The Summoning
Within minutes, the pot began to bubble over and a thick mist began rolling down the stove. It climbed down to the tile floor and began to creep into the living room. Lyn noticed the mist out of the corner of her eye.
"I've got to go." she said as she hung up the phone and bolted into the kitchen.
"Oh no, I didn't think it would cook this quickly!" Lyn said to herself as she began fanning at the mist.
Lyn let out a startled shriek as a tiny fox poked its head out of the pot.
"I'm not that scary, am I?" he said, a bit surprised at Lyn's reaction.
"W-what the hell are you doing in my pot? And did you just talk? Oh God, I think I'm losing it. A talking fox in my cooking pot, I'm definitely seeing things.
"Well, you DID summon me, didn't you?" he replied.
Lyn gave the fox a confused stare. As the fox jumped out of the pot and on to the counter top, Lyn was entranced by his silky white coat, so much so that she completely ignored the fact he had two tails.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked.
"Um, nothing really. I was just trying to cook a meal."
The fox walked over to the open book and skimmed the page.
"This is no cookbook. This is a book of summoning." the fox said.
"So I guess you're some sort of fox spirit." Lyn replied.
"You catch on fast, don't you."
"This whole talking fox thing is kinda creeping me out though." Lyn said.
"Fine, I can change that."
The fox spirit jumped off the counter top and a white cloud enveloped him. When the cloud dispersed, Lyn was amazed at what she saw. A tall young man stood before her, the light shimmering through his messy black hair. His fox ears poked out from under his hair, and his two tails hung down between his legs.
Lyn, starting to blush, averted her eyes.
"What, doesn't talking to me in this form make you more comfortable?" he said.
"Yes, but for goodness sake, go put some clothes on. My brother left some of his old clothes here when he moved out. They should be in the closet." Lyn said.
As the fox spirit grabbed some clothes out of the closet, Lyn called out to him.
"So, do you have a name?" she asked.
"Yes, though you wouldn't be able to speak it in your tongue. Just call me Kitsune, for fox." he replied.
Kitsune walked back into the kitchen waring a pair of navy jeans that barely clung to his hips, and an over sized tank top.
"Hmm, I guess my brother was bigger than I remembered." Lyn said.
"These pants are barely staying on me. The only way I could keep them from falling off was to tuck my tails into the legs."
"This is nothing a little hemming won't fix." Lyn said as she grabbed some pins.
"Why go through all the trouble. Once I complete the task I was summoned to accomplish, I will return to whence I came." Kitsune said as Lyn began taking in the waistline of the jeans
"But I summoned you on accident, remember?"
"Oh, right. So I'm stuck here. Well, isn't this wonderful."
"It can't be all that bad. It's not like you have much of a choice either it seems. Just try to make the best of things while you're here. Oh, I finished taking the jeans in, you can take them off now."
"First you act disgusted at my lack of clothing, and now that you've made them fit, you want me to take them off again? Your ways confuse me."
"The pins won't hold the waist in forever silly. I need to sew the waist in so it stays tight."
"Fine, I think I understand." Kitsune said as he gave Lyn the jeans.
"Oh yea, I'm having some friends over tonight." Lyn said as she began sewing the jeans.
"Let me guess, you want me to make myself scarce, right?"
"No, not at all. I was actually thinking your company would be a nice change of pace."
"I'm not sure about this. Not all people are as laid back as you are about my kind."
"Don't worry, everything will be fine."
"I hope so...."
"They'll be here in about an hour. If anything goes wrong, you could turn back into your fox form and hide for a while, okay?"
"I suppose that could work."
"These pants might take a while. Feel free to go freshen up while you're waiting. The bathroom is right down the hall on your left."
Kitsune walked into the bathroom while Lyn continued working on the pants. He filled the sink with warm water. He leaned over the counter, and in a puff of white smoke, turned back into a fox. He climbed into the water and suddenly felt at ease. All the stress of being stuck with Lyn with no way back home faded as the gentle flow of the water calmed his nerves. His rest was cut short with a knock at the door.
"All finished with the pants." Lyn called from the other side of the door.
Kitsune jumped out of the sink and went back into his human form. He grabbed a towel off the shelf and dried off. He opened the door a crack and Lyn passed him the jeans. Kitsune quickly closed the door and got dressed. He walked out of the bathroom and met Lyn back in the living room.
"Do they know I am here?" Kitsune asked.
"Nope, not yet. I was hoping to surprise them." she replied.
"I've got to get out of here." Kitsune thought.
The doorbell rang before he could even begin to plan his escape. Lyn quickly ran to the door, and Kitsune sat down on the couch, deciding it was to late to run out anyway. Lyn walked back into the living room with her two friends beside her.
The girl to Lyn's left seemed like the studious type, always staring into a new book. her long black hair flowed down to the middle of her back, a few strands falling haphazardly across the lens of her thin, square framed glasses. Her modest black sweater hugged the curves of her body. The legs of her bell bottom jeans brushed against each other as she made her way over to the recliner.
The girl to Lyn's right looked over at Kitsune with a seductive grin. Her light brown hair fell just short of her shoulders, and made her hazel eyes look all the more vibrant. Between her high cut, glaring pink T-shirt and her extremely low cut jeans, she didn't leave much to the imagination.
"You didn't tell me you had a guy over. So, who is he, and don't spare the details." she said as she sat down on the couch next to Kitsune.
"Kitsune, I'd like you to meet my friends Kim," Lyn motioned towards the girl in the recliner, "and Valerie." Lyn said as she motioned towards the girl sitting next to him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Kitsune said with a smile.
"Oh wow, what cute ears." Valerie squealed as she nearly tackled Kitsune, gently scratching his head.
"He's not some kind of pet, you know that, right Val?" Kim said as though she's been through the same conversation a million times over.
"Oh, but you don't mind, do you sweetie?" Valerie asked.
"Well actually..... that feels pretty good. I'll just ignore how terribly humiliating this is for the moment." Kitsune replied.
"So, are you from around here?" Kim asked.
Lyn was about to explain what happened, but Kitsune cut her off.
"I just moved here. I don't know the area all that well yet though." he said.
"I better start making dinner." Lyn said as she walked into the kitchen.
"I'll give you a hand!" Valerie chimed in as she sprung up off the couch to follow Lyn.
"Now that we're alone, can I tell you something?" Kim asked.
"Sure, what is it?" Kitsune replied.
"You're a terrible liar."
"Well, can't say I didn't try."
"I know you're a fox spirit. The ears and tails are a dead giveaway."
"Are most people as keen on summoning as you are, or has the knowledge of summoning continued its trend to fade into obscurity?"
"Most people don't even know of its existence, and those who do pass it off as myth."
"So, how much do you know about me exactly?"
"Not much at all really. I'd have to look up the exact text you were summoned from to know any more than the obvious. If you're worried I'll reveal your secret, don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
"So, what were you summoned to do anyway."
"That's the thing, Lyn summoned my by accident. She thought the book I was summoned from was a cookbook."
"So in other words you're stuck here then."
"Unfortunately...."
"And I'm also assuming you don't know how to get back, right?"
"Sadly, yes, but I'm working on finding a way back."
"Dinner is almost ready." Lyn called from the other room.
As Kitsune and Kim made their way into the kitchen, she pulled him close.
"I'll do some digging later and see if I can find a way to get you back home. I'll give you a call if I find anything." she whispered in his ear.
Kitsune took a seat at the table as Lyn and Valerie brought trays of freshly steamed vegetables and a tender steak to the table. Valerie and Kim took a seat at either side of Kitsune.
"Oh, you have tails to? How adorable!" Valerie shrieked in glee as she began playing with Kitsune's tails.
"I'll be right back. If you'll excuse me." Kitsune said as he got up and walked to the bathroom.
