List of oneshots part 4
chapter 55
A modern retelling of The Fox Wife mixed in with a familiar Yuki-Onna tale
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-Earth, Japan, Kyoto-
"Damn it, if I don't finish these reports the boss will have my head." muttered a young man with short black hair, green eyes, a single long scar going down his right eye, wearing a black business suit, black pants, black shoes and a red tie, as he walked quickly down the streets towards his job, which so happened to be an electrical firm.
This was Allen Yamakisei, a man born in Tokyo but in his high school days moved to Germany for a year to meet with his mother's side of the family, and well, he's been back in Kyoto for two years.
And he hated it, not because of the job or anything, but because apparently he was extremely unlucky with girls. Plus due to his scar, he looked like a yakuza.
You have no idea how many times he's had the cops called on him by some who thought he was gonna take their money, and even when he was shown to be innocent, it didn't do squat to improve his love life.
'You get one bad scratch thanks to a tree branch and people blow it out of proportion.' He thought before realizing one small thing.
He wasn't in the city at all, he was in the rural area of Kyoto!
The reason...simple, he has the worst sense of direction in his family, and apparently he once got lost going to school and ended up in Hokkaido.
Allen paled while seeing the calm hills and quiet suburbs of Kyoto, still covered in forests and mountains for miles in every direction. "Aw damn it! Now I'll end up late for sure!"
As he tried to calm down, he noticed that he was currently near a Inari Shrine, one that seemed dilapidated and forgotten by humanity as the forest destroyed most of the shrine except for a single fox stature in the center, it's head chopped off by an axe head or something similar.
"...well, at least it can pray to the kami here right?" he chuckled to himself before noticing something nearby.
A white furred fox, covered in dirt and dried mud, stuck under a fallen tree trunk as it's tail was caught in said tree trunk.
"Oh shit." he dropped his briefcase and ran over to the creature, crouching down near it. "Please don't be dead, please don't be dead."
The fox hissed at him while trying to pull the tail out, but couldn't.
"There there." he said calmly as the fox glared at him. "I'm not going to hurt you, but you need to calm down." 'Oh great, I'm talking to a fox like it was a human being.'
That just made it gnash its teeth at him.
"Woah!" he exclaimed before noticing the tail and quickly grabbed a stick and began to lift the trunk up. "Calm down! I'm trying to help!"
It growled before noticing the tree trunk moving behind it and looked confused.
"Ugh...damn it...it's heavy!" he let out, exerting all his strength just to keep it from dropping.
The fox looked very confused before the trunk moved off its tail and it moved away.
Crash!
Just as Allen's strength gave out.
"Haaa! Haaaaa!" Allen panted as the fox licked it's now bloodied tail as he took notice and ripped a bit of his shirt sleeve off.
"Grrrrr." it growled while seeing the human moving towards it.
"Don't worry." he said while sitting on the fox's back and began to tie the cloth on the tail. "I'm just trying to help."
This led to it biting his hand.
"YEOW!" Allen yelled while still trying the cloth to the tail.
As the man finished tying it into a bow, he got off and saw the fox letting go and ran away.
"Ah...that hurt." he groaned while seeing his right hand bleeding. "Yeesh, try to help an injured animal and this is the thanks ya get."
That was when he decided to find a way back to the city and get his hand bandaged.
As he left, he didn't notice the fox running back into the decapitated stature and vanished in a puff of smoke.
(Elsewhere)
And appeared in a small temple shaped building floating on golden clouds as the fox slowly changed from a normal beast to a tall pale skinned woman with long flowing silver hair that went past her feet and was tired into two buns on the sides of her head, dark blue eyes, two gold hime styled eyebrows, two pointed silver triangular ears, a J cup chest and massive ass, long white nails, twelve long silver furred fluffy tails that went past her legs and were covered in gold fire near the tips, wearing a long flowing long sleeved white kimono with gold lining, a gold obi, five golden hairpins on the top of her head in the shape of a rising sun, and silver tengu geta, and walked to a central throne of pure gold and cherry wood.
This was no ordinary fox, nor was it a normal kitsune, this was a Tenko, the highest rank of kitsune that have abandoned the practice of misfortune and the physical world to become benevolent spiritual beings akin to the kami themselves. And this particular one was the kami of the dilapidated shrine itself, given to her by Inari a few centuries ago.
She looked at one of her tails where the shirt was with an unreadable expression. "..."
The tails moved from side to side as she tapped her nails on the armrests, seemily deep in thought.
'It's been a long time since a human showed compassion.' She thought while tapping her nails. 'And I returned it with bloodshed. A blight upon my own clean record, still he was in the right. Saving me from that tree.'
As she thought long and hard about it, she started to consider trying to repay the mortal for his kindness.
