A/N I have slightly revamped this story, I hope it will read much easier now, I want to give it more love than I did the first time around.
"You want to actually use our world item?" Numerous dumbfounded faces sat around a large table in an open air courtyard, all dressed in a variety of fanciful Armour's, outfits, and were made of a generous amount of races. All were staring at one of their members and her carefree waving tails, like she hadn't just suggested a decision that literally could reshape Yggdrasil depending on which World Item was used.
"I said I want to use it, yes. Hilda the game is ending anyway... It would be a shame to just let it waste away without ever being used since we got it, and we can get back at Providence for getting so arrogant with World Saviour. We may as well take them out if we can. I want to use Longinus on their leader while he is being this stupid."
"That... is true, not much to save it for. They sure are not like they are anyway, but there is still a month left till the server shutdown, do you wanna miss out on all the end game events? I know you know what will happen if you use that." The guild leader looked depressed at the thought of the cheerful nine tails vanishing before them all first, it would make the depleted guild feel even emptier for the rest of the time they were there.
"I'm aware, but I won't be able to make it to the server shutdown anyway. I have too much going on, so may as well stomp on Providence's pride while I can. Did you hear their leader has gotten so wild with that overpowered club that he keeps bringing his guild item into raids and wars? If he wants to play King with that crown and club then I say we knock him off his throne. I do this and we can be the number one guild by the end of the game and prove once and for all that Natura was the top of Yggdrasil!" They could all sense her excitement as those tails nearly vibrated behind her.
"Akemi… if you want to do this, lay out your plan since I know you have one if you are suggesting this, but you better take care of yourself in real life. You still have our contact info right?" The leader told her dear friend carefully. She knew Akemi was in a difficult situation outside the game, but the girl was always threadbare on the details. During the offline meet-up she had noticed how worryingly thin Akemi was, how frail she looked. Hilda knew a few other secrets that Akemi had confided in her with, and she truly felt for the girl's situation, even if there was nothing any of them could really do about it.
"Y-yeah, if I can I will, but I don't want you to worry okay? Its just a game after all. Take care of my Lilies?" The foxy player asked. The other players at the table sighed at that.
"You know they are NPC's right? you're such a dork Akemi. If we find a new game maybe you can remake them there, there are plenty besides this old game, this time maybe they might actually talk back and appreciate the clothes you put them in you mother hen. Alright lets hear the plan Akemi." Their leader Hilda stated, standing up to clap her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Fuck me...my head..." A pain filled grumble resounded through a small clearing among a mass of thin trees. Buried half way in overgrown grass, smothered by the forest floor ferns and bushes, was a small and fluffy figure.
"I was... where was I? Why is it so cold?" Akemi sat up and looked around the area as her head slowly emptied of static, letting her barely able to make out details with the few rays of light that reached the forest floor, If it was not for her perfect night vision due to racial traits. Akemi sat in the grass as she regained her senses with her pair of large twitching ears half buried in her fluffed up and messy black hair, listening for the barest hint of noise that seemed to not exist near her. Around her were nine black tails with white tips whipping around her that were betraying the panic inside of herself.
"Am I dreaming? Dead? I don't remember dying just yet. I'm too old for this..." She grumbled as she stood up, stretching out the kinks in her joints. Despite calling herself old, she barely looked sixteen with her minuscule height, doll-like face, and slim bust.
Looking down she spotted in the grass a familiar sight, a friend that had seen her through many battles, that she spent nearly every data crystal she could get her hands on. "This is Ex Oblivion.. So this is Yggdrasil still right?" She asked herself as she picked up a long poled weapon from the grass, a naginata with a shaft black enough to absorb the tiny rays of light that made it through the forest and to the ground. The curved blade of the weapon was similar to the shaft, though the light hitting it made it look like oil on water, the light dispersing into hazy colors. The whole thing was accented with highlights of a gold that seemed to look almost violet in the light. It looked more fit for a museum than the bloody battles she had used it in… if the game had blood anyway.
