In the dark of night, a lone man sits at a table. A single desk lamp shines down on a journal, casting shadows about the room. Placing pen to paper the man starts to write. ‘I am not sure how I should begin this. Lately I have been thinking a lot about myself; sometimes I’m not even sure who I am anymore. I’ve gone through so many names in my long life; Seito, Kiru, Tsurgi, Kiyo, Yami, even one odd period in my life where I referred to myself as ’Sithatmai’. I still don’t know what I was thinking back then… In more recent times, I was named Blade Prower… it’s the name I still tend to use now a days.’

	‘I’ve always found the surname odd…  When I inquired my’. The writer pauses and looks to a picture, half obscured by shadows. There are two figures the one that can be seen is what looks to be a young lithe man, with red hair tied back in tail. The young man standing next to an older looking man that is obscured in shadows. The writer sighs and shakes his head as he turns the picture face down. “Will I never learn?” He muses to himself and shakes his head as he turns back  to his journal. ‘my friend about it, he told me that it was due to my resemblance of a video game character. I am still not sure if I should be honored or  ashamed that my kind have been immortalized in such ways… Though I guess I should start at the beginning, so that anyone that might find this will know the truth about what I do and why I do it.’ 

	As the man known as ’Blade’ writes, thunder crashes out side and a few seconds later the room in illuminated in a blue-ish white light. During that brief flash of lightning, the man’s secret is given away. The flash of light reveals on the wall across from the man; not the shadow of a human, the that of a two-tailed fox. 

	‘I am a fox spirit, what my homeland calls a Kitsune. I am sure that many that read this will have some base knowledge of my species, though a vast many will only think we are things of fiction and myths. That we don’t and never did exist. Those people I truly pity; no imagination, no belief in things beyond the visible. They will forever remain in the dark of this world  and never become anything greater then they are. I am here! I am real! I exist.! Of that much I am certain about myself; I am not delusional! Those that dismiss this journal  as a work of fiction will be haunted for the rest of their days.’ Blade scribbles furiously, having gotten tired of being dismissed by this modern world of science.  Blade tosses his pen down and growls as another roll of thunder and flash of lightning illuminate the room. 

	“This is pointless.” He muses to himself. “No one’s going to read this. No one is going to believe this if they do!” Blade says and punches the wall, knocking a hole in the plaster. 

 	“It is not pointless.” An inhuman, ethereal voice says. 

	“What would you know Edge?” Blade replies, looking to the pen on the floor.

	The silver pen shimmers and flows, expanding outwards and taking on a more humanoid shape. Its blank polished face stares at the young ‘man’. “I know as much as you do, Blade. You forget our arrangement. While I’ve may only have been with you for a short while. I’ve shared your memories and frustrations. Recent events require that you do this for your own sanity, not for the belief of others. That has been a rule of writing; Write for yourself, not your audience.”

	Blade sighs. “Yeah yeah, just shut up already. Some days I really regret bonding with you.”

	The silver creature simply laughs as he flows back to Blade’s hand and resumes the pen form. 

	Blade glares softly to his pen for a moment, before starting to write again. He knew the creature’s words were true, his sanity wasn’t stable at the moment. He needed to get this out to remind him of who he is. ‘I was born Ansei 2 during the reign of Emperor Komei, Last Emperor of the Edo era.  But I doubt many that read this would known when that is; on the Gregorian calendar I was born in the 1855, at the time of this writing I am 154 years old. In ages past my family had an alliance with a family of Samurai. We brought blessing and victory to them in their battles through the ages, in repayment for saving my great-grandfather. Unfortunately for me, the Age of the Samurai were quickly coming to an end. The Meiji Restoration era would be the end of the romanticized Samurai era and the start of Modern Japan. The first tale of the Journal covers my first love…

The Kitsune’s First Tale:
Love and Loathing in Meiji Era

1867:

	“Seito!” A masculine voice calls out from a mid a forest.

	In response, the head of a young fox kit pops up out of the brush and looks around a bit, until its spots the form of an older Kitsune with five flowing tails. “Yes, Father?” The young fox responds and walks over. Young Seito is barely a third the size of his father, looking more like a natural fox with his single tail. 

	“You know that you shouldn’t be running off like that, especially on this day. We have a very important ceremony to attend.”

	“I don’t see what’s so important about those silly humans.”

	“SEITO!” The older Kitsune scolds. “You should know by now, that despite how you or others might feel about humans, that when a Kitsune gives their blessing it must be followed or we are no better then other demons. Your grandfather said that the Sonozuki family will be looked after as long its blood continues to flow through the generations. Now come, today their youngest son becomes a man and we must be their to honor our family oath.”

	“Yeah, yeah… I get it, I got no choice in the matter. Lets just get this over with.” Seito replies, the young Kitsune preferring to be out exploring the forest and playing around rather then attend some stupid ceremony. 

	“You’re still young… You’ll understand the importance of our oath soon enough.” Seito’s says before heading off toward the Sonozuki home with his son following behind him.

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	Despite his protests about ‘silly humans’, Seito had never really spent any time around them. The young Kitsune looks around in awe at the grand Sonozuki homestead. The Sonozuki are a family of nobility, otherwise known as Samurai. Centuries prior an ancestor of theirs came across a young, naïve Kitsune and saved him from a hunter’s trap. Since then, their family has gained much prosperity and notice under the ruling Shogun family’s eye; all thanks to Kitsune blessings. 

	“Ah, there you are Hayato, and I see that you finally got your son to join you. Such fortune for my own son’s ceremony.” A deeper masculine voice says with a friendly laugh as he looks to the pair of foxes. 

	Miroku nods. “Indeed Lord Sonozuki, this is my son, Seito. It is time for him to learn of his duty, and today is the best day for it.” Hayato says and  then looks to Seito. “Feel free to explore lord Sonozuki’s grounds. There is still time before the ceremony. Go and see how ‘silly’ these humans are.”

	Seito nods “Yes Father.” He replies and starts to walk down a stone path, pondering taking off back to the forest once he is out of eyesight.

	“And you had best not leave these grounds, if your not here when the Ceremony begins, you will be in more trouble then you can ever imagine.” Hayato says sternly, as he takes the form of a tall red-headed samurai. 

	Seito grumbles softly “Yes father…” as he wonders just how his father always seems to know what he is thinking. 

Hisato