I lived alone- save the lingering presence of two absent parents. My father was either away on business or with a mistress, I could never tell. Mother was either working or at the bar. Again I could never tell, she always smelled like she crawled out of the bottom of a bottle.

I go in and settle on my bed and turned on my iHome. It was the only human contraption that I really enjoyed. It rang loudly drowning all my barely-there feelings as I stared at the ceiling with all the smothering apathy one could stand.

I like to think that it's because when my soul travelled over from Makai and into the Ningenkai, all my demon instincts smothered any new-forming human emotions. That or I'm just another one of those annoying, impassive beings.

A haunting lullaby creeps into the air and I can't help myself not to sing along…

You lie, silent there before me.
Your tears, they mean nothing to me,
The wind howling at the window,
The love you never gave,
I give to you,
Really don't deserve it,
But now, there's nothing you can do.
So sleep, in your only memory
Of me, my dearest mother...

I hear a rustle in the bushes and I see a silver fox with three tails come limping out.

My instincts, as much as my humanoid body tries to suppress it, surge at the sight of a fellow kitsune and I scoop it up as quickly as I can.

"You foolish beast." I chide it. "Do you know what would happen if a ningen saw you?" Suddenly I'm made aware of his injuries by the sticking blood coating my hands "Here let's get your wounds cleaned up." I scratch his ears and he nuzzles my hand. I wonder how old he is. Only young juveniles would foolishly run to the ningenkai while they're injured.

I take him inside and he stares at me quizzically. I use some of my plants and the kitsune widens its eyes.

I cannot help but grin, saying in my native Makai tongue. "What, do you not sense a fellow fox youkai? You must be incredibly weak." It's a pleasant change to feel useful.

I then turn to them and say "Lie down and stay still for this may sting." He nods and lies down.

I strip the leaves and squeeze the sap into a bowl, churning it to make a frothy salve. Scratching his ears to comfort him, I apply the salve liberally and as quickly as I can.

The young fox winces and squirms around "Oh, will you stop it! You'll only aggravate the wound!" He does with great difficulty but I finish and tuck a loose strand of blonde hair behind my ear.

Yes- with blond hair, emerald eyes, tanned skin, and my thick Russian accent- it's no wonder that I'm an outcast among my Asian peers with their long raven hair and dark, almond eyes. It doesn't help that my clothes of Victorian-inspiration but then again, 1800s were always my favorite human era.

The fox staggers up too quickly and I dart to catch its falling form and hold it up close to my face "Silly fox. Be careful, though I wander what to name you. Hmm how about Takara; it means treasure." It was also the name of the friend I was forced to leave behind. The fox barks feebly yet happily and I smirk.

"Such a kit." He growls and I snicker. I lie down on my bed and say "So much for doing homework. But that's why Inari created gullible mothers!" I search around for my cell.

I find it and dial her number. She answers out of breath and I can only imagine what she is doing. And with whom.

I feign coughing. "Mamochka, I'm sick." I could only imagine her face "Oh, I'll write you a note. Do you need anything else?" She said the last sentence in her cold Russian lilt that meant she was really saying "Well I'm busy, you take care of it. You're a big girl." I sigh "I'll take care of it. I just need a note." Another gasp and a moan "S-Sure, d-da dorogaya moya. I gotta go bye."

She hung up and I roll my eyes "What a disgrace." The fox tilts its head and I open my arms "Welcome to my dysfunctional family." He nods as to say "Story of my life."

I almost smiled; I adored animals- after all, I was an animal spirit. They always showed their true nature and there was something about this one's innocence that reminded me of how I used to be when I was still an untainted kit.

Before life had decided that anything even remotely happy was to be forever out of my reach and plagued me with wars and tragedies and cursed with me a human form.

I pet its soft fur and say sleepily "I'm going to bed, you need to rest too Takara-kun." He comes up and snuggled into my chest. I then say "Wait foxy I need to change." I get up and search for a big tee. I start undressing when I noticed the fox turn away and I could've laughed at the sweet gesture.

I roll my eyes and put on the tee and crawl in bed and Takara snuggles into my chest.