Birth. Battle. Fire. Spirit. Partnership. Love. Evolution. Death. Grief. These are the names inscribed in the invisible tongue on each of the nine tails of a Ninetales. Each is the name of a Tale, a legend of the species of fire-foxes know to humans as Vulpix, and later, Ninetales.

My name is Teller-of-stories-in-sunset-flames, and I am the Lore-keeper of the Secret Skulk. I am one of 978 Ninetales currently in existence in the world, the oldest and wisest. Come, gather around flame-kits, and listen well, I have tales to tell.

Birth

In the beginning, there was nothing but the EGG, cosmic, infinite and yet infinitesimal. The egg was the original one, who was both born from and bore it. All hail Arceus, the Alpha and Omega!

In His infinite wisdom, He created 19 Life Plates, infused with the spirits of the elements, and using them He created all that is, birthing the three dragons of existence to aid Him.

To populate this new universe, Arceus created the beasts of legend, avatars of Life, Death and Balance, and allowed their energy to spread. From the Psi Plate, He created Mew, and filled the world with them. He infused the Mew with all the energies of the plates, save one. From Mew, arose all the species of Pokémon, and they grew numerous and varied.

From the last plate, the multi-plate, He created humans, and instilled in them the same desire to create as He had. And man multiplied, but man was small, and possessed not the powers that Pokémon did. And so, to man, Arceus granted a deeper power, one to augment and support the powers of others.

And thus, the universe was created.

Battle

Long before the power of the red and white orb, the world was a much different place. Pokémon were wild, and savage, using their gifts and powers to exert their own wills over others. In those days, Pokémon killed. Oh, to be sure, even now a Pokémon can cause the death of another, or even the death of a human, but such things are usually accidental or caused by some outside force inducing a rage state. And even then, the Pokémon who causes such tragedy is stricken with a deep and abiding grief.

In the long forgotten past, lost in the mists of time, Pokémon killed without remorse. Many times, it was as a predator, to gain a meal and continue their existence. Other times it was to prove a point, or settle an argument.

The worst of it came when Pokémon started to indiscriminately attack the humans. Humans are seen by many Pokémon as weak, stupid or arrogant, they are underestimated.

Remember this, flame-kits, humans may not have a Pokémon's powers, but they do have tricks of their own. Humans alone are gifted with Arceus' power of creation. Humans alone are capable of inventing things, making things, or altering things around them.

In those days, when man faced certain extinction, he created machines capable of killing from a distance. Creations of metal and fire, terrible weapons that made him the equal of the most powerful of Pokémon. And he called this weapon "gun".

And so man went to war against Pokémon, and Pokémon, fearing this new weapon, became determined to stamp out all humans everywhere.

But a small few, partnerships of humans and Pokémon, stood in the breach between man and Pokémon, beseeching both sides to see reason and peace. As both sides of the conflict crashed together like ocean waves, these few stood fast, saying "no more!"

Arceus, moved by the power inside these few, came down upon the earth, and seeing their determination, and the chaos of their world, He made a decree: "no more shall Pokémon kill Pokémon. Battle amongst yourselves to prove your might, or to defend yourself or those you love. But when your opponent lies weak, end it there. Life is too precious. Kill not the humans of the world, lest you incur the terrible ingenuity they have."

Then, He passed Judgement, transforming all the guns and weapons into small, red and white balls, and he gave the crafting of them to the humans, that they might defend themselves, and yet do no permanent harm.

Thus did Pokémon learn the tradition of battling, and this was born the power of the pokéball.

Fire

The story of fire is the story of the origins of our species, the beginning of the firefoxes.

From the 19 plates, Arceus created the universe, and all things living in it. That story has been told. But, from the last plate, the multi-plate, He created humans, and instilled in them the same desire to create as He had. And man multiplied, but man was small, and possessed not the powers that Pokémon did, and so man in his desperation grasped the Flame Plate, and desired a companion to protect him. A partner as crafty and intelligent, and as loyal and powerful, as man himself aspired to be.

But man's reach exceeded his grasp, and two beings were formed from the flames; Arcanine, fierce, loyal and powerful, and Ninetales, crafty, intelligent and mysterious. Arcanine took to man almost instantly, becoming his first friend, and teaching him the secrets of fire, but Ninetales was haughty, reserving her loyalty and affection for those deemed worthy of it, and no one else.

