[F02/SP] Bikou Kitsune | <<Feeding Your Enemy>>

[Zenshu 0]

He’d spent his morning scouring the available quests in his menu, looking over the many interesting options. Some he’d tossed aside as being entirely impossible at his current level – there was no way that he’d be heading up to some of the higher floors, no matter how lucrative and tempting the rewards may be. He was well aware of his own limitations – as good of a swordsman as he had been in real life, this system required levelling, which meant that his own personal skills were only so good.

“I could pick up a secondary profession…foraging or fishing…that sounds nice and relaxing! And there’s a few quests here where I could obtain some more materials or other goods…that might be interesting later on…something to help the tailoring a bit…” He continued scrolling through, trying to find something that stood out to him. His hand hovered over one single quest, before opening it up to read more. “Feeding your enemy? A quest to obtain a familiar…that could be interesting! I wonder if they can be…oh they can!”

His excitement grew as he continued looking through the details of the quest. There wasn’t a lot to be found there – he’d have to locate some travelling Gypsy woman, and obtain something from her in order to find the familiar itself. He doubted it would be too hard to do, assuming he could figure out which floor she was on. He glanced up at the top of the menu, his smile dipping slightly as he read the details again.

“No floor designation? So…she can be found anywhere? Or is it that she moves between the different floors? Hmm…I may have to ask around about this one a bit…” His decision made, Zenshu closed out the menu and began his preparations for the day. He didn’t have much to clean up – aside from tidying up the inn room he’d been staying in, there wasn’t a lot to do. Within only a few moments he was through the doorway and making his way down the stairs.

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Word Count: 340 

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Spoiler

Zenshu | Lv. 8 | HP: 160/160 | EN: 34/34 | DMG: 8 | LD: 5 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 12 | Regen: 2 | Risky: 1 DMG | Stealth Detect: +1

Tier 1

Equipped Items

Ninjato  [Tier 1; One-Handed Straight Sword; Uncommon] A simple black, single edged ninjato.
Enhancement: Damage [1 Slot] | Effect: +(1 * Tier) base damage per slot.

Light Blue Samue [Tier 1 Clothing; Perfect] A simple light blue samue, well crafted and loose fitting. This piece appears to be in a traditional fashion, and contains wide cuffs.
Enhancement: Loot Die [3 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the LD.

Light Blue Haori [Tier 1 Cloth Armour; Perfect] A simple light blue haori, long enough to hang around the knees, but light enough to not be overbearing.
Enhancement: Evasion [1 Slot] | Effect: Reduces the die value by (1 per slot) on an enemy’s attack against you. Cannot be used to avoid a critical hit.
Enhancement: Regen [1 Slot] | Effect: After taking damage, gain Regen at the beginning of your next turn. Heal (2% per slot of your total health) every turn for three rounds. Damage over time effects (Bleed, Poison) will not trigger Regen. Does not stack with Battle Healing. Taking damage while Regen is active will refresh it to its full duration.
Enhancement: Risky [1 Slot] | Effect: When you take damage, gain +(1 per slot * Tier) base damage until your next successful attack, at which point this bonus is removed. Taking damage again will refresh this enhancement. Must be using the Cloth Armor Skill for this enhancement to take effect.

Fox Head Necklace [Vanity]

Battle-Ready Inventory

Starter Healing Potions {5} | Heals 50 HP
T1 Uncommon Health Potion {1} | HP Recovery I
T1 Uncommon Damage Potion {1} | Damage I
T1 Uncommon Overhealth Potions {1} | Overhealth I
T1 Rare Health Potion | HP Recovery II

Inventory

Shadow [Tier 2; One-Handed Straight Sword; Perfect] A shorter ninjato, this single edge blade is entirely black from the string wrappings on the hilt, to the tip of the blade itself.
Enhancement: Damage [1 Slot] | Effect: +(1 * Tier) base damage per slot.
Enhancement: Accuracy [2 Slots] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the BD when attacking. Cannot be used to cause a critical hit.
Arrowhead Brooch | ACC III
Big Bertha Barnacle {1} | Unique Consumable (Meal) | A fishy entree that restores +2 additional EN each turn in combat for one thread.

