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~Wetandslippery~
We are two teens that can be found dancing in the woods; the girl is me. I’m rather petite and fair-skinned. I am thin and my face is clear and smooth. My violet colored hair is midways up my head, held by my small rubber band. My green track suit fits snuggly over my every curve. My large blue eyes pierce through the night sky with sheer joy. My tiny fox ears are perfectly erect on the top of my head, and my shiny fox tail curls out from the top of my pants. Both my ears and my tail match the color of my hair. I smell of perspiration and lemons. I shimmer from the sweet of our victory dance.
The boy is very handsome and tall. His skin is a tint darker than my white. He has longer black hair laying flat just past his shoulders. His shirt squeezes his muscular chest and thin waist; his pants are long and blue. His green eyes shine of large radiance, abstracting from his dark hair. His spindly cat tail shimmers in the moon light as it flows over the band of his trousers. It is the same texture and color as his soft black ears. His slender body releases some sort of an erotic musk. Us two give off the presence of a spiritual connection. On our opposite wrists are the images of a crescent and a three quarters moon, and silver bracelets with a chipped jade stone a piece.
Hello, I’m Kitsunimi Tanaka. I’m a seventeen year old girl that had a normal life, until about a week ago. To look at me you would be amazed. I’m supposedly beautiful, but I have something that sets me apart from the rest of the students at my Matsudo High School; I’m a quarter fox demon. Six days ago I accidentally met Taikineko Akimoto, a very attractive eighteen year old. He is the one that told me about my heritage, of course I didn’t believe him at first. I didn’t even think demon excised until I saw his tail. Oh I didn’t tell you, Taikineko is half cat demon. Now I am going to tell you about what’s happened from that fateful day, six days ago.
“Bye Kitimi,” I remember my best friend, Ami Sato, calling me by my nickname.
“Bye Ami, see you tonight.” We had plans.
I started to walk home like I always do; I live only a few blocks away, when suddenly I got a strange feeling that something exciting was going to happen. I was sadly mistaken. I was turning a corner and bam, I ran into Taikineko. Remember I don‘t know him at this time. “Oh, I’m sorry.” I dropped all my stuff and hurried to help him up.
“Oh it’s my fault; I should have been watching were I was going.” I think he was just trying to reassure me.
“Hi, my name is Kitsunimi,” I had to introduce myself. I looked at him and I saw his little cat ears. “Wow, those are cute ears.” I took my hand and started to scratch them, it was so tantalizing. “Oh my God, they’re real.”
“Um, yea, wait you have some too.”
“Okay, well nice to meet you, bye.” I just grabbed my bag and run the rest of the way home. He may be cute, but he having ears like me scared me.
“Kit, why are you home so late?”
“Whoa mom, why are you home at all?”
“I didn’t have to go to work today, and you still didn’t answer my question.”
“I ran into a person so I stopped to help him pick up his stuff.”
“Oh, was he cute.”
“Mom, don’t talk. Ami should be over in like an hour. I’m going to go do my homework.”
I went into my room and worked on my homework, until Ami arrived. “Hey Ami, guess what?”
“What?” she plops her bag down onto my bed.
“I ran into this guy today on my way home.”
“Oh really, was he cute?”
“Ami, yea, he was.”
“I wonder what school he goes to.”
“Me too.”
The next morning, I was in science, talking to Ami, when I feel a hand on my shoulder, “We need to talk.” I turned to see Taikineko standing behind me, all I could think was what he wants.
“Um, well I am busy right now, so please leave.” He looked at me with a look of slight annoyance.
“Can I at least tell you my name?” That made a spark go off in my head, at that time I still didn’t know his name. I told him mine, but I didn’t give him a chance to tell me his.
“Fine, tell me your name.”
“Hello Kitsunimi, I’m Taikineko.” He offers his hand to me, so I may shake it, but I get the feeling not to. Looking down at his hand, I saw his claw like nails; they were sending me ominous signs. I turned away and started to talk to Ami again, acting as if he never shown me his hand. He walked out in what I would call a rage, thinking back, I did act a bit mean.
“Kitimi, what was that, the hottest guy to ever transfer to our school hits on you and you ask him to leave, my God.”
I got a fake sultry look on my face, and said with a smile, “Oh Ami, you have to play hard to get with a cutie, wait did you say he’s a new transfer, when did he start here.”
“Just today, my god girl, you’re so lucky.”
“If that’s what you call it?”
“You know if you had normal ears, and a human hair color, you could have all the guys in this school kissing your feet.”
“Ami.”
“Yea.”
“Shut up.” I starred out the door from where he once came, and I thought about him. I thought about his looks, and about his name. It seems his mother had a sense of humor. “Ami, Taikineko means cats of large radiance, right?”
“I think so, that’s funny, he has that cat ear headband and his name has neko in it.”
“Yea, Headband.”