With Arcanine by his side, man became powerful beyond measure, establishing dominion over the earth. But a man with a Ninetales became as a king, leaders and rulers among humans. Ninetales were wise, and could see beyond the mortal realm to that which lies beyond, offering insights and glimpses to those who would dare to seek it.

But Arceus saw these things, and was saddened. His plan had been disrupted. So, with a flash of His eyes, He bound the power of both Arcanine and Ninetales, limiting them to smaller, more vulnerable forms. And thus, were Growlithe and Vulpix created. But the two species cried out to their creator, "Please! Mercy! We are small and powerless in this dangerous wild world! We beseech you, give us back our power!"

Arceus' heart was moved, and as a show of mercy, he created the stones of fire, and scattered them across the universe, saying, "Behold! I grant you your power! If you are worthy, and steadfast, and determined, you can seek out and earn your power back!"

Thus, Vulpix and Growlithe can only ever attain the power they once had through the fire stone.

Spirit

The story of Spirits is the story of a power unseen, the mystical abilities only we possess. It is also a story of love. Now, Love is its own story, and we shall not tell it here, but it would be wise to remember that it was through love, the jealous, covetous, possessive love of a Vulpix for her human, that Vulpix and ninetales gained the ethereal powers we possess.

It is no secret that we fire-foxes are vain, prideful creatures, given to haughty and aloof behavior and cold indifference. But it is not always so, the fire-foxes are secretly plagued by obssession, and nothing is quite so dangerous or terrifying as a Vulpix or ninetales who's person has been grievously harmed. A Vulpix once went to incredible lengths to preserve her humans life.

There was once a Vulpix called Dawning-flames, and she lived in the company of a human boy. He was not especially handsome, nor was he especially bright, but he was kind and loyal and, most importantly, he was hers.

In those days, Vulpix lived lives nearly as long as a ninetales, hundreds of years, yet she chose to spend her humans lifetime with him. They were happy! She lived a life of contentment, free of worry and full of adventure as they travelled the land together. For her human boy was righteous, and could not countenance a wrong left unrighted.

In the end, it was his own righteousness that caused his downfall, for he had fallen in love with a treacherous female, who, feigning misfortune, cried out to the renowned hero for aid. The boy, smitten by her feminine wiles, responded, offering the hand of friendship and aid to the poor girl.

But he was betrayed, her honeyed words hid an evil mind, and a poisoned knife. Wounding him deeply in his side, she took his gold, and his sword, and left him to die in the wilderness, alone with only Dawning-flames to stand vigil over his fading life.

Dawning-flames mourned, for she knew she could do nothing to aid him, the boy she loved so devotedly. So she waited, trying in vain to warm his rapidly chilling body with her own inner flame, listening with increasing unease and anguish to his increasingly labored breathing.

In time, Dusknoir, the ferryman, came to collect that which all beings owe him. But Dawning-flames, mad with grief and worry, snarled defiance at the conductor of spirits. "No! He is mine! MINE! Not yours! You cannot have him!"

Dusknoir spoke, a sepulchral voice laden with the sounds of the dead. "You cannot stop what must be. I am owed a soul, and his time to pay is nigh. Who are you to stand between me and my quarry?"

"I am the Vixen Who Walks In Companionship, she who loves him. He is mine, and I will keep him. Begone, you shall not have what is mine this day!"

Hearing the argument, and watching the battle for the human boys soul, Yveltal, Lord of the Dead, and Giratina, ruler of the Reverse World, where all souls come to rest, appeared before her.

Speaking as one, the two deities asked her, "You, who will live so much longer than this mere boy, why do you fight his passing so? Do you not know that, now, or a hundred years from now, you WILL be parted? A human lifetime is a paltry thing, compared to the lifetime of a Flameborne, why prolong the inevitable?"

Dawning-flames readied herself for battle, knowing that she would rather lose, and join him, than not try, and be parted from him. She gave the two deities one answer, the simplest one, and yet the most profound; "because I love him, and he loves me."

