sleeping in my bed, in my hotel room...which I swore I locked." He answered her question a little dryly. How did she even get in? He leaned back, looking over at the door. It wasn't broken, at least he wouldn't have to explain to the hotel how the door got damaged. "That's not something I or anyone would like to wake up to, Ayame-Chan." He told her, looking back at her.

"I need you?" He asked, sounding incredulous at her declaration. He stared at her like she was some sort of alien before a small chuckle of disbelief left him. "I need you? What makes you say that I need you?" He asked her, crossing his arms. "I think I was doing just fine without you, excuse my disbelief." It was a serious question though. What could he possibly need her for? He wanted to hear her answer, maybe there was something to it. He sat down on the corner of the bed, looking at her expectantly.

*****​

The skies darkened and the clouds became gray above the forest land. Thunder boomed and lightning cracked against the sky, illuminating the clouds as it began to rain heavily. The storm seemed normal enough at first, maybe a bit worrisome, but as time progressed the booming of thunder and the loud crack of lightning seemed to be sounding off in tandem with each other, in a form of rhythm with each other. A bright yellow streak of lightning raced across the clouds before being met head on by an unnaturally blue lightning bolt. The yellow bolt was knocked in a different direction, an eerie one. It was sent flying towards the the ground, striking the dirt around a nearby tree, lightning it on fire.

Even more eerie, the bolt of lightning had become more of a mass, shaped in into the form of a wolf, and a rather large one at that, taller than even a tall human. As the lightning began to fade, it was replaced with white fur, parts singed and burnt from the blue lightning. The huge wolf was known as the Raiju, the wolf of Japanese legend, pet and guardian of the Thunder God himself, Raijin. He had screwed up an order from the deity and was punished for it, maybe rightfully so. The wolf didn't move except for his chest, heaving as he sighed at his recent failure. The job was hard and his master was even harder on him.​

 

[Greenie]

Ayame huffed a little. Alright, fine, even she knew and had to admit that she may have been a bit- or alright, much too familiar, simply crawling into someone else's bed as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She couldn't help it though! What else was she supposed to do? There was no one else around who would help her. Those miko in the shrine didn't seem to get that it was normal for Inari sama's shrine to have kitsune around it! In fact, she hadn't been able to find any other fox scent aside from Damian's.

"You- you can't speak Nihongo properly!" She pointed at Damian with an accusative paw, though her demeanour seemed more of relief than actual negativity. Her ears were upright and her tail was sweeping over the blanket, a grin on her fox face. "And I can! And you know this... weird and noisy world better than I do. Yes? So then! You can help me find out why I'm here!" She blinked, suddenly coming to the realization that now it sounded more as if she needed him... which had been the crux of the whole matter, she just hadn't wanted to admit it. A sulking look came over her face, ears folding sideways.

"Well?!" she demanded, once more trying to look as proud as could be. She was failing at it, however, and she knew it. It was time to use another tactic, one she liked to call her 'super effective technique'. Her eyes widened as she stared at Damian, giving him what modern culture termed as 'puppy dog eyes'. Her ears folded back and she even added a whimper for further effect.
​

*****
​

An unwanted flinch passed through the man when he heard the booming of the thunder. Normally thunder symbolized a rain storm. Whilst rain was a blessing on many occasions, it tended to weaken him as well as make him cold and sickly, at least in his current form. The last thing he wanted was to be in a state where he wouldn't be able to help and protect his little friend. He stood up, clear blue eyes looking in the direction that the booming thunder when ensuing from. It wasn't usual for him to be taken by surprise, but for once there was a shocked look on his face as he watched this show of lightning.

He had enough, however, when he realized that the lightning was forming into the form of something sentient. Could this perhaps be a demon, or a youkai, as they were called here? He couldn't wait to find out, not with the little fairy, who was even more defenceless than he was. Quickly turning toward her, he noted that she was already sitting up, her sky blue eyes staring in the direction he had just turned from.

"Chi, we must leave now," he said, the urgency in his voice more than apparent. "Climb onto my back, we'll find another place, somewhere..." His voice trailed as he suddenly felt something. Regret? Sadness? It wasn't from Chi, however... it was coming from behind him. There was a slight frown on his face as he wondered why.

"But Kirn, he looks so sad, we can't just leave him." The little fairy had a voice that would remind a person of a warm summer's day in a field of wildflowers. It was warm and sweet, like the honey she so loved to eat.

"You are right about that," he murmured under his breath. A soft sigh escaped the man named Kirn as he turned around, looking at the sight of the giant wolf. Trust Chi to notice he's sad instead of the fact that he is powerful enough to kill her in a bite. It honestly made him smile a little, though it wavered. Who was this giant wolf? He could see that the canine's fur was singed in places. Was it from not being able to control the lightning he seemed to have emerged from? Or was it formed from?

"Good evening," he called softly. The apprehension he had felt when first hearing the thunder had melted away. Kirn could tell that this wolf meant them no harm. He didn't seem to have any darkness in him, not at the moment anyway. "Are you hurt? I can help you."​

 

[Spekkun]

"Nihongo?" Damian let out a short tsk, not even bothering to hide it. The look on his face seemed to be a mixture of amusement and annoyance. It wasn't clear which one was the dominant emotion. "I understand it enough to make way through the country just fine." He'd been able to buy food, get a hotel room and maybe even get souvenirs one of these days. Sure there was the slight mishap and conversations were dry, but he wasn't one for conversations anyway. "Plus...your Japanese is a little old, isn't it? Dialect wise, I bet." He snorted.

He was almost ready to toss Ayame out but when the Kitsune implied she didn't know how to travel or what to make of the period she was in he actually felt a bit of sympathy for her. Being lost with nowhere to go was something he was all too familiar with. It would be wrong just to leave her alone, right? That'd be cruel, too cruel... "Hngh..." He grunted as he thought about what to do. He didn't even know what to do! So he sure as hell wasn't going to make any promises without having a plan. He would have to think about it first!

Damian grits his teeth as he thought, but his thought process didn't last long. He took notice of the eyes she was giving him, and all his apprehension seemed to fly out the window. "..Fine...I'll help you." He told her with a heavy sigh. He never thought himself susceptible to something like that, but it seemed to work on him. "I don't know how, though. I'm not the best-equipped person to help you find anything out, especially when it has to do with a goddess of something that makes up half of me."

*****​

The Raiju jumped up quickly the moment he heard someone address him, a cautious growl rising from his throat. He looked around, still dazed from the lightning and thunder earlier before noticing Kirn. He observed him closely for a few moments, taking note of his position and stature before relaxing his once tense form. He offered to help, he didn't appear aggressive and he was calm. All good signs.

