I Got Reincarnated! - Kitsune Chronicles
~Chapter 10~ Great Power
"I've... really got to get it together." Kayo groaned as she was looking up at the dark sky, in a daze as she slowly woke up after eating her mother's pearl. The scent of the forest around her, but also some other strange scents were close, she slowly blinked her eyes clear and looked around at what was surrounding her. 'What the Fucking Hell?!' she was shocked to see a sizable group of colorful foxes, from normal red & orange foxes to purple and green! Several pairs of golden eyes were on her as she stared back at them, only to see 6 orange foxes rush past a purple kitsune with 4 tails. All the others just watched the small reunion.
"SIS!" the 6 foxes yelled and pounced on the confused Kitsune, wagging their tails and yipping happily around her. "What?! It's you guys! What are you doing here?" Kayo asked as she pulled in 3 of her fox siblings. "We came here because we heard about a powerful Kitsune living in a village of Goblins." One of her bothers told her as Kayo looked at him and then at the colorful foxes that were watching them. "We? As in all of you?" She asked and looked the purple kitsune in the eyes, her golden eyes meeting sliver. "Yes, the forest has not been safe for our kind since our protector, The Storm Dragon, Valdora, has disappeared. Humans and monsters alike have tried to kill us, for our coats and our homes. We do not wish to fight and many of us cannot fight." He voiced as Kayo gasped as she realized his eyes where sliver for a reason.
"Your blind." she pointed out, and the 4 tailed kitsune nodded sagely. The other kitsune looking on with quiet whispers as they looked at Kayo and her siblings.
"Yes, young one. Your father and mother once protected our kind, but your mother was taken to quickly from us. Now one of you 7 needs to take their place." he told the shocked fox kits and kitsune. "What are you saying old man!? Of course, it's gonna be our little sis! She ate Momma's pearl! And she even has more tails than you!" Another brother voiced as Kayo looked behind her.
"Holy shit! I have 5 Tails now!" She yelled, and then looked down and nearly cried as the yukata from Shuna was barely holding back her familiar DD cup breasts. "I HAVE BOOBS!" she shouted excitedly, her golden eyes glittering as she could now try and peruse Benimaru. Only the feeling of her siblings' tails and grass on her lower backside made her change into her fox form quickly. Now she was bigger than her brothers and sisters, with their heads only coming up to her shoulders.
"So, you mentioned something about someone else becoming the protector of the foxes?" Kayo asked, trying to gain some composure but her heaviest brother jumped up on her back. "Why are you asking sis? Your way stronger now, you don't even AGH!" he yelled as Kayo bucked him off her back swiftly. "Yes, and I believe it will be you. Kayo Tempest." The purple fox mussed as Kayo froze and everyone was quiet as they were in shock... except one of Kayo's sisters.
"You have a name! When? Where? How?!" she asked and was pawing at Kayo to push her, but the Black Kitsune wasn't moving. "How do you know my name?" she asked, and the purple fox chuckled. "I may be blind, but I can see things not many others can't. The Great Jura Forest also agrees, Lord Kayo Tempest. Protector of the Foxes. We are at your mercy." he said and bowed to her, and it wasn't long before the other colorful foxes also bowed to her.
"Wait... are you asking me to protect all of you? I'm not that strong and I'm not sure how you guys would like the village or have your own dens out inf the forest and just be another village on your own." Kayo mentioned, as Planning was drafting up some ideas at make a fox village or... integrate the foxes into the goblin village.
"I'm sure some would wish to live in dens, but there are those of us who wish to see this Village you live in Lord Kayo." A brown fox asked, he looked bulky and his fur rough with 3 tails, his paws black and green eyes looking curious of what the village was like. "Hmm... I don't know... Of course, I can do my best to protect you, but I have another brother, whom is the true leader of the goblin village. I would have to consult him first and find your placements." She mentioned, a little panicked as she had not thought there where this many foxes in the forest, a total of 52, including her siblings.
"What do you expect from the runt of a litter." Scoffed a blue fox with 1 tail, glared at Kayo, who looked a bit hurt by the comment. "Hey! Don't insult our sister!" yipped one of her brother's, glaring back at the blue fox, who had a blue eye, a scar was over his left eye and many more could be seen. "Yeah! She may be a runt but she's smart! She knew how to hunt before we did!" her sister defended.
"Yeah, and the Dryad gave her our mom's pearl. So she's really strong now too!" one of her brother's reasoned as her siblings stood by her unquestionably. "She did leave many signs for us as well. Her scent just pointed us in this direction. Zorro has taught her well." A green 2 tailed fox mussed, her eyes a soft pink as she seemed to know the black kitsune. Kayo making a mental note to ask before the fear and doubt crept up.
"Are you just here for power? None of you have names." she pointed out as the foxes all were quiet.
"Not all of us can be given names, runt. We are no one's pets. Let alone pets of Goblins, at least with the Orgers you had a fitting master in that pink little we-" a dark red fox sneered but stopped as he suddenly had a blade to his neck. Kayo had pulled out her small Magisteal shard blade and held it in her mouth to hold it in her fox form.
