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The Fox Hole 75
🕑 Added 2025-03-27 04:26:10 +0000 UTCChapter 75:
– Haru –
I stared down at the alien meat in front of me, raising an eyebrow curiously. "This is some pretty interesting…wolf meat?" I murmured, inspecting the texture more closely. "Well, alien wolf meat, at the very least. Probably..." Kind of like a blend between a wolf and an alligator, if it came from another planet.
Neytiri, who was standing nearby observing me with suspicion, tilted her head sharply. "What is a 'wolf'?" she asked, confused.
I paused, realizing explaining Earth's creatures to an alien warrior would be more trouble than it was worth right now. "Never mind," I told her with a small smile, waving the thought away casually.
I returned my attention to cooking. To feed an entire Na'vi clan—easily numbering in the hundreds—I’d had to create a makeshift grill. It was massive, cobbled together using metal racks, stone slabs, and other materials scavenged from my storage dimension and whatever I’d found lying around inside Home Tree. The Na'vi didn’t have kitchen equipment exactly, so creativity was crucial here.
Dozens of large yellow eyes watched me warily from every direction. Even though Neytiri herself had introduced Councilor Tevos and me to her people, the Na'vi were clearly suspicious of us. They stood or squatted quietly in groups, talking in hushed voices, probably wondering if we were another trick sent by the sky people.
A little ways off, Tevos was speaking diplomatically to the Na'vi leaders—Eytukan, the clan leader, and Mo'at, their high priestess. Those two were the most influential figures here, and Tevos was doing her best to convince them she had no connection to the sky people or their exploitation.
I kept my ears pricked up, subtly listening in on their conversation, just in case anything turned hostile. So far, Tevos was making solid headway—explaining herself with patience and diplomacy.
But I did end up getting distracted.
I turned my focus back to the cooking when a small group of curious Na'vi children wandered over, eyes wide with interest.
One child stared up at me, clearly fascinated. "Are you really not a sky person?"
I grinned and shook my head, flashing them my ten fluffy golden tails. "Definitely not. Sky people don't have these awesome tails like I do, do they?"
Several kids giggled excitedly, eyes sparkling in wonder. Another one, bolder than the rest, huffed defiantly. "Our tails are better! Yours are too fluffy!"
I laughed lightly, wagging my tails playfully. "Too fluffy? No way! Fluffy tails are obviously the best kind!"
The children argued back playfully, pointing out the supposed advantages of their smooth, slender tails. From the corner of my eye, I caught Neytiri watching us—and to my surprise, a tiny, brief smile formed on her lips. She quickly hid it when she noticed me grinning knowingly back at her, turning her attention back to Tevos and the leaders.
The scent of grilling meat and strange spices filled the air as I cooked at high speed, flipping pieces rapidly across the huge grill. The kids cheered loudly as they watched me zip around, impressed by my supernatural agility. I could have just used shadow clones to make the job easier, but figured seeing multiples of me might freak out the Na'vi. One step at a time.
As I was plating up some of the grilled meat, an injured Na'vi warrior approached slowly. His face was etched in a scowl, his eyes blazing with distrust and irritation.
Neytiri noticed him and called out, "Tsu'tey," her tone holding a subtle warning. Clearly, she anticipated trouble.
Ignoring Neytiri, the warrior stopped directly in front of me, towering over me with a dark glare. "A creature looking exactly like you burned my arm," he growled accusingly, gesturing toward his bandaged arm.
I couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Oh, that would be my little sister," I replied casually, continuing to grill the meat calmly. "Maybe you shouldn't have started a fight with a young kitsune if you didn't want to get burned."
Tsu'tey’s expression darkened even further, fury flashing in his yellow eyes.
Several nearby Na'vi children overheard our exchange and immediately turned toward the warrior with confusion.
"Wait, you got beaten by a little girl?" one of the boys asked, incredulous. "The warriors told everyone the war party got attacked by a terrifying beast!"
Another child nodded eagerly, looking shocked. "You really lost to a child? That isn't what they said!"