The two gods marveled, for a Vulpix, vain and prideful, to admit to so vulnerable a sentiment, was unheard of. As they watched her bitter tears fall, for the first time they were moved.

Giratina renounced his claim, summoning Dusknoir away, saying "I grant him a reprieve from my dominion. But know this, his time will come, as it always does. You cannot stop the inevitable."

Vulpix cried tears of joy, but then spake Yveltal, "His life has been spared, but he is still dying. You claim to love this boy; what will you sacrifice to return him to health, so that he will live?"

Dawning-flames spoke without hesitation. "My own life-force. My lifespan would be unbearable without him, I would not choose to live past him. Take my remaining years, that he may live again."

"So be it."

And so, the allotted time of all Vulpix was lowered, so that none would ever feel the pain of life without their human for long. But with it, came the touch of The Other. Having treated with Death Himself, all Vulpix were tainted with the power of Spirits.

So remember, flame-kits, whenever you call upon these powers, use them with respect. They were purchased at great price.

Partnership.

The next stories, my flame-kits, are not so easy for me to tell. Perhaps, through their telling, you may guess why. All five feature the same Vulpix, a young vixen named Embers-of-the-Dusk-Sun-Setting. Her friends would eventually call her Sunset.

Long ago, before the rise of the Pokémon league, a young vixen lived alone, in her burrow in the Great Viridian Forest. Much larger than it is today, the forest stretched from the great Ore Mountains to the Central Kantonian Marshes, in fact, it was said that a Pikachu could run from the mountains to the coast without ever once touching the ground.

Sunset lived as most Vulpix did, hunting for food, patrolling her territory, driving off rival vixens and attempting to entice the rare wandering todd. Her life was quiet, but good.

One day, Sunset heard a new sound in the wood, a sniffling, scared, hurt sound. She heard the sound of crying. Her curiosity piqued, Sunset emerged from her burrow to investigate the sound. She paced her land to and fro, until finally she spotted the source of the crying, a small, scared, human boy.

Sunset, as all Vulpix did, had heard the stories of the Lore-Keeper. She had grown up on the stories, especially the story of spirit. She had always wondered what it was about humans that would cause a Vulpix to sacrifice the long centuries they used to have, all for an unremarkable species who were so unpredictable.

She stepped out of the underbrush. "Who are you, and why are you in my territory?"

But the human, as humans do, did not understand her words. The boy, no more than five or six years old, jumped at the sound, swiveling his head, searching with his weak, almost blind human eyes.

"Who's there? What was that?" He cried, panic overtaking him. He stiffened as he set his eyes on the small fox, fear overtaking panic. "A-a a f-flame-fox!"

Frozen in fear, the boy awaited his end. For humans also told stories of the Vulpix, frightful tales of painful flames and furious vengeance for perceived slights.

But Sunset merely cocked her head, studying the boy with eager interest. She had never seen a human before, and she was fascinated. This was the creature that Dawning-Flames had sacrificed so much for? She didn't see the appeal.

As the boy calmed, he continued to babble uncontrollably. "I-I'm Adam. M-my parents were hurt bad by a big bear pokemon. They won't wake up. I-I'm lost and alone, and I don't know how to g-get out of the forest. C-can you help me?"

Sunset was beset with an almost motherly instinct, uncommon in most Vulpix, a desire to protect the vulnerable child she had found. But how to help him? She thought for a few long minutes. Then inspiration struck. She focused the awesome power over spirit that all fire foxes possess, and mist rose from the ground, coalescing into the form of a young maiden.

The boys eyes went wide in their sockets as the apparition turned to face him. With a human voice, she spoke. "Human boy, he who is called Adam, I can take you through the forest to the nearest human village. Follow me, and do not be afraid. I will allow no harm to come to you in my care."

And she held the boy by the hand, leading him through the wood. As the two walked together, the boys fear became replaced with wonder, and curiosity. Much like a Vulpix kit, he had a reverence for new things that Sunset found endearing.

They walked on and on, growing closer in their company. But the silence of the wood was broken by the sounds of the Great Bear, Ursaluna. Enraged by bloodlust and the gnawing hunger that comes to all bears in the spring, after their great sleep, he came after the boy and the fox, seeking a meal to sate his pangs.

