CHAPTER 3: Full Moon

MOON lights are still out, so foxes are still in the middle of howling.

They couldn't get back to their original form until 3 am.

"It's so funny to watch those creatures from here, Kent."

"Are you enjoying it, Jennie? They're always like that, in the middle of the night. It's just getting worse if it's a full moon," I said and took a sip of Hennessy.

"But how did you manage to dupe Amaya that you're one of us? She's too fussy to miss that," Ryujin asked.

"It's easy. She's into me, and I took that as an advantage."

"Just don't bite her if you get hungry, old vampy! Haha!" Jennie said and laughed her ass out.

Ryujin and Jennie are leaders of their packs before. But their relatives died long ago because of that curse. That's why they went into hiding and live as humans do. But in a bad way. Instead of getting energy from the moonlight, they're collecting humans. It's easier.

Their relatives died in a full moon, they couldn't control themselves. One night, when they got out in the woods, a group of humans saw their relatives eating a human. They attacked the foxes at once and killed them with a fire and silver harpoon. That was long ago so harpoon is still on-trend.

In today's era, a gun is their enemy. It's a silver one, so it's still dangerous for them.

"Let me ask you something, Kent. Didn't you develop feelings for her?" Ryujin asked.

Before answering, I took a deep breath and sip on my wine.

"It's unnecessary."

"Really? Then I have no problems at all," he said and smiled. What is he talking about?

"Aren't we all teamed up to shut them all down, especially the Cobalt fox pack? What's with that question and emotion, RJ?" Jennie asked.

He sighed.

"Fine, I'll admit it. I like her, I want to make her mine. I was afraid to confess my feelings before because I thought this vampire liked her as well," he said. Jennie laughed after hearing his answer.

"Haha! Can you hear yourself? Do you think it's the perfect time to even think about women?!"

"Listen, we can continue our plan to consume the whole foxes' races. Just seclude Amaya. Or else..." he said and his eyes turned red.

"...I might get out of myself, Jennie."

"Cut the crap! I'm getting annoyed. Can't you see me here?!" I said and shook them both to get back to their senses.

"S-sorry," they said in chorus.

"Just remember the reasons why we're even here together in the first place and stop being a pain in the ass!" I said and walked away.

I stayed here downstairs while Kira and Loki were released from being tied down, carrying a beastly nature inside and out.

It didn't last that long until an arrow from my window upstairs appeared and kill Loki and Kira. They were both shots, but too strong to pass out.

They were already fatal. But I'm still hungry for food.

Suddenly, humans showed up in front of them.

Their nature influences them to kill more and more humans.

Until another group of that creature appeared and killed them both.

"Good job, humans."

MIDNIGHT had passed, the clock ticked 3 am, and foxes were finally put into a deep sleep. But not for me and Mune. Because before we were both consumed by the curse completely, we have seen our parents slip away from the chain.

Abruptly, I heard something outside.

"Aya, where are you going?" Mune asked.

I started to walk slowly upstairs to see what was going on.

"Argh! Are you keeping this up? They're too old to check if they are okay."

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?! Something's strange. You can feel it too so don't act up! Get yourself together, Mune."

Now, we're slowly walking towards the window, being careful to see what's going on outside.

"What are they?"

"They were a hideous beast a while ago, and now, they transformed into human form."

"My child! I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you... I'm sorry, baby girl..."

"Bring him to the ambulance, you can save the boy."

"What about my girl?"

"Sorry, you lost her."

"KILL THEM!"

"They've been killed by the experts already."

Our tears begin to flow. We can see through our eyes, even if a human is covering my parents, that it's them. It's my Kira and Loki.

Our eyes turned red, we teleported our parents before they completely perished.

"Kira, Loki, wake up! You can be healed by us. We contained a lot of moon energy, enough to heal you. Mune, hold my hand!" I pleaded.

Mune held my hand while his tears were continuously falling.

"Mom, Dad... hang on, please? We can still save you!" Mune said.