"Don't. Insult my friends." Kayo growled around her weapon as the red fox was shocked, it's golden eyes wide as he had not seen the black kitsune even move, let alone sensed her getting so close. "Yeah! The pink one was cute!" her brother yipped up, Kayo glaring at the red fox. "I will give you names... under a few conditions of course." She mentioned and the foxes all looked excited. "H-how? You're just a-" he was asking before the blade cut into his skin and drew blood.
"My NAME, is Kayo Tempest. One of 7 Kits of Zorro The Void Kitsune and his mate." Kayo growled as she pulled the blade more into his neck, and the fox was pissed, and quickly tried to snap at Kayo only to get his head cut clean off by her blade. The other red foxes lay on the ground, submissive, as their leader was killed by the black kitsune so cold and effortlessly.
"Hey sis... are you really gonna give us names?" one of Kayo's sisters asked, scared and unsure of her little sister. None of the other leaders said anything as they watched the Black kitsune take her previous spot among her siblings, front and center.
"I will give you all names under 3 conditions. First Condition: I want your loyalty, not only to me but my Brother Rimuru Tempest." Kayo stated as the foxes gave her their full attention and curiosity over who this Rimuru was. "Second Condition: I want your knowledge. I will admit, I'm young and I don't know everything. That just leaves me starving to learn and discover more, I'm sure we will all enjoy what I have in mind for gaining more." Kayo smirked as she noticed a few foxes come closer, as she was mentally pushed back before she could tell them the 3rd condition.
"Third Condition: You hand over all your pearls to me as assurance of your loyalty... and if not... I will kill you all slowly and painfully~." Ares gleefully threated as she showed off her teeth sinisterly, golden eyes glowing with malice. While it did scare a few of the younger foxes, the Orange, Yellow, Green and Purple leaders came up to her carefully and slowly, it had Ares egger for a fight to test her new strength but her manic grin quickly faded away as the leaders had set their pearls at her paws.
"What? You're not going to fight me? Your... just handing them over!?" Ares asked, shocked as the elders had stepped back, not looking like they intend to take their pearls. Kayo looked horrified as she pushed Ares back and saw what the leaders where doing. "N-no. I-i can't take these. This is power you have earned." Kayo told them as she looked at the rainbow of pearls, not caring that the blue and red foxes did not present theirs to her.
"We are willing to place our lives with you, Lord Kayo." The green fox smiled at her and Kayo grit her teeth, cursing Ares for asking this of them, but that part other her still stunned that she would be trusted like this. Kayo placed a white paw on the purple pearl and thought, gently pressing it into the ground as the purple fox seemed to lay on the ground in pain.
"What are you doing? Those are their real pearls!" The blue leader snapped as he saw what Kayo was doing... testing the pearls to see if they were real.
"Foxes are cunning and tricky..." Kayo muttered and sighed as she looked at the suffering purple kitsune and a small purple kit came up to him worriedly. So, Kayo pulled her paw off the pearl and let the blind kitsune breath easily before she spoke.
"Your name, is Orion." She said and many of the foxes gasped as they smelled and felt the blind purple fox get stronger with his naming.
"Thank you, Lord Kayo. I, Orion, the leader of the Star foxes, pledge my Loyalty, Knowledge, and my pearl to you." He said and took on a human form of an elderly man with graying purple hair, dressed in what can only be called 'Wizard Robes', his white skin wrinkled and a long beard and mustache on his chin. The kit next to him looked on in amazement as this elder bowed to Kayo.
It wasn't long before Kayo named all the Foxes and collected their pearls, well, the groups of red and blue foxes had left, one without their leader the others not willing to give up their most prized treasure and freedom.
~Goblin Village~
"What a night." Kayo sighed as she we still in her fox form, entered the village... but not alone, 6 orange fox kits ran around her legs, their heads looking all around the village before Kayo pulled them back to her with her tails, only appearing to be 3 instead of 5. "Wow! Did you make all these sis? Um? Lord Kayo?" Carmen, one of Kayo's sisters, asked as she walked beside the black fox who was greeted by the goblins and gave strange looks to the orange foxes with her.
"No. The goblins and Dwarves did most of the work, I helped put a few together and where to place them and that's most of what I had to do with them. Bruno, stop wondering off." Kayo scolded her brother who took some food form a kind Goblina who offed it to him. "Hey! Share Bro!" Anthony asked as he tried to get in on some of the food.
"No. She gave this to me." Bruno horded the food, some grilled meat on a stick. "Kayo~ Make Bruno share!" Anthony wined as Kayo sighed tiredly. 'Now I remember why I didn't like my siblings.' she thought before something popped out of her shadow and scared the 6 kits unused to seeing a giant horned wolf come out of the shadow.
"Lord Kayo! Welcome back! We were all worried about you last night but even Souei couldn't find you!" Ranga mentioned and licked Kayo's fox face but stopped when he felt 4 little bite marks. Looking down he saw the orange Kits biting at his legs and tail.
