Jenny, still standing in front of her roommate in her full were-vixen form, turned to her fiance and said, "We're a matched set. A life/mate bonded pair now. Do you want to show Karen your handsome alternate?"
"I don't have any special clothing that adjusts to the furry me, so you'll have to give me a moment," said Harry, while kicking off his shoes and pulling his socks off his feet. Then, after slightly lowering the back of his pants and underwear, he quickly unleashed the gray fox within him.
"What do you think?" asked Jenny, with a smile on her muzzle, as she grabbed Harry's paw in hers.
"I always knew the two of you would wind up together somehow. Just not like this," admitted Karen Yuletide. "So, if the two of you are serious about getting hitched on Halloween, which is next weekend by the way, we better get busy planning this wedding."
"Well, not knowing that many people in Moon Lake, I'd expect you to be there Karen. Would you mind being my maid of honor?" asked Jenny.
"I'd be honored," replied Karen, before hugging each half of the happy couple individually. And me with a fur fetish, is extremely jealous of you girl. Then, after breaking away from Harry, she asked, "But what about your folks?"
"We still need to work that out," admitted Harry, as they sat down to start making plans.
"Thankfully, they already made their weekly 'check up on me and make sure I was behaving and not shaming them' call Saturday, before all this happened," said Jenny, while grabbing a hairbrush off her dresser to start grooming her fox tail, "but my new and improved human form is going to be a lot for them to take in as it is. They'll accuse me of getting implants and who knows what else, let alone the fact that they won't react favorably to the fact that I'm getting married before I graduate college, let alone to someone they haven't had a chance to meet, let alone pre-screen." Then she looked directly at Harry and added, "And Heaven help us if they find out we've had pre-marital sex. At least I'm on the were-birth control, so there will be no kits until after we're married and settled down, because they'll also freak if they find out I'm on any kind of pill to begin with!"
"They do realize we left the Stone Age behind centuries ago, don't they?" asked Karen.
Jenny just stared at her roommate, which Karen found interesting since Harper was still in her furry form, as her fiance quickly changed the subject.
"The wedding itself is going to be small and simple. Just immediate family and friends," explained Harry. "All of mine live here in Moon Lake, and Tachibana no Akane has offered to help with everything, to offset the shame the rogue were-vixen Yvette Smith brought upon the Skulk."
"I know about Smith. There were warnings issued across campus most of Sunday about her. But who's this Tachibana no Akane?" wondered Karen.
"She is the leader of the Skulk, which is the collective name of all the werefoxes and werevixens in Moon Lake," explained Harry.
"I know you and I have only been in Moon Lake since the start of this semester, but you met the leader of the Skulk?" asked Karen in disbelief. "Girl, I want to hear everything you're willing to talk about, and please don't spare the details."
So, while the three college friends chat and catch up on recent events, one of the participants in their story is attending to her own affairs this fine afternoon in Moon Lake.
After Jenny Harper was examined and given a clean bill of physical health upon her delayed induction into were society being completed by the rogue, Tachibana no Akane went back to her corporate office at Tachibana Enterprises, a diverse conglomerate of companies that strived to improve Moon Lake and the quality of life for all its citizens, were and normals alike.
A late, but quiet, working lunch allowed her to catch up on everything concerning her various businesses, but as Akane was about to turn her attention to more specific Skulk matters, her secretary knocked on the office door before entering. "My apologies for interrupting," said the lady, while bowing slightly before Akane, "but there are two detectives outside from the Moon Lake Police Department who request an audience," before handing Akane their business cards.
"Show them in," ordered the Skulk leader.
Upon entering, Detectives Miles and Lukasky formally introduced themselves, and then got right down to business. "Thank you for seeing us on such short notice Mrs. Tachibana," began Denny Miles. "We're investigating the death of Yvette Smith's mother and would like to ask you a few questions."
"Certainly," said Akane, while offering the detectives the chance to sit in the guest chairs in front of her desk. "I presume that your presence indicates that there is something suspicious concerning the passing of the elder Smith?"
"We're still waiting for the coroner's report to find out whether or not she went gently into that dark night," replied Denny, "so these are just basic background questions. There is no father officially listed on Yvette Smith's birth certificate. Do you know if Margaret Smith was ever married, let alone to whom?"
"I'm afraid not," admitted Akane. "Most of the day to day business of the Skulk I have to delegate to the individual den leaders. Yvette Smith only came to my direct attention in light of recent events."
"Speaking of which, can we have the contact information for her lawyer? And do you know whether or not he's done any previous work for the Smith family?" asked Detective Lukasky.
"I can give you Ayrdale's information now," replied Akane, while reaching for the Rolodex sitting on her desk. "His firm is employed by the Skulk, so any questions that do not violate attorney/client privilege will have to be addressed directly by him."
