When I came to, I could hear chirping and a breeze tickling my ears. I felt my ear flick in annoyance.

W-wait...did my ear move? Hm, weird. I thought nothing of it, plenty of people move their ears in my old world.

I opened my eyes and bolted upright, wincing at the dizziness surrounding my vision.

"Whoa, okay, easy there, Taka," I told myself.

Glancing around, I realized I was sitting on a nest of some kind, leaves, vines, all webbed together to make a bed. I shifted my legs, sighing and trying to get my bearings. Did I just meet God? And what did they mean by new life? Who was that woman? She was so beautiful...

I shook myself awake and looked down around me; in my nest was a robe, a traditional Yukata, plastered in cherry blossoms, traditional shoes and foot coverings, and a pack of some kind. I looked at it dubiously; it had to be mine as no one else looked to be around this...what was it...a Shrine? Yes, it certainly looked like a traditional Shinto Shrine. The Voice did say this world would have similarities to mine. Perhaps I was placed in a world like Japan. This was very reminiscing of the Japanese Shrines, but what God was it for? If I could just see a bit more...Hm... This Shrine was beautiful as well, but what on earth was I doing here? There were more questions than I could find answers to with my eyes alone. I would have to get up and explore at some point.

Flick, Flick.

My ear again, good grief, quit it! I reached up to feel and paused-- soft plush fur and a jolt ran down my back as if I had been tickled in a sensitive place. "Kyah!" Both of my hands grabbed the moving appendages on my head. "E-Ears...not just any ears...animal ears!? Am I an animal?"

I saw a drinking trough and crawled over to look in-- ever, so...slowly...slowly...a quick peek.

As I saw my reflection inch up into the surface of the water, the ears' tips were first-- tufted reddish-brown fur with a creamy interior. Then, a mass of wild hair, loose and knee-length, caught in a tie at the end, that alone was felt as my hair swung down against my leg while I moved further over the water. Large golden eyes rimmed with black, like a bottomless jar of honey, expressive and serene.

I didn't look like myself! The old Taka was gone, and in her place, an otherworldly woman.

This face was soft in its angles except for my cheekbones. It looked young and yet ageless at the same time. I blinked rapidly, "huh...I'm...pretty?" The scars of my past life were long gone. The disfigurement they brought and the toll of abuse was now gone. I touched my face and wiggled my nose, my ears twitched, and I furrowed my brow, trying to figure out what muscles moved them. If I...n-no...maybe...ah! I felt my right ear flick down and back up like a spring. So then... The left up and down, both up and down.

Haha! I can do puppy eyes! I put both ears down and batted my eyes cutely at the water, seeing my pupils explode to make them a ball of black lined with gold.

Boys, look out, adorable eared girl on the loose!

Something was moving behind me, and I jumped. "Yah! What the what???" Turning around, I couldn't see anything. But then as I crossed my arms and thought, I felt it again...so...with ever so slowly moving...GOTCHA!

"Eeeeeeeeek!" I squealed, giving the furry bunch a sharp tug and feeling my own backside sting. "I. Have. A. Tail," I whispered to myself. I tugged it again gently as if to make sure it was attached, and having no control of it, whapped me in the face. "Gah! Fuzzy!"

The tail was the same color as my hair, in fact…. "H-hey, this looks like a Fox tail?" Soft fur tipped in pristine white ink.

I paused and fluffed my tail against my face, thinking. "So, I have Fox ears and a tail. I have woken in a new world and have no idea where I am. I am in a Shrine courtyard...this much I know. So it could be worse. I could be in the wilderness."

Putting my zori on, I mused some more. "I should see if the Shrine is occupied. If it is, maybe I can get some directions," I was now moving onto the next step-- Good ole Taka was back!

I wrapped my robe about me to ward off what felt like an early spring chill. It was lucky I knew how to tie a Yukata and an outer robe. No time like the present to put skills to use! I dusted myself off and walked to the sliding doors of what appeared to be the living quarters. "Hello!" I called, "Is anyone here?" Sliding the door open, I glanced inside-- the entryway housed a place to take off one's shoes-- which I did and set them down before stepping up the wooden steps and opening the door to the building itself.

The wooden floors gleamed as if they had just been cleaned and scrubbed. There was a large hearth centered in the room, an iron hook for holding a kettle in the center; pillows about lounging and relaxing atop tatami mats. A couple sliding doors led more in-depth into the warm, inviting place.

Within the wooden pillars which served as the weight bearers, foxes ran up through tall rice stalks heavy with their grain. It was so intricate that it had to be made with magic; how else would the carver pull it off? If I looked close enough, I could see wind sway the rice and the foxes' fur at play.