He turned on the warm water and filled up the sink. He turned into his fox form and hopped in. The warm water felt soothing as it soaked through his fur. He quickly dosed off to sleep.
He was roused from sleep by Lyn's voice.
"Kitsune, are you alright? You've been in there for over a half an hour!" she called.
"Yea. I'll be right out." Kitsune replied as he climbed out of the sink.
In a puff of smoke he went back into his human form and dried himself off with a towel. He walked out of the bathroom and made his way back into the kitchen.
"What happened, did you fall in?" Valerie said with a giggle as Kitsune took a seat at the table.
Kitsune filled his plate with food and started eating.
"So, I heard you got a new cookbook." Kim said.
"Yea, I did. Nearly cost me my entire paycheck though." Lyn replied.
"Mind if I take a look?" Kim asked.
Kitsune gave Lyn a nod as she looked over to him for approval.
"Sure." Lyn replied as she grabbed the book off the counter.
Kim began flipping through the pages, Kitsune looking over her shoulder.
"Have you tried any yet?" Lyn asked.
"Just one, but it didn't work out the way I expected." Lyn replied.
"Which one, do you remember?"
Lyn took the book from Kim and began thumbing through the pages.
"I think it was this one." Lyn said as she passed the book back to Kim.
"This can't be right. This would summon a Beholder, which probably would have killed Lyn outright....... I hope she realizes how lucky she is that she summoned Kitsune and not something else." Kim thought.
"Are you sure this is the page?" Kim asked.
"Not really, I just opened to a random page and tried it." Lyn replied.
As Kim continued flipping through the pages, Lyn began cleaning up the table.
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a long commute to work tomorrow morning." Valerie said as she got to her feet.
"I was hoping you could stay a bit longer, but if you must." Lyn replied.
"It was nice meeting you Kitsune, hope to see you again soon cutie." Valerie said as she gently rubbed behind Kitsune's ear.
As Valerie left, Kitsune leaned towards Kim.
"How long until she realizes I'm not her pet?" Kitsune whispered.
"She's like that with most guys. It's just her way of letting you know she's interested I guess." Kim replied.
Kim rose from the chair, closing the spellbook as she got to her feet.
"I better be going as well, it's getting late." Kim said.
"Alright. We have to do this again sometime soon." Lyn replied cheerfully.
"Oh, Kitsune, I'm going to do some digging on your predicament and see what I can find. I'll give you a call if anything turns up."
After Kim left, Kitsune turned towards Lyn.
"So, where should I sleep?" he asked.
"Oh my, I completely forgot you need a place to stay."
"You said you had a brother right? What about his room?"
" I converted it into a study after he moved out a few years back."
" I guess I'll take the couch then."
"No, I cant have you sleeping on the couch. You're my guest!"
"Well, I'm out of ideas so unless you can think of something...."
Lyn thought for a moment, and then her eyes lit up with excitement.
"I've got it! You can sleep in my room!" she exclaimed.
Kitsune gave her a bewildered stare.
"What I mean to say is that I'll take the couch and you can take my room."
"It's alright, I'm fine with the couch."
"You're taking the bed and that's FINAL!" Lyn said forcefully.
"Okay, fine, I'll take the bed. I'm going to get some sleep, where is your room anyway?"
"Down the hall, last door on the right."
Kitsune walked down to Lyn's room while she got the couch ready for herself. As he opened the door, he was surprised at how overly pink the room was. The bed was fitted with pink sheets, pink curtains adorned the windows, the floor was blanketed by a pink shag rug, and the walls were painted an obnoxiously bright shade of pink.
He went into his fox form and curled up on the foot of the bed. With a short sigh of relief, he soon fell asleep. Unfortunately, his rest was ended abruptly as he was shoved off the bed.
"What the hell was that!?" Kitsune yelled as he rose to his feet.
Lyn peered over the side of the bed.
"Oh God, I'm so sorry! I couldn't sleep on the couch, it was too hard, so I came back here hoping you were still up, but you looked so cute curled up on the bed that I didn't want to disturb you." Lyn said apologetically.
"It's alright, its about time we should get up anyway." Kitsune replied.
"It's three in the morning. I don't know about you, but I'm going back to sleep." Lyn said as she rolled over on her side.
As Kitsune felt around for the switch to the hall light, he looked back and noticed Lyn kicking in her sleep.
"Well, that explains a lot...." he thought as he walked out the door.
He switched on the hall light and made his way to the living room. Suddenly, the bulb exploded overhead. Lyn rushed in to see what had happened.
"What was that noise? Are you okay?" Lyn said as she ran to Kitsune.
"Watch your step, there's broken glass everywhere.."
"What happened?"
"The light exploded, and I heard this strange noise just before it happened too..."
Death metal began blaring from Lyn's cellphone.
"Interesting choice of music." Kitsune said.
Lyn quickly answered the phone.
"Hello?" Lyn answered.
"H-hey Lyn." Kim replied, sounding as though she was just scared half to death.
"Are you alright?"
"Yea, just a bit startled is all. I was doing some late night research when the light in my study, living room, lounge, and my desk lamp exploded simultaneously. What the hell is going on here?"
"Let me talk to her." Kitsune said.
Lyn passed the phone over to Kitsune, filling him in on what just happened.
"Kim, it's Kitsune. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"About those lights.... when did they explode?"
"Not even five minutes ago, why?"
"The hall light over here just exploded. Something is up, and I think it has to do with another summon."
"And so you thought I'd have some insight. Sorry to burst your bubble but I'm in the dark on this one."
"Well, keep me posted if you find anything."
"I'm giong back to sleep now." Lyn said as she walked to her room.
"Maybe I'll take a nap. I'm still sleepy after that rude awakening this morning." Kitsune thought to himself.
He curled up and fell asleep. After what felt like only a few minutes, he awoke to Lyn gently shaking him.
"Kitsune, you've got to get out of here. My brother just called and he'll be over any minute." Lyn said frantically.
"What? Why do I have to get out of here so fast, is something wrong?"
Before Lyn could explain, the front door swung open.
Standing in the door was a tall man with a pale complexion. His short, spiked blond hair skimmed the top of the door frame as he walked inside. As he walked into the living room, his eyes met with Kitsune's.
"Lyn, who the hell is this?" he said, his blue eyes glaring at Kitsune.
"He's a friend of mine. Calm down Alex." Lyn replied.
"If you do anything to Lyn, I'll kill you, understand?" Alex said as he pulled Kitsune to him.
Alex quickly looked over Kitsune, and his eyes burned with rage.
"Are those my jeans!? What the hell is going on here you punk!" Alex yelled.
Lyn tried to calm her brother down as Kitsune went into a panic. Alex was blinded by a burst of smoke as Kitsune went into his fox form and scurried away.
"What....the hell just happened?" Alex said in confusion, still trying to wrap his mind around how Kitsune could have possibly turned into a fox.
"Come, sit down on the couch, I'll explain everything." Lyn said as she led Alex over to the couch.
As Lyn began talking to Alex, Kitsune cautiously crept back into the living room. He hopped up on the recliner and looked over at Alex. After about five minutes, Lyn was still quietly talking to Alex. Kitsune jumped off the recliner and walked out of the room. He took a nice refreshing bath in the sink. Feeling calm and relaxed once more, Kitsune dried off and walked back into the living room.
"I guess Lyn has brought you up to speed on everything by now." Kitsune said as he jumped up on the couch.
Alex's face went pale as Kitsune spoke.
"I-I-It can talk?!?" he stammered.
"It's been fifteen minutes and you still haven't filled him in? What have you been doing all this time?"
"We kinda got off on a tangent I guess."
"Fine, I'll explain everything then."
Kitsune explained the events of the previous day.
