Naofumi was tending to one of the many rose bushes in her garden. A pair of shears in her hands as she clipped away at any damaged canes. This is the last time she left her garden be alone for this long. The servants had no clue what they were doing when they tended to Naofumi's garden. They had let a good majority of her plants wither.

She gave them one job...

"Hey Naofumi, it's been awhile." Naofumi's ears perked at the sound of the masculine voice. She instantly recognized the voice. How could she dare try to forget it?

Naofumi still busy at work didn't dare to face the other kitsune, "Yasuo, what are you doing here?"

The man in questioned chuckled, "Can't I come to visit my favorite Sun?"

"I'm not a Sun yet," Naofumi muttered.

"Yes, yes, but the ceremony coming soon. You deserve this. Once you gain your ninth tail, you'll have the recognition you deserve."

Naofumi finally looked up at the man. She didn't know what she was expecting, she knew his face would never change. The same shoulder-length, messy black hair that partially cover one side of his face. This side of his face that he wore an eyepatch on. The same half-lidded eye that was colored red. The same never-growing stubble on is face that rested on his firm chin. The only thing notable different was his haori which was a sky blue that faded into white, but it was over his usual black kimono. His most notable features were the black fox ears on top of his head and nine swishing, white tails in back of him.

"You cut your hair," Naofumi commented, going back to work.

The man sighed, "Yeah, Katsumi insisted I change up my look a bit. You know how she gets when she's determined about a makeover..." Yasuo ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm surprised she didn't do it sooner. You kept the same hairstyle for as long as I've known you." Naofumi remarked.

"Eh? Really? You were just a little thing back then it's hard to believe. It's hard to keep track of time." Yasuo laughed into his haori's sleeve. "I honestly thought you wouldn't last, but you proved me wrong. You have such a bad habit of doing that."

"Do I?"

"Of course! You were such a sad child and look at you now. You're completely unrecognizable. I'm happy to watch you grow so much."

Naofumi clicked her tongue, "You sound like an old man."

"Naofumi, your words are so hurtful. You've grown so blunt. Haven't I taught you better?" Yasuo lightly scolded her. Yasuo turned towards the rose bushes. He let us hand cup one of the fully bloomed flowers. "You take such great care of this garden. No wonder Inari likes coming here so much. You always like taking care of others."

Naofumi didn't bother to respond to him.

"Anyone can tell how much care you put into each and every plant. It's shocking to them, but I'm not surprised. You were such a gentle child when we first met. You were scared out of your mind, but you had such a kind soul. It pains me to see what you've become." Yasuo turned his attention back to Naofumi, who had accidentally snipped a rose bud off it's stem.

They stayed that suffocating silence for a bit. Both of them unmoving, waiting for the other to speak first. Naofumi knew he was right though. When she first arrived here as a candidate to become one of Inari's Twelve Suns, nobody thought she would survive. She had no backbone. She was weak and was frightened by the slightest noise. She was easy prey to be picked off. If only they knew what she would do in the future.

"If you've come to change my mind, forget it. I've already decided." Naofumi finally stood up, her long hair coming almost undone from her messy bun. She stood a few inches shorter than the man in front of her, but she still stood her ground. Naofumi narrowed her eyes at the fox who helped raise her.

Yasuo put his hand on her, looking down at the eight tailed fox with pleading eyes. "Naofumi, I think of you as my own child. I only want the best for you", Yasuo moved his hand to her cheek. "This decision your making it's impulsive. You're letting your emotions dictate your life. You need to let them go."

Naofumi slapped his hand away. "I am no longer a child, so stop treating me like one. I know what I'm getting myself into." Naofumi turned her heel, and started to walk away. She was only stopped by a large hand grabbing her forearm, but she didn't dare look back.

"How many times, Naofumi?" Yasuo tightened his grip on her arm. "How many times have I witnessed you destroy your body for the sake of them? How many times have you wept for them? How many have you killed for them? How many times, Naofumi? Do you even now anymore?"

Naofumi's claws dug into her hand, blood dripped onto the grass. A sizzling sound was heard as the freshly fallen blood dissolved the greenery beneath it.

"You even killed Kaede. I know she used you but the way you killed her. You consumed her heart." Yasuo added, a slight look if disgust flashing through his eyes.

"Don't you dare mention her name to me." Naofumi snarled. "The mere thought that her blood courses through my veins disgust me!"

