Meanwhile, in a forest at the edge of a small village in Japan, a ball of green flame coalesced in front of the entrance to a Shinto shrine, out of which stepped Vincent, then Skyla, then Myra.
With a wave of her hand, Myra dispersed the fire. [Welcome to Ohira, dears,] Myra said in Japanese. [This humble little village is where I was born and raised. Or… perhaps it’s a little more accurate to say it’s in the same area as the village I was born and raised in. Nine centuries, give or take a few decades, can change a lot. But bits of my handiwork still grace the area, and I am something of a local celebrity.]
[Glad I picked up enough Japanese from Mom to get most of that,] Vincent said. Skyla, meanwhile, was surprised at how well she was understanding all this. Had some of her memories of language and magic from this timeline been leaking back into her mind, or were they simply ingrained habits as far as her body was concerned, and her mind was just catching up? Knowing she wouldn’t get an answer, she just focused on taking in the sights.
[Now remember, Vincent,] Myra said, [when speaking with locals, it’s important to remain polite at all times.]
Vincent bowed, trying to sound as polite as he could.. [I understand, Grandmother.]
Myra turned around. [While we’re here, we might as well start the tour with my contributions to this very shrine.] She gestured to a pair of five-tailed golden fox statues, one on either side of the shrine gate. [These two fine young gentlemen, seeing my magic on display a good four hundred or so years ago, asked if they could become magical golden foxes like I was. They promised me it was “to protect the village,” but I could see that they just wanted to make a name for themselves. Nonetheless, I granted their request to help protect the village, and gave their new forms an evil repelling enchantment.]
[They, uh… look nice,] Vincent muttered, still not liking the idea of permanently turning non-criminals into objects, but figuring that making a fuss about centuries old statues was a waste of effort.
[Well, perhaps you’d like a look inside? I’ve got another work of art you may find interesting.]
Myra stepped through the gates, Vincent and Skyla following behind. After a brief washing ritual, they approached the shrine itself, where they saw a bronze statue of a male fox anthro dressed in the clothes of a Shinto priest. Skyla was about to ask if this was what her grandma wanted to show off, when the statue suddenly bowed deeply. Vincent jumped, and Skyla held back a gasp.
[Lady Winters!] It spoke in the voice of an elderly man. [It has been a long time, hasn’t it?] He stood up. [Have you brought family with you?]
[Yes I have.] Myra nodded. [Allow me to introduce you. Takuya Hida, these are my grandchildren, Skyla and Vincent Winters. Skyla, Vincent, this is Takuya Hida, the priest of this shrine of mine. He has done a wonderful job of inspiring others to keep the faith during my absences.]
Hida bowed once again. [It is a pleasure to meet you, Skyla, Vincent. And you are too kind Lady Winters. But we both know I would not still be here, were it not for your grace.]
[Are you saying Grandma saved your life?] Vincent asked.
[Indeed. It was shortly after Lady Winters had acquired her final tail,] He began to explain.
+++
In a quiet house near the edge of the village, an elderly former priest lay in bed, his breathing unsteady. Takuya’s body was straining to keep itself running, and though his son and grandchildren were doing their best to comfort him in his last moments, it did little to quell his fear of the inevitable.
A knock could be heard coming from the front door of the house, and one of the grandchildren rushed to answer it. As soon as the child asked the unseen guest to enter, time seemed to suddenly stand still for Takuya, his son and grandchildren alike were all unmoving, as if in a trance.
And in that silence, the golden kitsune whose shrine he’d served entered, nine tails swaying majestically behind her.
[Good evening, Hida. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?] It really had been; Takuya remembered her having eight tails the last time he saw her.
[Lady Winters,] the man struggled to say, [Have I died already?]
[Not yet, Hida. Though that is why I’m here.] She placed a hand on his shoulder. [Tell me, my faithful priest, do you wish to remain in this world, or would you prefer your soul move on?] The man gasped slightly, and she patted his shoulder. [No need to speak, my priest, I have other ways of hearing.]
With a bit of focus, Myra entered Takuya’s mental realm, watching as hundreds of balls of fire, representing his thoughts and memories, swirled above her. Many of the flames had dimmed in the fog of age, but many more were being tinged with sadness or panic as death drew closer. And the thoughts outside of the cluster, those immediately ‘on his mind’ were overwhelmed with fear. Fiery orbs carrying thoughts of longing for more time, as well as a sense of dread at the thought of going to Yomi, the land of the dead, where good and bad alike remained in a gloomy half-existence for eternity, floated around the Kitsune’s mental projection.
In an instant, their mental connection stopped. [I can give you more time in this world, my priest, on the condition that you continue to serve as my priest as long as you remain. Sadly, the man that replaced you when you retired has not been nearly as diligent as you once were.] She chuckled softly. [Do you accept my offer?]
Takuya hesitated for a moment. It was only natural; as her priest, he knew of the trickster’s nature. But as he had little left to lose, he nodded his head weakly, anyway.
[Then so it shall be,] she smiled, and in an instant, her tails were wrapped around him, and he felt the warmth of her magic flowing through him, before being replaced by a cool, metallic sensation all over.
A statue. He should have known. But, she had always claimed that she had altered the minds of those she had changed to suit their forms. If that was true, perhaps this would be better than the land of the dead, if nothing else. He felt his clothes turn to bronze, too, fusing with him, becoming a part of him he could feel as easily as any other. Then he felt them bend and reshape, changing from the simple evening robe he had been wearing, to a re-creation of his priestly garments. Then, with a series of unusual pressing and tugging sensations, he found his head reforming to resemble a fox’s, while a “bushy” tail grew behind him. His weakness and pain all slowly faded, replaced by a sense of sturdiness. He waited for that feeling to change to immobility, but when her tails were lifted, he found that he could still move.
