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<--Main <-Fan Art Paying a Debt Part 4 By Shiori Tsumi Keen, eager to change the subject, finally takes notice of the other two kitsune's conversation. "Uh, Kaze, you mentioned a legend?" The orange-haired kitsune blinks, aware the human is speaking to him. "Does it have anything to do with the person Subaru mentioned?" "Well...maybe, maybe not. It's just a legend, you know." "What is it?" Miyo asks, "what's the legend?" "It's nothing interesting," Ayame drawls, "just a stupid little legend about a Tenko and a human." "Tenko?" Keen blinks. "That's another name for a nine-tailed kitsune," Miyo informs him, very happy for once that she actually knows something. "A human and a Tenko? So...um...what happened?" "Supposedly, seven hundred years ago or so, a human priestess saved the life of a Tenko. In return, the Tenko offered the human any one wish she wanted," Kaze tells them. "What'd she ask for?" Miyo and Keen are staring at him, their confused stares enough of an urging to continue. "She asked the Tenko to set things up with the gods so that after she died, she would be reborn as a kitsune," Ayame says, "not that I blame her. Kitsune are pretty awesome, aren't we?" "So, was she?" Keen asks. "Reborn as a kitsune, I mean. After she died..." "Supposedly," Kaze replies with a shrug. "But supposedly, she misused the power she had gained by becoming a kitsune, and the Tenko returned and took back the wish, so she just returned to being a human. And since she was already older than humans should be, she died right there of old age." "But that was seven hundred years ago, right? There's no way I would have known her..."Miyo's voice softens, "...right?" "It's just a legend, Miyo....there's nothing to say it's true," Keen quickly says, "besides, all it says is that she was a human seven hundred years ago." "Oh, but all legends have some basis on fact...didn't you know?" Ayame says with her own grin. "Who knows, maybe it happened, and she's after you." "But you said she died." "She did." "So how could-" "That's what I'd like to know." A thick layer of tension settles on the room, and all is silent. "...Maybe that girl knows. She's the one who got me to thinking about it." As if on cue, Subaru stumbles into the room, rubbing her wet eyes, one arm hanging limply at her side. "Speak of the devil." "Subaru, are you alright now?" Keen turns to her. "You don't look so good..." "What's wrong with your arm, Subaru-chan?" Miyo points out the girl's limp arm, wrapped rather messily in bandages. "It doesn't look so good..." "Oh, uh...it was like that...before I got here." "I didn't see that before. Are you sure, Subaru?" The girl is silent. "So...what's wrong with it? Your arm, I mean...anything we can do?" "Um...I don't know how to make a sling...can you..uh, help me make one? My arm is kind of..." "Broken?" "Yeah." Subaru looks away from Keen. "...You were talking about a legend." "Yeah, have you heard it before?" She nods. "And you know about kitsune?" She nods again. "How-" "She can see, Keen...just like you. Only better," Kaze interrupts. "She can see all of my tails. Right?" Subaru nods. "Five." "See?" Keen frowns, as he pads off to the kitchen in his slippers, and rustles around in the cupboard. "Does that story have anything to do with who sent you?" Subaru is silent. "Subaru." "....I can't. I can't tell you...she forbade me from telling you about those things. If I do, it'll be worse." "Worse than what?" Keen returns with a long cloth. "Your broken arm?" Subaru hides her face behind a veil of her messy brown hair. "Are you okay?" Subaru lifts her head, and stares at Keen as he begins to wrap the cloth around her arm as a make-shift sling. "Keen-san...you're very kind. Please don't involve yourself. I don't want to see you hurt." "If it's getting you hurt, I don't see why I shouldn't get involved," Keen shrugs, tying the cloth into a knot. "I mean...we're...um, friends, right?" "Friends...?" A small smile tugs at her lips. "But...-no. No...I can't...I'm sorry, Keen-san. I can't." Subaru backs away from him. "Please, for your own good...stay away from me...I don't want anyone hurt because of this..." Tears well in her eyes, and spill out over her cheeks. "Just...please, leave me be..." She chokes back a sob and runs out the front door. Watching the scene, a pair of golden eyes narrow and a pair of red lips turn up into a cruel smile. "Well, this is an interesting turn of events."
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