Chapter Summary: Soup. And meetings. And plans.
Chapter Word Count: 4,422
Posted: 30-Sep-2020
The restaurant wasn't silent, but was quiet like a library, where everyone talked in hushed voices.
"So, expect something wonderful?" Yanzy said.
"Or scary," Yuki said, in a low voice, looking around at the restaurant.
"Appearances are deceptive, Ladies," the hostess said, bowing to them. "What can we do for honored Fox God priestesses?"
"A table for four?" Sita said, returning the bow just as deeply.
"I'm not a priestess, just a friend," Yanzy corrected her.
"You are training with them," the hostess said. "Only someone special would have a place at their side."
"Hanna was always perceptive," Sita said. "How is business?"
"It is profitable," Hanna, the hostess said, before seating them. "For the glory of the Fox God."
"Maybe I should have become a cook," Yuki said, as they took their seats. "They didn't mention that as an option when we started at the temple."
"You would make a bad cook," Mika told her. "You'd be too busy sampling the soup and getting fat."
"I'd never get fat," Yuki said. "I have a fast metabolism."
"You have a fast metabolism because you can't sit still and are constantly running around," Mika said, poking her. "If you weren't in the band, I can't imagine where you'd be. Probably village priestess at the top of some mountain."
"What would you like?" Hanna said, giggling at the by-play. "We have a number of interesting soups today."
"I believe I will have whatever the cook recommends," Sita said, after a quick glance through the menu.
"Brave," Yuki said. "You might end up with one of those experimental soups from the temple."
"All of our soups are delicious," Hanna said. "Many repeat customers."
"I'll have the same," Mika said, smiling.
"I also," Yanzy said.
"Make it four cook's choice," Yuki said. Hanna nodded and left them, returning to bring them their drinks before leaving again.
"You know her," Yanzy said. "She was one of the trainees who left with the cooks?"
"Yes," Sita said. "She wasn't suited for temple life, and took the first opportunity to leave. She appears to have make a good choice."
"Different ways of serving the plans of the Fox God," Mika said. "Who would have imagined that we would be in an idol band? And having visions is not the same thing as imagining it."
"We'll have to come back," Sita said, looking around.
"We haven't gotten our soup yet," Yuki said. "It could be horrible."
"It will be excellent soup," Sita said. "Nothing less would honor the Fox God."
"Okay, it is good soup," Yuki said, finishing her bowl, with a noisy slurp. "But that could have been just a lucky pick."
"Or you could be tempting Brother Coyote to play tricks on you," Mika said. "We all enjoyed our soup."
"And the crusty bread," Yanzy said, sighing. "I'll definitely come back."
"Lady Su?" Hanna said, appearing at their table with their check. "The Senior Cook would like to speak with you."
"All of us or just her?" Mika asked.
"It is not necessary for all of you to come," Hanna said, taking their payment. Sita stood and followed her into the kitchen, returning several minutes later.
"That was quick, and mysterious," Yuki said.
Sita gestured for all of them to get up. "He had a request," she said. "He would like the Fox God hospitality blessing to be placed upon this restaurant."
"A big production with all of us, or the simple blessing," Mika asked, perking up.
"Just a simple blessing," Sita said. "I shall return early tomorrow morning before they open."
"And the rest of us?" Mika asked.
"We need to review the fire forms," Sita said. "The sim gave a distorted view of their effectiveness. Show Yanzy the fire form training techniques."
"I'm not prepared for the fire forms," Yanzy said.
"Time to start," Sita said, nodding to the hostess as they passed her.
"Ladies," a familiar voice addressed them as they stepped outside. Standing just outside the entrance were several familiar faces.
"Lady Shadow," Sita said. "This is a surprise."
"We're in Tokyo on business, and someone wanted to try the best vegetarian restaurant in the city," Lady Shadow said.
"It is excellent food," Mika said. "And great service."
"Recommended by the Fox God even," Yuki said, grinning.
"Then I'm sure it is very good," the short woman standing next to Lady Shadow said. "We shall talk later."
"Tomorrow afternoon at the consulate," Lady Shadow said. "Our ambassador would like to chat with the four of you." She nodded at the shorter woman.
"Don't make it sound like a formal audience request," the Ambassador said. "Just a friendly discussion. We'll provide the snacks."
"We shall be happy to join you tomorrow, Lady Shadow, Lady Ambassador," Sita said.