"I think I understand now...." Alex began.
"That's good." Kitsune replied.
"....But if you ever try anything with Lyn, you're dead! Fot that, fox boy?" Alex said with a sinister grin.
"If it makes you feel better, I'm not even really interested in Lyn." Kitsune said.
"So now you're calling her ugly!?"
"That's not what I said! What I mean is she just isn't my type."
Lyn's cell phone began to ring. She answered it, ignoring the argument for the moment.
"Kitsune, it's for you." Lyn said as she handed him the phone.
"Hey, it's Kim. I think I've figured out what caused the exploding light fiasco the other night."
"Thats great, what happened?"
"You're not going to like this, but I believe you are involved in this whole mess."
"What? You can't be serious."
"Unfortunately, I am. You seem to be only half of the summon."
"You lost me, what?"
"Well, according to my sources, there was another fox spirit summoned along with you."
"Two spirits? So it was the other one that caused the lights to explode."
"Exactly. You were both supposed to be summoned to the same location, but apparently Lyn's concoction drew you to her place instead."
"So about this other spirit..."
"It's your polar opposite. While you are kind, gentle, caring, your other half is quite mischievous, and malicious. Separated, each of you is only at half your potential power. That is why the other half is hunting you down."
"Where did you find all this out from?"
"Well, I couldn't sleep last night, so I've been looking into all of this since then."
"So you've been looking through the books for the past eight hours? You really need to get out more."
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that.
"I've got to stop this thing before it causes any more trouble. Any idea where it will strike next?"
"Well, considering its nature, it will most likely want to make a grand entrance. When it finds you, you will definitely know it. If it does track you down, let me know right away. I've always wanted to see something like this in person."
"Alright, keep me posted, Kim."
"Sure thing."
With that, Kim hung up the phone.
"What was that all about?" Lyn asked.
"Kim just updated me on the situation. It would seem that I'm only half of the summon."
"Only half the summon? How is that even possible?"
"Will someone fill me in on whats going on?" Alex butted in.
"Well, Kim said my other half is searching or me, and is probably going to make a grand entrance when it finally tracks me down."
"So you're saying it will probably strike at some big event..." Lyn replied.
"Will you two please tell me what the hell is going on?!" Alex yelled in frustration.
"Speaking of big events...." Lyn began.
"You know what, I don't even care anymore! I'm going to make a sandwich!" Alex said as he stormed into the kitchen.
"There is going to be a dance tonight at the local club and I was wondering..."
"Don't even think about going out with her fox boy!" Alex yelled from the other room.
"I already have a date moron!" Lyn yelled back.
"Anyway, as I was saying. I was wondering if you could maybe go out with Kim. You two seemed to hit it off pretty well the other night." Lyn continued.
"I don't see why not. I'd be glad to." Kitsune replied.
"Well that's a relief, you're not taking fox boy because you already... wait, YOU ALREADY HAVE A DATE!?" Alex yelled, going into hysterics.
"I'm a big girl now Alex, you can stop trying to protect me from everything. I can take care of myself."
"But what if it's some loser like fox boy here?" Alex said, motioning towards Kitsune.
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." Kitsune growled.
"Alex, stop it!" Lyn yelled.
"So, when is this dance anyway?" Kitsune asked.
"It starts in five hours, just enough time to get you ready, since you need something to wear."
"But I already have something to wear."
"Let me rephrase that, something that doesn't make you look like a hobo."
"A hobo? I feel like I should be offended, if I had the slightest idea of what you mean."
"Never mind. Let's just find you something to wear." Lyn said as she pushed Kitsune out the door.
She ran across town with Kitsune in tow, racing to the department store as fast as she could. After fifteen minutes of running, they finally reached the store. The massive building towered over them, reaching into the clouds. Mounted above the sliding glass doors was a huge, lit sign reading Shop-Mart.
Lyn and Kitsune hurried into the store. She practically dragged him to the men's clothing department and immediately began handing him clothes.
"Lyn, could you slow down a bit? I already have an idea of what I want to wear." Kitsune said.
"Leave the outfits to me, you just go into the dressing room and try these all on." Lyn replied, still grabbing clothes off the racks.
Kitsune grabbed some clothes of his own on the way to the dressing room. After a minute or two, he walked out wearing a loose, solid black T-shirt and a dark pair of denim jeans.
"I don't remember picking that out, but I like it." Lyn said.
"Should I try on the others?"
"Nah, just change back into your old stuff and we'll buy what you have on now."
After Kitsune finished changing, they quickly made their way to the checkout counter and out the door.
"With any luck, we should be back home with plenty of time to get ready." Lyn said, looking at her watch.
They quickly ran back across town and ran up to Lyn's apartment.
"I'm going to take a quick bath. I'll let you know when I finish so you can freshen up." Lyn said as she walked into the bathroom.
Kitsune walked into the kitchen and decided to make himself a sandwich. He could hear the water running through the pipes as Lyn started to fill the tub with water. Just as Kitsune was about to bite into his sandwich, the sound of Lyn's scream echoed through the apartment.
"Are you alright?" Kitsune yelled as he ran towards the bathroom.
He turned the corner leading to the hall and noticed the bathroom door was open. He looked inside o see if Lyn was alright. Alex was standing just inside the doorway, shattered glass covering the floor in front of him. Lyn was kneeling in the bathtub, covering herself with the shower curtain.
"BOTH OF YOU, OUT!" she screamed, he face turning red with embarrassment.
Kitsune and Alex scrambled outside, closing the door behind them. They both sat down in the kitchen, Alex's face going pale with fear. They heard the bathroom door slam, and Lyn stormed into the kitchen. Kitsune sensed her looming over him from behind.
"Up." she said sternly as she lifted Kitsune out of the chair by his shirt.
She pushed him out of the kitchen and into the living room. She shoved him and he fell into the recliner.
"Now..." she began, giving Kitsune an angry stare.
"What exactly did you see?" she continued.
"Well..." Kitsune began.
"Oh, and don't even think of lying." Lyn cut in.
Kitsune explained to her exactly what he saw.
"You seem to be telling the truth. Go freshen up, we only have an hour before it's time to leave."
Kitsune took a quick bath in the sink and got dressed. By the time he had finished, Lyn was ready and waiting for him at the front door.
They quickly made their way through the apartment complex and to Kim's apartment.
"Hey Kim, you ready? Lyn called as she knocked on the door.
"I'll be out in a minute. Just getting dressed." Kim replied.
After waiting a few minutes, Kim walked out wearing a tight pair of dress slacks and a lavender shirt, which she was still buttoning as she stepped outside.
"Oh, hi Kitsune. I didn't know you were coming too." Kim said.
"Well, if my other half were to strike, this would probably be the most likely place for it."
The three of them rand down to the ground floor of the complex and bolted out the door. Kim unlocked her silver Civic and they all climbed in.
"Any more leads on my other half?" Kitsune asked as Kim pulled out of the parking lot.
"Well, it would make sense that your other half would resemble you, keeping the ears and tails in human form. That should at least make it easier to spot."
The car came to a halt as they reached the dance club. Lights flashed around the windows of the domed building as they walked inside. Rave music was blasting from the speakers as strobe lights flashed all over the room.
"Lets hit the dance floor." Kim said as she pulled Kitsune by the hand into the crowd of people.
"Now that I've got you alone, I can fill you in on everything else I found out." Kim said.
"Why couldn't you say this in front of Lyn before?"
"I didn't want to worry her. Someone has been watching you. I saw a fox on my window ledge this afternoon, and I saw the same one outside the apartment building the other day. If your other half strikes, it will happen tonight."
"I'll stay on guard then."
"You look kind of awkward just standing there. You know how to dance don't you?"
"Well, not really."