"I am okay, thank you for your concern." The giant wolf told him, though it was a lie. Only a thunder god could burn a creature born from lightning and thunder WITH lightning and thunder. A feat that was truly impressive. Not only was his fur singed but his flesh burned and stung underneath. He was grateful he wasn't cut or stabbed, the blood wasn't showing. The servant of Lord Raijin could not be seen in this weekend state!

"What of you...? Do you need help? A storm is brewing and it could be dangerous. Especially around me." Raiju told the man, sitting back down. It hurt to even stand, so he would sit for now. He thought about hiding but that would only make the thunder god angrier and it would be disrespectful. "I do not wish you to get struck by lightning. I assure you it is not pleasant." He chuckled, a slight whimper in his laugh. He covered it up by grunting however.​

 

[Greenie]

"Arigato!" Ayame seemed both thrilled and relieved, and why shouldn't she have been? It would have made sense if he had just grabbed her by the tail and tossed her out like a rat. In any case, she completely ignored Damian's last statement, and instead hopped onto his lap, giving his cheek a lick. "Don't worry! Ayame the Great shall be of great assistance! Hai!" Saying that, she then turned around, her tail tickling his nose as she jumped off the bed, stretching out when she reached the ground. She supposed it was best to not linger too long in his blankets, especially seeing he didn't like it.

"Uhm." Her green eyes looked around the hotel room, taking in the walls and furniture, noting how enclosed it was. It really made her feel rather trapped and claustrophobic. Any normal kitsune didn't like staying inside four walls anyway, as it impeded their freedom. Still, she'd have to make do. The world outside was out to kill her, she just knew it! The colours were too bright, the scents too strong, the sounds too loud! Whatever this new world was, Ayame was ready to kick dirt at it!

But she knew she couldn't. Inari-sama had brought her here. As mischievous and annoying as Ayame was, she was a firm believer in her deity, and she knew that there had to be a reason she was brought here. She had sought Inari-sama's help, and this was where she had been delivered. She couldn't complain, she had to make the best of her situation. A huff escaped her, her ears flattening, tail limp as she made her way to a chair in the far corner of the room.

"Oyasumi nasai," she chirped as she jumped onto the upholstered chair. She turned around in place a couple of times, finally settling down, curling up in a fuzzy circle, nose buried in her tail.
​

*****​

Kirn was about to speak, but Chi did first, a bright smile on her face, even though her blue eyes were still sleepy looking. "We're fine!" she told the white wolf as she stepped toward him, eyes taking in the sight of the much bigger wolf. His fur was so white! Well, besides the singed marks. It made her feel sad, to see such a magnificent being marked in such a painful way.

"You don't seem very dangerous," she told him, eyes looking up at him innocently. Now that she was merely a foot away, it was quite easy to tell the height difference between the two. Chi was not even five feet tall, truth be told, just a little under, and it was doubtful she would even grow more than that. Her hand was glowing a soft white as she reached out, wanting to pet the giant wolf. "It must hurt so, so, so much. I can help you!"

"Wait, Chi," Kirn cautioned. He could tell that while the wolf was lying about not being in pain, he was being quite truthful about it being dangerous around him. Was he some sort of lightning conductor? It was hard to tell, especially with not knowing exactly what he was.

"But I can heal him!" she protested, looking away from the wolf and back to Kirn, seeming distressed.

"So can I," he reminded her. "If anything, I should. You shouldn't even be in this form if you will be awake and active at this time." He turned his attention from Chi to the wolf. "What's your name, if I may ask? I can feel you are in pain... if you wish I can help you."​

 

[Spekkun]

Damian was still a moment, blinking. He turned his head to face her, just in time to watch her curl up and rest in the chair. He supposed she wouldn't too much trouble if any at all. She seemed mannered enough, except for the part where she broke into his hotel room. He laid onto the bed once more, brows furrowing.

He wasn't so much irritated as he was...curious. Why was she sent through time to this time? Maybe it was to save her, or maybe it was an accident? And was he supposed to meet her? Okay, now he was starting to get annoyed. He wasn't one to think about fate or destiny but here he was thinking about it.

He let out a sigh, a heavy one. At least he had something he could tell his mom about, right? He pulled his phone free and opened up the messenger app. This time he started typing away with ease, writing up a decent paragraph about the events of today. He hit send, wondering if she'd believe him. Maybe? He didn't know.

But at least he was sending her something, right? With that out of the way, he looked over at Ayame once more. "If you get hungry, I left some food in the fridge. I didn't finish it all." He had planned to eat it later but he could just get more food later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Raiju held his breath for a moment, eyes looking from the man to the fairy, then back to the man. He wasn't afraid to trust them. He felt at ease around both the fairy and the man. He was just afraid that if they helped him, they would inadvertently get struck by the lightning as well.

The wolf looked up to the skies, waiting for a sign or something. The rumbling of the thunder stopped instantly, the only noise being that of the rain now. "I...I suppose so...Arigatou. Thank you for your help." He told Kirn. "The thunder has stopped...the skies have calmed. I do believe it is safe now." No lightning should strike.

He shifted a little, standing on his front paws. Visibly wincing, he sat up entirely, his tail barely patting the ground behind him. He wondered how he could help him. Perhaps he was some sort of doctor? "My name is Raiju, servant of Lord Raijin, god of thunder." He told Kirn, raising his head weakly, but proud still.

 

[Greenie]

Ayame's ears twitched, but she didn't actually move, burrowing her nose further into her tail, eager to go to sleep. It was tiring work, travelling through time and ending up in another world. Well, alright, it wasn't another world, but it was close enough, seeing how different everything was. She had already decided she pretty much hated everything here. Her poor nose hurt and so did her ears. It was as if people were deaf or something! How could they survive with so much noise?!

It wasn't too long before she fell asleep, though a calm and peaceful nap wasn't what visited her. Dreams of fire and flaming houses, forests being burned down, her father's pelt removed and spread out to clean. Horrifying images that made her whimper and cry, restless, hackles raised one moment, tail pressed against her the next. And then she heard it. A laugh. Not a loud booming one, nor a particularly creepy one. It made her uneasy, however. She lifted her head, standing up on the chair, wondering why Damian was making such a weird sound.

There was no chair underneath her, and Damian was not there either. In fact, she didn't seem to be in his room, or anywhere, really. Everything was black, as if someone had drained the colours from the world. "Damian?!" she yelped, hunched over, eyes wide and ears flat. Her tail was pressed between her legs; she looked the epitome of scared.