"Focus, Mune. Let's combine our energy and power," Aya said. Still calm despite her gloomy emotions.

She's holding herself back to release all positive energy to her parents and to increase the chance of saving them.

My heart is crying out loud. I can also feel the burn start to hurt as well... so bad. It led us to distraction.

"I couldn't focus, Mune! What should I do? Mune! It hurts... mom..." I cried.

Not because of the pain in my shoulder.

But because I could lose them, right there and then.

"Let's... try again, Aya. We can make it," Mune said.

He's fearless from the very beginning until today. I can see how hurt he'd become, and how much force he's releasing from his inside to save our parents.

I nodded.

We sat in a parallel position and made a circle with our parents.

Outside are still confused with what happened, so I erased their memories while focusing on protecting my parents.

"By the deities around the world, I summon you and serve you with your blessing. Give me the power of reviving them both," Mune said and shouted his vow in return for their blessing.

"Listen, especially the forest spirit who is assigned to protect us with her jurisdiction. I gave half of my life to Kira and Loki. At least give us a chance to talk to them if you wouldn't plan to give them back to us again," I said in my vow.

"Hey, you shouldn't act so mean, Aya! We're asking them for help!"

The circle that's bounding us together, with our parents' body, started to glow. Kira and Loki floated.

"I'm raging, Mune! What do you think I would say and feel?! DO I HAVE TO BE HAPPY?!" I shouted.

"Just get your shit together and be considerate!"

"I can't! I'M TOO CONSUMED BY MY EMOTIONS!"

Suddenly, an enormous light blows up.

Kira and Loki started to perish slowly on the ash.

"See what you've done? ARGH! I HATE YOU, AMAYA!" Mune shouted.

He collects their ashes while crying. I couldn't even move an inch.

"I'm sorry..." I uttered. This tear feels like they have their own life.

I couldn't stop it. It's just flowing. At the same time, my heart is cracking into pieces. No, I mean my bead. It's breaking me into pieces...

I don't have a heart.

"And you want to be a leader? With that attitude? I'm afraid you will never be," he said.

I didn't listen to him so I ran outside the house and flew towards the sky.

My heart is in deep pain. I want to stop all of this at once and become a normal fox.

I never experienced being normal.

"BUT BECAUSE OF THAT KAGOME, I HAVE TO SUFFER BEING A BEAST!" I shouted, and that hurt my shoulder. It hurts.

It feels like something strange is about to go out of it.

I saw in my vision that Mune felt the same.

Our eyes both turned red.

I summon Mune beside me.

"A-are you okay?" I asked while holding my shoulder.

"You guess? Is it your fault again?"

"Mune, I have to go to the moon and put a stop to all of this."

"What are you saying? Did you forget? Venus doesn't like visitors.

Anyone who tried to barge in never came back alive!"

"I have to try. I know there's no guarantee for my life. But I have nothing to lose anymore. I'll go, Mune."

I was about to fly, but our shoulders hurt so bad.

"And then what? Leave me here in pain?" he asked.

It fucking hurts so bad.

"We have to be together, Aya."

I didn't mind him, so I planned to go and run to the moon.

But he hugged me from behind. His tears wetted my clothes.

"I lost my parents. I couldn't afford to lose you too, Aya."

He turns my body to him, to face him, and hug me again.

"I want you to stay by my side until we get better. I will never let you go," he said and tightened the hug.

I responded to his hug and released my emotion.

I cried so loud.

"I can't afford to lose you too, brother. But it'll be too hard again if we both end up like our parents," I said. I closed my eyes and teleported.

Wait for me. I will be back.

GUARDIANS are watching the twin's heartbreaking scene. From the moment they lost their parents until she teleported to the moon.

She's still outside the moon spirit's gate and finding a way to come inside.

"Why wouldn't you just let her in?" Olivia asked.

I took a deep breath while looking at my mirror.

"I'm...shy."

Two of the guardians laughed so hard after hearing my thoughts.