Sword Arts

[x8] ST-I (8 EN) | A single-target sword art.
[x11] ST-II (11 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
[x3] AOE-I (1 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
[x4] TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.

Weapon Skills

Straight Sword
Rank 3
Passive
Effect: +5 DMG

Armour Skills

Cloth Armour
Rank 3
Passive
Effect: +12 MIT

[Rank 3 Cloth Armor Mod] Athletics
Effect: Gain +1base Damage.

Utility Skills

Searching
Rank 2
Passive
Effect: +1 LD per rank. +1 to Stealth Detection per rank.

 

[Zenshu 0]

The bartender had actually been surprisingly helpful, directing Zenshu towards a player whom had mentioned encountering the Gypsy. The woman had directed him towards the second floor – stating that they had seen the gypsy woman’s travelling cart out in one of the fields of a valley only a few hours walk from the main settlement. Zenshu had collected the directions in detail, before thanking the woman and making his way towards the central area of the Town of Beginning, and the teleporter that resided there.

It had taken him a moment to remember the name of the second floor’s main settlement, before he managed to activate the teleporter itself and disappear in a flash of light. His arrival on the second floor had been uninspiring, leaving Zenshu to make his way out of the settlement in disappointment.

The exit from the settlement had been underwhelming, if Zenshu was to be honest. He’d followed the path down into the valley below, the mountains suddenly rising up against the horizon has he continued on. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe as they rose above him, dwarfing him as he continued down along the road leading deeper into the floor.

As he went, he’d kept an eye out for the travelling gypsy, as well as anything of value. He’d considered hunting down some of the creatures available on the floor itself, before deciding that he would be better off focusing on the quest itself. He knew there was no point in getting needlessly distracted, especially when searching for the gypsy woman would likely be hard enough as it was.

ID209665 | LD: 15+5 | Gathering | Success [1 material]

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Word Count: 269

[Zenshu 0]

The glimmer against the grasses caught Zenshu’s attention as he was making his way along the path. He stepped off the main road for a moment, kneeling down in the grass and searching for the piece that had reflected the sunlight. It didn’t take long to pull out the small collection of thread and needle. He couldn’t help but smile in wonder – he’d barely been keeping his eye open for it, and yet here it was.

“This is certainly worth the time already! I can’t believe that the materials can be found even when just…walking! Well, I guess I shouldn’t turn away a gift from the spirits…that would be quite rude!” He tucked the piece away into his inventory, before continuing along the roadway. His eyes roamed the area around him, both for the travelling woman as well as the materials he now knew would be somewhere in the fields. He was excited – he hadn’t expected to find something so valuable, so easily.

“I wonder how easily it will be to find the woman I need to start this quest. I’m actually quite surprised there’s no immediate marker, or some other guide. I guess finding her must be the first challenge – only those able to locate her are good enough to find a familiar? I guess there’s a bit of logic to that.” Zenshu mused as he continued his search, trying to figure out the logic of it all. He could admit that there was some backing to the theory, but he wasn’t entirely sure it sounded fair to him. If that was the case, wouldn’t that leave those who weren’t great at searching without familiars? Or would they simply have to try harder to find them? He wasn’t sure, but he could say that he was happy that his searching had clearly already been improved – his equipment and the skills he’d taken helping him to progress in that field quite well.

 

ID209666 | LD: 15+5 | Gathering | Success [1/2 materials]

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Word Count: 322

[Zenshu 0]

Another glimmering caught Zenshu’s attention as he made his way along the road. He jumped off the side of a smaller embankment, making his way down to where he’d seen the shine. The small roll of thread and needle were easy enough to find, and although he did another quick search of the surrounding area, there was nothing further to be found. Still, he was content with at least the single piece – it was more than he could have expected to start with.

