The World Unseen

Chapter 2 -- Fox Village

'In mythic systems from other parts of the world, the fox may guide a young person from one phase of life to another.'

– Martin Wallen

We were walking through the Yōkai city of Yōkaichi, somewhere in the vast spirit world of Kakuriyo, though some might call it Tokoyo. I was still trying to come to terms with my metamorphosis into a kitsune, and the harsh reality that I might never leave this world.

I walked beside a nine-tail kitsune woman named Aki, whom I once met on the train that mother and I were taking to see my grandfather in the Shimane Prefecture. Aki was genuinely nice to me, but as I was trying to understand 'why' my ears now grew into fox ears, she frowned.

"Stop playing with your ear!" she scolded me "You might draw attention to yourself!"

I dropped my hands to my side as I found that now playing with my new ears seemed to stimulate the sudden release of intoxicating endorphins. Unlike my human ears, they were also loaded with so many new nerves!

"We should leave City while we still can." Aki mentioned as she entered an Inari Shrine, pulling me under the first torii and approaching the second gate. "This can be somewhat disorientating; especially if you are not used to it. If you wish, you can close your eyes as we pass through."

I did as she told me as she activated the torii gate and thought of where she wanted to go. I felt her hand pull on mine, pulling me forward as I blindly walked through a barrier that felt like static.

The strange sensation was short lived as I exited the static world and could feel a cold breeze blowing across my face. Aki softly said, "Open your eyes." and as I opened my new amber iris eyes, I was in awe!

We stood in a village that looked to be Edo Period, with cypress houses, many painted white and red. There were statues of many types of kitsunes, and shops that sold raw meats, fried tofu, and vegetables and fruits.

Unlike Yōkaichi City with its diverse population, the only creatures that I saw here were kitsunes of all types of colors, sizes, and tails. There were kitsunes with white, red-orange, black, brown, grey, and silver fur. And most only had either one, two, or three tails that they all cherished.

Some kitsunes choose to wear traditional kimonos, like Aki, with markings of their personal enchantment and a few had the mark of Inari upon them. Others had the mark of Takamagahara's messenger guild.

The young wild two-tailed kits mostly ran around with extraordinarily little on. And only the kitsune's with just one tail resided mainly in their fox form, unable to take human form.

I glanced at my single bushy tail as I now understood just why Aki wanted to get me out of Yōkaichi. Anyone with knowledge of kitsunes might discover that I am a fake or imposter. Yet, even now, I wondered why I did not change into a wild fox, just like the other one tails kitsunes...was I still changing!?

My presence seemed to attract attention as many kitsunes stopped what they were doing to stare at me. I was nearly clinging onto Aki as she escorted me to a large three-story building that had beautiful flowers in planter boxes and a tended garden.

It looked like a traditional Japanese Inn without the pleasures of technology or electricity. I glanced at Aki as I asked, "Nine Tail's Inn?"

"Yes, this is where I work." Aki said as she walked to the entrance. There were two statues of two nine-tailed foxes sitting on a stone pedestal, guarding the Inn from evil. Beyond, there were kitsunes with only two tails putting out the linens and sweeping the debris off of the sidewalks. And though this was a kitsune operated establishment, its guests were not.