Fox in The Court

Chapter 7

On the busy streets of Kōri city, many people walked in many directions. A person hummed as she walked; she hugged a closed umbrella to her shoulder, and her steps were slow; wearing a pair of zori and an off-white kimono with green flowers embroidered into it, she looked around curiously. Her stature was average for a woman and she didn’t quite fill her clothes out. Her hair, dark green with brown streaks and tips, loosely waved around as her head turned. Her slightly widened hazel eyes scanned the area, curiously.

Chapter 7
Weird encounter

Chinatsu was carrying freshly washed clothes to Shinobu’s room. She slid the door open, carefully. “Oh, nice to see you, Chinatsu-san. Good Morning!” The red-haired woman said. “Good Morning to you as well, Shinobu-sama.” Chinatsu said and bowed. The woman took her clothes and put them away. “Could I ask you to go and buy a few things for me?”
“Um, of course, my lady.”
“Great! Here is the list.” She gave her the paper. “And the money.” The woman took a handful of golden coins and put them into Chinatsu’s hand. “Um.. I think that is more than necessary, my lady.”
“Buy yourself something too, then.” Shinobu answered with a small smile.
Meanwhile, Honghú was in her room, still dressed in her night clothing, which was just a simple light-gray yukata, trying to meditate when she saw horrible images: Some weird monsters attacking the castle, giant snakes, and her friends in danger. With a deep, shaky breath she snapped out of it. “Heavens… W..what was that?..” She held her forehead and panted. After taking a few deep breaths, she calmed down. “Maybe I ate too many sweets last night. Yes, that had to be it..” She mumbled. She left her room’s door open by accident, most likely, and Chinatsu peeked in out of curiosity. The girl noticed it. <I forgot to close the door..> “Hm? Do you need something, Chinatsu-san?”
“Oh, nothing in particular I just looked inside. Would you mind helping me with shopping?”
“Shopping?” That was an unexpected request. “Yes, Shinobu-sama gave me a list of things to buy, and I might need some help.” Plus, she got into a fight with Etsuko the day prior, so they were on bad terms. “Um, alright I will just get ready..” After a few minutes, she got herself ready, now wearing her work clothes and her hair tied up in her usual fashion. “Let us go to the city then!” Chinatsu exclaimed, enthusiastically. “Mhm..” Honghú replied, a bit less thrilled.
Soon, they found themselves on the streets of the city. Walking among crowds of people. “The market is this way.. right? I haven’t been there in a while..” Chinatsu spoke, and Honghú shrugged. “I think so.. but most people are going that way, so it is either that or the Entertainment district..”
“Isn’t that on the outskirts of the city?”
“Don’t ask me, I just know it is likely a popular area.”
“Fair.” Chinatsu answered, and the two of them went along with the crowd. To their luck, they saw shops and stands, and not shady places. The air was filled with the smells of roasted skewers, steamed buns, and other street foods mixed with the smells of perfumes and, of course, the people. “I think my nose will blow up..” Honghú said, indeed the mix of smells was rather overwhelming. They were switching between looking at the list of things and at the places that could potentially sell them. -hair dye- “I wouldn’t have guessed Shinobu-sama dyed her hair.” The girl spoke. “Not the whole thing, she dyes over the brown parts so her whole hair is uniform.”
“So that’s why her hair is just one color..”
“I don’t really blame her, brown and red together is such a random hair color, like if someone made it up after a moment of thinking and just went with it.” Chinatsu said and Honghú nodded. “Indeed. Though, I’m not sure if we will find hair dye in the market, maybe in a specialty shop.”
“That’s true, onto the next item.” As they were looking at the list, a person bumped into Honghú; of course, it would happen to her. “Look where you are going!” She snapped, even though she didn’t pay much attention either. “I apologize.” The young woman bowed apologetically. Honghú felt that the person was odd. Her voice was soft and she carried an umbrella. When the skies were clear.. Weird, she thought. Their gazes met only for a short moment. The stranger’s brown eyes met her orange ones. As the stranger turned and began to walk away, Honghú went back to looking at the list and the stalls, like Chinatsu. They went through the list and got all the things they could from the stalls. After that, they stopped for a snack. “Mm~ This is delicious!” Chinatsu said, chewing on a meat skewer. “I guess.. I like fried tofu more, personally.” Honghú replied. “Fried tofu? What are you, a fox?” The blonde lady asked jokingly. She wasn’t entirely wrong, but Honghú couldn't tell her. It was too dangerous. As they slowly advanced towards a shop that sold beauty products, in her peripheral vision, Honghú noticed the stranger from before. She was walking and looking around curiously, it was rather suspicious. “What is her deal?..”
