Raiju's Grand Adventures: The Nine Tails of Wisdom

     It had been several weeks since the weird dream with the forest and the lake. Raiju was starting to become well known in the nearby village despite never saying a word to anyone. He even had to write down his name so that people knew what to call him; mainly due to the various different nicknames people were coming up with becoming very hard for him to keep up with.

      Raiju had just returned from the village after buying some supplies and was getting ready to practice controlling his fire balls. It wasn’t something he did often, as he rarely used his fire ball ability, but seeing as he spent most of his time alone, it couldn’t hurt to be prepared in case he needed to defend himself. After focusing for a couple of minutes, he had formed a decent sized ball between his paws and was moving around the green, flaming ball getting used to how it feels to move the energy. It was a feeling he both really enjoyed and was confused by. He still didn’t understand how he came to own this power but he enjoyed using it, sometimes.

      “Finally! I’ve been travelling along time just to find you.” The sudden voice behind him caused Raiju to jump and throw the ball of fire in the air. All he could do was watch as the ball flew high into the air before arching down towards the stranger. The ball landed not a meter away from the stranger with a puff and despite the stranger not reacting in the slightest, Raiju was able to get a look at them. He was wearing a black robe with the hood on so all he could see was the tip of his light grey or silver snout and matching paws with bluish paw pads. “I’m sorry to startle you young one. If you knew how far I’ve come just to find you, you’d understand the sudden excitement. You are the one called Raiju, right?” Raiju just nodded his head. He was trying to understand what this person was talking about while also trying to figure out why this was happening to him. “You don’t need to play coy with me. I’m not from here either so you can speak.”

      The statement caught Raiju off guard and he hesitated for a moment. “I’m sorry for my silence but, who are you and how do you know who I am?” Raiju was starting to get tired of all these random figures appearing lately and knowing who he was.

     “Oh! Where are my manners.” The figure removed his hood to reveal that he was a fox with silver fur. “You can call me Tenko. I’ve travelled far to help you.”

      “Tenko?” The name was strange to Raiju as he never met anyone with a name remotely close to that but then again, he often thought his own name was strange.

    “Well…” The fox paused a moment. “It’s not my real name. I normally don’t tell people my real name until I know I can trust them. I used to go by Kitsune, I kind of miss being called that actually, but with time comes changes.”

      “Why don’t you tell people, or me, your name? You came to me after all.” Raiju wasn’t sure if he could trust this stranger if he doesn’t even trust him enough to give him his name after claiming to have travelled far just to get to him to ‘help’ him.

      “When I was but a young kit,” he paused looking up as if trying to remember a memory. “I was probably only a couple hundred years old at the time, I used to tell people my name but one day someone I was trying to help turned on me and told everyone I was using dark magic to manipulate him so I had to go into hiding for a while until everyone, forgot, about me. Since then I’ve just been vague with my name. Using Kitsune to avoid the same incident from happening.” The fox looked down at the ground. “Would it be alright if we sat for a moment? I’m a bit tired from the journey.”

      Raiju just looked at the fox with his head tilted for a moment before snapping back into reality. “Of course. Make yourself at home.” He had so many questions for this fox and nothing he said was helping at all. A couple hundred years? That had to be a mistake right? People can’t live that long, could they?

      The fox started to stretch before starting to remove his robe. Raiju quickly looked away awkwardly but looked back when he realized that the fox wasn’t nude. He was wearing red and black shorts that looked like they were made from a very nice fabric but wasn’t wearing a shirt which was ok with Raiju since he was only wearing his shorts and his cloak without a shirt on himself. The main thing that caught his eyes, was the fact that the fox had nine tails instead of the one. He had to quickly look away to avoid staring as Tenko sat down in the seiza position and started talking again. “So. Now that the formalities are out of the way, I’m sure you have a lot of questions for me. And before you ask, you’re not going crazy or dreaming. I have nine tails because I’m not just a fox, I’m a kitsune. Or rather, a tenko now since I’m older. That’s why I went by that name. To make anyone that tells someone else about me think they’re going crazy claiming to see a fabled kitsune. Now, go ahead with your questions young wolf.”

