Kitsune's Destiny

Chapter 3.5 - Mask

"Kibutsuji-sama," She said, sitting criss-cross on the ground like always as she was transported towards the very room she was in, together with the demon progenitor who took the form of a beautiful woman with his hair styled up in a bun and two strands falling down his face.

He stayed looking towards the direction the female was facing.

Though no words were spoken, it was enough for her to know what exactly he meant by that.

She only hummed in thought before shaking her head without another thought circling through her brain. "Care to explain why you still refuse to become one?" He spoke, turning towards her as his eyes only dangerously narrowed at the woman in front of him.

She shivered under his gaze, it was scary, she had to admit, the only reason that she was able to bear it was because she knew he couldn't kill her unless her time was up. 

A...condition she had placed up before living under his wing.

"I would rather grow stronger to assist you. Becoming a demon does not change my goal, nor will it ever," She said, looking up at the ceiling as she heard a frustrated sigh come from in front of her.

"I...do i not look demon enough for you? Why must there be a need to turn me into one-?"

"Questioning me shouldn't be a thought you should be having," He said, walking towards her as his kimono dragged on the floor. Grabbing her chin a harsh grip as her eyes slightly widened at the sudden momentary familiar feeling.

"Don't act as if you are an equal," Roughly throwing her chin off to the side, he composed himself and stood in front of her as if he did nothing to her. 

"I saved you. And you owe me. There's nothing equal between you and me...You foolish kitsune."

She stared back at him with half-lidded eyes. God the veins that protruded through those crimson-red eyes of him gave her nothing but shivers.

It always did. 

'That's right...' She thought grimly, still looking towards the raven-haired demon as his eyes stared intently at hers. Orbs that had made contact with before she passed out on that day. 

"Of course..." She muttered, kneeling on the ground as she began to lower herself onto the ground. Both hands down as the cloth around her arms fell downwards in submission to gravity.

"Stay as a kitsune-human, but keep in mind, until that day comes, enjoy your days as what you are now," Eyes narrowing before she heard a snap of a finger. 

"Nakime."

And with a strum of a biwa, she stood up with an emotionless gaze, looking at nothing as she stood in front of the forest. "Until the time comes..." Walking towards somewhere just a few meters away.

'I'll enjoy, for now, I'll expect more later'

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"What should I do..?" She asked, walking around endlessly, still not having the energy to go back home just yet.

She simply whistled inattentively, tucking her arms in the sleeves of her yukata, before walking towards somewhere. She didn't know where, she just knew she was just walking forward with no exact destination in mind.

A mountain, a village, a field, she didn't know. Perhaps walking just frees up her mind for some things. Nothing of the sort until she remembered something.

Certain birdy who had not made an appearance since the last few days she has met the demons. Perhaps upon some random branch and eating?

Shaking her head, she continued to walk, not paying the least bit of attention to her disappearing companion.

Her ears perked up as her tail had ruffled inside her clothing a bit. 'People' she thought as her eyes widened before going back to their usual size.

Deciding to just turn her entire body towards the direction of the chatter and head straight towards a village or a place filled with people, she did just that.

It wasn't as far as she had expected, after a few miles of walking, she had met a man who carried some sort of basket filled with stocks and herbs. He carried an ax as a cloth-covered his mouth.

Not so far behind him were a small village and a few stores here and there. It was not bustling with that many people, but there was enough to know that a lot of people lived here just by the number of buildings there were.

She had nothing to cover her face with, so she tried walking into the village more to find a cloth, or maybe a mask to cover her face with.

She felt something brush against her leg and saw a cat rubbing its head against her. It was a mix of black and white, as she heard it meow. "How cute," She muttered, crouching down as she scratched its chin gently, the cat leaning more into her hand.

Only for it to run away just as she was about to pat it, causing her ears to perk up at the sudden movement.

"U-Uhm, I really should get going," She heard a nervous voice from behind her.

It was not even that far. She could hear the female's voice from the back to know she sounded anxious. Not anxious, maybe trying to be polite but something is stopping her from running away so soon?

Turning back, only to see a woman, who is a bit shorter than her by a few inches being pushed back by three men with their tops unbuttoned as they had on a flushed face. Drunkards, she thought with narrowed eyes as she listened in on the conversation.

Was it bad to eavesdrop? It's an answer with a self-explanatory explanation.

"Come on, you look lonely for a pretty lady," One of the men tried to flirt with her, walking towards her with an unbalanced footstep as she squeaked a bit.

"We'll just give you a tour of the village," Another one said as they grabbed her wrist. "You like food? We know the be-"

"That's not a way to pick up a lady, isn't it?"

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