Ichi woke up inside the shrine, his white and black stick laying next to him. He was tucked into a bedsheet on a futon in the cramped dark interior. He heard the Fox's voice whisper sleepily into his ear.

"Rise and shine."

Ichi rubbed his head as he pulled off the covers. He couldn't hear see the Fox in the dark, but he felt the spirit lurking around.

"Morning." Ichi said. He yawned.

Myon looked mad, he thought. That's about what he deserves for pulling a stunt like that. But, Ichi felt happy. He said what he needed to say. At least, a few days from now, even if the 'Worst' from the Seer's Council didn't show up, he'd have Myon there too. Ever since he heard Syon say that exhausting night, "I can not allow you to die," Ichi figured she'd be hiding in the shadows. Syon was probably watching Ichi when he fought the Mountain Lord. Maybe, she would have even stepped in if he failed.

The thought of Syon saving him from a bear made him sick, but the thought of dying by bear felt manly. Really, he'd rather have died by bear than be saved by Syon, but he knew if he told anyone that they'd think he was crazy. Ichi himself thought that the thought was crazy. Ichi muttered to himself in his mind as he woke up and paced around the room, lighting the braziers.

"Is Syon really that bad?"

Ichi remembered her standing over Myon under the moonlight with that smile on her face. He veered towards the mini-fridge and found it well stocked. Rikya's a thoughtful girl, Ichi smiled as he saw prepared meals with plastic over them. Ichi took out a water bottle and opened it, then popped a plate into a nearby microwave. Rikya must spend a lot of time here.

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"Syon's," He began thinking in his mind, trying to finish the sentence. Ichi remembered his talk with her. That cell phone.

She's gross. Her appearance wasn't gross. Her personality was... Ichi searched for the right word as the microwave beeped at him. He let it sit so the heat could finish cooking the food. Ichi read somewhere on the internet back when he had a smartphone that your weren't supposed to take the food out right away, so he was obeying that rule, this time.

"Sadist?" Ichi said out loud.

"Are you talking about me?" The Fox in the dark responded.

Ichi thought it a good time to ask, as the microwave beeped again letting him know his food was still done.

"You've been with Rikya for how long?" Ichi mumbled.

"Ten years. She came to visit once. I wasn't in the best mood, she calmed me down. It gets boring stuck in here."

"Ah, yeah, that's right. And my mom did that to you, so I could have some Fox spirit hanging around this place to buddy up with? That means, Mom knew I was going to end up here."

"It was planned. Not that I volunteered, a punishment dealt out by Genji."

Ichi's tanuki ears shot out of the top of his head at the mention of his dad's first name.

"Genji Danzaburo?" Ichi checked. He pulled his food out of the microwave and grabbed a plastic fork.

"Yes, your father was in on it as well. A lot was prepared for you in advance." The Fox said.

Ichi looked at the black and white stick. Grandpa said there was more treasures down there too. What was this all for? Ichi sat down in the dimly lit room. As he ate, he put it out of mind.

"If my dad put you in here, I'll free you. That's a good enough reason for me. I'll feel bad if destroy the world or something, so promise me you'll go easy, alright?" Ichi told the Fox.