"Who are these kits, Lord Kayo?" Ranga asked, looking at the two girls, sticking close to the black kitsune, scared of the large furry stranger. "My fox brothers and sisters. Where is Rimuru? I need to speak with him." Kayo asked as Ranga panted and waged his tail easily, even with an orange kit on it. "Of course! Master was very worried when you couldn't be found. The Dryard assured us all that you were perfectly safe and okay. He's in the meeting hall with the other's right now." The storm wolf told her as the little kits kept biting him.
"Okay, thanks Ranga. You four, let's go." Kayo scolded and pulled her brothers off the wolf and to the meeting hall that she had left the night before, her brother glaring at the wolf that happily joined their walk, and was far too close to their little sister. "Master! Lord Kayo has returned! and she has Kits!" Ranga entered the meeting hall first, proud that he found Kayo for his master. Rimuru was with Rigurd and most of the Kijin; Benimaru, Souei, Shion, Hakuro, and Shuna who was the most worried about the sick and sad Kayo who couldn't be found by their best tracker.
"Did you say... Kits?" Rimuru asked, being held my Shion as he saw a larger black Kitsune walk in, 6 orange kits in tow. "L-lord Kayo? Did you?" Shion asked as her eyes sparked as she saw the orange kits and Shuna almost looked horrified at the thought of Kayo having kits. "These my brothers and sisters. Sorry for worrying you all. There was a lot for me to process, and now these idiots want to join us. I've already given them names, Rimuru. They are my responsibility and I apologize for my brothers' idiocy in advance." Kayo mentioned and 3 of the orange kits looked offended.
"Hey! We are not idiots! All the time." Bruno protested and muttered the last part as Anthony was sniffing Shuna. "Hmmm~ these smells really good~." he mused and smiled up at the pink Kijin who was unsure how to take his comment, before Benimaru picked him up and away from his sister.
"Aww~ They are just as cute as you are, Lord Kayo. Congratulations on having your babies!" Shion gushed as Kayo shivered at the thought, not having wanted children in her pervious life for several reasons. "Shion. These are my siblings. Not my kits." Kayo explained as her sisters hopped up on the table.
"There's more!" Rimuru asked, a bit shocked to see how many siblings Kayo had and realizing why she seemed to be so motherly.
"Hello Lord Rimuru, thank you for taking care of our sister. I hope we will also be allowed to live here too. I am Carmen and this is our sister Estella." Carmen greeted the slime who was curious as she mentioned their names. "Of course, any siblings of Kayo are welcome to stay. Now who are these guys?" Rimuru asked but the room was half filled with smoke as the 3 kitsune brothers transformed.
"I am Bruno, the brave!" Bruno shouted as he took on the form of a very muscular young man with dark skin and long orange hair, the hair on his chest was white and his head nearly touched the ceiling.
"Diego, The daring!" Diego smiled as he was just as buff as his brother, only his hair was short only a few inches
"And I am Felipe." Felipe waved as he was not as buff as his brother's but just as tall with orange hair that reached a bit past his shoulders, out of the 3 he was the shortest, but he would still have to dunk under doorways to get through.
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU IDIOTS! YOUR NAKED! CHANGE BACK NOW!" Kayo yelled at them as she had turned into her human from quickly, covering Shuna's eyes as the young lady blushed, thankful for Kayo covering her innocent eyes before she could see what a naked man looked like.
'I... I did not need to see that.' Rimuru thought as he was a little intimidated, not only where the foxes good looking and as tall as giants... but they were... well endowed. Then Rimuru felt something warm dripping onto his head, looking up he notice Shion's holding a bloody nose. "T-thank you, Lord Kayo~." she praised the black kitsune as she smiled blissfully.
No one paid any attention to Benimaru, who had dropped Anthony in his shock, not because of the 3 naked men in the room, but of a now grown-up Kayo who was shielding his sister's eyes.
"Lord... Kayo..." Benimaru questioned as he stared at the female kitsune... and down at her barely concealed... assets. "Is a woman?" he asked as Rigurd and Hakuro chuckled. "Ah, it seems you finally realized that young master. Granted Lord Kayo doesn't act very lady like. It's easy to see why you miss took her for a man." the old man mussed, kind of enjoying the look on Benimaru's face as he thought of how he could have missed something as simple as one of his lord's genders.
~Later~
"Thank you, Shuna~ you're such a miracle worker." Kayo praised as she was dressed in some new clothes on. It was mostly a black Hellmoth silk top lined with her black fur with a blue belt holding it closed, as like with Shion, her top showed off some of her cleavage but more tastefully then Shion. Her legs covered with some slightly black baggy pants that had a slit for her tails but hugged her hips very snugly. Some simple sandles on her feet as her siblings had simple tops and pants in solid colors.
"Your very, Welcome Kayo. You've grown a lot..." the pink Kijin said, giving a hopeless look, as she was now eye level with Kayo's very large bust. "Yeah, but good news is I'm probably not gonna get as big as my brothers." Kayo mentioned as her brothers came and thanked the little Pink princess. "We apologize for our rudeness, Miss Shuna!" The Kitsune brothers bowed to Shuna who was a bit taken aback to see 4 large men bow to her. "Y-your forgiven. How do they fit? You're all rather large. I've never made clothes this big before." she told them as the 4 brothers gave her a grin.
