| Writer's POV |
Tsukiko sat for hours just watching the two boys, at some point in the night Nachtkrapp had woken up and had flown off to get some food, but also to scout the area for Tsukiko. She wanted her old friend to look for any animals in the vicinity to get food for the boys. When the old bird returned, it informed Tsukiko of the animals around them. It also told the white fox of where Rusalka had disappeared to, the female water spirit living in water came with its disadvantages.
"Hey, old friend?" Tsukiko hummed to her friend, said bird cocked its head to glance at her.
"How are things back home? Rusalka has mentioned some things to me, but I know she doesn't like to talk about it." The bird settled before squeaking a reply.
"Astrophel is still in power if that is what you are asking. Even though the council tried to remove him, you know how important the birthright way of passage is. Considering he is one of only a few who rule with that behind him, they can do nothing to remove him. Apart from that, everything that was once good has become tainted. Even the children of our friends are learning and living by the new rulings. Once you left, many friends were banished also, it is not the place it was before you left. Are you planning on going back?" Tsukiko side-eyed the Nachtkrapp before smiling slyly. Nachtkrapp's eyes widened slightly, grabbing at the hints that the kitsune was dropping.
"Maybe, maybe not. I haven't decided yet," A small giggle followed her words before she moved to lay on the grass. Her white hair falling around her and her face being illuminated by the moonlight. "after all, it is still my home, banished or not, and you know who I am, soon I'll have to start ruling." The old bird slightly nodded its small head before settling down again.
Tsukiko watched the stars before her, matching and naming all the constellations, remembering her life before being exiled, how she would play around with her brother and her mother. She smiled slightly at the memory of her and Haruto messing around in the garden under the strong shine of the lights, how they would sit down and name all the constellations. How they would stay up till the early morning and watch the sky change from the dark black and blue to the peach and cotton candy pink as night turned to morning. That was just after she had turned Haruto from a mortal to an immortal, he no longer needed to refill the limits of the mortal human body, his need for food, drink and sleep disappearing with his chance of dying.
Tsukiko could never grow too close to anyone on Earthland, they would eventually pass away and she would be left alone again. It was her beautiful yet lonely life. Of which, she was left alone to create her own path in the human world till she could return home.
Hours passed, and Tsukiko did not move, she just continued to stare at the ever-changing, yet never different sky. It was the same sky that greeted her every day and every night, yet she was always amazed by how it looked. Almost like it was perfectly crafted intricately every day just for the human people to experience, a piece of everyday magic that everyone could bear witness to.
As the sky morphed from night to morning, the white fox heard murmuring from the two boys. She knew that they wake soon, the rising sun shining down on the duo would awaken them eventually. Tsukiko hummed for Rusalka and said water spirit started stirring in her watery bed. Nachtkrapp had grown to their full size and was stretching their wings, getting ready for a full day of activity.
Around half an hour later, the two young dragon-slayers roused from their slumbers. Sting taking slightly longer to awaken, but following shortly after Rogue moved.
"Goodmorning you two, did you sleep well?" Sting jumped at the feminine voice as Rogue nodded before realising that Tsukiko was too laying down, and therefore, could not see his actions.
"Yes, thank you." Tsukiko hummed back before jumping up from her position as Nactkrapp cawed.
"Rusalka should be back soon, then I'll go to find you two some food, there are a few animals around." Rogue looked slightly shocked at the women before nodding, Sting grumbled in the background.
Rusalka walked back into the clearing as Sting finally sat up, both of which let out shocked gasps while looking at the white-haired women.
"You let them see you after only a few hours, daring." Rusalka mused as she walked closer to her two friends, Tsukiko just smiled in reply before crossing her arms, slightly covering the fox marking on her stomach, but showing the two on her arms more prominently.
"You're covered in markings?" Sting starred at the woman wide-eyed, whilst she just nodded in reply.
"It's because of my powers. I gained them a while ago." Rogue just looked blankly at her explanation, not bothering to ask questions, knowing straight away that this woman would continue to be a mystery.
"Well, now that everyone is here, we should get you boys some food. Rusalka do you want anything?" Rusalka just smirked in reply before she laughed slightly.
"You out of everyone knows that I don't need food." Tsukiko just smiled in reply before turning to walk into the forest.
"Wait, we're coming with you," Rogue stated as he stood up, picking up the kitsunes cloak in the process, Tsukiko turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised, before shrugging and carrying on.
"If you say so." Rogue followed after Tsukiko, with Sting trailing him. Rusalka and Nacktkrapp watched the two closely but made no move to follow. Knowing that if Tsukiko needed them she would just call.
Tsukiko walked in front of the boy, humming to herself. Rogue studied her and Sting looked annoyed at being up this early.
"Sting, cheer up already, really being this grumpy in the morning doesn't suit you." Sting make a noise of exclamation in return but simply huffed and tried to feel better.
"How are you so happy-go-lucky anyway, you're not even tired." Tsukiko's mind flashed back to all the times that people called her happy-go-lucky before a bitter, longing smile covered her face. She was thankful at that moment that the boys were behind her.
"It's simple really, I don't need to sleep, just like Rusalka doesn't need to eat. We both don't need the sustenance that a normal human body does." Sting stopped briefly at her reply before catching up.
"Well, then how are you even alive?" Tsukiko just laughed at his question before making a left turn.
