*Hariko's POV*
The air gently flows into my face with a cool breeze, my hair fluttering in the wind as I let it carry it out. Walking side by side with this lady is a little... unnerving to say the least, she has a gentle yet commanding aura about her... and so far she has yet to even speak. We continued to walk down the shore as the waves hit against my legs, good thing it's not as cold as the breeze. Suddenly the lady came to an abrupt halt as she turns her whole body to me, gesturing to a bench- was this bench always here?.
"Let us take a seat, my dear" she gives me a soft smile but at the same time I really can't shrug the sentiment that's something about her is off putting. Regardless, remaining respectful I give her a small smile as I take my seat further away, hands on my laps. Seeing this the lady lets out a soft hum as she takes her part of the seat, crossing her legs. Neither of us speak... letting the waves create a comfortable yet tense white noise in the background.
Then the lady's head turned to me, a small glint in her eye... is it mischievous? dangerous..? "You know, I am surprised these... friends of yours correct? are not treating you as bad as one would thought" I could feel my heard beat spike up a little bit but she cuts me off again "I wonder... is it because you've hid yourself?" that glint of hers intensifies and takes my hat off, taking me off guard and giving me a sense of dread "H-Hey! what are you doing!-" I try to reach out for the hat to cover my ears but the woman just... chuckles, is she mocking me..?
"No one is around, why do you think I choose such a private space to talk?" She places the hat back on it's place and I could feel my cheeks flutter intensively... "I-I..." I stuttered out but no further words would come out, I have NEVER felt so... embarrassed. "Y-You can't just pull my... hat off! what if people see-" she shushed me off, before returning her gaze over the horizon "Oh please... your aura can be felt from literal states away, you're lucky... very lucky my dear, that the humans cannot sense our power, not yet anyway." that makes me snap my head at her in confusion and fright at the same time.
Before I could answer I feel a sudden warmth enveloping me, confused I look around but then from the corner of my eye I see the lady's hair flutter lightly... with my very eyes I see something forming on top of her head and at this point I am more convinced that aliens exist. Just as I tried to move away she suddenly grabs me with a vice yet comfortable grip "Keep your nerves calm my dear" the forming stops and now, on top of her head, lays a pair of... ears, fox ears, big... fluffy... pointy... fox ears.
That's where realization hit me like a truck, I couldn't help but feel excited, happy, fearful, so many emotions into one I cannot even describe in words. She was another fox person... just like me. Seeing my reaction the woman's lips curled into a smirk before speaking "Before you ask dear yes, I have tails as well... much more elegant than yours" now to that I take offense. I want to retort but the woman just burst into a series of giggles, ...why is she so... calm? why is she here exactly? ...she knows I'm a fox kin now... so..-
"You did well to hide your extra parts. I'm surprised certain individuals did not capture you first, I'd say you lucked out with this Rowan Human, otherwise you would've ended up like the others..." a tense silence fell upon us, just what am I supposed to say in a situation like this? a part of me screams at me to run the hell away... but at the same time I can't help but be... intrigued, by this lady. "...Anyhow, let us not talk such depressing matters, it's good you're here safe and sound yes? I would like to ask you something" I open my mouth to speak but once more she cuts me off, the nerve of her... "Do you know what a fox spirit is my dear?".
I give her a skeptical look, is this some sort of interrogation? "...Uh, fox spirits are... us? fox people?" she nods and goes quiet, making me more confused at this point. We sat in silence as I watch the sun slowly drowning over the horizon, panting everything a gentle wave of orange... but I was snapped out of my thoughts when she started to speak again "What do you know about gods? I mentioned I have some tails my dear" out of instinct I look at her back but I see nothing, ...wait is she somehow using magic to hide them? ...wait... tails... ? more than one... ...is she..?
Seeing my perplexed expression she just gives me a cheeky smirk before answering "Your assumptions are very much correct my dear. All I can say is that I have seven tails. But I'm not here to talk about myself... the matter is you and most importantly the path that has been laid upon you" She sits up, dusting off the dust particles off her shirt before glancing up in the sky "...You see my dear, fate has other plans for you, BIG plans that I cannot reveal within the mortal realm. After all this particular world tends to have ears everywhere".
She gives off a soft sigh before turning to me, placing her palm on my shoulder "Let's just say that... you, my dear, have been selected to become something greater. Be it the will of her majesty's Arsetrix. You'll find out who that is soon enough..." at this point I stare at her as if she's an insane theorist but even that seems to make the lady's smirk go further up. She then turns on her heel and just walks away from me... her long hair swaying behind her as those fox ears slowly disappeared from the top of her head.
"H-Hey! wait a minute!-" I try to run after her but my body just hits an invisible barrier- "Oof!-" "Don't follow me my dear. You have many questions and in time they'll be answered. Your time has come and It's time to unlock your potential ...You'll know what to do when the moon shines it's light upon you, that is where everything will truly begin in your life" rubbing my forehead in pain I just look at the person leaving with purposeful steps... I didn't even got her name and she just vomited a bunch of nonsense to me, what the hell am I supposed to understand?
A sigh of frustration escapes my lips as I turn the opposite way to walk back towards the hotel, at this point I think the others are worrying about me. Just as I started walking I feel a sharp pain in my mind, making me hiss as I try to steady myself "W-What the hell...?!" trying to catch my balance and not collapse on my side since I suddenly feel weak, a soft tone rings in my mind "I look forward meeting you again, my disciple" and as quick as it came the pain disappeared... feeling completely unnerved at this point and still confused I started hurrying back to the hotel "T-This day must be a fever dream...".