Interspecies Brawl, Kitsune, Shadow Lion, and Human Hero Ninja

The sunset road was empty but for one rare Monster striding like she owned the dusk.

A Kitsune Kunoichi.

Her nine silver tails rippled behind her like a peacock, each swishing to their own rhythm. She carried a satchel that still smelled of our Spa’s healing soak, fur practically sparkling, claws polished, voice poised like a noblewoman who could also gut you in a single swipe.

She was in the kind of good mood only possible after a perfect massage session. Until she realized someone was watching.

In the tree line, a Shadow Lion Demon-kin crouched, tail twitching, ears drooping. He was so shy, he half-melted into every shadow he touched. It was a lonely existence, but he learned much about the world through observation. His kind only really existed if someone noticed them. Which meant he was equally desperate not to be seen, because then he’d have to talk to her.

Unfortunately for him, she had nine tails, six senses, and zero tolerance for stalkers.

She froze, ears flicking. “Whoever’s there. Step out and settle this. Or I’ll report you to the front desk as a potential threat.”

The Shadow Lion squeaked. “Ah! You can see me?! Should I… um… come closer or–”

THWIP!

A kunai clipped her sleeve.

THWIP-THWIP!

Another grazed her face. Her tails puffed into cotton-ball fury.

“Who dares ruin shampoo day?!” she hissed.

She whipped a chunk of road-walk stone at the enemy. A figure rolled from the trees, red cloth and mask snapping against falling twigs.

The Great Hero Ninja.

“I’m here to remove you,” he declared flatly. “For political balance. Nothing personal. Please fill out this victim feedback form.”

He tossed a scroll. She shredded it before it landed.

“You want to assassinate me and hand me paperwork?!”

Claws and kunai clashed. His mask remained unreadable. Her tails cut the air like whips.

Off to the side, the Shadow Lion clutched his own tail, eyes wide. “I should help… I want to help… she’s so sparkly… oh no! I’m helping! Notice meeee!!”

With a desperate yowl, he hurled himself onto the Ninja’s shadow.

“Stop! Please don’t fight! I mean, um, run away maybe?!”

The Ninja calmly looked down. “…Unprofessional.”

BONK. He elbowed the Shadow Lion straight back into the dirt. The Shadow Lion scrambled, jumped again, reappearing in the shadow of a tree. “Too close!! Too close!! But–must help–helpinggg!!”

The Kitsune spun, tails slicing the air. “Why couldn’t this be tomorrow?! Why tonight?!”

The Ninja slid behind her, kunai slicing and grazing across her tail.

Lavender veins spread instantly.

Her eyes widened. “Poison?!”

The Shadow Lion gasped, dove into her shadow, and burst out of the Ninja’s mask shadow, latching around his head like a terrified scarf. “Not her tails!! Leave her alone!!”

“Damn it!” The Ninja struggled and pulled. “Vacate my face!”

SLAM. He winded the Shadow Lion by hurling into a body-slam and practically headbutting the dirt.

The Kitsune hissed, her eyes tearing. “I JUST detangled my fur!! You’ll pay for this!!”

All nine tails flared in a final resort. She spun, brought them down with the weight of nine tree trunks.

CLONK!

The Ninja collapsed, mask denting the earth.

The Shadow Lion peeked from the dirt. “…Did you win?”

The Kitsune swayed. Poison crawled through her body. “This… can’t… be good…”

She staggered. The Shadow Lion flung himself under her, barely catching her before she dropped, doing everything in his power not to sink halfway into her shadow again.

The Ninja groaned, trying to stand.

The Shadow Lion’s voice broke. “P-Please don’t hurt her!!”

“Sir. History dictates: she is a Monster. I am a Human. This is tradition, read this scroll if you want a refresher.”

“She believes in peace! And me, I’m Demon-kin, but I protect her! Has history ever shown a Demon-kin protecting a Monster?!”

The Ninja stared at him, mask tilted, kunai drawn. “…Then I, too, will test the times.”

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, the Lucky Bunny’s ears perked up so hard they pointed skyward.

She bounded straight through the brush to Borkas, who was busy trying to negotiate a discount on lumber with the Great Tree Elders.

“Borkaaas!!” She squeaked. “There’s been a fight!!”

“Spa prob’?”

“BIG spa problem! Ninja fight!! Kitsune!! Poison!!”

“Understood. Not exactly, but let’s go!”

He hoisted the Lucky Bunny onto his back. He thundered off through the forest like an unstoppable taxicab, roots and critters flying aside in a furry avalanche.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the skies…

“Why is your flying so bad?” I rattled curiously in Sharlotte’s satchel as she drifted like a pigeon who snacked on outlandish trash.

She was supposed to be carrying us home from the Port City. Instead, her head bobbed, halo dimming.

“Why is your flying so bad? Sharlotte? Wake up. Wake up, wake up, wake uuuup!! MAYDAY, MAYDAY!!”

Her eyes were half-lidded. “Ahh… my pool…!”

We went into a nosedive.

“NOOO!! NOT THE SWAN DIVE!!”

