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The teacher and his students traveled down the hallway at a brisk pace. Even though Akari was barely even walking fast, but the girls struggled to keep up with him. The three foxes simply plodded along behind the three, taking quick glances back to make sure no one was following. Kigita looked about nervously, but Aniki simply stared at Akari’s back. She never cared much for him, but he was starting to annoy her.
At long last they reached the end of the hallway, and Aniki and Kigita slumped a bit.
“Finally,” Aniki muttered. “We’re here.”
Kigita was less enthusiastic. “Just where is here…?”
Akari looked over his shoulder at them, gave them a small grin, and then opened the door. They all stepped inside, including the spirit foxes. Once they were all in, the door shut itself quietly. Aniki and Kigita whirled to look at it, eyes wide.
“What the heck?” Aniki shrieked. She turned to Akari, eyes wide. “Just what are you trying to do, huh?”
Akari frowned and waved her off. “Oh, please. As if I had any kind of motive like that.” They were in a bedroom, not very big but with plenty of room. There was a desk on one wall, and next to it a bed. Above the desk was a window, looking out into the night sky. Lining the rest of the walls were empty shelves, save for a few items.
Aniki huffed, then took her place at Kigita’s side. Where she really wanted to be was in bed, sleeping. But there was no way she would touch the bed in front of her. Kigita however was transfixed on a small spherical object on one of the shelves, bobbing up and down in the air gently. It had a yellowish color to it, and it had some sort of…blue smoke around it. There was something else next to it, too: a small cocoon hanging from the top of the bookshelf.
Akari looked in the direction she looked, at what she looked at, but saw nothing but empty shelves. “Do you see something, Kigita?” He asked gently. Her reply was to go over and look at it closer. She stopped a few feet short of the ball, nervous and excited at the same time. She was about to touch it when Aniki grabbed her shoulder and gave her a shake.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “There’s nothing there but empty air! Snap out of it!”
“Don’t be so sure, Aniki,” Akari said slowly. He walked towards them slowly, and as he did his sash began to change. Both girls watched in wonder as the bluish-white beads seemed to melt and spread out along his torso, forming a long robe. The sash melted as well, but it instead melted into the robe making orange patterns that looked similar to flames. The girls then saw what held the sash together right before it melted as well: a thick string that was a deep blue, almost black. It merely ran along the hem of the robe, however, creating a brilliant navy trim. The finished robe looked…magnificent.
Kigita, who reveled in reading myths and legends (particularly Japanese ones), finally figured it out. “That’s Yoake, Yugure, and Yuki’s souls, isn’t it?” she asked quietly.
Akari smiled widely and said, “Why yes! Very well done! I was wondering if you’d ever figure it out.” He continued to walk past them and motioned to the spot where the ball was hovering. “You said you saw something here, correct?”
Kigita, who was still a bit shocked, asked, “How did you get them to give you their souls? No one can get a spirit fox’s trust. It should be impossible!”
Akari merely sighed and said, “That’s a story for another time. Now tell me, did you see something here or not?”
Aniki, annoyed at being left out of the loop, finally burst out, “What the heck are you talking about?? Souls? Imaginary items? That’s it, I’m out of here!”
She turned to walk out, and came face to face with Yugure the shadow fox. “Leaving so soon?” he asked her. His mouth didn’t move, yet she could clearly hear him. His mouth did, however, change into a smile. “But you’re about to miss the best part.”
Aniki turned and was about to try to go again, but decided against it. “So…What happens now? Do you make her delusions real or something?”
Akari merely turned to her and smiled. “Oh, they’re not delusions. And I’m not going to do anything to them.” He turned to Kigita. “You are.”
Kigita’s face grew red, and she looked away. “Is there…Is there really anything there? I mean, Aniki said-”
Akari cut her off abruptly. “That doesn’t matter. Ignore everything else, and reach for whatever it is you see.”
Kigita turned to face him, growing even redder. “You mean you don’t see it either?? Wait, is this some sort of trick, or…Or…”
Akari grabbed her shoulder and instantly she grew still. He looked her straight in the eyes and said three simple words: “Reach for them.”
Kigita grew calm and nodded. She reached out slowly, going for the small cocoon first. She grabbed it, plucked it off (against her better judgment), and for some reason began to stick it to her ear. Once she had finished, she was about to reach for the floating ball when she noticed another cocoon, right behind where the first one had been. Oh good, she thought. Now I’ll have a matching pair. She repeated the process with the other one, then set her sights on the ball before her. She reached out slowly, gently grabbing it. When she did, it became heavy in her hands, and she brought it down and rested it next to her stomach. It’s warm, she thought. And something’s inside…I can feel it moving.