"Such politeness," the Ambassador said. Nodding to them, she continued into the restaurant.
"Come prepared to sing something," Lady Shadow said. "She'll insist. And she'll insist on joining you. Fortunately, she has an amazing voice."
"Yes, Lady Shadow," Sita said, waiting for her to enter the restaurant before leading them back to their rooms.
"Well, that was an adventure," Mika said, as they settled down in their common room. "Think it'll happen again?"
"Have some excellent soup, and run into Lady Shadow?" Sita said. "Anything is possible when we are guided by the Fox God."
"What are we going to sing?" Yuki said. "Most of our songs sound better with a full band. No instruments? They don't have quite the same bite to them."
"We'll all have to sing," Sita said. "So we will need several songs that we can sing together."
"There are several that will work well with your voices," Yanzy said. "They actually sound better with just voices than with our usual instruments."
"Which ones?" Sita said.
Yanzy leaned over and took the folder containing their set lists for the last tour from the bookshelf. She flipped through it, stopping in several places.
"This one," She said, pointing at a song. "And this one," she said, pointing at another one. "They'll sound much different with just your voices."
"You'll be singing also," Yuki said, poking her.
"You don't need me to sing," Yanzy said, shaking her head. "I don't have a good voice."
"You went through the same idol training we did," Mika said, shaking her head. "It may be rusty but you have a good enough voice or you wouldn't have been an idol."
"That was just luck," Yanzy said. "They wanted someone tall for that spot. I could have croaked like a toad and they would have picked me for that spot."
"Not true," Mika said. "I can find that recording of our last concert in the idol group, if you don't believe me."
"No, no reason to do that," Yanzy said quickly. "I can sing tomorrow. But don't expect it to be a regular thing."
"Depends on how good you are," Mika said. "And no singing badly, just to avoid it in the future. We know that you can do it."
"And you are definitely one of us," Sita said. "You may only be a guitarist when the full Fox Metal is on stage, but when it is the four of us you are an equal member."
"Should we have a name for this four piece?" Yuki said, frowning. "Fox Metal is the idol heavy metal group, of which we are all a part. But our sub-group?"
"Why not use the name we used in the sim?" Mika said. "We can be 'Kitsune'. Not quite the same thing but close."
"Yes," Sita said. "That is our name. It is clear we aren't Fox Metal when it is only four, but we are related."
"Where are we meeting them?" Mika said, when they entered the consulate lobby the next day. They'd spent the morning working on the songs Yanzy had selected, making sure they could sing the different arrangements with their usual professionalism.
"Lady Shadow didn't say," Yuki said, frowning. "It must be obvious."
"We've been here before," Mika said. "Many times. This shouldn't be a problem."
"But we weren't meeting Lady Shadow and their Ambassador." Yanzy said. "They won't be meeting us down in the pod rooms."
They stood there for several minutes, before they approached the receptionist, Tilly, who'd been watching them.
"Ladies," Tilly said. "What can we do for you today? You aren't scheduled for the training pods today."
"We have a meeting with Lady Shadow," Mika said.
"Yes," Tilly said. "Lady Shadow and Lady Memory are in the small auditorium. They are expecting you."
"We've never actually been there," Yuki said. "Where can we find the small auditorium?"
"Lady Andrea will take you there," Tilly said. She nodded to a tall woman sitting in an alcove off to the side of the lobby.
Smiling, Lady Andrea rose and approached them. "Andy Sachs," she said, nodding to them in greeting, speaking Japanese with an odd accent.
"Thank you for taking the time to assist us," Sita said, bowing politely. "I am Sita. This is Mika, Yuki and Yanzy."
"I am pleased to meet you," Andy said. "I saw your concert when you were in London. Very impressive."
"It takes a lot of people to achieve the art that is one of our Fox Metal shows," Sita said. "We are only a small part of the whole."
"Of course," Andy said, nodding. "Lady Shadow is waiting for us. The auditorium is on the first floor." She let them to an elevator, and ushered them in. "There will be a small audience for the music part of your meeting, myself included, if you don't mind. There is some curiosity concerning your music, and the Lady Memory is very much a favorite with our people."
"We would be honored to perform," Sita said. Yuki poked her and raised an eyebrow at the response.
"Don't worry," Andy said, obviously having noticed the reactions of the others. "The meeting is not an excuse to get you to perform for free. But Lady Memory will explain."
"The Serpent Clan has given us much," Mika said. "Singing for our supper, as I believe the phrase goes, as a token of our thanks, is no matter."
