An Ancient Caretaker Public

I jerked awake, panicked. My last memory was slipping on a patch of moss that I hadn’t noticed, falling off the mountain trail he was hiking on in Northern Hokkaido. The sparsely (relatively) populated island was a great place for hiking, but if you had an accident like the one that had apparently befallen me you had a very low chance of being found fast enough.

Or so I had thought, anyway.

It appeared that I had been lucky, looking around the room I found myself in, I noticed that I had been placed on a clean smelling futon, in a very traditional looking building. Reaching up, I felt around the pressure on my head, My fingers meeting with the smooth feeling of soft bandages. Did I fall on my head?

Going to stand, I was surprised by the lack of dizziness. I had obviously passed out, which meant I had hit my head. Why wasn’t I feeling the effects of a concussion? Even if I was lucky and just passed out from the shock, I would still be expecting to feel some sort of grogginess, but no. In fact, I felt better than I had ever felt in my life, filled with energy and well rested.

Moving to the entrance, I opened the sliding door and was treated to the sight of a well maintained garden, the building constructed in a square around it. There was a small gravel path winding through the garden.

I stepped onto the path, before being surprised by a soft, feminine voice speaking Japanese behind me, “Ah, thou hast awoken.”

It was an archaic, very formal dialect. I almost didn’t understand what she said, only my studying of famous Japanese poems allowing me to understand the words. I turned to look behind me, beholding a room next to the one I woke up in, which contained a low table, upon which sat a wooden tea set. Partaking in the tea, was a stunningly beautiful Japanese woman, with long silken hair dressed in a traditional Miko outfit.

“Art thou well? Hath thy wounds healed?” She asked, daintily sipping from the wooden cup.

“Uh, yes. I am feeling well.” I replied, in Japanese, “Are you the one who found me?”

She wrinkled her nose slightly, obviously unused to hearing such a foreign accent, “Indeed, ‘twas I. Thou art most fortunate, should I have chosen a different path to walk thy would have been lost.”

I bowed to her deeply, hands clasped in front of my body, “Thank you for rescuing me. I am in your debt.”

“Tis my duty.” Was her solemn response. “Thy thanks art appreciated, however.”

I raised myself out of the bow, “Is there some way I could repay you?”

“Mine duty is to watch over the shrine and it’s environs. Accepting payment for merely doing as I ought… I would not dare to invite such ill karma.”

“I see…” I trailed off, unsure how to respond to that.

The Miko took a sip of her tea, “Thy wounds still need some time to fully heal. Please, be welcome in mine shrine.”

“Thank you, again.” I responded, deepening my bow slightly.

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The next couple of weeks passed without incident. Despite feeling better than I had in my entire life, Mio, as the Miko introduced herself, insisted that I still needed to recover. I followed her advice and stayed in the old shrine that she looked over, but seeing as I was full of energy I decided to pay her back by helping to fix up all the weathering around the place.

Mio had done a good job of it herself, but it was a task that was endless and difficult to do alone. Thankfully, my pack had fallen with me and been brought along by Mio, so my fieldwork tools were available to use. The familiarity of the modern tools allowed me to be a lot more efficient that I would be if I had to use Mio’s traditional woodworking tools.

I finished whittling a groove into a piece of wood and blew out the air in my lungs, bringing a hand up to wipe the sweat from my brow. It rarely got hot high in these mountains, but working for as long as I had brought on a sweat regardless. Turning with the piece of wood in hand, I slotted it into the prepared place of the awning I was building, satisfied as I took in the completed product.

Mio had asked me to build the small wooden construction to help her separate the garden a bit more, as well as allow for more upwardly growing plants to be contained a bit easier. I never imagined those Woodworking lessons I took would have come in handy like this, but I am far from complaining.

“How is it? Do you need a break?” Came a soft voice from behind me. I turned and smiled at the Miko who was walking the path up to where I was working.

Some time after I had arrived, she had picked up my way of speaking and adapted to it, doing it so naturally I hardly noticed.

“It’s finished.” I replied, shaking my arms, “Just need to place it now. I was going to fetch you so you can tell me where exactly you want it.”

“You did not have to do this, Nate-san.” She said, cutting off my protest by placing her soft hand on the bare skin of my arm, “Still, I am very grateful for the help. Thank you.”

I smiled at her, watching on as she inspected the construction. Out of the corner of my eyes however, my gaze was drawn to motion behind her. Looking at what grabbed my attention, I refused to believe what I was seeing until it dawned on me.

Her shadow had wagging tails.

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Kitsune.

A type of Japanese fox spirit. I had always thought they were myths, but if there was one thing I had learned to trust over my life it was my own senses. The proof was right in front of me, I would be a fool to dismiss it. Several times over the next few weeks, I confirmed that what I saw was no fluke.