In fact, he felt he could move far more freely than his frail form could have moment ago. He sat up, then hesitantly stood up, then gleefully ran around the bed toward the kitsune, before quickly regaining his composure, getting on his knees, and bowing. [I can’t believe it! I feel better than I have in years! Not only that, but I can move, too! Thank you, Lady Winters!]
[Of course you can. An immobile priest isn’t of much use to me, after all,] Myra chuckled at her own joke.
[I wasn’t even aware such things were in your power; to give a statue life.]
Myra smiled. [Even after reaching nine tails, I don’t have the power to bridge the gap between life and death. But that doesn’t mean I can’t pull a trick of on fate. A golem, a being spoken of in tales in other lands isn’t technically alive, so, by the same token, it can never truly die. I had wanted for so long to attempt creating one myself, but lacked the power until now.] She waved her tails to emphasize their increased number. [And I could think of few humans still alive more worthy of this honor than you.]
[You are too kind, Lady Winters. It will be an honor to serve you.]
+++
[...And so, after saying my no-longer-final farewells to my family, I returned to this shrine, where I have served faithfully ever since.]
[That’s… actually a pretty nice story,] Vincent said.
[What do you mean “actually,”] Myra smirked.
[Nothing Grandmother! Sorry about that!] He bowed politely, while Myra and Takuya laughed.
[I take it this is your first trip to Japan?] Takuya asked.
[Yeah, it is for me. Skyla’s been here a few times.]
[Well then, I won’t keep you any longer. If you wish to enjoy the beautiful countryside, feel free to do so.] Takuya bowed politely, which Skyla and Vincent returned.
[Goodbye then! And have a nice day.] Vincent turned to go, Skyla following soon after. He stopped just before he left the shrine, and looked back at Myra.
[Don’t worry about me, dears, I’ll catch up, I simply want to speak with Hida for a little longer. Goodbye.]
[See you later,] Skyla said with a wave.
The siblings exited the shrine, and followed the forest path in front of them, taking in the sounds of the wind whistling through the trees, and the birds singing, while other small creatures scurried around.
Vincent broke the stillness. “Grandma’s got some… interesting uses for her magic, huh?” He said in English. “At least not all of her tricks are so… overwhelming, for the people on the receiving end.”
“Yeah.” Skyla nodded. “Rewarding a priest for his service like that was really nice of her. Most of the other changes I’ve seen her do left me worried since bringing her on staff. I thought I’d need to keep constant track of the number of maids and statues in the mansion, just in case one got a little too low while the other started rising. Luckily, she seems to have enough respect for Master Curt to avoid changing anyone unless they ask.” She groaned as her mind flashed back to the mountain of paperwork adjusting the Doll Maid’s schedules had brought. “But boy, when they do ask…” She quickly changed the subject. “On the subject of magic, what do you want to do with it when you start getting extra tails?”
“Obviously, the first thing I’m gonna do is show off to my friends.” Vincent grinned.
“Obviously.”
“Pranks too! Nothing big or stuff that’s gonna ruin people’s days, or anything like that. I just wanna spook ‘em a little then give them a good laugh. But yeah, aside from stuff like making fire dance and disappearing stuff,” he briefly shifted his voice to mimic an infomercial announcer, “to impress my friends and and confound my enemies,” he resumed his normal tone, “ I might see if I can use it for landscaping.”
Skyla was surprised to hear such a mundane response. Then again, she regularly used her magic for cleaning around the mansion, so she had no room to talk. “Really? How?”
“I’m… still studying to figure that out.” He said with a sheepish look. "I know our fire-based magic doesn’t work that well with plants, but if I can understand how to change one type of animal to another, changing one type of plant to another shouldn’t be too different. Same with reshaping a hedge without having to clip it, or other stuff like that.”
“Sounds like it’ll be interesting to experiment with.” Skyla nodded. “What got you into landscaping anyway?”
“I dunno,” He shrugged. “I liked the idea of working outdoors, for a start. And sure, it’s not really a flashy or cool job, but it’s kind of an art, with an entire field to paint on. Er, you know what I mean.”
“Heh, yeah, I think I do.” Skyla laughed softly as they reached the edge of the forest path, coming to the outskirts of the village. It was a quiet place, without much hustle or bustle. And even though it had been modernized, its homes and businesses still had an older, more rural look to them.
“Nice place,” Vincent remarked. “Wouldn’t mind staying here for a while.”
The two walked along the sidewalk, occasionally passing a local here or there. To Skyla’s immense surprise, she even saw a few anthros among the population, one dog, and two rabbits, all attracting just as little attention as the maids back home, even when one of them wasn’t dressed. How did they get here? There was no way the ray gun made it out this way. She thought back to the family tree she’d seen from her grandmother’s scroll. If she had dozens of Kitsune relatives, going back hundreds of years, then maybe these anthros were their descendants, who happened to get a different “species” gene since David had proved that was possible. Or perhaps they were descendants of humans changed into anthros by Kitsune magic. Perhaps anthros being a rare, but old phenomena was this new reality’s way of keeping the perception of all of this as normal.
They paused for a moment to admire a statue of two bird anthros, one male, one female, each with one wing around the other’s back, while they other wings held a baby bird anthro. ‘Probably another one of grandma's ‘works of art.’’ She thought to herself.
“What have you been up to in your free time?” Skyla asked her brother, trying to think of something else.
“I’ve been trying to exercise a bit more. Trying.” He shook his head. “When I’m not doing that or studying magic, I’ve also been reading this manga series about a girl and her cyborg wolf, called Iris and No. 19. That’s had a lot of good action scenes.”