"Well, I didn't know we'd have an audience of more than two," Yuki said, grumbling. "I'm not prepared for anything fancy, beyond just singing."
"And you won't be expected to," Andy said, smiling. The elevator came to a stop and they were led down a hall towards a pair of large doors. The doors opened as they approached, and they stepped into the auditorium.
"This is not what I would call a small auditorium," Mika said, looking around the dimly lit space. "It must seat a thousand, if not more."
"You have a good eye," a voice said, coming from the front, near the stage. "It seats just over a thousand. Some people think it's too big but I feel it is just the right size. Big enough to give a performance the right feel, but intimate enough that you can have smaller groups using it."
Andy guided them down to the stage and the voice. Sitting off to one side, her legs dangling, occasionally tapping against it, was the woman who'd been identified as the Ambassador the day before.
"This is the Lady Memory," Andy said. "Lady Shadow is around here somewhere."
"We've met," she said. "Sita, Mika, and Yuki came to dinner before their concert in Cancun."
"You missed that," Yuki whispered to Yanzy. "Excellent food, and company."
"You can call me Rachel when it is just us," Lady Memory said. "Lady Shadow will be back in several minutes. She had to take care of some sudden business."
"Lady Rachel," Sita said, "we are honored to be given this opportunity to share our music with you."
"No. Rachel, just Rachel," she said. "If we are going to sing together we should be on a first name basis, don't you think?"
"Yes... Rachel," Sita said, reluctantly.
"We can be informal," Yuki said. "Some of us did not swallow the temple etiquette guide."
"And some of us wouldn't know what it looks like," Mika said, poking Yuki.
"You'll notice the empty auditorium," Rachel said, wavin. "I'm sure Andy has told you we will be having an audience. They'll be watching remotely. Hopefully that doesn't affect your singing? I find having a live audience present enhances the feelings generated by my music but we couldn't have fit everyone who wanted to be here in this room."
"Good, you're here," Lady Shadow said, appearing next to Rachel, as if by magic. "Shall we talk first before Rache gets her command performance?"
"They don't have to sing," Rachel said, "but I would like to hear them live, at least once."
"She wanted to see your Cancun concert, but we thought it would have been too disruptive, you may remember," Lady Shadow said.
"She wants to write you into the mythology of the Serpent Clan," Andy said, laughter in her voice. "But she wants to hear you in your own voices first. It's a thing she does."
"What they haven't told you is," Rachel began...
"Is much of anything," Yuki said. "All we know is that you are the Serpent Clan Ambassador and that you sing."
"Ah," Rachel said. "Maybe an explanation first? Why don't you all have a seat." She waved at the first row of seats. "I'm not sure how much you actually know about the Serpent Clan, so excuse me if I repeat things you already know."
"Unlike your Fox Clan, which may have ties to the Thirteen Clans but is not one of them, the Serpent Clan is one of the Thirteen clans. One of the original six, in fact. The sector of space that this planet is in is our responsibility, as given to us by the Pan Galactic Council. Think of us as the law enforcement for this area.
Like every clan of the Thirteen, we have a ruling Council. For historical reasons, that we don't need to get into, we do not have a full Council at the moment. But we do have the Council members we need. Our intelligence service, under Lady Shadow. Our Fleet, under Lady Air; our warriors, under Lady Hands; and several others. I am known as Lady Memory. I am the Serpent Clan historian, ambassador, and general busybody, as some like to say.
One of my responsibilities is to memorialize all of our people. To give them a history. A context for future generations."
"She writes epic songs and poems concerning the deeds of the Clan," Lady Shadow said. "You've fallen into her orbit, therefore she wants to get to know you so she can glorify your deeds as part of our history."
"But we aren't part of your clan," Mika said. "Why would you want to include us?"
"Because you will doing important things for our Clan," Rachel said. "And you are unique. The clan should know of you. And someday, when the Council of Clans asks us how we dealt with the Fox Clan, and they are certain to ask, we will be able to give a glowing account of how you worked with us, and hopefully continue to work with us."
"We haven't done anything yet," Sita said.
"And I'm not part of any clan," Yanzy said.
"You are part of their family," Lady Shadow said. "That makes you connected and part of the whole."
"Yes, she is family," Mika said. "We have not discussed making her part of our Clan."
"We do not have that kind of authority," Sita said. "Only our elders can invite someone to join the Fox Clan."