Tsu'tey stiffened in humiliation, his teeth grinding together. Clearly, the warriors had exaggerated the incident—probably to save face. The kids whispered and giggled amongst themselves, eyeing the proud warrior with newfound amusement. Tsu'tey turned his angry glare back on me, his fists clenched at his sides.
I simply shrugged at him, unapologetic. I wasn’t going to pretend Kunou had done anything wrong. Sometimes, you just couldn’t make everyone happy. Deciding to make a small gesture anyway, I took a freshly grilled meat skewer from the grill and held it out to him. "Here, peace offering?" I offered lightly, giving him a casual smile.
He stared down at the skewer, clearly tempted by the delicious aroma but also stubbornly trying to remain hostile. After a brief internal struggle, he snatched it roughly from my hand.
"We Na'vi are not wasteful," he muttered gruffly, taking a reluctant bite. The moment the meat touched his tongue, however, Tsu'tey froze, his eyes widening in shock at the delicious flavor. It was obvious he enjoyed it—probably more than he'd admit openly.
I chuckled softly under my breath, seeing his annoyance at how much he liked the food I'd prepared. Tsu'tey caught my expression and shot me one last irritated glare before turning and stomping away to sulk alone.
…
I finally finished grilling the last pieces of the alien meat. The savory scent filled the air, and the Na'vi clan slowly began to approach, cautiously accepting bowls, skewers, and plates from me. Despite my efforts, most still hesitated, clearly uncertain about tasting food prepared by a strange outsider.
Well, except for the children I'd joked around with earlier. They weren't hesitant at all. They immediately dug in.
"This is the best food I've ever eaten!" one of the kids exclaimed loudly, stuffing his face with enthusiasm.
"Yeah!" another boy shouted excitedly, raising his skewer. "It's even better than my mother's cooking!"
Nearby, a Na'vi woman—presumably his mother—turned sharply, letting out an offended hiss at her son. The child immediately looked guilty, his ears drooping sheepishly. "Sorry, Mother... but it really is!"
She glared at her son for a moment longer before curiosity won out, and she took a hesitant bite herself. I watched her expression soften from irritated to reluctantly impressed, and she sighed, shaking her head gently. "It’s true," she admitted quietly, looking slightly embarrassed.
I chuckled softly to myself, pleased at their reactions, and turned to join Tevos, Neytiri, and the Na'vi leaders—Eytukan and Mo'at—who were all sitting together nearby. I settled down next to Tevos comfortably.
"You were right, Councilor," I said to her, leaning back with satisfaction. "Good food really does bring people together."
Tevos gave me an amused smile, clearly enjoying the progress we'd made. "It certainly does," she agreed softly, glancing at the Na'vi leaders with a friendly nod. "I think we're finally making some real headway here."
Eytukan, the stern-looking chieftain, regarded Tevos with cautious optimism. "Are you truly serious about helping us, then?" he asked bluntly. "You must understand our caution, given how much we have suffered from outsiders."
Mo'at, the priestess, nodded in agreement, her sharp eyes carefully watching Tevos for any sign of deception. "Indeed. Many have promised friendship and assistance before, only to betray us."
Before Tevos could respond, a melodic, authoritative voice echoed clearly from nearby, startling us all.
"Of course she is serious, my children."
The Na'vi gasped collectively, turning their heads in shock as a mysterious female figure stepped calmly toward us. Unlike every other Na'vi, her skin was not blue—it was almost completely pure white, glowing gently in the fading daylight. Instead of typical hide clothing, she wore only a delicate arrangement of green leaves, resembling a natural forest bikini, tightly hugging her slender frame.
She was slightly shorter than an average adult female Na'vi, yet every step she took radiated an immense, divine power—so powerful that it almost took my breath away. Instantly, I knew this was no ordinary Na'vi. She was clearly some kind of goddess, or at least an entity of incredible spiritual authority.
Eytukan and Mo'at stood up in alarm, their expressions wary and defensive. "Who are you?" the chieftain demanded firmly, though his voice betrayed unease.