Was this an Inari Shrine? My hand flew to my forehead, remembering the dazzling woman, was that Inari? The God who would come down as a Kitsune... Was she the God that wanted me here?

I look forward to it, little kit...

I stepped tentatively inside, "hello?" I called again.

The fire was lit in the hearth. And opening the door to the left led to what looked like a bedroom with a futon and a smaller stone hearth for tea and warming it up. The other room was with a large oven and what appeared to be kitchen cupboards, bread in a basket, and even freshly caught fish. Opening one of the cabinets showed ice crystals hanging off. I was pleasantly surprised.

Huh, so while it looks like a traditional Shinto Shrine...i am not, in fact, stuck in a feudal dark age. It appeared that there were things that allowed for some convenience. A glowing blue stone that was ice cold to the touch and pulsed with light when I tapped it. "Is this what causes freezing?" It felt like touching a large ice cube.

I tapped my chin, looking through the contents. But as I closed the door, a flutter of paper caught my eye. "Hm," I read aloud as I walked through the rooms.

Welcome Travelers. If you are reading this, I fear that I am away; this Shrine has long since kept the weary safe. Welcome to the Inari Shrine in the Kingdom of Tatsu, the Realm of Ileria. Partake and be safe, and worry not for restocking, that is already taken care of--May the Goddess Inari guide you.

"Realm of Ileria." I muttered, "that is where I landed. Well, we are no longer in Japan."

I at least felt some form of comfort; there were Shrines all through Japan, which held onto the Traditional ways. In fact, of all the places I could have ended up-- this was for the best.

Inari Shrine, huh? Foxes-- specifically, were Messengers of the God Inari. According to my tail and the fact that I had a human form. I was less than 100 years old but older than 50. Zenko was known to help kind humans and protect places like this-- Wait! Am I now a Kitsune of the Shrine?

Oh! So many questions! I scrubbed my head in annoyance. Grrrr! I want to know! "My Kingdom for someone with answers!" I screamed into the void.

"I don't know if I can take a whole kingdom. But perhaps I can help?" A voice called at the open door.

"Eeeeeeeeep!" I leaped out of my own skin and spun around, "What!" I flailed.

A woman stood in the doorway, her yukata tied for work, a large basket overflowing with goods.

"I am SO sorry; I didn't break-in, I promise!" I scrambled and kowtowed low.

The woman was puzzled, looking down at me. She tilted her head and then laughed behind her hand, "oh goodness, such a polite Kitsune? My, my, we haven't seen your kind in many a year."

"Y-you haven't?" Peeking up, I could see this woman had feather-like tattoos across her arms, feather patterns in splashes of blues and whites on her yukata. Her expressive blue eyes held the very movement of water as her white hair was piled high upon her head with a feathered blue ornament that dangled as she moved.

"My goodness, no," she said, stepping in after removing her shoes. "Kitsune, either Wild Field Fox Yahko or Messenger Zenko are quite rare...."

"I am not a Yahko. I am a Zenko." Of this, I was sure. I shook my head, sitting upright. I was given a chance by the Goddess-- I would not flout such a gift away to become wild...but...maybe if she approved it, I could have some mischief later.

"No, I would say not; I would certainly know if you were. You see, I am a Shrine Maiden of the Crane Temple of Fukurokuju. Ours is nearer to the lake at the borders of these mountains. It appeared this Shrine resided deep within the forest high up within the mountainside."

"I see... Is that why it is so small?"

"Yes, it is seen to most as a gateway." She nodded at the Torii that stood down the courtyard. "From one world to the next."

I sighed, feeling both my ears go down in exasperation, "you got that right." I growled.

"I'm sorry?" She said, not hearing me.

"N-nothing, nothing at all." I looked around, "so no one stays here?"

The woman walked past me into the kitchen and set everything down, "no, not at all, actually. In fact, it has been many a rare moment to have visitors other than traveling merchants."

"Yet you are here now?"

"We received an Oracle that a visitor would be arriving. I suppose it was you."

"Y-you said that Kitsune are rare, though?"

A sad look went across her face. "Yes. The good ones, at least." But it did not seem that she would be willing to share more than that. "Are you aware of what Power you are at?"

"I-I'm sorry I don't know much; I only recently arrived..." This made me wonder, will I need to gather my Power?

She furrowed her brow as if not understanding. "Just arrived?"

"F-from the other side!" I amended it. I felt my ears flatten in sardonic humor. Way, way on the other side...

"Ah, I see. I forget that many of the Kitsune returned to the Heavenly Realm."

