Soft giggles made Sora’s ears twitch, and her environment bloomed in all directions as she scanned the area with her chakram, enclosing the long hair bundled in her lap. Eyes still closed, she tried not to smile while watching Nari and Emilia hover in-between Kari and her.
Illusions of various outfits the pair crafted together fizzled in and out of focus as they played dress-up with Kari and her. It was a pretty fun training method. The blonde single-tailed Vulpes must have suggested it not only to pass the time, but help Emilia gain a better grasp on weaving her magic.
Currently, Sora was in pink shortalls, white, thigh-high stockings, and a winter long sleeve top with dual-colored sports shoes. Her three tails and hair were soon dyed with pink as they continued.
“What do you think?” Emilia whispered, bright-eyed and proud.
“Mmh … I do love the clean two colors and outfit design … Your mom’s white hair makes for a good base to mix things up a bit. I adore those … what were they called, shortalls? Such interesting clothing shapes, and drawing attention to the thighs while covering up everywhere else—heh-he-he.”
“I was thinking about that when you were talking about Aunt Kari—the ripped denim skirt showed off her legs, but I saw these stockings when Mom was getting everyone's clothes, and it looked so warm and cozy. What about her tails?”
“I’m always a fan of highlights! I don’t mean to brag, but I sort of started a trend among the other Founders when I did it,” she grinned, puffing up her small chest. “Oh, but what did you call that racket-thingy … It’s for that tennis sport?”
“Mhm! I wanted to play with Mom sometime, but all the memories I have of it were from the professional stuff she watched when she was younger.”
Across Sora sat the dark-haired Fenris Wolf, lying on her back and dozing away as the pair changed her clothing to a white pleated skirt, Serena tank, sweatband, and tennis shoes. To finish off the sports look, as a matching racket lying across her belly, thick braided hair half-covering the item.
“Should we move to makeup?” Emilia excitedly asked.
“Hmm … that cosmetic thing you were talking about? I suppose we can give it a shot; I’m seeing a lot of unusual things humans do across this multiverse involving the stuff … Oh, but hmm-hmm-hmm, I think your mother is playing possum.”
A smile lifted Sora’s lips as she opened her eyes, canceling her chakram vision. “Having fun?”
“O-Oh…” Emilia panicked, fumbling the magic to cause the illusions to collapse. “S-Sorry, Mom, but uh … I know I should have asked, but…”
“It’s fine,” Sora chuckled, focus drifting to the red gown she’d been using, “no need to be embarrassed; I was just enjoying the show. It looks like Aunt Nari’s been teaching you how to craft illusions.”
The blonde hummed, crossing her legs the opposite way to look at Kari as the girl groaned, beginning to rise herself. “Emilia’s biggest issue seems to be her self-confidence in her weave.”
“I’m sorry…” she mumbled, hands fidgeting with her t-shirt front; it seemed the two had started by making her own outfit.
Nari’s tail reached over to rub the girl’s arm. “What did we talk about, Sweetie?”
“Eh-heh, eh … not to apologize so much…”
“Mhm! You gotta be strong and confident. Aren’t you the most cutest Vulpes ever?”
“Uh, ha-ha, umm, maybe because you said I was,” Emilia blushed, smiling while looking down at the floor. “You’re super cute, too, Aunt Nari … I’m just trying to copy you.”
“Oh, you sweetheart!” Nari cooed, floating over to hug the girl.
Sora held up a hand. “Can I give my vote for Emilia cutest Vulpes—I mean, do you see that blush with that copper hair and those eight adorable fluffy tails? It’s undeniable!”
“Mom! You really think so? I, umm … I thought the white looked nice, too … like Aunt Inari.”
Everyone’s gaze went to Seiōbo as the woman dramatically appeared out of a shadowy haze. “Hmm … Are we talking beauty? Bah, white is overrated, in my opinion,” she huffed, stroking her black tails. “No disrespect, Sora, but it’s rather too … vanilla, he-he, for my taste.”
Kari puffed out a pent-up breath while hoisting herself up. “Says the fox hosting white-tipped tails.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Emilia questioned, looking quizzically at the woman’s fur. “I do like your black hair, though, Aunt Seiōbo—it makes you look ominous and spooky!”
“O-Ominous and spooky?” Seiōbo mumbled, making Nari giggle. “I think I look rather daring in this outfit … What is spooky about it?”
Sora tried to hold back her own laughter while studying the Vulpes’ short, unusual winter-wear. “It does look very October.”
“I was thinking that too!” Emilia grinned. “She looks so cool and mysterious—like she’ll jump out and try to spook you in the forest during Halloween!”
Kari snorted. “More like the emo-girl trying to act tough and screams while being chased by a dude in a chainsaw outfit.”