"They are wonderful Miss, Shuna. Thank you. We are in your debit." Felipe gushed as he loved his simple brown top and black pants. "Yeah, and their warm. Is this Sis's fur?" Anthony asked as he was in a purple top with some black. "Of course, your fire Kitsunes, it would be bad if you used your flames and burned all of Shuna's hard work." Kayo scolded her brothers... well Deigo. "Hey! How was I supposed to know we could breathe fire?" he asked, pouting as his bothers laughed at the memory of their brother setting a berry bush aflame by accident.
"Are you ladies finished dressing?" Shuna asked as she noticed that Kayo's two sisters had yet to come out form dressing. "Um... yes." Estella called out shyly as she and Carmen came out in beautiful orange and blue kimonos with black belts around their bellies.
Only to have their brothers laugh and fall to the floor in amusement as the girls looked down at their small chests in shame. Only to look up after their brother's gave yelps of pain s Kayo had smacked them.
"You girls look lovely. I'm so jealous you get to wear cute stuff." Kayo praised but it was also the truth. 'Danm it! Why do I have big boobs in this lifetime?' she questioned before she heard Lust giggle. 'All the better to seduce Beni with~. He was staring at our chest the whole time~.'
~Meeting Hall~
"Okay now that you're all dressed, how about a proper introduction?" Rimuru asked as Shion held him in his slime form and the 6 foxes just stared at him. "Ahem. I am Rimuru Tempest, Kayo's older brother." The slime told them and slipped out of Shion's arms and into his human form. "It's nice to meet you guys." He smiled as the Foxes looked at each other for a quick family meeting and Kayo gave them a stern look before they bowed to the slime respectfully.
"We are honored to meet you, Lord Rimuru. Thank you, for taking care of our sister. We hope to be of use to you and this village." Bruno spoke for the lot of them, Rimuru accepting the new members. "It's been a pleasure. If you guys are anything like her, I'm sure you will fit right in." he mentioned as Shuna smiled.
"I am Shuna, I am responsible for the making of Clothes and the Head Chef of the village." she greeted the kitsunes and Shion step up proudly.
"I'm Shion. Lord Rimuru's number 1 secretary." She smiled and Antony was going to say something, but Kayo gave him a look and he shut it. 'This isn't like Kayo... maybe she was her real self when with her siblings?' Rimuru questioned as he noticed the black Kitsune showed a lot more emotion than before.
"Well now that introductions are out of the way time to put you to work. Estella, you will be with me teaching the little ones and goblinas some important lessons. Carmen You will help Shuna with her dyeing and weaving. Anthony, work with Kaijin and Kruobe in the forges. You can learn a lot from them. Diego and Felipe, you will be training with me and Souei to get you up to speed." Kayo shot off with a relived sigh as she gave her siblings their jobs but...
"Hey, what about me?" Bruno asked, pouting.
"Aye, Bruno." Kayo groaned as she didn't want to give her brother this placement, but Benimaru probably wouldn't stick around after he takes his vengeance on the Orcs.
"Bruno, you will work with Benimaru. I trust there will be no trouble, right?" Kayo asked as she gave her brother a pointed look, but he just grinned and threw an arm around a slightly shocked Benimaru who noticed what Kayo was doing.
"Sure, sure. Oh. Is this guy the Beni guy you were talking about?" Bruno asked and Kayo got a scarry look on her face as her brother grinned more. "My name is Benimaru, not Beni." The crimson Kijin corrected and removed the fox's arm from his shoulder. "Oh? Well, whoever Beni is he better watch out. My sister bites and she say he is really 'Yummy'." Bruno told him as Kayo's face slowly lost color as she realized what her brother was trying to do.
"It's weird. Miss Shuna is your sister, right? A can smell you two are siblings. Our sis is usually only protective of family, but I don't' see any bite marks on you." He questioned innocently before Kayo spoke up. "On second thought. Why not bodyguard Rimuru? That way Shion can better do her work without any distractions." Kayo suggested, trying not to give anything away unlike her grinning brother.
"Why would I have bite marks?" Benimaru asked, confused and completely missing what the fox had implied, the Kijin feeing his neck for any sudden bite marks. "Really? Huh I guess you don't have any or they are-AGh!" Bruno looked down Benimaru's body before getting a sandal to the face.
"Never mind. I'm the only one who can handle this idiot. Sorry Beni... maru" Kayo quickly added as she grabbed her brother and dragged him out quickly, but it was too late as the rest of the room had figured it out.
'She likes (Lord)Benimaru.' They thought but Benimaru seemed to be the only one still confused by the foxes
~Morning~
"Agh! Feels good not to hold back while sparing~!" Kayo smiled as she whipped the sweat off her face, as Bruno lay on the ground in a crater that had formed around his body. Souei standing on the side lines with Kayo's other brothers, Deigo and Felipe. A bit shocked at Kayo's growth and new strength after she had gained 2 more tails.
"Hmm, are you sure you want him training with us, Lord Kayo? Lord Benimaru and Master Hakuro would be a better choice given that he also prefers swordsmen ship." Souei asked as her as he had observed the orange foxes carefully and saw what Kayo was doing, placing her siblings alongside most of the other Kijins, preparing their replacements.
