Teanam
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Chapter 361
🕑 Added 2022-12-16 06:09:23 +0000 UTCChloe and Steph were still on their date while exploring the capital. So far, they had walked around a lot and had a rather romantic-seeming brunch in a chic restaurant. Afterward, the duo continued exploring and eventually found a shrine dedicated to Mira, and the dog-girl really wanted to take a closer look. Mira was the one who gifted her magic, after all, and she wanted to properly thank her for that and thought a shrine might be a good place for that.
“Ohhh!” The moment the two entered Mira’s shrine grounds, Steph’s face lit up. “Rather than a shrine, it’s a whole temple complex!” There were many buildings of varying sizes that lightly looked like Asian-themed temples in perfect condition, and countless fox statues were placed on pedestals all over the place. In the middle of the main grounds was a massive statue of a very elegant-looking full fox. “Whoa, that’s the second most beautiful fox I’ve ever seen!” She seemed to like it a lot. “She is fluffier than you, though… Sorry.” She sounded slightly apologetic while she glanced at the pink fox next to her.
“…” Chloe wasn’t sure how to react to any of that. "Feyfey told me a lot about Mira, she seems to be quite a fan, but it’s my first time visiting a shrine, too. She really is very pretty. Fluffy, too! Even more than Feyfey!”
“Whoa, wait a moment!” Steph walked around the statue and noticed something. “She doesn’t have one mega fluffy tail, but actually multiple ones!”
“Oh, you are right! Let’s see... One, two, three... Nine in total! Wow!” Chloe also got more interested in it. “Wait, nine...? That sounds familiar for some reason...?”
“Really?” The dog-girl tilted her head. “Anyway, stop being so greedy, Mira! There is no such thing as being too fluffy, but what if someone else missed out on becoming fluffy because you needed nine tails? I get it, though! Excellent choice!”
"How about you decide on a stance? Also, I don't think that's how it works..."
“No! Do you mean that no one else missed the chance to become fluffy because of that?”
“Pretty sure.” Chloe nodded and rolled her eyes at the same time.
“Perfect! Good job then, Mira!”
“Ahaha...”
“Didn’t the wolves say that she also has a humanoid form? I wonder if there’s a statue of that somewhere, as well. Oh, do you think she also has nine tails in that one?!”
“I don’t see why she wouldn’t. Though, it might be hard to walk or keep your balance with that much tail? I already have some issues every now and then.”
"In your defense, your tail is worth three or four of Mira’s, so...” Her eyes wandered between the foxes. “See, Mira’s cheating! You’re actually fluffier! You win in both categories! Number one in being the fluffiest and most beautiful fox!”
"A-Again, I don’t think that’s how it works, either... Thank you, though...” Chloe’s cheeks turned red.
“No, it’s definitely how it works!”
"Also, Feyfey only has one tail, and it's fluffier than mine...”
"..." Steph turned silent and started pouting. "Shut up, and let me compliment you!"
“I-I’m sorry...?”
“You better be!” The dog-girl pouted even more. “If I say you are the best, then you are the best!”
“O-Okay!”
“Good girl!” She was happy that she finally understood it. “Alrighty, let’s see if we can find a statue or something similar that shows her humanoid form!" Saying so, Steph gave Chloe's hand, she was still holding, a short squeezing before dragging her with her.
“S-So eager!”
“That’s another thing you have to get used to!” The violet-haired girl smiled at her. “That’s one of my most defining features!”
“That shouldn’t be too hard~.” Chloe smiled back at her. “Most of the time, I’m the same!”
“Yay! That’s-, ohh?” Happy about that, Steph suddenly noticed something inside one of the shrine buildings while the two were walking around. “I think I found it! It looks like an illustration of what we were looking for!”
“You’re right!” Chloe also found the art of a fox-woman, seemingly in her mid-to-late twenties. Her ears had the same size and shape as those of Chloe, and she had long pure white hair, with a few strands of it being teal colored. Her eyes were teal, as well. The most striking feature was her many tails, though. Basically the entire background was filled with them. All nine of them had the same coloring as her hair. Most of them were white, with the tip of each also being teal. “She looks so pretty and elegant!”