“Such fun imagery!” Nari clapped. “I’d love to see that, but, eh-he-he, Seiōbo can be really terrifying when she’s mad or scared—that’s when she starts getting dangerous!”
Sora, Emilia, Kari, and Nari’s cheer diminished a bit as the atmosphere darkened, even to their night vision, and flashes of blue fire popped up around Nari. Seiōbo’s fingernails lit with flames, cobalt eyes illuminating to show a cold glare while looking past them into the shadows.
“W-What’s going on?” Emilia whispered, floating closer to hug Nari.
A cool breeze whipped past them, large trees taking shape with the mist rolling in; the cold atmosphere cutting past their immunity to natural elements and making them shiver, and that was when the sound of a string being pulled back resonated around the sound-dampened area—the start of a chainsaw.
Sora suspected what Seiōbo was doing, but it didn’t help the haunting vibes of a Halloween night pressing in around them. It impressed her how potent and seamless the woman was at weaving her spells to feel totally natural.
“B-Bobo … This is scary,” Nari whimpered, ears pulled back while looking around. “I hate it when I can’t sense your magic, yet I know it’s there—I know it…”
“What are you talking about, Nari? This isn’t me … Something’s out there.”
“S-Stop lying! This is Mom’s Realm—it’s safe—you’re just … Eek! I saw it!”
“W-What?! Where?!” Emilia jumped, arms coming loose to dive into Sora’s outstretched arms. “M-Mom!”
Nari was close behind, cuddling closer against Sora’s shoulder. “Y-Yeah, we—we need to stick together! Umm … Bobo … Is this really not you…”
Opening her chakram vision, Sora could penetrate the shadows a tad further than her construct and tried not to smile, holding the two quivering Vulpes in her arms.
A masked figure floated behind the couch, silently leaning forward to Nari’s ear. “Boo!”
“Eeek!”
Nari jumped straight into the air, landing on all fours against the ceiling to look down at them and hiss, a threatening golden aura of fire roaring to life around her frame as Emilia hugged Sora tight, eyes closed in fright.
What appeared to be shimmering rays of light instantly engulfed the area, yet to Nari’s horror, the hulking masked man was still there, and an embarrassed tint touched her cheeks as his fingers went to his face and removed the mask. “R-Really, Seiōbo! I—I really thought this was—was something else—you’re the worst!”
The perfect transformation faded into smoke as her sister’s sitting figure vanished, and Seiōbo took the place of the monstrous serial killer, dispersing the threatening vibes. A slight smirk was on the woman’s face. “It’s easy to fool you, Sis, when you rely so heavily on being able to read dimensional shifts.”
“I-It’s what Mom just taught us a few days ago! Excuse me for being gullible, Ms. Four-Tails!”
Seiōbo chuckled, vision shifting to Sora and Kari. “If you gave the topic they’ve been pondering any consideration, you’d know it was all drama—you have your own flaws to work on, Little Sister, because you really should have come to the same conclusion as Sora and Kari.”
Emilia glared back at the black-furred Vulpes, still holding tight to Sora’s neck. “That was so mean, Aunt Seiōbo! I was so scared.”
“I told you,” Nari huffed. “Bobo’s a big meanie tail! I like the old Bobo that was cute and would play dress-up with me!”
Face now thoroughly flushed, Nari stuck out her tongue and vanished to pout.
Seiōbo hovered closer to rub Emilia’s folded back ears, giving her an apologetic smile as Sora enjoyed her daughter’s embrace, small arms still trembling a bit. “Sorry, Little One, but I couldn’t help myself … I find Nari cute when she’s flustered—lamentably, when my sister was a hundred years older, she was harder to embarrass.”
“I’m still mad at you,” she grumbled, but Sora could see her smile at the woman’s attentive scratches.
“What can I do to make it up to you?”
“You better make it up to me!” Nari popped in between them, giving her sister a dirty look, but before Seiōbo could respond, she stuck her tongue out again, flipped back her hair, and vanished.
Sora chuckled a little as Emilia tried to hide a small smile. “She is really cute.”
“Not as cute as you,” Seiōbo praised to the girl’s internal delight. “Will you forgive me?”
“O-Okay … Will you teach me a little magic? I, umm…” An unsure grin moved her lips as her fervent gaze drifted between Sora and Seiōbo. “I want to learn how to scare my mom!”
“Oh, you naughty girl,” Seiōbo mused.
Sora hugged her daughter tighter, whispering into her ear. “You’ll need a lot of practice to do that—good luck!”
Determination setting in, Emilia swallowed and nodded. “Y-Yeah, you’ll see, Mom! I’ll scare you so good, you’ll jump onto the ceiling like Aunt Nari—no, you’ll jump into my arms! He-he-he!”
