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Chouko stepped into the corridor her vision hazy. She kept walking, the path lit by bits of moonlight that poured through the cracks of the ceiling. She swayed side to side as her feet moved. She stops to one particular door and opens it. But all she could see was pure darkness and a tint of red. Then Chouko heard a women’s voice screaming, “CHOOOUUKOOO!”


“NOOOOOO!” Chouko sat up screaming. She started to pant heavily and heard a vase fall. Her head turned to where the sound came from and saw a trembling fox huddled close to the corner. Chouko sighed and tried to calm her thumping heart. She smiled and crawled over to the fox stroked its back tenderly. “I’m sorry, I scared you from my screaming didn’t I?” Chouko whispered. She picked up the fox into her arms. She continued to stroke its back while it was cradled into her arms. From behind, the door opened and her shocked grandfather came in yelling, “Chouko! Are you all right? Did a demon or robber enter your room? Her grandfather took out his bamboo sword and protectively came in front of Chouko making swishing noises until his back cracked. Chouko laughed and said “I’m sorry grandfather, I scared you too! It was nothing, I just had a nightmare that’s all.” He put down his sword and sighed. “Oh that is good, I was very worried! I found you at the foot of the hill passed out and-“ he began to say. “What? At the foot of the hill?” Chouko wandered. She recalled what happened, and all the memories from before came rushing back in. Then she lied and said, “Oh, that’s right, I tripped and fell down the stairs.”


After Chouko ate her breakfast, she decided to take a walk with the fox into the garden to enjoy the fresh air and scenery. “Come little fox, we shall take a stroll into the garden,” she called out. Then the little fox came scampering through the wooden board floor its tail swishing back and forth happily. Chouko smiled and they both went out the door. “They have been quite attached to each other lately,” the grandfather said to the maid. “Yes, they have. It’s so cute, young mistress has found a pet,” the maid replied in a chuckle.


Chouko walked down the path smelling and looking at all the flowers she saw growing in the garden. While she was looking at a red spider lily, she saw a deep blue butterfly with wings outlined in silver. She reached to touch it, but it flew away before she could. Determined, she ran after it keeping her eyes directly at it not letting it out of her sight. “Where are you going?” Chouko called out to it. The butterfly kept leading her and eventually it stopped and flew down onto a white chrysanthemum. “There you are silly,” she said. But then she noticed that she was in a whole field of chrysanthemum flowers in the forest. She forgot about the butterfly and studied her surroundings. Then suddenly she felt a tug at her leg. She looked down and saw the fox with a white chrysanthemum in its mouth. It dropped it before her and swished its tail happily. “Aww, thank you little fox,” she said while patting his head, “Your more like a dog than a fox.” She picked up the chrysanthemum and sat down marveling its beauty. Chouko lay down onto the luscious grass and looked at the moving clouds. The fox came to her side and rolled up into a ball. “Very peaceful,” she thought. She closed her eyes while soaking up the sun. But a sudden crackle of leaves shattered the moment making her jump up from her spot. Chouko twisted and turned her body to every direction looking for the intruder. Her veins were pulsing and her muscles became tense. Then she yelled out, “COME OUT YOU SON OF A-.” But her sentence was cut short when a big palm clamped her mouth tightly. “Hush now girl, you wouldn’t want other demons to come here and feed on you lovely flesh,” said a cold and hard voice. The mysterious man licked her neck and chuckled. “You’re my prey,” he said devilishly. She squirmed when his tongue licked her neck. His lips reached her ear and whispered, “You should be lucky, not most demons are gentle like I am.” Pissed off, she bit his finger and flipped him over. “You should be lucky, not most girls can do this to perverted monsters such as yourself,” she laughed mockingly. The demon was a big man with red hair. He had a scar under his right eye. But then the demon grabbed her hand, pulled her close and pinned her on the ground. “Well aren’t you feisty for a young maiden,” he said as fangs appeared when he smiled. “Get the hell off of me!” Chouko screamed. The demon smiled and said, “I don’t think I will.” His face came closer to hers as he leaned in for the kill. When suddenly, a dagger hit his back and he stood up staggering to a nearby tree. “Takami! You b*****d! You can’t keep protecting every human you see!” The wounded demon said to the presence far into the distance. From within the shadows of the trees, came out another demon. He had long black hair, broad shoulders, and was not as big as the red headed one, but he was bigger than her. ”That man from this morning,” she thought. The black haired demon ran towards her and slung her over his shoulder. “I’m sorry Chouko-chan that I couldn’t come sooner,” he said blushing. Then he started running at an extraordinary speed. They rushed past trees, hills, and streams as he kept running with her on his shoulder. Then he finally stopped when he reached a waterfall crashing down. He put her down gently on a tree stump and smiled. Chouko also smiled, but then punched him. He rubbed his cheek and looked at her and said, “What the hell was that for?” “I’m sorry,” she started to say, “But why did you have to take me to this far place? More importantly, who are you and why do you know my name?” He coughed and said back to her, “My name is Takami and-” but he stopped when she stood up. “OMG I forgot about the little fox!” Chouko cried out. She started walking away until Takami grabbed her arm and spun Chouko around. “Wait! It’s me! I’m the fox you took care of!” Takami said. Then he put a leaf on top of his head and transformed into the fox. He sneezed and he became his human form again but with a fox tail and ears. Takami smiled cutely and his tail swished back and forth. But then he notice Chouko wasn’t in front but behind him. She was petting and pulling on his tail while giggling. Takami blushed and turned around. “So do you believe me now Chouko-chan?” He said cutely. Chouko looked at him suspiciously and said, “Yes and no.”