As Aikko's mother disappeared into the swirling portal, as the air crackled with energy. And then Aikko turned, her ornate fan glinting in the ethereal light. "After you," she purred, motioning with her fan.

"Well, here we go again," little misaka said, "try not to get us killed, okay?"

"not now," Mikoto sneered, watching the portal swirling," and your concern is overwhelming….not!" she added.

She hoped this portal would lead her closer to her goal of finding a way home and to everything she loved. Anastasia Von Alucard.

Mikoto stepped through, and reality warped around her. The world spun, then abruptly stabilized. She blinked until her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light, her throat lurching as the rest of her body seemed to catch up. Something she hadn't felt since becoming a vampire.

She was in her new surroundings: stone walls adorned with intricate carvings, soft light pulsing in rhythm with the swishing tails of nearby Kitsune clustered around the woman. Each whispering, Mother.., like pups fighting for attention. She would lean close, tenderly touching their shoulder and bringing them close. She whispered quick instructions to her daughters, who would then nod and rush down the hallway before she met Mikoto's gaze. "I'll join you later," she said, her voice rich with authority. She moved with the grace of a predator and silently glided from the room. Leaving a trail of jasmine scent lingered in her wake.

Aikko brushed past, her soft fur tickling Mikoto's arm. "This way," she said with a nod to her sisters. They turned and started to go down the long hallway. It was like following ghosts. Mikoto's footsteps echoed against the stone, following behind the silent padding of kitsune paws.

As they walked, scents assaulted her senses—sandalwood, lavender, roses. Each fragrance triggered vivid memories of early morning walks in the castle gardens, moonlit forests, and Anastasia's laugh. Her chest tightened with longing, but she forced herself to focus. She wasn't home yet.

The walls around them shimmered with an iridescent sheen, and Mikoto couldn't resist tracing the intricate patterns etched into the surface. She felt a pulse of magic beneath her fingertips, a reminder of how far she was from the familiar technology of her world.

"Fox magic?" she murmured.

"Definitely," little misaka warned, "stay alert."

Noticing her interest, Aikko explained, "Each section tells a story. It's our realm's history, written in light and shadow."

Running her finger along the intricate carvings on one of the wooden doors. The detailed carving showed a battle of Kitsune defeating a large dragon. The mother of the kitsune wielding a large sword delivering a fatal blow. Another shows a celebration, her eyes getting wide, a rice festival. "To-no-kami?" she whispered "inari.." Little Misaka said, "Japan, god of prosperity, tea, and…."

"It's beautiful," Mikoto admitted, genuinely impressed by the artistry.

"I know!" she snapped at little misaka. "for the readers." She snapped back.

"huh?"

Aikko's ears twitched with pleasure at the compliment. "Wait until you see the bathhouse," she said, a hint of pride in her voice.

"keep alert," little misaka said," the fox ladies might be cute, but remember the last time we trusted someone with a tail."

Mikoto winced, her lips tightening, "don't remind me…" she thought, "we couldn't get the smell out for weeks," her fangs pinched her lip, "damn wolves!" she growled.

Aikko's ears twitched again, and she looked over her shoulder. "Is there a problem?" she quickly blinks. Mikoto covers her mouth, pretending to cough violently. "No, just a little something in my throat," she lies.

Aikko and the other Kitsune tilted their heads simultaneously, which was a practice move for sure. A smile grew, bearing her canines. "do you need something to drink?" she asked, "some water or maybe…..someone?" pointing to one of her sisters.

The sister's ears pricked tight, in either surprise, sure why not,…or as if?" but the look in her eyes said everything. "I am going to kick my sister's ass!" this is according to little misaka.

Mikoto quickly shook her head, "No, no…" waving her hand.

"no?" Aikko said, with a sigh. She looked over to her sister, "Disappointing." The sister glared back. The others seemed a little at a loss. A loss at their sister's attitude or not seeing a vampire in action. Pity.

They continued walking down the hallway. The sounds of laughter get louder. They came to a large stone archway. At the top of the arch was the symbol of a turtle. "hmm.."little misaka tapped her keyboards. "not that I really need to...but I am pretty sure that is the Japanese symbol for bathhouse? or something close..." she said, "or they like turtles?" she shrugged.

Mikoto closed her eyes, sending an electromagnetic signal along the corridor. Fuzzy and dense waves returned. "need to penetrate the stone," little misaka said, tapping the screen. Mikoto pushed her power higher. The images were fuzzy, flickering, and finally clear. A sense of satisfaction crossed her expression and dread. "looks like I WAS RIGHT, AND IT IS THE SYMBOL FOR BATHHOUSE AND IS A CHANGING ROOM!" little misaka chuckled.

"great…" was all Mikoto could say.