"You really do just have all the questions, don't you? It's just magic really." Rogue looked at her, taking in her answer but not for one second believing it, Sting on the other hand looked pleased with the answer.
Tsukiko stopped walking and crouched to the ground, she placed her hand down but continued to look forward. She turned her head slightly to the two boys and made a shushing motion before whispering that they should crouch down as well. When the boys looked forward, they saw why she had told the two to settle down. In front of them was a group of criminals. The criminals had easily just robbed poor travellers, they had the victims' belongings dotted around their campsite, four of the criminals looking around in the bags for anything or value, whilst another three restrained the two victims.
The victims were tied to a wooden pole in the middle of the camp, a relatively young mother and her teenage son. The criminals surrounded the two were talking amongst themself, whilst the others searching the bags were shouting all of the items of value to the rest of their group. A woman walked out from the tent, seemingly the leader of the group. She walked over to the two victims and crouched down to the mothers face before saying something and the criminals around her laughing at the distressed look on the woman's face.
"You two say here, don't move as I have no idea what magic they have, or if they have any." Sting went to protest but Rogue shut him up. When the boys looked to where the white-haired woman was previously standing they saw she had disappeared. When they looked out to the group of criminals, you could see Tsukiko just standing behind the ones surrounding the victims.
"Really, did your parents ever teach you manners?" Tsukiko giggled to herself as she noted the group of criminals jumping at her sudden voice. Although her tone was cheerful, a deadly undertone was present, which both Sting and Rogue noted.
The leader of the group turned to look at the newcomer before laughing to herself.
"Who do you think you are to dare interrupt me?" Tsukiko just leaned to one side and crossed her arms, a small pleasant smile lighting up her face.
"I'm sorry, me? A little advice, if you are to ask that question to anyone, make sure you too are known beforehand." Tsukiko nodded at her advice and just walked past the women and her group. She crouched in front of the mother and her son and just pat the sons head.
"You know, you're a really cute kid, let's make it so you and your mother get home safely today. That sound like a plan?" Tsukiko questioned the young boy, who just nodded in reply with a small smile on his face, seeing the safety in the foreign female.
The leader of the group growled at Tsukiko's behaviour and summoned a gun, aiming it at the kitsunes head. The boys' eyes grew wide, and the mother tried to cover her son.
"Ah. So there it is. A gun mage, what a pity I knew two talented gun mages, you could probably never compete." Tsukiko turned to face the gun and just smirked.
"Well are you going to shoot or what? I don't have all day after all?" The leader starred at Tsukiko in bewilderment. The said woman just stood up and pushed past the leader.
"What a pity, really. I thought you might have put up some fight at least." Tsukiko clicked her fingers and the mother and her son appeared behind her. She rested her hand on her hip and stood in front of the two protectively. Tsukiko counted the number of people in front of her, noting that there were only six, so there were two behind her. She hummed something and a slight pink glimmer surrounded the mother and her son. The leader of the group just smirked at the kitsune.
"So, you do have magic as well, but you won't be able to look after them and the two kids that were with you beforehand. Now, who will it be, the strangers or your friends?" She laughed as she watched Tsukiko. The kitsune didn't move or seem to be phased by her statement, which unnerved the group leader. The group leader watched as the woman before her just sighed and clicked her fingers again.
"You mean to say these two were going to try to harm my friends. Interesting approach, but if you haven't figured it out already, this fight is not in your favour. Even in the slightest." Tsukiko walked slightly forward and moved her right hand in a circular motion. On the ground next to her, an exact replica of the group leader was bowed. The group gasped and starred at Tsukiko in bewilderment.
"This, my friends, is a shapeshifter. It will turn into whatever I wish it to, human, animal or any monster you can think of." The replica group leader stood up and smirked. Sharp teeth replaced their human ones as the shapeshifter morphed into its true self. A vaguely humanoid shape floated in its place, black wisps of smoke floating around the body-less being as it growled slightly in a warning.
The group leader stepped back slightly at the demonic-looking being in front of her. Tsukiko made another move, summoning her dagger to her left hand. The white-haired woman stalked towards her target as her summon took on another form. In its place stood an oversized mountain lion. The large cat prowled next to its master. The group leader struggled with her gun, before aiming perfectly at the kitsunes head and firing. The rest of her group also started to move, summoning their own weapons or magic to defend their treasure. Tsukiko raised her hand to her head and caught the bullet before it hit her.
"If you're wanting to shoot at me, then you're going to have to be a little faster at least." Tsukiko smiled that too pleasant smile again as the group leader exclaimed in shock.
When Tsukiko dropped the bullet to the ground, her summoned shapeshifter pounced at the closest target and Tsukiko summoned another being to her aid. A human in a black suit appeared. Atop the humans head were lion ears, and resting on his face were glasses.
"My lady, what a pleasure to see you again." The human-lion spirit joyously exclaimed.
"The feeling is mutual, Leo, but this is not the time for catch-ups." Tsukiko nodded her head at the enemy in front of her and Leo nodded, his fists starting to glow bright gold. Tsukiko turned her head to the mother and son behind her.
"Rogue, Sting you can come out now. Protect these two while I deal with the trouble, please. Then I promise we can get you two something to eat" Tsukiko laughed slightly at the end of her sentence. She briefly watched as Rogue and Sting walked out from their hiding place and in front of the two in her shield, before she turned her attention back to the group leader in front of her.