      Raiju was stunned. He had never heard of whatever a kitsune or tenko was so he wasn’t sure how effective his story was but he was confused so he guessed it was working? Raiju had quite a few questions but none seemed important enough or were slipping his mind despite him literally thinking about them a few seconds ago. “I guess, the obvious one is, why are you here?”

      Tenko smiled. “To help you of course.”

      “But with what?” Raiju was a little sharper than he wanted to be when he asked but this wasn’t the first time someone said they were here to help and then were very vague with him.

      “With your journey. I know if you had it your way, you’d just stay here forever living the same day again and again and again but Fate has other plans for you which is why I’m here. Her other guilds were, different, to be polite. The singing in the woods before you were brought here, the man surrounded by smoke that took you to the other you where both of you fought that lycan creature, who by the way is actually really nice. He was sick and was in a fever craze. Oh! And the old wolf at the lake with the one-way forest. They were all guilds that were sent to help you on your journey but they had a very specific thing they needed to help you with and only did that.”

      “How do you know all of that? I never told anyone about any of those.” Raiju’s eyes were wide. It was like his memories were being read, oddly in chronological order, and he didn’t know if he should run or try fighting to get away or just stay.

      “Once you get to be as old as I am, you learn a lot about a lot of things. How the world really works and the things that are being lost that will soon be nearly completely lost in most people in the future. That, and I was told by your ancestors and Fate.”

      “I’m scared to ask but, how old are you? You’ve commented on age before but didn’t say specifics.” Raiju was sitting on the ground cross legged but every muscle was tense as his brain still tried to decide if it wanted to go with fight or flight.

      “I think I’m nearly 1,100 years old now? You lose count rather quickly after 200.” Tenko chuckled. “Oh! Before I forget, I have something for you.” He turned around and pulled out a small bag that Raiju didn’t notice before. Tenko started to shuffle through it first with his paw then he shoved his whole arm up to his shoulder into the bag; a bag that was only a 41cm×33cm Komebukuro bag. Raiju just stared, eyes yet again wide open as there was no way his arm should be that far into the bag. “Oh come on, where are they? I know I they’re in here somewhere.” Tenko mumbled to himself as he continued his search.

      “Everything ok over there?” Raiju hesitantly asked; honestly not sure what he’d be able to do to help.

      “Yeah, just. Just give me a moment. I’ll be right back.”

      “What do you-” Raiju was cut off when he saw Tenko climb into the bag feet first flustered. Within a couple of seconds, Raiju was sitting there alone with the bag just laying on the ground. “Oh. That’s what you meant.” Raiju said to himself as he slowly walked over to the bag. It was such a small bag, how could someone slightly taller than him fit not just his arm but his whole body inside the bag? Right as Raiju was about to examine the bag, the top of the bag flung open and Tenko stepped out; Raiju would have been white as a ghost if not for his fur as he struggled to catch his breath.

      “Here we… Are you alright?” Tenko’s head was tilted as he held another small bag in his paw.” Raiju just nodded and held up one finger as he took deep breaths, heart beating out of his chest from being terrified by the jump scare. “Ok then... Anyway, I found what I was looking for!”

      He held out the bag and Raiju hesitantly took it. He slowly opened it as saw three things inside. A strange, smooth blue stone, a bone horn that looked like a deer’s but different, and a little triangle badge was inside the bag. Once Raiju picked up and looked at the pink badge with what looked like a mushroom on it, the badge started to glow before disappearing. “Where’d it go? What are these things?”

      “It seems to have attached itself to the back of your cloak. That was a badge to signify completion of a particular task within this portal world. The other things, I don’t know. All I know is that the stone glows blue at night.” Tenko placed his bag behind him again and it seemed like the bag either disappeared or was really well hidden.

