After the Rain

Whenever her eyes lay over any of her folks, Kitsune’s mind wanders to their younger selves. She remembers each of them as kids she used to see wandering at her place when their mothers were busy.

    If most of the Beastmen have shorter lifespans than any of this world’s major folks, a creature like her can live for centuries. She saw many generations go by, but never did she notice the secret, the weight forced on the frail shoulders.

    Oh it didn’t help the disgust, the repulsion she felt the moment Mira confessed their sin. But…

    Throughout her memories, children’s laughs echo.

    She can see it.

    The little boys and girls running at night through the main room of her place, playing, hiding behind the black pillars.

    Noting that one of the little girls was missing, the ruler calmly headed to the rooftop. It wasn’t the first time, it wouldn’t be the last. She knew the little one preferred this place for being more isolated, more calm.

    At the top of the stairs, a breeze came to brush her cheek.

    In the middle of the rooftop, there was a large square planter filled with black sand. And a thin tail ended like a brush over it, belonging to a little girl knelt among growing flowers.

    Step by step, Kitsune approached her silently. Until kneeling at her side.

“What are you planting tonight, Timoria?”

    Startled, the little girl turned her wide-opened eyes at her ruler.

“Ahh… Lady Kitsune!”

    Embarrassed, Timoria averted her gaze to the left, to the right, fidgeting.

    Amused, the ruler of the Beastmen reached out her hand to pat her head, gently brushing her cow ears.

“Ara ara, did I frighten you?”

    Soon more at ease, the little one shook her pretty noggin.

“More flowers! I… I want to grow little, tiny ones shaped like stars. Their petals th… they are red like your eyes.”

    The foxwoman’s smile widened.

“You really like flowers, don’t you?”

    A smile answered hers.

“I want more of them… so I have more of them to gift you.”

    The ruler paused her gesture, her mouth slightly opened. It was brief. Soon, a smile found its way back to her features as she turned her head to the horizon, observing the night sky.

    At night, this was quite an appeasing place.

    Never would she have thought that one day, such a gentle girl would end up like this…

    Was it her fault for not having reacted when, years later, Timoria had ended up not being able to meet her gaze at all? When the flowers, instead of being gifted in hand, were left next to the rich armchair she used to occupy?

***

    As the clouds fade away, the last remnants of the night are erased by the gold lines tracing the sharp edges of the mountains over the horizon.

“The Taint has left her body. It shouldn’t possess her again.”

    My words are the first to break the silence as we stand around Timoria’s lying figure.

    It takes Kitsune a while before my words reach her, making her lightly raise her head. She must have been lost in thought.

“It won’t possess her… no matter what?” She carefully wonders.

“No matter what.”

    For a lingering moment, we lock gazes. Kitsune has mid-opened her eyes – rare occurrence – to stare at me. Searching for answers I wouldn’t take the risk to formulate.

    At last, she takes back her foxwoman form, approaching Timoria’s body step by step. Kneeling next to her.

    Little by little, bark begins to cover the cowmaiden’s body. If her motionless body still has a last breath to give back to this world, the moment she does, her body will shatter into chips of wood.

    Her gestures considerate, Kitsune slowly puts an arm around Timoria’s shoulders, gathering her in her arms. Observing her for a short while, the ruler of the Beastmen leans closer. Until her forehead presses against hers.

    In her back, her three puffy fox tails waver in the breeze. Soon, a glistening halo envelops the ruler’s whole body.

“What is she doing?” Tyffeon whispers, reaching my side.

    Observing attentively the scene unfolding, I don’t answer right away.

“She is gifting her time.”

    I wouldn’t have said more, but I guess Tyffeon’s confused expression grants him a more detailed answer.

“In the world I come from, a Kitsune is a mighty creature who earns a tail at each passing century…”

    One of the ruler’s tails begins to disaggregate into golden shimmers. It floats into the air above them before falling like snow upon Timoria’s body, sinking inside.

“…And, with each of its tails, it can heal even deadly wounds.”

    Slowly, as the foxwoman leans back, Timoria’s eyelids flutter. Until her dark green eyes take sight of her ruler’s features.

    Tears come to the corner of her eyes before words do.

***

    Despite the uneasiness that has crept into Ard Ramalia since the recent events, the Beastmen folk is actively preparing the festivities for Jera. While the men tend to the preparation of a great buffet, the women have been awoken till noon, repeating enchanting choreographies. Quite popular, in times of peace many people come from the different kingdoms to behold the dances.

“Are you sure you don’t wish to stay a bit longer in Ard Ramalia?” Kitsune asks.

    Standing side by side at the stone railing, we observe the agitation below.

“Yes. I prefer to leave now… besides, I can’t keep postponing my departure any longer. I need to head to the next kingdom.”

“I see.” She pauses. “Then make sure to cause enough chaos, so that I can laugh at the tale of your adventures.”

    Sassy.

    I cast her a side glance.

“I’ll almost think that you’ll miss me. Didn’t you badmouth me during the council of the rulers?”

“Did I?” She seems amused. “Maybe I wanted them to lose interest in you. So that… I could keep you for myself.”

    A shiver runs down my back.

    This… wouldn’t even surprise me if this were to be true.

“What do you plan to do about your folks? I guess you won’t really sentence them all.”

