The Cursed Iris

Sprout 30: The Sacred and the Cursed

Kikyo and Shizuko both walked outside to see that the moon was high, the air was chilling, and the breeze was a little too powerful. Kikyo shivered, "Just when I forgot a jacket. Good thing I know how to do this," she said as she became enveloped in a purple light.

Her body temperature rose, "You even have the same aura as my first master. Color me impressed," Shizuko noted in an amazed manner.

"Shut up fox," Kikyo snapped, "so how are we getting to your mother? I don't even know where your mother would be."

"I give you praise, and this is how you talk to me. You know what I call people like you?" Shizuko whined.

"What?"

"Ungrateful!"

Kikyo felt like she was getting lectured by a mother dealing with Shizuko. It was something she personally didn't like at all. She wanted to pick up Shizuko and toss her into the nearest fire, but she knew better than to cook a sacred animal. Maybe I could make her into a fur coat? Kikyo wondered.

Shizuko snickered, "You couldn't even if you tried. Now come on," she said as a blue furred fox appeared in front of them.

Kikyo stared at it, and she noticed something strange about it, "Is that thing see through?" she asked in surprise. The fox faced her with a slight snarl, "For me to have that eye of the Nogitsune or whatever, foxes really seem to hate me," Kikyo noted.

"As they should," Shizuko replied. "But don't worry, I like you a lot, Kikyo."

The fox grew larger, and Shizuko hopped on its head. "Come on my mother isn't going to be waiting for us forever."

Kikyo sighed as she got on the fox as well. Which felt more solid than it looked, its fur also felt soft, and its body warm. She felt like it was a bed she never had experienced, "He says you're heavy," Shizuko chuckled.

"Shut up!" she yelled in embarrassment.

The fox then ran, and the world around Kikyo began to bend. The sensation lasted for only a moment, then it stopped.

"We're here," Shizuko said.

The fox disappeared which caused Kikyo to fall on her butt, "Damn that hurt," she groaned. Her expression was more frustrated than anything, because each time she's dealt with Shizuko the fox has been rude to her or says something cryptid. She didn't like Shizuko one bit, but the fox was her only way to get stronger, The power over fear and hope, she remembered Shizuko saying in their first meeting. "Fox, just know I really don't like you."

Shizuko tails moved in a shoulder shrug type of manner, "You honestly think I care about that? Girl, I'm only here because I have to be, not because I want to be," she replied.

Kikyo stared at her; she also heard footsteps approaching, "This is why you're going to be turned into a fur coat sooner or later," a woman said as she picked up Shizuko by the nape.

"M-Mother Inari, I was only joking around with the girl. I wasn't serious of course," Shizuko stuttered. Her tone seemed like she was nervous, she also seemed to be shivering as well. "I wouldn't say that type of thing to my master."

"Honestly," Inari sighed. "You are just a handful; even now with a new master you're still the same. I heard you even gave her the Kitsu-Kukan."

"I-I d-did, b-but it was only because I need to get my point across to the woman she was fighting."

Inari looked exasperated. "I'm sorry for this failure of a daughter. Other than that it's nice to meet you my dear Kikyo, I am Inari."

Kikyo was taken aback by her appearance. She wore a ceremonial kimono, her long silky ash gray hair was tied into a ponytail, her skin was pale, but she glowed like the moon they were under, she also had a red crescent moon painted under her right eye, "I-It's nice to meet you," Kikyo stuttered.