Michelle felt an odd sense of detatchment as she gained this new power; the power of the eighth tail from the Great Kitsune. It was odd to be removed another level from reality and yet seeing everything as a whole. It was as close to omnicent that a human conciousness could probably get to. Yet all that she saw, she could not comprehend. It was an utter delusion of insanity. So much incredible power and yet at the same time… so little. What a strange paradox…
She could see the threads that created a particular situation- her own situation included and she could see the threads of destiny. She narrowed her focus to just one soul and was almost overwhelmed by it. Just a single day brought so many choices to a single life form. She had.. no idea. So many strange possibilities! Yet the past as it was was set once it was made… watching the past was easier...
… or was it?
“I can.. alter the past?” She realised as she gently nudged a few things here and there.
‘Yes,’ A voice whispered to her. ‘This is the power of the stone you inhereted… reality can be reshaped and others will think it had always been so… if the need is great enough...’
“The.. stone? What is the stone?” She wanted to learn. She looked at her own past.. the threads and came across one soul. The human teenager.. Jon? Stood at the very center of all souls.. even.. herself?! She looked so angry at that. Jon… this wasn’t about some boy! This was her own destiny.
‘Jon made you what you are...’ the voice not quite taunting but speaking matter of factly. ‘It was with his wish for something.. interesting. The stone decided to pass its power to three people of different personalities. You embody the new trinity...’ The kitsune explained gently.
“I am livid that someone -made- me...” She grumbled.
‘You were made by your parents as were all mortals,’ The kitsune’s voice remarked.
“Hmph.. I have no need for ‘rivals...’” yet how can she deny that Jon was the one who started everything? No matter what it would always be so… wouldn’t it? She wanted to be the important one! This was.. her world. It was hers to with as she desired! “Show me what I can do to help this kid...”
She stopped as she realised what was blocking her. “Oh… crap...” she gasped. “That’s uh- that’s not good...” for a minute she was almost unsure just what to do. “Someone else has claimed him?”
“Yes..” The kistune whispered. “What will you do...”
Michelle examined all potential futures in the blink of an eye and came across one… ‘interesting’ possibility. “Let’s go with this one. I call for a trial...”
Blink. Darkness. The question… what just.. happened?
“Mark Zafrani…” An ancient voice whispered.
The man blinked. Was this some strange dream? He had short black hair a bit balled now. Middle aged and over weight. He had dark brown skin and was dressed in looes clothing. “What is this? Where am I!”
Gothic scenes greeted him. Ancient chairs and tables, like the room of a fancy old house. There were four doors… He walked around until he felt himself oddly compelled to sit at one of the seats at the very center. It wasn’t exactly a concious choice yet.. here he was now.
From one door, a fox-woman suddenly walked in. She looked dressed for buisness with a blouse and black jeans. She had eight tails waving behind her. The white haired woman took her position to a chair at Mark’s left.
A new woman then appeared. She looked pregnant.. a young pregnant teenager? Jon- or rather Jen looked equally confused. “Huh? What’s going on-” then a young animal girl appeared. She had two huge squirrel tails behind her. Jon studied her curiously even as she screamed the place down. “What’s happening now?!” She screamed. “I don’t want to be here!”
“Tiffany! Will youjust can it for a minute? I’ll explain it.” Michelle groaned. She looked at Jon again then back at the podium. “First of all just wait for the judge.”
“Judge?” All the others blinked.
A new figure took position at the top of what looked like some kind of new court. She seemed pale and dressed in black. Her fingers slender in white gloves. “I greet the Triad of the goddess. I suppose you know me as.. Death. Usually people only see me once.. so nice to make some new friends. Oh, and welcome to being ascended I suppose.”
Mark gasped. “Oh shit.. I’m dead?!”
Death shruged. “For the purpose of this trial and to enter this realm, your heart has been stopped… so we really should get things underway soon...”
Tiffany stared at Michelle. “You didn’t… you killed a human and now you’re being brought to trial for it by Death?!”
Jon raised her eyes in surprise. “What? Who the heck are you people! You’ve taken the power of the stone and doing stupid things with it-”
Death banged his gaval. “Order please… and calm yourself Jon… the one you know as Michelle ebodies the concept of law… if a life is taken she can make it just.. by her own.. justifications...”