"Well, it's time to learn." Kim said as she put her hands on Kitsune's shoulders.
"Just follow my lead." she continued as she began to dance.
"Mind if I cut in!" a voice yelled.
Before Kim could see who was talking, she was tackled to the ground.
"Damn, wrong one." the assailant muttered.
"Who do you think you are attacking an innocent girl like that!" Kitsune shouted as he grabbed the assailant.
They stared at each other for a moment, dumbfounded.
"My other half is a girl?" Kitsune thought.
"Your face is telling me that I'm not quite what you were expecting, am I right?" she said.
"But you had the same surprised look on your face." Kitsune replied.
"You don't anything, do you."
"What do you mean?"
"You have no memories of home, friends, family, anything before you found yourself in this place, not even me, am I right so far?"
"Sorry if I don't remember you, but I can't really see in this lighting either."
"Fine, lets take this outside then, you should be able to see me clearly by the light of the moon."
The two of them slipped out the back door onto the grassy field.
As the moonlight shone off her face, Kitsune recognized her vibrant beauty. Her long, black hair glistened in the moonlight, coiling itself around her body. Her deep hazel eyes gazed into his with a familiar passion.
Suddenly, a wave of emotion came upon Kitsune as he stared into her eyes. He saw himself as a young boy, running through a thick forest. He was running to the aid of a young girl about the same age as he was. She was backed against a tree, her face wrought with terror as she stared down a menacing wolf. With a yell, Kitsune ran forward and tore through the wolf with his claws. The wolf fell to a bloody heap on the ground as the girl rose to her feet. She approached Kitsune, still shaking in fear of what had just transpired.
"T-thank you." she stammered as she approached Kitsune.
With that same passionate look in her eye, she stared at Kitsune and said with a smile "My name is Serien. What's yours?"
"Serien...." Kitsune said, his mind drifting back to the present.
"So you do remember me it seem." Serien said with a grin.
"What do you know about me?"
"Not much. All that I am certain of is that you're very dear to me."
Serien pulled out a small locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of Kitsune.
"I think we should head back inside, we've been out here for quite some time now, and the others are probably getting worried." Kitsune said as he took Serien's hand.
He lead her back inside. They weaved through the crowds and back over to Lyn and Kim, who were waiting for them by the front door.
"It's about time. I was starting to worry." Kim said as she got out of her chair.
"We're fine. Is your back feeling okay? You hit the floor pretty hard if I remember." Kitsune replied.
"About that, I'm really sorry. I guess I got a bit carried away back there." Serien said as she stepped out from behind Kitsune.
"Kitsune, what's going on? I thought you two were supposed to be polar opposites, mortal enemies. I'm so confused right now." Kim said.
"Figures, humans always had a knack for jumping to the wrong conclusions. I'll fill you in later, but I need to get out of here, these lights are giving me a migraine like you wouldn't believe." Serien replied.
They climbed into Kim's Civic and she drove back towards the apartment complex.
"I don't think I ever got your name." Kim said.
"Oh, how rude of me, I didn't even realize. I'm Serien."
"Ah, I'm Kim, and this is Lyn."
"Well, now that the formalities are out of the way, it's time to clarify a few things. Kitsune and I don't remember much from before we came here, but apparently we were close."
"So you're not his evil half, are you."
"No, not at all. I guess people just assume that I'm evil since women of our kind just tend to be more aggressive."
"What about the exploding lights in the middle of the night?"
"You mean this?"
Serien opened her mouth, and one of the street lamps shattered overhead.
"So that's what I heard." Kitsune said.
"What? I didn't hear anything." Lyn replied.
"Your ears aren't sensitive enough to pick it up. I've been calling out to Kitsune like this for the past few days, hoping he'd respond." Serien said.
"I heard that same noise just before the lights shattered. Kitsune said.
"How dare you label my beautiful voice as nothing more than noise!" Serien yelled, grabbing hold of Kitsune's head.
An uneasy silence fell upon them as Serien glared at Kitsune. Her eyes narrowed, almost closing entirely. Without warning, she pulled Kitsune into a forceful embrace. After she let go, she brushed the hair from her face and breathed a sigh of relief.
"I forgot how great that felt." Serien said, licking her lips.
"Wow, she wasn't kidding when she said she was aggressive." Kim said.
Kim parked the car by the side of the apartment complex and they went up to Lyn's apartment. Lyn opened the door to find Alex sound asleep on the couch.
"I think I should go. It is kind of late." Kim said, stepping back out the door.
Lyn and the others tiptoed past Alex and into the spare room in the back.
"So Serien, do you have a place to stay?" Lyn asked.
"Not really. I've mostly been sleeping in local parks while looking for Kitsune here.
"Well, how would you like to stay here?" Lyn replied.
"Are you sure you have room? I wouldn't want to be a bother." she said timidly.
"It's no trouble at all. You can share this room with Kitsune if you want." Lyn replied.
Becoming flustered, Serien's face quickly went red.
"I-I don't think I'm ready for that just yet..." she said, fidgeting nervously.
"That's fine, I understand. You can share my room with me then." Lyn said with a smile.
"That would be great. I really appreciate you doing this for me."
"Don't mention it." Lyn replied.
"Well, I'm beat. I'll see you two in the morning." Kitsune said, unrolling the futon in the corner of the room.
Lyn and Serien walked off to their room and turned in for the night. Serien went into her fox form and curled up at the foot of the bed.
She started dreaming of Kitsune, laying by his side on a grassy hilltop, staring into the stars. Hand in hand, a calming silence enveloped them. She ran her fingers through Kitsune's hair, rubbing behind his ear. She let out a sigh as she rolled over and kissed his cheek.
Roused from sleep, she groggily opened her eyes, startled to see Alex inches from her face, scowling at her. Jumping to her feet, she cautiously backed away.
"I warned you not to try anything with my sister, fox boy. I guess you want to learn the hard way." Alex said angrily.
"Get away from me before I rend your heart from your chest." Serien growled.
Alex's face went from anger to confusion in seconds as he stared at Serien dumbfounded.
"You're not... who..." Alex muttered.
"I think I see what happened. You mistook me for Kitsune, didn't you..." she sighed.
He gave her a nod of agreement, still startled by her threat.
"Well, if you did find him here, we'd both have reason to kill him." Serien said with a laugh.
Lyn sat up with a groan, rubbing her eyes.
"Alex, what are you doing here?" she said sleepily.
"Just checking in on you, that's all." he replied.
"Well go back to sleep. I'm fine, and I need sleep." she groaned, pulling the pillow over her head.
Alex walked out, still not entirely sure what just happened. Serien and Lyn drifted back to sleep soon after the door shut.
Kitsune tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. There was a persistent knocking at the window, sounding as thought a branch was constantly being blown against it. He had been ignoring it for a few minutes, hoping he could just sleep through it. He jumped as the light knocking quickly turned into a loud thumping. He turned to see a small raccoon hurling itself against the window. It stared at him with sad longing eyes, starting to shiver. Groggily he crawled out of bed and opened the window. The raccoon slipped inside and crawled up on his shoulder.
"Remember me?" she asked, nuzzling Kitsune's neck.
"Am I supposed to?" he replied.
"I'm hurt. How could you forget about someone like me so easily?" she said with a pout.
She hopped off Kitsune's shoulder and curled up at his feet. In a puff of smoke, she turned into a beautiful young woman. Like Kitsune, she kept the ears and tail of her animal form.
"Recognize me now?" she asked as she approached him.
She fixed her cloudy blue eyes upon him, brushing her short black hair out of her eyes.
"Still drawing a blank..." he replied apologetically, inching closer and closer to the wall.
She put her arms on Kitsune's shoulders, looking him in the eyes.