After school I walked off faster than usual, I didn’t want to run into Taikineko. My want was fortunately unfulfilled. I was in such a hurry I didn’t notice the piece of broken brick steps in front of me. I tripped and fell on a nice bony pillow, but you can call him Taikineko. “Um hi,” he could hardly force even that out.
“Oh God, I’m sorry,” I cried a bit when I felt a slight pain at the base of my spine. I jumped up as quickly as I possibly could. “Nice seeing you again,” I squeaked a bit, as I ran passed him toward home.
Later that night I was on the phone with Ami and the conversation quickly turned toward Taikineko again. “Kitimi, that Taikineko sure is cute, ain’t he?” She’s been that way ever since.
“Can we not talk about him?”
“Oh, you seem angry; did something happen with you two?” She gasped.
“Why do you always have to twist and manipulate things so they end up sounding wrong?”
“I’m a sixteen year old girl.” I giggled at the truthful response.
“So what did you do with him?”
“Ami, my God, I did nothing with him.”
“Then what is wrong with talking about him.”
“We just don’t get along well.”
“He seemed pretty friendly earlier today.”
“Fine Ami, you want to know why I don’t want to talk about him.”
“Yea, come on tell me.”
“I made a total fool of myself right in front of him.”
“More details, how?”
“I was running home, and I tripped and fell.”
“Okay, so you’re clumsy, is that really that bad?”
“Well I didn’t just fall; I fell on top of him.” She then busted out in laughter.
“Kit Kat, I don’t believe you, you fell on one of the hottest guys in the school.”
“Shut up.”
“You should apologize.”
“No Ami, I will not apologize to him.”
“I just think it is a good idea.”
“Whatever, oh look at the time, I really have to get my homework done, see yea in homeroom.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.” I hung up the phone, and fell a sleep.
The next day I was so happy, yet seemingly sad, I didn’t run into Taikineko all day. I wasn’t sure why I felt a bit sad, but I think it was because I was slightly lusting toward him. I wasn’t sure how I could ever like a guy I ran away from, but I did and do, but he doesn’t know that. I still was glad I didn’t see him; I would most likely have done something else stupid.
I woke up early to get to school before many others. I walked inside and saw a handsome black haired stranger down a stretch. I skipped toward him eagerly. When I stopped, I tapped him on the shoulder, and started to ask, “Do you need any help?” He turned around and my mouth fell agape, it was Taikineko.
“Oh Kitsunimi, um well I can’t get my locker open.”
“That can’t be your locker.” I couldn’t believe my luck.
“That is what this paper said.”
“No, no, it can’t.” I grabbed it out of his hands and read it.
“Why is it bad that my locker is here?”
“Because mine is here.” I pointed to the one to the right of his.
“Oh, it’s because you don’t want to see me.”
“I never said that.”
“Your actions speak louder than words, Miss Kitsunimi.” I then tried something I never had done before, seduction. I stepped closer to him, pressing myself against him. “Um, what are you doing?” He asked with a nervous shake.
“Now, can you tell me why you have been following me?”
“Um, I can’t really tell, but I can show.” He held out his left wrist. It has what looks like a purple three quarters moon on it.
“It’s a birthmark?” I take his arm and investigate it closer.
“Yea, like yours.” I turned away from him in what I like to call embarrassment.
“What’s the meaning of this?” A shrill voice called from behind us. It was my arch-nemesis, Anaguma.
“Hello Anaguma.”
“Oh hi Kitnotsomi.”
“Anaguma, jealousy is a horrible thing.”
“Who is this handsome stranger, and why is he with a dolt like you.”
“I’m Taikineko, and this is my locker.”
“Oh Tai, Tai, don’t be silly, we’re an item.” I grabbed his arm.
“Look matching bracelets.” I just noticed that convenience on the spot.
“Well if you ever feel like an upgrade, I’m around.” She walked off casually. As soon as she was out of ear shot, I jumped away from him.
“I have to go now.” I started to leave.
“Wait Kitsunimi.”
“Yea.”
“Don’t you need your books?” I was doing so well then I end up embarrassing myself again. I walked back, grabbed my stuff, and left.
After lunch I opened my locker and a little note fell out. It reads: If you want to know the story of that crescent moon, your ears and that bracelet, meet me in the place we first met after school, Taikineko. I thought about what to do for over an hour. I really didn’t know, but I finally decided. I wrote him back a note saying, I will meet you there, but I want the whole story, Kit Kat. I often sign things Kit Kat or Kitimi, I hardly ever put Kitsunimi. I left the class first so that I could go find him.
“Kitsunimi.” I heard a whisper. I turned and there was Taikineko behind me.
“Man, you scared me; you’re as sneaky as a cat.”
“Sorry.”
“Alright, I’m here, now explain everything.” I highly doubted him, but I trusted him too.
“You will have to follow me.”
“Where to?” I was a bit cautious.
“To my house, it has the scrolls with the information we need.”