“Greed is not a welcoming behaviour, either. I should be pleased with what I’ve found so easily, and not desire more without putting the effort in! Besides, I’m not really trying that hard to find these pieces right now, so this is just an extra bonus on top of everything else.”

He pulled himself back up and onto the main pathway, glancing around him as he paused for a moment. The mountains had risen to an empowering height, covering the horizon in all directions around him. He couldn’t help but marvel in their overbearing presence, reminding him of just how small he truly was.

“It’s similar to the mountains from back home…that same feeling of how small we truly are in comparison to the world around us. It’s amazing how they’re able to replicate so much here…truly amazing.”

His eyes roamed around the area again, looking for anything he might have missed before he took off again. He doubted he’d find anything of interest, but knew that it was worth trying at least – for there was no success if you didn’t first attempt.

ID209667 | LD: 7+5=12 | Gathering | Failure [0/2 materials]

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Word Count: 266

[Zenshu 0]

With nothing immediately jumping out at him, Zenshu continued on his way. The grasses flowed around him, small collections of trees making up brushes of forests as he continued. He could see collections of animals – from creatures that he could likely fight, or hunt for dropped goods, to things he figured were likely just background imagery and inclusivity. Still, it was a marvel in and of itself in many ways.

What he hadn’t yet come across was any sign of a woman who would allow him to start hunting for a familiar in this land. He knew the areas were large, and that she could be anywhere from the main roads that he’d been following, to the very top of the mountains around him – yet he’d not seen even a track that would lead him towards a path that she had taken once.

“I just need to keep searching. I’m sure eventually I’ll find some hint of her.” He cocked his head as he continued along the path, his eyes darting around even as he thought about what he was doing. “All the information I have is pointing me towards this floor, somewhere deep within the valleys in the centre of the mountain ranges. I just need to keep going, and I’ll find her. If it was easy, then I doubt that they’d have her location unmarked – part of the challenge of this quest is likely the challenge of finding the quest giver to begin with!”

 Content with his logic, he nodded to himself and moved forward. He had nothing to base off of, other than general logic, but he figured that was how these games worked. They seemed – in his opinion – to almost always be based off general logic, in some way or form. He couldn’t see this game being anything beyond that, especially with an artificial intelligence in charge.

 

ID209668 | LD: 18+5=23 | Gathering | Success [1/3 materials]

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Word Count: 311

[Zenshu 0]

He’d just finished collecting yet another material piece when he spotted the clear outline of a camp in the distance. He hesitated as he finished putting away the thread and needle that he had just found. He doubted that there was any real reason to rush over to the camp itself. For starters, he couldn’t even say for sure that it was the travelling gypsy woman that he’d been directed to find – although he hadn’t seen or heard of anyone else hoisted camps in the mountain ranges – but more importantly, he’d been having so much success with finding materials that he was reluctant to stop now.

“I’m sure I’ll see the camp being packed up and the woman heading out even if I delay a little bit…” He let his eyes roam the area once more, looking for the glint of the thread and needle against the grasses around him. It had been so easy to find them thus far, that he wasn’t quite ready to turn his attention entirely to the quest itself – especially if there were more goods to be found that could help his business succeed and flourish. “If she does start to head off, I can just rush after her anyways. I doubt that she could move any quicker than I can, so I don’t really have anything to be worried about.”

Nodding his affirmation of the statement, he turned back to the fields. Scouring the area he looked for any more of the glinting that would allow him to continue working. He’d recently run dry, and this was his first chance to really put any effort in to restocking – at least, restocking without paying a fortune for things that could be found free, if you put the effort in.