(With Allen)
'Why do I always get lost!?' he screamed in his head while walking through the forest looking for the main road, which was now dark. 'Why can't I for once in my life, actually know where I'm going? Or at the very least get a GPS!'
As he walked through the dark woods, hitting several branches in the process, a pair of blue eyes moved closer and closer towards him as the moonlight above revealed their owner.
A massive silver fox with twelve long silver tails, sharp dagger-like paws, long pointed ears with gold markings all over the body and a long transparent red silk cloth floating over the neck.
Stomp.
Stomp.
He blinked before turning around and saw the fox right in front of him, making him scream and fall on his ass before the fox's head morphed into the upper body of a pale skinned woman with long flowing silver hair that went past her paws and was tired into two buns on the sides of her head, dark blue eyes, two gold hime styled eyebrows, two pointed silver triangular ears, a K cup chest and massive ass, long white nails, and was completely naked except for golden markings going down her breasts and stomach. "AH!"
"Quiet human!" She snarled while expelling a seemily painful pressure on the human. "You have stepped into the abode of the kami, and you shall be judged accordingly for your transgressions."
"W-W-What are you?" He asked in horror as the 'creature' moved closer to him.
"I am a Kitsune, rank Tenko. I watch over the shrine above this hill." she frowned. "And I have seen your blatant ignorance to the kami, and I should bring down divine retribution upon you."
Allen paled.
"But as you have proved yourself a noble man." she said calmly but with an edge in her tone. "Who has saved the life of Inari's messengers, you will be spared. But." she moved closer and revealed her sharp curved teeth. "If you ever tell another soul of this day, I shall come and ferry you to the underworld myself."
"I-I-I swear, I swear! I won't tell anyone!" Allen squeaked out while the creature growled and split her jawbone down, unhinged it to reveal a massive curved mouth with hundreds of thousands of razor sharp teeth.
"Good." she growled. "Now, LEAVE!"
"AHHH!" he let out, before getting up and bolted in a random direction.
The creature looked on before in a puff of yellow smoke, the tenko returned to normal and sighed.
"Maybe I shouldn't have scared him that much." she muttered to herself with a shrug.
(Some time later)
BOOOM!
ZAP!
It was a stormy day as Allen walked from his job back to his apartment, and had a hard time trying to NOT get lost again.
"I knew my boss was gonna have my head, at least I kept my job." He groaned while his umbrella was currently having a hard time staying in his hands. "Ugh, I really need a vacation."
As he walked down the road, he noticed that one of the local rivers was starting to look rough and seemed ready to flood the area.
"Yeesh, I wouldn't wanna live near there. Thank god for high rise apartments." he sighed in relief before hearing something that stuck out over the running water.
Splash!
Splash!
"Help! Help!" cried out a voice as an object floated downstream, the rushing water making it bob up and down like a helpless puppy.
"Wait, that sounds like...a person!" he said in realization as the person splashed in the water frantically.
"Help help!"
He took off down the path, heading down a hill leading to the river as he ran beside it. "Hold on! I'm coming!"
"Help!"
He looked around before seeing a pier, old and semi rotting, and rushed towards it.
"Help!"
"I'm on my way!" He yelled before extending his arm out. "Grab on!"
The person reached out and grabbed it.
SNAP!
Just as the pier broke apart and they both went falling into the river.
"AHHHHHH!" he screamed before blacking out.
(Later)
Allen groaned before slowly opening his eyes, revealing he was on the banks of the now calm river, the storm finally relenting, as he stood up. "Ugh...what happened?"
That was when he noticed a tall pale skinned woman with long black hair that went to her ass, blue eyes, a G cup chest and large ass, long pink nails, wearing a black business suit with gold cuffs, gray pants, light gold shoes, gold fox shaped earrings, and had a pair of shades on her face, resting on the ground and drenched to the bone with river water.
"C...c...cold..." she said while shivering a little.
His eyes widened before sitting up quickly and moved over. "Hey, are you ok?"
"Cold…" she said while shivering, only for Allen to put his coat over her. "T-Thanks…"
"You're welcome, but why were you in the river?"
"Cold...pushed in. Mugged."
"Aw shit, I'm sorry to hear that." He said while the girl looked at him.
"...sir." She said before bowing. "Please let me repay you for your kindness."
"Huh? Wait wait wait! I don't think it was me!" he held up his hands. "I just woke up here, same as you!"
"No, you jumped in and saved me." she said as Allen recalled what happened earlier. "And I wish to repay you, in any way."
"Oh! Well it was nothing, really."
"But it is a big deal." she said. "I come from an old family and we always repay those that help us, and I want to repay you."
Allen blinked while thinking this was either a joke or something serious, although he chose the former. "Oh...um...I see. Then maybe we can be husband and wife?" 'Like she would agree to-'
"Then I shall be your wife." she said while looking up and smiled. "Please take care of me."
