August 24, 1931 2 P.M

I woke up with the sun blinding my eyes and my body rigid with excruciating pain. I didn’t know what had happened to my body in the mere hours I had fallen asleep. I glanced at my arms and legs to see that they had bruises and small cuts covering inch of my body. I lifted my leg in an attempt to stand, but the pain made my mind blur to the point of passing out.

“What in Mary’s holy love happened to my body?” I thought to myself. I was lying on my bed battered from many mysterious injuries that I knew nothing about, then a knock coming from the door my attention.

“Um Mr. Godwin may I please come inside.” The voice was young and female making me concern for my state of mind once again.

“First fox like chick, then these random bruises and now another random girl. Will my suffering ever end?” I yelled.

“I am sorry to disturb you rest Mr. Godwin I will be back again later.” The girl seems shy and scared to face me, and my attitude wasn’t helping this situation either.

“Wait. Come in I want to see your face if we are to speak.” I prepared myself to see this young girl since the first one was strange. “Hopefully these wounds would heal before the boss will notice; who am I kidding he was probably signing me up on a one way trip back to New York and I’ll be sent back to that putrid place I call a home.”

“Mr-Mr. Godwin, are you ok? My name is Sayako Mikoto and I wanted to thank you for rescuing me from those men who attacked me.” Mikoto looked no more than sixteen years old making me see her more as a sister than a woman and her English was spot on which surprised me. Her hair was dark as the night sky yet her hair silky as a waterfall gracefully swaying from her dome. When she spoke didn’t look at me and her eyes avoided all contact with me. This made remember my father’s friend when I visited the south and it really ticked me off.

“Look at me when you are talking.” I sternly said.

“But my father told me that when speaking to a man I mustn’t look a man in the eyes. I must show respect to the superior…”

“Stop right there. I am not your father, nor am I another person in this society. If you wish to speak to someone like me then I’d rather you have respect for yourself than show some kind of bull admiration. Even though that sounds a little hypocritical you must be respect yourself and have confidence.” I hated the sight of unjustified conformity and more over the people who follow it. Sayako began to giggle at me for stating my strange ways, but I didn’t feel offended since she changed the way she spoke.

“I’m sorry.” The girl lifted her head and stared deep into my eyes. This made me slight bits nervous because her eyes were extremely focused on mines making me somewhat regrets what I had said earlier.

“In any case I want you to explain what happened last night because I don’t have a single clue what’s going on.” I told the girl trying not to blush or laugh at her intense glare.

“I would but my father requested that I be home by noon to practice some rituals. I will give you my address so if you need any help from me feel free to visit.” She gave me a business card that had all kanji on it which I explained that I couldn’t read it. Sayako was shock to hear this since everyone she knew could easily read her writing.

“Even if I could read it I can’t leave this room with these injuries, which I hope you can explain to me soon because I don’t think I have much time for a visit to your house.” I was trying not to sound like and ungrateful person, but I couldn’t help it because I really wanted to be here. I was strictly told to stay there until the whole ordeal was over.

“I see, and then I shall visit you every day until you depart Mr. Godwin.” She lowered her head this time giving her word which made me feel slightly better about the situation.

“Please Mr. Godwin is my scumbag father, call me Francais or Frank for short.” I gave a goofy smile to help ease the girl, but she had already left the room. I didn’t even notice her walking out of the room which was odd since I was trained to keep track of people’s movement, but I assumed my injuries were interfering somehow. I wanted to question why that girl was able to comprehend English so easily even though she spoke Japanese her entire life, but I was too exhausted. The room was now silent and I was alone with my thoughts. I glanced at my watch and saw that it was already noon. “I am finished here. At least it was a good run while it lasted.” I closed my eyes hoping that everything would just be the same as the day before. “How come this stuff always happens when I don’t want it to? I’m so pathetic it’s sickening.” I unconsciously placed my hand on my face not knowing that it was working just fine.

“Oh my, I wonder what could be bothering this poor fellow.” I heard that woman’s voice beneath my bed and realized that my body was working fine.