“Looks like you’ve created a little devil,” Kari chuckled, smiling at the show. “I gotta say, you nailed the vibe, though, Seiōbo … If I didn’t know what you were doing or just stumbled onto it, I would have thought it was the real thing—it really was impressive.”
“Don’t compliment her,” Nari grumbled, popping in to sit on the opposite side of Kari’s sofa. “She’s just more practiced than I am … That’s all! I could totally scare the dress off her if I had the same number of years to train; she’s just a cheater and has an unfair advantage against me.”
“Get good,” Kari snickered, making Nari pout again. “Seriously, though, I didn’t realize how strong the 2nd Generation was, even when really young.”
Seiōbo glared at Nari as the girl teleported to take the woman’s seat. “He-he! I win—got your seat!”
“Mhm…” The older sister made a new chair to sit beside the smug blonde, but Sora figured Seiōbo had allowed her younger sister this victory. “So, are you prepared to meet with the departing group and screen Emilia’s sitter?”
Her daughter’s fur bristled at the word. “What do you mean … Sitter like … like Mom’s when Grandpa was gone on business. I don’t need a sitter—why would I need a sitter? Mom’s not going away—right, Mom—you’re not leaving?”
Sora knew it had to come up and suspected if there was going to be a time to do it, it would be before meeting everyone and having Emilia possibly make a scene.
Taking a deep breath, she hugged her close and cleared her voice. “Aunt Nari, could you make an illusion of what I’m going to talk about?”
The blonde perked up, ears fluttering at being relied upon. “Oh, me instead of Bobo? Sure!”
Emilia’s eyebrows pulled together in apprehension, tails falling across the cushion while turning around a bit to look up at her with uncertainty. “Am I getting a sitter—where are you going—why can’t I come?”
Unfolding one hand around her side to scratch her neck, Sora pointed at the center table as Nari happily wove the illusion. “You know how human parents need to go to work. Right?”
“Mhm … B-but you aren’t a human parent—we’re not human.”
“I know, just listen for a second, Honey. Okay?”
“Okay…”
“You know how I used to go to school. Right?”
Emilia’s eyes widened. “Mhm … You went to school with Aunt Kari and Aunt Wendy, too. Right?”
Sora caught Kari’s wince before playing with her thick hair a bit; the Fenris Wolf didn’t know Inari hadn’t given Emilia anything negative regarding the girl, which was likely why she was so attached to Kari since all she knew was Sora and her becoming closer friends.
However, instead of focusing on that, Sora smirked, thinking about how thrilled Wendy would be when hearing Emilia call her an aunt for the first time—basically, everyone in their group was seen as close-family to her impressionable daughter.
“Yes, we did.”
“Umm … I don’t think Aunt Wendy likes Aunt Kari, though,” she whispered, her frantic mind probably trying to pull the focus away from the sitter topic while glancing between the resting girl and Fenris Wolf.
“That's … Mmh…”
Sora sighed. “Mmh, they’re bridging the gap, but it’s complicated—anyway, I want you to go to school and make some friends.”
The girl’s aquamarine eyes widened, lips parting in disbelief. “No way … Really? I get to go to school like you guys did? When … What—who are my teachers—do I get lunchtime, and recess, and arts and crafts, and all of it, too?!”
Sora’s chest shook with soft laughter, not expecting such an adorable response; she clearly hadn’t connected the sitter and school topics yet. Telepathically adjusting her dress to a better position after Emilia’s squirms and phasing her hair through her daughter’s pressed-down hand, Sora licked her lips.
“So, I need to do some training with my Null-Void, and everyone else needs to do their own stuff, too—including your aunts—which is why we’ll be able to spend the evenings and mornings together while I go to work and you go to school…”
“Oh … Hmm … We’ll be together every day, though … Can we cook together in the mornings?”
“He-he, if that’s what you want, we can make breakfast together, and once a week, we can make some sweets to share with everyone. Does that sound good?”
“I-I love it!” Emilia squealed, snuggling against her breasts while hugging her tight. “Umm, umm—can we make cookies first—chocolate chip ones?”
Sora’s mouth tightened, glancing at Seiōbo. “I’m … not sure they have chocolate chips here?”
The dark-furred Vulpes gestured to her right as the area was bathed in a warm sun to show rows of deep brown trees hosting large football-shaped fruit clustered along its branches. “The Theobroma cacao tree, as you call it, is easily produced using our magic—in fact…”
She snapped her fingers for the space to be wiped away and replaced by a small patch of brown earth beside her chair. “Vulpes Founder Magic taps into the very Core of Existence, weaving its pattern to produce our desired effects, given we have the strength to feed the process, which means from the subatomic level, we can construct the tree, plant, or finished process at any stage we so desire.”
