[The lost kit had been abandoned with no real apparent reasoning. No guardians to supervise him or no friends to keep him company. Little did he know who or what he was. At nearly the same moment, a young fox couple by the name of Miyoko and Aoi were split apart due to a poacher's greed for the luxurious fur of the black fox. The she fox, horrified thinking the death of her mate was her fault, fled from the area in tears, knowing that Aoi would have never left that fateful night if she had been the same soul he desired. In her sorrow, she detected another's, a small fox of her same species sniveling and sobbing uncontrollably by the river bed. When she confronted the little one, she discovered he had nearly no idea who he was or even his birth parents looked like. Pity for the poor creature washed over Miyoko and she decided to take the kit is as if he was her own. The two quickly had a close mother and son bond in the months after. This bond seemed as if it would never be shattered by anything... or anyone.]
In the darkness of the den, there wasn't much to see, if you could have seen at all that is. Among the cave were two furred bodies, one much bigger than the other with dark slate fur and beady eyes. The larger one was cradled around its young kit, lapping the side of it's cheek as it tossed and turn in a dream full of terror. The kit's ears twitched, hearing the melody of his mother's soft lullaby in his ear and he settled down a bit, waking up to nuzzled against her. "It's alright... You're safe here. Get some rest," Miyoko assured him, licking him against to keep him warm. His fur bristled at the touch and stared up at her smiling adorable, "Momma? Can you tell me that story again?" The gray she fox chuckled, "I've told you so many times though. But if you insist little one." He smiled and yipped happily, snuggling in to her her tale once again."
"Well, it all started centuries ago when nothing stirred among the earth. Two great being lived together as husband and wife. The two did everything from making the camellias bloom, to creating the mountains and even the first of life, as well as other like them. But one day, his wife was trapped in a shadowy world referred to as Yomi, land of the impure and nightmares. When he went to save her, she told him he was bound to rot there by a chain, that she could never leave. The husband couldn't bare this and tried to free her one night. That is... until he saw what had really happened to her," She glanced down at the fox, taking a minute's breath and found amusement in his anxious shocked expression, "What happened to her?" The mother fox smirked and rolled her eyes, knowing he already knew, but continued.
"He set a torch alight and continued to her bed chamber. He entered slowly to ensure he did not wake her and hesitantly came closer. The man waved the torch in front of her, expecting to see her beautiful complexion and stunning beauty, but he didn't. Instead, laid the rotting flesh of his once beautiful wife, breathing hoarsely, flesh rotting to the core of her bones, maggots wriggling through craters of her paper skin. The girl expected to wake to her husband's adoring smile, but all she heard was a shrill scream of terror. In that moment, the man had gone to loving and wanting to die for her, to hating the abhorred abomination and seeing to her death. And so, he ran for his life from her, the woman that still love him, all because she had changed..." Miyoko hesistated to continue form this point. Maybe it was because she could relate with the two. But would would never want to worry the kit with her fears, so she continued, "They say both of their tears created gods to serve under them, including ours, Inari. We are the sears and tellers of the world for the humans and gods. That's why we are important little one. We are the veins that carry blood to promote friendship, alliances and kind among every living thing. Never forget that the path to peace is in your paws." When Miyoko looked down at the kit, she smiled slightly seeing the kit was deep into sleep. She kissed the top of his head and lightly dozed over into a sleep of her own.
Dawn's rays soon tapped warmly on the outside of their eyelids. The mother squinted her emerald eyes open and nuzzled the kit through her embrace lightly, seeing he was still dreaming. Miyoko decided to let the child sleep on and quietly arose, making sure not to wake him as she padded outside the periphery of the den into the view of the Aokigahara forest. Her gaze moved worriedly to the approaching foreshadowing signs of a dark tempest. She let out a sigh and flattened her ears against the back of her skull. They perked up again as she heard a rustle of movement and glanced in the direction. Miyoko's eyes narrowed suspiciously but she blinked seeing a large white creature appear from a heap of foliage. It was a white fox much larger that her and had not one, but nine tails lashing back and forth. It's eyes pierced into hers are it proceed forward. "You still haven't rid of the kit?" Her ears flattened. It was going to be another of these conversations. "Inari..." she grumbled low to herself.