“Oh yeah, I think I’ve heard of that one. Didn’t it have some big twist lately?”
“Yeah! You’re not worried about spoilers for it, are you? ‘Cause that’s a really good one, where-”
“Ah, there you two are,” Myra’s voice rang out behind them. “Hope I haven’t missed anything.”
“...No.” Skyla said, annoyed at the interruption.
“I see you found another one of my masterpieces: The Free Birds” Myra smiled as she looked up at them. “The young human couple had the usual star-crossed lovers story. Feuding clans, forbidden love, we’ve heard it all a thousand times. Luckily this doesn’t end with both sides of the couple killing themselves because they thought the other was dead. Instead, they came to me, and told me they wanted to stay together. They said they knew of my tricky tendencies, but would happily accept even being reduced to flies if it meant they could truly be together without fear of their families interfering. While I found them foolish for giving someone they knew to be a trickster ideas on how to twist their desires, I wasn’t going to reject their desire to be with those they loved. So I gave them these lovely forms to enjoy each other’s company with for centuries, instead.”
“Grandma,” Vincent spoke up, “I don’t wanna be rude, but why do you make statues so often?”
“Oh, I’ve made plenty of humans into animals and anthros over the years. It’s just the statues and other works of art the only ones still around. I figure, why bother with anything else?”
“So… Did you change their child too, or was the baby added later?” Skyla asked
“No I don’t change children, dear. Usually. No point in fooling those too young to know better. But children don't lie to themselves as much as adults, and can sometimes actually know what they want, which is rare for mortals and should be rewarded. But yes, that is their child, and he did come later,” Myra said simply, as if that perfectly explained itself.
“What?” Skyla asked flatly. “Where’d it, uh, he, come from?”
“Skyla, you’re over four hundred years old, if you don’t know where babies come from by now, your mother has done you a huge disservice.”
+++
After spending the morning touring the quiet Ohira, the kitsune family began to explore the more traditional points of interest, starting with a slightly more obscure location: Okunoshima, sometimes called “Bunny Island.” As they learned on the tour of its museum, the island had been used for the secret development and testing of chemical weapons during World War Two, and to keep the secret, many of the workers on the island were kept in the dark about the nature of the materials they had worked with, even as their health suffered for it. Decades later, it was converted into a park, with hundreds of rabbits, similar to those used to test the weapons, released into the wild, designed to serve as a reminder that the nation had been “both victims and aggressors in the war.”
With the grim history lesson over, Skyla and Vincent took some time to feed the rabbits in a little clearing off the path, away from other tourists. Skyla gently shook her bag of feed, and watched as bunnies rushed over to her, bouncing all around her feet. “This is just adorable!” She quietly said to her brother, as she leaned down and let the rabbits eat from her hand.
“Yeah, it is pretty cute,” he replied. He smirked. “Hey… They said non-anthro cats and dogs aren’t allowed here, but they never said anything about foxes…”
“What are you sayi-” Skyla’s question was interrupted when Vincent suddenly shifted to his ‘feral’ form, his scarf the only clothing remaining as he yipped and proceeded to chase down a group of very startled rabbits.
Myra shook her head with a little smile as she watched him run around. “Heh, even grown up, boys will be boys.”
The rabbits raced this way and that away from the fox, not used to dealing with predators. One of them got themselves caught under a raised tree root, flailing helplessly.
“Oops!” Vincent muttered, shifting back to anthro form again to pull it loose, watching as it ran off. “Sorry about that.”
Skyla found herself smiling at the sight.
+++
Skyla and Vincent could barely contain themselves when they’d arrived in Akihabara, eagerly examining shops decorated with all sorts of merch from anime characters they’d grown up with alongside those from newer shows. Myra had simply followed along, not really getting why her grandchildren found these so appealing, but not wanting to ruin their fun, either.
Skyla had been a little disappointed that cosplayers weren’t quite as common in the “otaku paradise” as anime had led her to believe, even if she and her family were occasionally mistaken for them; most of the people in costume were just promoters attracting attention for the shops and cafes. It was probably for the best though; now that Skyla had learned how to do transformation magic on her own, the temptation to make people better fit their costumes was overwhelming! And all these maids in the cafes were practically begging to be made a little more foxy or catty! But she somehow managed to restrain herself.
But eventually, they did come across a larger group of cosplayers: a group of little girls, apparently attending a themed event. All sorts of extravagant dresses and sailor uniforms could be seen throughout the crowd lining up outside a store. They could hear occasional shouts of “Transform” or battle cries in either English or Japanese.
[What’s going on here?] Myra asked her grandchildren.
[Looks like a magical girl themed party, or something,] Skyla said, [probably part of an event advertising a new series, I’d guess.]
[Oh really?] Myra’s ears perked up. [And what is the nature of these girls’ magic?]
[It’s a genre of stories,] Skyla said, [I’ve watched a few gro-, er, I’ve watched a few as they started to grow into a big thing with little girls. The stories usually focus on a girl or group of girls that receive a magical gift which lets them transform when they say a special phrase.]
[But said ‘transformation’ is usually just them getting a big fancy dress and wand, or some other magic object,] Vincent added with a chuckle. [Even when there’s a big flashy light show, the most that usually changes is maybe their hair or eye color. It’s a wonder nobody ends up recognizing them in their 'secret identity'.]
[Well, there are a few that get things like cat ears, or suddenly look a lot older. But yeah, the main point of their ‘transformation’ is more about them getting the ability to use magic. From there, it goes differently depending on the story. Some of them will just use their magic to try and secretly help their friends out with mundane things and make life interesting, some try to make it as musical celebrities, but the most popular option is fighting aliens, evil spirits, and other bad guys.]
