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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 1:25:04 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 19, 2010 1:25:04 GMT -5
Sometimes, late at night, Hitoshi liked to sit in the garden and think. It was peaceful there, quiet, and when the full moon shone brightly against the koi pond, the entire courtyard seemed to light up with a sort of strange, surreal beauty.
When his mother was alive, he used to find her here, deep into the evenings, staring into the stillness of the water. Maybe that was why he liked it so much.
Tonight, Hitoshi sat near the edge of the water, leaning against a tree. Winter was drawing near, and it was chilly even for Hitoshi, but he hardly felt it huddled under the warmth of his blanket.
It was late, and Hitoshi was beginning to feel the need for sleep creeping up on him, but he wasn't quite ready for bed. Not yet.
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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 2:08:37 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 19, 2010 2:08:37 GMT -5
It was cold, and still, and quiet; everything from the birds to the insects seemed to have either already holed up for the winter or flown off into the highest treetops where he could only stare sadly and pretend friendliness to their unbelieving little faces. He was hungry, and though in normal circumstances he would never hunt out of a koi pond- they were stringy and small, and always seemed to be guarded by some angry woman or stern monk who would notice even one missing- these were not, in his mind, normal circumstances.
That night, he slipped into the courtyard without so much as a hair misplaced and followed the smell of water and fish. After a moment he got to a small copse of trees, the pond beyond it shining like a silver mirror. He ducked beneath a leaf and looked closer, seeing only the reflections of the trees in the water, the ripples of fish underneath a great white moon ten times as large as life, and- suddenly- the most striking beauty he had ever seen.
He stood stock-still, lest any movement risk him being noticed, and possibly angering a ghost or a god- or being tempted to run, and leave its heavenly presence. Which was worse, he had no desire to find out; at least not yet.
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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 15:28:58 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 19, 2010 15:28:58 GMT -5
The faintest glimmer of white disrupted the perfect reflection of the sky, eclipsing the handful of stars that had previously occupied its space. Hitoshi peered up, curious what creature had intruded upon his solitude, and was met by a pair of eyes in the most startling color of green Hitoshi had seen on any living being.
From head to tail, the fox was stark white -- the color of death, though Hitoshi was hardly so superstitious. If Hitoshi was correct, the fox was hungry. His father would be furious to think that a wild animal had poached a koi from the pond -- and Hitoshi had no doubt that was the fox's intent. But they always lost a few koi to cold to winter regardless, and there were plenty of fish. If the fox was hungry enough to steal one of the koi, Hitoshi couldn't bring himself to stop it.
He sat motionless, wary of even breathing too heavily, his gaze never leaving the animal's.
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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 16:37:33 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 19, 2010 16:37:33 GMT -5
The creature caught his gaze and held it; his sense of time froze solid, and he had no idea how long it was until a breeze set a leaf to tickling one of his ears, and he twitched them unconsciously, barely stopping himself from scratching at it.
His senses returned then. This was far too real and sharp to be a ghost, and if it was a god, it didn't seem offended by the presence of a fox. Furthermore... he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something here far more important than a bite to eat.
He politely dropped his gaze, raised his head, and padded slowly around the pond to the other side, hoping the young man's hospitality didn't hinge on mistaking him for a far more powerful spirit, or fearing him to be a malevolent one.
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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 17:19:26 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 19, 2010 17:19:26 GMT -5
Hitoshi stared intently at the little fox as it crossed to his side of the pond, hardly daring to move for fear of startling it. He was not sure what had prompted the fox to take sudden interest in him rather than the fish, or why the fox seemed so comfortable approaching a human.
Hitoshi cautiously extended a hand to the fox, and hoped that, like cats and dogs, letting him sniff him would show that he meant no harm.
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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 22:31:15 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 19, 2010 22:31:15 GMT -5
What in the world was he- oh.
Oh, this was going to be terribly awkward, but- he couldn't think of much else. His tail curled around the ball hidden away within its thick fur, and the fox vanished, to be replaced by a young man, kneeling on the ground where the fox had sat.
He was slightly fox-faced, pale, and strange-looking, his hair loose and wavy, his clothes all in green and white, old and a little worn, but silk. His gaze was cast demurely towards Hitoshi's hand.
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Foxfire
Oct 19, 2010 23:50:11 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 19, 2010 23:50:11 GMT -5
The young man's eyes widened behind his thick spectacles. He recoiled slightly, more out of surprise than fear, gaping at the fox-turned-boy now sitting only a few inches away from him.
