The phoenix ride may be the worst experience of my whole life.
Not only were we riding a flaming bird with knives for talons, but we were also hundreds of feet above the ocean. Which, in the magical realm, is filled with giant sharks.
Pleasant.
I hated to say it, but I was kind of afraid of this realm. Everything about it was unwelcoming and scary, and even the wind seemed to taunt me, gnawing at me, tearing me apart inside.
Japan wasn't much better. Instead of taking us to, oh, I don't know, A CITY, we were just tossed aside on the beach and abandoned.
"Well," I said, clutching my stomach, "The rider seemed like a nice guy." Keru looked at me and sarcastically stated "Are axes a sign of friendship in your world?"
So, we began our journey to her parents palace. Y'know, the one in the middle of a mountain range. Our trip mainly passed without incident, except for one strange event in a forest.
We had set up camp for the night. We were eating some fish that Keru had caught. "If kitsune are such great hunters, why did I need to pack food?"
"Food will not always be available to us in the mountains. We need to ensure our survival."
Then I heard a rustling sound from behind me. Keru's expression turned very serious very quickly. "Do not move, and do not make a sound." She slowly crept over to the bush. "Show yourself. We mean no harm."
From the bush, a kitsune emerged. He had only one tail, and his fur was s crimson red, and had many leaves stuck to it. "Why were you in this bush?"
She noticed a small camera in his hand. "What were you taking pictures of?" He gulped and replied "I thought you two might have been ghosts."
"Ghosts haven't been seen in these mountains since before Harin was born. What were you looking at?" She grabbed the camera out of his hand, and started looking through the pictures. "Rick, come see this."
I walked over to her. Sure enough, the camera had caught a picture of two white figures on a hilltop. "Where were these taken?" The kitsune pointed to the west. "Good," Keru said, "We need to get to my parents as soon as possible." She handed the phone back to the kitsune. "Run along now."
The kitsune fled, and we settled in for the night. "Keru, what did those pictures mean?"
She hesitated and said "That whatever we are involved with is far bigger than you and I."