Kusaki’s Quarters - 1:07 AM

Kusaki was lead into a new room, and before he knew it, the door had shut on his face. Kusaki just sighed aloud, “Ahhhh, what a night. I guess I should just try and get some sleep, and prepare myself for tomorrow's events.”

He spotted the fresh clothing on the bed and grabbed them. He quickly changed out of his bloodied clothes and into the fresh and clean kimono sleepwear. After he was finished getting dressed, he just sat at the end of the bed and thought to himself.

“Man, this had to be the worst and best day ever.” he thought. Not only had he been stabbed by a group of assassins, but he was also saved by a seriously pretty girl.

“Wow, she is something,” He said as he laid back, grinning, “I've never seen anything like that before. It was amazing to see.”

And now because of her, he was a part of the Takasima family. He shut his eyes and began to fall asleep. He muttered a few more words before he fully fell asleep.

“I wonder what’s really going on…”

Then, he fell asleep, and dreamt of old memories.

……………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….

Lady Kitsune’s Room - Same Time

The Lady Kitsune sat on the floor and gazed upward at the small shrine in front of her. She bowed low and then brought her head up and spoke to the shrine.

“Everything is beginning to take place, just as you said it would so long ago. Apart of me is still fearful over what that one is up to. They undoubtedly had some meddling in tonight's events.”

Lady Kitsune looked sad as she talked to the shrine.

“I prayed and prayed that the events wouldn’t play out as they have, but I am unable to effect the future when it’s already been written in advance. I fear that soon I will have to go to war with my brothers, something I wholeheartedly hope I can avoid.”

She got up and solemnly walked to a window in her room and placed a hand on it. She looked at her reflection, speaking still to the shrine behind her.

“And now, I am certain Satsuki has begun her journey into our history…..you and I, and the entire families. I’m afraid this will be the hardest thing, seeing our past.”

Lady Kitsune turned her focus back to the shrine and added one more little detail.

“And Kusaki…..I wish he didn’t have to go through this either. It must be hard on him, going through life without a family, and now running for your life. I feel like it is my duty to make him the man his father would have wanted him to be, and he does seem to share qualities like him.”

Lady Kitsune shut her eyes and said one last thing.

“Those two have the power to change the world and bring people together. I’ve seen…..even you saw it when she was young. So it only seems natural that they would have opposition….a great opposition I fear. That is why I must train them as fast as I can.”

And with that, Lady Kitsune fell silent and let her worries melt into the night. She began to think about the future…….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Just as my vision had blacked out, I was suddenly awake, standing in the middle of a foreign room. I had the book still in my hands, and it was opened. I swished my head back and forth quickly, then looked at the book. I saw something completely new…...words had appeared on the pages now. What had just read “Takasima Family History” now had pages and pages of text underneath. And another shocking addition was the change of scenery that I had noted. I was wearing the same kimono that I had put on after my bath, but now I was in a new room, and the sun was shining. I walked around a bit, but I couldn't seem to remove my hands from the book. It was as if someone had superglued them to the book. As I was walking around, I heard a young girl's voice behind me.

“MAMA! What’s taking so long?”

I quickly turned around to see the girl, and was about to issue apologies for being where I shouldn't be. But it seemed she couldn't see me, as it looked like she was just staring right through me, obviously waiting for her mother. She looked to be about seven years old and had green eyes….just like me. She walked past me, yelling loudly for her mother. In another room, I heard another child's voice.

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“C’mon Kitsune! Stop bothering mother!”

I was stunned to hear that one name…...Kitsune…..Lady Kitsune. But that was impossible! She had to be in her early twenties, far older than this girl. “Unless” I glanced down at the book….”This is her past...being shown to me...”

The girl….Kitsune, walked past me and I began to follow her out of the room.

“I am not bothering her at all Yatagarasu! I’m just wondering what’s taking her so long!”

I followed her out of the room, and saw her face down this Yatagarasu….who I suspected to be one of her brothers. The boy was about a few years older, and just shrugged his shoulders to her.

“Mother is always busy….there nothing you can do about it.”

“What do you want anyways big brother?”

“Dad wanted you to walk outside with him, so…”

Kitsune rushed past him and was out the front door before I could catch up with her. Panting, I looked down and noticed my hands flip the page of the book. This definitely was like reading a story and watching a movie at the same time. I watched as Kitsune ran and basically tackled what must have been her father.

“Father! You came back! How was everything? Are you okay? Did it hurt? What was it like???”

Her father just laughed and held her tightly, then set her back down. He spoke in a deep voice to her.

“Everything’s alright! I recruited more members for the family over in Kyoto…..and then I got ran out by that Karitoriki family. Guess they weren't too pleased with me stealing prime candidates for their family, heh.”

Kitsune smiled brightly and spoke to her father.

“So, what did you get this time for me? Something fun I hope.”

Her father got up and walked to his side. A small child was seen standing behind him.