Sora watched in wonder as the tree sprouted out of the ground and grew in real-time, yet Seiōbo ceased as Emilia hissed, “That’s cheating, Aunt Bobo! We gotta make it by hand—umm, so can we do that?”
Nari giggled, regaining her confidence and spirit. “Sweetie, why not a compromise? You can come to these rooms to get the raw ingredients, consult the library for how to process the materials, and use your magic to do so.”
It sounded like a lot of work to Sora, but Emilia’s smile only grew from Nari’s suggestion. “Ooh, yeah, yeah! I like that! I can show Mom how good my magic is getting and make food!”
That perspective hadn’t even crossed Sora's mind. “Uh, yeah … yeah, that could work. Umm, so … What your Aunt Seiōbo thought was that we spend the evenings and mornings together—you go to school, meet friends, learn magic, and I go to train—and we’ll be doing that for six months before we head over to meet your Aunt Jin’s big sister.”
Emilia smiled. “Oh, like summer vacation? Will we come back—no more sad stuff and bad people trying to hurt us?” Her lips parted, and worry suddenly touched her face. “No, but what about Great Grandma and Grandma? Don’t we—oh, are we going to rescue them and beat up the bad guys?”
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Sora's cheerful face became forced. “Uh, I … don’t know about Grandma and Great Grandma, Emm. I want to say we will, but that’s something Aunt Inari and Grandma are handling. Right now, we need to get stronger, so the bad guys aren’t so scary, and then we’re going to help your Aunt Jin. I don’t know after that—eh-heh, we’re kind of playing that by ear right now,” she giggled, pointing up at her own as it wiggled.
“He-he, umm … Okay, but … uh … who’s going to be my sitter?” she tentatively asked. “Will I need to share the food I make with you and stuff with them, too … Do I know them?”
She followed Sora’s questioning gaze to Seiōbo as the woman shook her head.
“No, Emilia, you do not. However, I am positive you will like him—hmm-hmm-hmm, he has a … unique personality and traits. I feel this experience will help her to grow as much as you; he comes highly recommended by my older sister—eh, second older sister,” she mumbled, lips falling a tad at the correction.
Sora figured Mia’s age gap over the former 2nd eldest was still a touchy spot for the woman. “I’m going to make sure I like him, too, Emilia—and your grandma did recommend him … Let’s keep an open mind. Okay?”
“Okay … It can’t be anyone else, though? Oh, uh—please, not Loral,” she whispered, ears folding back while likely remembering their first encounter. “What about Qebhet? I like how she makes me feel … Oh, or Tola? No, Eyia! I like Eyia!”
“Eh, Emi,” Sora smiled, shifting her to the side and holding her in place with her tails to look at the girl. “You need someone that can help you with your magic, and everyone else will be busy doing their own work—this person won’t only be your sitter but an instructor, as well.”
“Oh … Okay. Umm, so … when am I going to meet them?”
“In just a moment,” Seiōbo interjected, following Nari’s playful images as Sora went into a floating box in a business suit and skirt to blast imaginary foes with Kari and Aiden as Emilia was surrounded by other kids flying around a field, playing what appeared to be a dangerous variant of tag, using FoxFire. “I’ve informed the others we’d join them at what you call the Red Gate.”
Sora cleared her throat and nodded. “They’re getting there now?”
“Tola is currently preparing to teleport the group; they’ve already said their greetings and goodbyes to one another. Are you ready?”
Kari lifted an eyebrow, legs and arms crossed as she observed. “All I’ve been doing is sitting around and watching; I’m good to get out of here.”
Sora glanced to her left at Wendy and Mofupsi, still engulfed in the shifting crimson and white flames as their Core Essence went through the conversion process.
So far as she understood from her aunt’s explanations, this wasn’t necessarily changing them into Founders or whatever her Father was, but essentially loaning them a piece of herself that could generate the energies on its own—a seed of herself—and this was just shaping them to be able to utilize it.
Anything more, she was in the dark about, but answers would come when she had more time to question it, and she had time. “I’m ready. Emi?”
“Mmh … I’m scared … What if I don’t like them?”
“We won’t know until we go. Right? We gotta be brave girls.”
“Brave … I want to be brave like Kari and you, Mom … Okay, umm, yeah, let’s do it!”
Seiōbo lifted to her feet, Nari and Kari doing the same. Emilia was reluctant to get off of Sora’s lap but built her courage to stand after a second, and Sora followed, resting a hand on her small back.
“Umm, Mom … Will Aunt Nari and Aunt Seiōbo go to work, too? Will … will they come back every night?”
“I wish, Sweetie!” Nari sighed, shoulders drooping. “Bobo is dragging me all across time … She’s gonna beat me up a bunch, too.”