      Raiju paused for a moment after looking at the items. “What do you mean this portal world?”

      “Oh right! We haven’t gotten that far yet. So the singing lady opened this portal for you so you would come to this world so you could experience a new life. Break out of the old habits and get a second chance at life after what happen during your youth. There are many other worlds out there that require portals to get to and with each, there are special requirements that are needed for you to get another badge.”

      Raiju was silent for a moment. It made sense to him now why he was brought here and it was something he never thought about before. He had been given a second chance to live a new life in a new place away from his past. “So, these badges. Are they my journey? Do I have to collect all of them?”

      “Well.” Tenko stopped for a moment thinking. “They’re part of your journey yes, but they’re not your whole journey. Each portal will have new challenges for you to overcome and grow from but your journey is to find true, inner peace with yourself. Calm your place of Zen and live life truly happy. For that to happen, you must first face the demons and the sins that hold you back within yourself. It’s something everyone does at some point in their life. It’s just your time to do it.” Tenko had a more serious expression now. It was still soothing as his expressions were before but there was more weight to what he was talking about than before.

      “What do I have to do to face them?” Raiju doubted he’d get any form of straight answer from Tenko just like he didn’t from the wolf at the lake.

      “Your biggest sin, is Sloth. Laziness, complacency, living everyday just like the last. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between being happily content with your life and being complacent with it. Everyone has to deal with their own sins; the sins being Sloth, Gluttony, Wraith, Pride, Lust, Envy, and Greed. The demons are the voices of temptation. For you, it’s ‘I can do it tomorrow’ or ‘I’ll do it later’ and then never doing it. Procrastination is a prime example but not the most hurtful. Being complacent might feel good but in reality, you’re living in constant misery because you know what would make you ‘happy’ but don’t have the motivation or drive to go through with it or you’re too scared of being hurt that you’d rather stay in the ‘safety’ world you’ve created for yourself. Don’t feel bad, everyone does something similar. The way to overcome all of this, is tell yourself, ‘No. I’m going to do this today even though I don’t feel like doing it right now.’ And actually going through with it. Every time you do that, you kill that demon, or ego as they’re also known, and eventually, you’ll be more satisfied with your life.” Tenko took a deep breath to regain his breath after talking for so long. “Make sense?”

      Raiju just stared like a deer in headlights. He almost preferred the vague answers over whatever he just received. “If I say no, are you going to go over it again?” There was a hint of fear in his voice as he asked his question.”

      Tenko just laughed. “No, don’t worry. I didn’t expect you to understand everything right away. This process normally takes years upon years to complete. It all depends on how much the sin has control over you. But you have me to help you through this process. At least, as much as I can help. Most of this you have to do on your own. Anyway, it’s getting late and you have a busy day tomorrow.”

      Raiju’s would have gone flush if not for his fur. “What do you mean? What am I doing tomorrow?”

      Tenko just smiled a very sinister grin. “You’ll find out in the morning. For now, keep practising your power as you were. I’ll help you learn how to unlock more of your potential another day. I’m going to get some sleep as I suggest you do too, but when you normally would. No need to change things too much. Mind if I stay here with you or would you rather I set up camp somewhere nearby?”

      Raiju fidgeted with his paws. Not knowing what was in store for him was driving him crazy because he really wanted to know but he was also scared to know. “You can stay here.”

      “Thank you young one.” Tenko bowed his head slightly before reaching into his bag, which had reappeared, and pulled out what look like a really comfortable bedroll made from materials that Raiju couldn’t identify and set it up near Raiju’s bedroll. Rather than continuing his practice, Raiju just removed his cloak which now had the strange badge on the back of it near the bottom most symbol, and laid down on his bedroll. It was really weird laying down with someone else so close by after spending so long alone. A little while after they were laying there, Tenko spoke up and startled Raiju a little. “My name’s Grimoire, by the way.” Then there was silence only broken by soft snoring from the fox and the natural sounds of the forest.

      Tomorrow was going to be a long, strange day.