Sunset immediately went on the attack as Adam, her boy, went into a trauma induced fear state, for this same Ursaluna had taken both his parents. Sunset spewed forth her flames, wounding the bear, but type was against her. The bear shook the earth, injuring her greatly.

But the boy cried out, "Vulpix! I know you can do it! You're my friend, and the strongest thing I know!"

To Sunset's amazement, a strange power coursed through her, granting her strength and power. She loosed a gout of flame many times what she was normally capable of, and the bear ceded defeat, turning back into the forest.

Sunset marveled, was this the power humans had, hidden within them? She pondered these things as she lead the boy through the forest. Little did sunset know, but she had stumbled upon the greatest of secrets; a human and a Pokémon were at their absolute best when they fought side by side. This, my little flame-kits, is the true, unstoppable power of partnership. This is why pokemon choose to live with humans. A human has no mastery of flame or lightning, no dominion over the waves or the growing things of the earth. They cannot move mountains or cause wind, but they are gifted with a most wondrous power; humans are gifted with synergy.

Is it little wonder then, that sunset chose to leave her life in the forest behind? For indeed, she did. She chose to spend the rest of that boys life in his company, protecting him and raising him into a man. And when she at last brought him back to his village, people spoke often and with reverence of the small fox and the ethereal spirit-girl, who chose to protect a small orphan boy.

Love.

Listen well, my flame-kits, for this next story is the most important. This is the story of love.

We fire foxes do not give our love as readily as other Pokémon do, this is true, but when we do, we give it without reservation, with every iota of our beings. Nothing on this earth is as terrifying or awe inspiring as the obsessive, jealous, covetousness of a vulpix's affections.

You have heard the story of Embers-of-the-Dusk-Sun-Setting, and how she forged a true partnership with the orphaned human boy, Adam.

Having saved Adam from a rampaging Ursaluna, sunset had led him back to his village, taking up residence there with him as a guardian and protector. But as the years passed, and time kept it's inevitable flow, the boy grew. He grew and he grew, and he matured. As the years passed, the boy was gradually replaced by a man, tall and strong. But as all young men are, he was reckless and unwise, especially with his heart.

But as all young men do, Adam yearned for the touch of a mate, and he began to notice young women. Sunset grew deeply troubled, for, in her mind, he was hers, and no one else's. She disdained to share his affections with another. Adam would bring girl after girl to meet his partner pokemon, but she was unimpressed by them all. After all, if she was to deign to let her humans affections be shared, she would at least make sure the girl sharing them was worthy.

But secretly, she was saddened. She could take a wispy mockery of human form, but she longed to be a real girl, of flesh and blood. Truly, that would be the perfect solution. But as the years passed and the young man continued to commiserate with her over heartbreak after heartbreak, she began to accept that it was simply not meant to be. Sunset could never be the mate that Adam needed.

Then She came. A strange young woman stumbled out of the forest one day, lost and confused. And she was beautiful! Red hair, like flame, that faded to white at the tips, long and luxuriantly soft, eyes as golden as a vulpix's, framed in an elfin, vulpine face. The girl became instantly smitten with the towns hero, it's protector, and sunset watched as her Adam became besotted with the girl, Kyukoro.

As time passed and the girl became a more permanent part of Adam's life, sunset couldn't help but be a little jealous of the beautiful young woman, as a Vulpix is of a Ninetales. Which in and of itself was odd, as sunset had never envied a human woman before. There was something strange about her and sunset was determined to find out what it was.

Finally, Adam was called away. A powerful champion had arisen, and he was calling the twelve most powerful protectors to the indigo plateau, to hold conference. Sunset, as the most powerful of Adam's partners, was left behind to defend that which he treasured most, the girl, Kyukoro.

It was then that sunset discovered the girl's secret. Once they were alone, Kyukoro addressed sunset by her true name, the name only a Vulpix and her mother know. As if this wasn't enough, Kyukoro told a kyuon, a secret tale of the Ninetales, one that no human would have ever known. She told a tale of a Vulpix, who so loved her human that she could not bear his passing. For the Vulpix had evolved into Ninetales, and would spend the majority of her long life apart from him.

