You ever have a dream that you completed or did something only to find out like a week later that you in fact did not do the thing?

Yeah, me neither.

Sorry about the wait. I totally thought I finished and published this chapter last week… but I obviously didn't.

By bad. lol

Liz- thanks for every bit of support you've ever given me. It super brightens my day reading your comments and yeah while I don't work at a company or anything, I still have the time to write chapters on a regular basis. I've got some weird self discipline issues when it comes to writing and that needs to come to an end. And what better way to practice that is with keeping to a hecking schedule with fanfiction? Now about the comforting scene…

k so I have a theory about Nadia and Allie that hit me kinda recently. (actually as I was writing the scene between Nadia and Allie)

I think Nadia was supposed to become a mother/older sister like figure to Allie. There are a few reasons why I think this, so buckle up for theory time.

First off, the unreleased/unwritten episode. I can no longer find that tidbit about it, but I talk a little bit about it in my story Episode 21.5: Kidnapped. The only thing given in the episode description was that Allie and Nadia were supposed to be the main characters, and that Nadia was kidnapped by the choten.

I'm still peeved we didn't get this episode because it would have made sense for the Choten to try and get her out of the way (heck, she took his job and there's obviously some bad blood between them) Now, I chose to go the route of Allie doing the reacting/ helping to find Nadia, who was kidnapped while out on her own… but what if it was planned that Nadia and Allie were taken together? Or Nadia was kidnapped and while trying to find her, Allie gets captured as well?

It was already shown she cared for the kids in that episode when Ray got back his memories. She was pissed they didn't go to her and put themselves in danger. If Allie was taken alongside Nadia, Nadia would have taken a protective role and tried to guard her from the Choten and his goons.

Second, Nadia became friends with Janet.

Now hear me out. Nadia ain't the youngest duel master, (I think Chavez holds that title? Or was he the newest master?) , she's probably either Janet's age or somewhere under ten years younger, but I really don't see too many reasons as to why they would become friends. They have some serious life and personality differences. Janet's a total good mom character and Nadia is a stereotypical ice queen until it comes to the people she cares about. Janet working a regular 9-5 with minimal interaction with kaijudo while Nadia basically lives and breathes it at this point would probably make it harder for them to find similar interests or experiences. I originally figured it was because Nadia knew Takahashi and wanted to learn more about him and his disappearance…

But what if it was to place Nadia in the presence of Allie and the kids more often? I think she even leant Janet a designer dress for something at one point (Which is hilarious to me for some reason) solidifying that they are in fact friends… a moment that happens off screen, but it still makes me wonder. Why?

Third, she is another foil for Alakshmi. She and Alakshmi are both stone cold bitches when it comes to the people they don't care for, but Nadia has control over her emotions when Alakshmi doesn't. The two are both logically intelligent and physically capable, but Nadia is blunt and straight forwards while Alakshmi manipulates and sugar coats her words.

Allie, Nadia, and Alakshmi are our three main females (Jaha aint involved in this for now) and all three are foils to each other, but the big difference between Nadia and Alakshmi's relationship and Nadia and Allie's is Nadia and Allie are on the same side.

Nadia, being the older and wiser one, could council Allie on how to deal with people like Alakshmi. Because lets all be honest, the 360 Allie and Alakshmi had with each other at the end of season two makes absolutely no sense.

But then the writers probably had a realization. "Allie's got an aptitude for Darkness, her mentor figure should be the darkness master, and hey, Jaha's a tricky old bitch, it works!"

… I guess, but I still think the mother/daughter or older/younger sister relationship between Allie and Nadia would have worked better than the female Yoda/Luke thing.

It would have made Allie's mom popping up here and there more interesting as well since she would have experienced both a cold but caring figure and be able to compare it to her mother's more flippant and hands off approach. There also could have been a moment where Nadia could offer advice and support to Allie about her mother coming back.

(Oh shit as im typing this I realized Nadia could have totally had a heart to heart with Allie about jealousy and not being able to properly express her feelings to Ray because she totally has a thing for Chavez and couldn't do anything about it for a while. The only differences being age, knowledge of each other's feelings, and a Nigel breathing down your neck)

((Guess I'm trying to say Nadia would have been a much better mentor figure to Allie than Jaha))

(((In most circumstances)))

((((Nadia wouldn't know even how to begin to deal with Megaria))))

SubjectOmega12- thanks man! I didn't mean to get all touchy feely but that realization hit me hard when it happened, right as I was about to post that chapter.

…and now that's on the internet forever.

Thanks for all your comments and continual support!