"Don't look so scared, Ayame-chan." The voice sounded familiar, yet like the laugh, it made her uneasy. Green eyes wide, she turned toward the voice, and nearly fell over when she saw what looked like her father. Except... it wasn't. He was black, almost as if burned, and his eyes were missing, fire leaping out of them instead.

To Damian, of course, it would simply look as if she was restless in her sleep. Unless his nose was strong enough to smell the presence of another.
​

*****​

Kirn nodded, a small smile on his face. He would have reached out to pet the wolf had he not been worried that it might hurt his pride. "Servant of a thunder god," he murmured softly. "Well, that explains the singe marks." He was a little saddened that the wolf had to endure what he had, but he wasn't surprised. Anyone who took care of such a mighty element would surely have a temper to match.

He shivered under the rainfall, and looking to Chi, he could see she was feeling cold as well. Neither of them were really made for the dark and cold. He needed to find some shelter for them all quickly, otherwise they would be sick, and fast. "Chi, become small."

The little white haired fairy looked like she wanted to ask why, but then she nodded, seeing the look in his eyes. "Okay," she chirped. "Right away!" She glowed a soft white, and a moment later she was her tiny four-inch self, fluttering in the air now. Kirn put out a hand for her to land on, which she did.

"Raiju," he said once he had her sitting on his shoulder, shielded by his long hair. "I would have you come with us if it's all the same. It's better to be together than alone in a strange forest, and once we are safe I will be able to take your pain away with ease. Do you think you can help me find some shelter?"​

 

[Spekkun]

Ayame's ears twitched, but she didn't actually move, burrowing her nose further into her tail, eager to go to sleep. It was tiring work, travelling through time and ending up in another world. Well, alright, it wasn't another world, but it was close enough, seeing how different everything was. She had already decided she pretty much hated everything here. Her poor nose hurt and so did her ears. It was as if people were deaf or something! How could they survive with so much noise?!

It wasn't too long before she fell asleep, though a calm and peaceful nap wasn't what visited her. Dreams of fire and flaming houses, forests being burned down, her father's pelt removed and spread out to clean. Horrifying images that made her whimper and cry, restless, hackles raised one moment, tail pressed against her the next. And then she heard it. A laugh. Not a loud booming one, nor a particularly creepy one. It made her uneasy, however. She lifted her head, standing up on the chair, wondering why Damian was making such a weird sound.

There was no chair underneath her, and Damian was not there either. In fact, she didn't seem to be in his room, or anywhere, really. Everything was black, as if someone had drained the colours from the world. "Damian?!" she yelped, hunched over, eyes wide and ears flat. Her tail was pressed between her legs; she looked the epitome of scared.

"Don't look so scared, Ayame-chan." The voice sounded familiar, yet like the laugh, it made her uneasy. Green eyes wide, she turned toward the voice, and nearly fell over when she saw what looked like her father. Except... it wasn't. He was black, almost as if burned, and his eyes were missing, fire leaping out of them instead.

To Damian, of course, it would simply look as if she was restless in her sleep. Unless his nose was strong enough to smell the presence of another.
​

*****​

Kirn nodded, a small smile on his face. He would have reached out to pet the wolf had he not been worried that it might hurt his pride. "Servant of a thunder god," he murmured softly. "Well, that explains the singe marks." He was a little saddened that the wolf had to endure what he had, but he wasn't surprised. Anyone who took care of such a mighty element would surely have a temper to match.

He shivered under the rainfall, and looking to Chi, he could see she was feeling cold as well. Neither of them were really made for the dark and cold. He needed to find some shelter for them all quickly, otherwise they would be sick, and fast. "Chi, become small."

The little white haired fairy looked like she wanted to ask why, but then she nodded, seeing the look in his eyes. "Okay," she chirped. "Right away!" She glowed a soft white, and a moment later she was her tiny four-inch self, fluttering in the air now. Kirn put out a hand for her to land on, which she did.

"Raiju," he said once he had her sitting on his shoulder, shielded by his long hair. "I would have you come with us if it's all the same. It's better to be together than alone in a strange forest, and once we are safe I will be able to take your pain away with ease. Do you think you can help me find some shelter?"​

Damian didn't bother trying to go back to sleep. He'd had a somewhat decent nap before Ayame had shown up. He didn't feel like sleeping now that he had company as well. It wasn't that he believed the Kitsune's intentions to be malevolent, but more so that he'd never been comfortable sleeping around others. So, the halfling decided he would lay in bed, doing what he did best. Think.

After today, what would tomorrow entail? He was no time travel expert, most of what he knew came from fictional stories such as Dragon Ball Z. And unless they could find some eccentric, generous genius that wouldn't be mind blown by her story to build a time machine, traveling to different eras wasn't going to be happening anytime soon. So, maybe books and priests would be the best route. At least he'd get to visit more temples this way.

He turned his head over to look at Ayame once more, noting her restlessness. Maybe she was dreaming about this "noisy world" she'd run through. He couldn't blame her for being scared of it, he was scared of it when he was younger, and maybe he still was, in a way. He inhaled deeply before letting out a sigh. A frown quickly graced his face as he jerked up, jumping onto his feet.

Only two scents should be in here, one being his and the other being Ayame. He knew well enough that housekeeping wasn't visiting, the scent of lemon and citrus came and left with them. He looked around the hotel room, eyes scanning before he opened his mouth. "Who else is here?" He asked, voice unassuming and threatening.

*****​

Raiju was surprised by the girl's ability to decrease her size. Perhaps she was Kami, or something of that descent. Perhaps not, he'd not seen a spirit like her before. It seemed a useful ability to him, to shrink down and avoid detection, keep safe and make travel easier. The curiosity showed on the wolf's face as he thought about the girl. Then, it disappeared.

He nodded his head to the man. "I do know of a safe place for us. A cave nearby, I use it to sleep in peace or when I wish to be alone." He'd found it during one of his master's fits when he would be told to go away or to leave the Thunder God alone for awhile. "It should shelter us from the weather, the wind and any predators that may come our way."

Though he was trying to put on a tough act and hide his pain beneath his pride, the way he moved made it all too clear that he was in pain and wanted it to leave him at once. He turned around rather quickly, taking only but a moment to get a sense of his location before pointing his nose in a direction. "Come, follow me this way." He told Kirn.