“A-Aunt Bobo is going to beat you up—why?”
“So violent,” Kari snickered, glancing toward the frowning woman.
Seiōbo gave her sister a dirty look as the blonde tried to look like an innocent damsel. “Nari isn’t all that strong.”
“Hey! I’m strong!” she huffed, breaking character. “I’m super, super strong!”
“Mhm…”
“Wha—Bobo! No! No, tail!” Nari gasped, jumping away as her older sister appeared beside her, the girl’s fluffy tip being yanked away from her two closed fingers. “I’m serious, Seiōbo! No more tail grabs!”
“Okay. Okay. My point?”
“Fine! Okay, yeah—I’m not as strong as you, but you're more than two hundred years older than me! That’s not fair!”
“Why, as you termed it, I’ll be beating you up … We have our own training to do, and I need someone at least somewhat competent to push me. You’re my only competition right now, Sis.”
“I get it … You don’t need to be so rough on me, though—I’m delicate.”
“Oh, how you’ve changed over the years,” Seiōbo giggled, making Sora and Emilia smile once the eleven-year-old understood it was all in good fun. “Alright, we’re ready.”
The environment changed, bringing them to the colossal grand hall of the Red Gate, murals drawing Sora’s eye, and she noticed Emilia’s fascination with the artwork once the girl saw it.
“Sora! Heh, it feels like ages since yesterday,” Ashley laughed, sounding bright and cheery from the somber atmosphere that had hung around the woman before shushing her concerns about reuniting with her family and being a failure of a mother. “My, I can’t get over how much you’ve grown since changing.”
“Right?” Mary mused, walking toward her with the former reporter upon seeing them. “To see you now after knowing you before your transformation—it’s a little jarring if I’m being honest. You went from the timid schoolgirl to Vulpes goddess, to a mother, and now, heh, a dish plate, as your daughter called you—wow, she actually looks her age, now, too!”
“So cute!” Ashley chimed. “I love the new look.”
“Dish plate…” Sora sighed, giving Emilia a slight playful glare as she giggled.
“A fancy dish plate; love you, Mom!” she snickered, hugging her waist. “Uh, so, where’s my sitter?”
“Soon,” Seiōbo returned, gesturing at the portal. “He’s on the other side.”
“He?” Emilia and Sora whispered in unison, looking to the portal.
“Mmh-he-he, you’ll see. Right now, it is time to say your goodbyes.”
“I don’t like goodbyes,” Emilia mumbled, vision drifting to Mary and Ashley. “Can you come back and visit?”
The two women smiled, and Ashley laughed as Josie snuck up behind her to latch onto her mother’s leg, peering around to look at Emilia; the five-year-old’s big eyes looking up at the smaller Vulpes before her.
“Mom,” she hissed. “It’s another magical fox girl! She has eight tails, Mom—can I say hi?”
“Heh-he, I don’t see why not, Honey. Sora?”
Sora looked down at her daughter. “Want to go show Josie some of the magic you’ve been practicing?”
“Can I?”
“Magic! You can do magic?!” Josie gasped. “Can you make me a princess? I want to have a wand, too!”
Emilia’s fur bristled, yet an eager smile was on her lips. “I can make you a princess dress—umm, it won’t stay when I go, though.”
“That’s so cool! Yeah, show me! Show me!” the little girl pleaded, rushing out from behind her mother’s legs to bounce up and down in front of the eleven-year-old. “Can you be the prince, and we go on an adventure to save our kidnapped brother?”
“Wha—why do I have to be the kidnapped one?” Cedric yelled from across the large hall, their words carrying over to him. “I want to be the prince!”
“Nuh-uh! You’re the damsel this time!” Josie shot back. “I was kidnapped last time—you were the prince, and Sinia was the bad guy! Remember?”
“Ugh … I guess, but … I want to escape.”
“Okay! We’ll beat the big dragon together!”
The adults chuckled as the kids rushed off to a corner of the room for Emilia to practice her illusions while playing the kids' games.
“Sinia?” Sora questioned, glancing to her right as Kari met Aiden, Nathan, and Alice, laughing as they talked in their little group.
Liz seemed somewhat conflicted to see the Vulpes she’d spent over a hundred years beside leave on a new adventure with Nathan, yet the two seemed to accept they were bound on different journeys.
A soft look came to Ashley’s face while turning back to see a nine-tailed Húli Jīng being pulled away by the two human children to join in their game as the villain and magician guide, playing both roles. Her husband waved them off and made his way to them with Tola by his side.
“Yes, one of Tola’s attendants that’s been acting as the kids' playmate; the kids are a bit heartbroken we’re leaving, but Inari is taking us to a place that is a bit more modern so we can be more comfortable in starting a new life. It’s still in one of her many Realms and will have other Vulpes the kids can fawn over. Heh, we’re even going to learn a bit of magic.”