Jon, Tiffany and Michelle fell silent, their eyes now on Mark.
Death continued. “Mark Zafrani… you are charged with causing harm to your child… a crime in the eyes of the Kitsune Goddess.”
“Alex?” Mark looked surprised. “I wouldn’t hurt him! Let me guess you’re one of those people against my religious beliefs. I did as scripture demanded. I plead not guilty. Not Guilty!”
Death banged his gaval again. “I.. did not ask for a plea little mortal. I… don’t think you understand how a trial by the gods work. You’re already deemed guilty. This is simply a process to determine how guilty.”
Jon looked aghast now. “Hey- wait a moment. You can’t. If this is a trial… he’s got to be innocent and proven guilty. That’s how it works. Thats how it has to work!”
Death shrugged. “In the courts of your land, that would be the case. However we see all things. If a god wishes to prosecute a mortal, they are deemed guilty by default. One of the benefits of being all knowing I suppose. Though as you are the new Avatar of Humanity understand your concerns...”
Michelle grumbled. This would be so much easier without the others that embody the stone… “Let’s just get this over with.” She got up and read out a quick summary. “I show the future of this boy, what could have been and what will be… given the actions of his father.”
Images of the crossroads of fate and how everything changed were shown as curious threads and light. Jon and Tiffany became aware of this… immutable truth. Even Mark seemed disturbed by what he just saw. It was hard to explain it in a physical sense of information.. somewhat.. metaphysical at best.
“I.. this was.. done for religious reasons...” he explained. “If it changed his destiny it was only for the better. To make him suitable for entry to heaven.”
Death rolled his eyes a bit at that. “Oh, one of -those- rituals…”
Michelle huffed. “I see no objections from my other ‘aspects’?” she glanced to Tiffany and Jon.
Tiffany glanced around nervously. Her tails gave a slight twitch. “Wait- I get a say in this too?”
Death nodded. “You are the avatar of chaos… of course you can suggest something… where chance… might be involved...”
Tiffany glanced to Jon and Michelle. She didn’t know what she could suggest.
Michelle waved her hand. “Let me save you the trouble. This was not done ‘by chance’. This was a concious decision. Part of him deep down likely knew the harm it might cause, yet he did it anyway. There was no reason to do so, no medical reason anyway. The feelings of the boy are real and that is in the end all that matters to this court. As a child he has no other recourse… I have taken pity on the boy and brought these proceedings as is my right… as a goddess.”
Mark raised his hand. “Wait! What exactly is my punishment supposed to be? You people are crazy if you think you can do this and get away with it!”
Death looked over a list. “It.. depends...” She shrugged. “Honestly, you don’t want to look at what -could be-, only what is… when gods decided to punish mortals in the old days it was always a bit… extreme. Still at least Arachne eventually found some peace with it...”
“I demand to see my son,” Mark said. “Bring Alex..”
Michelle shruged. “I have no objection.”
Alex appeared in a spark of light. He wa still a bit dazed from the surgery. Death waved a hand and suddenly the boy beame quite lucid. “Hello...” he said quetly. “Um...”
Death smlied softly. “Hello young one. Now then.. let me explain,,, we are in a place where .. no lie can be made. Only the truth and the important things can be said… do you understand?”
“I think so...” Alex looked to see his father. He bit his lip.
Mark stared at his son. “Tell them boy, tell them you are fine and I did not hurt you!”
“...” Alex looked to Death reluctantly. “I.. don’t want my father hurt… please don’t hurt him...”
Death nodded. “I know you don’t… that is up to her…” he gestured to Michelle. “… but tell us the truth… your feelings… make them clear.”
Alex looked down quietly. “I wanted to fight it.. I wanted to get away. I don’t follow any religion… I hoped I wouldn’t have to. I thought it wouldn’t do much to me… but when I saw what it did- when I realised what I lost… I realised my father.. had... hurt me.”
Mark suddenly reached up and ran as if about to slap his son. “You stupid boy!”
Death raised a single finger and.. Mark was pushed back to his seat.. held there by a single thread of silver. “… I… really woudn’t Mark.” she cleared her throat. “This could become our only meeting after all...”