The white wolf took a step and winced. The pressure irritated the burns he had more than the weather did! He could tough it out and walk, but he'd rather not if he didn't have to. He took only a few steps further before the air around him became stiff. Crackling could be heard as a blue spark flew from his feet. The sparks grew more numerous before disappearing altogether as Raiju rose from the ground, suspended in the air. Around his paws was now lightning, vibrant and blue. Not only would this allow him to fly but the light would chase away any darkness surrounding them.

"It is not too far from here." He told Kirn, looking back at the man before floating forward. His own lightning would not hurt him, nor would natural lightning. It was only his master's lightning, capable of empowering him or causing him harm, at least as far as he knew.​

 

[Greenie]

For a while Damian wouldn't hear anything save for the sounds that were already part and parcel of the room. Then came the laugh that Ayame was hearing, the giggles that were chilling, neither friendly nor cute as a giggle should be. It would seem as if the entire room was suddenly covered in a screen of black, a screen that was rippling like waves of water. It was nothing as beautiful, however, rather foreboding to the one watching. The alien scent had increased; it was a strange combination of blood and rotting fruits, sweet yet sickening.

"Who else you ask?" The voice was unusually high-pitched and cold. "I am known as No-Chan to my friends. Do you wish to be my friend? I'm sure we can have much fun, little boy." The shadows seemed to increase above Ayame, taking a distinct solid form until finally, it was rather clear that the nogitsune was right above Ayame, all four legs on either side of her. She was small enough to be completely covered by his body, which was practically oozing with darkness, shadows dripping like water, splashing around Ayame and covering her in a black haze. He had five tails, each seeming to reach out in a different direction like tentacles underwater.

His fiery red eyes zoned in on Damian and a grin appeared on the wicked fox's face. "You, you have darkness within your soul, do you not? You try to hide it, but my specialty is to find darkness wherever I go. Even if it's an atom's size, I will find it." A laugh escaped the nogitsune, tails wagging ominously as he seemed to further settle down on Ayame, who let out another whimper in response. "Well, Damian-chan? What do you say? Partners?"​

*****​

Kirn smiled, eyes shining in amazement as he watched Raiju lead them forward through the forest. While he still felt this wasn't a good place to be, especially with a storm coming, it had also become a place of fascination. He hadn't thought he would meet such and interesting being here, one who very well had godly powers. A youkai, but there seemed no evil in him. In fact, all Kirn could sense was pride, but more of an innocent sort rather than a vice. And perhaps... longing? It was hard to say.

Meanwhile, Chi was rather excited as well. "Oh, he can fly! He can fly like us!" She stared, eyes big and bright as she followed Raiju's movements through the air. Her wings began to flutter, though they stopped when she felt Kirn lift the shoulder she was on, breaking her momentum.

"Not now, Chi." She let out a teensy sigh but nodded, settling down once more. He was right, she had already expended too much energy this night. Any more and she would be too weak come the morning.

Kirn turned his attention back to Raiju, not wanting to lose focus. The faster they reached the cave, the faster he could heal the wolf. Perhaps even transform to his other form; it tolerated the cold and rain much better. Or rather, maybe he would simply shift now.

"Hold on to me, Chi, I'm shifting forms." It took a few seconds, then Kirn was surrounded by a white light. In the blink of an eye, he was in his kirin form, deerlike in shape, though his fur was white and his silky mane and tail long and flowing, trailing on the ground. He had a single two-pronged horn protruding from his forehead, taupe in colour. All in all, he was a beautiful sight to behold.​

 

[Spekkun]

Damian stiffened visibly. The change in the scenario of the room, the scent that disgusted him and the uncomfortable voice was enough to send a shiver down his spine. It was surreal, like something you would see in a horror movie. His nose visibly wrinkled and his head jerked left, right, up and down, surveying the room before his eyes rested on Ayame once again.

When the shadows formed above the Kitsune, his shocked expression turned into a fierce scowl, a response to the emotion of fear rippling throughout his body. "What…" Just another Kitsune, he was sure. The tails gave it away, but he wasn't the slight bit curious about meeting this one. Everything about him, from the air surrounding him to his appearance, put every cell in Damian's body on high alert.

In fact, his first instinct was to lunge at the other fox, but he wouldn't do that. He didn't know what he was up against, what this…freak, was capable of. He had to calm himself, he had to fight away the fear. With a deep breath (nearly gagging from the smell), he was able to regain his composure. What was a scowl was now a stony expression, though his teeth remained clenched behind his lips. "I don't want to be your friend. I want you to get off her, and I want you to leave." He told this No-Chan. He could handle this.

At the mention of his soul, Damian's hand moved to his chest, as if trying to hide. "I've left it behind." He told No-Chan, eyes narrowing. "Whatever you think you see, you're imagining things. Don't pretend as if you know me." He knew it wasn't true. Part of his reason for coming here was to get away and sort his feelings out. He was trying to let go something but it was proving to be harder than he thought. "I'm not going to partner with a freak. You need to go before I decide to use violence to deal with you." He stepped forward, trying to make himself seem as imposing as possible. Use the fear, don't let it use you.



*****

Raiju's ear flicked. He could hear the fairy behind him and would have chuckled, had his mood not been so dour. "Indeed, I am capable of flight." He told her. "It is perhaps my most useful ability and it serves me well." Considering his master hated touching the ground it was one of the only ways he would be able to reach the Shinto deity. He also needed to be quick, like lightning, in order to best serve his lord.

The white light reached the corner of Raiju's eyes, prompting his curiosity. He turned around rather quickly, believing it to be something more sinister than it was. He was pleasantly surprised to see the form of a Kirin instead and, nearly instantly, lowered his head in respect. "I've only seen artistic depictions before, never in person." He told what was once a man, raising his head. His tail swung gently side to side.

It was quite a pair, the two of them. A little-winged person and a Kirin. Meeting them after such an event was no coincidence surely. Fate was being kind to him after a nasty turn of events and he quietly thanked it for that. "We are close to the shelter I spoke of. This way." He turned around once more, drifting through the air and towards a large and thick tree.

The tree had a cave-like opening in the trunk and was hollowed out from within. Whoever had made this shelter had done so intricately but at the expense of the tree. "This was done many years ago. A custom of the people, no doubt." He told the two, lowering himself to the ground beside the tree. "Please, enter." He sat on his haunches, slowly so as not to disturb his wounds. "There should be ample room within. It is quite a large tree."