She checked on her storage, and was confused as no inventory box popped up. With a bit of thinking she somehow knew what was in her storage with perfect recall, and seemed to have no problem accessing it as she reached into that other dimensional storage just like the game without problems. She knew normally she lost things in her inventory with even a visual interface so often it was scary, so it was different to know all that it contained. "Wow I keep a lot of junk. Maybe... Hilda knows what the hell is going on? [Message]...No?" Those twitchy ears folded down as her message failed to connect, the tendrils of the spell grasping at nothing.
Akemi proceeded to try every contact she could think of as her friend's or guild list wouldn't pop up either, yet there was nothing and no one. "Why Am I here anyway? This avatar was supposed to be wiped from the servers along with Bachus." Her memories trickled back in as she remembered her suicidal assassination attempt using Longinus, which should have led to both players being mutually destroyed forever. As she finally recalled her last memories she snorted in amusement. "Glad I got one over on him one more time, I bet him and Providence are raging! The salt must flow~"
"Now... where is my map..." Akemi grumbled as she began to flick through the air... and looked frustrated. "Where is my Map? Where the hell is my Menu? Fuck me..." She glared at nothing as she began to stomp in a random direction, stopping at the tree line when it became too dense to walk through. "[Widen Magic: Dominate Nature]." The fox woman spoke as she held her hand out- with the trees bending and growing rapidly, forming a pathway through the area. "So that still works at least... so this has to be Yggdrasil, but why does everything smell so fresh here? The smell of trees, leaves...When was the last time I got to even smell that?" She pondered as she remembered seeing trees when she was a young child, the vibrant green a stark contrast to the grey, black, and red outside of the Bio dome she was visiting just a handful of times to see family. She should not be able to remember that far back with any detail she knew, yet the memories flowed through her as easily as breathing.
The game couldn't replicate those smells, or any smells at all. The newer generations of VR games had started to be able to, even if the corporations put seemingly non-sensible restrictions on it. The feeling of a fresh breeze on her face, the feeling of wood beneath the boots of her armored leggings. It was far too much for an older game like Yggdrasil "Maybe it is a dream after all." She mumbled as she took a few more deep breathes just to enjoy the sensations she shouldn't feel. "I want to not wake up then if that is the case..." Her own reality brought her low, the state of her real life, or what was left of it. This was… too much for her to hope for, the fear of it being pulled away suddenly filled her before she took a few careful breathes, letting herself relish the feeling of fresh air that was not from a breathing machine. Her musing was interrupted as she breathed in and coughed on something soft that had hit her face. She glared at the offending tail that she had nearly inhaled. "So I guess these are moving parts now? They aren't following the same wiggle patterns as they used to. Fluffy." Even nearly getting choked by tail floof felt like a blessing. Previously her tails were mostly decorations of her character, only able to move in specific ways, such as for attacking. Their idle animations followed a set pattern that just repeated, yet she felt more connected to them. A few waves of them was enough for her to figure out that she could control them as easily as her arms.
For the next test she tensed muscles she didn't know she had in her lower back, right before one of those tails whipped out at top speed, and smashed through one of the massive trees that surrounded her. The feeling of bark under her fur told her that she could completely feel these decorations like they were actual limbs now!
She opened her eyes and smiled bright like the sun. "Okay! Enough talking to myself! The game or a dream couldn't be this real! Time to explore!" She told herself as she stepped onto the path the forest had made after her magic had been used. "It is like I'm one with the forest… I can feel each tree, even the one-" Her thoughts were interrupted by the tree she had crushed falling on her head. To her surprise, the tree just broke further when it collided with her, her Ow being an automatic response to being hit by something. "That… didn't hurt at all. What else is different?" She thought as excitement filled her heart. With a small flash of light her battle robes were swapped with a far more comfortable outfit that consisted of simple black pants and a green long sleeve shirt that hung down almost like a dress instead, and that was decorated with golden patterns to accent it.
With a mixture of excitement, and nervousness she took her first step before breaking into a full run, disappearing into the forest that soon became quiet once again.
It felt so liberating the feeling of being able to just run, to not be tired from a simple walk across the room! The fresh air filling her lungs as the wide open plains spread out before her as she emerged from the forest just cemented her feelings of elation, the desire to test herself nipping at her heels. Knowing this couldn't be her dream or a game her hopes went further up, and just hoped she was right. She thought on the previous world, and how she had no desire what so ever to go back to that capitalist hell, that broken planet.