[Or losing their head when they find out they signed up for a deal with the devil.] Vincent said.
[Well, I can see the appeal of that,] Myra said, looking over the children. [Well, maybe not that last part. But every generation needs a few heroes to look up to, I suppose.]
There was a burst of laughter near the back of the crowd coupled with with some jeering voices. A little girl dressed in a homemade costume that didn’t look nearly as fancy as many of the others in the crowd rushed out, crying, and accidentally bumped into nine-tailed fox’s legs.
[Ah! S-Sorry miss!] The little girl, who looked around six, bowed politely.
[It’s alright, little one,] Myra said, leaning down. [Is something wrong?]
[My friends were making fun of my costume, because I couldn’t get one based on a real magical girl from one of the shows.] Looking it over, Skyla didn’t recognize it from any anime or manga she’d seen, so it probably was something the girl created herself. It had consisted of a yellow t-shirt and skirt, both of which had been given a dose of glitter, with a little white ribbon tied around her waist, as well as a headband with a pair of fuzzy, triangular ears.
[Well, that’s quite rude of them. Your costume looks nice. But, if you’d like a costume from a ‘real’ magical girl, I happen to be something of a magical woman, myself.]
The girl’s eyes widened. [You are?]
Myra nodded softly. [Oh yes. I’ve used my power to stop thieves, make life interesting for my friends, and even tried to become a celebrity singer, many years ago… The local kami banished me from the theater for a thousand years to protect the ears of their people, sure, but it was the effort that counted.] She laughed softly at her own joke. [I’ve done it all, and I’d be happy to give you a real magical girl costume, if you like.]
[Yes, please! I would like that a lot, Miss!]
[Very well, then, young lady. You may have this.] A ball of flame appeared in Myra’s hand, which then solidified into a circular, golden medallion, with the image of a fox holding an emerald in its mouth, and nine fox tails forming a ring around the outer edge. The young girl gasped as she saw it. When it had formed completely, Myra placed it in the girl’s hands.
[It looks so pretty!] The girl said, placing it over her neck. [Thank you very much, Miss.]
[You’re welcome. But don’t you want to try it on first?]
[But I’m wearing it already, Miss.] The girl looked confused.
[But don’t you usually have to utter a special phrase? Perhaps something like ‘Fox Magic Transform’.]
The girl’s eyes sparkled as she realized what this meant. She held the pendant and shouted out [FOX MAGIC TRANSFORM!]
Instantly, a large, nine-tailed feral fox made of green flame appeared behind her. It’s tails weaved around her as her body turned to a shimmering green light of a brighter hue. Her costume vanished behind the fire, making way for a larger, more elaborate dress. Colored a brilliant yellow, with a white trim marked with little yellow gems, it went down past her knees. It had no sleeves; in their place long, white gloves covered her arms, far past her elbows. A large, white ribbon appeared on the chest, the medallion resting comfortably above it. Long, white stockings covered her legs, and a pair of little yellow slippers appeared on her feet. Her hair grew far longer, and took a shimmering, golden color, a color that also covered her ears, as they grew larger, turned triangular, and moved up the sides of her head. A fluffy fox tail puffed out the back of her dress as her body solidified again, still mostly human, aside from the tail and ears.
As the flames vanished around her, a large book suddenly appeared in front of the girl’s face. She reached out and grabbed it, finding it written in Japanese, at a level she could understand perfectly. And inside, were lists of all kinds of magic spells.
[I’m a real magical girl…] She whispered in awe. The crowd of cosplayers, and the adults in the store alike, all stared at the sight before them. The little girl ran up and hugged Myra. [Thank you! Thank you so much, Miss!]
[You’re welcome, little one. Now go, have fun with your friends.] Myra smiled as the girl walked back into the stunned crowd.
[I thought you said you couldn’t give humans a ‘spark of magic,’] Skyla said.
[It’s all in the medallion and the book, dear. And even then, It’s nothing much, really. Just some basic two-tail, maybe three-tail level spells.]
[So anyone can use them?]
[No. I tuned them particularly to her.] Myra didn't say how the girl would feel an unconscious pull towards places with trouble where her magic would be of help to people, letting the girl have the full 'magical girl' experience of the burden of being a hero, and also showing off someone helping others bearing Myra's symbol. She had to include a trick somewhere, after all.
+++
Moving on in their tour of Akihabara, Vincent and Myra had been confused as to why Skyla would want to visit a maid cafe during her trip, (“it’d be like Susan taking the bus for vacation,” Vincent had said,) but had come to enjoy their time there as well. Vincent’s less-than-perfect Japanese had been a great source of amusement as he tried to playfully flirt with the waitresses, though as their meal went on, Skyla wondered if he was deliberately exaggerating his inexperience with the language to get the servers to laugh.
When their meal had finished, Skyla asked to look into a couple more shops before they left Akihabara for other sites. As they made their way down the sidewalk, Skyla suddenly gasped, feeling someone squeeze her chest.
[WHO DARES GROPE ME?] Skyla roared as blue flames appeared beside her, startling the crowd on either side of the street, the people stepping away from her in fright.
[Don’t worry, dear,] Myra said. [I can take care of this.] Her nine tails stretched out into the crowd, probing their minds. None of them seemed to notice as Myra’s perception filter spell did it’s work. Finally, she singled out the culprit; a scrawny looking male otaku. She pulled him toward her, keeping her perception filter up as the rest of the crowd went about their business.
[Hello young man,] Myra said to the quivering otaku. [Is there anything you would like to say to my granddaughter, since you seem so VERY interested in her?]
The otaku looked at Skyla and said passionately. [Your chest is a pair of beautiful perfect full moons, they demand to be worshipped! For man to reach out and touch them as he touched the stars even at the terrible risks and dangers involved! If man does not try then he is not even alive! Only a coward makes excuses for his own actions!]