“Hm?” Chinatsu turned to look at the stranger as well and simply shrugged. “Maybe she moved to the city recently and is just exploring?”
“Maybe, but she is a bit suspicious, to me..” She shrugged it off. “Not my problem anyway!”
<She got it out of her mind easily..> Chinatsu thought. Once done with their snacks, they entered the shop and left with the things required from there. “I did not think hair dye was this expensive!” Honghú exclaimed. “Neither did I.” Chinatsu replied.
“It is not worth it, at all!” The girl said and continued; “If I dyed my hair, it would just be so plain.. either orange or dark gray.. both would look silly by themselves!”
“Don’t tell me! I would either have green or yellow hair.. those are not much better either!” They chuckled on their way back to the castle. A few leaves started to fly past them; it was close to winter, so it was weird; maybe those were from some really strong tree? They continued their walk, not paying too much mind to it. More and more leaves began to fly past them, which just simply shouldn’t have happened. Someone was doing it. Honghú concluded in her mind. Chinatsu’s eyelids began to feel heavy, and she lost her balance. The girl managed to catch the falling lady and sat her by a tree. <I guess that training did pay off.> She thought and, at the sound of soft applause, turned her gaze back. There she saw the stranger standing, looking back at her. “Worry not, your companion is fine, merely having sweet daydreams. A spell like that would not have sufficed against the likes of you, so I just decided to approach this differently.”
“Approach what? And what do you mean ‘the likes of me’?” Honghú was not happy, to say the least. “Who even are you?”
“Oh, how rude of me, I shall introduce myself; my precious name is Chou.” Answered the stranger. “What do they call you, kitsune?” Honghú’s eyes widened and her eyebrows quickly fell into a frown. “How do you know it?”
“I sensed it. Did it not occur to you that a mage could do so?”
“A mage, huh? I would have taken you for a witch, but I guess you are not ugly enough for that title.” Honghú replied wittily. “How humorous, now will you be as polite as to answer my question?” This lady spoke in such an outdated fashion; whatever the reason did not matter; it just made her seem arrogant, and the girl did not like that. “Honghú.” She replied briefly. “Now tell me what the heck do you want?” Her fingernails lengthened and turned into claws. “Such aggression..” Chou shook her head lightly. “ Simply, I want you. Troublemaker.”
“Troublemaker?” Honghú’s eyes twitched. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You are a kitsune, after all.”
Honghú lost her cool and tried to slash at Chou’s face, but she only hit a bunch of leaves. “Huh?” Chou had sidestepped and created the leaves as a distraction. “You are hot headed.” She told the girl, who tried to slash at her again, only to have the same thing happen again. “And you are annoying!” Honghú exclaimed, and kicked upward. Chou fell for the illusion and the real Honghú managed to grab her hair. “I got you!” She exclaimed only for the other girl to blow leaves into her face, which caused her grip to let up. “Ugh!”
Chou chuckled; “Hm.. it appears that you are not the one I am searching for.”
“Hmph! What does that mean? Who are you even looking for?”
“I was sent to investigate the strange magical activities around here. I was thinking the cause was a rogue witch, but I have found you.”
“So you mistook me for a witch?”
“Your kind is known for liking mischief, even if it means causing harm to the world and others around yourselves.”
“That is a bit generalizing, you know? But I can assure you, I am not the one causing the trouble, in fact, I have been trying to find the perpetrator myself.”
“I see.” Chou said and twirled the umbrella on her shoulder. “Hm, judging by your words, and unsophisticated spells, I have made a misjudgment.”