"Maybe this will help refresh your memory..." she whispered, starting to massage his chest.
Kitsune squirmed free and backed towards the door.
"I don't even know you, well remember you, and it doesn't look like I will any time soon. I'm sorry." Kitsune sighed.
"Fine, be that way. I see when I'm not wanted." Reika said, rising to her feet.
"I really don't remember... I wish I could..." Kitsune groaned.
"Don't worry, it'll come in time. I just hope you open up to me by then." she said with a wink, slipping back out the window.
No sooner did the window shut, Serien burst through the door, eyes burning with rage.
"Who was just in here?" she said calmly, trying to keep her composure.
Kitsune opened his mouth to speak, startled by her sudden entrance.
"And don't even think about lying. I could smell her all the way from Lyn's room." she growled.
"N-nothing happened." Kitsune stammered.
"Wrong. She was all over you, you reek of her scent. Last chance." Serien snapped, pinning Kitsune against the wall.
"She came on to me, claiming she knew me from somewhere, but I didn't remember her. She tried giving my a massage but when I resisted, she got offended and left. That's all that happened, I swear." Kitsune replied, practically pleading.
"That's fine and all, but I don't buy it." she sighed.
"But I'm not..." Kitsune pleaded.
"I guess you'll just have to make it up to me..." she said with a grin, throwing him to the floor.
She pinned him down, staring into his eyes. Licking her lips, she rested her head next to his, her lips on his ear.
"I think you know what I want." she whispered as she began kissing his neck.
"You're kidding right? We hardly remember each other!" Kitsune protested as he broke free.
Serien grabbed him again and slammed him against the wall, pinning him with her body.
Lyn suddenly kicked in the door, looking as though she were at her wits end.
"I know you two have some catching up to do, but could you NOT DO IT AT FOUR IN THE MORNING!" she yelled.
Kitsune and Serien gave her a silent and fearful nod.
"Good. Now that that's settled, I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight." she said cheerfully, dragging Serien out of the room as she left.
Kitsune curled up on his futon and finally got to sleep.
As a wave of blazing heat fell over him, Kitsune opened his eyes to find himself in front of a roaring wall of flames. Serien clung to him, her tears dripping down onto his shoulder. He watched in mourning as the forest slowly turned to ash. He had a strange feeling, as though there were something watching them, calling to him from beyond the fire. Before he could realize what was happening, he felt himself being thrown backwards away from the flames, watching them fly out of sight in an instant.
He awoke in a cold sweat, trying to comprehend what exactly he just saw. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he opened the door and walked down the hall to the kitchen. Kim, Lyn, and Serien were sitting at the table as if they were waiting for him.
"Finally awake I see." Lyn said, taking a sip of coffee.
"I've got some good news for you." Kim said cheerfully as Kitsune joined them at the table.
"Spit it out already, we've waited long enough because someone didn't want to get his ass out of bed!" Serien growled, glaring at Kitsune.
"If you hadn't mauled him in the middle of the night, maybe he would have had more sleep." Lyn said with a laugh.
"Okay, whatever I missed last night aside, I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner." Kim began, fixing her glasses.
"My cousin knows a lot more about summoning than I do, actually she's kind of an expert in it. I don't think she actually summons things, but she does a lot of research. I thought maybe we should go pay her a visit. It's been a while since I've seen her anyway." Kim continued, an excited grin on her face.
"So when are we going?" Kitsune asked.
"We're just waiting on you. We've been ready for about an hour or so." Lyn said.
"Well, I'm all set." Kitsune replied.
"Then lets go." Kim said as she bolted out the door.
The group climbed into Kim's car and drove off. As they left the city, Kitsune looked in awe at the rolling hills of grass and forests in the distance.
"Reminds me of home... or what I remember of it." Kitsune thought.
"Oh, there is something I should warn you about. She's a bit odd, can't really explain it. I guess you could call it eccentric but that's not really the right word either..." Kim sighed. as she continued driving towards the mountains.
"So, Kitsune, what exactly did happen last night?" Lyn asked.
"I'd rather not talk about it. Why do you want to know anyway?" he replied.
"Well, you must have done something to get her all wound up. She was talking in her sleep, moving in her sleep..." Lyn began.
"It couldn't be as bad as being kicked off the bed, like you did to me that night." Kitsune replied.
Serien glared at Kitsune, eyes burning with rage.
"It's not what you think, I'll explain later, and let me finish. She was kicking in her sleep, scratching, pinning me to the bed in her sleep. I had to shove her on the floor just so I could get some sleep. You two must have been having one hell of a time." Lyn groaned.
"Can we please change the subject..." Serien growled, her face turning red with embarrassment.
After a long awkward silence, the car finally came to a halt. Kitsune looked out the window to see a small house built into the recess at the base of the mountain. As they opened the door to the house, the sweet aroma of candles wafted over them.
"Who seeks Dia's wisdom." a voice beckoned to them from beyond a silk curtain.
"You can cut the act, It's me." Kim said.
"Ah, Dia was not expecting you." she replied.
"I brought some friends with me who could use your help." Kim continued.
The curtain slid open, revealing Dia sprawled out across an ornate red silk-lined couch.
"So, what can Dia do for you?" she asked, rising to her feet as she walked out from behind the wall of candle smoke.
Her long black cloak dragged across the floor as she walked over to greet Kim. Her long blond hair fell down to her thighs, swirling around her as she walked. She looked over at Kitsune.
"And who might you be, Dia wonders." she said, putting her hand on his cheek.
Serien glared at Dia, who had her hands all over him by this point. Dia noticed Serien out of the corner of her eye.
"Are you two together?" she asked.
"We're still not quite sure, though it appears to be from what we remember." Kitsune replied.
"Oh, well then. What can Dia do for you?" she asked.
"I was hoping you could help Serien and myself find a way back to our home." Kitsune said.
"Dia will do what she can, but you must do something for her in return." Dia replied.
"Fine, what do you want me to do?" Kitsune asked.
"Dia needs some help with her research, more importantly, research on fox spirits. Your circumstances are quite unfortunate though." Dia replied.
"What do you mean?" Serien asked.
"There isn't the time to explain now. Perhaps tomorrow. To be honest, Dia has never seen a fox spirit before, only read about them. Now, Dia will show you to your rooms. Lyn, Kim, you are both welcome to join us." Dia said as she opened a door in the back of the room.
The group followed her into the tiny room, Dia closing the door behind them. She revealed a small hidden panel and pushed a button. The room suddenly started rising. The tiny room was in actuality, an elevator. The doors slid open as the elevator came to a halt.
"Kitsune, Serien, this way please. Lyn, Kim, Dia's assistant will be here shortly to show you around." Dia said, leading Kitsune and Serien down the hall.
Kitsune stared in awe at the advanced machinery and computers surrounding him. Afte a short walk, they reached a small hallway with two doors at the end. Dia stopped in front of them and turned to face Kitsune and Serien.
"Dia will need you both to dissrobe before moving on. There is a changing room for the both of you, so you have your privacy." Dia said, turning and walking back out the hall.
"What's the meaning of this? Don't tell me this is all just some scheme so you can see Kitsune..."
"Don't flatter yourself. Dia has no interest in romance, nor the time. This is simply for an anatomical scan." Dia interrupted, rubbing her head.
Dia ushered them into the two rooms and then excitedly ran around the hall. Kitsune got undressed and walked out the other door. He saw two pedestals in front of him, one to the left and the other to the right. Dia sat on the other side of the room, surrounded by computers.
"We just have to wait for Serien to finish and everything will be ready." Dia said.
"Hey Kitsune!" Serien called from the other side of the door.
"Yea?" Kitsune replied.
"If I catch your eyes wandering over in my direction, you'll be lucky if my amazing body is the last thing you ever see! At least you'll die happy I suppose." she yelled, half jokingly.