"What a creep," Vincent said.
It wasn't that Skyla didn't appreciate the worship of her body, but this perv was unworthy of feeling it.
[Well, I find your bravery commendable. Mortals who don't take risks are less than mortal,]
Myra said in genuine praise. A ball of green flame appeared in her hand. [But no one is so vulgar to one of my family in my presence and simply walks away. As I'm sure anyone in my home village will tell you, I’m worshipped as something close to divine. You have not merely mishandled a woman, you have mishandled the grandchild of a goddess.]
Myra brought the green flame to the pervert's face. The pervert broke out into a cold sweat, trembling.
"Grandma!" Vincent said.
[I'm not going to incinerate him dear... Are you going to say, 'I'll never do it again?']
The pervert found himself unable to answer untruthfully, or more like, he saw in those eyes it would be a waste. [I would be lying if I said I'd never do it again.]
Even if Skyla wasn't sure that Myra's magic wasn't compelling the pervert to answer honestly, she was stunned at his inability to learn if this couldn't scare him straight!
Meanwhile, the crowd who was watching, was treating it as a show at best, or a mild distraction at worst.
[As I said, I am an eastern goddess, or close enough to one. I am honor bound to smite you. But I admire such courage, and such honesty, and a man who can appreciate my granddaughter for the divine beauty she is. So I shall allow your innermost self's truest desires to decide what shape and form your smiting shall take.] Myra leaned in and whispered, [Or you can let my granddaughter decide your punishment, though I have a feeling part you wants that too. Which shall it be? Her? Or yourself?]
[M-myself!]
In an instant, the rest of her nine tails were wrapped around the man, enveloping him completely.
The man’s sight was cut off, and all he could hear was Myra’s voice, projected directly into his mind. [Ah, such lust and longing. You feel so lonely and hopeless don’t you? Knowing you’ll never have a woman look at you with love, or even the same sort of longing that you’d look at them with. But I know a way to let you experience the pleasure you long for. You can enjoy the bliss of love, of giving and receiving pleasure, and do so freely. No need to worry about complications like disease or children, just the joy of touching and being touched, of sweet nothings and passionate drives. Does that sound good to you?]
The otaku had read enough hentai to know trusting a kitsune was probably a bad idea. But he was powerless to hide how appealing that life sounded. [YES!]
[Very well, then! Feel this new passion flow through you, reshape your being, and become your new, true self!]
The otaku felt heat flowing through his body, gasping in pleasure as his skin became smoother, taking a shiny, latex sheen.
[Forget your old self. Your burdens of flesh and blood. Don’t let them weigh you down. You’ve no need to eat or sleep. Love is all you need and desire.]
The man moaned in a higher voice, his body squeaking as he felt his mind clearing, worries of things like jobs, taxes, and health fading from his mind. He felt lighter and lighter as these thoughts floated out of his head, leaving room only for the soft airy heat. His body hollowed out as his mind did, his bones and flesh shifting to empty air that filled his balloonlike body. He felt light and carefree.
[So little remains, but the desire to love and be loved. A simple, but blissful existence. The sort of thing a love doll would want, isn’t it?]
[Yes it is! I must really be a love doll! It’s so clear! This is what I’m supposed to be!]
[Can you even imagine what it would be like to be human? To be weighed down? To fret over this and that to keep yourself alive?]
[No. It sounds miserable.]
[Would you ever want such an existence?]
[No!]
[What would you want, then?]
[To serve a charming master or mistress! To meet their needs as they meet mine! To be theirs, and theirs alone… Unless they want to share, or give me to a new master or mistress!]
[How wonderful! Let me see your picture of true beauty. I’ve enchanted your body to match your mind! Make yourself the pinnacle of beauty and seduction!]
The former otaku focused, as the most desirable image he’d seen came to mind. His clothes vanished as his latex skin turned a deep red color all over, save for black “socks” and “gloves” on his arms and legs, and a patch of white on his belly. His legs became shapely and feminine, while his feet became digitigrade, and paw-like. His hips swelled to child bearing proportions, with an ample behind to boot. His manhood invered, becoming a plastic hole, a similar hole remaining open behind him, now her. Her waist narrowed, as did her arms and neck. In contrast, her chest inflated to well over the size of her head, each latex mammary more sensitive to the touch than anything she’d known before. Her mouth and nose sealed shut, before swelling into a pointed snout with a fake black nose, a round opening forming on the tip of her muzzle. Her ears sealed shut and ballooned up into triangular shapes, moving to the top of her head as her hair vanished. Her eyes became painted on, turning bright green as they grew bigger looking like something from an anime, and little pink markings appeared on her cheeks and forehead, to give a slight exotic look. Finally three big shiny fox tails inflated above her rear.
[There we go. Tell me: Who are you? What are you? What is your purpose?]
[My name is Yuri the Vixen! I’m a kitsune love doll! To serve the needs of my master or mistress, and bring them pleasure however they desire is my only joy and purpose. All else is vanity.]
[Very good, Yuri. Now, time to meet your new master: my handsome grandson, Vincent!]
And with that, she released her tails, exposing the living blow-up doll to the world.
[Would you like a gift, Vincent? I think Yuri will make for an excellent souvenir.] Myra grinned, gesturing toward the lovedoll.
[Oh Vincent!] Yuri gasped, and leapt to hug her new owner, her bust squeaking as it pressed against his own bare chest. [We meet at last! Please! Take me home with you! Let me satisfy your every need and desire! Take my body and do as you please with it! I am yours, and yours alone! Unless you feel like sharing me, tee-hee!]
