8 days earlier

Finally all the preparations and paperwork for enrollment were finished. And with the start of the semester still a couple of days a way, Eva had decided to enjoy herself tonight. The decision to enjoy some sake at a local Izakaya was an easy one. She did come to Japan to broaden her education beyond the beer they brewed at her college after all.

She sent a message to Kurt Wagner, a fellow exchange student from Germany she had met on the plane to Tokyo. His reply, that he had no problem joining in, came just as she grabbed her bag and was about leave her tiny flat.

She quickly made her way to the nearby Izakaya with a surprisingly generous all you can drink offer. Eva was shown to a small table for two at one the side of the establishment’s only room. Once she sat down on the chair facing towards the entrance, she was soon served a small portion of Edamame. She ordered some warm sake and began waiting for her acquaintance to join her.

Luckily she did not have to wait to long, as he arrived just when she had refilled her sake cup the first time. His height alone made him stand out, being nearly a head taller than the natives around them. Seeing the wary expressions sent his way, Eva was glad she was only 1.75. When Kurt sat down before her, she felt reminded of a dog for some reason. His moustache looked mildly reminiscent of her family's Newfoundlands drooping lips. But that was the extent of his resemblance to any kind of dog she knew. His black beard was hanging down to his chest in a neat braid. Kurt thanked the waitress for the portion of beans she put down before him and ordered himself a beer before greeting Eva.

“So finally getting a chance to talk beyond exchanging numbers huh?” Kurt said with a soft chuckle, “Sorry for not talking much during the flight, but I did book an overnight one. Really bad at handling time differences this big.”

“It’s alright.” Eva dismissed his concerns as she put down her drink. “I mean we did exchanges numbers to catch up again. Though I don’t think you told me why exactly you came to study here in Tokyo.”

“Well you didn’t share either.” He replied, but was interrupted for a moment by the arrival of his own drink. “And isn’t it ‘Ladies first’?” Kurt finished with a smirk before the pair clinked their glass and cup with a loud ‘Prost’.

“Well if you insist. I’ve been studying brewery and beverage technology so far, and was always curious how they make sake. So I spent a couple semesters learning Japanese in the evenings before applying for English exchange programs here in Japan.” She explained reluctantly between sips of sake. “Though most classes I’ll be taking are more general biology, I can get those accredited back home.”

“Lucky you.” Kurt muttered. “I’m not getting any actual credits for the courses I’ll do this year. Then again, I am primarily hear to get first hand experience with Japan.”

“So what are you studying?” The young woman inquired after finishing her first drink, ordering a new one as her fellow German replied.

“Japanese Studies. With a focus on mythology and religion.”

As they fell into more smalltalk after that, they kept drinking for a couple hours. At one point Eva accidentally knocked her bag over, spilling out some of the stuff still in it she had yet to unpack. When he spotted bandages and band aids amongst the things, Kurt, obviously drunk already, began to laugh hard and loud. The drunk Germans ignored the annoyed stares from the other patrons as they continued their talk.

“You some kind of *hic* paramedic or what? never seen someone other than those carry so much *hic* first aid stuff.”

“Well kinda.” Eva replied with a shrug. “Just as a volunteer though.”

“Aaaah.” Kurt lulled before trying to stand up, succeeding only barely. “Well I thi *hic* think I better go home, see you sometime during lunch I guess.”

“I guess. See you soon.” Eva said with a wave as he moved to pay.

As she still had an hour worth of pre-paid drinks, the young woman decided to get a taste of every sake on the menu.

An hour later Eva carefully made her way out of the izakaya, acutely aware of the fact that she drank many more than one beyond her thirst. With each step carefully considered so she would not fall on her face, Eva made her way home. But before she got anywhere a loud whimper suddenly filled her ears.

Turning to look into the alley it seemed to be coming from, She carefully peered into it. What she saw looked like a small white dog trying to limp forward, a few patches of fur on it’s side colored red and pink by fresh blood.

Stumbling towards the injured animal as quickly as a drunk could, Eva strained her clouded mind to recall what she knew about first aid for animals. While she approached the injured animal, she rummaged in her bag for the bandages she had with her. Three attempts later she had it tied into a makeshift muzzle.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright little one.” Eva said as she leaned down to it, blinking a few times when she thought she saw multiple tails wagging limply behind the animal. First she put one hand onto the animals back. Then she quickly slid the sling around its muzzle and tied it closed before the panicked animal could bite her on accident.[1]

“Sorry, but that’s for your best.” Eva mumbled as much to herself as to the animal as she began to carefully look for the origin of the blood staining the fur. Soon enough she found the wound just above the poor things shoulder. Taking a second bandage out of her bag Eva carefully tied it around the animal’s torso.

She picked the wounded animal up to try and bring it to the doctor she was sure she had seen on the way here. But as one of the animals limbs dangled limply at an odd angle the drunk woman quickly stumbled to a stop again. Not wanting to risk making a fracture worse, she set the animal back down as careful as she could manage. Then, with the last bandage she found in her bag and a couple of pens, Eva improvised a splint to immobilize the leg before she picked the animal up once more.

“It’s all going to be alright you’ll see. Just a few moments more and we’ll be at the vet’s.” Eva continued to mumble, more to keep herself going than to comfort the animal.

When they arrived at the dentist’s[2] mere moments later though, it had closed hours ago. Even after repeatedly ringing the bell there was no reply. Too drunk to read Kanji, and unwilling to set the poor animal down to try and use her translation app, she decided to instead make her way home, let the animal rest at her place for the night and go to the doctor the next morning.

Opening the door to her apartment turned out to be a massive obstacle in this plan. Eventually she managed to fit the key into the keyhole and unlock the door. She barely managed to set the wounded animal down on a pillow before the adrenaline finally wore off and the alcohol overwhelmed her completely. She collapsed into a drunk slumber on the floor, right next to the animal she had tried to save.

Moment’s later two of the fox’s tails brushed across her back. The animal had laboriously cracked an eye open. It watched her sleep as it slowly dissolved into ashes gathering on the pillow and floor around it.