"Don't you have jobs? Why are you always present to pester me? The hell!" I said and rolled my beautiful eyes and long eyelashes.

"Whoa! Look at that! Our girl learned to curse," Konan said and laughed.

"I lived for so many years, Konan. Don't you think I didn't learn something?!" I said and released a drum of water to splash on their faces.

Instead of opening the gate for her, I just summoned Amaya and kicked the other guardians to their respective places.

"I can't grant your wish."

"H-huh? Uhm, I'm not saying anything yet, Moon Spirit."

"Yeah, but I'm too powerful so I know what's on your mind," I replied.

"Okay, if you don't want it, let's just have a deal. I'll do everything you want in exchange for lifting our curse. No matter how hard, or long it gets. Just help me please," she pleaded.

I turned my back against her.

"No."

"Yes, please?"

"I said NO!" I replied and splash water on her face using my water.

"...go," I said and teleported her back to his brother Mune.

"You should've done that! She's the savior, right?" Konan asked.

Tsk, these stupid guardians kept on meddling my decisions.

"Forget it. Foxes are going to get extinct too. There's no reason to keep her. Why are you so obsessed? It's not like you were a fox too," I said.

"We were, Venus. It's so sad you forget about it," Konan said and disappeared through the air.

"We're obsessed because we care, and you don't," Olivia said and teleported to her place.

I have plans, but I shouldn't share them with them.

The highest almighty might get mad, and I don't want it.

If only they knew my reason, I might gain trust from them..

AFTER 10 YEARS...

TONIGHT is going to be my last night duty here at Pavilion. So I will hang out late at night later in the woods.

I've been waiting for this to happen for sooo long!

"Okay, here's your receipt. Again, never let her taste any chocolate food. Even just a tiny bit of it," I reminded my patient.

She nodded and went out.

A girl came in again. But this time, it wasn't just a normal patient.

She's that irritating girl who's always clinging to me! My god!

"Hey, I want you to take me where you're going tonight," she said.

"How about some please, Yna? Psh. Get out of my sight. I don't want another burden. I have a lot of loans to pay. They're dead, but left me a bunch of responsibility. INCLUDING YOU!"

"It's not my fault. Just include me with your trip later, okay?" she said.

"No."

"Don't leave me to them! I don't want to be with our uncle!" I said.

"Argh! Fine! Just don't bring too many clothes."

"Too late, Hiro! I've already brought a whole suitcase," she said.

"Whatever!"

Later that night, I went to the woods with Yna. That was the same place I went to when I was 10 years old. When I accidentally lost and found her. They were different, but she's beautiful.

I'm too young to be in love with an adult. But I felt different towards her.

Now that I'm 24, I can finally meet her again. This time, I will make sure to introduce myself and make her mine.

"Bro, what's this place? It looks haunted! When did you build this ugly tent?" she asked.

"You're so picky. You don't have a choice anyway. What's the point? I really should've brought you with me," I said.

"No! I'm fine with this. But I was just wondering, are there no monsters living in this forest?" she asked while examining the whole area.

"There isn't anything. Enjoy your stay here, I'm sure you will enjoy it," I said.

Midnight has passed, and here I am. Hoping to see her again.

I know where she lives, but I don't want to disturb her.

I was planning to go inside and rest first before wandering to the woods when I saw my grandfather's jolen again. I thought I put it in my bag?

It's shining so bright and getting me attracted to it unintentionally.

It's tempting me to eat jolen, but what the hell? I might choke and die! How about my love life?

It didn't last long when it finally seduced me to eat it. Oh god, its taste is so addicting, like there's caffeine on it. The texture doesn't feel like a rock.

It's solid!

The moment I swallowed the jolen, my stomach glowed, and I became weaker.

My body collapsed, and my vision couldn't see vividly.

Amaya comes running into me.

It's blurry, so I couldn't exactly tell what she doing.

But right now, I could tell, her appearance made me calm alone.