A kitsune. Hitoshi had heard the stories, of course -- usually stories of foxes who took the form of beautiful women -- but he had never believed them more than folktales. Perhaps it wasn't real, and Hitoshi was only dreaming.
He stared at the boy for a moment. "You're a spirit," he observed quietly.
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 0:07:57 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 0:07:57 GMT -5
"And you are a man," he said softly, a hint of amusement to his voice. He looked up, daring to catch the man's gaze again, firm but within propriety. There was no magic in his words, but he hoped there was enchantment regardless.
"I apologize for entering your home uninvited, and speaking without your bidding. Surely you are an emperor, or the son of an emperor?"
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 0:28:35 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 0:28:35 GMT -5
Hitoshi's face suddenly felt quite warm despite the cold. "I'm no emperor, but my father is the Daimyo of this clan. You..." Hitoshi fumbled slightly over his words, not sure what one was expected to say to a spirit.
"You do not need my permission to speak, and this is my father's home, not mine, but..." He hesitated for a moment. "If you're hungry, I could get something for you to eat." He gaze flickered toward the koi pond, then back to the kitsune. "That is why you came, is it not?"
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 0:38:29 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 0:38:29 GMT -5
"Ah! Such generosity you have, offering to feed a poor hungry fox in the cold winter." He smiled with some sincerity.
"This one accepts your gracious offer of hospitality, my lord." He inclined his head, tail flicking slightly underneath his robes.
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 0:52:16 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 0:52:16 GMT -5
He wondered, briefly, what would happen if Hitoshi was caught sneaking food to kitsune. Kindness to spirits was said to bring good luck -- and this particular spirit seemed quite benevlolent -- but even so, it would probably be better to keep the kitsune a secret, at least for the time being.
"I can find you something to eat in the kitchens easily," he mused. "It might take a few minutes, though, particularly if I have to prepare some of it. Would you like to wait in my chambers? It would be warmer there, and more comfortable."
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 0:59:27 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 0:59:27 GMT -5
The fox blushed slightly. Would having taken the more traditional form of a young woman have made this more or less awkward, he wondered? Ah, well- as much as he was attempting propriety, he was still a fox, so the young man could set whatever tone he liked- and whatever tone he meant by that was, to be fair, perfectly all right by him.
Still. "As my lord wishes." Best to be vague; don't want to embarrass him overmuch.
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 1:13:10 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 1:13:10 GMT -5
Hitoshi flushed scarlet, and he debated momentarily between attempting to correct the spirit's presumptions and just pretending not to have noticed, and eventually decided on the latter.
He pulled himself to his feet, the blanket still held tight around his shoulders. He was unsure how to refer to him, and was fairly certain that continuing to call him 'spirit' or 'fox' would be rude. "By what name should I call you?" he asked, peering quizzically at the fox-boy.
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 1:15:59 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 1:15:59 GMT -5
Oh. Oops. He looked away as he stood, feeling rather ashamed for having let the idea show on his face.
"I have never been given a name," he admitted. "You may refer to me as you like."
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 1:26:21 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 1:26:21 GMT -5
"Oh," he murmured. He looked at him for a long moment, considering that. Hitoshi could scarcely imagine not having a name, or at least some other way to refer to himself. "If you like, I could help you find a name. Until then, I could call you Kitsune-san, if it pleases you?"
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 15:40:27 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 15:40:27 GMT -5
The fox gave the man a curious glance, then averted his gaze again and smiled.
"That would... be most kind; and you may call me that if you wish. I presume you have a name I may call you as well?"
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 20:09:59 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 20:09:59 GMT -5
"You can call me Hitoshi." He gave the kitsune small half-smile, then led him inside.
---
Hitoshi's chambers were quite elaborate, every inch of it indicative of his status. The outer chambers -- there part where Hitoshi had taken the kitsune for the time being -- consisted of a small sitting area, with several tatami mats and boards for both Go and Shogi, as well as plenty of tomes and scrolls on everything from science to history. The inner chambers -- the bedroom proper -- were separated by a sliding shoji screen, and contained only Hitoshi's bed.
Hitoshi let the kitsune in first, then closed the door behind them. "You can go ahead and make yourself comfortable. It should only take me a few minutes to find you something to eat."
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 20:51:00 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 20:51:00 GMT -5
The fox had kept his strange smile through the journey, not wanting to let on what he thought about the matter, or about Hitoshi himself, beyond that which he had already been rash enough to convey.