 

[Greenie]

A chilling giggle once more left the nogitsune. His tails wagged, looking menacing even though it was simply from pleasure... the pleasure of seeing the young man before him so very uncomfortable with the situation he found himself in. It thrilled the dark fox, seeing fear and confusion, seeing the disgust in his enemies. One of his favourite part of his imposed games was simply watching the reactions he garnered. Damian did rather nicely at first.

Denial was always there, almost an instinctive move, really. Nobody wanted to admit there was something within them that they hated, or that perhaps caused them grief or something that angered them so much that they had to keep it chained. No-Chan liked to think that he had perfected the art of dragging people's inner demons out. Seeing Damian's hand move to his heart, instinctive or not, was amusing. What wasn't, however, was what came after.

He watched the stony expression, the effort Damian was putting up to stop his fear from taking over. No-Chan's tails flicked with slight irritation, though his voice remained as cheerful as always. "Oh, Damian-chan, nothing is ever left behind. What takes place in your life is always there in your mind. No matter how many walls you build up around it, no matter how many locks you put up to keep it from escaping, there will always be someone who will break them all down to dust, until all you see is the darkness you wished to run from. But you can never run from the dark, Damian-chan. Wherever there is light, there are shadows; the brighter the light, the darker the shadows."

The grin on No-Chan's face was leering indeed, satisfaction almost oozing from it. He brought his muzzle down, nuzzling the top of Ayame's head, though his fiery eyes remained on Damian, even as he licked her one ear.

"Ja ne, Damian-chan,". A cackle escaped the nogitsune as he raised his head. The tendrils of darkness swirled around him, enveloping him... not a moment later, he vanished.

The light returned once more to the room. Ayame seemed unharmed, though she was shuddering on the chair, curled up even more tightly than before.

*****​

Kirn smiled inwardly, seeing the respect Raiju had for him. He knew he was right about the young white wolf, but seeing it in effect was something that lifted his mood, enough that it took away most of the remaining sour feeling from having felt the darkness earlier. I know I must look different from the depiction of kirin you may have seen. I haven't met any other here, and I do know that there are differences in what mythology says I should be... He paused a moment, thinking over his words before continuing. I am not from here, from this world. I came from another world. Where? I don't know. But the fact that Earth is not my world is something I've known since I first discovered this form of mine.

It had been a difficult transition for the kirin. He had been found by humans and raised as a son until he was ten when he first transformed. His family had been shocked, as was he. It didn't go well, and eventually, the young Kirn ran away from home.

He lowered his head unknowingly in his solemn mood, though the tiny pat from Chi's hand made him look up once more. Still, all things happen for a reason, and I am very glad I am here in this world."

"Me too!" Chi piped in her small voice, snuggling in Kirn's mane. "I'm glad I was able to meet you, Kirn! And you Raiju, even if we just met now! I think you're both the most amazing beings I've ever seen in my life!"

Kirn chuckled inwardly, though it came to a pause as he looked at the tree Raiju had brought them to. Well this is certainly different. Rather beautiful, I must admit.

Chi stood up on the kirin's neck, taking a moment to balance herself before walking up so that she was positioned right by his horn, resting a hand against it. "It looks strong and cozy, let's go in, Kirn, you can then help Raiju get better."

Yes, of course. That said, the kirin entered the shelter, heading toward the back before settling down.

 

[Spekkun]

Damian didn't have a reply for the Nogitsune's words, remaining tight-lipped and stone-faced. Maybe it was because he believed his words to be true. Maybe he would always be who he was before. The thought frightened him, but he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, shelving them for another time. Regardless of if the creature was right, questioning things would do him no good. For now, he would follow the road he'd been walking along, just to see where it would take him.

Paranoid, the half-kitsune performed a sweep of the room, checking underneath the bed, in the closet, bathroom and even behind the TV stand, his nose and ears working overtime to pick up anything else he would, and should, be wary of. He wouldn't stand for another invasion of his room. Two in one night? That was more than enough for him, even if one was more pleasant than the other. Once he was sure the room was clear, or as clear as he could make sure it was, he moved to Ayame's side, hand held out to prod he awake.

But he paused. Should he? If he awoke her, would it do any good? It probably didn't matter, she didn't seem like she was sleeping very comfortably now. He almost felt bad for her, seeing how tightly the fox curled into herself. It reminded him a lot of when he was younger. Curling up that way made him feel an artificial and fleeting sense of security, but even that wasn't good enough. Damian placed a hand on her head, gently of course. It was out of sympathy partially, a way that, while awkward to him, was an attempt to comfort her. If she woke up that was fine with him, and if she slept a little better, that was good too. It gave him time to think.

*****
​

Raiju shook his head, a small chuckle rising from his throat. "You are no more a mythological creature than I, my friend. I know that there are variances in what beings such as yourself are depicted to be. I myself have many forms, this surprises me not." He assured Kirn. He paused as he mulled over what Kirn said about being from a different world. He only knew of two, maybe three different realms, was he from one of those? Highly unlikely. No creature in possession of such beauty would be from the underworld. "I am sorry to hear about your predicament. I do hope this world has been kind to you."

The thunder beast followed Kirn and Chi into the tree, making sure to shake his paws off. Though it was a tree and not a place of residence, he did not wish to track mud into the place they would be settling for the while. His tail wagged gently at what the little fairy said, and while it didn't show on his face, a smile could be heard in his voice. "Arigatou, thank you. You are quite the spectacular being yourself." He told her with a bow of his head. The positivity he was feeling from them was a breath of fresh air. He was used to being around beings with a much more...evasive mood than this.

Once they were inside, he settled down on all fours, a well covered but still noticeable wince on his face as he did. He almost wished the burns and bruises were cuts instead. At least those he could lick clean and shut. This, he had no way of taking care of himself. At least for the moment, he was safe from his lord's wrath.

 

[Greenie]

It was a moment before Ayame's ears twitched, and not soon after her eyes opened, blinking in an unsure manner as if she wasn't sure where she was. She struggled to sit on her haunches, turning her head to look at the owner of the hand on her head. Her eyes brightened immediately and her tail gave a slow wiggle. She had the worst dream ever, it had been all dark and lonely and just... scary. Most of all, it had seemed so real! Even if she wasn't in her own world, well... this strange world with this somewhat hospitable person was way better than that beast of darkness for her dreams!

Her mouth opened in a pleased grin and the wag in her tail increased. "Aiya! I was worried for a little bit! There was this scary nogitsune and he was just... it all felt so real, and I saw..." She wavered a little before continuing. "Ah! It doesn't matter!" She seemed rather happy it was simply a dream and for a moment seemed to forget that she hadn't actually been invited into this room she was treating so familiarly.