“Um, uh, no.”
“Don’t you really want to know about yourself?”
“Of course I do, but how can I trust a total stranger?” I really did kind of trust him, but I don’t think that anyone that cute could actually be a good person, you know.
“What will I have to do to get you to trust me enough to get you to my house?” I was very quiet for a few minutes.
“I don’t know.”
“Then how in the hell can I get you to come with me?” He was getting pissed.
“Um, ask me nicely.”
“What?” He seemed furious.
“Yes, be a nice little boy and I may come with you.”
“I’m trying to teach you your past.”
“Yea, but I still can’t trust you.”
“But you can trust me if I ‘ask nicely,’ I don’t believe that.”
“You should just do it.” I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer, “come on, just do it, please.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I have dignity.”
“Really, a real dignified man can beg a woman.”
“No way.” He tried to hide his face, I guess in attempts to hide his whisper, “Please Kitsunimi, come with me.”
“Um, okay.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me off. His house is only blocks from mine. “This place is amazing.” I couldn’t help but touch everything on my way inside.
“Kitsunimi, can you please not be so ‘hands on.”
“Oh sorry, it is just so nice in here.”
“Thanks.”
“Where are your mom and dad?”
“I live here by myself.”
“That must be nice; my mom can be a pain.”
“What about your dad?” I turned away in what I call shame.
“My father died when my mother was pregnant with me.”
“Oh I’m sorry.”
“Why do you live by yourself, if you don‘t mind me asking?”
“I ran away from my dad when I found that he was the one that killed my mom when I was very young.”
“Oh no, that’s horrible, I’m so sorry I even asked.” I started to cry.
He laid his head on my shoulder and whispered into my ear, “Don’t cry, I’ve already cried enough for the both of us.”
I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand. “Alright, how do you know about my past?”
“It is in a scroll in my in my room, come with me and I will show you.”
“Wait a second, I will not go into your room, you’re lucky I even came inside your house.”
“Kit Kat, can I call you Kit Kat?” I nodded as an answer. “Kit Kat, I can’t take it off its pedestal, if I do it may get ruined.”
“Wait, are you saying it’s very old or just cheaply made, because if it is about me it should only be about eighteen years old.”
“Well it is about five hundred years old and it is more about what will happen, what has to happen, and I think I can find one thing about your grandfather.”
“My grandfather, he is the one that owned this bracelet before me. I wonder why it is the same as yours, my mom told me it was an antique, and not many of them were made.”
“It says that in a scroll.”
“Fine, I’ll come with you under one condition.”
“Yea.”
“Touch me and I’ll kick your ass.”
“I wasn’t planning on touching you.”
“Alright.” I followed him back to his room.
“Is that it?” I pointed at a large scroll partly unraveled on a stand on the middle of the floor.
“Yea.”
“Alright, read it to me.”
“Well, do you want me to read the one that is out, or do you want me to see if I have one about your grandfather in my closet?” I sat silent for a few second to think before I answered.
“Kitsunimi, hello, are you in there?” He waved his hand in my face.
“Oh, um, I guess that one.” I pointed at the old one we talked about before. He walked to it and carefully unraveled it a bit more.
“A long time from now a child will me born. This child will be the daughter of a half demon and a human. She will have the ability to grant the deepest desire of the son of the demon bride and the man. The son and the daughter will meet on the eve of six months past her seventeenth year,” he read. “The two can be connected by the crescent and the three quarters moon marks on their wrists. The daughter has the beauty of one hundred Geishas with violet hair and blue eyes of the sky. The son is as handsome as his father with black hair and green eyes.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
“Didn’t you listen? We met four days ago, when was your half birthday?”
“Um, three days ago.”
“So on the eve of your half birthday we met.”
“That was coincidence, I am not part demon.”
“Then explain those ears of yours.”
“My mom said they were a birth defect.”
“No, there are normal for a quarter demon.”
“I can’t be a quarter demon, I just can’t.”
“I’ll get that thing about your grandfather.” I felt so lost by that time; I didn’t even know he had left.
“This story is about your grandfather; fifty years ago a fox demon was born. He is the demon that will be the bringer of the key into the world. This demon is an unnatural color of purple, but terrible handsome, and manipulative in his human form. Not very large he tries to keep himself away from danger, but seems to have unbelievable strength when provoked.”
“So you’re telling me my grandfather was a fox demon, I can’t believe that.”
“Have you ever wondered where you got name?”
“Fine, what if I say I believe you? Then what about ‘the key,’ what’s that?” I didn’t believe then, but I do now.
“You.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you will be able to unlock the Nephrite Shrine so I can become human.”
“The Nephrite Shrine?”
“Wait, I have a scroll for that too.” He left me again. “The Nephrite Shrine is a temple made from a cheaper quality jade. The location of its whereabouts is unknown today, but even if we could see it, only the key can open it.”
“And I’m this key?”