"So nice..." She sighed happily, before looking down the road she had landed on, her step barely kicking up dust as she landed. It was but a simple dirt road, well packed from so many wagons, horses, and feet that have passed over it. After collecting herself for a moment, Akemi began to slowly wander down the road that went unknowingly towards E-Rantel.
It didn't take long for Akemi to get bored of just walking, and she began to test out just how fast she could run! What she didn't account for was just over a small hill was a covered wagon just cresting. She found her avatar's reflexes just as impressive as she was able to stop just inches away from the corner of the wagon after nearly ramming it full speed, leaping over the top to land behind it. Her own shock seemed second to the squeak that came up from the drivers seat of the wagon.
One nervous woman, maybe in her twenties, sat by an older man who Akemi assumed was her husband. She could sense two more smaller presences that soon poked their head out of the covered wagon to gape at her.
Both sides seemed frozen, examining each other. "..Yo?" Akemi quietly called out, giving a tiny wave, an ear twitching along with it. Perhaps it was the mass of tails behind her waving without her will but even with her well groomed, and her cute appearance it seemed to just make the humans more frightened, and spring them to motion. The man seemed to bolt off the wagon to pull out a shabby spear from inside the hidden part of the vehicle, while the woman darted back into the covered area to protect her children as they were pulled back inside and out of her view.
The Kitsune didn't look very upset as a spear was jabbed at her, and didn't even move as it stopped centimeters from her chest. It was almost just a rock on a stick with how dull she could see the tip of the spear being. She made note of the fact she could even see the grain of the metal in such detail that it surprised her. "I suppose even my eyes are better, so cool~"
"Um.. Please stop that, it is pretty rude..." She looked more emotionally hurt than anything else. "Can you understand me?" Akemi would ask as she tried to stay as non threatening as possible, though she knew these peasants couldn't be a threat.
"M-monster! Did the patrols miss one?! Get out of these lands demi-human!" The man shouted as he kept thrusting the spear at her, the tip pressing against her chest and not even pressing the skin, just poking at a thin and shining membrane that seemed to extend over her skin. Akemi grabbed it by the end, throughly tired of that game. "Seems low level damage nullification works also, I didn't fancy dying here already after all."
"[Break lesser Item]" She intoned quietly. As her magic washed over the spear, the shaft to the head broke into thousands of bits and pieces. "Not a monster, I'm a Kitsune. In fact, I'd argue you are the monster in this case, stabbing at someone you just met? How uncivilized..." She just shook her head in her annoyance. "Now, could you just tell me the way to a city or something? Oh and do you have anything to eat? I'll pay for it." She switched back to her carefree mood as she pulled out a gold coin from Yggdrasil.
Those humans didn't seem to have much of a clue how to respond to that. "So… you aren't going to kill us? B-but... you're a demi human..." These peasants seemed utterly confused, especially as they seemed to think her evil on the basis of her race. "Gold? I've never even seen that kind of coin..." The husband cautiously took a look at the coin. Just what was the state of this land?
While the humans sated some curiosity over the coin, Akemi looked over them and wondered just how different this place was from Yggdrasil. Casting a silent [Sense Statistics] on the husband, she brought up his information in her mind. "Only level 6? Is that average? Is this a low level area?" She thought for a moment before noticing the villagers waiting, holding out a small bag of fruits and jerky. "Its all we can really can part with right now. We're only a few hours away from E-Rantel, just keep going down the road and you'll get there." The man said and nodded at her with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Oh thank you, sorry to stop you, I guess I'll be going. Please don't send like guards after me..." Akemi said like that would be just troublesome, and not actually a threat. "I should really not underestimate people, it will get me killed one day I bet... Oh sorry! Didn't mean to ramble. Have safe travels!" Akemi was glad to meet someone even if they were rather rude at first, but she supposed they were just scared.
"Thank you! Be careful of the city guards though, Demi-humans are usually not welcome in towns without a master..." The woman told Akemi as her husband and her climbed back into the wagon. Akemi would grin and wave them off, making a few faces at the children peeking out from the back that sent them giggling, it warmed her heart and sent a familiar longing into that was impossible to do anything about in her previous life.
