Ohia_Lehua
Really Really Experienced
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Posts
- 412
Kinu had lived a long life and in the eyes of her kind still young, yet she was already tired of her life and what it had in store for her. Every day was the same, all the people the same and it all boiled down to greed and selfishness. That was all Kinu saw when she looked around. Fifty years ago she had lost herself in the wilds as a plain ol’ fox to escape humans and their shallowness. But even the life of a simple fox was wearing on her. Kinu yearned for more then just this but there was no finding it. The earth was losing it’s magical wonder and there was little in the world that could make Kinu smile, save the laughter of a innocent child.
Now she was back within the world of humans content with finding a life where she would want for nothing and could just live comfortably. It was this new goal for her life that brought her attention to Kōshaku(Marquess) Makoto Koga, a very wealthy noble who was handsome enough to forgive his dim nature. With a plan to marry this man she turned her attention to him and within in a few months was announced as his wife-to-be. Kinu had taken everything into account except his old senile advisor, who turned out to be less senile and more sharp minded the Kinu had thought. For it was the old man who caught Kinu in fox form.
Hisao who had never trusted the beautiful woman played his part as the senile old man and was looked over by her just as he was by everyone else. There was something about her that made his nose wrinkle despite how lovely she smelled. Maybe it was because he was Makoto's guardian and his father's before that and was loyal to the family and weary of new comers. The fact that Makoto was too naive to know any better didn't help things when the tricky woman smiled pretty for the Kōshaku and he saw how it effected his guardian. No, he wasn't going to let this woman marry into this family on lies and deciete and Hisao was going to find out the reason why being around Kinu made his skin crawl.
He already had an idea of what was going on. The long missing hours at night. The sneaking glances and giggling smiles that covered lies. Hisao was positive that she was conning the Kōshaku for his wealth and had another lover on the side. At first he had thought she planned to kill him and take his wealth but after watching and listening he saw that she wasn't going to kill him, just use him. And he wasn't wrong, it was the reason she was with Makoto but his explanation of her missing hours weren't for a lover but for herself.
"Tonight I will catch you." He made a promise to the night as he followed the woman out of the house and into the night. Being slow and old wasn't an act and he lost her for a few minutes before finding her at the pond. Every full moon Kinu would wait till everyone was asleep and sneak from the house to meet her lover and tonight Hisao was going to catch her red handed and expose her for the evil little fox she was.
The full moon glowed in a perfect circle in the sky, while it's reflection rippled with tine waves made by the tip of Kinu's tail. It wasn't necessary to change her form on the night of the full moon but a choice. The way the moon's light made her ivory skin glow and her pure black hair shine tipped b velvety ears in the water's reflection was her favorite vision of herself. As a kitsune she had many forms and could slide from shape and form at will. As a fox Kinu was a base white with sliver and a tip of darker silver on her tail, black feet socks and black edged ears. As a woman she was 5'9" with true black hair that fell in a silky curtian to the small of her back, dark amber eyes heavy with long lashes and flawless creamy ivory white skin. She could also mix the lines of human and fox in her human form but with a pair of ears and a tail. Her last form, her true form was her kitsune fox form. An impossibly large fox with the same color markings as her normal fox form but infused with magic. The white glittered like a diamond caught by the light under the silver of a twinkling star and the endless black of night of her feet and edge lined ears and reds that glowed like an ember of a dying fire. All but one of those form were dangerous to be in but in the quite of night lighted by only the innocence of the moon, Kinu risked being seen and let her magic wild.
Kinu sat on the bank of secluded pond and watched the fish swim, one brave enough to bite at the foreign object that dragged across the surface of the water. Quickly Kinu swished her tail out of the water to keep it from being bitten and laughed, the sound like charm bells, at the anger fish swimming in circles trying to chase the things he had plans on eating. "I think I'm a little too big for you my friend." Kinu smiled standing up as her magic sent shivers down her body and the image of the woman shimmered away slowly leaving nothing but a fox in her place. 'There.' Kinu thought seeing the fish with a different set of eyes. 'Now we are a little closer in size but still too big for you.' She had a mind to eat the fish but this boldness saved his life and the life of his pond mates. Tonight she would find other things to hunt and chase before she had to return.
