Mason couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he put on his hakama. Anjelica had told him she would love it if the two of them had their first date at a nice restaurant in the kitsune realm. Claudia knocked on his bedroom door and came in to see her son looking like he was having trouble with the strap of his hakama.
"I...I don't think it fits me, mom, maybe I should wear something less fancy? Anjelica wouldn't mind right? I mean, it's not like a first date is the most important thing ever." Mason said nervously as Claudia shook her head and helped her son with his strap.
"Anjelica told you she wanted to have a nice date here in the kitsune realm. She and her sister didn't really have much time to admire the realm during the war. Plus, you get to show her your family's roots." Claudia said as she finished with the strap on his hakama. She noticed her son looking a little distracted.
"What's wrong? You should be happy you and Anjelica are finally going on your date." Claudia asked looking at her son with a little concern.
"I know, it's just....a little strange. We've been friends for so long, now we're dating." Mason said rubbing his arm.
"I know, it was like that with me and your mother back when we were first dating. The two of us had been friends for so long that it felt strange to be a couple. But the longer it went, the less strange it became." Claudia said.
Mason was a little surprised, he had always assumed from the way he saw his mothers interact that being romantic with each other always came so easy to them, even when they started out.
"Mason, your date's ready!" Mika called out to her son from the other room.
"Come on, let's go see how she looks." Claudia said excitedly as Mason gave a little smile to her son as Mason took in a deep breath and followed his mom closely behind her.
Anjelica had actually arrived in the kitsune realm quite some time ago, but had asked Kari to help her get ready and look nice for their date. Anjelica had always seen Kari and Haley as older sisters like Stephanie was to her. Kari was the one who would sometimes babysit her when she was young and would always play dress up with her and give her nice snacks. Haley would sometimes watch Anjelica if Kari was busy and was usually the more exuberant of the sisters, often taking Anjelica to fun places and sneaking her some extra sugar when her mothers told her how much she could have in a day.
Mason came into the room and his jaw dropped and eyes went wide as he saw Anjelica standing there dressed in a white yukata kimono with blue obi and floral pattern. Kari had also taken the time to do her hair in a crown braid with bangs and a bouffant bun.
"Wow, Anjelica you look....so beautiful." Mason said being the only word he could think of to describe how she looked at the moment.
"Thank you Mason, you look really handsome in your hakama." Anjelica said with a smile and little blush on her face.
"Okay you two, I want to have a little picture of you two together for your first date." Mika said as Mason and Anjelica stood closely together, still feeling a little awkward as they smiled and Mika took a picture of the two of them.
"Oh, you're both so cute together. I'm definitely going to send this picture to your mothers Anjelica, they'll love how beautiful you look." Mika said as she began sending the pictures to Ann and Jackie.
Claudia came over to Mason and held up his hand giving him a handful of yen into his hand.
"Wow, you've never given me this much for my allowance." Mason said amazed to his mom.
"Well this is a special occasion. I want you to have fun and give her a good time." Claudia said as she gave Mason a hug not wanting to kiss him in front of his date.
Mason and Anjelica now left from the capital as they walked together, they both didn't know what to say to the other. Mason looked down at Anjelica's hand and wondered if he should hold her hand now, or would that seem too soon? Anjelica was equally unsure if she should hold Mason's hand yet or not, or even kiss him on the cheek.
"So how has your training with Morgan been going?" Mason finally decided to ask breaking the tension between the two.
"Oh, it's been great!" Anjelica said a little loudly at first as she blushed then spoke again softly. "It's been great, Morgan has been a great teacher to me and I've been learning a lot from her. There are difficult days, but there are easier days when I learn spells and the like. What about you? How has training with your uncle been?" Anjelica now asked Mason as the two of them strolled through town.
"It's been tough for sure, especially since he began training Raiden with me. It's been great interacting with him. He's got to prepare Raiden for when he becomes the next leader of the kitsune, but I reminded him that Raiden's still young and he needs him to be a father as well as a teacher. So after the training, we went fishing and had some dessert. It was great for all three of us, there was actually a moment when we were fishing and I reeled in a fish so strong that I fell backwards and the fish flopped on my face. Believe it or not, Fukushu actually let out a jovial laugh. It actually caught Raiden off guard for a moment, as it did me, but pretty soon all three of us were laughing together. It was probably one of the best moments I've ever had with him." Mason explained as Anjelica watched him smile.