She followed Aikko and the others inside, and suddenly, the laughter stopped—even those laughing out of her view. She felt it on her skin: the warm prickling of dozens of curious eyes, looking her over from close to beyond—each one different and unique, an individual magical gaze.

"it sucks to play hide and seek with these ones?"

"Problem?" Aikko asked, eyes wide and blinking as if in code. "Yes, everyone can see you," she said with a grin.

Mikoto furrowed her brow tight, her eyes getting thinner, "can they see…." Aikko's smile was her answer, the way she looked at her, with her tongue slipping out. She nodded, "Yes, they are watching." she gave a short laugh, "And who wouldn't want to know if someone who should not be entering comes in?" she sighed, closed her eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest. "we do have a few males who try to sneak in.."

"Really?" it was little misaka who was surprised. "our scans have not shown any males in the area…" she rubbed her chin, "maybe only the females fight?"

"What about?" Mikoto began to ask. Aikko shook her head and smiled, showing her sharp canines. "They are secondary defense. Mother gets furious if father joins in, and when he does…and he has…she has made him suffer." She shrugged. "Like she is doing now," she said quickly.

"huh?" little misaka answered. "whatever," Mikoto said, trying to sound unconcerned. She was. Aikko could see it in how her face blushed ever so slightly.

Mikoto exhaled and looked around the chamber. Stone and more stone lined the floors, walls, and ceilings. Engravings of turtles were everywhere, with a few fish added to break up the monotony. There were rows of bamboo lockers and benches filled with Kitsune in various stages of undress. The ones who came with her went to individual lockers, greeting and chatting with others. Along the wall, benches were filled with nearly naked Kitsunes lounging about, their tails swaying lazily in the steamy air.

Aikko cleared her throat as she walked over and stretched languidly beside a row of bamboo stalls, then slipped off her kimono with practiced ease, showing her naked form. Her back was much like the wolves on Earth. Her long hair hung to her hips, and when she pulled over her shoulder and started to tie it, revealing the line of fox fur running down her spine into her tail. Her fur prickled in the steamy air, its russet and silver-tone darkening as the moisture clung to each strand.

"is her hair changing color?" she asked as it shifted with her movement.

"Welcome to our little sanctuary," Aikko said, grinning. She gestured to a nearby stall. "That one's yours."

Mikoto frowned, remembering her aversion to getting naked in front of strangers. "I thought your mother had business to attend to," she said, confusion in her voice.

Laughter rippled through the gathered Kitsune. Aikko's grin widened, "Oh, she does," she said with a wink. "Probably with my father. Mating season or not, she has... ways of relieving stress."

"mating?!" little misaka answered. "when does this happen?"

Heat rushed to Mikoto's cheeks at the implication. Aikko leaned closer, her nose wrinkling playfully. "Speaking of relief, when was your last bath? You're a bit... ripe."

Defensive, Mikoto countered, "My armor is self-cleaning. Has state-of-the-art odor removal." Putting her hands on her hips, "It has a ten-year warranty," she said. "oh.. that's great!" little misaka moaned, "Give away the secret technology that keeps us smelling sweet." Shaking her head.

"and this..war…ran..tee," Aikko said slowly, rolling it over in her mind. She thinned her eyes, the confusion revealing. "and this…warr…antee.." she said, arms crossing her chest, "it is a promise it makes to …."

"That's right!" Mikoto answered. "it will last however long the warranty states."

Aikko's head tilted, ears twitching in confusion. "And how long has this warranty been protecting you?" the sound of the word rolled smoothly off her tongue.

"she sure does adapt quickly."

Mikoto's confidence faltered as she realized the flaw in her argument. "including all of my time in this realm, "she looked worried, "Well... it's a little overdue," she admitted reluctantly.

Aikko laughed, her tail swept in a lazy arch behind her. "Even the best magic needs refreshing sometimes." She tilted her head towards the steaming baths, "Come on, a good soak will do wonders."

In the privacy of the bamboo stall, Mikoto hesitated, listening to the chatter and splashing coming from outside of the changing room. Slowly, she unclasped her suit, the fabric whispering as it fell away. She stepped out, picked up the armored suit, and hung it up. She was naked now. Feeling the warmth of the baths over her body. And pushed away the thoughts of being naked in a crowd. Not that any of the kitsune seemed to show any interest. She closed her eyes, struck by how achingly familiar the sounds were - gossip and giggles, like Academy City's girls' locker rooms. "what a predicament," little misaka said. "on one hand, we're naked in a room full of hot strangers…no pressure," she sighed, " on the other, we might finally get some answers, or at least a good scrubbing," she said cracking her neck. "let's hope it both" taking a moment to gather herself. "keep scanning for anomalies or portal signatures."

