Far away, in the distant lands of Japan, a small village laid nestled between two large mountains.
It's usual peaceful air was disturbed by the sound of screams that tore through the night and the slash of swords hacking through flesh, watering the dirt with fresh blood. Flames crackled, sending dark smoke plumes into the peaceful night sky. Mothers screamed as their children were forcefully grabbed from their arms and sliced right before their eyes. All the men of the village laid dead in the dust, several beheaded to send a message: disobey us and this will be you.
On the hill that overlooked the massacred village stood two figures, shrouded by darkness.
"Neh, onii-san," the smaller one asked, tugging lightly at the larger's dark yukata sleeve. "What is that?"
The larger figure stared down at the burning village, sadness and contempt gleaming in his amber eyes. "That, otouto," he sighed, "is human. A sad race that must destroy to survive."
Another screamed pierced through the evening air. The smaller figure flinched and clasped his hand over his ears. "Make them stop," he whispered. "I don't like those sounds."
The larger looked down sadly at his little brother, wrapping his large white tail comfortingly around the younger's trembling body.
"Come," he sighed, leading his little brother away from the carnage. "There is no more to see here."
Feudal Japan was a time of war and bloodshed. Villages and people fought over the smallest and most trivial matters. The revolution to overthrow the government was getting nowhere, spilling more blood than necessary. Samurai and rounin roamed the streets, the scent of blood trailing after them. Katana, the blades of the fighter, became a sign of terror. What was once revered by the people became shrouded in fear and death.
And yet, Kasumi Hamada's business was booming. Her small teahouse set up by a dirt path regularly frequented by travelers had become quite well known in the past few years. It was tough work manning a shop by herself, but she somehow managed.
"Cass! Another plate of mitarashi dango please!" a frequent customer of hers called out cheerfully. He was a retired samurai, still carrying around his blade for protection. No matter how many times she chastised him about carrying around such a dangerous thing and sending out wrong messages, he would laugh and wave her off.
"Coming right up, sir!" she said jubilantly, setting down a pot of tea for one of her new customers. "Girls!"
Two girls pushed past the cloth curtains, carrying plates of the tasty snack in their hands. The older girl had one plate expertly balanced on her head.
"Ohh, and who are these beauties, Cass?" another frequent visitor chuckled, eyeing the older girl with interest.
"Boys, control yourselves," Cass rebuked the men in her shop. "These are my nieces. Tomoe*, Haru, say hello."
Tomoe, the older girl, smiled politely and bowed her head down. "Hello, dear guests. Thank you for your flattering compliments." Tomoe's brown eyes sparkled with the afternoon rays. Her dark blue kimono was wrinkle free and she held herself like a noble woman.
Her sister, on the other hand, merely flushed a deep red and turned her gaze (with eyes almost identical to her sister's) to the ground in a flustered bow. Her red kimono was as pristine as her sister's, but she looked so nervous Cass was sure she would pass out. Tomoe nudged her and murmured something into her ear. Haru's face was as red as her kimono now, but she quietly stuttered, "W-welcome."
"I'm sorry, they just started working today," Cass cut in quickly, shooing the children back to the kitchen. "I didn't train them to speak with customers yet."
"That's fine," her retired friend chuckled, sipping at a cup of tea. "The older one, Tomoe, was it? She is of marriageable age now, is she not?"
Kasumi visibly tensed up. Even her smile was hard as she said, "Tomoe turns 16 this year, yes."
"I have a son," he started carefully, "and if you want, I would gladly bring him with me on my next-"
"Thank you for your concern, dear customer," Cass said politely, albeit slightly tight. Her fists were clenched behind her back despite the patient smile on her face. "However, my nieces have no wish to marry at the moment, and I would greatly appreciate you never speak of this again."
The retired man gulped and laughed nervously. Almost as renowned as her delicious snacks, Kasumi Hamada's fury was a force to be reckoned with. Although he had never seen it himself, he had heard rumors, and that was enough. Quickly, he changed the subject in a hope to calm her anger.
Luckily for him, it worked.
Near the evening, Cass's business started to slow. Her retired friend had long since left, after (yet again) waving off her worries. The sun was beginning to set and there were still a few stragglers loitering around her shop. Giving Tomoe a quick nod, she started grabbing plates to take to the back. It was closing time.