“Yes.”
“How do we unlock a thing we can’t find?”
“One more scroll, it tells how find the Nephrite Shrine.” He grabbed the scroll beside him and opened it. “To find the Nephrite Shrine, you must find the map, to find the map you must use the key, to you the key you must find the her.”
“A Map?”
“Yea and I need you to help me find it.”
“Why me?”
“Because you’re the key.”
“That was a rhetorical question.”
“Oh yea, sorry.”
“So how do we go about finding this map?”
“It says here, to find the first piece of the map, the key must check about half a cho from form where she sleeps.”
“A cho, so half a butterfly’s distance.”
“A cho is an ancient measurement equal to about 100 kilometers, so half is about 50.”
“Wait first piece, it is in pieces.”
“I guess so.”
“And the first piece is what 50 kilometers from my bed.”
“I guess that’s what it means.”
“How did they know where my bed will be?”
“Um, destiny.”
“Destiny, yea alright, well my mom is most likely worried sick about me, um met by the corner tomorrow, we can go to my house.”
“Sounds good to me.” I grabbed my bag and started out the door. “Kitsunimi.”
“Yea.” I turned back to him. I may be all wrong about this, but I think I’m right.
“You may be the only one that can help me.”
“Oh, alright.” I didn’t know if that is what he was going to say, but I left any way.
That night I couldn’t sleep; I just keep thinking about how my life was turned upside down. I sneaked down into the kitchen and pulled out the phone book. “Let’s see, Akimoto, Taikineko, there.” I knew it was late, but I was very confused. I dialed his number and sat there waiting for an answer.
After about five rings I heard a groggy, “hello,” from the other side of the line.
“How dare you?” I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“What, Kitsunimi, is that you?” He seemed too tired to fight back.
“Yes, it is me, come to the corner we met now.”
“It’s two fourteen in the morning.”
“Don’t you think I already know that, we need to talk?”
“We are talkin’.”
“In person.”
“Fine, I can be there in like two minutes.”
“Alright bye.”
“Bye.”
I ran to the door and grabbed my coat. Not quite thinking I went out in my tee-shirt, coat, and undies. When I saw him he became very red in the face, I wasn’t sure until he started to laugh too. “What too much of a hurry to remember pants?” I tired not act like it bothered me any.
“Yes, I am in a bit of a hurry, now come with me to my house.”
“Why?”
“I need to go in a circle 50 kilometers from my bed, and I want to start right now.”
“Why not tomorrow?”
“The quicker we find it, or don’t, the quicker I know who I am.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
“There is a small area of wood across the street from my house, we can check there last.” He followed me contently to my house. “Stand out here, I’ll get a tape measure and some shovels.”
“Shovels?”
“Yea, just in case.” I ran off and gathered all the needed items.
When I returned I saw Taikineko standing there, just starring at the wood. “What is it?”
“It’s in there.”
“How do you know?”
“Hold my left hand with your right.” I didn’t ask any questions I just did as he said. Just as soon as our skin touched out bracelets started to glow, very faintly, but they still glowed. We stepped closer to the edge of the road; the stones on our bracelets shimmered more radiantly. We made it to the woods edge and the glow was almost blinding. I could feel Taikineko shaking. I’m not sure if it was from the cold, or excitement, or even from fear; fear was defiantly what I was feeling at that moment. We huddle closer together, or at least I got closer to him. As we got further in, I could sense something was here; I had never felt this feeling before. I played in these woods constantly as a child and never have I been so frightened of them. Our bracelets started to blink when we were deep inside.
I stopped and whispered, “Dig there.” I pointed a meter or some in front of me. He let go of my hand and the blinking stopped; the glow had stopped all together. Luckily I had a flashlight too. I shined the light in the spot I wanted him to dig.
“Right here.”
“Yea.” He quickly dug up a small stone box, inside was a very small sheet of paper. “Is that the map piece?” I whispered in the dead silence.
“I think so, lets head back to your house, and, Kitsunimi you have a tail,” he changed mid-sentence in shock.
“What?” I screamed so loud I hope I didn’t wake my mother. I turned back and looked to see a silky smooth fox tail, the same color as my hair. I freaked out and started to chase it around in a circle.
“Kit Kat, calm down.” He attempts to put his hand on my shoulders and I backed away.
“Don’t touch me; this never happened before, until you came.”
“I don’t know how this happened, just please let me help you.”
“You can’t help me, look at this.”
“It’s gone.”
“What?” I turned and looked; it really was gone. I remember before it came I got that pain in my spine like when I fell on top of Taikineko.
“I need your help; you’re destined to help me.”
“I don’t believe in that destiny crap.”
“Please, all I want is to be human.”
“What about me, I help you, and I stay this way, why should I?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“What?”
“Well it’s kind of complicated, and you’re being a total bitch right now.”
“I’m being a bitch, I had a tail.”
“I have one every day of my life, it’s not bad.”