"True, Master Hakuro could probably better train this idiot, but I like having someone so punch able." Kayo told him as she raised her fist gleefully, the black gloves she had crafted with one of the dwarves to protect her hands with some strange padding in them.
"Who would have thought Bruno could use a sword." Deigo laughed as he handed his sister a water bottle and she drank it. "Well, he was always good with his paws. Out of all of us he could slice a boar easily." Felipe mentioned as Kayo chuckled after putting the water bottle down.
"Oh! And I've got something special for you guys!" Kayo smiled as she pulled something out of her tails, no longer hiding that she now had 5 of them. Her brother's looked excited and curious as Kayo pulled out their new weapons.
"A Chain Scythe for Felipe, and twin Sais for Deigo." Kayo held the weapons out to her brothers who looked excited as they took their new tools. "Thanks sis! These are perfect! You always know just what to get!" Deigo grinned as he tried the Sais, liking how they felt right in his hands. Felipe studied the weight of his weapon and swung the ball on the other end of it gently, and he already knew the blade of the scythe was sharp, having cut his finger on it already.
"And Souei this is for you. I finally got it down, so you don't over work yourself." Kayo smiled at the Blue Kijin who a bit was shocked but interested what the fox was going to give him. Confused why it was a small wooden box that felt pretty light in his hand. "Open it." She nugged him and the ninja did and was confused by the several small brown balls inside.
"Are those Mud balls?" Antony asked as he finally got up and looked over Souei's shoulder along with his bothers. Only to be surprised when the man pulled one out and popped it into his mouth. Souei swished it around, testing it as it seemed to just disappear with his saliva and down his throat. "Thank you, Lord Kayo. You have done a wonderful job." He praised the Kitsune and pat her head, her brothers were to confused to stop him.
"Hey sis, what where those?" Anthony asked, before Kayo handed some paper to Souei, who read the paper and then burned it. "Feild rations. Odorless. Soundless. Nutritional." The ninja told them as the brothers chuckled. "Thats our sneaky little sis. Dad would be so proud of you." Anthony praised as he smiled at his sister and gave a thumbs up. "I approve. I like this guy more than that red one anyway." He announced and tied to put in hand on Souei but the ninja moved out of his reach swiftly. Kayo gave her brother an annoyed look as he shrugged.
"What? I'm allowed to like my little sister's possible mates." he said, and Kayo blushed bright red before delivering a punch to her brother's face. Souei didn't mind it as he was mostly ignored by the siblings as they were scolded for spilling secrets.
~That Afternoon~
"So... are you gonna tell him anything~?" Bruno asked his sister as she was talking to Rimuru who looked confused. "Tell me what?" the slime asked as he tilted his head but got bushed off. "Not you Lord Rimuru, the red one." he mentioned as he learned to whisper. Rimuru glanced at the back of Benimaru as he talked with Hakuro about something a few feet away.
"Why would I? It's an alliance treaty not a battle." Kayo hissed at him she as bit down a blush, and Rimuru smirked. "I don't know. Mr. Orion said we would encounter great danger on our way to meet the Lizardman Chieftain. Could be a good chance to wish Benimaru~ good luck." he mentioned, having met the colorful fox leaders Kayo had named. He didn't mind it, not with Kayo taking respectability for housing and training the rainbow of foxes. Some were even coming with them as they were just as quick and strong as the tempest wolves, who's pups where not old enough to be ridden yet.
"I... I don't believe in fortune telling. Even if it comes from Mr Orion. It's all just subjective. I mean he could have been talking about Shion's cooking for all we know." Kayo reasoned, as her heart pounded quickly. Even now that she looked fully grown and was mentally 32 now, didn't mean she was not scared to talk to her crush. Rimuru and Bruno went pale as they thought of the purple Kijin's poisonous cooking.
"Did you call for me Lord Kayo?" Shion asked as she looked happy, petting Antonio, who she would be riding on, the eldest fox sibling enjoying her attention.
"Yes. Please take care of my brothers and return safely. I'm counting on you Shion." Kayo told her happily told her as the purple woman laughed. "Of course, Lord Kayo. Maybe you should tell that to Lord Benimaru too~." she gave a knowing wink at the blushing kitsune with a smile, Rimuru and Bruno watching in amusement as Kayo quietly freaked out.
"Who else knows?" she asked quietly but froze as Benimaru had come over to them. "You needed to speak with me Lord-ah, Lady Kayo?" He asked, changing her title now that she wasn't pretended to be a boy and was very clearly a woman. "Right, I better check on Ranga, Bruno. Help me out will ya." Rimuru asked as the large fox grinned. "Of course, Lord Rimuru. Good luck, sis~." he chuckled as the two males left Kayo to speak with Benimaru, but the kitsune had trouble finding words before Lust happily took over.
"Of course, Benimaru~. I wanted to wish you safe travels. I have a feeling you will run in to at least some Orc stragglers." she mentioned, purring his name as she got closer but didn't touch him. Looking up at him threw her thick dark lashes and frowned a little. "They are heading for the Marsh lands, right where you are heading. Are you ready to face those that destroyed your home?" she asked as Benimaru was quiet, thinking for a moment as he closed his eyes.