Just as Haru started rolling down the grass mats to cover the entrance of the shop, four shadows appeared on the floor, shocking the young child. Four people, only a little older than Tomoe, walked in nonchalantly.
"Knock, knock," a man with strangely fair skin and yellow hair said jokingly. "Are you guys still open for business?"
Surprised, Haru turned and looked at her aunt unsurely. The older woman locked eyes with her and dipped her head slightly in a small nod. Haru hesitated, then grabbed a few menu's for their last customers.
"Thanks, sweetheart," the large dark skinned man said, shooting her a quick smile. Out of nowhere, Tomoe appeared and wrapped an arm protectively around her younger sister's waist, dragging her away from the new company. She sent an icy glare to the guests before retreating to the back with Haru by her side. A few moments later, the older girl reemerged, the younger child nowhere to be seen.
"Hello, valued customers," Tomoe said flatly, no hint of feeling in her voice. "What would you like to eat today?"
"Ohh, it all looks so good," the golden haired girl sighed. "What do you think, Gogo?"
The short, dark haired girl had sat down and promptly began sharpening a kunai knife. "Anything is fine," she mumbled, holding her blade closely for inspection. The newly sharpened edges glinted off the sun, sending a shiver down Tomoe's spine.
"I recommend the mitarashi dango," the waitress tried. "It's my aunt's most famous dish, and it is quite delectable."
"What's that," the fair skinned male muttered to the golden haired girl.
"It's skewered rice cake balls with a yummy sauce," she whispered back.
The male grinned. "Sounds good," he exclaimed. "We'll have four of those, please. And some tea, thanks."
Not even bothering with a bow, Tomoe turned around with a huff and walked back to join her sister. Almost immediately after the cloth curtain stopped moving, Cass walked back out, somehow balancing three pots of tea on her person.
"You'll have to forgive then," she said apologetically, carefully placing cups of steaming green tea before her last customers. "Tomoe can be a little over protective… and Haru isn't good with people."
"It's fine, ma'am," the fair skinned boy laughed. "Back in my country, we could only dream of seeing siblings that close."
"I'm sorry if I seem rude," Cass asked, "but where are you lot from exactly? I don't recall ever seeing your faces."
"That's cuz we're new around here," the fair skinned boy laughed. "My dad's a foreign minister. I'm only here to study."
Cass knew she should've stopped asking there. Her conscience and her common sense were both screaming at her to drop the conversation. However, her curiosity got to the better of her. "To study about what, exactly?"
The boy leaned over, looked around mysteriously, then whispered, "about kitsune, of course."
A crash echoed through the empty shop. All five heads whipped up to see Haru surrounded by the remains of two plates and two helpings of the tasty treats. She was shaking, eyes darting back and forth between each of the new faces. She opened her mouth, as though to say something, but nothing came out.
Just like before, Tomoe appeared out of nowhere, wrapping a comforting arm around her sister's shoulders. She tugged at the younger child, trying to get her to move back.
"Hang on," the girl called "Gogo" said, standing up abruptly. She stalked over to the sisters, looking at them much like how a panther looks at its prey. Tomoe circled her arms around Haru protectively, hiding the child behind the folds of her kimono. She glared at the approaching woman, lips pressed in a thin line.
"Why such strong reactions to that word, huh, kid?" Gogo asked derisively, trying to maneuver around Tomoe. "Do you possibly…" she twirled the kunai she had been sharpening earlier, "know something?"
Haru shuddered and yanked at her sister's kimono, desperate to go back to the back of the shop. Tomoe was livid. Her glare could've frozen an army. Sensing the ever-growing tension, Cass cut in and bowed deeply. "I apologize, because of this set back, you have to wait a little longer for your food. Your meal will be free of charge, dear customers."
"Gogo, sit down," the golden haired girl hissed, prepared to stand up to drag her friend back to her seat. Tomoe shot Gogo one last glare, which the other woman returned, before gently taking her sister's hands and guiding the trembling child back to the kitchen.
"You must forgive them, they aren't usually like this," Cass said again, bowing as deeply as she could.