Vincent grimaced and pushed her off. [No! Grandma! What are you doing?]
Yuri's rubbery features shifted ever so slightly towards a frown.
Even with Myra’s perception filter up, such a blatant display of rudeness to an elder offering a gift was met with a number of stares from bystanders.
[As a local goddess, I have certain... jurisdiction for lack of a better word. I asked him what he wanted, between Skyla choosing his punishment, or himself. This is what form his innermost desires chose. I thought she might as well be put to good use for you eh?]
[I prefer REAL women! Preferably ones that didn’t used to be men and are doing time for groping my sister!]
[I’m sure you’ll enjoy her company given some time.]
Vincent had the demented flustered feeling of his grandmother playing matchmaker!
[Grandma,] Skyla spoke up, [Didn’t we just talk about how you can’t just change anyone nowadays?]
[I have a lot more leeway here, so close to home. I am a trickster goddess after all. I have a responsibility. And you think anyone would miss this shut-in?]
[I won't,] said Yuri helpfully.
[Look,] Vincent spoke up, [Even if he did grope Skyla, spending a lifetime as a literal sex toy seems really over the top as a punishment!]
[Don't look at me, as I said, he chose the punishment himself. All I did was make his innermost self come to the outside. He already wanted nothing out of life but carnal pleasure with no strings attached or greater meaning, with others being just objects for it. Now she can express that without shame or judgement. Personally I think it barely qualifies as a punishment.]
[But Vincent ISN'T even into this sort of thing grandma!] Skyla protested. [Marceline, Master, and I have lots of things we enjoy, but we respect there are things that not all of us do!]
[Sis, thanks for the back up, really. It means a lot that you're in my corner. But I'm not a kit anymore. I can speak for myself. Grandma, I don't want meaningless pleasure with someone like that.]
[Give me a few minutes alone Master and I'm sure I can change you mind,] Yuri said sultrily, leaning in close. Skyla had to admit, even Yuri's voice was the stuff of any guy's wet dream.
Vincent blushed under his fur and again put some distance between himself and Yuri. [No!]
[Oh how cute! You're like one of those harem anime protagonists! Too bad we don't have more of me.]
Skyla looked at her grandmother, who turned up her nose. [Skyla, I am disappointed. You think I skulk around, curse any mortal I see? What do you take me for? An imp?]
The onlookers were looking more entertained and amused.
Vincent meanwhile responded, [Don't most of those end with either the hero never actually having sex with any of them so the audience can super-impose themselves and which woman they'd pick on the protagonist?]
[And what's wrong with that? Entertainment is all about the audience living through the protagonists doing what the audience can't. Why not have that ideal relationship you can never find in real life?]
[Because if it's too perfect then since life's not perfect, there's nothing for the audience to relate to, and never connect with the heroes!]
Yuri shrugged. [That hasn't stopped superheroes in the west from being popular, and they're a bunch of violent muscle heads who are always right.]
[That's not true at all! It's about showing WHY that character is worthy of wearing the costume and being called a hero!]
Skyla found herself starring in awe... was her little brother really debating the virtues of comic books with a living love doll who a minute ago had been a man who had grabbed her?
[Grandma... if Yuri can't fulfill her... purpose with Vincent... wouldn't that be cruel and unusual punishment for her? To have one purpose in life, and being barred from fulfilling it?]
Myra was silent for a moment, about to say how her grandson would come around, playing medding matchmaker was part of the older generation's job after all... But, seeing the two discuss the finer details of manga that went over Myra's head, if that came to be the case... Wouldn't Vincent want it meaningfully from Yuri? While Yuri, by her nature, would want to offer it up for its own sake. 'That would be torture for her.'
[... Doodle Bug, you should know better than to contradict your grandmother... I won't force Vincent to enjoy Yuri. But this was intended to be a punishment, not torture.]
Vincent and Yuri meanwhile, had agreed to go to the local import store to see if they had a copy of a comic storyline where the super hero died defending his city from an invincible alien creature, only to have four men arise, with only the one who didn't claim to be the fallen superhero back from the dead being the one that actually ACTED like him! And Yuri agreeing to read it for herself to determine its worth that Vincent defended.
Some people gave the speaking, moving naked love doll a second look, but nowhere near as many Skyla logically thought they should.
[And western comics just go on forever, while manga most of the time at least have a definitive ending planned,] Yuri continued to debate.
[And some manga go on for so long you WISH they'd end already!] Vincent said back.
[I thought your creations don't feel a connection to their human memories,] Skyla said.
[They don't. I think for Yuri's old self such things fell under 'common knowledge,'] Myra said, herself a little surprised at this turn of events.
[... Is she trying to fulfill her purpose the only way she can figure out by getting to know Vincent first?]
[She should be simply agreeing with everything Vincent says to stroke his ego... ]
[Unless that isn't something Vincent would want... And so wouldn't satisfy him...]
[If so, she’s more clever than I’d give her old self credit for.]
[...I don’t think Mom will like her son being paired up with someone who CAN’T have kids.]
[It’s not like Yuri will be jealous if Vincent does meet a flesh and blood wife.]
[It’s not Yuri I’d be worried about being jealous…]
[...You do have a point.] Myra began conjuring a portal spell. [I believe I may know of a place she would be wanted. Vincent can transfer his ownership of her after they’re done with their little chat.]
+++
In a little manga shop back in Ohira, another lonely young otaku poured through some of the products while he waited for more customers to arrive, when he heard a soft “whoosh” sound, and looked down to see a scroll by his feet, marked with a seal he’d seen regularly at the shrine he visited near the edge of town.
He quickly picked it up; and unfurled it.
[Greetings Itari Morimoto.