“Can’t wait for that one,” Brandon cut in, sliding his arm around Ashley’s waist to pull her in and kiss the side of her head. “Maybe it will make managing these energetic tornados easier—please, give me a stamina potion or something, I’m begging you, hah—they’ve been bouncing off the walls since arriving here.”
Sora was happy to see the two being affectionate to one another after their long separation—throughout it all, Brandon never gave up hope on his wife, which touched her heart. “What about you, Mary?”
“Ah, my husband is already in another Realm—eh-he-he, given a choice, naturally, we asked for a place with a more Sci-Fi culture. She’s even giving us a sort of dimensional cell phone we can use to call our friends and family with.”
Ashley puffed out a long breath. “That sounds nice—when I was kidnapped and turned into a werewolf by Eric, a lot of our friends and family turned on Brandon … It was hard.”
His grip tightened around her waist. “It was nothing compared to not knowing what happened to you, not to mention the kids' questions.”
The blonde woman cleared her throat, cheer returning. “My little sister and Brandon’s older brother are going to join us—they were the only support he had.”
“There was the Church,” Brandon added. “He-he, a lot of casseroles—the stereotype is real. I’m looking forward to starting again, and in a place the kids have dreamed about…”
Nose turning red while brushing back tears, he cleared his throat. “Sora, thank you for bringing my family back together.”
“Really, Sora,” Ashley mirrored, sliding out of her husband’s arms to move forward and hug her. “You’ve changed our lives—my nightmare—into a fantasy … Thank you.”
Trying not to cry herself, Sora returned the embrace. “I’ve learned a lot—a whole lot from all of your examples … I’m so happy for you, even if it wasn’t for long … Maybe we will see each other again.”
“I hope so,” she chuckled, sniffing and coughing as she pulled back and laughed. “Don’t push yourself too hard—you have a daughter, too, now.”
“I know … I need to get strong enough to protect her at the same time,” Sora whispered, looking to the corner of the room as Sinia generated a small but real castle for them to try and storm with Emilia’s help as the battering ram, using her natural Founder strength to smash the wood to the kids’ thrill.
“I can understand that … I wish you could have a more peaceful life after everything I’ve seen you go through—life really isn’t fair … Still, I’m glad you have such a positive outlook on life, despite the hardships.”
Mary moved in to hold Sora, choking up herself. “Without a doubt, you are an extraordinary girl, Sora—and I’m not talking about your family—you’ve been an inspiration to me. I want to help people like you’ve helped me.”
“What?” Sora laughed, chest fluttering against the woman that had been her outlet against Kari’s bullying. “Without you, I don’t think I’d be here right now … You’ve been someone I could trust for so long … Thank you, Mary, for believing in me when no one else would … I know it was probably so hard to stay, even when you knew Eric was dangerous. You risked your life for me to—to just have someone that believes in me.”
“I can’t imagine walking in your shoes … Sora, please, take care of yourself—you have such a big heart, but don’t forget you need time to recover, too.”
“Gah, heh, I’ve learned that the hard way … I’m finally getting my family back, though.”
“Your father?” Mary asked, eyebrows pulling in as she broke away, hope in her brown chestnut eyes.
“No … No, I don’t know what happened to him after he vanished … I have a feeling things will work out, though, so I hold onto that.”
“I’m happy then … I’m so fortunate to have met you—yes, heh, despite being blackmailed, threatened by teenagers, forced to watch horrific things, and turned into a werewolf … We’ve been through so much in such a short time, yet I wouldn’t trade it away. It has been my pleasure to know you, Sora, and I’m proud to see the woman you’re growing into.”
“She really has grown up, hasn’t she?” Ashley giggled. “I haven’t known you as long as Mary, but I’ve seen you mature in leaps and bounds by the day … And look at you now. You’re so beautiful.”
Sora’s gaze fell to her dress and proportions. “It’s … just a Null-Void construct that I kind of made a bit much, eh-heh, but hopefully, I can grow into it in the coming months.”
“Oh!” Ashley nodded emphatically, vision drifting to the two floating Founders, silently observing a little ways away to not interfere. “Your aunt told us about your training. I’m sure the extra time will give you time to reflect and grow closer with your daughter.”
“I hope so … Look at her, though … She has the experiences of an eleven-year-old by borrowing from my life, but she’s never had real friends—she’s technically less than a week old—yet look how engrossed she is in the game. I doubt she can even hear us … yup, she’s not commenting, even with her hearing, she’s too focused,” Sora laughed.
“That’s how kids are,” Brandon added, sliding his arm around Ashley’s back as she pulled him in by the waist this time. “We—”
He paused, and everyone turned to the gate as if flipped to a royal purple.