"Why do you care for him? He isn't even your child!" the white fox snapped, "Let me put him out of his misery." "He isn't in misery! The only misery he feels is from his own god refusing to care for him," Miyoko growled, "How can you call yourself a god if you won't care for an innocent child and have the nerve to nurture it. If even you can't do that, i must be a stronger 'god' than you!" She stuck up her nose, going to turn around but Inari blocked her path, "Learn your place! That creature is a plague of society, he isn't a normal fox like you." "Plague on society? He's a kit, no more, even if he is of cursed kin. Everyone else can rot then for all I care! I'm not going to give him up no matter how much you threaten me or say he's vile." The large fox snarled but quickly stopped, sitting upright, "Nothing hmm? What if I said I could get back your beloved?" Miyoko's eyes widened, "Aoi?" Inari smirked deviously and nodded, knowing she would take the bait.
The kit had yawned and glanced around tiredly in the den a bit later. His ears perked, surprised when he didn't see the she fox and yowled, "Momma? Momma, where are you!" He lifted to his feet and scampered around desperately, ears flat. He padded to the entrance and paused, puzzled by the white fox sitting outside. The creature made his curiosity rise, but also his fear. Hesitantly, he crawled out of the den and stood up straight, tilting his head seeing it was standing on white rocks.Inari shot a glare at him as the kit came out and snarled with malice, "So, you finally decide to come out from hiding hmm?" The kit frowned and glanced around, not knowing what he meant by this. His mind was only focused on one thing, "Have you seen Momma?" The fox sneered slightly and kicked the cracked skull he was stepping on to the kit, "Your 'mother' was persistence. She even knew the burden of opposing the law and me, yet she was still a fool for standing up for a little rat." The skull crumbled and cracked, kicking up fresh ashes in the autumn air as it laid in front of the kit. He stood wide eyed on the verge of tears, "She's... dead because of me?" His innocent gaze and whimpering couldn't pierce through Inari's sympathy and he approached closer, unsheathing fire claws longer and longer with every step, "It is always your fault little one. All your kind causes is misery and destruction. That's why I have to condemn you to death, as well as anyone that stands in my way." The kit froze, yipping and trembling in utter fear as he backed away. All her could hear in the recesses in his mind were his mother's words.
"We are the veins that carry blood to promote friendship, alliances and kind among every living thing. Never forget that the path to peace is in your paws."
Suddenly, the kit's crimson eyes lit up. He turned to the great fox god, his back arched bravely as he growled, "She always used to say that foxes were worshiped among the people of our land. That they were all good that only cared for all others. Why am I any different?! Because I'm young?! Because I'm not you?! Tell me!" Inari narrowed his gaze at the kit and his new found confidence and shook his head, "You'd understand our intentions are for the greater good little one if you were older." The young one stared hard at the deity before growling, "You would understand that this isn't fair if you really were nice!" He looked around desperately and snagged his mother's crumbling skull before taking off deeper into the Aokigahara forest to escape Inari.
*Aokigahara (Sea of Trees) is north west of Mt. Fuji and is said to be the resting place of demons. This forest is also known to be a popular area for suicides. Creepy huh?
Once the kit thought he was far enough away, he slid to a halt, heaving frightened gasps heavily. He looked at what remained of the skull he carried, only the right top of the skull and set it down low to the ground. He then crouched low whining mildly and slid under the skull half, seeing it fit snugly to the side of his face, and closed his eyes. The kit wished all of this would only be a wild nightmare.
[From that day onward, Paradox vowed to fit Inari's description in order to get revenge on the fox kami for his injustice. He became a monster to anyone around him, gaining much reputation as a heartless demon by many species of animals and people. His madness and rage exceed expectations and Inari could not let this happen any longer. By sacrificing his own sacred jewel that held his soul, he condemned the fox into an alternate plane known as Yugami no meiky? (?????) [translation: Labyrinth of Distortion] within the ruby jewel so he could never escape. Before his death, Inari hid the jewel among a royal family, stating that if broken, a chaotic beast would run rampant and destroy everything.]