"It's fine," the dark skinned man said, waving his hand. "I must apologize for our friend. She can get a little over the top at times." He sent a sharp glare to his friend, who huffed and started drinking her tea.
"Yea, like Wasabi said," the fair skinned boy drawled. "No harm, no foul, right?"
"I suppose," Cass chuckled. "And, again, I apologize if this seems rude, but… aren't kitsunes just a legend? Folklore?"
"They were," the fair skinned boy corrected. "As we all know, ayakashi have always been a huge part of Japan's history. They've mostly gone into hiding nowadays, but back in the Kamakura period, they roamed the streets, mingling with humans. The most fearsome group was the kitsune."
"The shape shifting foxes," dark skinned man-Wasabi- added. "Their powers were feared by human and spirits alike."
"But they were peaceful creatures," the golden haired girl argued. "If you didn't mess with them, they would leave you alone. They were wise and-"
"Not to be trusted," Gogo snarled, driving her kunai into the wooden table. "It's a good thing they were wiped out, otherwise I would've done it myself."
Cass tipped her head to the side in confusion. "Wiped out?"
"Yea, unfortunately," fair skin sighed. "A few years before the revolution, an army of hunters and warriors banded together and slayed the entire clan. Those that survived are in hiding. I want to be able to see one before I have to go back home, but…" he scratched his head in frustration. "So far, no luck."
"So, are you all hunters then?" Cass asked curiously.
The group blinked at her, then laughed loudly, except Gogo who just snorted and looked away.
"Oh, heavens no," the golden haired girl giggled. "Fred and I are merely tagging along."
"Yea," fair skinned-Fred- chuckled. "We leave all the work to these two," he said as he jabbed a finger to Gogo and their dark skinned companion. "When it comes to hunting, Gogo and Wasabi are the best."
"Do you hunt for money or…"
"Gogo has an old grudge against them," Wasabi explained. "I'm doing it in hopes of raising enough money to get out of this country."
Tomoe appeared, carrying all four plates of mitarashi dango. Wordlessly, she placed each plate before the customers. Haru was nowhere to be seen, no doubt hiding in the back of the shop. Cass sighed as she thought of how she was going to coax the child to come out later.
"Thank you for having us," Wasabi said, bowing respectfully. The sun had set a while ago, and the group had just finished eating.
"Of course," Cass laughed, bowing in return. "Thank you for all those lovely stories."
"And we apologize about Gogo again," golden hair-Honey Lemon, Cass had come to learn- said remorsefully. "Please tell that little girl we're sorry?"
"No worries," the shop owner sighed. "It's just that… those children have been through quite a bit…" Shaking her head, she waved her hand in embarrassment. "Oh goodness, there I go again, going off about the past."
"We all do that sometimes," Fred laughed kindly. "That other girl was right, though. Those cakes were delicious."
"Why, thank you. Feel free to come back whenever you like." Then, jokingly, she laughed, "However, next time, you're paying."
Saying their final farewells and good nights, Cass closed the sliding door and blew out the lanterns, turning to retreat back to join her nieces.
Outside, the group walked down the dirt path for a while before turning to face each other. "What do you think?" Honey Lemon asked quietly.
Gogo snorted. "That kid definitely know something," she hissed. "Why else would she react like that?"
"They do have the ability to transform into women," Fred mused. "And her reaction was a bit too much."
"We'll stick around a bit longer then," Wasabi decided. "We'll never know unless we get proof."
"Definitely," Gogo nodded. "We're close, I know it."
Fred turned to look back at the small shop. "We've got them now."
Cass sighed and rubbed her shoulder, exhausted from her extended day of work. "Tomoe, Haru, wanna draw up a bath tonight?" she called as she walked past the kitchen to her home. Moving the cloth curtain, she looked at the two extremely distressed boys, obviously waiting for her.
"There's no one here, there's no need to use those name's anymore," the older boy huffed, his fox ears twitching in annoyance. "Were they hunters?"
"Two of them were," she sighed, joining the boys on the tatami mats. "One of the girls probably suspects something, so stay low for the next few days, I suppose."
The younger boy flicked his tails worriedly. "Is it my fault?" he whispered fearfully, guilt laced in his trembling voice.