Tola’s soft voice carried to each of them as if standing in their party. “Brandon, Ashley, Cedric, and Josie, Lady Inari’s timed pathway has been bridged to your destination; it will swap to Mary’s in three minutes.”
“No!” Josie and Cedric cried in unison.
“Thank you,” Ashley moved to give her one last hug as Brandon waved at her, shifting to jog over to his children.
“C’mon, Kids. We’ve got another adventure!”
“Take care, Ashley,” Sora said into her ear.
“You too.”
Mary and Ashley hugged and said their goodbyes before the family went to the gate, Cedric and Josie teary-eyed while waving at Sinia and Emilia.
“I hope we play again, Sinia, Emimia!” Josie called out, mispronouncing Emilia’s name.
Cedric coughed, trying to hold back the liquid in his eyes. “I—I had fun, Emilia, Sinia … Thank you for playing with my sister and me.”
“I wish you fortunes in the next adventure,” Sinia calmly returned after teleporting to their sides to give them one last hug.
Emilia weakly waved back, a sad look in her sapphire eyes. “I had fun, too … Safe trip.”
With that, the family left.
Mary took a deep breath as the portal turned green, and a nervous little male Vulpes popped out of thin air beside her, Tola seemingly bringing him in, and the woman moved her soft smile to the boy. “You remember Zeri?”
“Yes,” Sora said, grinning as Emilia caught one look at the boy and dashed to hide behind one of the pillars; it was her first time seeing a male Vulpes, and clearly, she had an instant crush on the cute boy. “How are you?”
“Good … I, umm … I’m thankful for what you’ve done in liberating all of the women,” he muttered, tail and ears falling a tad. “I had no clue what—what they were going through, but Mary helped me understand none of it was my fault. I, umm … She is going to be taking care of me now … I don’t want to cause anyone any more trouble.”
“Zeri,” Mary whispered, bending down to embrace him. “You’re not bad; it’s just a bad circumstance, and you have a special aura.”
Now that she mentioned it, Sora could sense an unnatural wave from the boy, and she assumed it must have been a rare male Vulpes trait considering their scarcity.
Sora took a deep breath, watching her daughter duck back behind the pillar as she looked her way; she didn’t think Emilia would be affected by the aura, considering her defenses, which just meant she was stunned to see a male Vulpes and could naturally sense it. “I know you’ll be okay with Mary. Uh, heh, looks like you’ve got your own dependant,” Sora smiled.
“Yes, he-he—he’s a wonderfully innocent boy—he’ll be fine, just as I know you’ll do well, Sora … As a mother, and as a person. Don’t force yourself, but yes, if we can meet again, I’d love nothing more, and, hmm … perhaps Emilia and Zeri can become friends.”
“We’ll play it by ear then,” Sora laughed, remembering her earlier joke.
Emilia slowly returned to Sora’s side, looking somewhat confused about what she should be feeling while watching Sinia remove the fort they’d been storming and the cute Vulpes boy leave.
Mary and Zeri departed, waving one last time, leaving Alice and Liz to give one final embrace, Nathan and Aiden shaking each other’s hands before doing the same. Sora caught their final words.
“Keep lookin’ up, Aiden—you’ve got a long life ahead of you, and it’s finally yours to live.”
“I know—thanks, Nathan—thanks for not judging me and being there when I needed you … I learned a lot from our talks. Ha-ha, maybe one day I’ll be as tough as you.”
“Woah, there, Boy, heh, don’t go setting unrealistic expectations! No, but I can see you’ve got your feet under you, and Liz is here to keep your head on straight. Punch him for me, will ya?”
“Liz…” Alice sighed as her friend grinned and slugged Aiden’s arm with everything she had, forcing him off-balance while the men laughed.
“What, he told me to,” she snickered. “I’ll make sure to keep an eye on him, Nathan. Thanks for teaching Alice and me so much—we were so lost, eh-heh, maybe not as lost as this guy, though,” she said, nudging Aiden.
“Hey! Hey! I’m good now. For real, you two get out of here and experience the world—Alice can save you if you get in hot water.”
The pink-furred Vulpes blushed as Nathan laughed. “I have no doubt; she pinned me good last night when she wanted to try wrestling—I couldn’t do a thing!”
Tola cleared her throat. “One minute until the passage closes.”
“Oh, hear that … Yo, Sora!” he called. “I know Ash and Mary probably covered everything, but take care of yourself! Don’t go blowin’ up any star systems any time soon, okay?”
“Ha-ha, I’ll do my best, but I might get a little hungry. If you need anything, uh … I don’t know, I’ll try to figure out some way to know if you do.”