 

ID209669 | LD: 6+5=11 | Gathering | Failure [0/3 materials]

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Word Count: 294

[Zenshu 0]

He spent a while scouring the areas around him for anything of worth, but eventually he had to halt himself as he realised that he’d likely found everything he could. Sighing, he turned his gaze back to the small camp. He found it still visible, no significant changes to his eyes. He felt himself teetering for a brief moment, considering trying one final attempt at finding anything before heading off, before he overcame the idea.

“There’s no point overdoing it. I’m sure I’ve plucked this area entirely dry of anything of use. I should let it all reset and then come back. Maybe I’ll have a bit more luck after I deal with this quest!” He smiled at the thought of the quest ahead – he was about to try and find himself a familiar! He’d seen a few other players with the small beasts, varying in appearance and capability. He’d never looked too far into the creatures, something he considered outside of his realm of requirement at the time. He wondered if that hadn’t been a bad idea, if he maybe should’ve been more engaged in the familiar system.

“I can learn all about it now – that shouldn’t be too big of a problem. I hope. It’s not like I’ve been missing out. I just haven’t been using it. But that changes now! I wonder what sort of familiar I can choose from, or if I can design my own? I’ve seen so many different ones around town, it seems like the selection must be endless!”

His excitement flaring up again, Zenshu made his way towards the camp. He couldn’t wait to see what there was to offer, although he suddenly realised there may be a cost to it. He cocked his head as he considered that, wondering if he had enough to afford one of the small companions.

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Word Count: 309

[Zenshu 0]

The campsite itself was empty. A smouldering fire, a mat for sleeping, and a few cookware pieces strewn about. Zenshu’s gazed roamed over the site, questioning the entire scene before him. He wasn’t quite sure what he had been expecting, but this wasn’t it. No NPC waited to greet him, no signs that anyone had been here – aside from the dying fire. All in all, he found it rather disappointing.

“If she’s not here, then I guess that just means I need to keep looking. She can’t be far away, seeing as the camp looks relatively recently left behind.” He wasn’t confident in his assessment – he had limited experience in reading how old fires were, or camps for that matter. Tracking had never been something he’d been taught in the real world. “I’m sure a fire would’ve completely died out by now if she’d been gone a while, though.”

“Are you looking for someone in particular?” The voice startled Zenshu, causing him to jump and spin on the spot. Behind him, appearing as if out of thin air, was a bejewelled woman of fair complexion, and common features. Zenshu had the strange feeling that even were he to try, after their meeting was over, he’d barely be able to remember the imagery of her face. It was an odd, and disconcerting feeling, for him.

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Word Count: 224

[Zenshu 0]

“Actually, yes. I’m looking for a travelling woman who offers the chance to find a famil- a companion. Someone who can travel with me, and provide me company. Or, well, something, I guess. As the ones I’ve seen aren’t necessarily all ones, but things.” He smiled shyly at the woman, before continuing his rambling. “You wouldn’t happen to have seen someone like that? Someone who can offer the chance to find such a companion? I would be very grateful if you could direct me towards them.”

The woman seemed to listen intently, nodding as he spoke. She didn’t seem at all concerned with his rambling, or the fact that he seemed flustered speaking to her. Once Zenshu had fallen silent, the soft voice began speaking again.

“Oh, you’re looking for a friend to travel with? I can certainly help with that. There’s a special food that they come for. If you’re able to locate one who looks like it would make a good companion for you, a good friend, then try feeding them this.” The woman pulled out a bag that Zenshu assumed had some sort of special foods within it. He accepted it from her, placing it into his inventory for safe keeping. “You’ll be able to coax them towards you with that, and should they trust you enough…well, then maybe you’ll have a new friend to travel with. I do ask that you return anything that you haven’t used, as it is somewhat difficult to find those goods.”

Zenshu nodded his understanding. Seemingly content, the woman turned and made her way across the field, leaving Zenshu standing in the camp alone. He watched her walk for a moment, before turning his attention to the fields around him.