"As you wish," he replied. It was warm in here- deliciously warm, even without his fur. He suppressed the urge to curl up on the bed and make a den out of the blankets. "I'm in no hurry."
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 21:46:24 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 21:46:24 GMT -5
It occurred to him, briefly, that leaving a strange spirit alone in his room might not have been the wisest course of action. Benevolent as he seemed, it was quite possible -- probable, even, were Hitoshi to assess the odds -- that the kitsune would find himself bored and take it upon himself to examine Hitoshi's things. He supposed he just had to hope that no irreparable damage would be caused to anything irreplaceable. As long as his scrolls were left undamaged and none of his Shogi pieces were lost, there was likely little to worry about.
Thankfully, most of the servants were used to Hitoshi coming and going from the kitchen at unseemly hours, so Hitoshi was mostly left to his own. Unfortunately, Hitoshi was not quite certain what foxes ate, or if a kitsune's diet was even the same as a normal fox, so he did the only thing he could think to do. He made a bit of everything.
He prepared several bean-paste dumplings and rice balls, and a few small sugary cakes and peaches for dessert. And if any of the servants thought it was strange that Hitoshi was taking an entire smoked fish to his room for dinner, none made mention of it.
It took just under half an hour to finish everything. As he carried the tray of food from the kitchen to his room, he wondered very briefly what had possessed him to go so far out of his way for the fox. Hitoshi was not typically apt to do such things, and though he had heard of spirits having supernatural powers of persuasion, Hitoshi was fairly certain he had not been influenced thus. So what then? Hitoshi could not say.
He slid the door to the outer chamber open with his foot, careful to hold the tray steady, then pushed it closed behind him.
"Kitsune-san?" Hitoshi peered around the room for the fox.
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 22:07:55 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 22:07:55 GMT -5
The fox had, indeed, decided to look around a little, though his thoughts ran in a similar direction- in his experience, humans were at least as likely to be afraid of him, or even try to trick him, as to show actual kindness. Very carefully, ears pricked for the man's footfalls, he had looked around the room, examining several of the scrolls lying around. The shogi board he took for a strange type of sculpture, having never seen such a thing before, and so it had been left untouched.
When he finally heard Hitoshi approaching once more, he replaced the scroll and dashed back into the inner chamber, poking his head out of the door again when the man opened the door.
The size of the meal amazed him; what was he thinking? Was he really this kind? It occured to him that perhaps the man had gotten enough food for both of them, but he had still been expecting table scraps, not a fresh-gathered meal.
He looked up at Hitoshi expectantly.
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 22:50:51 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 20, 2010 22:50:51 GMT -5
Hitoshi took a seat on the tatami mat and set the tray down in front of him, then motioned for the kitsune to take a seat across from him.
"I wasn't quite sure what you liked," Hitoshi admitted, "but if you don't like the rice and dumplings, I can eat them."
He was a bit hungry himself, but only a little. He moved the food around a bit on the tray, leaving a bowl of rice and some dumplings on his side, and the rest to the fox.
"I didn't think to get anything to drink, but if you get thirsty, I can get water for you," Hitoshi offered, picking up a pair of chopsticks. "I would offer you sake, but that might draw a bit more attention."
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Foxfire
Oct 20, 2010 23:45:04 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 20, 2010 23:45:04 GMT -5
"Mm, oh, I like dumplings. I like- a lot of things." He came over and knelt across from Hitoshi, offering thanks and taking the other pair of chopsticks. After the first few famished bites of fish and rice, he slowed down a little, eating more neatly.
"You seem to be quite the scholar," he said for conversation.
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Foxfire
Oct 21, 2010 0:29:06 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 21, 2010 0:29:06 GMT -5
Hitoshi watched quietly as the fox began devouring the first several bites of the food. He acted like he had not seen food in days.
"You were looking through my things?" Hitoshi smirked, picking at his rice between bites. He was certainly not surprised. "Yes, I suppose you could say that."
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Foxfire
Oct 21, 2010 0:53:27 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 21, 2010 0:53:27 GMT -5
"Mm," he said between bites. "One hardly needs to pry to have noticed that- but- you did say that I was to make myself comfortable. I would enjoy learning more of my gracious host."
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Foxfire
Oct 21, 2010 1:24:00 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 21, 2010 1:24:00 GMT -5
Hitoshi blushed slightly, and he turned his gaze back to the bowl of rice. It was a perfectly reasonable request, however, so Hitoshi saw no reason not to oblige.
"What would you like to know?"
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