Chapter 44: Everything Must Come to an End Eventually
1001 AD - The Enchanted Forest - Fairy Tale Realm
Nakano wants to fluff Senko's tail, but she refuses
"I'm busy at the moment" Senko said "I'll let you fluff it later"
"Why don't you let the young sir do as he pleases" a voice said
"Yeah, that's right, you should listen to…" and Nakano realizes there's a third voice in his hut and he turns to see a woman "who are you?" and then he realizes he's seen her before
"Lady Sora?" Senko asked "why is it that you've come here?"
"Indeed" Sora replied "a fair question. I suppose I wanted to toy with… to come and meet you"
"I'm pretty sure she actually meant toy" Nakano thought to himself
"Hold on" Nakano said "correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you the lady I met in the hut at the beach"
"Oh good, you remember me do you?" Sora asked "how flattering"
"I knew it!" Nakano exclaimed "I wanted to thank you for the wonderful gifts"
"Yes, thank you" Senko said "they were exceptionally delicious"
"We really appreciated it" Nakano said
"I'm afraid I had to punish Shiro for that stunt" Sora said "she really should know better than to use my beach without my permission" and she waves her hand and a window into another land opens, showing Shiro in a cage
"I shall introduce myself" Sora continued "I am a kitsune, that has lived many thousands of years and I go by the name of Sora. To put it rather simply, I am what one would consider Senko's boss. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance young sir"
"My name is Nakano Kuroto" Nakano said
"Lady Sora, I know what you're up to, and I'd like to request you don't toy with him"
"Oh would you now?" Sora asked "but the poor boy cannot help it if he doesn't feel fulfilled. You refuse to indulge him"
"Hold on" Senko rambles "that's not completely true, I mean it's a little true, but I still indulge him in other ways, but just not in the way you're thinking"
"It's completely true" Sora said "it seems Sen has been unable to satisfy you thus far. I however am quite different. There are many things Sen cannot do, but I possess talents that I'm sure would please you. Please, there's no need to restrain yourself, you want to do you not?"
"I want to…" Nakano begins "I want to fluff your tails, please?"
"Of course you do" Sora said and then realized what he just said "huh, my tails?"
"Yes!" Nakano exclaimed and then he hit by a fox tail… Senko's "huh?"
"He doesn't need you!" Senko yells at Sora "not your tails or any other tails for that matter"
"Well isn't that adorable" Sora laughs "this is quite the delightful sight. The only part of me you're willing to think about is my tails, how odd. You are a man of strange tastes"
"He's always been that way" Senko replied
"It's time I bid you ado" Sora said "lest the boy touch my tails"
"Before I forget" Sora whispers to Nakano "I do have some advice for you, regarding that perpetually tired look on your face. Do tread lightly, otherwise I fear something bad may happen to you. I hope you'll be careful"
"What's that mean?" Nakano whispers back
"Don't make Sen sad" Sora whispers "that would be very unwise of you"
"Farewell" Sora said to Nakano and Senko "until we meet again" and she twirls her hand, teleporting away in fox fire
"Your boss is a real force of nature" Nakano said to Senko
"Yes" Senko agreed
Land of the Kitsunes
Months later, Lady Sora and Shiro are watching Senko take care of Nakano, and the Darkness still looms over him
"It's been a whole year already!" Shiro exclaimed "just how long is Nakano going to hog Sen for?"
"A year huh?" Sora asked "the time went by faster than I thought. I suspect your wishes may be granted sooner than you think. Perhaps you need to be a bit more patient, Shiro. After all everything must come to an end eventually"
The Enchanted Forest - Fairy Tale Realm
One morning, Senko is serving Nakano breakfast when there's a knock at the door. Nakano goes to answer it and finds a man
"Are you Nakano Kuroto?" the man asked
"I am" Nakano replied
"Your mother sent me" the man said "your uncle is really sick, if you want to have a chance to see him again, you need to return to your home village as soon as possible"
"Thank you" Nakano said "I need to arrange for a few days off with my boss, but then I will head straight there"
"I will take the message to her" the man said and he left
"Is there anything you can do to help?" Nakano asked
"I do know some healing spells" Senko said "but magic always comes with a price"
"But you use magic all the time" Nakano pointed out
"Foxfire magic and the occasional moving of objects around is small magic, so the price is usually negligible" Senko said "healing someone who is very sick takes a great deal of magic, so the price is usually high, it's not usual that someone else has to take their place. What I can do for you is look into the future. Note that the future is not always what it seems, so I can't promise anything… but I believe your uncle will recover, but I'd still recommend going to see him"
"Okay" Nakano said "I'll go. Are you sure you'll okay here by yourself?"
"Don't worry" Senko said "No matter how far away you are, I'll always be with you, I'll always watch over you. Now go" and Nakano leaves to let his boss know he'll be unavailable for a few days,
At Nakano's home village, he goes to find his mother
"Mom?" Nakano asked
"Kuroto?" His mother replied "I'm so glad to see you. Your uncle seems to be recovering, I'm sorry for making you come all the way out here
"It's okay" Nakano said
Back at Nakano's hut, Senko gathers up her things
"I suppose I should get going" Senko said to herself and she twirled her hand and disappeared in foxfire…