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Word Count: 289

[Zenshu 0]

“She never told me how to find a familiar.” The words hung in the air, a tone of disbelief attached to them. Zenshu shook himself as he glanced back at where the NPC had been moments before, but there was no sign of her now. Shrugging to himself, he gazed at the fields around him, pondering his next steps. “I guess…I’ll just hunt around for anything that looks like it might be a familiar? Oh, and I can continue that material searching stuff as I go! I guess that’s already a big bonus!”

His optimism once again restored, Zenshu took off from the camp. He had no idea what he would need to look for when it came to the companion, but he assumed that something would occur as part of the quest itself. He doubted that the Cardinal system would force him to look for some unknown variable, without causing some sort of interaction to occur.

“Perhaps it’s one of those animals I saw just bounding about through the plains...maybe even one of the normal monsters that are adjusted to be a companion. Although that seems too unlikely…most of the ones I’ve seen in town are generally just animals and such.”

Still musing over the possibilities, Zenshu began his search – his eyes trained to look for any sort of crafting materials that he could find, but also keeping an eye out for anything that would hint towards the quest pointing him in the direction of a familiar. His eyes roamed over the area, looking for tracks, or other indentations in the grass areas that would signify anything having passed through the area. He wasn’t entirely sure if he would be able to even notice such subtle things, but figured it was his best way of starting this quest.

 

ID209671 | LD: 11+5=16 | Gathering | Success [1/4 materials]

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Word Count: 299

[Zenshu 0]

“Aha! Another beautiful piece for my tailoring!” Zenshu eyed the violet coloured thread, the silver needle glinting against the sunlight as he spun it in his hand. Content with his find, he placed it away in his inventory before turning his attention back to searching. “I do hope that this familiar is as easy to locate as these crafting materials are. If that’s the case, I should be done here relatively quickly! That would definitely be a nice occasion…I could just find the familiar, and carry on with my day!”

Zenshu considered the familiar. He wondered what sort of creature he could get, whether it was pre-determined – and if so, how the system determined what you would get. “Maybe I need to search for possible partners, and choose from one of them? Like in some games, where you look for something that you like, based on what’s available, and then you have to tame it.”

His logic sounded accurate to himself, but then again Zenshu was far from an expert in this game – or games in general. Knowing that he likely wouldn’t have the answer until he found the creature, he refocused on his material search. That was something that he could at least say he was proficient at, to a degree.

“So many variables, so many unknowns…nothing to do but just go with it for now! I’m sure I’ll figure it all out eventually!” His tone bespoke the normal enthusiasm he worked with, reminding him that for the moment, everything was just fine.

ID209672 | LD: 19+5=24 | Gathering | Success [1/5 materials]

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Word Count: 254

[Zenshu 0]

Zenshu eyed his most recent find – a thread of silvery-white, with an odd looking needle attached to it and tucked underneath the thread to hold it in place. He wondered at the purpose of the needle, before placing away the crafting materials into his inventory.

“Perhaps something to ask another tailor about, once I return to the city. I doubt it’s anything of super importance – although maybe it’s designed in order to sew in a specific manner, or place? That would certainly be interesting.”

His search continued as he glanced around for more of the threads, hoping that he could stockpile for his business even as he completed the quest. He’d not yet spotted anything that had hinted towards a creature that could be a familiar.

As he glanced up at the sky, he saw a collection of birds going by overhead – a plethora of blues and greens, reds and yellows all trailing across the sky above him. He considered for a moment having one as his familiar, before tossing the idea out. He’d never been a bird person, and he couldn’t imagine trying to tame one now.

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin with a bird! Imagine! Do I have to let it out to fly every day? Does it sleep a lot? No, definitely not a good idea for me!” He shook his head, his smile wide across his face as he spoke. He couldn’t even imagine such a creature under his care.