"...EEEEEEHHHHH?!" He yelled out with a bright blush. "B-But that was a joke!"
"Not to me." she said while Allen felt very embarrassed. "If you want me as your wife, then I shall marry you."
"B-B-But you don't know me! A couple are supposed to know about each other in and out!" She bowed. "Then let me be a part of your life, as wife and husband."
'Is she serious!?' he thought in disbelief as his jaw dropped open. 'This can't be happening!'
She smiled. "So...can I start living with you?"
"Ah...ah...ah..." he let out.
She smiled as Allen fainted on the spot. "...husband? Are you ok?"
(Many years later)
-Quiet House outside Kyoto-
Allen sighed, now a little older and had some stubble on his chin, as he got back from working as CEO of the local electrical firm, feeling very tired after a long day's work.
For him, the last ten years past by very quickly as he became a married man to Yuno Minamoto, the girl he saved from drowning, and he discovered that she had the charm, talent and knowledge of not only taking care of a house but in keeping the nearby Inari Shrine clean and cozy as the head miko. Overall, she was a perfect wife, and he loved it, especially when she didn't scream in terror at his yakuza-like face.
But for some reason...his wife never aged, not once. It was like being older did nothing to her appearance. Not a single wrinkle seemed to exist.
And it wasn't just how she didn't age past twenty seven, she didn't seem to eat, drink or even sleep, although the last part could just be him missing it due to him having to go to work at two in the morning. It just felt...off putting for him.
But right now, he needed a nice bath.
As he opened the front door, he noticed the house was dark and he could hear something upstairs.
'Is that...classical shinto music?' he thought before carefully walking upstairs and peaked into the bathroom.
Only to see the SAME tenko from his youth, but with a more humanoid body, taking a bath as she seemed to be relaxing to magically self playing floating japanese instruments.
"Ah...one of the luxuries of the flesh that I find distasteful...I really need a day like this." she sighed. "Still what shall I give my dear husband for tonight's dinner? Hamburger steak? Mmmm...maybe fox tofu?"
'...WHAT!?' he thought, going pale and covering his mouth. 'W-W-What's she doing here?!'
Crack.
However, at that time, he accidentally tripped on a cracked floorboard and fell backwards.
CRASH!
And hit his head hard on the wall, knocking him out as the tenko quickly took notice of this.
"Who's there?" she called before getting out of the tub.
Only to discover her husband on the ground, knocked out cold.
"...did he see?" She muttered in anger and fear. "Did he...see my true form?"
(Later)
Allen groaned while opening his eyes, revealing that he was in his bed. "Ugh...my aching head..."
"Are you ok?" Yuno asked while sitting on a chair next to him.
"Ahhhh!" He screamed while clutching his chest.
"Allen?"
"Sorry...I...had a nightmare." He said before realizing something.
He couldn't remember what the dream was, at all.
"What was it about?"
"Um...I have no idea."
Yuno frowned a little but kept her anger to herself. "Oh, how unfortunate."
"How long was I out?"
"A few minutes."
"Thank kami." He sighed in relief before noticing Yuno was getting up to leave. "Yuno?"
"Don't mind me, I'm just preparing dinner." she said while her eyes flashed gold for a second.
"Uh...sure, go ahead." He said while feeling like his wife wasn't in the best mood right now, for some reason.
(Later on)
Chop chop chop chop.
Yuno hummed to herself as she diced up some onions, the pot boiling with an unreadable expression.
But as she kept on chopping, her mouth began to twist into one of anger and frustration.
'He saw me, he KNOWS!' She thought in anger. 'Allen saw my true form, and knowing him he will start asking me 'I just remembered something important about a girl I once met'. And then I have to kill him, with divine lightning no less!'
CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP!
'For the great empresses' loincloths, why would you come home THIS early!? I thought you were busy until eight!' she thought while chopping harder on the onion. 'Ugh! Now I have to wait until he ruins the marriage with his loose tongue! I know of many others that had the same fate. The Yuki-onna, the Tsuru Nyobo, the clam, fish, snake and fox wives, Tsurara onna! All of these yokai and lesser beings had the perfect marriage or family life and THEN like that, they saw their true forms and either killed them or ran off in disgrace! I will not let THAT happen, but if he even says anything about that day ten years ago.'
CHOP!
Crack!
The table cracked in half as Yuno growled.
'I will send him to the ten circles of hell myself!'
With that in mind though, she moved to clean up the mess before it was spotted.
(Later)
Yuno smiled and moved over to grab the sake bottle and cups while Allen looked down at the kitchen table and gripped his hands tightly.
"Yuno?"