Are there any of my own kind then? I was about to ask this question before she finished putting the goods away.

"The bath is at your disposal; it is opposite the water fountain. It is heated through magic crystals. We also have hot springs in this mountain. They are a bit further up the path behind the Shrine."

I got confused about the heating element. "Crystals?"

"Found in Monsters-- they did not explain much, did they?" She asked with humor in her gaze. "Ah, I am quite rude." She gave a proper bow before saying, "Shimizu Mina. You may call me Mina."

"Mina," I stood and mirrored her bow, "I am Tsukamotsu Takara. You may call me Taka."

A wide smile, blue eyes glinting with laughter now. "Taka, what a strange name for a little fox. I can see you are quite young with only one tail."

I turned bright red, my ears dropping in embarrassment. That's right; Kitsune, who was under 100 years, had one tail. So, I suppose to a Yokai I was young indeed.

But the crane was musing. "Yes, Kitsune can have up to nine Tails, sometimes they are combined into one large tail to make it easier to move. But typically, Kitsune are quite proud of their Tails."

"Yes, I can see why," I sighed, "it appears I have much to learn."

"The scrolls within this Shrine, as well as our own, could help. Please, feel free to take the path down the mountain. At the fork in the road, follow the bamboo to the lake. Then, you shall reach the Village following the road from there." She bowed again, "I shall take my leave."

I was alone. I heaved a deep sigh and fell back onto the floor, covering my eyes with my arm. Now, what am I to do? But-- I realized suddenly that I was no longer in that horrible situation anymore.

Blinking rapidly as if to wake me up, I exhaled. "I'm free!"

With laughter that almost verged on hysterical, I sat up, glanced around, and jumped up suddenly feeling hungry. "Let's have some of that fish!" I said to myself.

Take the fish and fillet it, making sure to pull the bones. Season it with pepper, rock salt, and wait for the cast iron to heat up. Take what looked like freshly churned butter and put a slab in to coat the bottom.

It was a bit of a trick to try to get the wooden logs to light, alongside keeping the flame up-- a couple times, it spurted upward too high. But finally, subduing it to a medium heat was achieved. In the other stove, place a pot with rice after soaking it and rinsing extra starches--high heat to a boil, and then a low simmer. Once almost done, add the nice fatty fish to the pan skin first.

Heavenly! My mouth was watering. Cooking really had been my only escape within that horrendous world. It was the only thing I was any good at other than my watercolors. Chopping up spring mountain greens and mushrooms to cook within the fish drippings to top it off.

I decided to sit down at the hearth, adding a few more logs and settling myself on a large cushion and inhaled the aroma of seasoned fish dripping with butter and mushrooms soft and almost blackened to tender perfection. The greens had soaked up all the liquids too.

[[Heeeeeyyyyyy, I want some!]] A voice said from the door.

"W-who said that?" I glanced over and saw a fox.

No way, that fox did not just speak to me, I mean a fox at an Inari shrine, what is so odd about that?

[[Excuse me! I'm hungry!]]

I looked over again. "Ha ha ha, haha! I think that fox spoke-- how funny."

[[I said, I want some!]] I paused with a mouthful almost to my lips and glanced back over to it. Was the fox annoyed with me?

I quickly shook myself from the shock. "I-I'm sorry, are you hungry little one?" I asked, "hang on." I got up and got a serving with extra fish and set it down in front of a cushion. "Here."

The fox pranced forward to the cushion, waving nine distinct tails. [[Yummy! I'm so low on energy!]] Diving muzzle first into the bowl, it greedily scarfed down the food.

"More like a piggy than a fox," I muttered.

It looked up from its meal, [[cough- excuse me!?]]

Looking up, I startled and swallowed my bite of food before I choked. Before me-- after a poof of orange smoke exploded on the spot-- sat a man with flowing red-orange hair; it was a deep ruby color, slowly mingling with fox orange, lightening down the length to a white. Matching nine tails swayed in agitation behind him. His ears flattened in annoyance.

I blinked stupidly. The fox was incredibly handsome, with exotic winged eyebrows and a sharp jaw; he rested his chin on his hand and glared at me. The red lines marking around his eyes accenting the sultry look nature had blessed him with. A long-suffering sigh, "tsk... so rude for a child."

"C-child! I'm not a child!"

"As a human, maybe not, as a Kitsune, yes, you are." A chuckle, "I could be your great-great-grandfather. Three times over."

"E-eh no way," I said, shaking my head. "Uh. H-how old are you?" According to the legends, he had to be at least a thousand years old, having nine tails.