"No, sweetie, no," Cass replied hurriedly, brushing his bangs back and giving him a reassuring smile. "Why don't you and Tadashi go take a bath? You two deserved it, after the day you've been through." Giving Tadashi a quick glance, she stood up and said, "I'll make some tea and snacks for after you're done."
Tadashi also stood, grabbing his younger brother's arm and helping him up. "Thanks Aunt Cass," he called as he and his brother walked out. The younger child still didn't look too happy, but let it go for now.
Chuckling slightly at her two "nephews," Cass stretched her arms over her head. Upon hearing the satisfying crack down her spine, she sighed contently and made her way to the kitchen to boil some water.
Who would've thought, she snorted to herself, that the fearsome "all powerful" kitsune are two little children that are living with me.
Kasumi Hamada was never one to look to the past. Her motto was to look forward and not let what happened before drag you down. However, in this particular case, it was impossible not to look back.
Cass groaned, rolling down the straw mat to her failing shop. She had given up everything to open up this small store, yet nobody stopped to give it a second glance. It was like her shop was invisible.
Grumbling at her rotten luck, she glared at the sky as fat drops began to fall, landing on the dirt path and wetting her patched up kimono. Quickly finishing her task, she walked back indoors, grabbing several towels to dry her already soaked hair.
What a dreadful storm it was going to be.
After a relaxing bath and a refreshing cup of sake, Cass sighed and flopped down on her futon. Staring up at the ceiling, she couldn't help the pang of loneliness that shot through her heart. Leave it to her to find a place to set up, that's not only literally in the middle of nowhere, but also miles away from any towns. Carriers delivered her supplies to her weekly, or she would buy them off traveling merchants.
Turning to face the small drawer by the wall, stress and worry filled her mind as well. Her business, to say the least, was not doing well. She barely had enough money to pay the owner of the land, let alone run the shop. Not for the first time that night, Cass considered closing her shop for good and going back home to her family.
Just then, frantic knocking came from the front of the shop. Pushing herself up, she frowned in confusion and annoyance. Who would be knocking at this ungodly hour?
The knocking didn't stop, only turning more and more urgent. Grumbling, she picked up a lantern and yelled, "Coming!"
Nothing could've prepared her for what she saw.
A boy, drenched in blood and rainwater, with two sleek white fox ears sticking out of his black hair, was kneeling before her door. Panic filled his eyes as he looked up at her, begging for assistance. "Please," he whispered hoarsely. "Please, save him!"
It was then did Cass notice the bundle he was holding in his arms. Or rather, the person.
A child, with ear matching the boys, almost completely covered in blood, lay unconscious in his arms. His breathing was shallow, coming out as small puffs in the frigid temperature of the night.
Without a moment to lose, she stepped aside, quickly ushering the boy into her home. He scrambled forward, half dragging, half carrying the child's body with him. She tried not to gag at the trail of blood that was left at his wake.
Once inside, she closed the door and bent to pick up the wounded child. The older boy looked hesitant, but carefully handed him over to the woman. Sending him a reassuring glance, Cass carried him to her futon, laying him down gently, not caring when his blood stained her precious bed and clothing red. Peeling away the thin fabric of his red yukata, she grimaced at the wound. A deep, long gash ran from his shoulder to his chest. Blood was flowing from the injury, turning Cass's hands red in an instance. Swiftly grabbing several medicinal herbs and bandages, she started kneading together the herbs, grinding her teeth in concentration. Time was of the essence. She couldn't make any mistakes if she wanted to save this child's life.
Taking a cloth, she tossed it at the older child. In the lighting, she realized with a shudder that all the blood staining his clothes didn't belong to him. There wasn't a single wound on his body.
"Press that against the wound," Cass instructed. "Try to stop the bleeding."
Nodding furiously, he did as he was told, only to leap back when the injured child cried out in pain. The older child's fox tail flicked around worriedly. Pushing that distraction aside, she hissed, "It may look painful, but it's the only way to save him!"
With a panicky look in his eyes, he quickly muttered a few apologies as he pressed down on the gash, flinching every time the child screamed. Hurriedly, Cass dipped her hands into her freshly made paste and spread it across the wound.