“I just can’t deal with this, I’m seventeen, I’m in the eleventh grade; I’m graduating next year for God’s sake.”
“Kitsunimi, if we find the Nephrite Shrine we may be able to become human, both of us.”
“Both of us?”
“Yes, maybe.” I dropped to the ground so I could think, but I got up immediately, because the twigs hurt my butt. I stood there and thought for a minute or so, but that minute seemed to have lasted a lot longer.
“Fine, I’ll help you, but you’ll have to be careful around me at school; I don’t want that to happen in clear site of others.”
“Great.” He ran over to me and gave me a big hug.
I felt the pain again, the tail was back. He wasn’t going to let go, and I’m not even sure if I wanted him too, so I could only squeak, “My tail is back.” He stepped away from me and started to purr, I guess he likes the tail or something.
“We really should be on our way back now.” He looked away from me, I wondered if I looked disgusting then.
“Yea, you got the map?” I questioned.
“Yep.” I went out in front and led the way back to my house.
“I think my mom may kill me if I bring a guy into my house at three thirty am, so we can stand out here, there is plenty of light, right?”
“Yea, I can read it out here, one side is I think a drawling, but the other I think is a clue to the next piece, it say if you found this you have the key, she’s a beauty of uncompare, right? Now that you have found the first one you need the rest. The next piece is close to her heart, but you can’t get there by horse, boats are the only way, of the course.”
“Something close to my heart.”
“Yea and we have to get there by boat.”
“I think I will have to sleep on that, I’ll see you in like five hours.”
“Alright, remember close to your heart and get there by boat.”
“I know, bye.” I sneaked back into my house and back to bed.
The next morning my first thought was about my mom, did she hear us; I was so afraid of getting in trouble. I hurried to get dressed, and to get my breakfast. “Good morning mom.”
“Good morning,” she crocked while sipping away at her morning coffee.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Yea, I got up to go to the bathroom around three and you weren’t in your room, were you in the kitchen?”
“Yea, I had a craving for some water and computer solitaire.”
“Alright, well you better get some food in you and head out, you over sleep like twenty minutes.”
“Oh crackers, I did, well I’ll leave now and get something from the cafeteria before homeroom.”
“Alright, hey Kit.”
“Yea.”
“I’ll leave the flashlight and the shoves on the table for you to clean up when you come by for lunch.” I smacked my forehead, she knew I snuck out, but does she know it was with Taikineko or not.
“Alright, bye.” I ran out the door and I saw Taikineko standing outside waiting for me. “Um hi, you did go home earlier, right?”
“Duh, I had to get dressed for school, and it’s nice to see you in a skirt.”
“Oh you know you liked it.”
“I am not admitting or denying that fact.”
“Okay, are you here on business or pleasure?”
“Hmm, I guess pleasure; I just want to walk with someone to school.”
“Get a friend.”
“I thought we were friends.”
“I consider us business partners.”
“Can you explain that to me, I‘m a bit confused?”
“Of course, I am working with you to make the profit of humanity.”
“I see, so I don’t need to be extra nice, I can be just a plain business partner.”
“We are going to be late, you comin’ or not.” I started to leave him.
“I’m comin’,” I quickened my pace; I did want to get a snack before class. “Did you think about the location of the next piece?”
“This is a pleasure cruise, not a business trip; keep your map, key, shrine ideas to yourself until after school, and no.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Yes, I am the boss.”
We get to the school; we are confronted by Inoue Michiyo, the school’s local rumor spreader. “Hi Kitsunimi, is this your boyfriend?”
“Oh no, defiantly not, he just lives close too, so he walked with me.”
“Anaguma said you said this hot guy is your guy.”
“Anaguma is also a moron.”
“So who’s you boyfriend?” I was starting to get pissed.
“I don’t have one, come on Taikineko, I’ll help you with your locker.” I grabbed his sleeve and drug him inside.
“Yesterday you were all ‘we’re an item,’ but today you’re freaking because someone asked you if we were dating, what the hell?” I shoved my head in my locker. “What’s wrong, are you okay?” He grabbed my shoulders, and that stupid tail started to push the bottom of my skirt up. I quickly turned around and shoved him away.
“Did you see what you almost did, I’m fine, and the reasoning behind yesterday is because Anaguma was hitting on you.”
“Did I hear my name?”
“Oh goodie, speak of the devil.”
“Kitnotsomi, and her hot boyfriend, did I just hear my name during your conversation?”
“Why no, that is ludicrous, I said antibacterial gum. You should get your ears checked, come on Tai Tai, you can get me breakfast.” I grabbed him once more and pulled him away.
“Hey I need to get my stuff.”
“I know that, Shh, be careful around her, she can spot a single guy from a mile away. When she’s far enough from the lockers you can get your stuff I will get my breakfast now.”
“Alright.”