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Word Count: 246

[Zenshu 0]

His eyes passed over the nearby fields, spotting a pair of wolves staring at him. Zenshu paused in place, eyeing up the two creatures. Both had soft brown and black coats that seemed to slightly shimmer in the sunshine, and as he watched he could see the tension in the two. A few breaths, and one of them broke off and rushed away, leaving the smaller of the two remaining behind.

Careful in his movements, Zenshu began to approach the creature, hoping that he could somehow lure it in towards him. He felt his hand reach up to pull up the menu, the soft dinging ringing through the air as he did so.

Disturbed by the sound – or perhaps by Zenshu’s continuous approach – the wolf suddenly bolted, leaving the area behind in a swish of grasses, and disappearing into the distance. Sighing, Zenshu followed through the menu and pulled out the bag of food that he’d been given. Putting it in a pocket, he ensured it was secure before returning to his search – both for the materials, and for something he could call a companion.

“A wolf may have been a lot to handle, anyways. They’re very big creatures – something a bit smaller would definitely be more beneficial if you asked me!” Secretly, he’d wanted to tame one of the wolves – he figured such a large animal would likely make a good companion in this game, and he’d seen a few individuals with similar creatures wandering the many streets. But he’d also known that he likely wouldn’t be able to handle something of that size. He’d never actually had any pets before, and he figured this would be like owning a pet in a way – so he’d likely be better off starting with something smaller, to begin with.

ID209673 | LD: 17+5=22 | Gathering | Success [1/6 materials]

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Word Count: 298

[Zenshu 0]

His luck had continued – at least with finding the crafting materials. As he glanced down at yet another spool of thread in his hand, Zenshu wondered at the difference in his abilities. He knew that the skills, and even the clothing he wore, were giving him boosts on the system – but he’d never expected this much of a difference.

“This is completely night and day compared to when I had first started out searching for materials! I remember those first attempts, struggling to find anything on the first floor! I doubt that it’s just that I’m on a higher floor, either. If it were a case of resources being picked dry, I’d expect this floor to be much in the safe situation…”

He’d spent more than enough time searching, and although his feet didn’t ache, Zenshu felt like it was time to relax a bit. Laying back into the grasses, his arms folded beneath his head, Zenshu closed his eyes – enjoying the heat of the sun, and the calm breeze in the air. Even though he knew that he’d need to get back to work shortly, he couldn’t help but relax for a few moments.

Laying the grass, he couldn’t help but relish in the near perfect weather that they were receiving. He knew that the entire system was automated, that nothing was to chance, and yet…it still felt like pure luck that he’d been able to get out and enjoy it.

“I guess that’s how real life goes too, though. You never know exactly what you’re going to get, so you should just learn to enjoy what you have. We shouldn’t be so quick to complain about something, because it can very easily be taken away from us.” He sighed heavily, knowing that sometimes reality was far less welcoming than ideology. Still, if everyone could learn to be content, he assumed the world would be a much better place.

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Word Count: 320

[Zenshu 0]

The whisper of shifting grass caused Zenshu to bolt upright in place. He strained his ears as his eyes glanced over the area, looking for any sign of a creature coming towards him. He could see areas of the grass around him that had been shifted in place, as if something had passed through – a clear sign close to him, well within arms’ reach.

Rising slowly, Zenshu made his way along the area towards the path, keeping his eyes and ears open for anything trying to hide from view. He was a bit disappointed to find little more than the split grass, and no immediate indication of the creature that had come so close to him.

“I must be dealing with one slippery fox here…well, I guess there’s little more to do other than to try and figure out exactly where it went. I doubt it got too far, in this small amount of time. In fact, I’d be willing to bet it’s still around here – likely hiding from me in fear.” He cocked his head at the thought, sudden concern overcoming him. “Oh, I guess I should be worried about it being afraid of me…that wouldn’t be good either!”

Cautiously, trying not to move too quickly in order to avoid spooking anything in hiding, Zenshu began moving forward. He kept himself lowered, trying to hide his full form as he progressed through the grasses. His hands at his side, he balanced himself, careful not to disturb the grass too much.