Hisao fell to the ground, mouth open and eyes wide. He couldn't believe what he just witnessed and looked again at the spot where Kinu had once stood. There it was! A fox! Kinu was a fox? Hisao's mind spun and raced. How was she was fox? How was that possible? And then a legend of long ago came to mind and a word echoed in his mind. Kitsune! Kinu was a kitsune! It was worse then Hisao thought and his mind scrambled to figure out what to do next. His eyes darted left to right seeking anything in the shadows and dark that could help him when he saw just the thing. "It should work." He snickered getting up off the ground.
Kinu flipped on her back and rolled in the soft grass, it's blades tickling and scratching her back. It had been such a long time since she had chanced changing into anything more then a tailed woman with ears. Tonight was the first night in months that she was able to run on four legs and she was going to make tonight enough to last until the next full moon. Kinu sprang on her feet and barked a happy little bark as she made a lap around the cleared space. It would be too much to leave the grounds but there was more then enough room in the gardens to run, jump and hunt.
*snap*
The dry crack of a twig froze Kinu in her place. Panic filled her as she breathed in and scanned the area for the cause of the noise. Trying to narrow the scents were almost impossible. Her fox nose precived smells differently then her human nose and trying to learn a new place's smells and divided old ones from new one, safe ones and dangerous ones were of now use. And just as useless were her eyes. She could see nothing that could have made that sound. Slowly her heart leveled out and Kinu believed herself to be safe. So what if someone caught her as a fox, what connection did that have with the beautiful Lady Kinu? None. Assured that even if she did some across a human all they would see is a fox Kinu ignored the sound as dangerous and trotted in the direction of the fruit trees. Surely there would be some kind of bug or small animal there.
"Ah ha!" Hisao shouted in demonic pleasure as he threw out the thing he had spied from before to help him in this situation.
Kinu tried to run away but it was too late, the shrub net landed over her and tangled around her running legs and weighted her body to the ground.
"Now I will show everyone what you are, monster!" Hisao growled picking up the tangled fox, careful of her teeth. Hanging her upside down Hisao limped back to the house shouting for everyone to wake up as he did.
By the time he made it to the house every light was on and every person was awake and gathered in the hall leading to the back door.
"What is the manor of this?" Makoto boomed, his voice seeming louder in the small space.
"I have caught Lady Kinu." Hisao smiled lifting the net and his prize.
The servants saw the fox and whispers filled in as back noise.
"A fox?" Makoto questioned. "That doesn't look like Lady Kinu."
"Ah but where is she now? Do you see her at your side?" Hisao asked knowing that he had Makoto there.
"No, but- ah. You!" He pointed at the nearest guard. "Fetch Lady Kinu and bring her to me."
"It'll be of no use, she is not there because she is here." Hisao told his Kōshaku lifting the net higher.
"The rest of you go back to sleep." Makoto looked upon his most trusted advisor with sad eyes. He know Hisao was getting old but he never would have thought the wise old man to fall like this so suddenly. "There is nothing to see here." He sighed shooing everyone away and out. "Come Hisao, lets go to my study."
"Yes, maybe privacy is best."
Just as the pair entered the study the guard came back empty handed. "Lady Kinu is no where to be found."
"Was there a struggle?" Makoto's voice was full of concern for the woman that he loved.
"No." The guard answered simply.
"As I told you." Hisao gruffly snapped throwing the fox into the middle of the room and walking to the fire. "Get someone to start this fire and a few more guards."
"Hisao-" Makoto started reaching out to comfort his friend.
"No! I will show you if you don't believe me!" Hisao shouted doubt starting to cloud his mind. Maybe he didn't see what he thought he did. His eye sight after all wasn't as good as it used to be. "No!" He shook his head. "You will see."
Soon the fire was blazing and three guards stood in the room watching and waiting.
"Now what Hisao?"
"I will make this creature show herself." Hisao turned to the guards. "Draw your swords, should she escape me, kill her." Turning back to the fireplace Hisao picked up the fire poker that he had heating in the fire. "You will change now or I will scar you." Hisao threatened advancing with the red hot iron.
Kinu had been trying the entire time to get free of this net and escape but one of her legs was badly tangled and the more she pulled the tighter the net got around her leg. Still she wasn't about to do as Hisao demanded. Instead she growled and barked showing her teeth like any wild animal would.