Ayame lifted her head a little, lightly bumping Damian's hand with her nose before hopping down to the floor. Poof! She was still on all fours, but now she was in her humanoid form. She quickly straightened up, standing tall in all her 4'9 glory, carefully brushing the front of her vest with her nimble fingers. Her clothes were rather dusty from the dirt of the roads as well as hiding about in various bushes on her way here. Dusting over, her hands rested on her stomach, from where a grumble could be heard.

"Ahhh..." Her green eyes seemed sad for the smallest moment before shifting to look at Damian, eyes wide and most certainly 'puppy eyed'. "Ano, is there any food here?"​

*****​

Kirn caught the wince on Raiju's face immediately. He stood up and walked closer to the large wolf. As he did, his antler-like horn began to glow white, lighting up the inside of the tree. He leaned his head down, lightly pressing his horn against Raiju. As he did, he could feel his healing magic flowing through him into the wolf, searching for the areas he was wounded. Finding them, the first time the magic did was num the pain so that while it was still there it was lessened to a large degree.

That done, Kirn began to work on the actual bruising and burns. It was still very surprising to him that a god could do such a thing to his underling. He didn't wish to say this to Raiju, but it caused him some concern. Of course, this fellow looked as loyal as they came, so he could only expect that any torment that came his way was looked at as deserved and perhaps even beneficial.

Chi jumped off from Kirn's head and fluttered over to Raiju, looking at him with a smile on her face. "You're as white as snow," she told him, reached a hand out and lightly petting his cheek with her tiny hand. "And so soft!" She seemed to revel in how soft, her hand disappearing under the fur before she pulled it out, grinning as she resumed her petting. "You probably take really good care of your fur, don't you?"​

 

[Spekkun]

"Ah…" Damian started to speak, but he remained quiet, mouth open as he thought over what he should say. He should tell her, right? The Nogitsune was there, and it wasn't likely that he would leave her be anytime soon, which, in a way meant that he wouldn't leave Damian alone either, not if she was here anyway. "Hnng…" He grumbled to himself, chasing away the thought in his mind. He wasn't heartless, he wasn't going to ditch her.

"Hm?" The half-Kitsune was shaken from his thoughts by her question, that, and the realization that he had been thinking without speaking for a few moments. When he caught her gaze, his eyebrow visibly twitched. What…what was she doing? What was that look she was wearing? For the first time Damian was feeling a weird feeling in his chest, a warm and maybe even bubbly feeling, and before he knew it, his mouth was moving, and his thumb was jerking towards the mini-fridge in the corner. "I don't have a lot right now, but there's some food that I didn't finish in there. You can have it." He grunted.

He wasn't sure what kind of sorcery she cast, probably some magic skill he didn't know or couldn't know since he was only a half-breed. Whatever it was, though he didn't admit it, maybe not even to himself, he was pleased to have what she asked him for. He shook his hands out before heading over to the fridge, opening it and taking out the leftovers he hadn't finished. "Here, help yourself." He told her, placing the food on the small coffee table.

*****​

Raiju was used to licking his own wounds and letting them heal over time. Sometimes he would get actual medical treatment from someone that knew who and what he was, but none of those things were like what Kirn did. It was like a warm feeling coursing throughout his body, numbing his pain and mending his wounds. The experience was both bizarre and pleasant, but enjoyable. The pain was dull, and that alone was enough to lift the wolf's spirits.

"Arigato." He thanked Kirn, his first instinct was to lick the Kirin's cheek, perhaps something left over from when he was a pup. But he didn't, he didn't want to overstep, nor did he wish to move, in case he messed up the healing session. "This is much better than seeing a physician." He complimented. It wasn't that doctors were bad, it was that doctors didn't know how to heal a magical creature.

His tail swept back and forth against the ground and his eyes looked too Chi, "I do take care of my fur, I like to stay well groomed and presentable when I can. It would be very awkward to stand in front of my master if I were covered in filth." He wouldn't be struck, just ridiculed, which could be just as bad as being struck sometimes. "But there is no feeling like clean fur." He chuckled. "I hate to have my fur dirty." It was a pain to keep the white hair clean, but the results spoke for themselves.

 

[Greenie]

Ayame's eyes switched from puppy eyes to wide with surprise. She had been sure he would reject her, grab her by the tail and toss her out of the door- she wouldn't have blamed him... probably not! Instead he was offering her food! As if it had a life of its own, her tail wagged uncontrollably as she followed after him, mouth opened as her eyes and nose feasted upon the sight and scent of the food. In fact there was a trail of saliva that escaped her mouth, slowly trailing down the side of her chin until she casually wiped it with the back of her hand.

"Uwaaaah!" she finally exclaimed, smacking her cheeks a little with her hands, unable to tell if this was real or really a dream. Nose twitching she skipped forward and raised a finding, poking at it with her finger. It was indeed real, or at least that was all the confirmation the auburn haired kitsune needed. Without further ado she started eating, tail swishing this way and that as she tasted delicious foods she had never tasted before. It was as if magic was being performed in her mouth.

It wasn't long before she had cleaned the plate. She could probably have eaten more, but her stomach was satisfied and she no longer felt as if she were starving; in fact, if she had eaten more it would simply have been for the taste, probably resulting in a stomachache later on.

"Arigato!" she chirped, licking her lips before finally facing Damian, a huge grin on her face. "That was the best food I have ever, ever tasted!"
​

*****​

Kirn shifted back to his human form, smiling as he too patted the white wolf, though for a much briefer time than Chi, who was still rather enchanted by the newcomer. He could tell that whilst he was large in size and rather polite and mature, he was probably still, at least in human terms, a young adult, no more than a year or so older than his charge Chi. It was nice to see that despite the abuse he had suffered on the hands of his master, Raiju was still pleasant, spirit unbroken.

"Oh, I know, I know!" Chi nodded, certainly knowing the pains of having white hair for herself. "It is the same for me and Kirn! Although we stay out of the rain so normally we don't have to worry about splattering mud and such. I would surely be blown away and as for Kirn, when he's in this form then the water isn't good for him at all."

"It's true," the kirin agreed, nodding. "I get rather sick from water which is why I was rather eager to find shelter when I heard the thunder." Of course, it wasn't just the thunder that had him worried though. Though the evil he had sensed earlier was gone, its remnants remained like a foul stench lingering in the air.