The mysterious woman laughed lightly, her laughter echoed softly by the rustling leaves around us, almost like the forest itself was amused. "You pray to me daily, my children, yet when I stand among you, you do not recognize me?"
There was a moment of stunned silence. Neytiri finally broke it, her voice barely above a whisper. "Eywa…?"
The moment Neytiri spoke that sacred name, the entire clan erupted into astonished gasps and whispers, awe and disbelief spreading rapidly among them.
Eywa smiled softly at Neytiri, nodding gently. "Yes, dear Neytiri, it is I."
Several Na'vi instantly fell to their knees, bowing their heads respectfully. Others merely stood frozen, mouths open in wonder, uncertain how to respond.
I glanced at Tevos, who was watching the exchange with wide-eyed fascination. We exchanged a knowing look—I wasn't sure either of us had anticipated meeting another goddess today.
Eywa approached our seated group gracefully, her golden eyes turning toward me with interest. "Haru, is it not? You prepared this meal?"
"Yes, that's me. I hope it was to everyone's liking."
Eywa smiled warmly. "Indeed. I have been observing you. It has been countless centuries since I last partook of a meal, and yours smells truly enticing." She stepped closer, reaching out gracefully and picking up a skewer, carefully inspecting it before taking a delicate bite.
All around, Na'vi watched breathlessly, clearly amazed to see their deity casually tasting the food I'd made. Eywa closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the flavors carefully before opening them again, now bright and delighted.
"You are truly gifted," she said warmly. "This is remarkable food."
I couldn't help smiling with pride. "Thank you, Eywa."
Eywa then turned toward Tevos, her expression turning more serious but still gentle. "Councilor Tevos, I have felt your sincerity from the moment you arrived. I am pleased you wish to help my children."
Tevos was visibly startled for a brief moment, probably surprised by Eywa knowing both our names without introduction. I guessed Eywa had been quietly observing us long before she chose to reveal herself openly.
But Tevos quickly regained her composure and smiled warmly at Eywa, nodding respectfully. "I became a member of the Citadel Council precisely to help beings like your people," she explained gently. "I do have a plan in mind—one that might scare the humans away from Pandora, at least for a while. However, if that fails…" she hesitated, glancing meaningfully in my direction.
I sighed softly, finishing her thought with reluctant honesty. "There's always violence. But let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Eywa bowed her head gracefully toward both Tevos and me in sincere gratitude. Immediately, gasps and murmurs rippled through the Na'vi clan—clearly shocked to witness their goddess showing such respect to outsiders.
Eywa then straightened and spoke to the gathered Na'vi clearly, her voice calm but authoritative. "From this moment forward, Haru, Tevos, and all their companions are welcomed guests upon Pandora. There will be no more random attacks against them." Her gaze sharpened slightly, clearly chastising some of the warriors present. "Am I understood?"
Several warriors, including those who’d been injured earlier by Kunou and Milim, lowered their heads sheepishly, avoiding her stern gaze in embarrassment. "Yes, Eywa," came their quiet acknowledgments.
I broke the slightly tense moment by gesturing politely toward the grill. "Would you like seconds, Eywa?"
Her eyes brightened, and her white tail flicked gently behind her. "I would be delighted, Haru."
Just as I moved to prepare another serving, my ears twitched suddenly. A powerful surge of magical energy burst forth nearby, followed immediately by a loud BOOM echoing through the forest. Moments later, the unmistakable sound of rapid gunfire rang out below Home Tree.
The Na'vi warriors jumped to their feet, instantly alarmed. Eytukan was already reaching for his weapon, eyes blazing with anger and worry. "What is happening? Are the sky people attacking us again?"
Eywa calmly raised her hand, silencing her people immediately. Her expression was thoughtful rather than fearful. "No, my children. The sky people are not attacking us this time." She paused, seeming to search for the right words. "They are attacking the home of our guest, Haru…?" She glanced at me, clearly seeking clarification.