"Hisao stop, you're scaring the poor creature." Makoto started.
"Poor creature! She is a monster, a kitsune!" Hisao yelled jabbing the hot end in fox's hind left leg.
Never in Kinu's life had she felt such pain. It burned and stung like a million daggers of ice and flame warring for the right to hurt more. A scream tore through Kinu's throat and she felt her hold on this form slip. Changing forms was elementary magic but it still took magic to do and keep up but it was a mindless thought. Like how your body breaths even without you having to think about it. But this level of pain can overwhelm even your basic thoughts.
"Change you she-beast!" Hisao screamed kicking the fox across the room and under a table.
"Hisao." Makoto took the iron poker from Hisao's hands and put it back. "I know you have never warmed to Lady Kinu but she is missing and we must find her." He patted his old friend's shoulder and started to guide the man out of the room. "Please put the fox out of it's misery." Makoto told one of the guards as they exited the room.
"Kōshaku!" The guard shouted. "You have to see this!"
Hisao sure of what he would see turned and rushed back into the room.
"My God-" Makoto hissed seeing the kitsune laying under the net that held only it's leg with the same burn mark on it's leg as the fox before. "It's true!"
"I told you kill this beast!" Hisao ordered pointing at the kitsune.
"No wait!"
Before their eyes the body of the kitsune shimmered from their sight and Kinu in her human form was there before them. "Makoto, please!" Kinu's voice cracked with pain and tears ran down her face. When Hisao kicked her, he broke a few of her ribs and she blacked out from the pain, momentarily returning to her true form. But now that they knew what she was Kinu had no choice but to play her last card and bank on the love Makoto felt for her. "Please don't let them kill me."
Confusion washed over Makoto's face. He was torn, this was the woman that he loved but she betrayed him and lied to him. "I loved you." He whispered looking away from Kinu. "But I will not love an animal. My love for you died and I know of no Lady Kinu." He spat turning back to Kinu, his face twisted in rage.
"You will have me killed? What of my love?"
"Animals do not love and you will die the monster that you are!" Hisao answered for Makoto.
"Kill her." Makoto commanded his chin jutted up in ignorant pride.
"I would have never harmed you." Kinu spoke softly jaw locked against the pain. "But now I will return your gift of death!" She vowed a flash of brilliant light stunning and blinding the humans as Kinu escaped.
Now she was back within the world of humans content with finding a life where she would want for nothing and could just live comfortably. It was this new goal for her life that brought her attention to Kōshaku(Marquess) Makoto Koga, a very wealthy noble who was handsome enough to forgive his dim nature. With a plan to marry this man she turned her attention to him and within in a few months was announced as his wife-to-be. Kinu had taken everything into account except his old senile advisor, who turned out to be less senile and more sharp minded the Kinu had thought. For it was the old man who caught Kinu in fox form.
Hisao who had never trusted the beautiful woman played his part as the senile old man and was looked over by her just as he was by everyone else. There was something about her that made his nose wrinkle despite how lovely she smelled. Maybe it was because he was Makoto's guardian and his father's before that and was loyal to the family and weary of new comers. The fact that Makoto was too naive to know any better didn't help things when the tricky woman smiled pretty for the Kōshaku and he saw how it effected his guardian. No, he wasn't going to let this woman marry into this family on lies and deciete and Hisao was going to find out the reason why being around Kinu made his skin crawl.
He already had an idea of what was going on. The long missing hours at night. The sneaking glances and giggling smiles that covered lies. Hisao was positive that she was conning the Kōshaku for his wealth and had another lover on the side. At first he had thought she planned to kill him and take his wealth but after watching and listening he saw that she wasn't going to kill him, just use him. And he wasn't wrong, it was the reason she was with Makoto but his explanation of her missing hours weren't for a lover but for herself.
"Tonight I will catch you." He made a promise to the night as he followed the woman out of the house and into the night. Being slow and old wasn't an act and he lost her for a few minutes before finding her at the pond. Every full moon Kinu would wait till everyone was asleep and sneak from the house to meet her lover and tonight Hisao was going to catch her red handed and expose her for the evil little fox she was.