ID209674 | LD: 14+5=19 | Familiar Search | Success

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Word Count: 251

[Zenshu 0]

The small face stared out of the grass at Zenshu. He’d come to a complete halt when the nose, black as a dark vortex, had begun to appear in the grasses beside him. Slowly, as if with hesitation, the remainder had followed. The face itself was shaped on a short snout, and covered in shifting red fur, with the underside of the head a gentle white. It was small – although dog like in shape – and two pointed ears stood atop the head.

For all intents, it looked to Zenshu like a typical fox, similar to those he’d seen in the zoos back home. The big difference was the multi-coloured eyes; one coloured the standard golden-black that he’d seen on normal creatures, however the left eye contained a glimmer of green along the outside, with a black centre.

Carefully, trying not to spook the creature, Zenshu pulled the bag that he’d been given from his pocket. Opening the top, he pulled out one of the pieces, slowly offering it towards the small fox. He waited, watching patiently as the creature seemed to sniff at his hand. He could almost feel the apprehension in the thing’s frame, the uncertainty of this being before it.

“It’s okay…I’m not going to hurt you…” Zenshu kept his tone soft and calming, trying to reassure the fox with his words. He doubted it could understand him, but he hoped the tone itself would convey his meaning.

ID209675 | CD: 7 | Tame Familiar | Failure

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Word Count: 240

[Zenshu 0]

As his hand reached out towards the creature, it seemed to pull back slightly. Zenshu stopped midway, letting his hand hover in the air between the two of them, waiting to see what it did. He was surprised that it hadn’t immediately run away, instead simply holding itself in place. It seemed to peer through the grass at him, refusing to come any closer for the moment.

“You’re okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” Zenshu whispered the words, trying to remain calm, but include a feeling of security into his tone. He held his eyes steady, not quite looking at the fox, but not allowing himself to look away either. He knew that he’d have to be patient – it wasn’t likely that the creature would willingly accept someone that it had just met. “It’s okay. I can wait. You take as much time as you need to get comfortable, and once you are come and get this yummy – at least I think it’s yummy – treat that the nice lady provided me. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

He tilted his head slightly as he stared at the fox, taking in its facial features. As he gazed over it, he could see the overpowering green of the left eye – originally looking like a glint, but now obvious entirely emerald in colour. As well, the face contained a small spattering of grey in the red, causing an almost aged appearance once he looked closer. He wondered just how young the fox was, if it could even have an age attached to it.

ID209676 | CD: 3 | Tame Familiar | Failure

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Word Count: 260

[Zenshu 0]

He’d shifted on his foot – causing another stirring of the small critter as he almost fell over. Deciding there was nothing else to do, Zenshu let himself collapse to the ground, folding his legs underneath him in a typical seated position. He was surprised the sudden movement didn’t entirely scare away the creature – at least not yet.

“You’re certainly a cautious one, at that.” Zenshu smiled as he tried to keep his arm held out before him, letting it fall slightly to rest on his knees. The fox seemed to toss its eyes between Zenshu’s hand, and his face, as if calculating the danger that he posed. “It’s fine, I’m not going to hurt you. If you want to grab it, you can take it. I promise you I’ll let you have it. You can even take it and eat it in peace a little ways away, if that would make you feel better.”

The small chittering sound caught Zenshu off guard, and as he glanced around for the source of it, he suddenly realised it was coming from the fox in front of him. “Oh, so you do talk, then? Can you understand what I’m saying, or was that just a chance response? Either way, I should say my name is Zenshu, it’s nice to meet you.”

Silence met Zenshu’s greeting, the small eyes still peering at him. He felt like he was being considered, carefully, for an opportunity that could change his life. The pressure of it was starting to wear into him, and for the first time he felt his smile dip slightly.