Jon watched quietly. This whole thing seemed seriously messed up. This was the first time though she had seen these people.. the ones who had the power of the stone. She kept her eye on Michelle who seemed all about domination and power… but another eye was also on Tiffany. The young child looked close to breaking… she could see her tears and distress. She suspected she would eaasily want to give back the power to the stone.. “It’s going to be okay...” she whispered to her leaning to it. Something almost.. maternal sparked in her when she saw her.
The ears of the squirrel perked up at that. “I’m… I’m scared...” She sniffed suddenly. “She- she was my friend. She kicked me out of my own house… I.. I can’t even control this power… help me...”
“I’ll help you.. just try to control it as best you can…”
Tiffany sniffled her eyes tearing. “Michelle’s going to condemn him to hell or something- but part of me thinks he deserves it too… but I feel so messed up about it. This isn’t stuff I want to be involved in. ”
“Me neither...” Jon looked quietly. She was glad that the power of the stone didn’t end up in someone so completely deranged but.. it didn’t help that this other one couldn’t actually control her new abilities. She didnn’t really know what to do. Death was looking at her now. “What can I offer,” she thought.
“Was this done by.. human failings?” Death asked.
Jon blinked at that. “Human failings… yes...” She realised. She decided to try her best to defend him. She didn’t know what she could say.. stuff about religious freedoms didn’t exactly play much to the ‘actual gods’. Jon realised there was a potential way to defend him. “Humans- we- we just do things sometimes. This was an act inspired by another. Was this not done to Mark himself by his own father? If so you can not judge him guilty, as he is a victim himself.” Jon felt almost surprised at herself. That came out so.. easily.
Michelle looked enraged. “No- I will not accept that!”
Death banged his gaval again. “It is possible… however we must look at the motives of his father now...”
“Fat chance, my father died years ago” Mark shrugged.
Death looked at him evenly staring. “Do you realise -who- I am? WHAT… I am..” Her body rising like a great arch angel. Her eyes glowed… in moments a confused whisp of a man appeared before them. He seemed to have a look of peace and rest… then became lucid as he realised where he was. “Would you testify… Only this question then return...”
Mark gasped. “D-Dad?” This was.. Oh shit…
“… I did such actions because it was done to me… I.. rest...” he said before vanishing.
Jon felt like the tide was turning. “We have to go back all the way! To work this one out. However it’s clear Mark isn’t guilty!”
“He is guilty!” Michelle growled. “Guilty as sin! How dare you! Look at what he did to Alex. That little boy was abused. How dare you defend that trash!”
Jon swollwed as she saw the pure rage from Michelle. “Look- it’s not for us to decide-”
“Yes.. yes it is...It is us and only us because it can only BE US!” Michelle calmed her rage briefly. “I have one more witness to call… to make my point clear.”
Death nodded. “Very well...”
“… I call your brother War...”
Death arched a slight eyebrow at that. “Very well… give me a moment he’s quite.. busy of late.”
A somewhat.. broodish man walked in from one of the doors, his face covered in a cowl. There was only a single eye viewing out of what was possibly a scarred second eye. No expression could be seen. He looked about and acknowledged Death. “Hello my sister...” he then glanced directly to Tiffany. “The child of chaos…” he smiled a bit at that- and Jon couldn’t help but shield Tiffany from him.
Death gestured him to the witness stand. “Yes, would you take a seat.. we have a few questions...”
“Questions often come with War,” the being nodded. “I can only answer in terms of conflict of course. Sometimes War has no answer at all.. sometimes it is the only answer… when I am called I am simply.. the very primal essence of existance on Earth...”
Jon shivered “What has this … guy... got to do with anything?” Jon asked carefully. Bringing the avatar of war alongside death was just asking for trouble. If the other horsmen appeared Jon was going to grab Tiffany and run like hell.
Michelle sighed and addressed War, pointing to Mark. “The defendent is a decendent of War…”
War chuckled. “War has many children… most of Humanity are the children of War… for much of humanity is in conflict… or once was...”
Michelle growled. This was something she aimed to put a stop to. However.. first thing was first. “Tell us how these events came to be from the perspecrive of War..”
