Patience, it was a virtue many did not appreciate, thankfully though Fukushu was a master. As he gazed out at the Tozawa house he thought back to what he had learned from observing his timeline.
Fukushu had followed Mika and Claudia shortly after their battle with Yomi. While he was able to keep in touch with his timeline he was determined to exact his revenge upon those that had attacked his sister. Fukushu had learned of the peace agreement Lilith had brokered, offering the minions of Circe from another timeline as kits for his clan. Despite this peace offering he was not satisfied.
Claudia and Mika had assisted Lilith in destroying his sister. What was worse was what happened to his sister Hikari after the battle had been completed. Fukushu had learned that his sister (the black sheep of the family and a sister he did not particularly like) had gone to Merlin for a secret meeting, while he was not sure what transpired at that meeting what happened afterwards angered the Kitsune.
Hikari had been attacked, after some investigation Fukushu discovered a trace of magic from the other timeline. The timeline Mika and Claudia resided in. Tracking his wayward sister he was horrified to discover her reduced to a child and under the care of Mika and Claudia. Since then he had been planning his revenge. He had followed the college age girls as they completed school and returned home. For the last month he had conducted surveillance on the Tozawa residence, learning their patterns, their strengths, their weaknesses. After watching Mika’s parents exit the house, leaving the Tozawa children alone with Hikari, he decided to make his move. Today he would make his first move against his enemies. Today, the Tozawa family would learn why he had chosen the name Fukushu. Revenge. First to Mika and Claudia, then to everyone else involved in Yomi’s demise.
Mika sighed as she put away some dishes. Ever since returning from college with Kari in tow, things had been rather stressful. While her parents approved of Mika and Claudia taking care of Kari, they were concerned it was too big a responsibility. Couple that with the fact that Kari was a Kitsune and the Tozawa’s were more than a bit worried with their eldest daughter could handle it. As Mika looked out towards the living room she smirked.
Shiro, Jen, and Claudia were happily talking on the couch as Naomi and Kari watched t.v. While Shiro seemed to warm to Kari, Naomi was having a difficult time adjusting. Kari was everything the traditional Tozawa family could hope for. The teenage Kitsune was polite, respectful, and serious about everything that she did. The Tozawa parents loved this, meaning they would often ask Naomi why she couldn’t be more like Kari. Naomi for her part did like the quiet and serious girl, it just drove her crazy that she seemed to be the daughter their parents always wanted. “Hey Naomi,” Mika called. “Can you give me a hand?” Naomi nodded, excusing herself as she now joined her eldest sister in the kitchen.
“What’s up Mika,” Naomi asked. Mika smirked down at her sister, leaning in to talk. “Oh nothing,” she grinned. “Just wanted to know what you and Kari were up to?”
“She trying to teach me Shinto tradition,” Naomi grumbled. “Like it wasn’t enough when she talked about the proper way of tying a kimono or the proper way of eating at the table. She’s nice and all but GOD, does she have to be so, perfect?”
Mika laughed, placing a hand on her adopted sisters shoulder. “Sorry sis,” she smiled. “Kari is just, Well....a bit traditional. Know it’s driving you nuts but thanks for dealing with her and being her friend.” Naomi nodded giving her sister a small smile. The sound of someone knocking at the door now caused the sisters to turn towards it curiously. “Must be Samantha,” Mika shrugged. “She’s supposed to be meeting up with me and Claudia to talk about the bridesmaid dresses.” Approaching the door, Mika now slowly opened it, surprised by the mysterious Japanese man on her doorstep.
Fukushu had been expecting this. During his surveillance of the Tozawa family he had seen Mika answer the door more than 90% of the time since her return from college. As the Asian woman curiously gazed at him, her eyes resting on the scar by his eye he took that moment to strike. A blast of magical energy sent Mika flying backwards crashing through a nearby bookcase. The blast was meant to incapacitate the woman, she would watch as Fukushu slaughtered her family before taking his sister and torturing her to death.
Naomi has been shocked to see Mika fly across the room, crashing through the China cabinet. Naomi gasped, fearing her sister was dead before turning towards the man at her front door. Gasping in horror she watched as his features began to change. Fukushu’s face began to elongate, an orange fur covering his face as his ears grew out becoming pointed. Naomi watched as nine tails began to emerge slowly from behind the Kitsune as he menacingly gazed at Naomi and her friends.
“Mika!”
Fukushu turned to see Claudia leap from the couch. He had anticipated that reaction from the petite blond sorceress. During his reconnaissance he saw how close the two women were. If one was threatened the other would immediately leap to their defense. When they did this though it left them open for attack. Judging by Claudia’s actions she was rushed and not thinking things through rationally, leaving her open for a counter attack.
Claudia glared at the Kitsune as she rushed to Mika’s aid. Checking on her fiancé she saw that although hurt badly she was alive. Grasping her necklace she glowered at Fukushu before releasing a powerful blast of her own. Fukushu deftly dodged the blast, which annihilated the front door. Smirking the Kitsune assassin now leveled a blast at Claudia knocking Claudia through a nearby wall.