I desperately tried to remember all the stories about the Kitsune that I had heard, but the problem was that they were conflicting and inconsistent. The issue is there was no unified narrative on how to deal with the enigmatic creatures.

Eventually, I decided to ignore it, as insane as that sounded. My reasoning was that she disguised herself as human, so that is how I would treat her until that changed. Over time, as weird as it sounds, I almost forgot completely about it. The time that I spent with her felt more important, helping around the shrine and sitting with her long into the evening, trading stories back and forth.

Time, however, was as implacable as always. One day, as I woke up and walked into the dining room, I was greeted by the sight of Mio witting in a formal Seiza, affixing me with a serious stare.

“Nate-san, You have been fully recovered for a while now.” She took in a deep breath, “I have greatly enjoyed the time you have spent here, but it is time for you to resume your journey.”

My breath caught in my throat, the reality of the situation hitting me suddenly. Intellectually, I knew that this day would come, but I had been putting it off in my mind. Having the reality of it suddenly thrust on me like this came as a shock to the system.

“I…” My mind raced, the sudden realization surprising me. I didn’t want to leave. “I don’t want to leave, Mio-san.”

She blinked, taken aback slightly, but I continued undeterred, “I have been all over the world. I’ve always been restless, eager to move on, but here… I finally feel at peace. This time I have spent with you has felt like a precious, beautiful dream.”

I knelt on the woven floor, staring into her eyes, trying impress on to her my seriousness, “I want to stay in this place Mio-san, with you. If you’ll have me.”

“Nate-san…” She covered her mouth with her hands, “I… We can’t. I’m sorry, but it’s not possible.”

I looked up, my heart pounding in my chest as I asked, “Is it because you are a Kitsune?”

She reeled at my question, her disguise unravelling before my eyes. Long fluffy tails, three of them, covered in silky black fur matching her revealed ears unfurled behind her. She looked at me in shock, her ears upright in fright, before she started to move away from me.

I scrambled, clasping one of her hands, shouting out my feelings, “Mio! I don’t care! I love the Mio that gently nurtured me back to health, that shyly accepted my help around the shrine, that was too bashful to scold me for working to hard! I don’t care whether you’re human or not!”

“I love you!” I finished, staring into her wide eyes.

I was desperate, one of the legends repeating in my head. When a Kitsune is discovered for what she is, she always flees. However, the legend I was remembering stated that if their lover caught them before they could run, she would stay with them. I fervently hoped that it was true, just as much as I hoped that she had grown as attached to me as I had to her.

“I… It’s too soon. Humans are fickle, you could change…” She tried to pull out of my grip, but barely exerted any force in doing so, her heart not in it.

Feeling emboldened by her hesitance, I pushed forward, “I won’t. I choose you Mio. I want to be with you. If I misread the signs, if you have no feelings for me, say so. It doesn’t matter what you are, it doesn’t matter what I am, the only thing that matters here is how you feel.”

She blushed and bashfully looked down at the wooden floor, “You don’t know what you are asking, what you are promising.”

“I don’t care.” I pulled her into me gently as she moved with me, settling into my arms, “No matter what happens, not matter what I have to do.”

I tilted her head up, her ears drooping slightly as she looked at me with watery eyes, “If I can stay with you, It’s worth it.”

I leaned down, stopping just shy of her lips. She looked into my eyes, conflicted, before visibly gathering up her courage, ears perked with determination, “You stupid man, I’ll hold you to that.”

My smile was swiftly covered by her lips.

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The next few days passed in a whirlwind, after my confession Mio informed me that I had essentially proposed to her by doing what I had done. Despite my surprise, I was not at all against the news. Following that, I assisted in setting up the shrine for a wedding, which would be preformed by Mio herself.

I was not to sure how binding that would be, legally speaking, but I found myself caring little for that. We spent only a few moments with each other between the tasks that needed to be done, but seeing Mio without her disguise blushing and smiling shyly when she saw me gave me ample energy to get everything ready swiftly.

The ceremony was long and intricate, but to be honest, most of it was a blur to me. The sight of Mio in a white, hooded wedding robe stole all of my attention. The one thing I remember clearly was the end, where it felt like the little garden was full of approving people, despite being seemingly empty.

After our vows, Mio had grabbed my hand and demurely led me to her room, the one place in the shrine I had not been in before. I stopped her before the door.

“Mio, do you mind indulging me I na tradition of my own?” She blushed but nodded in assent, before squeaking cutely as I swept her in a bridal carry and walked over the thresh-hold.

“That was surprising…” She murmured, looking away from me and blushing, Is this a wedding tradition from your homeland?’

“It is.” I smiled.

“...I like it.” She whispered, turning her head towards me and burying her face into my chest, “You didn’t lie.”

“About what?” I questioned, looking down at the adorable woman in my arms.