“Naa! Sora, don’t go worrying about us—move on and live a little; you’ve earned it! Okay, you ready, Alice?”
“Nervous, but yes … Show me what it’s like in this Earth place; I look forward to trying the Turkey creature you mentioned and the Thanks Of Giving with your brother.”
It helped Sora to hear Emilia unable to restrain a snort. “It’s Thanksgiving,” she whispered, making Alice blush.
“Y-Yes, Thanksgiving…”
The pair left, Nathan assuring her it was adorable and totally not embarrassing; finally, they were gone, and the portal returned to its ruby hue.
“What now?” Emilia mumbled, focusing on Aiden and Kari as they talked to one another. “My sitter?”
Nari and Seiōbo floated forward as Tola bowed to them and silently took up a standing position to their side.
“Yup, I can sense they arrived on the other side!” Nari sang, kneeling behind Emilia to pull her into a hug. “Isn’t it exciting?!”
Seiōbo folded her hands into her sleeves, fixating on the portal as Kari explained to Aiden what was happening, and all of their attention was pulled to the gate when a tall man entered—a male Vulpes, like Zeri. However, unlike Zeri, this man radiated an elegant charm and powerful aura; his nine tails were snow white.
“A Kitsune?” A lump formed in Sora’s throat as her mind flashed back to Hikaru, yet unlike that Vulpes, this figure had only a single patterned mark along his center tail.
Wooden platform shoes clicked in the silent atmosphere as he descended the stairs, hands hidden behind his back and face masked by the covering her aunt’s Kitsune traditionally wore. His long hair flowed behind him, intricate kimono molding with his movements.
Brushing away the comparison, Sora’s interest grew upon seeing Tola’s muscles lock and tails pause upon seeing him, and once again, she wondered if there could be chemistry stoked here.
Curbing her doubts, she waited until he stood before he spoke, voice deep and soothing as he removed his face covering and bowed. “Ladies, might I introduce myself?”
Sora was a little taken aback, but it wasn’t because her aunt’s turned to her to give a response; the Kitsune’s face was relatively mature and hotter than she anticipated, lustrous topaz irises fixed on the black stone.
Illuminated tattoos, the color of Emilia’s eyes, shone across his face, and his hair was shockingly wild compared to the female Kitsune she’d seen at her aunt’s shrine.
“Umm … Sure,” Sora mumbled, Emilia sliding behind her to hide.
Straightening at the consent, the man mirrored Seiōbo’s posture, keeping his tone even and respectful. “My name is Roman, and I am a servant of Lady Inari. I was contacted by Lady Seiōbo as I passed this universe and was allowed the opportunity to instruct Lady Emilia in her weave if my instruction was accepted. I await your verdict.”
“Formal guy, isn’t he?” Kari muttered, walking up to join them. “Eh, I don’t know if it’s the best fit, to be honest.”
“C’mon, give the guy a chance,” Aiden encouraged. “He’s been here five seconds.”
“More than enough time, in my opinion.”
Sora wanted to give him a chance but agreed that the formal instruction wasn’t really compatible with Emilia. “I … do think Emilia needs someone more like … like you, Aunt Nari … Not that you’re bad, Roman, umm…”
“Ahgh,” Seiōbo cut in, scratching her left ear. “Roman, I told you not to stand on ceremony—don’t get the wrong idea, Sora, he’s got a whole different personality, but there’s the whole ceremony thing when meeting with Mia—basically, it’s an old rule pounded into the Kitsune training program.”
Roman’s lips curved into a small smile, posture changing to put a hand on his left hip. “I thank you for your consideration, Lady Seiōbo! I’ve had my fill of getting told off by your sister and would rather play it safe in that regard, but consider me shocked when you approached me of all Kitsune to act as a tutor. Do you want her to grow up a delinquent?”
“Delinquent?” Emilia mumbled, poking her head out for her long copper hair to swing to the side. “Umm … Are you a bad Kitsune?”
A chipper, toothy grin split his lips. “Very bad! I’ve corrupted many Kitsune in my terrible ways. I’m of the opinion you should be free to be who you are. Don’t you agree?”
Now more unsure than ever, Sora gave her entertained aunts a side-long look. “How about … I watch you do one lesson with my daughter and see how it goes.”
“Oh! My choice?” he asked, bringing up a hand to rub his chin as he looked down at the nervous eleven-year-old girl. “Let’s see … Ah, I know just the thing! Do you mind moving locations? I think we can have a ton of fun in this magical Realm!”
“Uh … Sure,” Sora restlessly returned.
Wondering if this had been a mistake, but considering he was a Kitsune, there was a certain degree of trust she was willing to give, and her mother apparently recommended him, as hard as it was for her to believe.
What have you got us into, Aunt Seiōbo?