Fire Trouple

Prologue

Hangzhou, China-year 1137

"What is it?"

"I was traveling through wooded areas to avoid the fighting going on in Croatia a few years ago and came across it. My men and I loaded it into our wagon because it seemed valuable."

The men looked at the object in front of them.

It was a large stone-looking object. It was about half the height of a grown man and was in the shape of an egg. The surface held strange symbols and patterns that didn't look like any recognizable language. There were also a few cracks in the surface but no way to see any deeper into the object.

"So can you sell it?"

"I can sell anything. Wealthy people will buy anything that looks fancy enough."

"It's warm." The man rubbed his hand against the stone. "Fuck! I cut my finger on the damn thing."

Blood dripped down the stone into the crevices of the symbols.

Suddenly, indistinct yelling was heard outside the building.

The men exited the building to see a fire raging in the distance and it was spreading rapidly toward them.

They saw all the people running in the opposite direction and decided to join them in their evacuation of the city.

Soon the fire spread and burned through the buildings including the building with the stone egg.

As the fire burned around it, the egg cracked audibly.

Slowly the cracks spread until a pale hand emerged from within.

Finally, a young boy climbed out unsteadily and stood shakily with coltish limbs.

The boy that looked around the age of 15 stood and looked around with slitted eyes the color of molten gold, and slate-gray hair matted by a slimy substance to his neck and upper back.

He closed his eyes and reveled in the warmth licking against his skin as the fire blazed around him.

Shiny dark gray scales covered his skin in patches on his body.

He walked slowly outside and saw only one human straggler.

He watched her run in between flamming buildings, hidden by billowing smoke and unnoticed in her panic.

Slowly, the scales disappeared and his eyes turned to a dark amber color before he turned and went back inside the building to what remained of his shell.

He placed a hand on it and it transformed into a dark cloak which he dawned before leaving the city.

Fushimi Inari Shrine Kyoto, Japan-year 1467

"He has betrayed our kind!" One of the elders said coldly.

"He has made a lapse in judgment. That is all. He can repent." Another said trying to reason. "Do not forget that he was personally chosen by Them. So far during his time, he has performed his duties well."

Yet another elder scoffed. "That is the only decision by Inari Okami-sama I have ever questioned."

The previous elder narrowed their eyes at the other elders. "You forget yourself. Do not forget the prayers humans use. They pray for Inari Okami-sama to guide them to the correct path if they stray. Tomio-kun needs guidance, not condemnation."

The other elders stay silent for a moment before turning to my prostrating form. "Do you see the error of your way Tomio?" They asked evenly.

I hesitated. I could still see Inari-sama's face when I close my eyes sometime. But I could only be honest with myself.

"I love him," I said simply before going back to being silent.

"Insolence! After everything Inari Okami-sama has done for you! You were a lowly Nogitsune forced to consume the life essence of humans to get by. Okami-sama used their guiding hand to show you a proper path in service to them and you dare bite it after they have disappeared. You should be sealed away to rot for the rest of eternity." One elder yelled, an eight-tailed tenko kitsune.

"Fraternizing with a European creature. A dragon at that. It's a disgrace for our kind. Inari Okami-sama saved you and gave you a name when you were nothing but a wild kit. This will not be forgiven." The other elder, another eight-tailed tenko kitsune.

The elder that was defending me was quiet for a moment. He was a nine-tailed kuko. The oldest kitsune on the mortal plane. "Alright, Tomio-kun. You will be stripped of your rank of kiko. You will no longer be able to surpass the rank of chiko for as long as you remain in the mortal plane. You will no longer be welcome in our community nor our territory. Tomio, you are banished from Japan."

A tear fell from my cheek. "Thank you, kuko-sama." I stood and walked out never to return to my home.

Bavaria-year 1786

Bryan and I were just traveling through the outskirts of a town heading toward France when we heard it.

A shrill cry for help that human ears wouldn't be able to hear.

We exchanged looks before moving to track the sound, eventually ending up at a large manor.

Bryan narrowed his eyes at the building. "Magic." 

I nodded. I sensed it too. Human magic.

Human magic users tend to despise supernatural beings and we despise them right back.

I let my awareness spread and found a little caged black bird that was the source of the cries.

It wasn't a normal bird but I didn't know what kind of creature it was.

"Should we help?" I asked Bryan. Getting involved with human mages never ended well, even for beings as powerful as us.

He hesitated before nodding.

We quietly infiltrated the building using magic to make us undetectable.

I grabbed the cage, telling the bird to remain silent, before sneaking back out.

We ran until we felt we were sufficiently far enough away to free the little bird.

Immediately, the bird transformed into a human figure with black hair and ash-colored eyes.

He kept his distance and eyed us warily, causing Bryan to glare back.

When Bryan went to open his mouth, I interrupted. "Hello, what is your name?"

"...пепел." The bird spat out.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ash."

His stance softened somewhat. "You're really not with them? The Perfectibilists?"

"No, we're not...Do you want to come with us?"

"...I think I would like that."

Hello everyone, it has been a long time since I wrote and I've missed it. This idea has been stuck in my head for a while and I just needed to get it out. I've been looking into kitsunes recently and they are really interesting.

A little info dump for those interested in kitsune. There are two types of kitsune zenko(virtuous fox) and nogitsune(wild fox)

They are divided into ranks:

Tenko(heavenly fox)-highest rank, are in active service to the gods

Kuko(sky fox)- second rank, they are the oldest and most powerful kitsune though they don't serve an active role any longer and mainly serve as counsel or as a venerated elder

Kiko(spirit fox)- They act as servants and messengers for the gods 

Chiko(earth fox)- The highest rank a nogitsune can achieve 

Ashirei-lowest ranking kitsune includes all foxes under 100 years old including non-magical foxes

And by the way, Tomio 富 means treasured

Byyyyyyeeeeee

~Joshua