The ground rushed up. Sharlotte’s smile was dreamy.

SPLAAAASHHHHH!!

I crash-landed into our sacred waters. Sharlotte surfaced, blissful, mumbling, “I missed this… Home sweet home…”

I was still sputtering when, BOOOOOM!!

The front gate exploded open. Clients went flying sky-high like bowling pins as Borkas-the-bowling-ball-Centaur thundered in, Lucky Bunny squeaking atop his back. In tow, three battered bodies of bleeding ninja drama flopped like soggy laundry.

“I leave for ONE DAY!” I wailed.

Lucky Bunny flailed dramatically. “Emergency!! Hero Ninja! Poison!! Also romance, maybe!!”

Borkas and the Lucky Bunny were treating this like a hospital!

Oh, wait, this was a healing spring! And I was the Core doctor!

Borkas dumped the trio right into my waters.

I stared at the mix: Hero Ninja, Monster Kitsune, Demon-kin Shadow Lion. All hurt, all poisoned.

If one of them died while the other lived, it would be over. A complete disaster for interspecies peace! I could already see the headlines!!

“I won’t let it happen!! Whatever it takes!!” I floated to full power. “If you think I’m so weak as to let this turn into a medical drama, I welcome you to the first day at our Spa!! I’ll save all of youuuu!! [HOLY GEYSER HEALING FLOW LEVEL 9,000]!!”

SSSLOOOSH!!

A bubble tsunami swallowed the Kitsune, the Ninja, and the Shadow. The water sparkled like soda. Guests applauded. “Boss is drowning everyone equally! So ethical!! That’s why we love him!”

Sharlotte bristled. “Wait! That Shadow Lion’s a Demon-kin! Holy water burns!”

I panicked. “But the Human needs holy water! And the Kitsune, oh no, do Kitsune dissolve?!”

“His tail’s turning see-through!!” squeaked Lucky Bunny.

“[Unholy Flow!!]” I yelled. “[FLOW ALTER!!]”

Now the Ninja was choking in swampy shadows. The Shadow Lion flickered in and out of existence. The Kitsune just bobbed, tail fur triple-fluffed, eyes rolling back like she was on a spa rollercoaster.

“Ahwawa! I don’t know if we want the Human Ninja back, Sir Kazuki! He’s the one who started the fight!”

Eventually, the Ninja coughed under his broken mask, the Kitsune hacked out a mouthful of bubbles, and the Shadow Lion reappeared, draped across her tails like a wet scarf.

“I’m… alive,” the Ninja wheezed.

The Kitsune flicked her tails, whapping the Shadow Lion in the face. “Stalker! Who are you?!”

The Shadow Lion beamed. “I’m so happy! I’ve never had this much attention in my life!!”

BONK! She smacked him back into the pool. “Don’t ever risk your life again! That could’ve gone way worse!”

“But…!”

“Say it!”

“Y-Yes!”

I spun in the air, smug. “And that is interspecies peace. Everyone lives, and nobody leaves a bad review.”

The Hero Ninja bowed so low his mask dunked the remaining clogged water. “I will tell my client this spa is off-limits. Please never drown me again.”

“Good.” I jabbed a stone finger at him. “Also, pay the entrance fee for all involved on your way out. Rin!”

Rin, arms crossed over her scandalously dripping office outfit, was standing just close enough to my Core to look like she wasn’t about to strangle me. She was. She huffed, cheeks pink. “But Master, I stayed back on purpose. I knew you’d pull it off. So, I didn’t get in the way.”

“What’s that Sharlotte-tier sounding excuse, huh? You were supposed to stop the Borkas Bowling Ball and hit patients with fees before the emergency room, like a real hospital!! Not stand there, blushing and watching your genius boss do all the wet work.”

“Like you don’t love showing off. You’d drown the whole kingdom if you knew I was watching.”

I crackled. “So, what if I would? If you’re gonna stand this close, at least admit you love watching me–”

“S-Shut up! I do not, I’m your secretary, not your, your fangirl!”

“Oh? Then collect the fee. Or do I have to teach you how to squeeze every single coin out of a Hero Ninja myself?”

“Fine. But when I’m done wringing him dry… you know who comes next!”

We both snapped apart, and the Hero Ninja fake-coughed into his mask.

“Uh… should I… foot the bill later…?”

Sharlotte peeked out from behind her wing, horrified. “Can you two not get married while I’m swimming here?! Just admit you missed each other for a day!”

“Gahaha! Interspecies peace and employee motivation! Our Spa is unstoppable!”

Lucky Bunny bounced next to Borkas. “We should celebrate! Big dumb fight, big dumb peace!”

I announced with all my might. “In our Spa, even would-be assassins leave squeaky clean! Now gather round! Yesterday’s enemies are today’s friends! Tonight, we feast!”

The Kitsune, soggy tails dragging, asked. “…Is this included in the all-day pass?”

“Everything is all-inclusive!” I boomed. “Or it would be, if we served meals. Borkas! I think it’s time we introduce the new legendary concept of food service brought by carriage taxi!”

New Sign: Borkas’ Buffet Express!