They actually had to hold him down from the amount of thrashing he did as the herbs cleansed the wound. Cass had had her fair share of cuts and bruises, but one that size with that much medicinal paste on it can't feel good.
Finally, after what felt like centuries, the child stopped writhing. His breathing was still heavy, and his fox ears drooped down in exhaustion. Cass let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she nimbly wrapped the child up in bandages. She would have to stay up tonight to keep an eye on the wound. The worse thing that could happen would be for it to get infected. She didn't have enough supplies to treat infections, and the closest hospital was a good five-day journey, three if you didn't sleep at night.
"Keep him warm," she said tiredly, wiping away the sheen of sweat that covered her forehead with the back of her hand, no doubt leaving a streak of blood. Her hands were still bright red from all the blood, and her futon was ruined for sure. "Tell me if anything happens while I wash up."
The older boy nodded numbly, wrapping his large, white tail around the younger boy. The leftover blood from the futon stained his fur red, but he didn't care. He just stared blankly at the unconscious child, gently stroking his messy hair.
Cass stood and staggered outside, letting the rain wash away the blood on her body. She didn't care about the coldness that gripped at her bones. She didn't care about the fact that her kimono and bed were ruined. She didn't care about the thought of having to close shop tomorrow to scrub the blood off from her front door steps and the tatami mats.
All her mind would register was that she was now a criminal.
A felon. She had committed one of the biggest crimes in the country.
It was no secret that ayakashi existed. Everybody knew about them, and as long as they didn't stay out too late at night, or stray from the paths they were, for the most part, safe. There were even stories of children being born with mixed blood, half-breeds with extraordinary powers. However, several years ago, a treaty was signed and a law was made.
Humans and Ayakashi were to stay apart. Any interaction or aiding of the supernatural would lead to immediate execution. And Cass enjoyed having her head attached to her neck, thank you very much.
"What do I do," she fretted outside, squatting down and holding her head in misery. "If anyone find out, if I get caught, then it's goodbye head." Looking down sadly at her still bloodstained hands, she muttered. "I'll have to keep it a secret… make sure nobody finds out." Standing slowly, she nodded to herself. Pressing her bloodstained hands into the wet earth, she made a vow that night.
"As long as I'm alive, I will protect this secret. May I take it with me to the grave."
The child, Hiro, finally went to sleep peacefully after the sun had risen the next day. After staying up the whole night making sure the child didn't get an infection in his wound, Cass was exhausted. Of course, Tadashi, the child's brother, didn't look much better. He was worried sick and refused to sleep, his tail wrapped protectively around his slumbering brother. At one point, he had reverted back to fox form, snuggling around the child's body and licking his ears softly.
Cass wanted to say that she kept calm and kept a cool head. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. As soon as she walked back in and saw a giant white fox wrapped around an unconscious child, she screamed like bloody murder. Thankfully, no one heard (one of the few pros of living in the middle of nowhere.)
A few more screeches and a small tussle later, Tadashi changed back to his human form and Cass sat panting on the ground, feeling even more terrified and exhausted.
"How is he?" the fox child asked quietly, eyes not leaving his brother's sleeping face.
"He needs to rest," Cass gasped, chest still heaving from the initial shock of seeing the kitsune in his true form. "You'll have to stay here a few nights for it to heal without any incidents."
"That's fine," he replied instantly. Kneeling on the tatami mats, he pressed his forehead down in a respectful bow and said, "We'll be in your care. Please treat us well."
Cass could only sigh, then gently ran her fingers through Tadashi's black hair, careful to avoid the ears. The kitsune tensed up, but relaxed when he realized she meant him no harm.
"He'll be up and about in no time," she whispered reassuringly, still ruffling his hair. "And you're more than welcome to stay." After all, she thought darkly, you two and I are now forever bonded by our crime.
"Who would've thought," Cass exhaled, "That it's already been six years since that night." Rinsing out three cups, she also pulled out some small leftover snacks from the shop. Carefully cutting several red bean mochi into three pieces, she moved the snacks onto a tray and waited for her boys to come back. She also made sure to set out a dish of leftovers for Mochi, her fat cat that enjoyed roaming around rather than staying in her store. As long as he came back by night, she usually never worried too much.