"Yes darling?" she asked while placing the sake bottle and cups on the table.
"I...I have something to tell you." he spoke looking down. "It's about...the night all those years ago. The night we met."
"Oh?" she said while raising an eyebrow. "You mean when you saved me from drowning?"
"Yeah."
"I see." she spoke while she proceeded to fill one of the cups with her back to him and frowning. 'Is he actually going to confess? Break his promise?'
"I didn't wanna say anything because of a reason that's hard to explain, but I couldn't keep it a secret anymore. I love you, and you have a right to know."
"Aw." She gushed. "You're such a charmer darling~" 'Buttering me up doesn't change the fact you're about to break your promise! You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!' she inwardly thought while gripping the bottle.
"And Yuno." Allen said with a long sigh. "I can't hold it in. Just please promise you won't deny what I'm about to say, because it's all true, even if it sounds ridiculous."
Yuno smiled falsely. "I won't." 'But I will rip your face off with my feet!'
He sighed and got up, walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. "Yuno, I...I saw...I met with..."
She scowled and felt her toes begin to grow into claws.
"I met...with a spokesman for male underwear."
"...eh?" she replied, turning to him confused. "What was that?"
"It's true." he looked down. "Before I saved you, I met a spokesman who thought I'd be ideal to show off male underwear."
"Ok?"
"And when he showed me the underwear..." He gulped. "He tried to put a sumo's loincloth on me, making me run away as fast as I could...and he was chasing me and shouting 'Come back! You would look great in our XXL Plus Sumo Wears!'."
Yuno looked at her husband with bewilderment as he blushed. "So...that's it?"
"Yes. I didn't tell you because...because I was worried you'd think I was either a coward for rejecting an offer that might have brought in more money, or think I was weird just to be seen as a possible candidate."
'What's he talking about? I know for a fact there was no one like that or else I would have smelled them. He's lying, but...wait! Is he trying to get past the promise by telling me something completely different?' Yuno thought while looking at her husband. "So...this guy tried to make you into a sumo?"
"Yes...and I think it was for a fetish."
"So that's it? There was NOTHING else? Nothing at all?" she pressed with suspicion.
"Well..." He sighed before gulping. "I accidentally left the toilet seat up and one time, I kinda blew my nose on your bra. And I'm SO sorry about that, mind you."
'He's not telling the truth. He's not saying what really happened that night.' she thought with shock. 'Which means, he really is keeping his promise! He's not breaking it!'
"Also..." Allen said before grabbing her hands and looked her in the eyes. "I want a baby."
Her eyes widened while dropping the bottle. "W...What?"
"I want a baby."
"...you're not teasing me, right?"
"No, I want a child with you Yuno."
"R-Really?"
"Yes." Allen said with a serious expression. "Yes I am."
'He lied about what he saw, straight to my face, and now he wants to have a baby with me?' Yuno thought while looking completely confused.
"Please tell me you'll say yes." Allen said while looking dreamy in Yuno's eyes.
She felt her heartbeat increase and smiled with tears in her eyes before hugging him tightly. "Yes, I'd love to have your baby Allen."
He smiled before kissing her on the lips.
She wrapped her arms tight around him while moaning into the kiss, nearly dropping her disguise on accident, but holding it up. 'He kept his promise, he kept it!'
Allen kept on holding his wife while feeling very lucky right now, although he had a strange feeling that he just dodged a bullet.
When they broke apart he saw her lick her lips with a hungry look in her eyes.
"So...want to start now or in the bedroom~" she purred while trailing her nails over Allen's chest, unbuttoning his shirt in the process.
"Wait, what about supper?"
"That can wait~" she licked her lips while moving closer to him.
He blushed while Yuno pushed him off his chair, onto the ground and pounced on him like a ravenous animal.
"Right now, let's relive our honeymoon~" She hummed as the camera zoomed away.
(Many years later)
Allen, now a little older, sighed as he sat on the couch, his still young wife currently helping her daughter with some school work. 'I still can't believe ten years have passed and my wife is still young as we first met.'
"Now remember, when you add the numbers together, you then…"
"Mom." pouted a small pale skinned girl with short silver hair, golden eyes, wearing a white dress with red sandals. "I know how to add."
"I know, but you have trouble with subtraction."
"Do not!"
"What's 90 minus 43?"
"Um...23?"
"No, it was 47." she sighed as her daughter pouted.
"No fair! It was too hard!"
"And you've proven my point." Yuno chuckled as Allen watched on with a smile.
'Cute...but this begs the question. Why is my daughter's hair silver and her eyes golden?' he wondered in his head. 'I don't think my family has anyone with hair or eyes like that.'
Yuno smiled while the camera zoomed towards her and her daughter's shadows, where in place of human ears, a pair of pointed fox ears could be seen.