"I will admit, I don't feel strong enough. I don't think I will ever be strong enough to face an Orc Lord." he told her as he held onto his sword tightly and Kayo gently placed a hand over his and... he relaxed his hold when he looked into her golden eyes... a feeling a blanket of warmth and calm come over him.
"You're not alone. You don't need to shoulder the burden all on your own. There is also Master Hakuro, Shion and Souei to stand with you. Those who also lost their home and loved ones and are loyal to you." Kayo pointed out as Benimaru couldn't help but think of his comrades... and his sister who he had to protect...
"One can be stronger than many, but one is stronger with many." she told him as Benimaru recognized what she was saying. "The burden on One can be shared with many... demising the burden." he repeated back what he had read in the book she had given him a while ago.
"That's right. Please don't take this all on your shoulders. You have my brothers to help as well. Let them help ease your burden. Fight for more than hallow vengeance, fight for life. For your home. For l-love." Kayo stuttered the last one out and looked away from him, blushing bright red as the crimson kijin was taking in her words and smiled handsomely at her.
"Thank you, Lady Kayo. Your wisdom is a treasure. If I may ask something of you." he had no clue why she looked so embarrassed, but he found it kind of cute as he pets her head, her hair soft and ears fluffy. Kayo froze at this action and tired not to freak out as she looked back at him, curious what he was going to ask.
"S-sure. What is it?" Kayo asked nervously as she willed her heart to stop beating so fast as he spoke.
"Please, protect Shuna for me. There is no one else, besides Lord Rimuru, that I trust that can protect her." He told her and Kayo nearly gushed as he gave her a handsome smile that made her melt, and it didn't help that Ero's was running a relationship compatibility during it.
"Of course. You didn't need to ask. I will be sure that we are all here when you get back, but..." Kayo smirked and grabbed Benmru's shirt to pull him a little down to her level, the Kijin didn't really stop her, confused as he bent over a little as she stood up on her toes to whisperer in his ear. "You have to come back alive too." she softly spoke into his ear before planting a soft kiss on his cheek.
His crimson eyes widen is shocked as he felt her soft lips on his cheek... and the odd warmth the little peck left on his skin.
Everyone was watching them with great interest, before Kayo let go of the Benimaru and backed away. They tried to look busy with something else, but all had knowing smiles. Benimaru looked down at Kayo in shock and a small blush before giving her a confident smile.
"Of course, Lady Kayo." he responded, and their small group left the village to meet with the Lizardmen chieftain as those they stayed waved them goodbye... but once they were out of site Kayo fell to her knees with her face in her hands. "Oh, fucking God, did I really just do that?" Kayo questioned in a panic as she gave a high-pitched scream of panic when she realized what she had done.
"You did." Estella smirked as Carmen giggled. "Your so brave sis. Just kissing him on the cheek like that~ Oh~ it was so cute~!" her sister gushed as the others chuckled.
"I think my brother also appreciated your words. He's always reading that book you gave him." Shuna chirped in with a smile. As Kayo froze in horror. "Wait. Do you know to, Shuna?" Kayo asked as Kaijin let out a loud laugh. "Lady Kayo, we all know you have a crush on Lord Benimaru. I think the only one who doesn't know is the guy himself." he mused and grinned as the very embarrassed fox who also looked a little sad.
"What's wrong Lord Kayo?" Rigurd asked worriedly, his fatherly senses telling him something was wrong.
"20 percent." Kayo sighed as she touched her lips lightly.
"20 percent?" Estella questioned, confused before Shuna gasped. "Do you mean how well you complement my brother? It's only 20 percent?" she asked, shocked that the compatibility between the two would be so low.
"Yes. It's an improvement though. It was... down in the negatives before for some reason." Kayo told them, not hiding that she did like Benimaru, but Shuna seemed to turn white in shock. "D-don't worry Kayo, I will straiten my foolish brother out. He hasn't even noticed that you like him but the whole village has." the pink kijin told her as Kayo whined in embarrassment.
"Please don't, Shuna. I don't want him to feel like being with me is what's expected of him. It has to be of his own choice." Kayo reasoned with Shuna as the young kijin pouted and looked up at her pleadingly. "Kayo... Call me sis." she asked the black kitsune who looked confused. "You're going to be my big sister, so may as well start calling me sis. You two as well, you're going to be my family too." Shuna reasoned as she looked at the other Kitsune females who hugged her happily.
"Yay! We got another cute little sister!" they cheered, and Kayo sighed but didn't object to calling Shuna her sister. It was only when the wind blew, she could smell that something off.
"Get to the village, something doesn't smell right." Kayo told them as she felt her fur stand on end and her sister's got serious.
"Shall we go tell the others?" Carmen asked as Kayo nodded. "Yes, have them form a permitter around the village in front of my rune network. Something has come to close." She hissed and slipped into shadows along with her sisters who she had taught how to slip into shadows, because they were also half Void fox as well.