"Okay..." Kitsune said hesitantly.
"Now that we're clear on that, I'm coming out."
Serien stepped out the door, covering herself with her hands.
"Please step onto the platforms." Dia instructed.
Kitsune and Serien did as they were told, watching as metal rings slid down from the cieling, passing over them a few times before locking back into their default position. The rings came down a second time, doing a secondary scan to pick up the finer details of their body structures.
"One more, if you could go into your fox forms." Dia said.
They followed her instruction and watched the rings scan them again. Once the process was finished, they went back into their human forms as Dia approached them.
"Dia will show you to your rooms now." Dia said, leading them into the hallway.
They reached a door midway down the hall marked 302.
"This is where you will be staying. All the preparations have already been made." Dia siad with a smile.
"Wait, we're staying in the same room?" Serien asked, getting nervous.
"Yes, doing so will greatly help Dia's research." she replied.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Kitsune said as he opened the door.
"No, it is Dia who should be thanking you." she replied as she walked off.
The door slid closed behind Serien and Kitsune as they walked inside. To their surprise, it was quite comfortable. There was a king sized bed up against the wall, fitted with forest green flannel sheets. The thick brown rug felt good against their bare feet as they walked around.
"Not bad, I think I'm going to like it here." Serien said, diving onto the bed.
"I agree, this place is great." Kitsune replied, joining her.
She gave him an angry glare as he slipped under the covers.
"You're sleeping on the floor." she said calmly.
"You're kidding right? I can't sleep on the floor, its painful. It's a big bed, there's enough room for us to keep our distance if you like." Kitsune replied.
"Fine, just don't try anything." she growled.
"I wouldn't do something like that." Kitsune said, rolling over and nodding off to sleep.
No sooner had he fallen asleep, he was abruptly awoken as Serien began pulling him towards her. She had wrapped her arms around his waist, rubbing her body up against his back in her sleep. Kitsune gently unlatched her hands and attempted to roll her over back away from him. She slowly opened her eyes, giving him a sinister glare.
"What are you doing?" she mumbled angrily.
"It's not what you think. You were moving in your sleep and..." Kitsune began, but Serien covered his mouth.
"I know exactly what you were doing, and you'll regret it later. I promise that much at least." she growled.
Serien fell back to sleep, but Kistune was up the rest of the night, afraid something else might happen.
Dia walked in at about six in the morning to wake them up.
"Oh, Kitsune, Dia did not expect you to be awake this early. Would you wake up Serien and meet Dia outside when you're ready?" Dia asked.
"If I touch her, she'll likely tear my head off. I think it might be best if you wake her. She's not already pissed at you." Kitsune replied.
"Very well." Dia replied, nudging Serien gently.
She whipped around and grabbed Dia by the arm, snarling. After a moment, she calmed down, releasing Dia from her vicious grasp.
"Sorry, thought you were Kitsune." Serien said, embarrassed.
"Get yourselves ready and meet Dia outside. Testing will begin as soon as you're ready. There are some clothes in the closed." Dia said as she left the room.
Serien and Kitsune quickly got dressed and met Dia outside. The entire time they followed Dia, Serien refused to even look at Kistune. They entered a room with a small computer console at one side and a large series of rotating rings at the other. Dia led Kitsune over to the set of rings and strapped him in the innermost ring.
"Dia likes to get this one out of the way first, seeing as it's the most unpleasant." Dia said, walking over to the console with Serien.
Dia pushed a button on the console and a small puzzle cube rose up out of it. The rings around Kitsune started rotating in various directions.
"To stop the machine, you must solve the puzzle." Dia said.
"So what's so unpleasant about..."
Kitsune was interrupted as a piston fired out of one of the rings, striking a hard blow to his ribs.
"What if I'm not inclined to solve it?" Serien asked with a grin.
"What do you mean? Dia does not understand why..."
"Let's just say I'm very annoyed with him right now." Serien groaned.
Pistons continued to bludgeon Kitsune while Serien refused to even try solving the puzzle.
Serien, please! I can't take much more of this, so do something dammit!" Kitsune yelled in pain.
Dia shoved Serien aside and pulled the emergency shut off switch.
"Thank you Dia." Kitsune gasped.
"Sorry, Dia didn't realize Serien had such an unstable temperament." Dia sighed.
"It's alright. I'm just glad this is all over." Kitsune coughed.
"Dia has something she would like you to see. This way please." Dia said, leading them down the hall. She walked to a set of large double doors.
"This is the core of the facility." Dia said, pushing open the double doors.
The walls of the room were lined with mainframes. Dia walked over to the computers against the wall and began typing. A hologram of the world appeared from a lens in the floor.
"Dia has been tracking the appearance of spirits for quite some time now, and has noticed something unusual." she began, watching as small markers started lighting up on the globe.
"Each minute represents a full month in real time. Those lights are the appearance of spirits on this realm. Now, if Dia turns off all the markers except those of fox spirits..." Dia said as she pushed a button.
Over half the lights on the globe vanished, leaving only a handful that appeared and disappeared in time.
"Now, something must have happened, because the steady pattern of the occasional fox spirit was suddenly changed." Dia continued.
Lights appeared all over the globe simultaneously, practically crowing the city.
"Dia wishes she could figure out exactly what happened. This is why it is so important to bring back your memories." Dia said.
"I do have some brief memory of the moments before I was summoned." Kitsune said.
"Any idea what triggered it?" Dia asked.
"Not a clue, but I remember a forest in flames, and I was pulled away in an instant by a great force." Kitsune replied.
"How strange, Dia's assistant remembers a similar event when she was thrust from her home." Dia sighed.
"You have an assistant?" Kitsune asked.
"Yes, Dia believes you already met her, Kitsune." Dia said, pushing a button on the console.
Soon after, the door opened and a small raccoon scurried into the room.
"Reika, Dia believes you already met Kitsune, but she would like you to meet Serien."
Reika went into her human form and approached Serien. Sniffing the air, Serien's eyes narrowed into a malicious glare as Reika drew near.
"I recognize that scent. You're the one who was all over Kitsune that night..." Serien growled.
"Dia can explain everything, please calm down." Dia said, now fearing for Reika's well being.
"It's too late to change her mind now. Let's just hope Reika can fend for herself." Kitsune sighed.
"What do you mean by that?" Reika scoffed.
"I'll make you regret ever touching Kitsune!" Serien screeched, taking advantage of the brief distraction.
Reika nimble dodged and led Serien into the wall. Pinning her donw, Reika quickly subdued Serien.
"Will you calm down and listen now, or do I have to sedate you?" Reika asked politely.
Serien struggled to break free, but to no avail.
"Dia sent me to investigate the mass appearance of fox spirits. You may not realize this, but only a few of your kind actually retain self awareness of what they are after crossing over. The rest are no different from normal animals. Kitsune was the first I found who was still self aware, so I tried to convince him to come with me however I could. If I had known you were there, I'd have used different tactics. I really have no interest in him, just thought it would help get him to come with me." Reika sighed.
"I still want to rip your throat out." Serien replied.
"And I have a syringe full of tranquilizer with your name on it if you even try." Reika said with a grin.
Reika let Serien go, keeping the syringe at the ready until Serien was back by Kitsune's side.
"As Dia was saying, it would seem both of your homes befell the same fate." Dia said.
"Serien, what do you remember about the past? I never asked, and now seems like an appropriate time." Kitsune said.
"I'm still not talking to you." Serien snapped, turning away from him.
"You're still mad about that? You were moving in your sleep and I was just trying to get you off of me." Kitsune protested.
"I don't move in my sleep!" she snapped.
"How would you know, you were asleep!" Kitsune groaned.