<I swear.. she must have something stuck up in her behind.> Honghú thought. “Unsophisticated you say? Hmph. You still fell for my trick.” Honghú said with a pout.
“Hm, indeed I have.. I do admit, your illusions are not bad, but rather crude, I had only fallen for it due to the heat of the moment.” She excused herself. “Who taught you?”
“What does it matter?”
“I am merely attempting a conversation.. Could you please answer my questions, and not with rude questions of your own?”
“Tsk fine.. I guess..” Honghú reluctantly decided to entertain the conversation and her nails went back to normal. “My adoptive mother taught me stuff.”
“Hm.. I assume she isn’t really a mage then, maybe just a shaman, am I correct?”
Honghú’s eyes widened and she nodded. “Yes.. but how?.. Did you know it?”
“If you were trained by a real mage, like me for example, your illusions would be way better. And you could also sense things better. As I have managed to feel your real nature.”
“So that is how, I see..”
“I see potential in your simpleness.”
<What did she just call me!?> “Um, thanks?”
“If you wish for better guidance, I could teach you.” Chou said, but the offer came a bit randomly. “I will think about it.” Honghú answered. “Very well, I shall move on. Take this, for when you have made your decision.” She gave her a leaf. “Um, thank you.” Honghú took it. “How does it work?”
“Write your answer on it, and set it on fire.”
“Alright, can you wake her up now?” Honghú pointed at Chinatsu. “You know we have to get back and deliver a bunch of things to my lady, so I would not be mad if you let us go quickly..”
“In a hurry are you? Very well then..” Chou undid the spell, with a hand sign. “She shall wake up, after a few moments. I will take my leave now.” Chou skipped away.
“Okay, thank you..” <What a weirdo..>
“Mm..” Chinatsu grunted as she woke up. “What happened? Why was I sitting by a tree?”
“It is a long and weird story..”
“My butt and back hurt, so I want to hear it.”
Honghú sighed. “Okay, I will explain it on our way back..” She picked up some of the dropped stuff they had bought. Chinatsu did the same. “Thankfully everything is fine.. otherwise Shinobu-sama would be disappointed.”
“Mhm.” On their way back, Honghú explained the whole weird encounter that had happened, of course she left out the bits about her true identity.
“Sheesh.. This was indeed a weird story..”
They had delivered all the things that were on Shinobu’s list. “Thank you girls!” She exclaimed. “Here is the change, my lady.” Chinatsu held out the money that they had somehow not spent. Shinobu shook her head and chuckled. “Just keep it, it’s not like I do not have more.” Honghú had to hold back the urge to roll her eyes. <Nobles…> She thought. “As you wish, my lady.” Chinatsu answered and bowed. The two ladies-in-waiting exited the room. “I am surprised you wanted to give back the change, Chinatsu-san.”
“Huh? Why wouldn’t you have done so?”
“Um.. well of course, I would have.. I was just messing with you.” She was lying, but Chinatsu didn’t notice, somehow.
“Alright then, it is always important to be well-mannered and polite!”
Honghú nodded along. “Of course, of course.”
“Ah.. My back and butt still hurt.. I think I will take a rest..”
“Yes you should, Chinatsu-san, rest is always very important!” Honghú said, mimicking the way the lady had given a small wisdom prior. Chinatsu chuckled. “Okay, no need to be a mother..” They both chuckled. Chinatsu then went into her room to rest. Honghú, with no task given to her at that point, decided to take a stroll around the court. <It’s so cold, well winter is just a few days away..> She thought, and then remembered something. <The Lantern Festival too.. that means decorating the castle.. and dressing up..> She hated festivals and getting dolled up. Honghú sighed and leaned against a pillar. “How great.. there will be a bunch of idiots being loud..” She mumbled to herself, and spotted Asahi training off in the distance. “Hm.. I wonder how he looks in fancy clothes…” She shrugged. “Probably stupid..” That didn’t stop her cheeks from getting warmer, however..

'Shinobu in all her beauty'!

Thank you guys for reading chapter 7! I hope you have enjoyed it! So many questions! Who is causing all the trouble? What were Honghú's visions? How do they realte to the future? Things will start picking up next chapter! Ne sure to follow and/or add Fox in the Court to your reading list!