“About loving me. Inari-sama would not have blessed our marriage if you were… You are an odd human.”

“I’m fine being an odd human, so long as I’m your odd human.” I laughed, placing her gently on her bed, watching as her tails and ears flicked nervously.

Is was obviously dawning on her what us arriving at the bed implied, but she seemed to be a bit afraid to take the final step. I smiled down at her, being met with an unimpressed pout.

“Don’t say anything.” Was her stern warning.

“My lips ar…” A glare stopped me, but my smile widened regardless.

She took a deep breath, and unwrapped her robe, shuffling in the cloth before closing her eyes and letting the fabric fall. It dropped off her body, revealing a seemingly endless expanse of porcelain skin. The thing that immediately grabbed my attention though, was her breasts, the smooth skin capped by inviting bright pink nipples.

Nipples which swiftly hardened once being exposed to the air. “Nate-san.” Was the reproachful words from my new wife, tails lashing out behind her, “You’re staring...”

“Sorry, Mio. I was struck speechless. You are truly beautiful.” She blushed, the red quickly spreading from her face and covering the upper part of her chest.

Still, she didn’t cover herself, instead pushing herself up further, displaying herself to my gaze. Despite her shyness, her resolve shone through. I bent over her, covering her smaller body with my much larger one, staring inter her eyes as she slowly turned to face me.

 “I won’t hurt you, Mio. You don’t have to be afraid.” I lent down, stealing a kiss from her wet lips, pulling back to look into her blushing face before leaning in again and initiating another, much deeper one.

She gasped, her mouth opening under my own, flooding me with her sweet, addictive taste. Wanting more, I teased her lips with the tip of my tongue, earning a wide eyed look of shock from her. She quickly closed her eyes, tensing her shoulders as she hesitantly sent out her own tongue to meet mine.

Time ceased to matter, the wet, tender embrace melting the outside world away. Mio slowly got more and more into it, pants and small moans escaping from where our lips met. She started fidgeting beneath me, hands coming up to grasp my back and pulling me closer to her.

Our hips touched, still covered in cloth, but the heat seeped through, as well as her wetness. Mine moved on their own, grinding me into her, causing her to throw her head back and moan, breaking our kiss. Grinning, I tilted my head down and started kissing and sucking on her neck. As soon as my lips touched the soft skin, Mio froze under me. She started trembling as I nibbled on the delicate flesh, before in a flash I was thrown onto my back.

“Why did you do that, Nate?” Mio panted, staring down at me, the wildest expression I have ever seen on her face, “Do you know what that means to foxes?”

She grinned, not waiting for my answer before I felt a soft warm feeling around my cock. Jolting, I realised what I was feeling was her tails, lining me up with her wet, dripping pussy. I barely had enough time to wonder where our clothes went before Mio moved, the soft, hairless skin of her groin dragging along the head of my dick, before I felt my tip at a moist, tight entrance.

“You... ahn! You are mine!” Mio called out, her pupils becoming slitted as she dropped down, engulfing me in silky heaven, her back arching as she moaned out at the feeling of fullness.

Her walls massaged me, my entire length fitting snugly inside her. Her insides moulded around me, perfectly taking my shape, as if being made for me.

“My mate.” She bounced, her breasted swinging with the motion, “My human… My lover… mine!”

Her hips rolled, her exclamations cut off by a long moan as I started thrusting up to meet her, hands grabbing her hips. “And you are mine, Mio! My Wife, My fox…”

I Leaned up, bringing myself into a sitting position, kissing her and then moving up to whisper into one of her ears, “My mate.”

She stiffened at that, clenching deliciously around me as her bounces became faster, more frantic. I pulled her into my own, the sound of flesh slamming together filling the room. Mio hungrily, desperately devoured my lips, pulling me into searing kisses, our mouths messily meeting and parting in time to our movements.

On a particularly had thrust, Mio paused, hugging me tightly to her and keening. Her walls went crazy, desperately writhing and milking me. She leant into my neck and bit down harshly, marking my shoulder and breaking the skin.

The sting of the pain jolted me, causing me to stiffen in turn and groan as I finished, releasing inside her as we breathed heavily, basking in the after glow. Our peace was broken as Mio suddenly sat up, looking distraught.

“Nate! I’m sorry! I bit you and…” She was cut off by my laughter.

Under her reproachful glare, I got myself under control and gathered her into a warm hug, kissing her. I pulled back as said, “Mio, I don’t mind. If I made you feel that good, I’ll wear it as a mark of pride.”

She pouted, trying to hide her smile as she lightly hit my chest, “Stop embarrassing my, dummy.”

I looked seriously into her eyes, “Sorry Mio. You’re stuck with me embarrassing you forever now.”

Her protests were cut off by by another kiss, but I could feel her smiling under it.