With the villagers soothed and moving on their way Akemi sat on a log off the road, and began to nibble at the jerky. "..Eh... could be better, least it is food... I wanna sleep in a bed tonight. Would creation spells work?" The fox whined to herself before heading off, she wanted to get to town before dark. "Masters? Did slavery exist in this world? Oh no… One of those worlds. I could have done without that particular Isekai trope." The thought threw a bucket of water on her mood as she really really hoped that was not the case.
It was a few hours of jogging later that the sun began to dip down into the tree line, and the smell of civilization hit Akemi's sensitive nose " Ah that is bad, is hygiene not a thing? Now, disguises… maybe I can...Ah- [Illusionary Cloak]." She cast quietly as the light around her warped, hiding her vulpine bits from view, now making her look like an above average looking young woman. Pulling out a hooded cloak and throwing that on over her casual clothes, Akemi headed to the town gate.
"Halt, reason for entering Miss..?" The plain faced town guard looked Akemi over as she shifted in place, acting like she was getting chilly in the dusk air..
"Akemi. I'm traveling for religious reasons." She stated calmly, her smile looking both a bit embarrassed and tired, the lie coming easily to her lips.
"Well then, I wouldn't advise you to travel alone in these parts, we've been having a bandit problem lately, though we always seem to have them to a degree... Just be careful, don't want a pretty lady like you getting in trouble." The guard stated as he wrote on a primitive clipboard. "You can enter, welcome to E-Rantel." He said with a smile, which she returned, thanking her luck that the trope of a guard shaking her down wasn't in play.
She looked around that area more and saw the state of the city walls, and noticed these people were at least skilled in masonry, so their technology couldn't be too far behind what she thought. "Thank you sir~ Do you have any Inn recommendations?" She asked as she stepped closer to get a better look under the guard's helmet.
Surprisingly the guard got a bit flustered with her getting closer, taking a step back. "Nightingale Inn Ma'am...Please... I'm on the job..." The guard said in almost a whine. Did he think she was flirting? Oh well... she let him keep his misunderstanding as she nodded at him and pushed down the urge to tease him for some reason.
As she wandered into the dusk lit town she pondered "Maybe I'm thinking like a Kitsune now? I mean they are tricksters. I should be more careful I guess and keep this spell on." She thought as she wandered down the street, keeping an eye out on the signs- "I can't read this... No Japanese? I thought all Isekai start with a universal translator skill…" With a whine she peered around for someone who looked like they knew where to go.
Peering into the dusk on the street Akemi jolted as her night vision inadvertently activated, getting her a few strange looks at the jumpy looking young woman. Wandering through the streets while peering into the displays in shop windows, she caught a look at a worn out wooden sign with a bird on it. "Nightingale? Worth a shot." She thought as she pushed open the door, wincing at the change in temperature. "Hello? Is this- Yeah it is sorry..." She and nervously poked inside of the obvious Inn. The smell of stew cooking, and the roaring fireplace seemed to set her at ease as she got into line at the counter
"Need a room miss?" Akemi was asked as she stepped up to the counter. The Innkeeper was a heavy set woman that wouldn't look out of place in a Viking setting if you gave her an axe, but did not look unfriendly.
"Yes but-" Without her Vulpine features, Akemi looked even smaller as she seemed to curl into herself. Her tails and ears usually added a few inches to her measly five foot height, but she couldn't complain too much seeing as she made her avatar herself.
"Look... If you don't have money for a room, I can't really help you. I have a business to run to keep this place going." The Innkeeper folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at Akemi.
Squirming under that look and knowing if she didn't hurry she was a few moments away from being kicked out, Akemi would pull out a few Yggdrasil coins nervously from where she had left some in those pant pockets. "I have money but- I... I don't know if it can be converted here...I'm from really far away..." She said nervously, swallowing as she starred up at the woman. Would she swallow that bullshit? If nothing else she knew she could make a home out in the woods, but she wanted a bed after such a long day.
By the woman's narrowing eyes she didn't quite believe it "Well... pretty sure you're lying...But this feels like actual gold. If it is you can stay for a week or two on it, but if I get it checked out and it wasn't I would have to send the law after you miss..." Her tone brokered no nonsense as she seemed to stare right through Akemi.