I walked off to the cafeteria and was greeted by four of the girls from my class. “Hey girls, you wake up late too.” I know they really don’t like me, but I really don’t care either.
“No we’re just here to talk to you.”
“Me, why me?” I was so confused; they had never wanted to talk to me before.
“We heard you were dating that hot new transfer from room three.”
“Well you heard wrong.”
“We heard you were at his house all afternoon yesterday.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Come on Kitsunimi we’re your friends, come on tell us.”
“We’re not friends, I’m Ami’s friend, and if anything I am only an acquaintance with Taikineko.”
“Then why where you two holding hands this morning, in your underwear.” The girl I know the most asked she’s my neighbor. “I saw you.”
“Oh you’re seeing things.” I grabbed an apple from the vending machine, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I giggled all the way back to my locker.
“Why are you so cheery?”
“Why are you still here?”
“I need help with my locker.”
“You really need to learn how to do this yourself,” I said as I opened his locker.
“Thanks.” He starred at me while I continued with mine.
“What are you doing?”
“Glancing at you for a long period of time.”
“So starring.”
“You can say that.”
“Alright, why are you starring at me?”
“Because I can.”
“What if I say you can’t?”
“I don’t think I can listen to you.”
“Why not?”
“You’re to hard not to stare at.”
“You make no sense.” I took my bag and left for homeroom.
After I got back from cleaning off the table at home during lunch break, I saw Ami waiting for me. “Hey Ami.”
“Hey Kitimi.”
“You seem upset, what’s up?”
“I thought we were best friends.”
“What are you talking about, of course, best friends for twelve years?”
“If we’re such good friends, then why was Anaguma the first to find out about you and Taikineko dating?”
“I am not dating him.” Of course my sour luck got worse, and Taikineko showed up out of the blue.
“Hey Kit Kat, oh isn’t this your friend from science.”
“Yea, this is Ami, and thanks for showing up when I’m trying to explain that we’re not going out.”
“Sorry, so you’ve been getting that too, all of the guys have been stoppin’ me and tellin’ me ‘congratulation on baggin’ such a hottie.”
“Really all the guys think I’m hot, that is so cool.”
“Hello Kitimi, we were talking.”
“Oh sorry.”
“If you two aren’t dating, then why is it going around the school you are?”
“Well Inoue saw us walk to school together, then she heard about me going to his house, and you know how she can start some terrible rumors.”
“Alright. Wait, why did you go to his house?”
“He knows about history and stuff like that, so I had him help me with my homework, that’s all.”
“Okay, well I will see you tomorrow then.”
“Oh crap tomorrow, I totally forgot, um can we make it Sunday instead.”
“You made other plans.”
“I am so sorry.”
“It’s alright, Sunday will do.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
“Nice meeting you Ami.”
“And you too, Taikineko.” I know she was most likely thinking why I’m not dating him. I thought the same thing; then I realized; I can’t date someone I can’t touch without getting a tail. I don’t know why I keep thinking about him, I don’t think that I was just lusting anymore, I actually was starting to like him. I spent a lot more time with him the last two days then I have with Ami for a week.
I was on my way home when I heard footsteps behind me, I didn’t even have to turn know who it was; “what, you goin’ to walk me home too?”
“I guess I was mostly going to ask you about your weekend plans.” Taikineko skipped up beside me.
“Well as you heard I am having Ami over on Sunday.”
“What about us?”
“There is no us.”
“Kit Kat, you know what I mean.”
“You are comin’ to my house to help me and to make me lunch.”
“Make you lunch?”
“Yes, lunch.”
“Fine, I will be there tomorrow at noon.”
“Perfect, see you then.” I gave him a quick hug and walked away.
As soon as I got home I dropped to the ground and started to cry. Why was I crying, was Taikineko making my head so messed up. I need to snap out of it, quickly, my mother would be home soon. I regained enough composer to grab my stuff and walk back into the house. That night I went to sleep early I just really couldn’t handle doing anything else. I couldn’t even eat, I was to mentally disturbed.
I woke up early so I could get ready for Taikineko, I didn’t understand why, but I still wanted to look nice. I curled my hair and pinned it up, but I then gave up and ended up wearing a hooded tracksuit. By the time I was done it was already a quarter until twelve. “Kit, there is a boy here to see you, and he has a picnic basket.”
“Thanks mom.” I rolled my eyes and thought, that loser pack a picnic lunch, such a weirdo. I grabbed a large atlas and hurried down the stairs.
“Who is that guy?” My mom asked just before I placed my hand on the doorknob.
“He’s a friend of mine.”
“A boyfriend?”
“He’s a boy and my friend, but not like that.”
“Alright, have a nice time on your date.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Whatever you say sweetie?”
I walked out and saw Taikineko waiting for me, like he was the day before. “Good afternoon, I see you’re too lazy to actually cook me lunch.”
“I’m not too lazy; I just want you to live for a little longer.”
“Ha ha, funny.”