The two of them continued to argue, Dia and Reika watching, lost for words.
"They're beginning to look more and more like a couple, however disfunctional." Reika said with a laugh.
"Dia is beginning to think having them live together in the same room may have been a bad idea." Dia groaned, rubbing her head.
"Okay, this is giving me a headache." Reika complained as she walked over to Kitsune and Serien.
She put a hand on each of their shoulders, giving them a light shove.
"Your arguing is really getting on my nerves. I think it's time for you two to kiss and make up, and I dont mean that figuratively." Reika sighed.
"But you don't know what he tried to do to me last night!" Serien protested.
"And you don't know what you tried to do to him. The way I see it, you're both at fault. Now, make up or you won't be eating tonight." Reika said sternly.
"And who are you to say who eats and who doesn't?" Serien argued.
"The cook, thats who." Reika said with a smirk.
"Lets get this over with." Serien said.
She grabbed Kitsune and pulled him to her. She stared into his eyes for a moment, then leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"Happy now?" Serien asked grumpily.
"I was expecting something a bit more passionate, but you kissed him. I guess it'll do." Reika replied.
"Can Dia finish now without interruption, or is that too much trouble." Dia said impatiently.
"Sorry about that." Kitsune replied.
"The only way to figure out the cause of all this is to get you to recover your memories. Figuring out what triggers these flashbacks is the key. Once we do that, you will slowly be able to peice everything back together, and hopefully prevent this tragedy from occuring elsewhere." Dia continued.
"And having Reika remember isn't an option because..." Kitsune asked.
"Lord knows, nothing seems to trigger her memories." Dia replied.
"Speaking of which, when are you going to run more tests?" Kitsune asked.
"Considering Serien's temperment at the moment, not for another day or so." Dia replied.
"So is there anything else you need us to do?" Kitsune asked.
"Do as you please." Dia replied as she left.
"Hey Kitsune, can I have a word?" Reika asked, calling him over.
"Sure, what is it?" he said, walking to her.
"If you need any help taming Serien, just let me know. As for your current situation, considering her stubbornness, I'd say your best bet is appologize and hope for the best." Reika said.
"But I'm not at fault!" Kitsune protested.
"I know, but she won't back down, no matter what. It's just how she is. Once you learn how to stay on her good side you'll do just fine."
"How do you know all this anyway?" Kitsune asked.
"I used to be just like her. I've calmed down a lot since I've been living with Dia, but I still have a wild side." she replied with a wink.
"Thanks, I hope this works. I don't think I'll be able to stand much more of her foul mood." Kitsune groaned.
Kitsune ran down hte hall to catch up with Serien.
"Serien, wait, I'm sorry. Can we please go back to the way things were before this missunderstanding?" he said, catching his breath.
"Sure, now that you admit it was all your fault." she said with a smirk.
"I never said it was all my fault!" Kitsune protested.
"Then we have nothing to talk about." Serien replied with a pout.
"Okay, fine, it was all my fault. Now can you please just leave this whole mess in the past?"
"I guess so, I can't stay mad at you forever." she replied with a smile.
"So, back to what I wanted to ask earlier. What do you remember of the past?" Kitsune asked.
"Not much really, just the moment we were summoned. Is it just me or do you feel like something was calling to use?" she asked.
"I felt the same thing in the dream I had. I just wish we could remember what caused it." Kitsune groaned.
"The spark that ignited the flame, the key to this whole puzzle." Reika said as she walked up behind them.
"How long have you been there?" Kistune asked.
"Long enought. Looks like you two are at least speaking again." Reika replied, breathing a sigh of relief.
"He appologized for everything, so we decided to put it behind us." Serien replied.
"Oh, almost forgot, Dia wanted me to tell you that Kim and the others are downstairs waiting for you, so make yourselves presentable and I'll meet you at the elevator." Reika said with a smile.
"Alright, we'll be ready in a little bit." Kitsune replied.
Kitsune and Serien quickly got changed, excited at the chance to see everyone again. He walked outside and waited for Serien to finish. As Dia appeared from around the corner, Serien opened the door and joined Kitsune. Dia motioned for them to follow her. They made their way to the elevator, Reika waiting for them as they arrived.
"It took you all long enough to get here. All set?" she asked impatiently.
Dia opened the door and they walked into the elevator. Within a few moments, the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. Lyn, Kim, and Alex were widding on the couch waiting for them.
"Dia is glad you all could make it." she said as she walked out of the elevator.
Reika looked over at Alex, giving him a coy smile.
"Who might you be?" she asked, approaching him.
"Oh, Reika, this is my brother Alex." Lyn said.
Alex extended his hand towards Reika. She grabbed it and pulled him into her arms.
"You're pretty good looking, want me to show you around? If you're lucky I might even show you my room." Reika said with a grin.
"She's just toying wiht him isn't she..." Kitsune groaned.
"No, she's just that forward when she finds someone she likes." Dia replied.
After the initial shock wore off, Alex was lost for words. He stared at her for a moment, and then finally found the nerve to speak.
"Sorry, but as good looking as you are, you're just not my type." he replied.
"And how are you so sure? We only just met." Reika argued playfully.
"I'm just not into... whatever it is you are exactly..." Alex sighed.
"So just because I have ears and a tail, you dismiss me in a heartbeat? Well, I have a funny feeling you'll come around soon enough. My offer still stands, so if you want to have a look around let me know." Reika pouted as she let go of Alex and started walking away.
"Wait, I still want to have a look around!" Alex said, running to catch up to her as she went into the elevator.
"So, how has the research been going?" Kim asked, having a seat on the couch.
"Not well. Dia still can't figure out what triggers the flashbacks. Things might be a bit more urgent than Dia speculated as well."
"How so?" Kim asked, worried.
"Whatever caused the destruction of Kitsune and Serien's home is spreading." Dia sighed.
"Have you told them yet?" Kim whispered.
"No, Dia doesn't want it interferring with her research, but recovering their memories is now top priority." Dia replied.
"You mean figuring this out wasn't already?" Kim said, confused.
"Well, over the past few years, Dia has been..."
Dia paused, a panicked look washing over her face.
"No, that is unlikely to be the case..." Dia muttered to herself.
"What's wrong, Dia?" Kim asked.
"It's nothing, just a thought." Dia replied.
"It has to be something. I haven't seen that look in your eye since..."
"I said it was nothing!" Dia snapped.
"Do Kitsune and Serien know about her?" Kim asked.
"No. Reika is in the dark as well. This is my burden to bear, no one else's. Now leave me be, I need some time to myself. Show Lyn around for me please." Dia sighed, starting to tremble.
"But Dia, isn't it possile that Kitsune and Serien might..."
"I said leave me be!" Dia yelled angrily, eyes welling up with tears.
Kim quietly led Lyn to the elevator.
"I'm sorry about all that." Kim sighed.
"Is she going to be alright? She looked really upset." Lyn replied.
"She'll be fine, I hope." Kim said, trying to smile.
Kitsune and Serien stared at eachother in confusion.
"What was that about?" Serien whispered as Dia walked into one of the side rooms.
"I wish I knew. I'll go see if she's alright." Kitsune said, rising to his feet.
He walked over to the side room and gave the door a gentle knock. He could hear Dia's sobs from the other side.
"What!" Dia snapped.
"Are you going to be okay?" Kitsune asked.
"Yes, just need some time alone."
"If there's anything I can do to help..." Kitsune began.
"Thank you for your concern, but there is nothing to be done. Tell Reika to run todays tests for me, I have something to take care of." Dia replied.
Kitsune and Serien made their way to the lab, hoping to track down Reika. After a few minutes of walking, they found her standing by one of the rooms, Alex by her side.
"And this would be my room, care to have a look inside?" she asked with a grin.