Soon Anjelica saw a tea house coming up and suggested the two of them go inside and have a drink of tea together. Mason saw it wasn't one of the more lavish tea houses and agreed to go in. Mason and Anjelica went inside and were lead to a table where they sat on the floor and a woman to take their orders, Anjelica looked a little overwhelmed, she wasn't sure what she would or wouldn't like. Mason noticed this and ordered for her.
"Sama, my date will have oolong tea, and to eat she'll have the Manju." Mason said with a little smile.
"And what will you have young man?" The waitress asked Mason.
"I'll have the Matcha tea and to eat I'll have the Dorayaki. Arigato sama." Mason said bowing towards the waitress as Anjelica did the same.
"Wow, Mason I'm impressed. I didn't think you knew so much about tea houses and manors." Anjelica complimented as Mason smiled a little bit and rubbed his neck.
"Yeah, I guess I have my mother and grandmother to thank for that. When we were growing up, grandma had us learn all the proper manners for dining as well as have us try out different types of teas." Mason explained. "I definitely remember not really liking wearing my hakama at first, I thought I looked kind of silly, but my grandpa said that I looked like a 'shinno', which is just another word for 'prince', so that made me feel a little better." Mason finished explaining as Anjelica took it all in.
Anjelica remembered seeing some of Mason's past memories, but not many of them, and was glad he still had good memories of his time in the kitsune realm when he was younger.
"So did Lord Tatsu and Lady Shizen walk you around the town very much when you were little? I remember my grandparents liked to do that with me." Anjelica asked remembering some days when her grandpa Martin and grandma Marilyn would take her through the park or when there was a fair in town.
"Yeah, sometimes they..." Mason began to say before the two of them saw a brown two tail kitsune coming over to them looking a little curious.
"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhearing you two mention Lady Shizen, are you....Kari's brother?" The kitsune girl asked.
"Oh, yeah, hi, I'm Mason. You must be one of Genki's sisters. Kari told me she met you when she visited." Mason said shaking the kitsune's hand.
"Yeah, I'm Nanami, it's nice to meet you. I'm not that usually into having tea, but I had to get out of my house. My sister was a little upset that I mentioned her possible boyfriend to our mom and now she's on me about it." Nanami explained.
"I've got an older sister too, I'm Anjelica, it's nice to meet you." Anjelica said holding out her hand to shake Nanami's, but she thought she should bow her head instead.
"It's okay to shake hands if you want. It's mostly grandparents and parents who do things the old fashioned way." Nanami said shaking Anjelica's hand.
Mason and Anjelica's waitress came back with their order and set it down, just as she left, a five tail kitsune mother came over to Mason with her two young kits who had one tail. They were a young brother and sister and looked excited to speak with Mason.
"Hello, I'm sorry for interrupting but my children saw you and wanted to speak with you. You're one of Lord Tatsu's grandchildren, correct?" The kitsune mother asked as Mason nodded his head with a smile.
"My children wanted to say something to you." The kitsune woman said as she let her children speak.
"Our....daddy went to go fight....in the war....and he came back.....with a lot of....cuts and bruises....and he's missing one of his tails." The boy kitsune said as Mason felt bad that their father was injured.
"But....he....still came home and we like that he's....home. We wanted to give you this." The girl kitsune said as she handed Mason a drawing of himself with a sword and wearing his hakama.
"Thank you, I really like it. I'm glad your daddy came home safe." Mason thanked the kids as they left the tea house with their mother.
Mason suddenly felt like he had to use the bathroom and excused himself. He got up and went into the bathroom. He was glad this tea house had bathroom stalls like the ones back home as he went into one of the stalls. As he finished going, he suddenly heard two voices coming into the bathroom.
"That guy is such a freak show, what a total loser. Some kits giving him some crappy drawing like he's some kind of celebrity." A kitsune boy a little older in appearance than Mason said as he washed his hands.
"Yeah, you know, I overheard that one girl say that he's actually related to Lord Tatsu and Lady Shizen, can you believe that?!" The other kitsune boy around the same age as his friend said.
"Ha, that's a laugh. I suppose that means his uncle is the great Lord Fukushu, a real legend for who knows how long, and he has to be related to that? Man, I can't believe he's even related to any of them, his whole family must be pretty ashamed of him." The first kitsune boy said.
"Yeah, he's not just a standout, he's a complete freak show too. I heard a rumor that he has to fuse with some dog just so he can be like them. Can you believe that? I bet he licks his own balls too!" The second kitsune boy said as he and his friend now left the bathroom leaving Mason alone in the bathroom stall crying after hearing what the boys had just said.