"But what deeds have we done?" Mika said, frowning.
"You have the potential to be great," Lady Shadow said. "And it may not feel like you have done great things but you have given the Fox Clan a place at the table, a part of the future."
"We are simply doing what the Fox God has asked of us," Sita said. "Any greatness comes from him."
"Well, that isn't quite true," Andy said. "I have some experience with powerful beings, like your Fox God, and they don't just give out greatness like candy. They may take the potential for the greatness that people already have and give it an outlet."
"And the Fox God approves of what you are doing," Lady Shadow said. "Your Clan needed someone to wake it up, and you are doing that."
"We're just simple priestesses," Sita said.
"Who sing," Mika added.
"And dance," Yuki said.
"And you have music for me?" Rachel said, hopping down off of the stage. "I'm assuming you don't need a band? We can provide the backing track if you would feel more comfortable."
Standing, Sita handed her the songs they'd decided to sing for her. "These three," she said. "We have many others but they require a band to get the most benefit."
"And some acrobatics," Yuki said. "Our other songs are really geared towards a specific audience."
"I think we can at least provide the music for these," Rachel said. She took out a small device and pointed it at each song. "There, I've recorded it. How does this sound?"
Music started playing in the auditorium.
"That's excellent," Sita said, nodding. She sang the first verse of the first song, the others joining in as she started the second verse.
They sang the three songs multiple times, each of them alone and then together. Rachel joined in at the end and then sang all three songs by herself.
"You are much better than we will ever be," Mika said. "Your singing makes me feel like I've just started out."
"Like an amateur singing in the shower," Yuki added. "Or under the covers at night."
"Everyone feels like that when they hear her sing," Lady Shadow said. "I've been listening to her sing for over a decade and she has always been like this. An impossible standard to meet."
"Which is why they don't let me out in public to sing very often," Rachel said, smiling. "I have had a lot of practice and training. It took me many years to get to this point. But you all have the same potential."
"Sita is our singer," Mika said, shaking her head. "We can sing with her, but she has the voice that leads."
"I am just a simple Fox God priestess," Sita said, protesting. "The Fox God has given me the ability to express myself with song. It would be dishonorable of me to not try to use it to the best of my ability."
"I'm not sure I approve of the use Lady Shadow has planned for the four of you," Rachel said, as they took a break and drank tea. "I think the world would be better to have you out in it singing, instead of skulking around on Shadow jobs."
"And we've had this discussion before," Lady Shadow said. "The four of you need not concern yourselves with it. We have not turned you into full fledged agents of the Serpent Clan."
"We enjoy singing, and being in our band," Mika said, "but the things we have learned from Lady Shadow and her team are things we can do that feel important."
"I like the skulking around, when I'm not on stage frightening little old ladies with our metal music," Yuki said, smirking.
"I'm not really into frightening old ladies," Yanzy said, causing the others to laugh, "but I've been enjoying learning these things, even if we are only part time agents."
Sita just shrugged. "I go where the Fox God wills," she said. "We will be playing together long after your need for us is gone."
"Is this one of your visions?" Rachel asked. "How far in the future can you see clearly?"
"Not far enough, Rache," Lady Shadow said. "Her visions won't give her the winning lottery numbers or tell us how the war will turn out."
"War?" Yuki asked, sitting up. "What war?"
"There's a war coming to this sector," Lady Shadow said. "At the moment it is nothing for the four of you to worry about."
"And now they are going to wonder," Rachel said, shaking her head. "It isn't something that will hopefully affect most people, so it is best to ignore it for now. Your Fox God is fully aware of this war and your future involvement."
"Space battles? Like in Star Wars?" Yuki said, excitedly. "Flying a spaceship into battle would be awesome."
"Fleet has plenty of crazy pilots," Lady Shadow said. "And Lady Hands has plenty of trained warriors, if we need them. What you will be doing for us will be more indirect, and what we've been training you for."
"But with an awesome soundtrack?" Yuki said.
"With an awesome soundtrack," Lady Shadow said, nodding seriously.
"I think your four piece band, like the one you had in the training sim, will be a useful addition," Rachel said. "That will get you into places that the full Fox Metal road show won't."
"We aren't really that band," Mika said. "And our contract doesn't allow for side projects."
"We have influence with your management company," Lady Shadow said. "We may be able to do something to help out there. But you'll have to bring this different faucet of your skills to the attention of your maestro. It'll work better if they think it is their idea."