“Well Kitsune…….I ran into him in the slums of Kyoto while I was recruiting members. And I invited him to live with us for as long as he wishes.”

He bent down and whispered in her ear now.

“And” he began, his words echoing loudly in my ears, “I would like it if you and he could be good friends.”

Kitsune sort of blushed and looked at the child, then smiled.

“O-okay!”

Then the page turned again, and so did the scenery. I saw Kitsune once again, but she was much older now, I would say about thirteen. I was surprised at how far the story jumped ahead, but then I just began to follow her. She was with the boy once again, who looked healthier than he did before. Kitsune was in the front of the building she greeted her father years ago. She was holding her hands out in front of herself and had them aimed at a glass of water in front of her. The boy watched in awe. She said something and the water began to rise out of the glass in front of her, hoovering about. The water began to float over to the boy as he sat and watched it, stunned beyond belief.

“Amazing! I wish I could do something like that! “

Kitsune smiled at him.

“I’m sure you could do something like this. Maybe you have some different kind of magical powers?”

The boy frowned.

“I dunno, I never thought about it. But I doubt I could be like you or your brothers.”

“Nonsense! Here, I will put the water back in the glass and help you.”

And just as she said it, the water silently fell back into the glass. Satsuki went over to the boy and grabbed his hand. She held his hand up and made sure his entire hand was outstretched in front of him. I could see him redden up a little in the face.

“Alright, now just concentrate about having the water lift up out of the glass…”

And just before she could say anything more...the water rose just a little bit.

“It’s working!” shouted the boy gleefully, “How is this possible!”

The girl smiled and held his hand a little tighter now.

“Well, sometimes all you need is a little help”

The water began to rise violently from the glass and came at headlong speed at them.

Kitsune and the boy looked a little nervous at it now. The boy was really scared looking, as the water about reached them.

“U-ummmmm….is this supposed to happen!?”

“Stop thinking about the water, try to think about it falling dow-”

But it was too late, the water suddenly splashed them both. The boy was momentarily blinded by the water and bumped into Kitsune, knocking her down to the ground. Kitsune looked up at the boy, as he was kneeling down over her. He reddened up in the face, and Kitsune blushed.

“I-I’m sorry! I guess I accidentally bumped into you and…..”

I would have expected Kitsune’s face to redden up now and see her smack him across the face like some anime, but her response caught me by surprise. Instead of anger, she looked at him and moved her face upward, passionately kissing him. He looked shocked as she kissed him, but then closed his eyes and kissed her back. She moved her head back slowly and told him

“I love you Yasha….”

He spoke back to her in a shaky voice…..he must have been surprised and happy at the same time.

“I-I think I love you too”

Then once again, the scene was replaced by something new. Once again it was a jump in years, but this time I was in a room full of people. I suddenly recognized this from an old book I read once. This was an “old fashioned” Japanese wedding….at least, old fashioned from the time I came from. And I was able to quickly judge that this was Kitsune’s wedding, and I was soon answered that when I saw her enter the room, wearing a fox mask. After the traditional ceremony, the couple kissed each other and began to walk away together. I noticed the brother I had seen before, Yatagarasu, stand up and talk to Yasha.

“Keep good care of my little sister Yasha! I wouldn't want to see her get into any trouble. But knowing her, she will be the one getting you into trouble.”

He grinned as he said this and Kitsune gave him a nasty look.

“Don’t listen to him” said another voice I recognized, the voice of the father from years before, “She will be fine….But still make sure you protect her….the family has been getting a lot of threats lately.”

Yasha looked at the father and kindly bowed, then spoke, “I will do everything in my power to do so. I love her after all.”

Kitsune smiled at hearing him say that, and then shot a nasty look at Yatagarasu.

“Have you been getting into trouble again big brother?”

He began to walk away, but turned and said,

“Nah, just the usual, helping father out with the members. You should ask the other two that though.”

With that, he placed a crow’s mask over his face and turned away.

I was dumbfounded at the mask. It was the same kind of mask like that of the assassins. I took it that the killers from tonight must have been from his faction….

“So that’s the leader of the crows….” I said to myself.

Once again, the story changed pages, and so did the scene. At this point I figured that I was seeing the past of Kitsune’s memories.

I watched and saw a very pregnant Kitsune sip tea to herself. A sudden commotion was heard outside the room she was in. An attendant busted into the room and shouted to her.

“Lady Kitsune! Something awful has happened! Your husband and father have gone missing!”

I saw Kitsune have a look of anguish on her face. It even looked more like fear to her.

She got up and ran as fast as she could humanly possible with how pregnant she was.

“No, please tell me this isn't so!”

The attendant moved out of the way and frowned.

“I’m afraid so...it seems that the Karikoriki’s have ambushed them and are holding them for ransom”

I saw Kitsune’s face and all color in it flush to white. Even was worried for her. These were the same people that her father stole members from, and it seems they had a score to settle. I feared what came next as I followed her……