Some time passed before Mason collected himself and went back to Anjelica who looked a little concerned.
"Are you alright? You were in there for a while." Anjelica asked.
"Yeah, it's just....something didn't agree with me." Mason said as he looked around. "What happened to Nanami?" Mason asked.
"She left after we talked for a while. I was telling her all about the human realm and she is so interested in seeing it she practically wants to run away there. I told her that maybe the next time I come by we could hang out, she was really friendly." Anjelica said as Mason nodded his head.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Anjelica asked.
"Yeah, I am Anjelica, I just think we should go somewhere else as soon as I finish this meal." Mason said as he went to have his tea and meal.
After a while, Mason paid for the meal and the two of them left the tea house. They traveled around town for a little bit until Mason spotted a cart selling flowers and Mason bought a single rose for Anjelica as she sniffed it, Mason thought just holding the flower made Anjelica look more beautiful as his heart began beating.
After a little while, Mason and Anjelica were taking a stroll through the park as they saw a few couples out in boats on the lake. Mason wanted so badly to hold Anjelica's hand but wasn't sure if it was the right time or not yet. As they walked on, they saw two young boys who were a little older than Mason, or so it appeared as well as a few girls walking next to them, more than likely the four of them were also on a date.
"Hey, what do we have here? A couple of freaks polluting our nice park with their human filth." One of the kitsune boys said as his three colleagues laughed at that remark.
"Hey, I have family here buddy, so I'm just as entitled to be here are you are." Mason said as he and Anjelica tried to walk around them but the group formed a little semi-circle around them.
"Oh yeah? And exactly what family gives you the right to be here?" The other kitsune boy asked.
"I don't have to tell you, you wouldn't believe me anyway." Mason said as he and Anjelica began turning around before the first kitsune boy jumped in front of Mason and Anjelica.
"Wait, wait a minute, I recognize you now. You're that kid from years back who said your uncle was the great Lord Fukushu." The kitsune boy recalled as Mason seemed to stop dead in his tracks.
"Yeah, I think I taught you a pretty good lesson that day years back about lying about who you're related to, do I have to give it again?" The kitsune boy asked.
Mason took in a deep breath before replying.
"I don't care if you believe me or not, I'm trying to have nice night with my girlfriend, so leave us alone." Mason said sternly.
"Oh, having a date night, huh? Let's make it a little more memorable. Girls, grab her." The kitsune boy said to the girls as they grabbed Anjelica.
"Hey, let me go!" Anjelica said trying to fight them off. She would've used magic, but Morgan had told her that magic wasn't always the solution to everything.
"Let's not do this, please? I don't want to fight you." Mason pleaded.
"Too bad, I do." The kitsune boy said as he began punching Mason first in the gut, then on the face.
Memories of when he was eight years old came flooding back to him. Mason did not want to have that be this memory again, especially not with Anjelica around. The next time the kitsune boy tried punching him, Mason dodged it. The boy was surprised, but had his friend come in to help him as they both tried to take on Mason together. Mason had learned enough training to where he dodged their kicks and punches well. Mason defended himself by giving the boys a few kicks and punches that he had learned from his lessons with Fukushu as the two kitsune girls were surprised by how well this human boy was fighting. Anjelica was equally impressed with how Mason was able to take the two kitsune down as they both fell to the ground.
The first kitsune boy wearily got up while holding his fists.
"Come on you....little....human....punk. This isn't over." The kitsune boy said.
Before Mason could say anything, he saw something from behind the kitsune boy that made him smile.
"I think it is. Or at least the guy behind you will say that it is." Mason said.
"Like I'm falling for that." The kitsune said as he suddenly backed into someone before turning around quickly to throw a punch before being blocked.
"L-l-l-lord Fukushu?!" The kitsune boy said in surprise.
"Your fight with my nephew is over." Fukushu said to the kitsune boy gripping his fist.
"Your....your....he really is....your...." The kitsune boy tried to say but was too scared.
"The answer to your stuttering question is: yes. Now you and your friends will leave my nephew and his girlfriend alone, and if I ever hear of you attacking him again, I'll break the other one." Fukushu warned the boy.
"The other one? OW!!!" The kitsune boy said as he felt Fukushu crush the boy's knuckles.
The kitsune boy and his friends all left leaving Fukushu alone with Mason and Anjelica.