The full moon glowed in a perfect circle in the sky, while it's reflection rippled with tine waves made by the tip of Kinu's tail. It wasn't necessary to change her form on the night of the full moon but a choice. The way the moon's light made her ivory skin glow and her pure black hair shine tipped b velvety ears in the water's reflection was her favorite vision of herself. As a kitsune she had many forms and could slide from shape and form at will. As a fox Kinu was a base white with sliver and a tip of darker silver on her tail, black feet socks and black edged ears. As a woman she was 5'9" with true black hair that fell in a silky curtian to the small of her back, dark amber eyes heavy with long lashes and flawless creamy ivory white skin. She could also mix the lines of human and fox in her human form but with a pair of ears and a tail. Her last form, her true form was her kitsune fox form. An impossibly large fox with the same color markings as her normal fox form but infused with magic. The white glittered like a diamond caught by the light under the silver of a twinkling star and the endless black of night of her feet and edge lined ears and reds that glowed like an ember of a dying fire. All but one of those form were dangerous to be in but in the quite of night lighted by only the innocence of the moon, Kinu risked being seen and let her magic wild.
Kinu sat on the bank of secluded pond and watched the fish swim, one brave enough to bite at the foreign object that dragged across the surface of the water. Quickly Kinu swished her tail out of the water to keep it from being bitten and laughed, the sound like charm bells, at the anger fish swimming in circles trying to chase the things he had plans on eating. "I think I'm a little too big for you my friend." Kinu smiled standing up as her magic sent shivers down her body and the image of the woman shimmered away slowly leaving nothing but a fox in her place. 'There.' Kinu thought seeing the fish with a different set of eyes. 'Now we are a little closer in size but still too big for you.' She had a mind to eat the fish but this boldness saved his life and the life of his pond mates. Tonight she would find other things to hunt and chase before she had to return.
Hisao fell to the ground, mouth open and eyes wide. He couldn't believe what he just witnessed and looked again at the spot where Kinu had once stood. There it was! A fox! Kinu was a fox? Hisao's mind spun and raced. How was she was fox? How was that possible? And then a legend of long ago came to mind and a word echoed in his mind. Kitsune! Kinu was a kitsune! It was worse then Hisao thought and his mind scrambled to figure out what to do next. His eyes darted left to right seeking anything in the shadows and dark that could help him when he saw just the thing. "It should work." He snickered getting up off the ground.
Kinu flipped on her back and rolled in the soft grass, it's blades tickling and scratching her back. It had been such a long time since she had chanced changing into anything more then a tailed woman with ears. Tonight was the first night in months that she was able to run on four legs and she was going to make tonight enough to last until the next full moon. Kinu sprang on her feet and barked a happy little bark as she made a lap around the cleared space. It would be too much to leave the grounds but there was more then enough room in the gardens to run, jump and hunt.
*snap*
The dry crack of a twig froze Kinu in her place. Panic filled her as she breathed in and scanned the area for the cause of the noise. Trying to narrow the scents were almost impossible. Her fox nose precived smells differently then her human nose and trying to learn a new place's smells and divided old ones from new one, safe ones and dangerous ones were of now use. And just as useless were her eyes. She could see nothing that could have made that sound. Slowly her heart leveled out and Kinu believed herself to be safe. So what if someone caught her as a fox, what connection did that have with the beautiful Lady Kinu? None. Assured that even if she did some across a human all they would see is a fox Kinu ignored the sound as dangerous and trotted in the direction of the fruit trees. Surely there would be some kind of bug or small animal there.
"Ah ha!" Hisao shouted in demonic pleasure as he threw out the thing he had spied from before to help him in this situation.
Kinu tried to run away but it was too late, the shrub net landed over her and tangled around her running legs and weighted her body to the ground.
"Now I will show everyone what you are, monster!" Hisao growled picking up the tangled fox, careful of her teeth. Hanging her upside down Hisao limped back to the house shouting for everyone to wake up as he did.
By the time he made it to the house every light was on and every person was awake and gathered in the hall leading to the back door.
"What is the manor of this?" Makoto boomed, his voice seeming louder in the small space.
"I have caught Lady Kinu." Hisao smiled lifting the net and his prize.
The servants saw the fox and whispers filled in as back noise.