Ray

"Kyuubi Kitsune?" I echoed, then gave a short bow. "It's nice to meet you."

When I rose again, those blazing green eyes were still locked on me. It was hard to focus on them though. I was too busy examining the markings on his face, remembering what Allie had told me.

"Kura told me that the black marks are from the royal kitsune family, but a kitsune that has them can apparently magically give them to someone else."

Before Hakura, Kura was the only kitsune we knew for a fact existed and that all others were wiped out by Megaria and her armies. Kura couldn't have given Allie the marks, and Hakura didn't have them in the first place, so even his appearance couldn't explain them, but now there was Kyuubi. A kitsune with the royal black marks that lived on this side of the veil.

This might be the chance Allie has been looking for to get some answers… too bad she wasn't here. Guess I'll have to ask in her place.

"Umm, strange question," The creature tilted its head as I began. "Have you ever been to America?"

"America," Kyuubi echoed slowly, as if he was tasting the word, trying to see if it was familiar. "Can't say I have, child. Why do you ask?"

"Well," I scratched at the back of my head. "There's this friend of mine, her name is Allison Underhill, and she has black marks like yours."

"Ah, a grandchild?" The creature seemed completely unbothered, sitting back on its haunches and disappearing into the shadows again.

"Grandchild?!" I think my heart stopped at the suggestion.

"Those with these marks are often my descendants." He explained easily.

"But my friend's human. She can't be related to you." I paused. "Wait- how old are you?"

"I am far older than you may think," The kitsune let out a throaty chuckle. "And my marks can be given, but only by one born of my blood."

"But then how could she have those marks?"

"I have many grandchildren."

"But- but the Kitsune are all dead. The only ones that are left are you, Hakura, and Kura, and Kura's the only other one with the marks."

"Is that truly all there is left?"

He had me there. When we met Kura, he was the only one left. Then there was Hakura, and there were two left. Now, there was Kyuubi, Kitsune, number three. If this trend continued, the Kitsune probably were simply hiding and thriving these past five hundred years, and based on who we've found already, a majority might be on this side of the veil.

"Guess you got me there. Do you know of any other Kitsune that are over here? Maybe one of them gave Allie the marks. She really wants to know why she has them."

"There is one, but I must keep my children's secrets if I expect them to keep mine." His voice was filled with suggestion.

Replaying the response in my head, my mouth dropped. "There is another one with your marks on this side?!"

Kyuubi only hummed in return. My eyes had adjusted to the light slightly, so I could tell when he suddenly looked up to the hole I had fallen into. "It seems your friend has finally found us."

"Jaha?" I guessed, glancing up and into the dimming light. "Wait, how am I supposed to get out of here?"

The creature giggled, "Ready to leave?"

"No, no," I quickly reassured, worried I might have offended the creature. "I just realized I can't just jump out of here."

"Don't worry," Kyuubi moved closer to me again. "I shall assist you. Also, I believe your friend has figured out my little illusion."

"Raiden?" As if on cue, Master Jaha's voice called out to me from above. "Are you down there?"

"Yeah," I called up to her, and a shadow looked down from the hole. Turning back to Kyuubi, I asked, "Can you help her down here? Or do you even want to meet her?"

Leaning in again, those deep green eyes came into view. "You have entertained me well, child. I shall do as you ask."

Giving me a toothy grin, he kept his eyes on me as one of his tails shot up and I heard a yelp of surprise from above. Looking up, I saw a white, ink dipped tail, slowly descending again, and stifled a laugh as it was coiled around a visibly irritated Jaha.

"Here," When the tail was close to the ground, I helped the Darkness master out of the creature's grasp before he simply dropped her. I bit my tongue when she tried to shoo me away. "Sorry for running off like that."

"Hmm," She grumbled, giving me quite the glare. "I'm still trying to figure out how you vaulted over that wall. Can't say I'm too upset though. You did manage to find the Darkness Elder's home."

I blinked at the old woman for a moment. My jaw dropped slightly, and when I went to speak, nothing came out. Shaking my head slightly, I looked back to Kyuubi, who had once again ducked into the shadows.

"Jaha," The creature let out a short whistle. "My, you smell of a curse. Judging by the stale scent, it has been broken for a while, but it was quite the curse none the less."

"Yes, A curse from Dark Lord Megaria." Jaha's face hardened, and I knew she didn't like what the creature said. "Do you know her, or was she after your time?"

"Megaria the Collector," All humor from the elder's voice suddenly disappeared. "A mere child. She is no dark lord. None of those Dark Lords of today are true Dark Lords."

Finally finding my voice, I cut in. "Wait, you're the darkness elder?! And what do you mean they aren't dark lords?"