The storeowner couldn't help but laugh, thinking of the events that followed after that night. As she had predicted, she ended up closing her business for a few nights to take care of the wounded boy and to clean up after the mess. She scrubbed the blood off the stone floors by her door and had to replace the tatami mats. She considered washing out the futon, but ultimately had to throw the old thing away. It was stiff with dried blood and Cass was sure she would not be able to fully clean that thing in a million years.
Tadashi was a great help. When he wasn't by Hiro, helping the child eat or comforting him when he cried, he was helping Cass clean. He even called out some lesser ayakashi to help clean as well (Cass almost passed out when she walked into her home and saw a bunch of little gremlin dusting her walls and reinstalling her floor.
Hiro was a cautious child, but still a great joy to be around. Even though he was heavily injured, whenever he and Cass talked, she felt like her day would be so much better. He was also the strangest creature she had ever seen, not having one, but two white fox tails. When she asked Tadashi about it, he vaguely waved his hand and walked away, leaving the woman to continue mulling.
The day she declared Hiro fit to travel was the day she felt her heart would break.
"Take care of yourselves," she said quietly, pointlessly brushing at Tadashi's already spotless clothing. "I'm going to miss you two." It was true. She had gotten use to waking up and seeing the brother's that it was almost too much to say goodbye. Tears welled up in her eyes, which she furiously blinked away. Stupid, she scolded herself, gently smoothing out a crease on Hiro's yukata. You knew this day would come there's no need to get so emotional.
Hiro cocked his head to the side in confusion. He looked to Tadashi and flicked his twin tails questionably. "I don't wanna leave," he whined, pulling at his brother's yukata. "I like it here, nii-san, can we stay?"
And that's the story of how Kasumi Hamada got two extra mouths in her home.
Of course, there were several bumps along the road, like teaching them how to act human around others, and making sure they kept their ears and tails completely hidden, but for the most part, Cass enjoyed every bit of those six years with her boys.
They weren't the only ones learning new things.
As time passed, Cass came to learn of the different ayakashi and their classes from the brothers. Hiro, being only three (in kitsune age), somehow had two tails, which was rumored to take at least a century for a full grown fox to receive. Of course, Tadashi was proud, going on and on about how his little brother was special, that a tail gained indicated a stronger and wiser fox. Apparently, Hiro was born with twin tails, shocking their little village, as a two-tailed fox at birth was unheard of.
Tadashi had somehow convinced the elders that it was a sign of good luck, and not the opposite, for they had considered disposing of the newborn in fear of ill omens.
There wasn't a doubt that Hiro was smart. He helped Cass manage her earnings, and even invented several creative methods to make life a little easier for them all. He created a line that would draw in buckets of water to save Cass the half-day journey to the river herself.
Tadashi was also smart. Although he did not have two tails, he made it his duty to keep Hiro out of trouble. Somehow, he was always one step ahead of his brother, there when Hiro accidentally set fire to a farmers field, when he almost revealed his identity to a whole town, when he very nearly started a war between two villages…
But those are all other stories. For later times.
"The water's still warm, Aunt Cass," Hiro called happily, running over to her with a towel covering his still wet hair. Small drops of water dripped down and dotted his red yukata. His red eyes gleamed as he grinned, revealing an adorable tooth gap. "You go bathe too!"
Cass couldn't help but squeal and pinch Hiro's cheek lovingly. "You and Tadashi enjoy the tea while I'm gone," she laughed, standing as Tadashi walked in. "And be sure to dry your hair properly!"
"Yes!" the brothers replied. Tadashi was already on task, rubbing Hiro's hair furiously with a towel. The younger child thrashed as he yelped about Tadashi hurting his ears.
Cass made her way to the bath, still mulling over her new, strange life. She chuckled and closed her eyes happily. This is my life now, she mused, and however strange it may be, I wouldn't give it up for the world.
"Neh, nii-san," Hiro mumbled through a mouthful of mochi. Tadashi was still drying his hair, despite his younger sibling's arguing and fussing.
"Yes?" Tadashi replied, practically tackling his brother to keep him still.
"What will happen if those hunters catch us?"
