Facing the Storm

by Wilson, Yumoyori

  "It's kind of hard to explain, but Urufu was like in human form? Well...I think it was Urufu because the woman had pink eyes. She told me I could summon the watch into my grasp no matter how far away it was. I don't really remember anything else after that, but I've been able to summon it like this ever since."

  "Crim's a lot stronger than we thought," Itsuki mused.

  "Stronger than you thought?" I grumbled, feeling offended.

  Itsuki blushed and raised his hands up in defense. "I don't mean it in a negative way. Storm wasn't able to do that until recently."

  "As in six months before her death," Haru announced.

  "Wait, it’s a skill? Or power?" I asked.

  Yoshi appeared deep in thought, and Malachi took the moment to speak. "That pocket watch has been passed down for generations. The watch's bond with its host determines how powerful it can get. That power is amplified by the owner who possesses it. It also shows the connection you have with it and the crystals embedded."

  "Does Crim summoning Mizu in her sleep count as well?" Aki queried.

  "She did that in her sleep?" Quil asked.

  "Ya. Last night she did it," Aki confirmed.

  "Woofa!"

  We looked down at Mizu who sat up from where he and Urufu perched next to my feet.

  "And he's still in his form without bothering Crimson," Yoshi noted.

  Haru looked at me. "You feeling alright, Crimson? Like are you tired or feel your energy is being taken from you at a slow pace?"

  "I feel perfectly fine. No, I'm not tired at all and I don't feel like energy is being taken away from me."

  Yoshi stood from where he sat next to me and walked over to stand opposite of us, so he'd be able to address all of us. "I think we should get trained by a professional, especially Crimson."

  "Trained by a professional? Professional what?" I asked.

  "Professional Mage Master. My father had suggested it the first time we arrived at the palace, but I didn't think it was necessary because I assumed we'd be strong enough to protect Crim. However, with Crimson's powers beginning to manifest and morph into the watch, she has to be able to defend herself at a higher level which includes magic and weapon usage."

  "Not to mention she has to train her Kitsune as well," Aki added.

  Quil nodded and Malachi crossed his arms over his chest. "She'll need to work on using her swords," Malachi noted.

  "And familiars," Quil stated.

  "So, I, Crimson over here, have to basically train my butt off to protect myself and use all my shiny new powers," I summarized.

  They all smirked and Haru stood up, moving to stand next to Itsuki. "Pretty much." He winked.

  "Crimson, have you dreamt about anything else?" Yoshi asked.

  I frowned and glanced away. "Nope."

  My words were like ice and they gave off the 'skip the subject' impression. I didn't want to linger on my nightmares since that was about 80% of my dreams.

  Aki walked over to me and knelt down to meet my gaze. "Hey. He just means the good ones or anything that involves magic like the pocket watch," Aki soothed. I bit my lip, feeling a bit bad for shutting them out over a simple question.

  I took a quick glance at the others, noticing their worried expressions, and I sighed. "Sorry. I'm...still working on things. I didn't mean to be rude."

  "Woof!" Urufu added, hopping on the sofa to put her head on my lap. Mizu joined on the other side, both of them nestling to my sides and placing their heads on my lap which made me smile.

  "It's alright, Crimson. We understand," Yoshi replied, giving me a supportive smile while the others nodded in agreement.

  "Arigato," I whispered, giving them a small smile. "To answer your previous question, not really? I mean...sometimes I dream about cherry blossoms. If that makes sense."

  Yoshi nodded and stroked his chin. "That's what I'm worried about. Now that your powers are becoming attuned to you and your Kitsune trusts you, your cherry blossom power is going to kick in and that will need intense training to control it."

  "It's just cherry blossoms? Pink petals that don't even cause papercuts. What is the harm?" I shrugged. "You guys did explain a bit of it, but I don't see why it's such a high-level skill."

  "Innocent but deadly, Crimson," Haru whispered.

  "It's hard for us to explain it. The Mage Master would be able to demonstrate to you. She's one of the few kitsune masters in the world. She'd be able to show you and help you with your Kitsune as well."