"you bet,"

She reached for the towel folded on the shelf, listening to the conversations around her, childish and serious conversation. Yet, something was missing, not a whisper about the vampire in their midst. No fear, no caution. "they're overpowered mini fox goddesses." Little misaka noted, "Imagine sorority girls' with looks that kill and the willingness to kill…whats to worry about?" she shrugged. "and who could blame them…I certainly don't." little misaka kept typing, "or how about something much closer to us."

"what?"

"Imagine being back in Academy City, in the ten-story building, in a large bath surrounded by wolves and vampires. What could possibly go wrong?"

(The ten-story building is not part of the certain magical index or railgun stories. It is part of fanfiction stories where Mikoto Misaka is turned into a vampire. The ten-story building is located next to the bakery café, another part of fanfiction stories. It is owned by a shewolf, and other wolves work in it. The ten-story building houses those who have been changed into vampires and now serve Mikoto Misaka, their queen.)

"not much…" she exhaled, wrapping a towel around herself and inhaling deeply, steam and exotic fragrances filling her lungs. Whatever awaited her in this strange bathhouse, she'd face it head-on.

Stepping out, she felt the warm, damp air embrace her. The Kitsune's eyes gleamed in the soft light, their tails swaying in invitation. Squaring her shoulders, she moved forward and walked out of the dressing room and into the bathhouse—and froze.

"she said little?" little misaka spoke. Mikoto stood for a moment to take it in. Enormous would have been a better word to describe it. She had been to sports stadiums that would fit inside this little bathhouse. Taking in the marvel of sculpted stones in the water, around the edges of the pools, and the shimmering water that made up the main bath. Steam rose in lazy curls, carrying the scent of jasmine and eucalyptus. In human form and animal, Kitsune lounged in the pools, their bodies sleek and shining.

Aikko appeared at Mikoto's side, guiding her to a smaller pool. "This one's perfect for newcomers," she explained. "The minerals will ease your travel fatigue."

As Mikoto slipped into the water, warmth enveloped her. She couldn't suppress a sigh of relief as tension melted from her muscles. "See?" Aikko grinned, settling beside her. "Magic in liquid form."

For a moment, the warm mineral waters of the bath did their job. Mikoto relaxed, feeling the water lap at her skin, carrying away the grime of the long journey. She looked around the pool, following the rising mist to the ceiling or what should have been the ceiling. But it was not; what it was was a mass of swirling steam spreading like clouds, the mist rising and tiny droplets falling back down. At the other end of this small bathhouse, masked among the swirling mist, was a large statue playing a game of hide and seek in the mist. It was a large version of a kitsune-like pillar from the floor to the top. Much like the statues Vita had made back in the gardens. She shivered, taking a breath, she'd meet the subject of the scupture and was going to meet her later.

"Aikko?" she started to speak, but a splash nearby jolted her back to alertness as two young Kitsune joined them, their eyes fixed on Mikoto with undisguised curiosity.

"Is it true you're from Earth?" one asked, ears twitching excitedly.

Mikoto nodded, a bit taken aback by their forwardness. "That's right."

The Kitsune exchanged glances before the other asked, "What's it like?" they waited, eyes wide, tail flipping in a hurry. "Father has only told us stories."

A pang of homesickness struck Mikoto as she considered her answer. "It's... complex," she began, choosing her words carefully. It's beautiful and chaotic. There's so much variety—in landscapes, cultures, people."

"And vampires?" the first Kitsune prompted. "Are there many like you?"

Mikoto hesitated, unsure how much to bare. "Some," she said finally. "We keep to ourselves, mostly."

Sensing Mikoto's discomfort, Aikko looked over at the two young kitsune, her eyes narrowing. She smiled a smile that wasn't a smile showing more of her canines and shooed the young ones away. "Enough questions. Let our guests relax."

As they swam off, Mikoto turned to Aikko, voicing a thought nagging at her. "They're not afraid of me."

Aikko's tail swished through the water as she considered this. "Should they be?" she asked, her tone genuinely curious.

"Most would be," Mikoto admitted, a note of bitterness creeping into her voice. "Vampires aren't exactly welcomed in many places."

Aikko's eyes softened with understanding. "Here, you're a guest," she said gently. "Your nature doesn't change that." She paused, then added, "Though I admit, we're curious. It's not often we host a vampire from another realm."

Mikoto felt a weight lift from her shoulders at these words. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"And yes…"Aikko looked over at the large stone Kitsune at the end of the pool. That is our mother." A mischievous smile appeared. She really loves it." That sarcastic tone Mikoto had heard from wolves in her time on earth, and the other realms said everything, much like her opinion of the statues Vita had built. She didn't like it.

They soaked in pleasant silence for a while, Mikoto's mind racing as she pieced together fragments of information. This realm, these Kitsune, might hold the key to her journey home. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked, "You mentioned Earth souvenirs." She leaned forward, "Do you use portals?"