"I'm sorry you had to see all that Anjelica." Fukushu bowing towards her as an apology.
"It's okay Fukushu, those guys were jerks." Anjelica said as she looked down to see one of the girls had crushed the rose Mason had given her.
"Come on, I know something really nice to show you." Mason said as he pulled Anjelica over to a little bridge that overlooked the lake.
The sun was setting and the spot they were on, had an amazing view of the sunset. Anjelica gently touched her hand on Mason's hand as the two of them smiled at each other.
"I hope the day wasn't too terrible for you." Mason said as Anjelica gave a little laugh.
"Mason, sometimes the best dates are the moments you remember most, and....I want you to remember this..." Anjelica said as she leaned forward and she and Mason kissed each other on the lips for the first time. The two knew of magic and Anjelica practiced it, but in that moment, their kiss was the most magical thing between them.
After breaking from the kiss, Mason and Anjelica looked at each other in awe for a moment before smiling and Mason held Anjelica close to him on the bridge.
Some time later, Mason brought Anjelica back to the capital, and although Mason didn't see him, he knew that Fukushu was following closely behind them.
"I wanted to tell you again Mason that I had a good time, and to me, you're a 'shinno'." Anjelica said as Mason blushed a little before getting another kiss on the lips from Anjelica.
"Aw, that's so sweet!" Mika said as she and Claudia watched their son and Anjelica break off from the kiss.
"Alright Anjelica, your mothers wanted us to send you back at a good time." Claudia said as Anjelica and Mason said goodbye to each other.
"Did you two have a good time on your date?" Mika asked.
"Yeah mom, it was good." Mason said as he left the company of his mothers.
Mason didn't want to tell them exactly how the date went and found a spot that overlooked the town from the capital. Mason looked out towards the town and while he smiled, he suddenly found himself beginning to cry.
"Mason..." Fukushu's voice suddenly said from behind him.
Mason wiped his face dried his eyes to pretend that he hadn't been crying.
"He-Hello uncle, I was...I was just meditating. Something grandpa had been teaching me." Mason said composing himself.
"Mason, I saw what happened tonight, you needn't lie to me." Fukushu said as he came up beside Mason.
Fukushu waited for Mason to say something, but he didn't after some time and continued on himself instead.
"You shouldn't heed what those....boys said at the park, they don't know who you are." Fukushu said.
"Sometimes it seems like I don't know who I am uncle. And it wasn't just those boys at the park, earlier when Anjelica and I were at the tea house, I was in the bathroom and overheard two other boys talking about me. They called me a freak show and thought I should be ashamed that I'm related at all to this family." Mason said.
"Mason, you should know by now you're none of those, you are as much a part of this family as I am." Fukushu assured him.
"But I don't even know what I'm supposed to be. Aaron's a demon hunter, Haley could possibly join your army some day, maybe even lead it, Kari seems like she's going to be a great scholar one day. Me? I don't even know what my first job is going to be." Mason said shaking his head.
Fukushu now sat closer to his nephew as he looked at Mason's hakama, he saw a piece of paper sticking out. Fukushu pulled the paper out and unfolded it as Mason saw it was the drawing the two kits from the tea house had given him.
"What's this?" Fukushu asked.
"Oh, that's....supposed to be me. A couple of kits gave me that as thanks for making sure their father came home alive during the war. It....was the second best thing that happened to me tonight." Mason said drying his eyes.
"Mason, you may not believe it. But there are many kitsune who still don't look on me kindly, even after everything I've done to protect this family and the land. There will always be those who don't like us, or hate us. But we must remember, there are those who will look up to us favorably." Fukushu said giving his nephew the drawing back as Mason wiped his eyes clean and smiled at the drawing.
"So....how long were you following me and Anjelica?" Mason asked knowing that it couldn't have been a coincidence that he just so happened to be at the park the same time as them.
"Only after you had left the restaurant. I wanted to make sure you two were okay, I'm sorry you had to see me break that boy's hand." Fukushu apologized.
"He was actually one of the kids who beat me up when I was younger." Mason acknowledged.
"Oh...then I'm sorry I didn't break both of his knuckles." Fukushu said as Mason gave a little giggle.
"You're still young Mason, you'll figure out what you'll be one day, and I'll be there to support you." Fukushu reassured Mason.
"Thank you uncle." Mason said as he leaned over and gave Fukushu a hug who returned it.
"You're always welcome nephew." Fukushu said as they watched the town in the distance together.