  "Is she a nine tails kitsune like me?" I asked.

  "No. Six and she has an SS magic affinity," Aki replied and rose up. "She's trained me in the past and had trained Hotaku Jiyuna many years ago."

  "I guess that means I'm potentially stronger? In terms of magic level and my Kitsune?" I asked.

  "Yes, but without training or control, you'd be an easy target," Itsuki noted.

  "True," I replied. "So the plan is to start after our resort stay or will I begin training there?"

  "We'll need to ask her first. She's most likely going to challenge you," Malachi announced.

  "Challenge me?! Hold on, she's like a legendary ancient woman versus me who just got her powers like a few weeks ago?!" I exclaimed.

  "It's like throwing her into a pack of wolves," Haru pointed out to Itsuki who nodded.

  "Basically."

  "You guys can't really be down for that?" I questioned. "She'll kill me before I take a step."

  "Crimson, you have some good instincts and can fight back when you want to. You wouldn't have survived that mountain with those two guards if you couldn't defend yourself," Aki reminded.

  "But..."

  "Crimson, we'll train you before that time comes," Yoshi assured me.

  Malachi and Itsuki nodded. "We'll be helping you train in combat." Malachi motioned to himself and Itsuki who nodded.

  Quil stepped forward. "I'll help with magic."

  "And I'll make sure you eat." Haru smiled. I giggled at his comment.

  "At least I won't starve. This sounds tiresome." I sighed, already regretting mentioning it. This is going to be a pain.

  My Kitsune yawned and laid down with her tails waving from side to side in a lazy manner. Seeing her lazy appearance made me smile at her. Yes, I'm lazy too.

  She barked in reply, looking pleased that I agreed.

  "We'll take it slow for now. There won't be any rush until we know exactly where we stand and what N.R.O is planning," Yoshi declared.

  "Guess we can go pack then?" I suggested, and the others grinned.

  "Yes!" Malachi announced. "We all deserve a break after yesterday."

  "Agreed." Quil sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

  "I get dibs on staying with Crimson," Haru called out. Everyone was silent before all hell broke loose.

  "Oh, hell no!" Malachi and Quil said together.

  "What kind of smooth trickery is this?" Aki argued.

  "You don't get a say. You've been hogging Crim for weeks. Go away." Malachi brushed him off. "This calls for another Rock-Paper-Scissors battle!"

  "Why can I see this not going well for any of us?" Quil sighed.

  "Because it won't." Itsuki chuckled.

  I stared at them as they began their little competition and lowered my gaze to Minzu and Uru who were watching the guys in excitement.

  "I've missed them," I whispered, petting my two familiars while I continued to watch them duel it out with the game of chance.

  I hope I'll be able to protect and love them the same way they do me.

  "Crim, are you sure nothing is bothering you?"

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, doing my best to keep calm when my Kitsune was practically growling with her six out of nine tails out. She means well. Don't be upset.

  No offense to Hakua, but I was getting annoyed with her continuously asking me if something was wrong.

  We were in our room of the resort. The guys split up into groups of two while Hakua and I got our own room to share.
Urufu was playing around with Mizu outside in the garden and the guys were giving me a chance to have best friend time.

  However, the moment Hakua saw me she could tell something was off. It would have been my outfit that tipped her off. I wore a dress but with black leggings, something I had always been against unless it was practically freezing in Japan.

  The fact I said I wasn't in the mood for hugs right now was probably raising red flags in Hakua's mind, and she wasn't going to take my "I'm fine" responses. I thought I could handle her annoying inquiries, but my Kitsune was getting irritated as well and that was only adding anxiety to my already high-stress level.

  Having been cooped up in the safe house with Aki and my dad, I hadn't ventured outside in a while, and I felt almost uncomfortable in public. It made me feel like I was a different person, and though I was doing my best to "fit in" and act like I wasn't recovering from everything that happened in the forest, it was beginning to go downhill.

  "Nothing is bothering me, Hakua, for the 35th time." I practically growled my response, laying out my white robe that I hoped to put on once Hakua went to the washroom.