Akemi breathed a sigh of relief as the woman pulled a key off the rack behind her "Dinner will be ready shortly, room is upstairs, first door on the left. Gave you the room farthest from the adventurers. What is your name Missy? You new around here?" The Innkeeper eventually smiled at Akemi, which she nervously returned.
"Thank you Ma'am...My names Akemi. You are..? Just from very far away, just here to learn about these lands for my people." With a head tilt Akemi questioned up at the giant of a woman.
"Malina, used to be an Adventurer back in the day, made it to gold plate even." Malina stated proudly as she moved down the counter to some mugs after making sure no one else was coming to check in. "Sounds like you came a long way, may as well pull up a chair if you want." She said as she brought two large mugs of something that smelled sweet to an empty table.
Not expecting so much hospitality Akemi was a little overwhelmed as she sat down in her chair before sniffing at the mug that was passed to her. She took a sip and found it to be sweet with a good hint of sourness, but in a refreshing way. Akemi took a hefty few gulps. "Pwaah! That is pretty good! Thanks Ma'am! So... On the topic of being new here, Is there...you know, anything I should be aware of? I noticed the guards were a bit tense at the gate.." She noted as she started to hear a commotion outside, though it sounded pretty distant. She had yet to be able to judge distances with her enhanced hearing, so for all she knew it was going on across town
Malina seemed to note the sound also "Oh just a round up. The King declared slavery illegal a year ago. Some say it isn't applicable for non-humans, so it has become a controversy, not that the King has stepped in to clarify. Private merchants have been doing slave buy-ups of demi-humans, I guess figured they may as well sell them in other countries where it is legal like the Empire just in case they are forced to free them."
A spike of rage followed Akemi's confusion as everything registered, her face taking a snarl "What a... barbaric practice. Slavery is an abomination." Akemi hissed a bit before she took a few gulps to calm herself down, the red fading from her vision. "Sorry just... where I'm from slavery being illegal is a basic thing for any civilized country..." She took a deep sigh and let the drink settle. "Not that that stopped companies basically doing the exact same thing, just with a different name… Who am I kidding, slavery was the norm there… It is still wrong though." Once she was sure she had calmed down a touch did she dare open her mouth again "So... you mentioned adventurers? Is that an official thing?" The fox asked as she peered over her mug.
"Oh yes, it is a rather popular occupation, especially if you have a talent. Too unstable to be a good source of income long term though, assuming you live long enough to spend your earnings, but they are necessary and a point of pride for countries to have their own home grown heroes." Malina said with a nod. "Thinking about becoming one? You don't look the combat type really." She noted.
"Oh you would be surprised I'm sure, but yeah I think I might check it out, could be fun, and I do need to earn some local gold." Akemi said and set her finished mug down, before shakily getting to her feet. "Oh...so that is what... getting buzzed feels like...I'm going to go sleep some Ma'am, thank you for the room and the drink." The fox girl said and got her balance back, giggling at the feeling filling her as the alcohol hit her inexperienced body, though she felt like that would fade pretty quickly. "If this is anything like any other Isekai stories my poison immunity won't let me get very drunk… Bummer."
"Have a good night dear, lock your door okay? Maybe I gave her something too strong?" It was a slow night anyway for her Inn.
Laying in the cozy Inn bed and dispelling her illusions, she hugged her tails close to finally enjoy the fluff that the game always taunted her with, while not giving her any sensation of fur. As she enjoyed that Akemi pondered on her day. "Will I just soon wake up? Or is this really my life now? Would it be... bad to just enjoy this? Treat it like another game? Another life?" Eventually the Kitsune succumbed to slumber, her head filled with dreams of past raids with her friends. Everything was a bit overwhelming, and the shock stilled hadn't worn off the poor girl. "Surely it will be better than back there, back in that body..."
A/N: Revamped and cleaned as of 8/3/2022. I hope you all enjoy this story and what ever other shenanigans Akemi gets up to!
Did another clean up on 11/7/2022 as I noticed a lot of issues and more TLC being needed. My writing style does get better over time, as I left most of my older writing intact. Chapter 8 is where I had stopped for 2 years, and I've written a lot more since then. I hope you all stick around, because this is a long journey I want to take you on.