Naomi had watched fearfully as Claudia and Mika had been easily taken down by this intruder. She had heard stories about the Kitsune but had yet to see them in action. The sickening sound of bones cracking as Claudia flew through the wall frightened the teen. As she turned up from her sister she could see the Kitsune glaring down at her, a powerful spell meant to kill her being readied.
“Naomi get down!”
Jennifer dived at Naomi knocking the teen away from the blast as it destroyed the stairwell behind her. The sounds of Jennifer screaming in pain knocked Naomi out of her daze as she tried to gain her bearings. Glancing down at Jennifer she could see Jennifer was unconscious. The back of the college girls shirt had been burned away by the blast, painful blisters now began to appear on her back indicating she had probably suffered 2nd degree burns. As Naomi looked towards the Kitsune she was surprised to see her brother Shiro had tackled the Kitsune and was now fighting.
Shiro was angry, his sister, his friend, and his girlfriend had been seriously hurt by this thing. While the Kitsune was occupied with Naomi and Claudia, he and Jennifer had lept into action. As Jennifer knocked Naomi out of the way, Shiro had tackled the Kitsune to the ground. As he now began to punch the Kitsune he could see a look of annoyance on its face.
“Insolent bastard,” Fukushu growled. “Do you think you can harm me.” Fukushu grabbed Shiro by the throat, causing him to gasp for breath under his iron grip.
Shiro couldn’t breath as he felt the Kitsune choke him. As hard as he hit the Kitsune he couldn’t break its vice like grip. Frantically he now looked around for anything to use to get free, finally noticing the ceremonial sword his parents owned. Grasping the sword, Shiro unsheathed it, plunging it into the Kitsunes shoulder.
Fukushu howled in pain as the blade sunk deep into his shoulder. He had not anticipated that the Tozawa family would own an ancient mystical blade. The magic of the weapon had caused a serious would to him, one that would require medical attention after he was finished. Growling at Shiro he now flung the man across the room as he crashed through the living room table. As Shiro lay prone, Fukushu now turned towards Naomi and Kari.
“Hikari,” he growled. “You are to leave this place with me. These mortals have brought dishonor to our clan. Dishonor that can only be eliminated by their blood.”
Kari trembled as Naomi now stood in front of her. “Your not taking her anywhere,” she said fiercely. “Kari is family.”
Fukushu grimaced at the teen as he began to advance. “Your are brave,” he scowled. “Brave, But very foolish.” In one swift motion Fukushu now backhand the Asian teen separating him from Kari. Naomi went flying across the room, crashing into the wall. Naomi sputtered as she now stood slowly, grabbing a nearby vase she now tossed it at Fukushu. The vase exploded on the Kitsune, angering him greatly. “You child shall be the first to pass into the netherworld,” he growled as he readied a spell.
Naomi watched as the spell Fukushu cast sped towards her. Wincing she readied herself for death only to find Kari dart in front of her. The teenage Kitsune had shifted into her Fox form as she now held the spell at bay. “Leave my family alone,” Kari bellowed as she cast a counter spell.
Fukushu’s eyes went wide as the spells collided. He had not anticipated that his sister would side with the Tozawa family. While only a juvenile, her magic combined with the others could lead to his defeat. Fukushu would need to retreat but not before a parting gift for his sister, one that would give him better odds the next time they met. Dodging out of the way, Fuskushu now cast a spell at Kari, smiling as the teenage Kitsune yelped in pain. Noticing that the others were now beginning to come to Fukushu left quickly to lick his wounds, their would be other opportunities for revenge.
Naomi slowly dragged herself over to where Kari was kneeling. The spell she had been hit with had knocked the teenage Kitsune to her knees. As she resumed human form Naomi could see her gasping for breath. “Naomi,” she whispered. “I...I feel weird.”
Naomi watched as the teens features began to soften. Kari appeared to be shrinking into her kimono, her hands slowly retracting before vanishing. As Naomi watched she could see Kari’s curves slowly erode away. The girl was gradually growing younger at an alarming rate. As she passed puberty, the 9 year old girl looked up fearfully, her body slowly sinking into the massive folds of her kimono.
Naomi Hugged the frightened girl tightly as she continued to youthen. Grasping the tiny five year tightly, Naomi stroked the girls hair, finding it was becoming shorter and finer as she became toddler. As the spell completed Naomi looked down warmly at the tiny infant swamped in her too large kimono.
Kari was now only 6 months old. The tiny Kitsune infant appeared mostly human except for a set of small black fox ears and a puffy black tail. Gazing up in confusion at the teen, Naomi held her close, whispering that she would keep her safe. As the others now slowly approached Mika and Claudia now sadly gazed down at the girl before looking at one another. They now understood that their was a new enemy and that they would need to raise a daughter.