Katie trailed behind Darren, her mind cluttered with thoughts as she watched the future teen perform a spell. A kitsune had killed her friend.
Katie's interactions with the kitsune were complicated. The first interactions with them saw a deranged eight tail kidnap her parents and Mia Hall in an attempt to make them her kits. The second, an attack by Fukushu's forces after her parents gave birth to her baby brother Ty. That instance saw Katie battle not only Akira, Aiko, and Fukushu but nightmarish creatures known as Voids. That battle had taken place just before her marriage, Katie eventually beating back those enemies before marrying her childhood sweetheart.
The peace would not last. Fukushu would emerge once more, acting as the second in command of a timeline conquering titan known as Villar. Although Katie was able to best the titan, Fukushu remained, fighting Katie to a draw. To this day she wasn't sure who was more powerful, Fukushu or Villar.
Those early interactions though eventually led to Katie forging alliances with the other supernatural realms. Since the end of the war she found herself meeting with werewolves, fairies, tanuki, and even kitsune. Often times these meetings would take place in the Magic Shop, the leaders of the various supernatural realms conversing with Katie. Seeking council or asking for information on the realm of man. For Katie, these rulers had become not just work acquaintances but friends.
Still, Katie had yet to visit their homelands. As the young woman now stepped through Darren's portal she gasped as she beheld the capital of the kitsune homeland. "You okay," Darren asked, as he glanced back at Katie. "Yeah," she replied breathlessly. "It's just....I've never been here. It's so beautiful." Darren smirked, nodding as the pair continued along the main cobblestone road. "I know," he smiled. "I always thought so too."
As the pair of Catalysts now advanced, Katie studied the capital carefully. Shops and homes lined the main street, cherry blossom trees in full bloom lining the road. Katie watched as kitsune of various ages and colors now went about their daily lives. After dealing with Akira over the last few years, Katie expected the kitsune to be traditional, which some were. Those kitsune it appeared were older, mostly five, six, and seven tails. Adorned in traditional Japanese clothing from what appeared to be centuries ago, they milled about entering shops, heading to work, or simply enjoying a meal. What surprised her though was the younger ones. These kitsune were dressed in modern fashions, Katie noting a pair of two tail kitsune who appeared to be teenagers. These teens appeared to have dyed their fur an assortment of colors, their cellphones recording the latest Tik Tok dance.
"I know it's a bit striking," Darren stated, offering a polite wave to a group of kitsune as he passed. "The kitsune are kind of a dichotomy. Part traditional, part modern. Alot of it is because of Kiko."
"Shes Tatsu’s daughter right," Katie asked. Darren nodded, turning to Katie with a small smile on his face. "Yeah she is. Have you two met?" Katie shook her head no, Darren grinning from war to ear as he promised to introduce the pair as soon as possible.
Approaching the castle, Katie gawked astonished by the size and beauty of the structure. Designed on the style of ancient Japan ot seemed to rise to the heavens with classical architecture. Katie may not be an expert in medieval construction but she could certainly admire the obvious care that was taken when it was built. "So what did you want to talk to Tatsu about," Darren asked. "The assassin that killed my friend," Katie replied. "The one that fought Akira." Darren paused, this assassin was strong but from what he had heard it was something that could be managed. "I get why and I'm sorry about your friend," he said. "But, from what I heard Akira handled this Asaya clan pretty easily. Maybe she got lucky killing your friend." Katie now paused, Darren looking up at her as the womans face darkened. The statement that now left Katie's mouth made Darren's jaw dropped.
"The fight was closer than you think."
Darren listened as Katie now explained what she had learned. Akira was fortunate in the battle, the assassin Hinata was a highly skilled warrior dueling Akira to a near draw. After nearly killing four very powerful teenagers, Akira arrived just in time. As the guardian explained, Hinata nearly killed him on several occasions, Akira able to keep up with the girl yet fortunate to escape with Ashley as the only casualty. "Why is all of that being kept quiet," Darren asked.
"Because things are tenuous in the other timeline," Katie stated. "Alot of people are scared right now. The Normal, the One Humanity, they're filling people with fear. If people think Akira is able to keep their children safe, it will calm alot of people's fears." Darren could only nod. It made sense if he thought about it. If people were panicked then alot of innocent people could be hurt. Entering the palace, Darren now worried what would happen if Akira couldn't protect the children of the other timeline?
Katie gasped as a blur now lept from the shadows, slamming the young woman into a wall. It had happened so fast, Darren was caught by surprise. Gasping, the teenage Catalyst watched as Fukushu pressed his sword against Katie's throat. "You are not welcome here," he snarled. With a blinding flash of light Fukushu was now pushed backwards, skidding to a stop several yards away. Darren now gawked at Katie, watching the woman transform.
Holy armor now appeared on Katie's torso and forearms. A pair of armored knee high boots appearing as six angelic wings stretched out behind her. Katie's eyes now transformed into pure white light as she pointed the legendary Excalibur at the nine tailed kitsune. "Fukushu," Darren bellowed standing between the old enemies. "Don't! We didn't come here to fight, we need to information on the Asaya."
"I tolerate you Catalyst," Fukushu growled. "And I am willing to work towards the elimination of the Asaya. But this one is not welcome after what she did to Yomi."
"You mean your sister that tried to kidnap my parents," Katie called back, her voice ethereal yet foreboding. "You always leave that part out. Or the fact that it was Lilith who killed. Not to mention how you and your forces attacked my family and friends at the hotel, nearly killing them or how you tried to kill us all after the realms merged. Your sister's death was a tragedy but you continue to attack."
"Because humans can not be trusted," Fukushu replied, his voice low and threatening. "And their is nothing you have shown in the last few years that will change the centuries I have watched humanity acting as the cruelest of creatures in all the realms."
"Dad?"
Darren's eyes went wide, the teen fidgeting nervously as he watched Raiden appear from a side room. The fight had drawn the curious young kits attention. Glancing st Fukushu, Darren could see the kitsunes eye twitch as his tails wished furiously behind him. Slowly the kitsune slid to obscure his son from Katie's sight as his eyes remained trained on the seraphim.
Katie raised an eyebrow, she had yet to meet Fukushu's son. She had heard of the black and red kit, of how curious he was, how polite and honest he could be. It shocked Katie that a child with such an innocent reputation could be related to a kitsune who had plotted to kill her and her family. "Listen to me Fukushu," she said. "I haven't come here to harm you or anyone else. The Normal. The Asaya. They're too big a threat. We have to work together, for the sake of our children."
Fukushu snarled, his sword still in attack position. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. For the sake of Katie's daughter Morgan and his son Raiden, the old enemies would need to reach a truce. At least for now.
"So be it," he growled. Darren ketting out a sigh of relief, thankful that for a moment the two old enemies had reached a tentative peace agreement.