~That Evening~
"AGH!" cried out an armor less Orc as Kayo cut him down and burned his body to ash before his comrades could devour him. "Filthy pigs." Ares growled as Kayo had let her take charge for this moment but the wrathful side of her wasn't pleased with just killing any orc's that came close to the village. Having watched the orcs swarm on their own fallen and devourer him in minutes... and get stronger.
"Sis!" Carmen cried out as Ares dogged the random orc's attack by taking a step out of the large Axe's way. "Burn." she hissed and summoned a normal red flame to blast at the pig, at first not paying it much attention until the Axe was lifted back up.
"You're not burning?" Ares asked, shocked and confused as the pig smirked and tried to hit her with his Axe again only to have the kitsune grab it with her left hand and then blasted him again with her right, only with blue fox fire this time. Only to almost get her right hand bitten off as he tried to chomp on it.
Ares pulled back along with her sisters and two other foxes that were with them.
"Sis... fire isn't working any more... why isn't it working?" Estella asked as they had each other's backs as a ring of orcs closed in on their small group.
"You sick fucks. Did you eat fire foxes?" Kayo accused, not getting an answer from them, but Kayo got a report from another group threw thought transmission. 'Lord Kayo. The fire & water foxes are fleeing here, and they are bringing more orcs! Fire isn't working on them anymore!' they reported sounding panicked, Ares cursed as she used her claws to cut her left forearm, letting the scent of her blood filly the air.
"Sis! What are you doing!?" Estela cried out worried as all the Orc's attention was on her.
"Gonna get rid of our pig problem, all at once." Kayo told them as she ran at an Orc and jumped over him to get away, leading all the ravenous Orc's to ignore the other foxes and go after Kayo who reopened the wound to spill fresh blood, attracting the attention of more Orcs to follow her as she made her way past where the other groups where being overwhelmed. Some did follow the scent of blood, but others tried to break through the barrier that Kayo had reinforced around the village with Rimuru's help of course.
"Kayo!" Shuna called out worriedly as she was helping the injured foxes that had been protecting them. "Lord Kayo!? What are you doing!?" Rigurd asked worriedly as he saw the black kitsune lead the orcs away into the forest. Kayo didn't respond as she came to a clearing and raised her bloody arm. The eyes of the starved Orcs on her as she charged her attack and counted the orcs.
"Here piggy piggy piggy~." Ares called out with a manic grin as blood dripped down her arm and the Orcs came closer and closer, one even reached for her neck before suddenly all the orcs were struck by black lighting striking form the sky, they cried out in pain before their bodies turned to ash from the extreme heat.
"Well, that worked... but danm their gonna be a pain for the slime ball to deal with." Kayo growled as she thought of her slime brother and Benimaru before something else came close to her and she pulled out a metal spear Kaijin had made her only to stop herself as a pair of blue foxes came running and held her legs. Kayo didn't stop them as she held back on hurting the two young kits and looked down. Seeing that they were both water foxes.
"M-miss Kayo! Please help us!" one pleaded, a boy looking up at her with pleading light blue eyes. "The orcs are attacking our village!" the other asked, crying and snotty, she was a girl with green eyes and was shaking badly.
"Why should I? Your leaders didn't want my protection." Kayo asked, Ares scowling as the kit and she pulled them off her legs by their scruff and dropped them uncaringly on the ground. She watched as the two kits looked seriously terrified, but Ares didn't believe them.
"P-please! Please help us. We don't have pearls, but we do have a pretty flower and a special shell." the boy reasoned as he and the girl held up their offerings to her. "A common weed and a useless shell, if you don't have pearls go and be with your parents." she scoffed as then and was going to return to the village, but the two kits grabbed onto her legs again. Kayo didn't care as she walked away with them still on her legs as they cired and pleased with her. "The orcs ate them! Please! We don't want to be eaten too!" the boy pleaded, and Kayo stopped.
"Then run far away. Don't come to me. I have enough to deal without more kits to take care of." she growled, irritated with the children and her other selves.
"Please Miss Kayo! Y-you're the protector of the forest... please!" the girl asked as they kept crying and kayo pulled them off again. "I didn't want that title. Now go die and leave me alone!" she yelled at the two, pissed off and dropped them on the ground again, relived as it seemed they had given up and where just crying but a male voice caught her attention.
'Kayo, they are being truthful.'
Ares growled at the voice and looked around but saw no one else around.
'I don't take orders from weird voices!' she snapped back at whoever it was but was pushed back as 'Mother' took over and ran over to the crying kits, only to wrapped them up in her soft warm tails and arms.
"M-miss Kayo?" The kits called her as she looked down at them softly. "I'm sorry, Kits. I don't know if I can do much to help your family." she admitted sadly as the kits held onto her. "W-we can show you! Please save our friends." the girl asked, and Kayo sighed as she tried to decide if she should help or take them back to the village. Only the cry of orcs and the rumbling of the ground worried her.
"Show me where they are." She asked and the kits quickly told her of where to find the foxes that did not join her. The kits where scared but quickly took her to where some fire and water foxes tried to fight the much larger orcs, but she had to hold back her vomit as she saw that the orcs were eating the dead fire foxes and their own.
