Return

Ten-chan enjoyed the warm breeze whipping through his braided hair, the powerful automobile cruising along the highway. It was high summer, and he had managed to escape from the Count...for a little while at least. He always went home...but while he was out and about, strange things had a habit of happening...

Like people having their wishes granted.

Ten-chan was a primarily good soul, helping those in need, adding the poor to the wealthy, granting terrible revenges...you know, the usual. But it was still, it gave him an odd joy to grant wishes. It was what he had been born to do. Without the Count's interference, he could come and go as he pleased, granting or withholding wishes at will. It was a good life...especially when a human wished for him. By name.

That was the wish that brought him to the dusty plains of Wyoming to answer the call of a young woman struggling with her education. She needed a friend, and someone to go party with, so of course Ten had come. That was right up his alley. The girl in question was sitting on the rich leather seat next to him, barely able to contain her joy at running away with the mythical creature. He had to admit, she was passingly pretty, for a human, her long blonde hair holding a wealth of red highlights, her blue-green eyes sparkling with a twisted mischief Ten-chan adored. She could have been his mate, if she hadn't been human.

The one thing Count D had made every creature in his shop swear was to never abuse the trust of a human while in human form. If they didn't give their word, they weren't allowed to take human form, or to be "sold" to one of D's customers. It was bad for business, was the perpetual excuse. Ten had often tried to find ways around this law, being a very randy fox himself, but it was impossible. Unless the human knew exactly what he was and accepted him without illusions, he couldn't seduce them.

Meeting Allectris had been the point Ten-chan had begun to recover some hope. She knew what he was, and she wasn't repulsed. She accepted him, and said that anything he ever did would never break her trust. So, Ten had convinced her to run away with him, far away, to a place D would never find them. He kept trying to convince himself that he was merely granting her wish, but he admitted it in his soul that he had very nearly fallen for a human. He turned to her in the convertible, watching as her long golden hair whipped out behind her, the wind fluttering the pages of the notebook she wrote in. God...in that moment, she was so far beyond average for him that it took his breath away. She had been used and broken by human males, being called ugly and unpleasant-looking. Her own parents had called her stupid and belittled her, leaving Allectris on the verge of suicide when Ten-chan had heard her wish. So what if he had been watching her, subtly dropping hints at his name, willing her to call on him?

The ends justify the means, right?

Allectris felt his gaze, raising her head and smiling with perfect teeth. He knew that the teeth were the product of three years of braces and retainers, the pain of which had undermined her self-confidence further. But it was a beautiful smile, letting a little of her inner deviltry peak through, some of the mayhem she adored slip through her calm façade.

"Ten...? You're staring at me again..." She blushed, a pale pink spreading through her ghostly pale face. Ten wanted to kiss her, but he couldn't. He wouldn't be able to stop himself, and the lovemaking of the nine-tailed fox was a violent, painful thing.

"You know I can't help it. You're beautiful." Her blush deepened, bringing a red tint to her perfect lips. "And if you do that again, the temptation may prove to great..."

"Oh, stop it, Ten-chan. You couldn't possibly find me attractive, and we both know it." Her clear eyes had darkened with her hurt, and Ten-chan resolved to make her believe him.

"If you were the same as I, I would willingly prove it to you..." Allectris' eyes betrayed her belief, and Ten-chan smirked. All she had to do was wish to be a nine-tailed fox. A sentient, conscious being of incredible power and beauty...

They had been driving through the mountains, heading north to escape Count D. The road had many curves, and as they came around one, Ten-chan saw the roadblock. He glanced into the rear-view mirror, instantly and finally seeing the car following them. Dammit... D had found him again. There was no chance for them to outrun the Count, and Ten saw the electrified fear in Allectris' eyes.

"Allectris, I want you to wish for something, right now."

"Ten...what? I...ok..."

"Wish to be like me, wish to be what I am...please Allectris!" He looked at her pleadingly, silently begging her to wish.

"I...I wish to be like Ten-chan...I wish to be a nine-tailed fox!" In a rush, Ten felt his magic surge, granting her wish, watching her change so subtly. He slammed on the brakes, coming to a halt by hitting the blockade. His head hit the steering wheel and he heard Allectris scream once, and then silence as his world faded to darkness.

Deep in Count D's petshop of horrors, there is a room filled with elegance and beauty. In that room sleeps one of the world's rarest creatures, a nine tailed fox. This fox has slept for ten long years, having wished to never wake until the return of her mate, the legendary Ten-chan.