She told of a restless life, constantly waiting for her human to be born again. And indeed, he had. She had found him, and pretending to be a Vulpix with her power over illusion, had journeyed with him again. And again. And again, through lifetime after lifetime. But through all her humans lifetimes, she still craved more, she longed for his affections as more than a trusted partner.

She told of a ninetales who struck a deal with the Beast of Life, Xerneas, who granted her wish in return for the lifetimes spent with him in the past. All but the first incarnation were wiped away, she would only get one of his lifetimes with him as his Pokémon. But in return, after her long life was ended, she would be reborn as a human woman, to live with the man she loved so deeply.

Sunset marveled at the story, and it troubled her in her heart, for she longed for the same things as the nameless Ninetales from the Kyuon, but she never got the answer, and Kyukoro never spoke of it again.

Beware a Vulpix that has ancient eyes, for they may not be what they seem. And do not give up hope for those things you dearly wish for, for you may get it.

Evolution.

One of the most difficult decisions you will ever face, my flame-kits, is the decision to evolve, to grasp that power that was once sealed away from us. Vulpix, unlike most other Pokémon, do not achieve our adult forms through experience as the great titans do, nor do we evolve through special relics, like an ursaring does when it becomes an Ursaluna. We do not change when exposed to the bond of affection with a human, as a togepi or a riolu does. We only evolve when we seek out a Firestone.

Beware seeking such power though, as it comes with a steep price. A Vulpix becomes something other when exposed to the Firestone. We transition from flesh and blood pokemon into something no longer quite mortal. Most Vulpix who travel and live with humans choose not to evolve. This is the story of one who did.

We have heard tales of the Vulpix known as Embers-of-the-Dusk-Sun-Setting, She Who Walks in Company With Adam, first of the great Gym Leaders of Kanto, Discoverer of the Deep Secret. This is her story, but it is also the story of Flames-of-Sunset, the Ninetales-Who-Waits.

Some years after the Great Conference that called her Adam away, where she learned of her possible fate, sunset lived happily with her human and his woman. The two had long achieved an uneasy peace, the jealousy between them for Adams affection having guttered down into embers. Sunset never did learn whether the Kyuon Kyukoro told was true or not, but she had learned to live with it.

Adam, with his faithful Vulpix, and their team of fire pokemon, had long since become the undisputed protectors of their village, the leaders and guardians of their people. There was no challenge they could not face, whether it was from wild Pokémon on a rampage, or from a rival trying to usurp Adam's position.

That is, until a Golem came down from the mountains. Fearsome creatures of Earth and Stone, an angry Golem is more a force of nature than a Pokémon. It was in pitched battle with this monster of the mountains that sunset nearly lost all that she cherished.

Together with her human partner, the two did battle against the living stone, pouring forth gouts of flame and psychic attacks to stymie the flying boulders and quaking earth. As a last ditch effort to prevent defeat, the Golem exploded, at near point blank range. However, seeing what was to happen, Adam bravely rushed in, pushing Sunset out of the way, taking the brunt of the attack on his own hide. The attack was devastating, Adam lived, but was left in a sleep that had no waking, and Sunset was left emotionally devastated.

For days, she stayed at his side, hoping he would awaken, and each day she was left heartbroken when he continued to sleep. In desperation, she attempted to use the limited mental powers of Vulpix to bridge their minds, to help him find his way back, but it was all for naught. She simply lacked the power and finesse necessary to awaken him.

On the final day, Sunset shared a knowing glance with Kyukoro, her human's mate, before she finally left. She knew what had to be done, but she worried whether or not she had the fortitude to carry it out.

For days, she journeyed to the Hallowed Mountain of Embers, in the far off islands to the south. She crossed vast forests, high mountains, and raging seas, but finally she came to her destination; the Great Den of the Secret Skulk. The place where Vulpix go to attain the power of Ninetales.

She fought her way to the summit, and there she was confronted with three Ninetales, a todd and his two vixens.

"Who dares to ascend the mountain of Embers?" Asked the todd.

"I am She-Who-Walks-in-Company with the renowned human Adam, master of fire type pokemon, defender of the town of Viridian. I am the Secret-Keeper, Ursaluna's Bane. And I have come here for the Ascension."