The older fox froze. Hiro looked up, fixing his ruby eyes onto his brother's amber gaze. "Will we have to leave Aunt Cass?" he asked quietly.
"We won't get caught," Tadashi said reassuringly. "As long as we stay calm and don't act too strange, we'll be safe. So no goofing around, okay?"
"Fine," Hiro grumbled. A few moments of silence passed between them before Hiro asked, "But if we do get caught, what will happen to us?"
"We won't get caught, so stop asking," Tadashi growled, harsher than expected. Hiro flinched and fell silent, not wanting to anger his brother. Tadashi immediately felt sorry and wrapped his arms and tail around his little brother. "Hey, hey, I'm sorry," he mumbled, nuzzling his face into his little brother's hair. "Nothing will happen, I'll protect you."
Hiro paused, then quietly murmured, "Will they take us away from Aunt Cass? Will they take me away from you?" Fear was heavily laced in to his voice. Tadashi could feel him trembling in terror.
"Shh, it's okay," Tadashi crooned soothingly. "As long as we keep a low profile, we'll be fine."
"But what if-"
"No 'ifs'," he scolded. Hiro crossed his arms and puffed his cheeks out in a pout. Had it not been for the topic they were arguing about, Tadashi would've completely melted and smothered his brother in hugs. "Are you doubting my abilities to protect you?" he asked scathingly, a smirk playing on his lips. He snapped his fingers and the room was suddenly illuminated with small balls of flame.
Kitsunebi, the fox flames, were one of their ultimate sources of defense. The more powerful the kitsune, the more powerful their flames were. While Tadashi and Hiro were still young, they could easily fight off their enemies with their flames. Hiro, to Tadashi's greatest joy and pride, was able to conjure up flames as well. Usually, a fox's flames didn't come until they had lived over a century. However, Hiro, much like his double tails,was special and was able to conjure his flames at the ripe age of two.
Tadashi brought out his flames at an early age as well. While he wasn't as young as Hiro, the village still considered the brothers prodigies and for the most part treated them with the utmost respect.
Hiro only pouted more at the sight of his brother's flames. He had always liked Tadashi's flames. While his were a dark shade of purple, Tadashi's was a light blue. It always soothed him, especially at night. In this case, Hiro conjured out his own flames with a smirk and said, "My flames could beat yours any day."
"Oh yeah?" Tadashi growled playfully. "Then why's it look so small and weak?"
"Does not!" Hiro scowled, making his flames glow brighter.
"Boys!"
Both foxes froze and looked over sheepishly. A very angry Cass stood over then with her arms crossed. "What did I say about kitsunebi inside the house!"
The brothers looked down and mumbled in unison, "No flames inside because it could set the house on fire."
"Honestly, I've told you two over and over again," she scolded. "I don't need to replace these floors again!"
"Sorry, Aunt Cass," Tadashi murmured.
"We love you, Aunt Cass," Hiro offered.
"Well, I love you too," she snapped, falling to her knees and pulling her boys into a fierce hug. "Don't worry about the hunters. They'll have to get through me if they want you two."
They shuddered and grinned at their aunt. Good luck to whichever poor soul that would have to face her wrath.
"Hey, Aunt Cass," Hiro slurred tiredly.
"Yes, Hiro?"
Her house wasn't the grandest in the world, having only one large bedroom. She gave the room to the brothers while she took the living room. She was pulling out the brothers' futons with Tadashi. Hiro was sitting besides then, trying not to fall asleep (and doing a very poor job.)
"Why do the hunters hunt us?" he asked sleepily, missing the glare his brother gave him. "We didn't do anything wrong… did we?"
Tadashi cleared his throat and said, "Hiro, time to go to bed."
"But I didn't get an answer."
"Hiro-"
"No, Tadashi, it's fine," Cass sighed as she finished setting up their futons. "Come here, boys."
The foxes scrambled over to her excitedly, snuggling into her arms as she said, "Let me tell you a story."
"A long time ago, there was a crow that liked helping others," she began. "The other woodland creatures laughed at him for his habits, telling him that it would one day lead to his downfall. But that crow never listened. He continued helping those in need, even if they were dangerous.
One day, a hunter wandered into the woods. He was close to death when the crow found him. The crow, being the kind creature he was, took pity on the human. He flew over to the dying being, trying to lead the hunter to food."