    A mere smile – truly a fox’s one – is what I get before she deflects the conversation.

“If by some miracle you achieve to eliminate all of the emissaries, I might consider the possibility of lending you a paw when the Rotten Lord awakens.”

“Where is the trap?” I ask bluntly, mid-closing my eyes.

    It makes her laugh.

“You sure are a clever girl, aren’t you, dear?” She turns back her smile at the city below. “When you leave, take her along with you.”

“Huhh?” I widen my eyes.

“After what happened, I can’t let Timoria stay in Makhlubi. Try to understand me, as a ruler I have to punish someone for the crimes that have been committed.”

“Scapegoat matters, huhh?”

    I consider her words with a confused expression.

    And sigh.

“I… Fine.”

    On these words, I turn my back to the railing, leaving the ruler’s side.

“One last thing.” She begins. “About that boy you described to me earlier, that Ken.”

    I glance back at Kitsune. After defeating the emissary, I asked her if she could gather information about the Hero. There are still missing pieces about his sudden appearance in Rathard, and I thought asking about Ken in the place he was supposed to go first might help me understand what happened.

“I heard some interesting words from Timoria herself. It seems that she once saw the boy.” She pauses on purpose, sensing that she gained my attention. “He was found unconscious and brought to our city. She herself interacted with him. The poor boy seemingly had lost his memories but… he left a few days later.”

“He left…?” I frown.

    A dissonance.

    As I expected, he really came here. But this is where things had taken another twist. Why?

    That confused me only further but, unable to delve into this at the moment, I left.

***

    At the edge of Makhlubi, where the mist floats in grey clouds beneath my feet, I stand on the walkway. Here at least, there’s not a sound, not a murmur.

   Just the abyss that has swallowed Mira…

“What if I left now? If I continued this quest alone? The last thing I want at the moment is to have to be cautious about Tyffeon or… now, Timoria.”

    The memories of that night which remained still blurry, Tyffeon has told me about. If my benediction can get effective, maybe I can figure out something. Something that doesn’t require me to lose more than I’ve already lost, preferably so.

“Amako?”

    The familiar voice makes me raise my head, turning my blue-green eyes to meet Tyffeon’s.

“So you’ve been here all this time.” He sighs, then seems to notice my serious expression. “You were… friends with Mira, weren’t you?”

“Friend?..” I trail off, the word feeling alien. “I cared about her.”

    A pause.

“What happened… This is because of my inability to make use of my magic when the situation clearly requires it.” He averts his gaze. “I failed.”

    Such words… aren’t what I would have expected from him.

    Feeling a knot in my stomach, I turn to face him fully.

“Look… You did nothing wrong. If anything, I should have tortured you enough into using it, so you got accustomed to it.” I offer him a half smile.

    The affirmation seems to offend him mildly, but he doesn’t comment.

“This won’t happen any more. If Ignis magic can help me into avoiding such events in the future, then I’ll make use of it. Without restraints.”

    I open my mouth. Hold back the words. Only to let my thoughts circle…

“But, you know, then again nothing forces you to follow me.” I blurt. “What about staying in Ard Ramalia? The kingdom has been ridden of its emissary. That’s a sure place to be. Well, until the awakening of the Rotten Lord. I can even recommend you some charming ladies.”

    Tyffeon clenches his teeth, lowering his gaze.

“Is this your way of avenging…” He bitterly utters.

“What?… No. As I said, I hold no grudge against you.”

“And I intend it to stay like this.”

“Then why?!” He raises his head and casts me a glare. “We’re in this together.”

    Stepping forward, he approaches until being able to grab my wrist tightly.

“And you expect me to stay here? You intend to abandon me among these women?! Now are you heartless?”

“Heartless?.. Maybe.” I avert my gaze. “Or maybe I just think that you’ve helped me far enough considering you don’t have any consistent reason to keep doing so.” I pause before softening my tone a tad. “I’m grateful for what you did so far. I truly am. I enjoy travelling by your side. But… see, now Timoria will join my side. So…”

    Tyffeon lets go of my wrist as quickly as he’s taken hold of it. This said, he doesn’t step back.

“Fine.” He says, his tone somewhat calmer.

    So that’s it. That is how things will end between us. Well, that is for the better. This will save me from harsher pain would it have last longer. I’ll take it.

“If I chose to help you back in Rathard,.. there’s another reason. More than a matter of proving you wrong.”

    But instead of walking away, Tyffeon continues.

“Ehh?”

    He holds my gaze, frowning.

“You were far from what I expected a Saintess to be. Not that naive, not that simple-minded. You were rather the opposite. …The more I listened to you, the more I thought we were alike. I couldn’t help but wanting to help you. I agree that we can’t always rely on someone, though you can’t do all of this alone. And you’re not.” He pauses, extending his hand to me. “…Can’t I be more to your eyes than a liar who never lied to you?”

    Left without words to reply, I consider Tyffeon with wide open eyes. Somehow, I can’t help but let a warm feeling creep in. Reassurance.

    Lowering my head, I bite back the urge to shed tears.

    It takes me time to react properly but, incomprehensibly so, he still hasn’t taken his hand back. What a fool…

    In a still hesitant gesture, I reach out my hand to take his. Soon, I can feel his grip around it. An oddly appeasing feeling.