"Cannibalism." she growled as some foxes ran to her as they were too shaken to watch their friends and family be eaten, only a few where dead while others were still fighting to get out of the orc's mouths.
"Lady Kayo! Please Save us! Take our pearls! Please!" the foxes pleaded and held out their red pearls as they all looked at her with some hope that she would protect them. Kayo growled and pulled the pearls to her, they glowed as some white string slipped threw them to make a sort of necklace.
"Get behind me!" she told them as her eyes glowed brightly in the dark and the orcs came after her the foxes quickly got behind her as the small kits that had come to her were pushed off her legs by her tails. They were confused but could see the power coming off the Kitsune woman as she gathered a chipping white lighting into her hand and ran at the Orcs that now wanted to make her a meal before she used her changed and sliced them up and turned them to ash so they couldn't be eaten. Kayo made swift work of the orcs and the fire and water foxes where shaken and relived. Then Kayo's glowing cold eyes locked onto the surviving foxes.
"Hand over your pearls, and I will heal you." she told them, and the foxes slowly did as she pulled out a glass bottle with a glass slime Rimuru as the stopper, splashing the healing potions of the foxes as they came to her and gave up their pearls to her. A few still hesitated but gave them up to her as she healed them before even taking their pearls.
"Okay, that should be all of them. Let's get to the village. It's safer there." She told them even as the sound of a battle in the marshlands could be heard in the distance. The foxes hesitated but followed her to the village where food and a place to sleep was provided for them.
"Kayo! Your Hand!" Shuna pointed out worriedly as Kay came back with her hand looking like it was charred black from her attack against the orcs. "It's fine. Just take care of the foxes. Any word from the slime ball?" she asked, holding back a hiss of pain as Shuna touched her charred hand, pulling back her sleeve to expose more blackened skin up her arm, the black fabric also hiding the blood, but her fox sisters could easily smell it.
"No! What did you do to your hand!? Do you have any of the Potion's Lord Rimaru gave you!?" Carmen asked worriedly as her sisters' worried over her and Kayo just plopped on the ground, tiredly. "I don't, the foxes where hurt. I'm fine." she assures them even as she still felt pain in her charred hand as Shuna looked very worried for the black kitsune.
"You used all the healing portions on the kitsunes!? Why! Now your hurt and who knows when Lord Rimuru will be back!" Estella yelled at her sister as the other foxes overheard, now feeling terrible that she had given them the healing potions.
"No worries, Miss Estealla. Lord Rimaru, entrusted me with a bottle for just such a case." Rigurd told the orange kitsune as he showed them the small bottle and he kneeled down to apply it to Kayo's arm before Shuna grabbed it and made Kayo drink the whole bottle, shoving it halfway into the Kitsune's mouth and held her nose to make her drink it.
Kayo was shocked but did as she didn't want to hurt Shuna and once all of that was gone Kayo's arm returned to its natural state. "There, that's better." Shuna smiled as Kayo coughed a little as she felt her wounds heal and looked at her hand in disappointment.
'So much for a Chidori.' she sighed and made sure the foxes and the villagers were safe before her nose caught onto something fowl.
"Kayo?" Carmen called her name as the black kitsune was deathly still as she looked up and was sniffing the air turning in the direction of the marshlands. "Kayo?" Shuna called to her and reached out but gasped when the fox slipped into the shadows and disappeared.
"Lord Kayo!" Rigurd called out, shocked and worried for what the Kitsune was going after now.
~Mashlands~
"Oger fire isn't working on them anymore?" Benimaru asked, shocked as some orger's easily and quickly passed through his powerful flames. Shion and Hakuro were still cutting down the orcs but their numbers where a bit much for the two as something odd was going on with these Orcs.
"Young Master!" Hakuro called out and Benimaru only had time to turn around to see and Orc with an axe coming down on him, only for a shadow pop up from the ground and cut the orc clean in half. It was only when it landed that he recognized who it was, holding a metal spear.
"Lord Kayo!?" Benimaru called to her as he saw her slice threw some Orc's on her own and then throw her spear, it made the Orc's laugh, but Kayo smirked as the magnetically charged staff pulled back the armored monsters away from her and Benimaru.
"The Orc's snacked on Fire foxes! They have some immunity to fire. That and something's coming, and they smell putrid. I think it's that Majin that visited your village." Kayo told Benimaru as she pulled out another spear as the Ocs surrounded them again. "What?" he asked and pressed his back to Her's, trusting her as he pulled out his sword but also felt soft tails brush his body. He suppressed a shiver before he noticed what she was doing, transferring her Magicules to him so he could use more powerful flames.
"Thank you, Lord Kayo." He smiled as they both lit up with bright golden flames and cut through the orcs quickly and easily, until the Orc Lord himself came out of hiding.
"This... isn't good." Kayo gaged at the smelled of the large demonic pig, even covering her nose with the collar of her shirt didn't keep out the monster's fowl scent and there was another one. Benimaru pulled her behind him as something crashed into the ground between them and the orc lord...
The smoke cleared and Benimaru and Kayo recognized the mask instantly.