I frowned, annoyed that humans here were causing trouble at my restaurant. "Technically, it's my restaurant. Although, I do have an apartment upstairs where I sometimes live. So yeah, it counts as my home, too," I explained quickly. I narrowed my eyes, focusing intently, trying to figure out exactly what was going on down there.
More strange yet, I suddenly sensed another powerful presence—something distinctly draconic. It felt oddly familiar, similar to Irene, yet not quite the same. It wasn't Milim either. Who else could it be? I wasn't exactly acquainted with many dragons.
Deciding there was no point guessing, I stood up decisively. "I'm going to go check out what's happening," I told Tevos quietly.
She nodded in understanding. "I'll stay here with the Na'vi for now and keep things calm," she assured me confidently.
"I shall go with Haru," Eywa suddenly declared, stepping beside me.
One of the Na'vi warriors stood quickly, chest puffed out proudly. "Then I will go as well! It would be my honor to fight beside a friend of Eywa."
I gave him an appreciative smile but shook my head lightly. "Thanks, but that's not necessary. I've got this covered."
Eywa nodded softly, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Indeed. The fighting below has already ended—the sky people have been swiftly defeated."
Her statement immediately drew enthusiastic cheers from the Na'vi. Man, they really did not like the humans in this Universe.
Without wasting any more time, I walked confidently to the edge of Home Tree's enormous branches and leaped straight off. Behind me, the clan gasped again, startled by my sudden move. But before I could fall far, blue flames ignited beneath my feet, forming solid platforms to glide down on.
– Neytiri –
Neytiri watched curiously as Councilor Tevos quietly stepped away from the feast and headed deeper into Home Tree. She was going to speak privately with Neytiri’s parents—Eytukan, the clan’s leader, and Mo'at, their high priestess—about whatever mysterious plan she had for protecting Pandora from the sky people. Neytiri hoped that it would work. Her clan desperately needed peace.
She glanced around at her clanmates, who were still joyously eating the strange yet delicious food Haru had prepared. Even Tsu'tey, as stubborn and proud as ever, had taken multiple helpings. The children laughed, and the adults looked relaxed—more relaxed than Neytiri had seen them in a very long time.
Her heart still raced from the excitement and awe of Eywa’s appearance. She had lived her entire life praying to Eywa, feeling the Great Mother's presence in every leaf, rock, and creature on Pandora. Yet never had Neytiri expected Eywa herself to appear among them—in Na'vi form, no less. To personally meet Eywa, to hear her voice directly, was an honor beyond her wildest dreams.
"This day will become legend," Neytiri whispered reverently, mostly to herself. "Our clan has truly been blessed by Eywa herself."
She felt profound relief knowing Eywa approved of Haru and Tevos. After enduring so much betrayal by outsiders, her people desperately needed trustworthy allies. Perhaps these new aliens truly would be different from the greedy, destructive sky people.
And speaking of sky people…
Neytiri turned sharply as she heard footsteps approaching, immediately recognizing the clumsy steps of Jake Sully. Where had he been all this time?
Jake casually approached the grill and picked up one of the last remaining meat skewers, biting into it without hesitation. His eyes widened instantly, surprised by how good it tasted. "Wow, this is really good," he muttered appreciatively, still chewing. "Who made this?"
Neytiri eyed him with mild irritation. "It was prepared by Haru—the kitsune alien who just received Eywa's blessing directly," she explained firmly.
Jake raised one eyebrow skeptically, giving her an amused look. "Right," he said slowly, clearly thinking she was exaggerating or joking.
Neytiri's ears flattened, and she hissed sharply at him, frustrated by his continued ignorance. "You are a fool, Jake Sully! You missed a sacred event—an opportunity you will never see again in your lifetime." She swept an arm dramatically toward the gathered Na'vi around them. "Look how happy everyone is! Eywa herself came to us and spoke directly with Haru and Tevos. Our clan has been truly blessed, yet you doubt me?"
