‘I am so glad I remembered to write those names down.’ Eva mused as she left the last class before her long lunch break on Monday. With a few hours until her next class, she’d decided to see if she can get to any of the old Kappa’s friends, hoping they’d be able to help her on. It was definitely a stretch, but it was still the only useful lead she had short of jumping into the river.

Starting with the first name she’d written down, she wrote them each on a cheap postcard. With nothing else to go on, Eva decided to just go in alphabetical order. Leaving the card addressed to Ayami on the small table before her, the Kitsune quickly stored the other two cards in her back, then picked up the one still on the table.

Just as expected, she was guided to the small shrine near that old Kappa’s home she used to get to university every morning. As she arrived, Eva looked up and down the small alley the shrine was in. Seeing no one around, she stepped through the Torii gate and onto the Fox Road. A few minutes later, she had reached the Torii that would take her to the closest shrine. With no idea what to expect, Eva took the shape of a mundane looking white fox before stepping through.

Though even with no idea what shrine she was visiting, the Kitsune had been confident it would have solid ground around its Torii. Not that it was standing on a lone wooden beam with barely enough room between it and the roof for the now seemingly smaller than normal wooden gate. Thus with a panicked vulpine scream she dropped through the gap between this beam and the next where a small shrine sat on a wooden platform.

While her view dipped down involuntarily, Eva, still screaming her foxy lungs out, was glad she had turned into a fox. Below her were two rows of large open barrels, their wood aged but well maintained. Foamy water was filling most of them, to varying degrees, though none were filled to the brim.

At her human size, making sure to drop into the water, not the rim of a barrel or the hard floor beneath them would have been considerably more difficult. As a fox though, she simply curled up and pushed against the beam behind her with her tails. With the tip of her third tail only managing to brush against the beam, she had reacted just in time, steering her fall from straight into the floor towards the closest barrel.

With a loud splash she hit the water as the bitter taste of soap flooded her mouth and nose. Before she could start to paddle her way up to the surface, her back hit the bottom of the barrel hard, a handful of bubbles escaping from her muzzle. While there was a lot of pain, as she could still move around without making it feel worse, the Kitsune realized she’d avoided breaking any bones.

As her head breached the surface, she started taking in large gulps of air before starting to cough and sneeze from the soap water that flowed into her mouth and nose. Looking up Eva realized there was no way she could reach the rim to pull herself out as a fox. Flicking her ears to get rid of the water inside, she quickly took up a more human shape, still keeping the ears and tails to hopefully explain away her presence if anyone was around.

Stretching her arms up as far as she could, Eva managed to place her right forearm on top of the barrel's rim. Dragging herself up a bit, she soon managed to place her left arm on the barrel as well. After that, climbing out of the barrel was not too big a challenge. Conjuring some clothes around her as she left the water, she managed to land on the floor with a stumble. Luckily she had the forethought to not form the white and red miko outfit she usually used when walking around with her ears and tails on display. If the white Kimono had soaked up the water clinging to her skin like the black one she had formed, Eva could have just as well stayed naked.

As she sat down and leaned against the barrel she had just vacated, arms spread to ease her breathing, the clack clack clack of wooden soles on a hard floor drew her attention to her left.

“What brings you here you stupid fox?” an elderly lady hissed as her slitted eyes glared daggers at the wet Kitsune. Her face was filled with wrinkles , the one from worry and anger especially pronounced by her current expression. She was wearing an old fashioned set of work clothes that would fit more with a craftsman during the Meiji restoration.

“Looking. For. Ayami.” Eva managed between pants.

“What do you want with her?” She asked as she reached Eva’s position, barely standing taller than the sitting German. She still managed a surprisingly intimidating stare despite this though.

“Want. To. Ask. Her.” Eva began before another set of coughs interrupted her. “Ugh. I wanted to ask about Sunadori’s river.”

“And what’s in it for me for answering?” The old lady said, before looking at the wet stains on the barrel Eva crawled out of. “And how do you plan to reimburse me for the effort to clean that again to get rid of all your fur? Just be glad you didn’t ruin a batch of Sake.”

‘Sake?’ Eva paused to ponder. “Well how about I spend some days helping you out around here once the brewing begins?” She offered as she slowly dropped her arms down again, her breathing back to normal.

The elderly woman looks Eva over curiously for a bit before she speaks again. “Can you hide those ears and tails all day long? I do have mundane employees.”

“Yes, that’s no problem.” Eva said as her foxy attributes recede.

“Very well. We start early next week. Be here before sunrise on Monday, and don’t fall down again.”

“So will you answer my questions now?”

“What do you want to know?”

Eva quickly pulled out the now slightly damp map and, after very carefully unfolding it, pointed to where the delivery was supposed to go. “Can you tell me what exactly is around here, underground?”

“Hm, yes. That’s where Tatsugawa usually lazes around in an underground cave. Why you ask?”

“I need to deliver something there.” Eva said nervously.

“Just throw it in the river.” Ayami said with a shrug. “Or if you want to hand it over to him in person, throw a letter in first.”

“That will really work?”

“I mean it’d be like throwing something on your back.” Ayami elaborated with a shrug. “That oblivious old dragon is the river after all.”

“Really?”

“Yes, now go do your duty.” The elderly lady said as she pulled Eva onto her feet. “And remember, Monday, before Sunrise.”

Eva simply nodded as she turned back into a slightly wet fox and raced up the wall, onto the small platform of the shrine, before jumping through the Torii.