As one of my loyal followers, I have a request of you; please take care of my latest creation, who would otherwise lack a home and purpose. I have no reward to offer you for doing this task for me, but I believe you will find taking care of my creation will be quite rewarding in and of itself.
Thank you for your cooperation and loyalty,
Lady Myra Winters]
Just as the man was about to question what this creation of hers might be, he felt something light and rubbery jump him with a squeak!
[Oh my handsome Itari!] Yuri cheered. [It is a pleasure to meet you! Lady Winters tells me you’ve been lonely, and it’s such a shame.] She ran her latex fingers gently across the startled otaku’s cheek, letting her chest press against him, while one of her tails rubbed against his pants with a squeak. She spoke in a lower, more sultry voice. [I’ll keep you company no matter what. Take my body, Itari, and do as you like with it. Your pleasure is my pleasure.]
+++
As the kitsune family stepped into the shop they’d been intending to visit before their interruption, they heard a voice faintly say [I KNEW the legends were true.]
The trio turned, and saw a man who had been looking at them during that incident through the shop window.
Realizing he’d been heard, he gasped and bowed. [Greetings, noble family of foxes. My name is Jun Kageyama. It is an honor to see wondrous creatures like you, working your magic in person.]
[Ah, you saw all that, did you?] Myra stepped toward him. [How interesting. My name is Lady Myra Winters, and these are my grandchildren, Skyla and Vincent. To see through my perception filter, you must either have some sort of magic yourself, or have direly wanted to believe in our magic.]
[It is true, noble Tenko. I’ve wanted to see real magic like this since I was young.]
[Tenko?] Vincent asked.
[It’s a term for a fox that has reached their ninth tail, and ascended,] Myra explained, before turning around to the young man again. [I’m glad I could grant you your wish. But I can see in your eyes that now that you know magic is real, you want something from it. Tell me, human, what is your desire? If I feel in the mood, I might grant it.]
[With a trick, of course, I’d imagine,] The man said.
[I see you pay attention to legends. Yes, there is some risk to asking me for anything. Still, I would like to hear your wish.]
[Well, I’d heard a story about how a fox spirit in Ohira had turned a human into a painting, and that, for a time, he had briefly been restored, and told of how in that form, he felt as if he was truly living in that painted world. If something like that is within your power, I would love to become a part of a work of art, if one of a more modern sort.] The young man fished into his pocket, and pulled out a portable game system, and unfolded it, revealing a scene of a little village populated by animal people in a ‘chibi’ art style. [I wish I could enjoy the blissful simplicity of these villagers. An idyllic world where the worst problem is an occasionally grouchy neighbor. A community where everyone knows each other and cares about them.]
He sighed. [I realize that by asking to be part of a game, as a simple background character, I’d be giving up most of my own thoughts, essentially repeating the same phrases and routines day in and day out, not really having a deeper relationship, or growing or learning in any way… But in some ways, it would be a blessing as well as a curse, and one I think would be worth it for that sense of peace.]
Myra looked at the game for another moment, and sighed. [While I do enjoy finding ways to change others, I usually find those that WANT to be changed… unpleasant to deal with. I will say this much in your favor; you seem aware of both positive and negative consequences of your desire, which is more than many humans show. But, unfortunately, even if I had no reservations about granting your request, I would still be unable to do so. I have no idea how these devices work… I can’t make you into something I don’t comprehend. My apologies.]
[It can’t be helped,] the young man slumped slightly. [Thank you, regardless.]
As the man turned around, Skyla suddenly got an idea. She didn’t know how to make the otaku part of THAT community, herself. But there was another community she could make a fine addition to.
[Please wait,] Skyla spoke up. [My grandmother may not understand coding, but my Master does. If we work together, we may be able to find a peaceful, pleasant life for you.] It was a half-truth, but Skyla imagined the young man would find far more satisfaction in what she had planned for him than as a literal NPC.
The young man turned around. [Really? You would be willing to do that?]
[Gladly. We’ll be returning to America tonight, where he lives. If you want to go with us, I can arrange for that. If things don’t work out, we will bring you back.]
The otaku was aware enough of the old tales to hesitate for a moment. But at the same time, his life felt so empty, he wondered if he’d really lose that much even if they kidnapped him. [I would be honored. Thank you so much.] He extended a hand to shake hers.
[Great! I’ll arrange for your transportation.] Skyla grinned, blue flames dancing around her as her tails wrapped around the man. He suddenly felt as if everything around him was growing bigger, and movement felt more and more difficult, his mind quickly deciding it wasn’t even worth the effort to try. Better to simply remain still, and be admired. His hair stiffened to a solid plastic block, and his clothes turned to plastic as well, merging with him as they were re-painted to look like a little black dress with a white apron. Her face was stretched forward just a little, looking like the short snout of a dog, painted over with pale yellow ‘fur,’ while her ears were made longer, folding down so they appeared to flop down the sides of her head. Her arms and legs both became stubby, fingerless appendages, and a little round plastic tail appeared behind her.
Her changes complete, the former man felt an odd sense of peace in her new form. Sure, there was little she could do for herself in this state, but did she really NEED to do anything? There was no point in worrying about what you couldn’t change, and there was very little a person could change when they’d been turned into an object.
Skyla held the little figurine of a chibi dog maid in her hand, and smiled. [Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of you.] She gently set Jun in her bag.
Vincent stared at her.
“What? It’s a lot easier to bring him back this way. I’m keeping my word; I’ll change him back once we’re home, and if things don’t work out, I’ll bring him back here tomorrow.”
“If you say so, sis.”
+++
The trio of kitsune spent the afternoon and evening exploring the rest of Tokyo, and visiting a few more popular tour spots along the way. Skyla felt like she could spend weeks here, but as night fell, she knew she’d need to get back home eventually.