Jake quickly held up his strange five-fingered hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, okay—I'm sorry," he apologized hastily, eyes wide as he glanced around at the joyous Na'vi celebrating. "Clearly, I missed some kind of major Na'vi holiday. I’m really sorry, Neytiri." He paused, chewing on his skewer thoughtfully. "Aside from that, what else is going on? I thought I heard gunshots or explosions earlier."
Neytiri’s expression darkened, and she scowled deeply at the thought. "Hmph. The foolish sky people attacked the home of our new friends at the base of Home Tree," she said with open disdain. "No doubt they are already being slaughtered as we speak. Good riddance!"
Jake’s reaction surprised her. His eyes went wide in shock, and his entire demeanor changed from casual to panicked in an instant. "What!? No! We have to go and help them!" he exclaimed urgently, tossing his unfinished skewer to the side. "I can't just let people get killed—this has to be some kind of misunderstanding or mistake!"
Neytiri opened her mouth to protest, but Jake was already gone. He ran toward the edge of Home Tree, grabbed hold of one of the thick hanging vines, and began rapidly descending toward the ground below.
Neytiri let out several angry Na'vi curses, glaring after Jake as he disappeared from sight. She could hardly believe she'd once thought bringing such a stubborn fool into her clan was a good idea. He never listened, always acting without thinking things through. "I swear to Eywa, Jake Sully…" she growled to herself. Still fuming, Neytiri hurried after him.
She knew he would do something incredibly stupid!
– Trudy Chacon –
"Yep, this is fucked," Trudy muttered grimly to herself, her eyes wide and heart hammering in her chest.
Through the cockpit window of her Samson, she could see the arrogant, cocky rookie marines running full speed out of that bizarre restaurant, sprinting as if their asses were on fire. A couple of the men stumbled, tripping over each other as they desperately tried to get away from something chasing them out of the building.
Trudy squinted in disbelief, leaning forward slightly to get a better look. "What the fuck…?"
Behind them, gleaming swords hovered in the air, chasing the terrified marines on their own, without anyone even touching them. The blades moved with precision, zipping gracefully back and forth like guided missiles, keeping pace effortlessly.
Trudy had seen a lot of crazy things since she'd arrived on Pandora—but flying swords? That shit was beyond anything she’d signed up for.
The next second, a woman stepped confidently out of the strange building. She was tall, strikingly beautiful, with fiery red hair flowing loosely behind her, catching the sunlight as she emerged. She looked like she'd stepped straight out of one of those old anime shows from Earth. The woman's strange armor gleamed like polished metal, and she wielded multiple swords without even holding them. The blades floated around her in perfect synchronization, like extensions of her own body.
"Holy shit…" Trudy whispered, her mouth hanging open in shock.
Suddenly, a few of the fleeing marines spun around, opening fire with their automatic rifles. The sound of machine gun fire echoed loudly through the clearing, bullets spraying in the armored woman's direction. Without even flinching, the red-haired knight calmly raised her hand. Immediately, two of the floating swords moved in front of her, spinning rapidly in midair, blocking every bullet with inhuman precision.
Trudy stared in awe and horror. "Okay…that's fucking metal. And absolutely terrifying," she admitted to herself, quickly shaking off her shock.
She had no doubt those men were dead—or at least about to seriously wish they were—and she had zero intention of sticking around to find out what would happen next. Quickly regaining her composure, Trudy reached for the controls, flipping switches and powering up her Samson’s engines. The powerful rotors whined loudly, building to full strength in seconds. Her vehicle vibrated as it started lifting slightly off the ground.
"Fuck this place. Fuck those dumbass marines. I'm out," Trudy growled urgently, gripping the flight stick and preparing to pull up.
But before she could ascend, two of the swords suddenly turned in mid-air, locking onto her Samson like heat-seeking missiles. Her eyes widened in panic as she watched them rocket toward her with frightening speed.
"Shit—!" Trudy cursed, desperately pulling up on the flight stick to evade.
BOOM!
