Noon had come and gone. Baba Yaga gathered Haru and her two guests in front of her hut. The crone looked over Keiko and huffed.
“You’ve passed all my tests so far,” she said. “And you’ve been here for almost two days now. It’s time that you’ve left.”
Keiko bowed, “Thank you for the stay, Baba Yaga-san.”
She had told her parents that she’d be back home Monday, but Keiko didn’t think they’d mind her coming back sooner. Then again, remembering how they treated her, Keiko had some doubts her parents would be happy to see her.
“Don’t start celebrating,” the old crone spoke. “There is one more test left.”
“And that is?” Keiko asked.
Baba Yaga answered, “During your stay here, you saw three riders. One was white, one was red, and one was black. Who are those riders?”
“The white rider is Day, the red rider is Sun, and the black rider is Night.”
“You’re a smart one,” the witch replied. “Very well. I accept you as Haru’s girlfriend. Before you leave, I have a gift for you.”
She pulled out two boxes, one large and one small.
“Pick one,” Baba Yaga said.
Keiko knew this was another test and pointed at the small box, “I want this.”
The witch ordered, “Don’t open it until you leave the forest. Haru will show you the way out.”
Erik breathed a sigh of relief when they got back onto the city streets, “I’m glad I’m out of there.”
“So am I,” Keiko nodded. “That was stressful.”
Haru spoke, “Sorry that you had to go through that. I don’t know why grandmother always takes things too far.”
A shiver flowed down Keiko’s spine as she remembered something Haru said.
“You told me before that she’s threatened to castrate you, and I’m sure she’s serious,” Keiko commented.
“We should look on the bright side. At least she stopped eating people a century ago,” Haru said.
“It’s no wonder why the Russians are terrified of her,” Erik stated. “I’m going to go home. Haru, remember that you’re going to deal with those people who were following me.”
He replied, “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
When Erik left, Keiko looked at the box.
“Haru-kun,” she said. “Baba Yaga told me to not open this until we were out of the forest, but I don’t want to open it at all.”
“I can open it for you,” he offered.
Keiko was nervous, “Are you sure that there isn’t a trap or a demon in this box?”
“If there was, it would only show up in the forest. It should be safe now,” Haru replied.
He took the box and opened it. Seeing that nothing happened, Keiko looked inside. Somehow, this box that was no larger than her head held a 152 centimeter kanabo.
“She gave me a weapon? Why?” Keiko asked.
Haru answered, “She has given people weapons before, but I have no idea why she gave you one.”
Keiko said, “I mean, I like the gift. I trained with a kanabo almost as much as I did with a shinai. I’m just confused.”
“Hang on,” her boyfriend said. “Keiko-chan, your parents made you train with a kanabo?”
“Yes. I was in kendo club, so most of my training was with swords, but I know how to use a kanabo too.”
Haru had an idea, “Keiko-chan, I think I…”
“There you are, sis!” Hisa ran over to Keiko and hugged her, only wearing the censor bars over her chest and waist.
Haru covered his eyes. He stepped backwards, tripped over a rock, and fell onto the ground.
Keiko ran over to him, “Haru-kun! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” he kept his gaze away from Hisa. “Just get that kitsune some clothes.”
Haru didn’t have any clothes for someone about Keiko’s size back at Baba Yaga’s hut. Keiko looked around and saw a clothing shop. She blasted inside like a rocket ship on crack. The clerk jumped when he saw her.
He asked, “Why are you going so fast?”
“No time,” she yanked a shirt, skirt, and undergarments off the shelves and brought them over to the cash register. “I need to buy these.”
The moment she paid for them, Keiko ran outside and threw the clothes at Hisa.
“Put these on before you’re arrested for indecent exposure,” she said.
Hisa jumped into a nearby bush.
Haru stood up, “Thanks, Keiko-chan.”
“Honestly, I should apologize to you,” she sighed. “I’ve befriended someone troublesome.”
“Who’s your troublesome friend?” Hisa walked out, wearing the clothes.
Keiko replied, “Never mind. How did you find us here?”
She stated, “I’m a fox. I can totally smell you.”
“I’d like to stay longer, but I have to get back to grandmother,” Haru said. “Are you okay with me leaving you here, Keiko-chan?”
“Don’t worry, Haru-kun, I’ll be fine,” Keiko spoke.
As Haru walked away, Hisa smiled and wrapper her arm around Keiko’s shoulder.
“That guy was your mate, wasn’t he?” the kitsune asked. “I can’t approve of a fox hunter, but I’ll trust you.”
Keiko answered, “Humans call them boyfriends unless we’re married, and he isn’t a fox hunter.”
Hisa noted, “There’s a lot I don’t know about the human world.”
“I have some time before I have to go home. I can tell you about it,” she offered.
“That sounds hella good,” Hisa said. “But it means I owe you more ones.”
“Don’t worry about owing me anything. We’re friends, so we’ll help each other,” Keiko spoke.
Her friend smiled, “Awesome! I’ll get us some food!”
Hisa ran over to a dumpster and dived into it. After a few moments, she popped up, holding a rancid smelling piece of rotten meat.
Keiko stated, “That’s almost as disgusting as the stuff Haru-kun eats.”
“What do you mean by that? Isn’t this food you humans like?” Hisa asked.
“We don’t eat it after it’s thrown out. I’ll get us some real food. Anzu!”
The demoness appeared, “What dost thou wish of me this time?”
“Make us both food,” Keiko ordered.
Anzu sighed and disappeared. When she came back, she was carrying two bento boxes.
She said, “Would that be all?”
“Yes, Anzu. You can go now.”
Keiko handed the food to Hisa, who smashed her face into the box and wolfed it down. She made loud chewing noises.
“This food is hella good!” Hisa finished eating and smiled.
“I’m glad you like it,” Keiko replied.
The kitsune stated, “It’s better than garbage. You humans eat this all the time?”
“We do,” Keiko nodded, “And we have a lot of other food too.”
Hisa said, “I’m totally gonna learn how to make this. Then I’ll give you and your boyfriend all the food you want.”
“Do you have a place to make it or even a place to stay?”
“I’ll figure it out. Oh, what’s this?” Hisa ran over to a help wanted sign at a restaurant. “I can totally work here!”
“That will give you money, but you don’t have any id or anything for taxes,” Keiko pointed out.
The kitsune smiled, “I got this, sis. Check this out. There’s a government organization for helping willing yokai to integrate into society. All we have to do is act like humans and cause slightly less trouble than usual!”
She blinked, “The government does that? How long have you known?”
“Since yesterday. An onmyoji told me. They handle it at the office of vehicle registration,” Hisa said.
“That’s amazing,” Keiko spoke. “There’s more to the supernatural world than I thought.”
“You bet your ass there is,” the kitsune said with a wide grin.
Ved'ma Story 