One of the vixens stepped forward. "Why do you wish this thing? Once given, this power cannot be retaken. Once embarked, this transition cannot be undone. What powerful reason can one who walks with humans have for this?"

Pain filled her expression as she answered. "My human lies on the knifes edge of life and death, having risked his life to save mine. I was not powerful enough to protect him, and I do not have the power to restore him. But a Ninetales does. I seek that power for the love we share, that I might have him returned to me."

The second vixen stepped forward. "Do you know the price you must pay? Truly, do you know in your heart of hearts the terrible toll it will have?"

"I am prepared to pay the price that is required."

"Hmmmmm. See then, that which you will be condemned to face."

The three flame-foxes eyes glowed, and illusion crafted around the young flame-kit. Images wheeled around her minds eye. A gorgeous young white fox, sitting happily with her young man, her head resting on his knee as he strokes her crest.

That same fox, walking together with him, as they stroll through the woods. She watches as his back bends, his steps slow. The deft hands become painful and arthritic, no longer able to stroke her fur. His eyes grow milky and clouded, his health fails. Still, she remains young and vibrant. She is still young when his last breath leaves him. Lifetimes pass, she is alone. His grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren have all but forgotten her, a relic passed down from a forgotten ancestor. She lives on.

A living pokemon becomes a legend in a town far changed from what she knew, filled with faces she doesn't know. Occasionally there is a face that looks familiar, a descendent, but they do not know her and she passes into myth, all while still living on, ever youthful.

"Behold, this is the fate you condemn yourself to, vixen who lives with humans. Can you bear the pain? Can you shoulder the burden, for a paltry few decades of continued life with him?"

Sunset remembered the most powerful answer from her favorite tale. "I love him. He loves me. I would shoulder this and more if it meant I could hear him laugh one more time."

The illusion faded, revealing a small, orange rock, containing a bright red flame. A Firestone. Sunset reached out and touched the stone, and her world was undone.

Pain. Searing, burning pain. All her life, sunset had been a creature of fire, forever immune to its bite, but now she felt as if her very bones were burning, consumed in the transformative fire. And yet, with that pain, came ecstasy. Exultant, vibrant, joyous pleasure. Her every nerve ending set alight, as her body rippled and changed around her.

Her six fluffy russet tails split into nine, lengthening and thinning, the fluffy fur morphing into a fine luxurious pelt. Her short legs lengthened into graceful limbs, powerful and slender. Her crest flared out, all the curls straightening into a flare of gold, as the rest of her coat lightened along with it. The soulful golden eyes turned an ethereal red, and she grew. Her small frame expanded into the larger, sleeker, adult form. After an eternal instant, an instantaneous eternity, the energy dispersed. Where once stood the Vulpix Embers-of-the-Dusk-Sun-Setting, now sat the Ninetales Flames-of-Sunset.

As she slowly regained her bearings, the three Ninetales spoke to her, imparting their last words of wisdom. "You have made your choice, young Ninetales. Now you must live with it. For the next 1200 years, at the very least."

These words troubled Flames-of-Sunset, but she quickly put them from her mind as she raced home, practically flying over the waters and mountains. Her feet scarcely seemed to touch the ground.

When she arrived home, she immediately reached out with the awesome mental and mystical powers at her disposal, and with little effort found her young man's soul, lost in the meanderings between life and death. With her will-o-wisps, she led him back home to his body.

Let it never be said, my young flame-kits, that humans are stupid. When Adam's eyes opened and he saw his beloved Sunset and the changes she had undergone, he knew what the cost would be. She watched with joy as he sat up in his bed, his eyes full of sorrow, and held her close to him. Whether it be eight years, or eighty years, for now, all was right in her world.

Death.

Death, my young flame-kits, is perhaps the single most important of our stories. For those of us who choose to remain as Vulpix, death is an inevitability that we must learn to accept. Death is something that awaits us all, and for the Vulpix, it is something that comes in a timeframe close enough to other pokemon and humans that they can still relate.

For those of us who become Ninetales, death is a foreign concept, something alien and utterly out of our experience. It is a truly rare for a Ninetales to die, so few of us are ever made and our lives are so long, that centuries can pass before even one leaves the mortal plane.