"But you made that choice to poison yourself. To consume that demon's blood even though you knew it was deadly! Naofumi, you tortured yourself for those children."

"So what?" Naofumi started, snatching her arm away from the taller man and turning to face him once more. "As if you could possible understand! I made a promise-"

"We all make promises!" Yasuo argued back. "The promise you made ended the moment you gave up your humanity! It's time to move on like all us Suns did!"

It seemed like time stilled when Yasuo made that comment. Naofumi knew it was true, but she can't let go. Not now. Not when she was so close.

"Naofumi, it's time to let go. Please." Yasuo pulled her close into a hug. "If you want me to I'll beg, but please-" Naofumi felt him clutch her closer to his body. "Don't bring those children that made you suffer so much back to life! I can't watch you harm yourself anymore!"

Naofumi placed her hands to his chest and pushed him back. "I'm not changing my mind," she snarled. She gripped his haori, digging her claws into it's fabric. "They're the whole reason I did any of this! Do you understand? Why would I give them up when I'm so close?"

"Naofumi..." Yasuo reached up to touch her cheek, only for his hand to be slapped away.

Naofumi looked up at him, her eyes yellow and glowing. "I don't care how many people I've killed, understand? I don't care about the lives I've taken or the enemies I've made! I don't care if I destroy this body over and over again! I'll do it all over again if I have to!"

"You don't mean that..." Yasuo said, his eyes looked like he was in pain, but there were no physical wounds on him.

"You have some nerve talking to me about 'giving up my humanity'," Naofumi spat out. "All the Suns did it, including you! Don't think I don't know what you did as soon as you became a Sun..."

Yasuo narrowed, "Naofumi, I'm warning you."

"You destroyed a whole civilization all because a few centuries before they brought ruin to your city, and you talk to me about moving on? You're unbelievable. It's honestly sad-" Naofumi was cut off by Yasuo grabbing her by the throat. It wasn't tight enough to do any damage, but it was a warning.

"Quiet. Just be quiet," Yasuo muttered and let go of her. He turned and started to walk away, leaving Naofumi to rub her fingers across her throat. Yasuo looked back at the woman he raised, "I didn't raise you to be like this."

Naofumi didn't bother looking at him, as she turned to leave and go back to her quarters.

Naofumi's eyes fluttered open. Her head was resting on one of her palms. She was seated in the same wooden chair by the shabby table, that sat in the corner of the inn's room.

A dream?

No, it was a memory of the past. How nostalgic...

She has been dreaming about the past too much recently. It's starting to become a bother. Maybe she'll stop sleeping for a while? It's not like she needed to sleep. She just liked doing it. It was calming and passed time.

Naofumi let out a sigh and stretched, hearing a few satisfying cracks and looked out the window. The night sky was starting to melt away as the sun was coming up.

It's been a long time since she spoke to Yasuo. They only spoke to each other when they had to, but since that day...

Naofumi's ears perked when the sound of ruffling could be heard. She turned her head towards the source. Raphtalia looked like she was battling with her covers, as she frantically twisted her body around.

Not this again...

Naofumi stood up from her seat and gracefully made her way over to where Raphtalia was sleeping. The child's body trembled and her face distorted. She let out small whimpers of discomfort, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

Naofumi looked over the child. Another nightmare was plaguing the child's mind just like they had nearly every night. Naofumi sat on the side of the bed, looking down at the child. She raised her hand, and placed one clawed finger on the girl's temple.

There the small child was in what Naofumi assumed to be her home. She was on the lap of a man who looked surprised like her. He was holding a book. A woman sat on a wooden rocking chair across from them. She was happily smiling as she gazed lovingly as the pair.

Naofumi couldn't hear what they were saying, but there was no doubt in her mind. This was a loving family.

The scene was calming. The child looked to be intensely listening to the story being told. When she looked up at her father with bright eyes, all she saw was a two headed beast carving into her parents. Scattering blood on the girl's face as her bright eyes dulled and widened.

It was the same dream nearly every night. Naofumi was getting sick of it. If she was going to have this same nightmare every single night, then the least she could do was dream about it quietly.

It just took a little bit of work to calm Raphtalia down, and lull her back into sleep.

Naofumi stared down at the girl. She had a very happy family. It was obvious the parents loved their daughter a lot.

Raphtalia's parents loved her. They loved her so much they died for her.

They were self sacrificing idiots. Who in their right mind would do something so drastic to save a child?

