18 years ago in the plaid kingdom…
"Sensei, I don't get why we're still guarding this family? The first two weren't Kitsunes so I don't think the third will be any different." Hisashi groaned as he laid outside the plaid palace infirmary next to his sensei, currently invisible as they watched the 3 year old Princes Blaine and Lance walk happily alongside an elder maid that held each prince's hands as they made their way over. Lance was bouncing up and down as he walked making it a bit difficult for the maid to hold onto him while Blaine on the other hand politely walked beside her. "Well someone is certainly very excited, aren't we Prince Lance?" She giggled as Lance gave her a toothy grin "Yeah! I wanna see ma new baby sista!" "It not a girl Lance! Baby is a boy!" Blaine, who stayed quiet, finally spoke up. "Na ah! Baby a girl!" "No he a boy!" Ever since their mother announced that they were going to be big brothers the two plaid princes had been arguing non stop over the baby's gender.``So sensei who do you predict will be right." Hisashi laughed a little as he grinned at the two arguing "Come on Hisashi, be a little more mature…but I'm going with Blaine." Sensei giggled as the maid quieted the two brothers. "Now now boys behave yourselves. Look, the door is right there and you don't want to scare your new baby sibling by fighting do you?" "No Nana." Nana smiled as she and the boys stopped just outside the door. "That's good boys, now are you read-" Immediately both boy's grip tightened on Nana's hands as they moved to hide behind her. "Sweethearts? What's wrong?" "What if baby not like us?" Lance whispered shyly as his brother Blaine held on tighter to the yellow bear in his hands. "Oh boys, there's no need to be scared the baby is going love you I'm sure of it." "But-" "Now now Lance think positive remember. Aren't you always our happy and playful little boy?" "Yeah…" Lance started to object but Nana wasn't having any of it. She knelt down and wrapped both boys in a hug Aw! Aren't they precious! Sensei giggled. Whatever you say, Sensei. Hisashi simply rolled his eyes. "Will you boys feel better if I go in with you?" she asked and Blaine reached his arms up to wrap around her neck a signal to be picked up, Sensei couldn't help but squeal at the small little gesture. "Yes." Lance spoke softly, "Please come with us Nana." Nana simply laughed as she picked up Blaine and held him in one arm "Alright sweethearts, let's go in together." And gave a few knocks at the door before taking Lance's hand once again. "Ready?" "Ready." "Let's go in!" Lance squealed happily…
The kitsunes followed secretly behind Nana as she announced themselves and walked in with the two young princes in arms, still very nervous but smiling as they looked towards the large bed to see their mother's smiling, tired face and holding the little green bundle in her arms. "It's ok boys, you can come a little closer." They never let go of their hold on Nana resulting in all the nurses and their mother giggling with amusement as Nana brought them all the way over to their mother's bedside. She let go of Lance's hand for a moment as she set Blaine on the bed before bending down to pick up Lance and setting him right next to his brother. Isolde smiled at her boys as they crawled over to sit next to each side of her, giving them a better look at the bundle as she started to pull the wrap from the baby's face. "Blaine, Lance, say hello to your new baby brother, Frederick." And the brothers stared in awe at the little blonde baby in her arms, cooing as Islode tickled his little cheek lightly and showed off his beautiful bright green eyes…
As soon as little Frederick came into view the two Kitsunes immediately felt a strange yet familiar energy emanating from the infant. Woah! I'm guessing you feel that too Sensei. Hisashi's ears flicked as his tails wagged slightly. Yes, Hisashi. Sensei smiled. It looks as though we've finally found our kitsune. Hisashi smirked as he flew over to get a better look at the newest young prince. At this point I should know never to doubt you Sensei.
…A few minutes later, Sensei left to inform the elders as Hisashi stayed and watched.
"Blaine, would you like to hold him?" Isolde asked as Lance was making funny faces at Frederick trying to make him laugh. "Can I mother?" He asked nervously, holding her arm as his mother nodded happily. "Of course sweetie he's your baby brother after all." "Ok!" Blaine held out his arms happily and Isolde started to pass her baby boy to his eldest brother. "Now be sure to support his head ok and cradle him with your whole arm." "Ok!" Blaine happily followed his mother's directions as he now held little Frederick in his arms, the latter staring up at him curiously cooing as he reached up a tiny chubby hand to touch his cheek. Blaine laughed at this, "Hi Frederick! My name is Blaine and I'm your big brother!" Frederick just stared at him while Isolde smiled at her two boys, laughing as Lance crawled over her lap to continue making faces at the baby. "Blaine, Lance?" Isolde pulled all three of her sons close to her. "Yes mother!" "You're big brothers now ok. And it's up to you to keep your baby brother safe ok? Frederick is counting on you." "We will Mother we promise!" Blaine smiled bright as Lance raised a fist in the air "Yeah! I beat up anyone who makes Frederick cry!" She laughed as she gave each boy a kiss on the forehead.
I'll keep you safe little brother I promise… Blaine leaned down and kissed Little Frederick's forehead… I won't let anyone hurt you.