"It is rude to ask someone their age." He sniffed. "You are taking my appearance quite well, Little Vixen." He chuckled, leaned forward, and tapped his bowl in front of him with a long tapered nail expectantly. "May I have more?" Licking his lips of rice, his tails swayed happily.

"Y-yes!" Without thinking, I got up and went to get him another serving. He seemed to savor this one slowly and watched me eat my own bowl. I paused for a moment and looked at my new guest. "To be honest, a lot has happened that seems almost unheard-of or unnatural. It's not like I can't add one other thing to my list. First a Crane and now a Fox. Is this entire mountain filled with other world creatures?"

"Well, I've been stuck here for a while, I made the trip from the Torii, but then I used up too much of my Power fighting a damn Yahko." He seemed particularly disgruntled.

I didn't even think to bring food. So I decided to take a nap." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Apparently, I've been asleep for a century."

YOU CALL THAT A NAP!?!?!?

"I was awoken when you fell from the sky in a giant ball of foxfire." Chuckling, he looked at me with an ear down in sardonic humor. "You forget how to use a gate?"

I ignored him, "so we gain Power by food?" I tilted my head, trying to consider more.

"Not just any food, food crafted by people who can imbue it with Power. There are a rare few humans who can do so, but any Heavenly creature can do so. And you--" he glanced me up and down. "Are brimming with it."

"M-me!" I squeaked. I felt naked and shied away, causing him to laugh.

"Yes, Little Vixen, you. I had heard whispers from the forest that a new Kitsune was here, and so I wanted to say hello and take you under my wing...ah...I mean tails."

I chuckled, "so, grandpa," his nose wrinkled.

"You may call me Moto. My full name is Motoyuki."

"Moto," I said slowly. "I am Taka."

"Taka," he said with a short bow, which I returned.

"Are all the Kitsune from Japan?"

"Japan?" He flicked an ear "is that another world?" An excited chuckle, "oh well, now a Migration!" I took a moment as he chattered about things I hardly understood, looking him over from head-to-toe--a loose robe showing a bare muscled chest. The fabric patterned with leaves and foliage, soft cream and greens contrasted with his bright hair and catching emerald gaze. "But no, not many are migrated; others have been around for so long we can't remember where we come from. But a Kitsune, rather than a Wild Fox are Heavenly beings, rather than a Yahko."

"Yokai, that is what other creatures are all called?"

"Yes, they are not exactly what evil is. More--"

"Mischief?"

"Yes." He nodded with a broad smile, "not that we cannot be tricksters." He chuckled at a private memory, it seemed.

"Hmph, speak for yourself." I sniffed, crossing my arms and turning my nose up.

"Such a dainty Fox." He waved his hand as if to cast off the topic. "You yet seem to be taking all of this in stride."

"Oh... Well, to be honest, I was hoping for company." I admitted this with a low voice and set about putting the kettle on the hearth-- it was already filled with fresh spring water. "Where is that striker?"

"Wha?" His face was comical, confusion, and bewilderment all in one. "Why not use foxfire?"

"Huh?" I mimicked his expression. And was instantly sour when he began to howl with laughter.

"You poor little thing, how will you survive! A fox not knowing fox fire!" Cackling further till he was holding his sides, I fumed silently, puffing my cheeks out.

Sighing, he wiped a tear away, "come now, come now." He waved his hand as if to beckon me. "Picture a flame. Feel it within your chest, an extension of yourself, as if a floating lantern goes where you wish." With a flick of a hand, a red flame crackled within the air.

So pretty! I gasped. Then, I gave it a try-- it took a moment. But a white flame sparked to life with light blue edges. "I did it!" I cried.

He clapped, "brava! Hm, what a peculiar little flame."

"So, I can just..." I moved it closer, and the wood caught instantly. "Ah, much easier."

We sat in companionable silence as the water started to boil, and I got the tea set placed out. "This Shrine, have you been here before?"

"Yes, many a time in my long years, it has been a part of this mountain for hundreds and hundreds...well, more like a few thousand years."

"It's like back on Earth but longer."

"Earth?" Moto inquired.

"It's where I am from." I paused and considered explaining, "it's another world. When I-" I broke off, not exactly sure if I should continue.

"Do not fret; I won't ask for your story right away." He waited as I poured the tea and served a steaming cup. "Thank you."

"And you," I was suddenly exhausted; I could feel my ears droop, reflecting my mood.

"I shall take my leave, Little One," I almost reached out, "no, no, do not fret. I will return." Before I stood, he was a fox again, who flicked his many tails and left out the door he had whirled through.

I stretched and bid my strange visitor farewell and turned in to sleep. It was now quite dark, and I found myself falling asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.