Alex stood there awkwardly trying to find a way to politely decline.
"I think we should go save him." Kitsune said, walking over to Reika.
"Dia said you would run the tests for her today." Kitsune said, Serien running to catch up behind him.
"There goes my fun." Reika grumbled as she closed her door.
"So, what's today's test?" Kitsune asked.
"Oh, you'll see..." Reika said with a grin as she led the group down the hall.
She led Kitsune and Serien into a small glass room. Reika and Alex had a seat outside behind some consoles looking in. There were a few small couches in the room, and a lounge table at its center. Reika leaned towards a small microphone in front of her.
"Okay, time to begin." she said as she pushed a button on the console.
A sweet aroma started to waft intothe room through the vents above.
"So, what are you testing?" Kitsune asked.
"Just wait and see." Reika snickered.
Serien started inching closer to Kitsune, resting her chin on his shoulder. She started to blush, suddenly feeling aroused.
"What's going on with me, I feel so..." Serien said, letting out a sigh as she buried her face in Kitsune's shoulder.
"What are you doing to her? Is she okay? Kitsune asked, a worried look on his face.
"Oh she's fine, more than fine really. She's just really turned on at the moment." Reika giggled through the microphone.
"Oh, great." Kitsune groaned sarcastically.
"I thought you'd be glad to get some action." Reika replied.
"I still hardly know her, and besides, she gets really agressive when she's turned on." Kitsune sighed.
"Well, that's good to know. I'm testing the effects of embarassment by the way." Reika smiled.
"Oh, is that it? I thought you just liked to watch." Kitsune snapped.
"Well, that too..." Reika replied guiltily.
Unable to control herself, Serien suddenly tackled Kitsune, pinning him to the couch.
"Okay, I've seen enough." Alex groaned, getting out of his chair.
"Aww, don't you find this romantic?" Reika teased, pulling him back to his seat.
"Hardly." he grumbled.
Serien continued to force herself upon her unwilling mate, unable to control her primal urges.
She quickly unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it aside, then started working on her pants, Kitsune struggiling to throw her off all the while.
"This isn't working, now make her stop!" Kitsune pleaded.
"I turned off the gas a while ago. Now she just needs to get it out of her system." Reika replied with a grin.
"He really isn't remembering anything, turn on the suppressant." Dia's voice rang out over the loudspeaker.
Reika reluctantly replied, pushing a button on the console. Blue gas started pouring into the small chamber through the vents, Serien immediately starting to calm down.
"Gather everyone and have them meet in my private study. The door is unlocked." Dia's voice rang out.
"Follow me." Reika said nervously, leading the group out the door.
They met up with Lyn and Kim on the way and continued down to a long hall. They walked through what felt like endless sets of security cameras and password activated locks. Dia stood at the end of the hall awaiting them. She looked at the group, a somber haze coulding her eyes.
"Kim, you wanted to know what I really do here, correct? Allow me to show you my main project." Dia said, entering a code into the final door.
The door opened revealing a large cylindrical tank filled with fluid. Inside was a man about Dia's age, floating unconscious in the fluid, his body hooked up to all sorts of wires and tubes. Around the tank were machines tracking his vitals and keeping him alive.
"This is my partner, or he was my partner until the accident." Dia said as she began checking the machines.
"Adrian was even more interested in the study of spirits than I am. Hell, he was borderline obsessed. When I discovered a way to open the gate to the spirit realms, he was overjoyed. He insisted I let him go through, but I refused, wanting to do more tests first. As usual, that didn't stop him. I found his body in front of the closed gate one morning, just laying there..." Dia paused, trying to stifle her tears.
"I later discovered he was still conscious and away, just not of here. Something must have happened behind the gate that split his mind and body, keeping them separated worlds appart. I know he's out there still, jumping from world to world with each mass migration of spirits." Dia continued.
"So all this time you've been trying to find him..." Kitsune muttered in shock.
"Yes, and I believe he is what has been causing your homes to suddenly fall appart. Something about his being there must offset the natural balance of the world and cause it to rapidly break down by various means..." Dia replied.
Everyone just stared at eachother, not sure what to say next. Dia let out a sigh, leaning her head against the tank.
"He was going to propose... I found the ring this morning..." she cried softly, running her fingers down the glass.
Kitsune walked over to the bookshelf on the wall, grabbing one of the books. He flipped through the pages, looking up something on a hunch. He stopped as he found the page, looking up at Reika.
"Hey Reika, list off some things you like." he said, walking towards her.
She listed off some of her favorite things, Alex being at the top of the list. Kitsune looked down at the page the entire time.
"You just listed most of the ingredients for summoning yourself, dissregarding any that had to do with Alex anyway.
"Okay, your point?" Reika replied inquisitively.
"Well, if the ingredients for summonning is just things they like, couldn't the same possibly apply to Adrian? Dia, gather as many things as possible that Adrian enjoys and bring them here. We're going to summon him back." Kitsune said, grabbing a pot from under one of the lab benches.
While Dia ran and gathered as much as she could, Kitsune set up the pot over one of the burners. When Dia returned, everything was set. Reika sat down next to Alex, watching in anticipation as Dia filled the pot with perfumes, fruit, some cake mix, and various other things, even sneaking in one of her bras when no one was looking. She turned on the burner and took a step back. Before long, the pot bubbled over as a thick mist flooded out. It crawled towards the tank, seeping in wherever it could, eventually clouding the entire tank. When it finally faded, Adrian's eyes shot open as he took his first conscious breath. Dia quickly drained the tank and unhooked all the medical equipment. She clung to her soaking wet partner, tears of joy filling her eyes.
"Dia, it's been so long. I'm sorry, I should have listened to you all along." he said, holding Dia close.
"It's alright, I'm just glad you back and safe." Dia replied, trying to control her tears.
She let go of Adrian and turned towards everyone.
"Thank you so much everyone, especially you Kitsune." Dia said with a smile.
Adrian looked over at Kitsune and Serien, eyes wide with shock.
"I remember you two..." he began, trying to collect his thoughts.
"But I don't think we ever met..." Serien replied nervously.
"I never had a corporeal form in your world. I was like a ghost really. I tried calling out to you just as the world crumbled, hoping it might get through." he continued.
"So that was you who I felt on the other side of that flame." Kitsune said.
"So you did hear me, interesting. I had been watching you two for a while, you and your family. I don't know why, but something just drew me to you, maybe your unfortunate circumstances. I guess its because I've always found it funny how siblings treat eachother." Adrian said with a laugh.
"But how could we be siblings, we met by chance in the middle of the woods!" Kitsune protested.
"In the middle of the woods? What are you talking about, we met at one of the festivals." Serien argued.
"The jump to this world did a number on both your memories didn't it. I guess you couldn't remember who you really had met, so you swapped out the missing piece with what made the most sense at the time." Adrian replied.
"That's right... that locket made you think I was your lover... and the way you kept coming on to me made me think you were mine..." Kitsune thought outloud.
They both looked at eachother, an embarrassing guilt washing over them.
"This is all your fault you know. If you had just stopped me we wouldn't be feeling this way." Serien growled.
"Don't even try to pin this on me, you're the one who made the advances in the first place." Kitsune replied.
Reika laughed as she snuck her arm around Alex's shoulders.
"So, how about a date?" she whispered.
"You just don't give up, do you?" Alex sighed.
As he looked her over, it finally hit him. Not only was she a total bombshell, but she had that peppy personality he absolutely adored.
"Fine, I'll give you one date and see where it goes." he replied, finally able to look past her unusual appendages.
"Yay!" she squealed, practically pouncing into his arms.
"Okay calm down... or put on some clothes... one or the other..." Alex sighed as he struggled to breathe, Reika practically suffocating him with her body.