“What the heck is going on here?” I stood up checking my body for any signs of bruises or any other injury, but everything was working like nothing had ever happened. “I’m not hurt, what kind of miracle is this?” I was overcome with joy that I didn’t have any injuries that would prevent me from working, which was odd since I was never the working type.

“Not a single hand is lent to this lovely being.” The voice said once more; this time I knew who it was so I decided to try to sneak out of the room. That girl got herself stuck under my cot and seemed to be struggling as she tried to escape.

“Thank you mysterious voice for aiding me in such times, but I must go to work now.” I ran for the door trying to forget the voice hidden underneath my bed, but my conscious wouldn’t allow me to leave the room. “Darn.” I thought as I dragged myself back to my bed and helped her out. “Hello fox lady, would you kindly show yourself to me?”

“Well if you ask like that than I don’t think I have a choice do I.” I pulled her from underneath my bed and her clothes made me fall over with exhaustion. Out of all the clothes that I left on my bed for her, she wore my vests and shorts which made me wonder once more about her mental stability.

“You do realize that I have many more clothes that are much more appropriate right?” I asked.

“Don’t bore me with your filthy tongue. I am not the type of woman that would allow herself to be stuck down by such standards given by men, except one but that’s not the point.” The girl held her arms on her hips as she leaned closer to my face. Her eyes full of sparks and her body moving like an elegant demon that made it all the more difficult for me to speak with her. Even though she was a slight bit delirious; I found it interesting that there was a person quite the opposite most of whom I’ve been accustomed to. Most of the girls I’ve met were really obedient and useless people that relied on their husband for most of everything and even my own mother stayed in our home most of the time.

“Do you want me to attack you like a mad man or would you rather explain yourself so I can go to work already.” I lay back on the bed trying to ignore the girl’s loose clothing and faced the wall. My face was a tomato and my heart was a drag racer, I was so consumed by my emotion that I didn’t know how to react anymore. The girl leaned in close to me her silky face above my ear and her chest rub gently against my back. Her warmth was overwhelming and as she leaned closer to me, first holding me in her thin smooth arms and then nibbling on my ear. My body and mind were rushing though our bodies making me feel the intense heat rush. I didn’t know if this was the greatest torture created by women nor was I just weak? She was heavily breathing onto the side of my face making it turn even brighter. The soft nibbling was growing intense as she whispered into my ear. My ear felt like it was being taken away by the gods as every part of my body was being tended to by an angel. Damn this is not what I read in the textbooks back home. I was not trained for this situation at all.

“My name is Akimitsu. Aki stands for fall and Mitsu stands for radiant beauty. It feels nice to meet you Francais Godwin of the United States.” She got up and moved in front of my body and she stared deep into my eyes. I felt as if I had transcended the barrier between time and space because her eyes seemed to be filled with an endless amount of treasures. “Say my name Aki- and Mitsu, Akimitsu.”

“Akimitsu.” I repeated without a second thought. My mind was clouded with her beauty as well as my body yearned for her. I lost my ability to think about anything else because all I could think of was that how was I going to make her mine. I didn’t care what I had to do, what anyone else felt because she was going to be mine.

“Humans are so simple. That’s right now you may do anything you wish to me, but remember who I am or everything will be lost.” Aki spoke in a lustful soft tone. She placed her arms around my neck and embraced my body gently as I continued to find myself in her eyes. I could no longer hold back my urges and a trigger in my mind forced me to jump on top of her. My muscular arm holding her shoulders down as Akimitsu continued to hold him close.

“This isn’t…” I grunted trying to find myself once more, but it was growing ever so difficult.

“What could it possibly be young master?”

“I won’t fall for your lustful ways Akimitsu.” I launched myself off the bed like there was a bomb, began to breathe heavily with sweat running down my neck as I lay on my back. “I’m not about to do something I surely will regret later.”

“What would that be Mr. Francais sir?” Aki smiled as she sat at the edge of the bed patting my head as if congratulating me on my achievement.

“I don’t know what exactly you were doing, but I do know that if I had fallen prey to my own instincts then something terrible would happen. I don’t trust you completely and if I was trapped by that lustful state my mother would lose all respect for me.” This woman was trouble for both my physical and mental health, but nevertheless I grew more curious every time she did anything. “Why am I so confused?”