ID209677 | CD: 9 | Tame Familiar | Success

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Word Count: 266

[Zenshu 0]

To his surprise, the fox suddenly rushed forward, its decision clearly made as it curled into Zenshu’s lap and devoured the piece that had been in his hand. Shocked, Zenshu remained unmoving as the little thing devoured the piece, before glancing up at him with a pleading look.

“Oh! Wow! Okay, I hadn’t…hadn’t expected that! Uhm, here let me see what else I have that you can eat…” He quickly pulled up his inventory, deciding it would be better to provide some of his own rations, rather than use the rare pieces that the gypsy woman had provided to him. He’d promised to return them once he’d managed to lure in his companion, and he figured she’d wanted back as many as she could have – so he’d prefer not to waste them, if he had the opportunity.

Although he didn’t have much, the fox seemed content with the few different selections that he could provide – most of it small treats that he wasn’t even sure the creature should be eating, but that he doubted would matter in this world. As it finished up the last piece, it glanced up at Zenshu again, a curious look on its face.

“Well, what do you think, do you want to stick around for some more yummy treats? If you want, you can join me!” He waited as the fox seemed to consider it, before it reached up and licked his face in two quick successions. Laughing in response, Zenshu reached out a hand and slowly ran it along the back of the creature, causing more chirping to erupt from it – followed by the fox leaning into the motion. “I’ll take that as a yes, then! Alright! Well, I do need to get this bag back to the woman, and then maybe we can head on to the tavern and see what else we can get you? How does that sound?”

He rose to the continued chirping of the fox, the sound similar to the yapping of creature’s he’d heard in the night back home. He wondered if those had been foxes similar to this one, that he’d just never seen. Either way, he’d found his companion – something that he was happy for, and not simply because it allowed him to finish the quest.

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Word Count: 380

[Zenshu 0]

He’d found the gypsy woman once more at the small campsite that he’d first located. She’d been waiting, this time, apparently aware of his success and eventual return. That, or he’d simply been lucky and caught her at the perfect moment. Either way, she’d greeted him with a smile that he could only describe as soft and welcoming. Her eyes had lit up upon seeing the small fox at his feet, and the smile had widened immensely.

“Such a wonderful looking companion! You truly found one who emanates the very soul…I am happy for you.” She smiled as she spoke, making Zenshu feel easy somehow. She took the bag of remaining food back without any complaint, thanking him for taking the time to return it. Just as he was about to turn away, she spoke again, her voice soft, barely above a whisper. “Do take care of him, now. He’ll need you in the coming days.”

He’d been about to ask her what she meant, when he realised that she’d been looking at the fox as she spoke – and suddenly Zenshu was unsure if the woman had been speaking to him, or the fox at his side. The little critter beside him cocked its head, the confusion apparent on its face to Zenshu, somehow. He paused, trying to figure things out in his mind, before simply giving up and turning away.

“I guess we’d better consider a name for you, shouldn’t we? Let’s see…Zotomai was a nice name. I had a friend who had a pet named that…or make Chiisana mono. That means…hmm, no, that’s not fitting…” He eyed the fox for a few steps, considering what would be most fitting. It came to him shortly after, almost as obvious as if he’d had it in his mind the entire time. “Kagayaku hoshi. Kagay, for short. How does that sound?”

The fox gave a slight chirping sound, similar to when it had been eating the portions Zenshu had shared with it. He’d assumed it was a sign of happiness or content, but in this case he felt it was a sign of agreement.

“Alright, Kagay it is. I think it’s fitting, don’t you?” He smiled as the fox seemed to shake its tail in response, almost like a dog. “Well, Kagay, how about we head home for the day and see about something more to eat – I’m sure that sounds good to you, yes?”

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Word Count: 404

Thread Summary

Word Count: 5,842 / 10 = 584 + 300 [Quest] = 884 EXP
400 col [Thread Progression]
6 materials [ID209665, 209666, 209668, 209671, 209672, 209673]