"A fox?" Makoto questioned. "That doesn't look like Lady Kinu."
"Ah but where is she now? Do you see her at your side?" Hisao asked knowing that he had Makoto there.
"No, but- ah. You!" He pointed at the nearest guard. "Fetch Lady Kinu and bring her to me."
"It'll be of no use, she is not there because she is here." Hisao told his Kōshaku lifting the net higher.
"The rest of you go back to sleep." Makoto looked upon his most trusted advisor with sad eyes. He know Hisao was getting old but he never would have thought the wise old man to fall like this so suddenly. "There is nothing to see here." He sighed shooing everyone away and out. "Come Hisao, lets go to my study."
"Yes, maybe privacy is best."
Just as the pair entered the study the guard came back empty handed. "Lady Kinu is no where to be found."
"Was there a struggle?" Makoto's voice was full of concern for the woman that he loved.
"No." The guard answered simply.
"As I told you." Hisao gruffly snapped throwing the fox into the middle of the room and walking to the fire. "Get someone to start this fire and a few more guards."
"Hisao-" Makoto started reaching out to comfort his friend.
"No! I will show you if you don't believe me!" Hisao shouted doubt starting to cloud his mind. Maybe he didn't see what he thought he did. His eye sight after all wasn't as good as it used to be. "No!" He shook his head. "You will see."
Soon the fire was blazing and three guards stood in the room watching and waiting.
"Now what Hisao?"
"I will make this creature show herself." Hisao turned to the guards. "Draw your swords, should she escape me, kill her." Turning back to the fireplace Hisao picked up the fire poker that he had heating in the fire. "You will change now or I will scar you." Hisao threatened advancing with the red hot iron.
Kinu had been trying the entire time to get free of this net and escape but one of her legs was badly tangled and the more she pulled the tighter the net got around her leg. Still she wasn't about to do as Hisao demanded. Instead she growled and barked showing her teeth like any wild animal would.
"Hisao stop, you're scaring the poor creature." Makoto started.
"Poor creature! She is a monster, a kitsune!" Hisao yelled jabbing the hot end in fox's hind left leg.
Never in Kinu's life had she felt such pain. It burned and stung like a million daggers of ice and flame warring for the right to hurt more. A scream tore through Kinu's throat and she felt her hold on this form slip. Changing forms was elementary magic but it still took magic to do and keep up but it was a mindless thought. Like how your body breaths even without you having to think about it. But this level of pain can overwhelm even your basic thoughts.
"Change you she-beast!" Hisao screamed kicking the fox across the room and under a table.
"Hisao." Makoto took the iron poker from Hisao's hands and put it back. "I know you have never warmed to Lady Kinu but she is missing and we must find her." He patted his old friend's shoulder and started to guide the man out of the room. "Please put the fox out of it's misery." Makoto told one of the guards as they exited the room.
"Kōshaku!" The guard shouted. "You have to see this!"
Hisao sure of what he would see turned and rushed back into the room.
"My God-" Makoto hissed seeing the kitsune laying under the net that held only it's leg with the same burn mark on it's leg as the fox before. "It's true!"
"I told you kill this beast!" Hisao ordered pointing at the kitsune.
"No wait!"
Before their eyes the body of the kitsune shimmered from their sight and Kinu in her human form was there before them. "Makoto, please!" Kinu's voice cracked with pain and tears ran down her face. When Hisao kicked her, he broke a few of her ribs and she blacked out from the pain, momentarily returning to her true form. But now that they knew what she was Kinu had no choice but to play her last card and bank on the love Makoto felt for her. "Please don't let them kill me."
Confusion washed over Makoto's face. He was torn, this was the woman that he loved but she betrayed him and lied to him. "I loved you." He whispered looking away from Kinu. "But I will not love an animal. My love for you died and I know of no Lady Kinu." He spat turning back to Kinu, his face twisted in rage.
"You will have me killed? What of my love?"
"Animals do not love and you will die the monster that you are!" Hisao answered for Makoto.
"Kill her." Makoto commanded his chin jutted up in ignorant pride.
"I would have never harmed you." Kinu spoke softly jaw locked against the pain. "But now I will return your gift of death!" She vowed a flash of brilliant light stunning and blinding the humans as Kinu escaped.