Denny wrote down what Akane read off her contact file, then asked, "Can you recall any incidents concerning either of the Smiths that might have been brought to your attention in the past?"
"I have been leader of the Skulk since immigrating to America from Japan after World War 2 ended and quietly settling here in Moon Lake with what remained of my family, but there have been no incidents that would have required my attention before Yvette Smith went rogue," replied Akane. "My apologies for being unable to offer you more assistance."
"Under the circumstances, our inquiry obtaining any results would have been a classic example of a long shot, but thank you for seeing us," said Denny, before both detectives stood up.
Akane stood up from behind her desk and said, "My secretary can give you the contact information for the Smiths' den leader. Hopefully you shall find the answers you seek in time. Good day gentlemen, and good luck," she added, before bowing again.
What shame will she bring upon the Skulk now? wondered Akane, as she watched the detectives leave.
After she was sure they were gone, Akane asked the secretary for whichever of her grandsons were available.
"You requested my presence?" asked Yamato, after bowing out of respect to her upon closing the office door behind him.
"Yes. First off, have our scientists examined the samples collected from the hospital safe room this morning?"
"The man's is confirmed as gray werefox, with no anomalies. His transition into were society went smoothly."
"Good. The gray is different, but not uncommon to this region," observed Akane. "And Jennifer Harper?"
"Lacking sufficient background information on the Sahara Desert Fox, our scientists need more time to examine hers, although our cleaning service has obtained additional samples from her completion ceremony," announced Yamato.
"Very good. Thank our scientists for their due diligence, but I'd like the initial test results as soon as possible."
"Understood. Should they process the dishonorable rogue's as well?"
"Other than possibly turning them over to the authorities to help with the court appointed tests, has something happened to require such an examination?" wondered Akane.
"Yvette Smith requested Doctor Twist visit her. While we have no information on the content of their conversation, afterwards, Doctor Twist ordered every test performed this morning on the rogue done again, and copies of the results from both exams sent to her office," explained Yamato.
"Interesting," commented Akane. "Sometimes it's hard being a leader. There are things one must do to insure the overall good for everyone, whether we want to undertake such acts or not." Then she paused, thinking things over before saying, "Have our lab preserve the Smith specimens, for now, but make sure we get copies of both sets of test results too."
"Very well," replied her grandson. "Anything else?"
"Contact our caterers," began Akane. "There shall be an informal welcoming party this Friday night for William Anderson, Harold Jenkins, and Jennifer Harper into the Skulk. Attendance is mandatory for immediate family and all den leaders. Otherwise, any who can attend are welcomed. Mister Anderson and his wife, since she is now an honorary member, shall be assigned whatever den is the most logistical, based upon their residential address. As for the others, since their status is in a state of flux with their impending marriage, they shall be quietly assigned to my own den, for now. Also, inform the caterers that they shall be required for a wedding on Halloween," added Akane.
"Halloween?" politely repeated Yamato, silently wondering if he heard that right.
"Yes. Our new bonded pair picked that date as part of their wish to be married as soon as possible. Have the caterer start working with Jenkins and Harper on the event as soon as possible. Last I heard, it will be a small afternoon affair. Probably no more than a 100 guests or so at most. Myself, the Andersons, the Twists, and Jenkins' family will be attending for sure. The Mayor and his family attending is unconfirmed at this time. The bride's side is questionable at the moment, especially in light of the facts that they are unaware of our society and despite having a wonderful daughter, I personally have not heard too many favorable things concerning their child raising skills."
"Shall I alert internal security?" asked Yamato.
"That might be for the best, but extreme caution and discretion will be the order of the day while the Harpers and any other visiting wedding guests are in town. The Skulk will cover all the expenses for the wedding. According to Jenkins, the couple plan to spend their honeymoon on the shores of Moon Lake itself, so make sure there is a cabin available for them."
"Very good. Unless there is something else..." began Yamato.
"No. That is all for now. I shall be home later this evening, and will bring those gathered round the dinner table up to date then," said Akane.
"Yes, grandma-san," replied Yamato, before bowing and leaving the office.
Once she was alone again, Akane got up from her desk and stared at a picture of she and her husband in more happier times. This one was a copy. The original hung in a place of honor within her private residence.
She sighed, recalling happy thoughts of their life together before that damnable war took him from her.
Then Akane reached up, took the photo off the wall, and flipped it over.
There, framed on the other side of the public photo, was an ancient scroll. Despite being well preserved, the hand written characters were faded, yet Akane knew every word of the almost forgotten dialect by heart, taught to her by her husband when they were both much younger.
Yet the most striking feature of the scroll was the hand painted image at the top. It depicted a nude, blonde haired woman turning into a blonde furred fox.
Tachibana no Akane ran her fingers across the glass on the scroll side of the double sided frame. If the ancient prophecy is true, then perhaps some good will come out of Yvette Smith's madness after all.