Kyuubi let out a low grumble. "I am Kyuubi Kitsune, the thousand tailed. I am the first Kitsune, all others were simply given my name as a courtesy and passed down from parent to child. My marks are the proof of my blood, and yet my children found a way to defile their names by giving their marks away.

"And I, sweet child, was a true Dark Lord." His voice turned to a dangerous snarl, and I could have sworn the shadows around us trembled. "I was merciless, power hungry, always ready for a head to head challenge. These new lords turn to trickery and their armies to do their dirty work. Even my own children turned weak, bending to the new way instead of upholding the old and true. The only true Dark Lord in existence today is the Nightmare King. Now he is a Dark Lord."

"You know the Nightmare King?" I was feeling really confused. The water Elder had been on this side of the veil since before the Veil's creation, so I had assumed the same for Kyuubi. But then again, he apparently still had at least one… child on this side of the veil. Maybe he or she met and told him about the nightmare king? Or was the Nightmare king really that old too?

"But of course. He's older than the veil as well." Some humor returned to the creature's voice, confirming my previous thought. "Nightmares have long lives to begin with, but Titans can live far beyond their species. I wonder how he is now…"

Just as I was about to answer his rhetorical question, a scuffle came from above. All three of us directed our gazes upwards and to the lone light source of the cave.

A deep snarl seemed to spiral down the hole and surround us. The malicious sound sent a deep chill through my body, and as it echoed through the small cavern, the shadows on the cavern walls twisted and churned. When I looked to Kyuubi, he seemed purely annoyed.

"What was that?" I asked uneasily.

"A fox eater." The Kitsune chuffed, retreating into the shadows once again. "Kai-Ken, a kaiju that has recently made his home here… and has decided this mountain is not big enough for the both of us."

"Strange, we have had no reports of loose kaiju around Mt. Fuji." Jaha hummed, looking back up as the growls got louder and a scratching sound grated at my ears.

"He prefers to bother me over humans." I could have sworn I saw the creature roll his blazing green eyes. He let out a soft sigh. "Poor thing. So obsessed he has denied his own health. Not a fox on this mountain has gone missing."

I bit back a sharp remark about hypocricy, my eyes had adjusted enough to the darkness to see the slim body of the Kitsune.

Hunched over and old, his ribs were hidden under pale fur but the gap between his ribs and hips was as noticeable as how uncomfortably thin he was. His face was bony and his eyes were sunken in. Even the water elder, who had been hibernating for who knows how long, seemed healthier than this.

When I turned to Jaha, I saw the same idea I had reflected in her eyes. She tilted her head to confirm, and I gave a short nod.

"Maybe we can handle it for you?" I offered.

I was answered with a cackle, "Oh, it would be a sight."

"What, do you think we can't handle it?" I don't know why, but his laugh made me feel embarrassed. Like I was being scolded for saying something impossible.

"Oh, I would love to see you try." Kyuubi grinned.

Taking the challenge, I tried to return a glare. "Lift us up, and you'll see."

A ghost white tail quickly snaked around my waist, and it lifted me carefully. Another lifted Jaha, and as he raised us up, the snarls grew louder.

"Uhh, Kyuubi?" I cringed away as the hole grew closer.

The elder didn't answer us directly, but instead let out a horrid shriek. The snarling stopped instantly, and the scratching paused.

In the small moment of silence, the creature suddenly forced his tails upwards, practically launching us both out of the hole. I yelped in surprise, landing hard on my back. Worried about the creature and Jaha, I sprang up quickly, remembering Mai's training and keeping on my toes.

Kai-Ken was a monstrous creature. He looked like a wild hybrid of a hyena and a bear, towering at at least six feet tall. His fur was dark brown and black striped, and his face was a brindle of pale brown alongside the dark markings. Its beady red eyes crinkled at the edges while it grinned, drool falling out of its heavily fanged mouth as it glared at us.

"Oh, shit!" Immediately, I knew I was out of my league.

Swooping down, I grabbed Jaha and pulled her to her feet as I took off, pulling the old duel master with me.

Kai-Ken let out a horrible cackle and chased after us.

"Distract the creature so I can call Blackfeather!" Jaha gasped, and she was just as visibly startled by the creature as I was.

"Okay!" Slowing, I stooped to grab a stone and hurled it behind me.

I didn't even have to look to know the rock had hit its mark. An angry snarl reached my ears and I bolted to the right, weaving through the trees to put some distance between me and the angry creature.

In between the sounds of the kaiju crashing after me, I could hear Jaha calling out to her partner. Relief flooded my body as an uncomfortable chill settled on my skin as a specter placed itself between me and Kai-ken.