"Raiju..." Kirn didn't wish to bring it up; talking about evil sometimes brought just that. However, it was best to know. "Did you sense something when you came down here? Something unpleasant? Do you perhaps have any notion of what it may be?"​

 

[Spekkun]

Watching her pinch herself nearly made Damian chuckle a bit, but he stifled the response, grunting instead. That chuckle was probably just the after effects from…whatever he was feeling when gave him that look. Even if he wanted to say no, he couldn't bring himself to do it, he was sure of that. Maybe it was some kind of magic cast from her eyes to his, who knew? It didn't matter now though. She had her food and he had…well, he had company. And that was fine by him for now.

"As long as you aren't hungry anymore." He grunted in reply to her, moving to gather what was left and store it away. "As hungry as you looked, I'm surprised you didn't finish all of it." He had starved before, and he was unable to save anything for later. He'd just stuffed himself silly, and then even further beyond that, to the point of passing out. Once he'd put the food away, he grabbed one of the hotel's complimentary plastic cups, adding a few cubes of ice and then pouring some water into it. "Here." He placed the cup on the table before her before plopping himself down in the chair the hotel provided.

Damian thought for a moment about what to say next, or rather how to say it. "So…what are you going to do now?" He asked, coming out with it bluntly. He didn't mind helping her but she was from another time, and practically another world. Was it possible for her to get back? How would she even find out? And if she couldn't what the heck would she do then? Not to mention the creature that was, for lack of a better word, haunting her. The mere thought of the shadowy specter caused Damian's brow to crease, a frown forming on his face. Today he needed to get something to keep that thing away from him.

*****​

"Ah I see, I'm glad to have found you shelter then." Raiju was always happy to help someone, but these people had helped him first so he found himself feeling especially obligated to return the favor, and then some. The patting from the two of them was enough to get his back-right paw thumping against the forest floor. "I do hope the rain will pass soon, my master's rage shouldn't last much longer." He glanced upward for a moment, only looking back when he heard Kirn's question.

"Ah…indeed I did sense something evil, even through the pain." He nodded his head. It was sharp, cold and worst of all it was crafty. He had felt it only for a moment or two before it faded away. Whatever it was had to be hiding its presence. "I am not quite certain what it was, had I not been…impeded, I would have attempted to investigate." He had to word it carefully, the sky had ears and he thought it best not to endanger himself nor Chi and Kirn anymore.

"Once I am able, and help you two on your way, I'll begin my investigation." The thunder beast raised his head, trying to look proud and tough. "I shall find the source of this evil and vanquish it. There is no need for alarm." He assured the two of them. His brave look was broken as his head tilted slightly to the right, an inquisitive look gracing his features. "Ah…if I may ask, where were you two headed before I interrupted?"

 

[Greenie]

Ayame had still been patting her stomach, enjoying the bliss of no longer being hungry. Damian's question however cause her to pause. She pursed her lips in thought, head tilted to the side. It was a very valid question, one the mischievous little kitsune couldn't quite ignore. If she could go back to her time, she would... but how? And would it be the right thing to do? It had to be Inari-sama's will that she came to find herself in this loud, smelly and very strange world.

"Worry not!" she proclaimed, getting to her feet, arms akimbo as she held her fists against her waist. "The Great Ayame will figure something out!" When exactly was unknown to her, but it obviously wasn't now. She swerved around, looking at the room, a grimace finding its place on her face, wiping away her false confidence. "Aiyaaa..." The word came out as an unsure sigh as she scratched the back of her head. It was a terrible world where she would feel safer in a closed off building than outside where the only thing separating her and the sky were her beloved forests.

As she chewed on her lip, Ayame finally realized there was really only one thing she could do. To survive this land, she needed knowledge, and at the moment she had only one source. Turning around, she pointed a decisive finger at Damian. "You know more about this stupid place than I do! That makes you my Sensei here. So! I will go wherever you go as your student!" She nodded in a self satisfied manner as she grinned at the hanyou, tail wagging up a storm. She was obviously rather pleased with her decision.
​

*****​

So he hadn't been the only one to have sensed that malicious creature. Well, it made sense, seeing as the giant wolf was almost a god in himself. Kirn was somewhat relieved hearing the Raiju's words, but there was concern as well. It was never a good sign to sense any evil just to have it disappear. He would have to keep a close eye on his little fairy friend, that was for sure. Chi was a creature of light, and though she was by no means stupid, she was as pure and innocent as they came. If a malevolent spirit came her way, she would probably invite it to have a drink of honey water before even suspecting it might try to hurt her.

It took a moment for him to realize he had been asked a question. Thankfully Chi had been paying more attention than him, so he let the light fairy reply.

"Oh, we've been trying to find out where Kirn is from." Chi smiled from Raiju to Kirn before taking to the air, fluttering in midair so that she could look at both of them properly. "I'm from this world, though I have no parent. Kirn isn't though, he's known that since he was small he says."

"It's as she says," the kirin agreed. "I love this land, but in my heart and soul I know there's someplace else I'm from. I don't know if I wish to leave this world, but I want to at least glimpse where I came from." He smiled a little, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "A friend of mine said he heard about a city where portals to different places can be found. He's waiting for us there, beyond this forest... so that's where we were headed. We had stopped for the night of course."

"Maybe you can come with us too!" Chi looked at Raiju eagerly. "We could go find some tasty juice and have a small tea party! Except with juice!"​

 

[Spekkun]

Damian was silent for a moment, a frown growing on his face. "Go where I go, huh? That's…probably not such a good idea." He said that for multiple reasons. Bringing her with him was going to be more expensive, not to mention he was taking this trip as time to, as much as he hated calling it this, discover himself. "Maybe you ought to…" He trailed off, his frown deepening to a scary point as he recalled what happened while she was sleeping. That was even more reason for him to insist on going their separate ways, but it was also a good reason for him to stick with her. He couldn't, in good conscience, leave her be while she was being haunted. The guilt would eat him alive, and not just because of that.

How could he leave her alone when she had no idea what this world was like? That hit a little close to home for Damian, and the more he thought about it the more he didn't like the idea of doing that. After all, that Is what was done to him. He mulled it over a moment more, arguing with himself internally before coming to an answer. "Hnh…okay, I'll tell you what…you may tag along with me, and we will figure out what to do about your situation together." It seemed like a plausible plan. In fact, the more he thought about it the better it seemed.

"I may actually have someone we can talk to about this." He was pensive for a moment before rubbing his temple, as if trying to massage away a headache. He almost regretted thinking of the idea, almost. "In any case, we'll figure out how to get you home. I'm sure you've got people waiting for you whenever you're from."

