Katie had gotten bored with exploring. Taking her leave she now began the search for Kellie and Mika, hopefully they had made some progress in forging an alliance.
As she approached the castle in the middle of the town, she slowed. Two massive kitsune guards stood in front of the entrance. The two four tailed narrowed their brows tightening their grasp on their glaives.
"Is Kellie in there," she asked meekly.
"What's you name," a blue furred kitsune asked. "Katie O'Toole," she gulped. The blue furred four tail nodded, motioning for his partner to step aside. As Katie now passed the two guards and made her way inside.
Katie went, marveling at the exquisite architecture inside. The place was several stories high with a courtyard in its center. Glancing out into the courtyard, Katie could see a small garden with colorful flowers as well as a few trees that appeared in full bloom. Even the hallways of the palace were elaborately decorated, bulbs of magical light illuminated the corridors that were decorated with paintings of the family as well as several suits of samurai armor. "Katie is that you?"
Katie turned to see Kiko and Kellie exit one of the side passages of the corridor. "Hey Kellie, hey Kiko," she waved. "This place is beautiful."
"Thank you," Kiko smiled.
"So how did the negotiations with Lilith go?"
Kiko frowned slightly as she turned to Kellie. "Well," Kellie sighed. "Surprisingly well, she actually seems to want to broker a peace treaty. She even gave Kiko a potion to help the kitsune have children of their own. We just left the lab where Kiko's brother Takeo works. He thinks that its legit."
"Well that sounds like great news," Katie exclaimed happily. "So why the long faces?"
"Because," Kiko grumbled. "There's a catch."
Katie looked at the two curiously as Kellie and Kiko exchanged a glance between themselves. "Heres the thing Katie," Kellie said. "Yeah the potion Lilith gave us is legit. We read over the scroll and we even tested it. Not on ourselves but on some plants. The potion does repair all damage in the body. It can fix the kitsune so they could give birth."
"So what's the downside?"
"The potion reduces whoever takes it to infancy," Kiko sighed. "So yeah we could all take it and then have to grow up all over again. We cant have a town full of kits running around, we'd be sitting ducks to any of the other magical families."
"Well this is an easy fix," Katie said happily. "We could just use our rings to age everyone back to normal."
"Sounds good in theory," Kiko said. "And we thought of that. Only thing were not sure of is whether the potion would effect us mentally as well."
"The way the scroll states it makes it sound like the potion rejuvenates and heals the mind and body," Kellie said. "Kiko is worried that anyone taking the potion would have their memories wiped. So even if you did grow someone back up theirs the possibility them being just an overgrown infant."
"Damn demons " Kiko grumbled. "Always a catch."
"Hold on your just going to give up,: Katie yelled. "This could be what your clan has wanted your centuries."
"Its too risky," Kiko stated. "I cant subject the clan to that. If the worst happens it would be suicide."
"What if we tested it on just one kitsune to start," Katie asked. "Just to make sure."
"I guess that would be okay," Kellie shrugged. "What do you think Kiko?"
"Possibly," she said thoughtfully. "But the question is who?"