That's right. If memory serves her correctly, she did the same thing. Gods, she was becoming such a hypocrite.

"Master..." A small voice pulled Naofumi from her thoughts. Naofumi looked down at the small tanuki she thought was sleeping, only to be greeted back by a pair of red eyes.

Naofumi blinked, "You're awake."

Naofumi guessed in the midst of her thoughts, she must have woken the child up by mistake. The child sinked back into her covers, pulling them up to cover her mouth.

"Am I not suppose to be?" Raphtalia questioned the fox.

"It's still late a night. You mortals need rest to function properly. I would suggest you go back to sleep." Naofumi said.

Naofumi noticed the child tense and dart her eyes sadly to the side. The child's fist, which were clutching the end of the blanket, trembled.

"You don't want to go back to sleep, do you?" Naofumi tilted her head to the side.

Raphtalia shook her head.

Naofumi spoke up again, "Are the nightmares bothering you that much?"

Raphtalia paused and looked away.

Naofumi faced away, "Those two you always dream about, are they your parents?"

Raphtalia gasped before Naofumi raised a finger to her lips to shush her.

"Quiet. The others are still sleeping." Naofumi put her finger down.

"How did you know?" Raphtalia questioned in a faint voice. "How did you know what I was dreaming about?"

Naofumi blinked, "I can view people dreams and alter them a bit. It's not much though since I never focused on it. Seriously, do you know how troublesome you are at night? You screamed and fought like any of that would do any good."

Raphtalia brought the blanket higher, almost covering her face. "Sorry..." She mumbled.

Naofumi crossed her legs, "It's fine. It's only natural. You saw something most children should never experience, and you seemed rather close to your parents. It would be concerning if you didn't grieve for them," Naofumi rested her elbow on her knee, letting her head rest in the palm of her hand as she leaned forward. "I have to say I'm a bit envious. Your parents seemed to love you very much. Do you feel guilty?"

"Huh?" Raphtalia shifted a bit under the covers.

Naofumi didn't bother to look back at the girl, "Do you feel guilty about your parents' death?"

Raphtalia froze.

Did she feel guilty? Her parents had sacrificed themselves, so she could live. But they left her alone. She was so alone without them. How could she live without them? Why didn't she die with them? Why didn't they let her die-

"You shouldn't feel guilty." Naofumi's words snapped Raphtalia out of her thoughts.

"Wha-" Raphtalia was cut off.

"There are plenty of things in this world to feel guilty about, but your parents sacrificing themselves for you is something you should feel happy about. They loved you so much, they risked their lives for you. From my standpoint, it seems like they died knowing that their daughter would be safe. I'm sure they don't regret their decision." Naofumi said nonchalantly, "You should consider yourself fortunate."

"Do you really think that?" Raphtalia asked.

Naofumi paused for a second before answering, "Yes, yes I do. My how lucky you are to have such considerate parents."

The two of them stayed in silenced for a bit. Naofumi had wrapped a piece of Raphtalia's hair around her finger and started to swirl it.

"Do you have parents?" Raphtalia asked innocently, breaking the silence.

Naofumi paused her actions, dropping the strands of auburn hair.

"I did have parents a long time a go." Naofumi answered. "They've been dead for centuries now."

"Oh," Raphtalia muttered. "I'm sorry..."

Naofumi looked away from the child, "Don't be. I'm not."

Raphtalia's ears fell, "But they were your parents. Don't you miss them?" Raphtalia clenched the edge of the blanket.

"No, not at all." Naofumi spoke up. "I don't miss them. Unfortunately, my parents weren't as loving as yours. I don't even remember much about them."

"Oh," Raphtalia whispered. "I see..."

"I did have siblings." Naofumi said.

Raphtalia's ears twitched. There was a very subtle change in the fox's voice. It became gentler. It sounded so sweet compared to how the fox usually talked. Words usually laced with empty joy coming from an alluring voice. Her voice now was warm.

"Siblings?" Raphtalia pressed a bit further.

"Yes, I have two siblings. I have a younger brother and sister. Even though they're only two years apart, they're polar opposites. My brother likes to learn so much. He likes to study the world around him like everything he looked at was something new to learn. My sister was adventurous. Even though she was skinny, she likes to climb up trees and would try to grab fish with her bare hands. Everyday with them was bliss to me."

"What are they're names?" Raphatalia asked.

Naofumi stopped, "I don't remember."

"Eh?"

"I don't remember their names."