"We can work on that," Yanzy said. "We already have a plan for making that happen."
"Good," Lady Shadow said.
"That was fun," Yuki said. "Singing with Rachel. She made those songs sound even better. And her voice is amazing."
"And I've taken notes of the changes she suggested," Yanzy said. "Her input makes them even better."
"Too bad we can't get her to help with all of our songs," Yuki said, sighing as she flopped down onto the small couch in their common room.
"Our songwriters do know what they are doing," Yanzy said. "Her help would improve the songs musically but I suspect they would no longer work for our current fanbase."
"Yes," Sita said. "Our fans are looking for a certain kind of music sung in a certain way. Lady Rachel would give us music for a different audience, though I'm sure she could also write songs that resonate with our fanbase if we asked."
"What do you think our first mission will be?" Yuki said. "Sneaking into the lair of a Bond villain? Infiltrating a cult?"
"Something much simpler," Mika said. "We're supposed to be subtle. Bond villains have sharks with lasers, and the final confrontation involves a lot of explosions. Not subtle."
"It will be something that requires the personal touch," Sita said. "For things like simple surveillance the shadows have many tools."
"You've had a vision?" Yuki said. "What did you see?"
"I've had a number of visions," Sita said. "But nothing definite. The Fox God is being coy about this first mission."
"Well, that's no fun," Yuki said, pouting. "I expect adventure! And running for our lives."
"And explosions?" Mika said, laughing.
"Yes! Explosions!" Yuki said. "And not stage explosions. Real ones."
"Well?" Brittany said, after the four had left.
"I like them," Andy said. "Very amusing, especially the little one, Yuki."
"I'm surprised she was able to join the original idol group," Rachel said. "She has a good voice, like the others, but is very irreverent. I wouldn't think that kind of attitude would survive the idol mills, as I understand them."
"She's very good at reading her audience," Brittany said. "She knows when her sense of humor is appropriate."
"I think we should fund their four piece," Rachel said. "It's more rock than metal but I think they could have a larger audience and be more successful."
"Idol groups do often have splinter groups," Andy said.
"But not without killing the original. This Fox Metal music takes a lot of resources to pull off. The production company must employ over fifty people when they go on tour," Brittany said. "If they can get their maestro's attention, I can prod him and their Elders to let them do something with it as a side venture."
"Have you decided what to do about the AI issue?" Rachel said.
"Nothing yet," Brittany said. "I've done some additional modeling and it looks like their missions will work out better in the long run if we can get them some AI assistance."
"I haven't changed my mind," Rachel said. "In fact, after meeting them I'm even more sure that I'm right. They would be more valuable if they weren't dragged into some of your Shadow schemes."
"I think it's too late to change course on that," Brittany said. "They are already a part of my Shadow teams."
"Informally or formally?" Rachel asked.
"One of the teams has staked a claim," Brittany said. "But nothing formal at the moment. And not until they complete their first real mission."
"They have a certain innocence to them," Andy said. "Even with the training they've been given."
"It's the influence of the Fox God," Brittany said. "It will not last forever but he does provide some protection for his priestesses against the harshness of the world."
"He knows it won't last, correct?" Rachel said. "He isn't going to be angry with us for corrupting them?"
"He is aware of the possibility," Brittany said. "It is one of the things he is curious about, whether they can still be effective as his priestesses if they see the world in a harsher light."
"So, the Fox God wants them to be corrupted?" Rachel said, frowning.
"Not 'wants'," Brittany said, "but seems to feel that it may be necessary to get the Fox Clan out of their rut."
"Entities like the Fox God have a very different view of how their acolytes should be treated," Andy said. "Miranda was not impressed with the Fox God or the other one."
"No, she wouldn't be," Brittany said. "But she hasn't involved herself in this."
"And she won't be, unless there is a good reason," Andy said.
"I think their first real mission will involve the fashion world," Brittany said, smirking. "I know just the thing. Let's see what Miranda makes of them."
"I can't tell her, can I," Andy said, shaking her head.
"And ruin the fun?" Brittany said. "Nope."
"She'll be suspicious," Andy said.
"And we wouldn't want her any other way," Brittany said.
Author's Chapter End Note: That's it for now. Not the end of the story, but we're leaving the Ladies of Fox Metal to go their own way for a time, while we look in on other things our main cast are up to in this universe. Posting of new chapters will likely be starting in Late December 2020, possibly sooner but no promises.