This is both a blessing and a curse. Those ninetales who live in the wilds are joyful in their near immortality. They live lives of carefree joy and harmless mischief. It is no surprise that the legendary kitsune, tricksters and pranksters of myth, are depicted as nine tailed foxes. Those of us who choose to live with humans, however, tend to take on a different view. Some long for death, long before it ever finds them, separated from their beloved humans for centuries. Waiting.

There is a flame-fox in Kanto, given the name Lokoko by her beloved human, who waited for three hundred years in the same dilapidated mansion, convinced that her beloved master would one day return. We of course know her as She-Who-Grieves. Her humans death left her a wretched, broken and hollow thing, yearning to be reunited with him in the next life, cursed to wait for long centuries yet to come, for she is still very very young.

It is never easy for a Ninetales to let go, and it was especially difficult for Flames-of-Sunset. Long years passed as she lived with her human and his strange mate, and their children. She transitioned from a warrior and protector into a guardian and entertainer of children with equanimity and grace, and she found joy and fulfillment in it. She found that she loved children, delighted in their joyful innocence, and was fiercely protective of them. After all, they came from her human, so they were also hers.

But as the years passed, and Sunset remained ever vibrant and youthful, she couldn't help but notice the rapid changes taking place in her Adam. It was a shock when one day, she noticed that his black hair had been shot through with streaks of white. At first, she thought that the dramatic color change was some form of evolution, but humans don't evolve that way.

It was with a sense of vague unease that she watched his hair turn almost completely white in so short a time. His steps slowed as they walked together, he had difficulty keeping up. She began to outpace him more easily. Too soon, he could no longer walk at all. His deft hands, so good at finding all the pleasurable spots behind her ears, became gnarled and arthritic, swollen into uselessness. His back bent, his weight dropped. His bright eyes, the eyes she loved so much, clouded over and dimmed. Finally, his mind began to go.

For decades, she had kept up a close mental link with him, and they were able to converse soul-to-soul, closer than lovers. But as he grew older, she noticed that parts of his mind would just… vanish. Memories would just fade away like sand through a sieve. He was in pain more and more often.

She knew she would eventually lose him, but she had had no idea of the reality of it. The helplessness of it. He faded before her very eyes and she could do nothing to halt it.

At the end of it all, it was just the two of them. He had taken to bed, and did not rise anymore. He had not the energy to take his feet, nor the strength to keep them. He went in and out of lucidity, his mind failing. Still, she never abandoned him. She spent her days laying faithfully next to him, her head resting on his chest, listening to the rise and fall of his chest, the faint, but steady beat of his heart. She dozed in and out with him, memorizing his face.

It was silence that finally woke her. The steady beat had stopped. He was gone. He had lived an unnaturally long life for a human, for she had supplemented his life force with her own for a while, even knowing it was a temporary measure. 120 years they had had together. She was still a child by the standards of a Ninetales. But she would never forget him.

So remember this, my young flame-kits, though the ones we love may go, they will always be with us.

Grief.

And so, my flame-kits, we come to our last story. This is the story of Grief, but it may as well also be called Acceptance. This is the story of learning what to do when you must come to terms with something you have no control over.

Grief is the story of learning to Let Go. Admittedly, the is a concept that doesn't come naturally to the Flame-Born, it is our nature to be obsessively possessive over the things that are ours. But it is an important lesson nevertheless.

After the death of her human, Flames-of-Sunset spent her time aimlessly wandering for many years. For a short time, she continued to watch over the descendants of her beloved Adam, but as the Secret Skulk had predicted, she had quickly become a relic of their ancestor, and in truth, after a few generations, she could no longer keep track of them all.

And so she wandered. She had considered trying to find his soul again, as it reincarnated, but the words of Kyukoro and the Kyuon kept resonating within her. She knew not whether there was any truth to it, but she dared not risk it.

For a time, her dreams were filled with him, and she woke each time expecting his soft hands in her fur, only to be disappointed each time.

For a longer period of time, she was angry at him. How could he just leave her like this? She was alone and she missed him.