"Yes, we're quite familiar with portals." Aikko nodded. "I used one to get to you when you arrived unexpectedly." She said, "All Kitsune can create a portal when necessary." She sank deeper into the water, blowing bubbles across its surface.

"what about from realm to realm." Mikoto bit her lip, "like how we arrived here before everything went…"

"to shite!" little misaka murmured.

Aikko, still blowing bubbles, glances over, the look of I know what you want? "that would require a vast amount of power and some very clever rune knowledge." Slipping farther under the water until it was just above the bridge of her nose, bubbles popped in rapid succession. And slowly rose again.

"is it possible to create those portals? Is it possible to make a stationary one to get home?" Mikoto asked.

Aikko's tail moved like a snake in the water. "Magical arrays for portals are very complex," she explained. They typically involve intricate patterns of runes and symbols, often arranged in concentric circles or spirals. Each element in the array serves a specific purpose—some for stability, others for directing the flow of energy or defining the destination."

"And what about interdimensional stationary portals?" Mikoto asked. In theory, yes," Aikko nodded. Those portals are the holy grail of portal magic. The idea is to create a permanent gateway between two fixed points. But the energy requirements are enormous, and maintaining stability is a constant challenge." she said, "only a dragon of creation or offspring could create one of those."

Mikoto's heart jumped as Aikko mentioned dragons. Katrina was the daughter of a dragon of creation and had used interdimensional portals to get them to this world. She said it was easy as long as you have an established point of contact of where you are and where you want to be. But Bahamuth had disrupted the power, causing the portal to collapse. So that would mean the portal they had exited from was a stationary point of contact. She could use that to create a possible portal home. Could she find a way to reactivate it? Would it still work?"

Mikoto's brow furrowed. "Stability seems to be a recurring issue with portals. Why is that?" Aikko's ears twitched as she considered her response. "Portals are essentially tears in the fabric of reality," she said slowly. "They're inherently unstable. Keeping them open requires a constant influx of magical energy; even then, there's always a risk of collapse or unpredictable behavior. The longer a portal stays open, the more unstable it becomes."

"What kind of danger are we talking about?" Mikoto asked, her voice hushed.

"At best, the portal would tear itself apart," Aikko said gravely. "At worst, it could cause significant damage to both connected realms. The conflicting laws of reality would create immense strain on the fabric of both worlds."

Mikoto's eyes widened. "That sounds catastrophic. How do you control something like that?"

"That's where the runes come in," Aikko explained. Some control the power flow, acting as a sort of magical circuit breaker. Others serve as safety measures, designed to close the portal if certain conditions are met. It's an intricate balance of power, control, and safeguards." She rubbed her nose. "Many of us use a single command to initiate our magic. It draws from memory, so incantations are unnecessary. "

"like a computer program?" Mikoto nodded.

"like a certain level five not learning breath of god magics?" little misaka grumbled.

"com..puter…program?" Aikko said, "Hmmm…strange words?"

"I see," Mikoto murmured, absorbing this information. "It sounds incredibly complex and risky."

Aikko nodded, then added with a slight smile, "You know, these are exactly the kind of advanced questions my mother would be able to answer. She's spent years in the library studying portal theory and stability mechanisms."

"Library?!" Mikoto's eyes went wide. "You have a library? Can I see it? Or is it?"

"Yes, we have a library. Mother says it was here when they arrived, way back when." Aikko shrugged. Sure, mother wouldn't care. She did give you three days, and I doubt you will be able to amass that amount of power for a single shot. Maybe something smaller to say hello—it's me." She smiled, looking up towards the clouds.

"or the fact she is a god-tiered fox god…that has nothing to do with it." little misaka wondered aloud. "bet she could?"

Studying Mikoto's face, understanding dawned in Aikko's eyes. "You're looking for a way home, aren't you?" she asked softly.

Mikoto nodded, her throat suddenly tight. "I've been searching for so long," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

A splash of water caught Mikoto's attention. A young kitsune bounded towards them, fur dripping and eyes blazing. Mikoto recognized her as the same one she'd seen with Ronan earlier.

The girl skidded to a stop beside Aikko, cupping her hand around her ear. Her eyes never left Mikoto, narrowing with each whispered word. she shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze, watching the young Kitsune's tail lashed back and forth, sending ripples across the pool's surface.

Aikko listened intently, the corners of her mouth twitching, a playful glint in her eyes, knowing the little kitsune held Mikoto responsible for interrupting her time with her father.

When the girl finished, she gave a quick nod. With a final glower at Mikoto, the young Kitsune stuck out her tongue and whirled away, sending a water spray into the air.

Mikoto blinked, taken aback by the childish display. "What was that about?" she asked, unable to keep the bewilderment from her voice.

Aikko took a deep breath and turned to Mikoto. "It seems," she said, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice, "that Mother has invited you for tea."