  "I can tell something is wrong, Crim. Who the hell wears leggings when it's so hot I can boil an egg with the sun and the asphalt."

  I glanced over my shoulder to give her my best "DROP IT" look. She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Don't complain by saying I'm the worst friend ever after asking you X amount of times if you're okay," Hakua huffed. I watched her grab her stuff and she headed for the washroom to shower.

  With a sigh, I shook my head, my Kitsune finally settling down as she returned to her little corner and allowed her six tails to curl up around her body. She still stayed on guard, looking ready for another round of growling.

  I appreciated her protective behavior, but I knew Hakua was just trying to be a good friend. It's okay. We'll hopefully get through this vacation and go back to our safe space at home. At least the guys don't ask a million questions.

  Taking the opportunity of Hakua's absence, I stripped and began to remove all the bandages. The guys stated that Haru was going stay behind while they prepared to go to the hot springs, so they'd make sure to have someone help me bandage up my back wounds.

  My legs were healing, and Aki said with time, the Mage Master would be able to create a cream that would help heal my scars. That's where he had gotten his scars healed up.

  I finished throwing out the bandages and pulled out the ribbon from my hair to stare at the beautiful rich material. It made me smile and my heart skipped a beat at the present that meant a lot to me.

  I folded it and placed it neatly next to my kimono for the evening. Itsuki had made sure the staff gave me the longer version to cover my legs since there was a new trend that the female guests received shorter kimonos due to the intense heat in these parts.

  I reached out for my robe to put it on when I heard Hakua gasp. Great...

  "Crimson Jiyuna, what the fuck happened to your back and thighs?!" Hakua snapped.

  That set my Kitsune off, her growling fit returning with force and another two tails appeared, making her total count a lovely 8 out of 9.

  "Nothing Hakua," I replied and quickly put my white robe on. "Just got injured when we did the mission thing. It wasn't bad."

  "Wasn't bad? Crimson do not fucking lie to me! You look like you were fucking whipped! Why haven't they healed yet? Do the guys know? Does your family know? Who the fuck did that to you?!"

  I couldn't even keep up with the words coming out of her mouth, and I walked over to grab my little bag with shampoo, conditioner, and some special 2-in-1 for my tails and ears. I wanted to take a rinse before I went to the springs, but I didn't want to do it here with Hakua's watchful eyes. Not like it mattered anymore.

  "It's a long story," I replied.

  "One you didn't care to share with me?!" she shrieked, and I closed my eyes, doing my best to be patient while my Kitsune began to approach the surface like a predator ready to pounce on its prey.

  "Hakua. Drop it," I whispered and grabbed a towel and washcloth from the complementary bin provided by the resort. "I'm going to the springs early. I don't want company."

  "Crimson, you're not leaving this damn room until you tell me what the fuck happened and who the hell hurt you!" she snapped.

  "It's none of your business!"

  "IT IS my business! You're MY best friend. Why am I the last to know about this? I've known you practically your whole life! I've been there for you during the worst parts and best parts. Why the hell did that change?!"

  I clenched my fists that were both trembling and remained silent as she continued.

  "What happened, Crimson?"

  "Nothing," I replied and headed to the door. I could hear her approach and I begged the ancestors to make sure she didn't touch me, but that went out the door when her hand landed on my shoulder.

  My Kitsune reacted then, coming right to the surface, and before I could fight for control Hakua was on the ground with her hand behind her back.

  "Shit, Crimson! I'm not going to hurt you."

  "Do. Not. Touch. Us." My Kitsune snarled before she pulled back, and I immediately let Hakua go and rose to my feet.

  Hakua was up just as fast and she turned around to face me. "What the fuck, Crim!"

  "DROP IT, HAKUA!" I screamed.

  Within seconds, the door slid open and Aki, Yoshi, and Quil were staring at the two of us. "What the fuck is going on?" Yoshi shouted.

  "Why doesn't someone fill me in as to why the fuck my best friend has wounds all over her back and thighs?!" Hakua snapped back.

  I lost it.

  "I GOT RAPED, HAKUA! YOU FUCKING HAPPY?!" I yelled. Her jaw dropped open and I decided to just say what I had to say before my Kitsune had her way.