Blackfether raked its talons over the hyena/bear's face, pulling a startled cry from its horrible mouth, and I ducked to the left, hiding behind a thick tree to pull on and activate my gauntlet.

"Tatsurion, the Unchained!"

I summoned Bob as quickly as I could while Blackfeather kept the creature distracted. As usual, Bob burst from his summons with a great roar, landing close to me and readying himself for a fight. But then he wheeled back, surprised.

"Is that a fox eater?" He seemed genuinely startled.

"Uh, yeah. Is something wrong?"

"Fox eaters are monsters." Bob snarled, examining the creature from a distance and kneeling so I could climb into his back. "They won't stop until they get their kill, whether it be a fox or a foe. To make enemies with one is to doom yourself to years of being hunted. Their grudges last until their deaths."

"Well, then, We're gonna have to just send him back through the veil and hope he doesn't come after any of us again." I readied my shield as Bob began to charge forwards.

Kai-Ken heard our approach and met Bob head on. Rearing up on his hind legs, his bear like claws took hold of Bob's horns and held fast as he was pushed backwards.

When Bob pinned him up against a tree, the creature shifted his grip, pulling up on Bob's left horn and down on his left. Every muscle in the kaiju's body clenched as he flipped Bob onto his side, effectively dumping me off of his back and putting my partner in a bad position.

Lunging forwards, Kai-ken locked his fangs around Bob's throat. A roar of annoyance was quickly cut off as those massive teeth sank into his scaly flesh. Luckily, the creature wasn't big or strong enough to stop Bob from raking his claws down its side, pulling a horrid scream from the beast.

Jumping back and out of the way, Kai-ken began to make a hasty retreat.

"Don't let it get away!" Jaha shouted as rushed to my side and pulled me to my feet.

We both jumped on Bob and the dragon hybrid took to the skies. The trees were too thick for him to effectively move through, and we would better be able to get the jump on it from the air.

Jaha summoned Lars to mask Bob's presence, and we gave the creature some distance as to not scare it into town.

"I get Kai-Ken's a box eater, but why is it so fixated on Kyuubi?" I asked the darkness master. "He could have just jumped down that hole and eaten him already, so why didn't he?"

"I assume this creature can sense what Kyuubi is." Jaha responded, eyes narrowing as she searched for the kaiju. "Fox eaters are notorious for fixating on one task at a time, completely unable to think of doing anything else but complete the first thing on their mind. He probably came here to hunt foxes, and saw one of Kyuubi's little spirits. It fixated on wanted to devour it, but then found out what Kyuubi was. Now its probably stuck fighting between its own sense of self preservation and desire."

"That's… kinda sad." I looked down to the trees and caught a glimpse of the dark furred creature.

"Hopefully this will be the one time a fox eater will give up on its prey. If we can send it back through the veil, it might give up its hunt."

"So, what's the plan?" I ask.

We followed the creature to the other side of Mt. Fuji, watching it crash through abandoned camp grounds and upsetting the wildlife as it charged through anything in its path.

Jaha abandoned Bob's back and jumped to Lars after I summoned another light creature to hide the giant dragon under me from sight. The plan was honestly simple.

We just needed to get Kai-ken to slow down.

Once Jaha was in position, Lars let out a series of flashes to signal us, and I knew we really only had one shot at this.

Diving down, Bob glided over the still fleeing Kai-ken. If the creature noticed our approach, he sure didn't let us know. It would have been nice to get a hint that we might actually get the drop on him, but all I could do was cross my fingers and hold on tight as Bob literally dropped on his head.

The kaiju let out an angry screech as Bob drove its head into the ground, hoping to knock out the thick skinned creature and simply throw it back over the veil. Of course that didn't happen though.

It struggled under Bob's much stronger grasp, wailing into the dirt as its body and limbs thrashed about to get a hit on us. According to the plan, Jaha should have a Kai-ken sized breach open due north of us.

All we had to do is herd the creature to it.

"Roaming Bloodmane! Scaradorable of Gloomhollow!"

Summoning two more powerful creatures just about knocked the wind out of me, but they were needed if we were going to pull this off.

Squeaky changed her form and Bloodmane readied his clubs. They didn't ask questions as Bob swung the creature to face Northwards and let him go.

"Guide him!" I called to the other two as Bob launched into the air again.

Squeaky crowded Kai-ken's right, while Bloodmane kept up pressure at his left. Bob and I made sure he didn't somehow slip past the two, and we soon came to a small clearing where Jaha was waiting with Blackfeather, Mudman, and an opened veil breach.

