Contract with the Fox

“Where is the Mage Marlin?” Mamoru didn’t waste any time. If there was potential to find the mage, it would have to mean Mirai would see he didn’t need any training, and he could get to saving Mae all the faster.

The fox girl shifted in her throne and looked at the far wall. Painted images of a woman with nine fox tails surrounding her decorated the structure.

“Marlin hast left this world for another.”

“She’s dead?” Yamiko shouted.

The fox girl shook her head.

“She hast not perished, but rather departed past our worlds dome to another’s.”

“I still don’t know like what you mean.”

“I think she means to say Marlin did an isekai….” Mamoru said before realizing he might have sounded too nerdy. He cleared his throat. “So, she just left this world?”

“Verily so, and left myself and my eight sisters to watch over it, though I am all that remains as they have departed for their own adventures since.”

So, she’s been here alone all this time? Hikari asked.

The fox girl’s ears folded on top of her head, and looked uncomfortable for a moment. She shook her head and stood up, brushed off her kimono, and strode down to the duo with a classy walk.

“Be that as it may, thou hast bested me in a game of wit.”

“So, like, you’ll give us something?” Yamiko chimed in, sounding a bit greedy. Mamoru was just glad she didn’t mention that the game of wit wasn’t much of one.

I imagine this fox has gone a bit mad being alone for so long to think these riddles were difficult.

Mamoru found himself agreeing with the ghost girl. He kept that to himself. What was more important was they could get out the exchange. It had to be something useful, that way he could get back and get to saving Mae faster.

He studied the fox girl’s face, she looked more like a college aged girl than one eon’s old, looking, younger than Mae even, but where her face had youth, her posture and demeanor gave off one from ages long since passed. She just carried herself with poise that was lacking in the modern age, which was even lacking with someone only hundreds of years old—like Hikari.

What kinds of insults are you running through your mind now?

The fox frowned for a moment, seemingly at an instance where she was glancing at the ghostly image of the princess. Mamoru felt a tinge of anxiety that passed just as quickly as the glance did. He was worrying for no reason. Likely due to his overthinking. He just needed something useful if this fox wasn’t a threat.

But finding out Marin was off world was already a huge deal, what did that even mean for the resistance’s plans? What could they even do in exchange? That’s when it hit him. If the mage wasn’t on world anymore, her fox servant or maid or whatever this girl remained.

“Would you come with us?” Mamoru asked.

Yamiko gasped and put her hands over her mouth. “You, like, are into older women?”

Tell the witch to shut up.

“No, Yamiko, just hold on a second.” Mamoru turned to the fox, “We were searching for your master, to seek aid in defeating villains, but if she is not here, perhaps you can help.”

“Ohh,” Yamiko added, she made a sigh of relief.

The fox girl’s eyes lit up a moment, but her poise was soon back to cover it up. “Thy proposes something of interest, I have not stepped from the shrine for a couple thousand years. Perhaps a stroll for a short while would be refreshing.” she held out a hand to Mamoru. “I did not get thy name, young master.”

Mamoru accepted her handshake.

Wait a minute!

“Mamoru, like wait!”

The girl’s warning caught his attention, but he was already halfway through his name when they came.

“Thy name is Mamoru? A most wonderful one. Thou can call me Mako.”

Light flashed around them as the wind kicked up a swirl then stopped. His hand burned and when he pulled it back, an image of a fox’s head was marked onto his palm.

He glanced back at Mako. She made a sly smile.

“Apologies for my actions, young master, but I am bound to this place unless my master returns, which either means Master Marin comes, or I find a new one.” She winked at him. “Never fear, I am loyal. Thou will be my master until the mistress returns.”

Mamoru looked back at the mark on his hand. The fox girl didn’t seem that dangerous, but both Hikari and Yamiko had funny looks. He would have to ask them for more details later, but a sudden jump from Mako and shiver form the ghost girl took his attention.

“An intruder has broken the barrier.”

It’s her, that woman in black, but how? Hikari mumbled to herself.

Mamoru took a deep breath and waved to the two non-ghost girls.

“Let’s get out of here.”

No sooner had they started to run did the room began to distort and twist, the throne room dissolved into a hallway, then twisted into a cavern. It was more than just visual as well, the cave floor almost tripped Mamoru up with the sudden unevenness. He cursed.

“This creature is tearing through my master’s barriers like they are nothing,” Mako said with worry.

Mamoru gripped his blade tight as light came into view in front of them. They were at the mouth of the cave, standing somewhere in the woods far off the normal trails. From the cave, the woman dressed only in black slowly emerged from the darkness. She carried no weapons, her hands didn’t glow with any magic fire, yet the woman released such an aura that told Mamoru he might die if he seriously tried to fight her.

Yamiko took a step back before the rest.

“That isn’t someone who ate a yokai.”