For a countless age, she was depressed. She had accepted that he was gone, and she had reasoned that he had no choice in the matter, no one does, but his absence was a wound in her soul. He was her other half, the kindred soul that made her complete. Not for the first time, she wished she had been human. That she could have shared all of herself with him. But that was merely fantasy.

She considered bargaining with the Powers That Be, those titans of the concepts, like Yveltal or Xerneas, but she realized that she could not upset the natural order the way that Dawning-Flames had.

In time, she learned to accept the loss, and in so doing, transcended her nature. Our obsession is one of our defining traits, and not so easily surpassed. As reward, she was shocked one day to come across the legendary Pokémon Enamorus, avatar of spring and love. It was a fleeting momentary meeting, and she only said three words, but they stuck with Sunset for the rest of her days. Enamorus said "you must wait".

And so she did. Sunset became many things over the long centuries, a lore keeper, member of the secret skulk, a mother. But the most famous title she ever held was She-Who-Waits. She waits for her love, her human, to return to her.

This is the big secret, my flame-kits, if you love something, learn to let it go. Obsession is not love. Eventually it will return to you.

The Tenth Tale

Long have I waited. 1200 years is a long time, but I have bourn it with equanimity and, dare I say it, a fair amount of grace. I spent my time productively, as a member of the Secret Skulk, I have guided and mentored. I have overseen countless Ascensions, each time testing to determine the worthiness and drive of each new Ninetales. I have taught, as Teller-of-Stories-in-Sunset-Flames, I have endeavored to instill the lessons of the Nine. But my time now is near.

My own eyesight is failing. My fur has gone from burnished gold to a fine silver. My legs, hips and back ache in the mornings. My lovely tails aren't so lithe anymore. I don't move much anymore, the horde of Vulpix that lives near me also take care of me. My inner flame gutters fitfully, like a candle burned low.

I feel cold as it finally gutters out.

I am tired.

So tired. My eyes close and I dream. I am running through the meadow with Adam again. My six russet tails flow in the breeze as I jump into his arms. He catches me and laughs, the sound is like joy washing over me. I am happy again, for the first time in a long time.

But I am also sad. A memory that was also a dream, I long for him, to be with him. I remember one of the most painful things that we ever went through.

Adam held me as he wept. Sarah had left him. I struggle to help, desperately wishing I could take this feeling away. I flex my powers, forming the image of an otherworldly girl. A thin waif with a vulpine cast to her face.

"Adam, I can be a woman for you."

"Sunset?"

"Yes. See? You don't need her. I can be everything you need. I love you."

"Sunset…"

"I know you love me too. Our minds are linked. We are closer than any two lovers will ever be. Please?"

"Sunset, we can't. You are a Vulpix, I'm a human. It is against the natural order. I do love you. If it was up to me, you're the only one I'd ever need. But I can't live alone forever. I need a mate. A woman. A human woman."

His words hurt, but they are also true. I can not give him what he needs. My illusions are not solid enough, and my own anatomy is incompatible. For years we shared an emotional connection so deep that no romance could ever compare, our very souls laid bare to each other. And for a time, that was enough. While he was alive, that was enough.

I look up, and there stands Arceus, the creator. He does not speak, but the concepts unfold in my mind like a flower. Is this what I truly want? Yes. Yes this is my most desperate wish. The secret desire of my heart.

So be it.

My body shifts. My fur is gone. My legs reform. My nine lovely tails are gone. My eyesight dims, my hearing dims, my sense of smell. My sense of touch sharpens, my sense of taste. Colors fill my vision. I flex new fingers, wriggle new toes. I run my hands up flared hips and my stomach flutters. Two breasts. Only two? Only two. How odd. I run my hands further up. I do still have fur. Long and silky smooth. Red as fire with white tips.

It can't be.

I can't be.

Kyukoro. Foxgirl.

I AM she!

I stumble out of the forest into the strong arms and familiar scent of a man. I know this smell! I can't remember. I look up into hazel eyes. Eyes that have haunted my dreams for… I can't remember how long. He is handsome! My heart skips a beat.

"Easy there miss…?"

"Call me Kyukoro." I say with a dazed smile. My face flushes.

"I'm Adam." He says with a smile. My smile. My Adam. At last, he is mine.