“Very well...” War raised his hand, the sound of battle heard.. the clashing of titans and man with bombs exploding a thousand times over. At once the scenary of the courtroom changed. Now they were outside… Though there was evidence of a breeze there was no chill felt.
Upon an ancient land… long and old in names forgotten were a people. Fields of farmland and… what looked like an ancient civilisation in the distance.
War gestured towards a village. “This is where it started...”
They appeared to be in some kind of ‘chieften’s hut. This was.. old. A very old place indeed. A man clad in gold linked jewels and fine cottons had been granted audience. He appeared to be some kind of priest as he spoke to the chieften. Jon, Tiffany and Michelle observed the events as ghosts...
“War is coming… your village will die,” the priest explained. “These events have been forseen. You have no warriors...”
“We are men of peace,” The chieften explained. “We want none of your war!”
“It is not what you or I want, but what God himslelf wishes.” he paused glancing outside. “Your men… they are not strong. They have not the will to fight. You have created an ideal paradise for them… even.. the arts of black magic protect them...”
“Herbs,” the chieften said. “You speak of herbs. They are a gift of the gods. We have learned many arts-”
“all of which is black magic… and sinful,” the priest replied. “Look at what it has wrought. Men that weep as children at the prospect of battle. The death of your village and way of life… however… I have a way for you to survive. I can ensure your survival…”
The chiften looked grimly. It was true… he had no army… by giving his people everything they could want he had only weakened them. He wasn’t sure what to do now that the very prospect of War and conquest was upon them. “… what do I do...”
“I will show you a ritual… a simple one that will make men into warriors. It is not enough for boys to simply become men… this pain will make them strong.. they will inflict that pain to their own sons, and will grow stronger…”
War smiled. “Thus, the ritual… it starts with blood.. always the blood...” he nodded. “I believe the modern world calls it the.. Batman princple? If a child is traumatised they become suitable weapons of war… often it is not enough for it to happen to just to onself so it is justified by spreading it to others...”
Michelle nodded. “Indeed and yet.. despite the lack of a need of warriors now, the ritual continues. Humanity is guilty...” She said this pointedly to Jon. “You ask me to defend that? When the very reason for what they do does not apply?”
Jen looked down. This was very.. difficult indeed. “They don’t do it for that reason!”
War shrugged. “This is the specific reason for his family… and why the events continue thousands of years later. I can not comment on others.. this is truth for this soul… he is not a boy taught religion...”
Tiffany nodded. “Alex.. what do you believe in… tell me the truth…. Did you believe in … magic?”
The boy looked up at that. “...yes. I believe in magic.” he cringed knowing what that sort of thing could mean. “I didn’t want to but… I love magic...”
“There you have it then. It’s no wonder his soul is in conflict. A ritual was done to him when he believes in magic… deep down he knows what this ritual is for.. and how it tied him to war.”
“Wait!” Tiffany suddenly burst out her tails twitching. “I- I think I have something to add.”
“You? Heh.. I told you before, he had a choice. This was not done by chance!” Michelle dismissed the young squirrel.
“That’s just it. He didn’t do it!” Tiffany glanced to Mark. “Mark, did you do this ritual yourself? By your own hand?”
Mark glanced at that and.. suddenly smiled. He had quite a few people on his side after all. “of course not… I got a doctor to do it.”
Tiffany nodded. “There- see? There was an element of chance! If the circumstances didn’t exist for him to be able to pay others to do it, then it wouldn’t happen in the first place! The state made it possible.”
Michelle growled. “It was still his choice. Not the choice of the boy Alex. I conceed however that the doctors… might have to be punished too...”
Tiffany raised an eye at that. “Wait uh-”
Jon slaped her forehead. No wonder Tiffany was the avatar of chaos… she just seem to dig things deeper and deeper each time.
“May I return to my duties...” asked War. “I am… rather busy...”
“Arn’t we all,” Death sighed. “I’ll see you later.”
“As always,” war raised his hammer and promptly vanished.