  "Erica kidnapped me, locked me in a fucking cold ass dungeon like a chained-up animal, had the time of her life whipping me, and then proceeded to fucking touch me as a fucking reward! Then she went back to whipping me some more! THERE! That's what fucking happened, and maybe if you used your fucking eyes and paid attention, you would have realized I don't want to fucking TALK ABOUT IT!"

  I moved out of there so fast I didn't even know how the hell I'd reached the spa area that was on the other side of the giant resort. I closed the door and locked it before I dropped my stuff and moved to the shower portion of the bathhouse.

  My eyes locked onto my image in the large standing mirror that was positioned on my right before the showers, causing me to stop in my tracks.

  My white ears and tails were out, my tails surrounded by a dark pink aura that reminded me of the time Aki had confronted James. My eyes were no longer turquoise, but a bright pink. I had weird lines on my face that I'd only seen in shows and books about kitsunes, and my arms and legs had similar ones.

  My body was trembling with rage, and as much as I fought not to stare at the wounds on my thighs, I did, the action bringing those memories right back.

  "Ninety-One, Ninety-two."

  I lifted my hands to my ears and let out a frustrated scream.

  "You're DEAD! You aren't here!"

  Moving to the showers, I reached out to put the cold water on but stopped, my hand trembling so hard that I could barely wrap my hand over the handle. My inhales and exhales were fast, and my legs buckled as I dropped to the ground.

  "I should reward you."

  "I don't want it!" I screamed, putting my hands on my ears once more.

  Go away, go away, go away!

  My mind knew it was an illusion, yet Erica's voice felt so real. It sounded like she was right there, holding her whip with that sinister smile of hers as she walked around me. I could see the lust in her eyes and the way she'd licked her lips, ready to torture me.

  "Did you like your reward? Don't cry. You came just fine. Just admit you enjoyed it."

  "I DIDN'T!" I screamed back and moved to the nearest corner. I curled up into a ball while my tails wrapped around me, and I rocked back and forth. Help, h
elp, help. I don't want to hurt anymore. I don't want her to touch me. Please don't touch me. I don't like it. Please.

  "Crimson!"

  It must have been my imagination continuing to play tricks on me; Haru's panicked voice echoed through the room. I locked the door. No one can come in. Erica can't come here. Yes, she can't come...but no one can save me.

  My Kitsune pushed to the surface again and allowed me to hide while she protected me from the approaching footsteps. We won't be hurt again. Never again.

  Haru walked right into the showers, his head whipping in our direction and his eyes growing wide. "Crimson?"

  My Kitsune growled, and out of nowhere, cherry blossoms began to fall from the ceiling. Haru stood completely still and he put his hands up.

  "Crimson. It's me, Haru. I'm not going to hurt you."

  "Liar." We growled in defense, tears rolling down are flushed cheeks.

  "I'm not lying. I swear it," Haru replied. My eyes noticed his orange and white fluffy tail, that stayed completely in view. My Kitsune knew what he was right away.

  "Fox," she stated out loud. "Cunning and dangerous."

  "Just because I'm a fox doesn't mean I'm going to hurt Crimson. I promise I'm here to help."

  My Kitsune was silent for a moment before she pulled back from the surface. My frightened eyes met his wide ones that softened. "Crimson. Don't cry."

  His words simply ignored the waterworks and I began to sob. "I didn't mean to, Haru, but Hakua wouldn't stop. Now the voice is back, and I don't know what to do."

  "The voice."

  "Erica's. I know she's dead, but I can hear her counting and her wanting to reward me. I tell her to stop and I know she's not real. Her voice isn't real, yet I can't shut it out. I'm scared if it's not completely gone, it'll happen again. She'll come back and take me to the dungeon and torture me again. Then...then...reward me...and make the pain come back." I cried.

  Haru nodded in understanding. "Crim. I want to come closer. I won't hurt you," Haru soothed, and I slowly nodded while my shoulders shook. He approached me at a slow pace, his mismatched orange and gold eyes assessing my body as if to make sure I had no wounds.