Aki looked at him with her engaging eyes before falling back in laughter. “You thought that...” she manages to say before she held her stomach and continue to mock me. “I would never do such a thing to someone like you or at least at the moment anyway. I was simply testing how much control do you have over your basic human nature and it’s lacking quite a bit.” She started to calm down, but was still trying to hold back her tears of joy. “Anyway you pass.”

“You know you’re a real piece of work, so don’t cry to me when something bad happens to you and what do you mean pass?” I blurted.

“Do you think that I would need a man for protection; if you do then you’re clearly delusional.”

“What makes you say that?” I got off my back and sat up straight glaring at the girl.

“Am I the one trying to hold off my emotions for false belief?” Aki slyly smiled at me while slowly moving closer to my body. “At least if I have urges or needs I look upon them as opportunity rather than a limiter.” She blew into my ear making me more cautious about her movements.

“Can we please get back to you explaining who in St. Joseph’s holiness you are? Also what you meant by pass.” He tried to understand the conversation, but her constant change of the conversation made it hard.

“It doesn’t matter, I already figured you out, but live experimenting is always fun to examine.”

“First what is your reason for visiting me?’ I asked.

“To find a human worthy enough for her existence probably sums it all up.” She answered without hesitation.

“What do you mean by her existence? Who is she? Also why do you care if a human would be worth knowing about her? And…” I questioned Aki who was now trying to avoid my stare.

“The weather really is nice today. I think you should go to work since your friends are calling you.” A knock came on the door it was Alden and Jake. The door was locked and they started to slam on it.

“Who the hell are you talking to Francine? Is someone in there?” Alden called out, but somehow I didn’t want to respond.

“Open up Franc!” Jake yelled, but I was too focused on Aki.

“Answer the questions!” I sternly leaned closer trying to catch her eye, but she was too good at avoiding my gaze. I grabbed her hands and looked deep into her eyes. “Tell me.”

“Did you know that a man is going take over the European side of the world and also he is going to kill a lot of people? You can stop him if you…” She was dodging my questions.

“Answer the questions or feel my wrath.” I commanded blinded by fury.

“Tamamo-no-mae. Remember the name.” wind blew through the room as she sighed for a slight moment and like magic the room turned into blustery frozen tundra. My room had disappeared and I felt like I was on top of a mountain because the air suddenly grew dense. “For a brief moment I shall allow you to see her beginning. This will be the true test and I can guarantee that you won’t survive the first time.” My heart was stricken by the intense winds that blew through the trees burning itself on every corner of my body. I no longer saw Akimitsu and could only see pure white snow blow my mind into a state of emptiness.”

“So cold, why is it so cold?” I started to walk in the direction I was facing, not knowing whether I was going the right way or not. “Aki! Where are you? This isn’t funny show yourself. Akimitsu!” I yelled. I continued to walk forward while being excreted the cold winter fury burn itself into my bones. “Why is this stuff happening to me?” It felt like hours since I last saw the girl and as I trudged along the dirt pathway feeling woozy from the dramatic change in weather my legs stopped. My chest felt heavy as I leaned on a tree to try to regain my footing, but as I stopped and heard something that stopped my heart, winter foxes. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I turn around to see two pairs of dark eyes staring at me like I was a piece of steak. “Run.” My mind filled with that word. I regained my strength and ran like the wind. “I can live this and tell that woman return me to the ship.” I didn’t feel cold anymore and my legs didn’t hurt as much anymore. “Why was running me?” Maybe cold hurt not me. Does thou pain don’t exist.” I began to slow down and sluggishly breathing as I fell to one knee, then like the wind whipping my body dropped into the snow. It absorbed itself around me as the foxes surrounded his body waiting to feast upon him. “Guess I shouldn’t have asked about her past or at least I would’ve brought a jacket.” Nature took me away without a single thought, and then I heard a voice that was comforting and scary.

“Hey… get up you little piece of…” I laid there motionless wondering what was going to happen to me and where was that conniving woman. “Just great I guess I can’t just leave this dumb… here.”