“Well, thats fine and dandy. I shall read out the verdict…” Death stared at Mark. “Mark, you have hurt your son for reasons that are your own. You did it simply to fit in with your friends rather then any thought to your son. Though it is acknowledged you had.. little idea you would hurt him, you were seeing this through the eyes of someone who endured similar issues…”
Mark looked away.
“...Thus the punishment is that you are aware of what you have done… in addition to whatever punishment the Kitsune will extract now.”
“Michelle? What are you doing?” Tiffany asked quietly.
Michelle growled. “I demanded his form be transformed. I want it done restospectively so that he had always been that way… and nobody else would know the difference. He would be unable to say anything otherwise. Time will change so that this never happened to Alex…”
Death nodded. “.. each of you may add to the change...”
Tiffany looked at him. “I- I don’t want to! You can’t make me!”
Michelle shruged. “Fortunately, you don’t get to choose what happens. It will just happen little ‘Chaos’ Squirrel...” she floated over to Mark. “You are as vile a man as I have ever known… Your son requests lenancy… I will be leniant… you’ll be a slug.”
At once Mark’s body began to change. It was an odd.. sensation. He felt his eyes rise above his his head on strange stalks. His body became soft as it lost all its bones. His human features disolved as the core of his form was taken.. It was horrific. This was a horrific transformation. He was a giant slug! An oozing.. slug. He crawled as best he could, flapping wildly.
Jon almost vomited. “Urgh- no- don’t! Make him a- human...”
“A human slug...” Death nodded.
Thus his body started to come back a bit. His torso now becoming humanlike, though his legs were the only part now that were this strange.. slug-like form.
“Your turn dear Tiffany!” Michelle grinned flicking her tail at her with a subtle push.
“No- I can’t.. I don’t.. don’t want to...” Tiffany tried to take a few steps away. The magical power though was surging in her! She couldn’t stop it. “I’m sorry- I’m sorry I can’t hold it I can’t!” She held on as long as she could but… suddenly it just exploded out.
“The random component.. A human-slug girl.. Female… a child...”
The new young girl looked with a sense of confusion. Michelle nodded satisfied. “Erase his memory now.. and this buisness is done.”
Michelle stood once more in the hospital. It was as if no time had passed… she stared at Alex in thought. “A child of war eh...” she sighed. “Alex? Can you hear me?”
The boy quietly woke up. “Yeah… I saw you. You.. wanted to help me. Thank you...” He gave Michelle a hug.
Michelle hugged back. “Sorry kid, I know it was messed up. I can’t.. change what happened to you. Your soul is being held by War Himself… that’s why you are in so much conflict.. even within yourself.”
Alex nodded. “I don’t want to go back to them...”
“I quite agree.” Michelle smiled even broader. “Listen, you believe in magic right? It didn’t take me to be here for you to believe… so… I want to offer you something.”
Alex looked up at that.
“Here’s the thing… I’m trying to change the world… I want to make the world a magic place- a nice place… everything will change… for the better. Some people might not really like that though- do you want the world to change? To have real magic in the world once more? Filled with Elves, dragons, or fairies, or whatever else you want?”
Alex looked in thought on that. “Yes..”
“Wonderful! So here’s the deal. I’m not stupid- people will fight me. You however… are a child of war- I can’t change that. I know you wish you could change it but.. maybe we can embrace it. I want you to become my knight. My.. magical knight… a defender...” Michelle beemed a foxy smile to him. “A magic boy...”
Alex looked amazed at that possibility. “Really?”
“Sure. You just have to.. protect me from anyone that might try to hurt me or my household. So do we have a deal?” She offered her hand to him.
“I.. don’t want to hurt people...”
“Neither do I..” Michelle nodded. “However… do you want the world to be this mundane and dark forever? Where adults can hurt children without any recourse… where all you can do is become one of those adults… fighting for the world you want is necessary… I can provide it. I can give you magic… you can do with it as you like- provided it is to defend this world… my world… a world I believe you too would enjoy. Would you not want to help?”
Alex thought about it.. then raised her hand to her in return. “Deal.”
Michelle smiled. ‘Go ahead universe.. send magic girls to stop me… I now have my own defender more powerful then any… touched by War himself...’
The fox girl grinned. “Well Alex, my Knight… My Maid Belle.. and.. pet... Rikki.. let’s go home!”