“What’s the book for?”
“It’s to find a place we have to get to by water.”
“But it has to be close to your heart too.”
“Hmm, I’m seriously not sure, that’s why I have the maps so I can see things I know, they might help get memories started in my mind.”
“I guess.”
“Did you bring a blanket or something?” I started back in already knowing the answer.
“Oops, no, I forgot.” I shook my head and headed back in.
“That was a very short date.”
“My God mother, it’s not a date for one, and the only reason I am in here is to get a blanket to sit on because that dunce forgot to bring one with lunch.”
“Kit don’t talk about your future husband that way.”
“Mother I can’t talk with you when you’re ranting, where’s the flannel cloth we took with us when we went to Dogo Onsen.”
“It’s in the front closet.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed it and took it back outside.
“Alright, I got it.” I walked out and handed it to him, “you set it up; this was your idea.”
“Alright.” He started off toward the road.
“Wait, where are you going?”
“I was thinking that we could eat in the woods where we found the first piece.”
“You gotta be kiddin’ me.”
“Nope, not a bit.” He continued to the edge of the woods, “Yea comin’.” I remembered saying that same thing the day before.
“Yea, I guess I will have to.” I ran to get him, but he keep goin. He finally stopped at a little hole.
“I think that’s it.”
“Yea, it’s a hole in the middle of the woods, it is probably it.” He laid out the blanket and sat down. “Did you hear something?” The sound really freaked me out.
“No, just sit and eat.” I sat down, but I couldn’t relax; I know that sound had to have been from something.
“So, let’s check out this map, even though it says to get to by boat, this stuff is old, I think that other lands aren’t part of it, so I was thinking it’s somewhere in Japan.”
“Oh that narrows the search so much.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to help some, and anyway Japan is closer to my heart then anything in another country.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right, remember, I’m the boss.”
“You’re the one that said that, not me.”
“Shut up. Alright, here is Japan.” I pulled out a big map and started to look it over.
“We’re here in Honsuu.”
“Duh.”
“So look at it anything seem close to your heart.”
“Not really.”
“Oh come on Kitsunimi, I really need this.”
“Why does everything have to be about you, what about me? Why do you get to become a real boy, but I stay part demon. Wait there it is again.”
“What?”
“That noise.”
“I didn’t hear anything over your crazed ranting.”
“Shut up.”
“Do you have a favorite vacation spot?”
“A favorite vacation spot?”
“Yea.”
“Well my mom and I went to a lot of places. I liked them all because I was with my mom.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“No.”
“Kitsunimi, think harder.”
“What so I can help you faster?”
“Stop acting like that.”
“Like what?”
“You know if we find the shrine we both may be able to change.”
“May is not a sure thing.”
“We will never know if we don’t find all the pieces.”
“How many pieces do you think there are anyway?”
“Well with the size of the first piece, I’d have to say six to eight.”
“And we are having a hard time with the second one; I just hope they get easier.” I heard Taikineko mumble, but I couldn’t make it out.
“If you would just think harder then you would know the answer by now.”
“I am trying; I just have other things on my mind as well.” Like you.
“Like what?”
“None of your business.”
“Fine, settle down, I’ll try to help you.” I could smell his scent when he lend toward me to look at the map; his scent was so intoxicating. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Hey you alright.”
“Yea, I’m fine.”
“Have you ever been to Akan National Park?”
“Yea, why?”
“I’m just naming places off now, Mount Hiko.”
“Yea, but I hated it.”
“Um, Osaka.”
“Oh Osaka was fun, I went there for a class trip once, me and Ami got lost.”
“No, that can’t be it, that’s on Honsuu.”
“Yea, that’s right.”
“Tokushima.”
“No.”
“Kushiro.”
“No.”
“Miyazaki.”
“Oh Miyazaki, don’t you just love his movies, like Howles Moving Castle, oh and Spirited Away. Did you know that the bath house in Spirited Away is made to look like Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama?”
“Really?”
“Yea, my mom and I would go there once every year, before that movie came out and it became too touristy.”
“Oh, tell me more about your times there.”
“Okay, well it was a long drive to Osaka, and then we would take a boat over.”
“A boat huh.”
“I like the boats. Most of the time we would just fly, but we always took the slow way to Matsuyama.”
“That’s interesting, please continue.” I wasn’t sure where he was going with this, but I did it still.
“My mom would pack a picnic lunch and we would eat it in a park about thirty-two meters from the bath house. Then we would go in, take a bath and just talk. My mom and I were the closet then; I loved to go there. I wish we still could go there; we hardly talk. I’m at school and she has three jobs.”
“Kit Kat.”
“Yea.” I looked at him that time a way I haven’t before, with sad eyes.
“I think that’s where the next piece is.”
“How can you tell?”
“Look at your bracelet.” I looked down and I saw it, it was glowing again.
“Dogo Onsen is the place close to my heart, which we have to get to by boat.”