*****​

"From another world…" Raiju repeated the words. They sounded too incredible to be true. At first, he thought of the underworld, but there was no way such a magnificent creature came from such a desolate and dark land. "If you're truly from another world, not to imply that I don't believe you," He added hastily, "I would love to help you find it. You've helped me to recover so it would be my honor to do the same." He bowed his head. "I'd love to accompany you if you would have me."

A small chuckled rose from his throat and a silly look spread across the wolf's face. "It's probably best I don't return home for some time anyway. I am in trouble after all." He wasn't entirely sure but he had a feeling that should he return home, he would either be scolded or electrocuted again, and he hadn't the heart for either at the moment. Besides, should he be needed he would be summoned, so he didn't worry about his master missing him too much.

"Unfortunately, I've never heard of such a city." He told Kirn, getting himself comfortable. "It sounds akin to something you would hear of in stories." He rested his head on the floor, rolling ever so slightly onto his side. "Perhaps my mother knows of it." He yawned, feeling sleep begin to creep in. "No matter though, I will escort you to this city tomorrow. I am sorry to say I feel exhaustion taking over me. So perhaps now would be a good time to settle in and sleep the night away." He murmured.

He raised his head for a moment, sitting up enough so that he could boop his nose against the fairy, tail slapping against the ground a few times. He lowered his head once more, closing his eyes. "Goodnight Chi-Chan, Kirn-San." He told them before drifting off into slumber.

 

[Greenie]

Ayame had been quiet as she listened to Damian, but when he mentioned people waitng for her, the remaining wag in her tail stilled. "True..." She was unusually quiet for a small while before shifting to her fox form once more. Ears tilted sideways and tail low, she looked to Damian. "You're right! Tomorrow morning we'll see what to do! I will sleep now!"

She had always been good at that, running away from her troubles, from things that made her feel sad, and she was doing the exact same thing right now. She headed for the corner of the hotel room, curling up in a ball yet again, tail covering her face so that only her ears showed. It was a while before she fell asleep however; memories of her nightmare still plagued her, but more than that was the thought that she didn't know what she would do come sunrise.

After all, her home was no more, and there was no one waiting for her. Now where she came from and not here either.​

*****
​

Kirn smiled, watching as first the large white wolf and then the little fairy fell asleep. He gently placed her on a relatively safe knot on the inside of the trunk and then shifted to his kirin form. Settling down once again he lowered his head to rest on his forlegs, eyes closed. His mind though was at work, searching the area and beyond. He could no longer feel any hint of the evil being from earlier, but that was no longer what he was searching for.

There seemed to be nothing but the feelings of animals for quite a while until he could finally catch glimpses of humans. That must be the city, he thought to himself. Then, with all his strength, he called out silently for one person in particular.

"Nevin, can you hear me?"

There was a long pause, almost a minute passing by before he heard someone very faintly in his mind. "Kirn? That you?"

"Yes, it's me. I'll be arriving tomorrow morning. Please meet us at the edge of the forest"

"You know, you should really invest in something called a cellphone"

Kirn laughed inwardly. You're probably right about that. And I will eventually. Just be warned that there is more than me and Chi. Please don't be hungover when we meet. Goodnight. With that said, the kirin cut off the connection and finally allowed himself to sleep.​

 

[Spekkun]

When the sun rose, Damian was up to greet it. He hadn't slept anymore during the night, his nerves were rattled by the creature from before, and his mind was running a marathon as he thought about the predicament that Ayame, and subsequently he himself were in. That creep...No-Chan, he called himself, was most likely haunting Ayame. Did he find her on her way over? Or even worse...did he come to this time with her? He hated the way that creature was able to peer into his soul like that. It was more than an educated guess, and it left Damian feeling bare and even a little shaken and irritated.

But the sun was up and the time for thinking was over. For now, he had an idea of who to go to for help with this scenario, and it was time to act on it. "Hey, wake up." He reached out to the sleeping fox and prodded her side with his hand. "It's time to get up. We're going to see my aunt."

He prodded her again without waiting to see if the first time was effective, this time not as gently as the first time, before starting to gather his things. He didn't have much with him, so it would be a short process for him.

*****

Kirn's magic healing and a long night of rest were all it took to lift Raiju's spirits. When the trio had awoken, they stopped to eat something before continuing their trek through the forest. The thunder yokai had a pip in his step that wasn't there before. It was nice to have company, especially company as pleasant as Chi and Kirn.

It didn't take them too long to find themselves on the outside of the forest with open land before them. Raiju took this moment to shake out his fur, removing any leaves, twigs or dirt that might have tarnished the purity of his fur. "How much further is your final destination?" His head turned to Kirn, tilting to the side ever so slightly.

Part of him worried that he'd be summoned before he could see them to their destination. He wasn't ready to go back yet, but if his master called for him, it was better for both himself and everyone else that he answered swiftly. But he wanted to at least make sure they got to their destination, if not even join them.​

 

[Greenie]

Ayame had woken up with the first prod, but she didn't move until the second one, letting out a yawn as she stretched out. There was a slight grumble from her as she sat up on her haunches, blinking as she looked around the room, disorientated for a moment. The confusion left when she recognize the scent and caught sight of Damian.​

"Ohaiyo!" she chirped, tail swishing back and forth as she jumped off the chair she had been sleeping on, stretching again once she touched the ground. She then shifted to her humanoid form, her ponytail a little messy from having a bedhead. Of course, that was readily ignored as she looked to Damian.​

"You're going to take me to see you aunt?" she asked, following after him. She didn't have any packing to do, having only the clothes on her back. "Is she close? Do you think she might know how to get me back?"​

*****

​

"It should be an hour's trek," Kirn replied, looking back at Raiju with a smile. "However, we're going to wait for now, since Nevin said to meet him here." He leaned back against a tree, wondering where his friend was. Hopefully he didn't fall prey to drink again, but as optimistic as Kirn liked to be, he wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.​

Chi was meanwhile fluttering about in her butterfly form, feeding off the nectar in the nearby clusters of flowers as she waited. Once she had her fill, she shifted to her little fairy form and landed on top of the large wolf's head; she assumed it would be fine so she didn't bother asking.​

About fifteen minutes later there was the sound of footsteps coming towards them. Kirn opened his previously closed eyes and smiled. "Ah, there he is. Come on."​

"Hey guys!" The voice belonged to a tall and rugged looking man with slightly shaggy dark hair. "Sorry about the delay, eh. Didn't think..." His voice trailed as he looked at Raiju. "Woah, you're big, bigger than me."​