The swords slammed into both of her Samson’s wing-mounted rotor assemblies, causing a violent explosion that jolted the entire aircraft. Sparks erupted across the cockpit dashboard, and alarms blared as every electronic system shorted out simultaneously. Trudy screamed in frustration and terror as the aircraft lurched, losing power immediately, before crashing back down onto the jungle floor with a painful jolt.
Her ears rang, and she was breathing heavily, her heart thundering violently. The cockpit went completely dark, all instruments dead. She frantically tried the controls again, hoping by some miracle the Samson would restart, but there was nothing. Completely dead.
"Goddammit…" she growled, feeling a deep, sinking dread in her gut.
All she could do now was watch helplessly through the cracked windshield. Outside, the armored woman had effortlessly dispatched the last few marines, knocking them unconscious with swift, merciless blows from the hilt of a blade—at least, Trudy hoped they were only unconscious. Finally, the warrior woman turned, her gaze instantly locking onto the downed Samson.
Their eyes met, and Trudy felt her blood run cold. The red-haired woman gave her an intense, predatory glare, and Trudy knew immediately she was fucked beyond belief.
"Ah shit…" Trudy muttered weakly, slumping back into her seat. She raised her hands slightly in surrender, knowing resistance at this point would be suicidal. “Fucking Pandora…”
– Kunou –
Kunou opened her eyes hearing the sounds of gunshots and screams before the front door of the Fox Hole shut and all the noise went away. She yawned as she sat up in her booth and glanced around.
Huh? When did she fall asleep?
She saw Enri peeking her head up slowly from behind the counter for some reason. Kunou’s tails wagged a little bit. “Hi Enri! Whatcha doin’ back there? OH!? Are we playing hide and seek!?”
Enri let out a sigh as she glanced around the empty place. “No, Lady Kunou! I was hiding because bad guys tried to attack the restaurant,” she explained. “Erza and Milim are dealing with them.”
Oh? Another fight already? Kunou was excited!
Was it time for the “Fox Girl Hero” to make her third debut?
Kunou hopped out of the booth with stars in her eyes. Telling Enri not to worry because she would protect her! Kunou was just about to head out the door when Enri spoke up and stopped her.
“Nuh Uh! Lord Haru and Lady Yasaka explicitly told you that you weren’t allowed to leave the restaurant without them and you still haven't finished cleaning your dishes!” Enri scolded her, crossing her arms and staring at Kunou sternly.
“Awww…” Kunou whined. Her ears drooped and she made her way back behind the counter to finish the plates she had left to clean. Justice would have to wait a bit longer for her return…
XXX
Comments
Rycork
Erza is trapped in the restaurant with about twenty soldiers pointing guns at her and her friends. Erza: Oh no, what should I do? What will Master Makarov do in this situation? A ghostly apparition of Makarov appears, and strangely enough, he's dressed like a Jedi and is completely green. Makarov: The Force, you must use it, young Padawan. Erza: The Force?... But yes! That's it. Erza summons her swords and begins fighting the soldiers. Makarov: ...Uh... Not this Force, young Padawan, I was referring to.
Cmols897
I really hope Yasaka really let's Millim have it for naming Konou explicitly against her wishes. I love her but she seriously needs to put some manners in that brat.
ya_smerti
Quick dbz trip. Get them shrink tech added.
WhatAFungi
Not without a little renovations. So maybe slap a “not yet” in that statement ;P
WhatAFungi
Kunou’s reaction to chores is exactly how I acted as a kid, so great job emulating my childhood. I’m loving the “freak the science-humans with obvious magic” but I think the bits three or four uses away from getting stale. Thanks for the chapter! Edit: Every time another male protagonist gets shit on for being a stupid character (from an out of context perspective) fills my heart with joy.
Lictor Magnus
Thanks for the chapter! I wonder what Tevos plan is going to be. They can’t exactly fit the destiny ascension through the restaurant 😅
D3AD3CHO
I mean it just makes sense as yokai are pretty much nature spirits most of the time
Lupus Umbras
I'm glad Haru is with the Na'vi instead of the shitty corporation
Ototsu_Yume
Thanks for the chapter. 🥰