Back in the mansion, a little before noon on Saturday, a large green ball of flame formed in Myra’s room, out of which the three stepped.
“That was fun,” Vincent said. “But it’s nice to be back home.”
“Is that Vincent?” Curt’s voice came from down the hall. His head peeked around the open door, then stepped inside. “Oh hey it is you! Welcome back Skyla, Vincent, Myra. How was it?”
“It was great,” Vincent said. “We got to see a lot of cool places, and Skyla and I got some time to just talk and catch up on things. And Grandma… kept things interesting.”
Skyla nodded. “I loved it, and I wouldn’t mind going back some time. And I got some really nice swag in Akihabara.” She held up a bag filled with various anime figurines and manga. “Oh! That reminds me, while we were there, I met someone I wanted you to see, who could use your unique programming skills for a life-changing project of theirs.
“If you think it’s really a good idea, I guess we can go over it in my office. But this person’s in Japan, right? How do you-”
“Don’t worry Master,” Skyla interrupted, “I’ll fill you in on the details once we have some privacy.”
Skyla fished Jun out of her bag and held out the figure as she followed Curt toward his office, letting Jun see the many maids going to and fro about their business. When they finally arrived in the office, Skyla gently set the figure down in a chair in front of Curt’s desk.
“This is the ‘someone’ you wanted me to meet?” Curt asked.
“I turned him into a figure make bringing him with us easier,” Skyla explained, draping her tails around the chair and lifting them to reveal the otaku, fully human once again.
Curt was, needless to say, VERY surprised. “How many more of the figures in that bag are people?”
“Only Jun, Master, I promise,” Skyla assured him. “Master, this is Jun Kageyama. He only speaks Japanese, so I’ll translate for you two.” She turned to Jun. [Mr. Kageyama, this is my employer, Master Curt Evenson. He only speaks English, so I’ll translate for the two of you.]
Jun bowed politely.
“So,” Curt said, with a little bit of humor “Skyla tells me you need my programming skills for something? And that’s definitely all?”
On hearing Skyla’s translation, Jun nodded. [Yes. I am aware it may sound strange, but I was hoping that you would be able to work with Ms. Winters to help me enjoy a simpler life, by changing me into a villager in one of my games.]
Skyla opted not to translate that directly. “Honestly, Master, this guy has so little hope in life that when he caught us doing magic, he asked if he could be made into an NPC in one of those little slice of life games. He wants to feel like a part of a community, to have some friendly faces, people that feel like their neighbors matter. And I think you can give him that, AND a fulfilling job… If you see what I’m getting at.”
“I think I do… Ask him if he’s really sure about wanting a new life…”
“Well, I don’t think he’d have come if he wasn’t sure, but I can do that.” She turned to Jun.
[Master Evenson has told me that he can help you become a part of an idyllic community, full of charming animal people of all kinds, but he wants to make it clear; there would be no undoing this. Would you still accept it?]
[Yes,] Jun nodded. [There’s little else for me in this world.]
“He said yes, Master.”
“Well then, I won’t keep him waiting.” Curt pulled the gun out from under his desk, prompting a startled gasp from Jun, who didn’t have time to see it wasn’t the bullet-shooting kind before it was fired.
The young man’s posture instantly straightened up, and he began to grow brown fur all over his body. He shrank a few inches, while his arms and legs both slimmed down, his hips expanded, and and his face became rounder and more feminine. Her chest grew outwards, but only slightly. Her shirt and pants wove together into a black dress, a white apron draping over it, and a lace headband appearing on her head. Her shoes vanished as her feet stretched out quite a ways, and her toes curled down, becoming paws, with little pads forming underneath. Similar pads formed on her palms and fingertips, while a short, round tail poked out the back of her dress. Her jaws stretched forward slightly, her nose shrinking and becoming triangular as it was pulled forward with it. Little whiskers grew from the sides of her short muzzle, her 'hair' turned bright blond and became a pair of cute long pigtails. The last physical change was her ears growing far, far longer, pointing straight up as they shifted up the sides of her head, becoming a distinct pair of rabbit ears.
Meanwhile, her sense of emptiness faded from her mind, as her history was rewritten. Instead of spending her whole life in Tokyo, in an apartment where she didn’t know her neighbors, her family had now frequently brought her to the countryside to visit her cousins, allowing her to meet childhood friends she would otherwise never have encountered. She remembered playing with other kids, going fishing, collecting bugs, getting stung by a bee, visiting a natural history museum, and much more. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a good life. Then, one day, four years ago, during college, she took a vacation to America. Having always enjoyed the idea of being a maid, she visited the “maid district,” and instantly loved its vibrant, friendly people. When she got home, she immediately began making preparations to immigrate to the US, become a citizen, and work there. And when she finally moved in, she’d met her beloved Master, Curt Evenson, and knew she HAD to work for him, becoming the estate’s lead interior designer. And through working for him, she’d made SO MANY new friends in the community. She’d even made a close friend outside of the maids in Vincent, whose landscaping tips had helped her improve in her own job.
Jun opened her eyes and smiled. “Thank you for giving me time off to travel back to my birth country with Head Maid Winters, Master Evenson. It was a wonderful time!”
“You’re welcome.” Curt said. “It’s nice to have you back."
Skyla yawned, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. “Sorry about that, Master. Time zone differences…”
“Yeah, I imagine all of you could use some rest. Feel free to take the rest of the day off.”
“Thank you, Master Evenson,” Jun bowed, and left the room.
'I granted his request just as he asked with a twist... ' Skyla smirked then startled. 'I granted his request with a twist... like a kitsune would... Maybe I'm not so different from grandma after all.'