“Yea, I guess so.”
“That means.” I jumped up and started to sing. “We found the location of the next piece for the Nephrite Shrine map.” Taikineko decided to join me and that is were I am right now. Dancing in the woods with the cutest boy ever. I am almost too sweep up in joy to hear it, but I do. A rustling from the trees. “Did you hear it that time?”
“Yea I did.” I look around and see a puppy standing by the hole from yesterday. He looks a bit like a Shiba Inu, a smaller Japanese dog, but with a silver coat and dark gray eyes.
“Ahh a dog.” Taikineko runs and cowards behind me.
“Oh it’s just a cute little puppy, come here puppy, come here.”
“Grrr, I’m not a puppy, girl, I’m a furious demon, bow to me.”
“You’re a dog demon?”
“Of course I am.”
“Kitsunimi, don’t go near him, fox demons and dog demons are natural enemies.”
I turn back and give him a smile, “well, I’m only part demon, aren’t I?”
“Oh, you two are demons too; then I may actually have to do some fighting to get the map piece.”
“Wait, why do you want the map piece?”
“To become a stronger demon, of course.”
“Taikineko, you never told me that could happen.”
“It’s only legend.”
“This whole thing is legend.”
“Hello, you two lovers stop bickering and give me that piece.” A new thing calling us lovers is getting on my nerves. I go to get him and Taikineko stops me by grabbing me by my hood.
“What is that for?” I whisper.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to teach that little doggy a lesson.”
“You don’t know if he is a strong opponent or not.”
“So.”
“I’m waiting.”
“Just shut up already, even with the first piece of the map you can’t unlock it without the key, so just go away and do something better with your time.”
“Oh I almost forgot about the key, you’re the key, aren’t you girl.”
“Stop calling me girl.” He changes to what looks to be a young boy. This young boy has silver hair just past his shoulders. He is wearing a light blue long t-shirt, a brown waist length vest, and little brown pants.
“He’s just a boy,” Taikineko gasps.
“I am no boy; I’m a demon that will kill you.”
“You are just so cute.” I walk up and kneel in front of him.
“I’m not cute, I’m evil and deadly.” He starts to cry.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m not crying, I just need more strength, you can’t be cute and strong. I need to help my mama.” I look into his teary eyes.
“What happened to your mama?”
“They took her away.” He wipes away at his nose.
“Who?” Taikineko seems as worried as me.
“I don’t know, all I know is I need strength to get her back; to get strength I have to find the Nephrite Shrine.”
“We will help you.”
“What?” Taikineko seems a bit mad about my conjecture.
“Yes, we will help you get your mother back, but we will never help create a stronger demon; do you understand that?”
“Yes ma’am, thank you.” He bows to me.
“There is no need for that. Taikineko, should we keep him as a human or a dog?”
“I was thinking not at all.”
“No, I promised that we will help him.”
“You shouldn’t make promises that you can’t keep.”
“How couldn’t we help him?”
“We have no clue what happened, who these guys are, or anything at all.”
“I promised to help, and I am helping, even if you will not.” I shoved him to the ground. “Now then, I’m Kitsunimi Tanaka, and this is Taikineko Akimoto, what’s your name.”
“I’m Hideaki, Hideaki Itou.”
“Alright Hideaki, can you turn back into a dog and stay that way for a while?”
“Yea, why?”
“I will take you home and tell my mom you’re a stray dog, alright.”
“Alright.”
He turns back into a dog and I walk to him,”come on, it’s not far.” He starts to follow, but Taikineko stays back. “What, aren’t you comin’?”
“I don’t know if I can come back with you.”
“Why not?”
“I’m a cat, he’s a dog.”
“Yea and I’m a fox; he won’t bite, will you?”
“No, I wouldn’t bite you; I need your help.”
“Taikineko, I will not help you if you don’t help Hideaki.”
“Kit Kat, seriously.”
“Fine stay here and be a cat, we will go and find his mom.” I walk off and stand out in front of my house.
“Kitsunimi, is he going to be back?”
“Yea, he will and don’t talk when we’re in public.” He barks at me, I guess as an answer.
“Kit, oh my, is that a puppy.” My mom pops her head out the door.
“Yea, ain’t he cute?”
“Of course he is where that boy is.”
“Oh Taikineko, he’s somewhere.”
“Oh that’s a great answer; it’s gettin’ close to dinner time, you comin’ inside.”
“Um, give me a few minutes.”
“Alright.” She leaves and I sit down in the grass. Hideaki crawls up onto my lap and curls up into a little ball.
“He’ll be back, I know it.” I’ve been sitting outside for ten minutes and Taikineko still hasn’t come back yet, I have no clue what has happened to him.
“Kit, come in, you’re dinner is ready.”
“Okay, thanks mom, come on Hideaki.”
“You named the dog Hideaki.”
“Yea.” We walked back inside.
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