Hisashi smiled warmly at this… You're brothers won't be your only guardians kid…I can promise you that…
Of course after some time Hisashi got bored with just sitting around in the shadows and watching the boys grow up, that he decided he was going to help the boys have a little fun,
In his full fox form still invisible Hisashi snuck into the music room and waited until the 4 year old's music teacher finally left before making his way over to the redhead playing on the piano, creeping slowly behind until he was right next to Blaine's ear and… "Boo!" "Ah!" Blaine nearly jumped out of his skin, wiping his head around as Hisashi made himself visible. "Foxy! Don't do that!" Blaine laughed as he jumped off his seat and ran over to hug 'Foxy'. "Ehehe, sorry pipsqueak. But you're just too easy to spook. Anyway, let's go grab your brothers and have some fun." "But Miss Darla says I have to stay and practice?" Foxy snickered "Way ahead of ya kid." before flicking his tail towards the piano and an illusion of Blaine playing appeared before them. Blaine's eyes sparkled "That is so cool Foxy! How do you do all this!" "It's called magic pipsqueak. Now Let's go grab your brothers and get this party started!" "Yay!" Blaine cheered before hopping onto Foxy's back as he teleported both of them to the training room then the nursery to get Lance and little Frederick…
"You're lying!"
The spell was interrupted as Blaine shouted pointing an accusing finger at Hisashi "Foxy was just an imaginary friend Lance and I made up when we were like 5!" "…wait?" His two brothers froze as they stared in shock at Hisashi "H-how did you even know about that?!" Lance asked in a shaky voice, "He was just looking through our memories Lance! He's just using our old imaginary friend to trick us into trusting him!" Blaine shouting once again to where Hisashi simply smirked. "Tell me, if Foxy was just a figment of your imagination then how did you boys manage to imagine the exact same creature. You may be brothers but you three have completely different personalities. Wouldn't Foxy have looked and sounded completely different to each of you?" The boys froze, he did have a point there. "A bit too much of a coincidence dontcha think?" "Uh…Well…" Blaine was at a loss for words "And what about Frederick he was barely a year old and somehow was able to image such a detailed creature. All three of you imagine Foxy as a large talking red fox with four tails and white patches on the tips of his tails, paws and a diamond on his back?" The color drained from their faces ``Y-yes." Blaine shuddered, pulling Frederick closer to him; this guy had just described Foxy to a 'T'. Hisashi grinned mischievously this time as he shifted to his full fox form and the boys couldn't believe what they were seeing. Their childhood best friend, the very reason they're so close, the imaginary friend they thought they had made up…is now standing in front of them once again after so many years. "Your father told you the story about your family being of Kitsune descent and how a previous king from long ago visited japan in hopes of gaining a new ally and ending up falling in love with a beautiful maiden. How she left her home to be with him in the Plaid kingdom and how she eventually revealed herself to be a Kitsune." The Plaid princes couldn't believe what they were hearing. "And I know that Frederick had been reading up a lot on Japanese culture, including yokai, you read up the most on Kitsunes because of that story."
That last sentence was directed towards Frederick, and the youngest plaid prince finally spoke up. "Y-Yeah, I did." Blaine's hold on him tightened. "Tell us Frederick, what are all the powers Kitsunes possess?" Frederick shook slightly his tails wrapping tightly around Blaine's legs as he thought back to what he read about Kitsunes. "Well Kitsunes are spiritual beings, the loyal messengers of the great shinto kami of agriculture Inari. They are one of the most powerful and respected of the yokai, their abilities involve shapeshifting, manipulation and manifestation of dreams, illusions, flight, invisibility, intangibility, superhuman strength and speed, magic and many others. They also possess elemental powers depending on which type of kitsune they are, which are a total of 13. Celestial, wind, spirit, darkness, fire, earth, river, ocean, forest, mountain, thunder, sound and time. Oh and the number of tails they have represents the older and wiser they are and increases until they've reached the 9th tail which is then when they become immortal. Kitsunes are not easy to kill as they have incredible healing which also factors in as to why they are considered one of the strongest yokais.- " "Alright kit that's all I needed to hear." Hisashi held up a paw stopping him before saying. "Now tell us what kind of abilities did Foxy have?" Everyone around were still keeping quiet in shock and awe at what they were hearing and did not want to interrupt as the three plaid princes thought long and hard back to all their memories of Foxy. "Flight, invisibility, teleportation, illusions, magic and healing…" All three boys said one after the other "And many other powers related to that of a kitsune, correct?" Hisashi asked.
"S-so…" Blaine started "You're really him, Foxy was never just an imaginary friend?" Blaine started to relax a little bit but still kept his hold on Frederick. Hisashi smiled softly at him "Sorry I had to keep it a secret pipsqueak. Sensei's orders, many young kitsunes who are born human are often assigned guardians and teachers to help guide them through life and teach them how to control their powers."
"HISASHI!"
A loud booming voice echoed throughout the library. "Shit! Not this guy again!" "What's going on? Who is that?!" Maria spoke up "Uh long story short he's in a way my boss's boss, and a real pain in the ass!" Suddenly a portal appeared right behind Hisashi. "Hold it?! Are you fucking serious you're gonna send me back now of all times!" Hisashi tried to run but several long white tails reached out and started pulling him through. "You're going senile you old geezer! Let me go!" He tried pulling away but it was no use "Dammit! Alright guys listen I'll explain more when I get back but whatever you do don't leave this room!" And just before he was pulled through the portal completely Hisashi casted a quick spell on the library doors. Most likely a spell to prevent anyone from getting in. The portal vanishes along with Hisashi leaving the children and Miss Molly alone with still more questions needing to be answered…