Like we guessed, as soon as Kai-ken saw the breach, he tried to turn on his heels and run back, but Bob dropped in front of him.

And just like that, the fox eater was surrounded on all sides.

And after all Bob and jaha had told me about fox eaters, I was still surprised when the beast tried to fight back.

Lunging for Blackfeather, Kai-ken shrieked his rage, probably hoping to intimidate the specter and open up a gap in our ring to escape.

Lars, who had apparently been hiding from sight above Jaha, revealed itself and blasted the creature back.

"Return home, fox eater!" Bloodmane attempted to reason with it. "There is nothing for you here!"

He got a horrid snarl in return.

Bob and the other creatures took a threatening step forwards together, and Kai-ken took a wary step back.

Sliding off Bob's back, I opened my mouth to speak, but then there was a light weight on my shoulder.

The ghost white fox from before had returned, and was now settling itself around my neck.

"Don't bother reasoning with it. It will not hear you." The fox whispered to me. Its voice was like Kyuubi's, but smaller and wispy.

Looking back to the creature, I noticed Kai-ken had its gaze locked on me, darting between my face and the fox on my shoulder.

"Oh-"

Hell.

The fox eater cut off my gasp as it made a desperate lunge for me. Bob attempted to throw himself in its way, but the creature was smaller and faster than the lumbering halfbreed.

Bloodmane let out a roar, Squeaky shrieked, and Jaha called out my name as the shadows of black claws fell over my face.

Before I could even think to react, black tendrels morphed out of the ground and surrounded me, and with a sharp pull, I was yanked into the ground.

It was like looking up from a pool of water, or up through glass as Kai-ken landed hard on the spot where I used to be. My body was pulled to the side and then back up to the surface. The white fox on my shoulder calmly looked to the beast, who was now trapped under all of Bob's weight once again.

Kai-ken thrashed wildly, but now with the help of Bloodmane, Squeaky, and mudman, the creatures were able to slowly carry the furious creature to the breach and toss him in. With a half angry, half frightened growl, the fox eater disappeared into the light, and Jaha quickly closed the breach behind it.

"Phew!" I sighed, standing and brushing myself off as the fox jumped off my shoulders.

"Raiden, are you alright?" Jaha approached me, worry written all over her face.

"Yeah, what happened?"

"Kyuubi saved you." She turned to the white fox, who was perched on a fallen tree in the shade and watching us. "But then again… he also tempted the creature to attack you."

"How so?"

"Oh, I don't know," Her voice was already dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe by dangling a fox in front of a fox eater?"

"I'm sure Kyuubi didn't mean for that to happen." I said it to myself just as much as Jaha.

Kyuubi seemed to like me. Why would he do something like that?

Well, there was only one way to find out. After thanking and banishing all our creatures, we approached the fox.

"Well done!" the voice was Kyuubi's, but quieter. The white fox sat up proudly, its long tail flittering happily before us. "You have rid me of quite the nuisance!"

"Yes, and almost at the cost of our lives." Jaha didn't seem to be willing to skirt around the facts this time around. "Why are you here? We said we would handle it."

"But how you handled it was important to me." The fox gave a sigh. "You two are cunning. The two of you and your preferred creatures would have never handled him alone, but you two summoned and controlled more creatures than I have ever seen!"

"We weren't controlling them." I explained. "They're our friends."

Now that got the fox's attention.

"Friends?"

"Yeah. If you were really watching, didn't you notice?"

The fox was quiet for a while, and then gave a wicked grin.

"I see now why the water elder granted you Eyes that Seek Knowledge," the fox began as its black marks turned a deep purple. "You two have earned my favor. Those that seek the favor of shadows shall always be a target, but you shall always have shadows at your back."

There was a tingling between my shoulders, and I shivered as it shot down my spine. It felt strange, and as I turned my head, I could see there was something glowing behind me. Confused and more than a little concerned, I turned to Jaha, but she was also looking behind herself, her back slightly turned to me.

I let out a small gasp.

A violet light shone through her clothes. Violet swirls braided up her back and spread around her shoulders and ribs. It looked like two glowing eyes were staring back at me, and I realized what had happened.

Like the water elder, the darkness elder was giving us some kind of special markings. Stupidly, I went cross eyed as I tried to look down my cheeks. Sure enough, there was a light blue glow under my eyes.

Eyes that Seek knowledge, and Shadows at your Back.

I was beginning to sense a pattern.

We both looked back to the fox, but it was already gone.

My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket, and I saw I had missed like fifty messages and calls from a number of people.

"Oh, shit."