"And the human found food and lived right?" Hiro asked hopefully. Tadashi already knew how the story would end, but stayed quiet for Hiro's sake.
Cass shook her head. "The hunter shot and ate the crow. The crow thought he was being helpful. However, to the hunter, the crow was just food, dumb luck that landed right in front of him. He was just doing what he could to survive." She sighed and said, "Why are the hunters hunting you two? Because to them, hunting you two would mean survival. To them, there's no line between good or bad. There's only survive or get taken out. It doesn't matter if you've done nothing wrong. As long as you are what you are, they will hunt you."
Hiro stayed quiet, absorbing the information Aunt Cass had just told him. As much as Cass hadn't wanted to tell him, she knew that she had to. To keep him safe. "Don't worry about it," she said lightheartedly. "Don't let other's actions make you question who you are. Just because they don't like you, doesn't mean you don't have to like you. Now, try to get some sleep," she sighed, giving them both a kiss on their heads. "We've got a busy day tomorrow, so I can't afford anybody sleeping in."
"Okay," Hiro murmured, climbing into his futon. "Good night, Aunt Cass."
"Good night, Aunt Cass," Tadashi echoed, following his brother's lead and climbing into his own futon. Cass smiled one last time before walking out, taking the lantern with her. The brothers were instantly plunged into darkness.
Tadashi heard the futon rustle as Hiro turned over to face him. Even though it was pitch black, the foxes could still see each other (thank you night vision.)
"Neh, onii-san," Hiro muttered. Tadashi grunted, too tired to give an actual answer. "Are we really dangerous?"
Tadashi stayed silent, taken by surprise by the question. "We're not dangerous if we don't want to be," he finally replied. "How we are perceived by others depends on them. But we don't have to be dangerous."
Hiro hummed in thought, rolling over again to stare at the ceiling. His mind wandered back to a distant memory, the first time Tadashi had taken him out of the village to see the human world. Bandits had raided a small village, not leaving a single survivor. His brother's words echoed in his mind. Human… a sad race that must destroy to survive…
Was that why the hunters were looking for them? Because they wanted to survive? That's stupid, Hiro thought angrily. We didn't even touch them! Why are we being targeted when we literally did nothing!
But he knew the answer to his own question. It was because they were different. Because they were special. Tadashi had always told him to take pride in being a kitsune, which he did. There wasn't a single day that passed that he didn't hate being who he was. But now a threat was rising because of that pride.
Was it worth it? Being different… being unnatural… being hunted… Was it all worth it?
"Human's don't like different things either, huh," Hiro murmured absentmindedly. He was answered by his brother's soft snores. Laughing quietly to himself, he rolled over one last time to face his brother.
He still remembered the circumstances that had drove them to live in the human world. Of course, he had lied to Tadashi and Aunt Cass, stating he had forgotten so they wouldn't fuss over him.
How could he forget the worst night of his life?
But, that's a story for another time… his head was still spinning with the sudden appearance of the hunters in his new, quiet, peaceful life.
Humans are weird, the young kitsune decided after a long time of quiet mulling. He closed his eyes and let his brother's soft snores lull him to sleep.
Then again… I'm weird too.
OMG what's this? I'm starting yet ANOTHER series?
Yes, dear viewers, yes I am x)
So, if you guys don't know, I am a HUGE freak for fantasy and supernatural stuff, so I decided, why not combine this with BH6, right?
Buuutttt, I don't have enough ideas for a full series, so this is just gonna be a bunch of one-shots or mini series put together with stories of the gang in different settings and scenarios (some might be tumblr ideas, some could be requests)
YES I'M TAKING REQUESTS
To all my loyal followers, don't worry, I'm still alive x) Another Tomorrow will be updating soon, and with my school starting soon I'll have more time to daydream LOL
Tell me what you guys think! (tbh even if you don't particularly like it I'll probably still continue writing can't stop won't stop ;))
*reusing names cuz I can LOL
So yeah, if you don't already know, this is the kitsune!Hamadas AU (saw it on tumblr first and it's been in my head ever since)
psssttttt follow me on tumblr: diskpopani-cray