“She really does look so elegant!” The dog-girl nodded a few times. “Her style is amazing, too!” She focused her attention on the figure of Mira, of which a lot could be seen as her clothes were somewhat revealing. She was wearing a sleeveless top with a bit of midriff showing, combined with a skirt that was open at one side. Both were mainly black with some colorful applications on them. It was hard to judge her height without a reference, but her overall figure looked similar to Maya's, maybe slightly more slender.
“Hey!” The pink fox-girl had noticed her detailed stare.
“Ahaha...” She awkwardly rubbed the back of her head before continuing. “In terms of being pretty, she’s still number two, though!”
“T-There’s just no way you’d honestly think that!” Chloe pointed at the painting of Mira. “She’s leagues above!”
“I’m always serious about the things I say!” Steph looked right at her. “I’d say you actually look somewhat similar, and you're the improved version!"
“Just how do we look similar?! We’re both foxes, that’s all!”
"Yeah, with your ears, color aside, looking almost identical. Also, both of you give out a comfy feel. Mira looks more mature, but your facial features have something slightly familiar, as well!”
“Really...?” The pink fox took a better look at the white and teal one. “I don’t see it. Okay, maybe ears aside, that is..."
“It’s hard to compare yourself to others! Also, you look much better, so I can understand that you don't see it, but I do think there are some similarities.”
“S-Shut up already!”
“I will never!” Steph had no plans to listen to her. "ALSO! Pink is much better than teal! AND! One mega-fluffy tail is much comfier than multiple very fluffy ones!”
“...” Chloe needed a moment. “I-I don’t know how I feel about being compared to a literal goddess...”
“I’m not comparing you to one! I’m putting you above one!”
“That doesn’t make it any better!”
“It sure does!” The dog-girl had no intention of backing down. “Just so you know, I’m also just warming up! I can go much harder on the compliments if you don’t accept the current ones!”
“T-Thank you very much! I’m delighted you think so highly of me!"
“You’re very welcome~.”
“Uuh...” Chloe felt a little bullied, but in a way she could hardly complain. Bullied with love, that is.
“Alrighty, with this fact clarified, let’s go on!” While slightly squeezing the hand she was using to hold Chloe's, she raised her other arm high into the air.
“Gladly!” She was very happy about this change of topic.
“Let’s go!”
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The duo walked around on the shrine grounds for a bit longer while taking in the buildings and statues, but this time it was Chloe who found something that interested her.
“Eh...?” The pink-haired girl suddenly stopped walking while her eyes were peeled on two fox statues sitting next to each other on a pedestal.
“Hmm?” Steph also looked at them. “Another beautiful fox! Is that what all of you have going on? Being criminally beautiful? Well, that applies to everyone in this world, but... Foxes really take the cake! It’s also a single-tailed mega-fluff fox! Very nice! Uh-oh... She might actually be fluffier for real, Chloe...”
“That’s Feyfey!” Chloe tilted her head while staring at the fox next to Mira. “That’s 100% Feyfey! It has no colors because it’s stone, but you can still see the pattern in her fur and her supreme fluffiness!”
“Feyfey?” The dog-girl needed a moment. “Wait, your mom?”
“Yeah! Why does she have a statue here?”
“Are you sure it’s her?”
“Don’t you think I would recognize a statue of my own mother?!”
“Fair point.” There was nothing Steph could say. “Maybe they know each other? Are friends, even?”
“Why would my mom be friends with Mira?!”
“Why not?” Steph looked at her. “Sophia’s friends with Canir, and the wolves seem to be well acquainted with him and Mira. It’s not impossible for Fey to be similar, right?”
“…” She wasn't sure what to reply. "Why do I know so many weird and over-the-top people for it to make sense…? Feyfey knows Mira…? She never told me, though!”
“It’s probably not an easy topic telling someone that you know a goddess?”
“I guess so…” Chloe nodded a few times. “I can also keep nothing to myself, so…”
“Same here! Don’t ever ask me to keep something a secret!”
“Good to know! That’s mutual, by the way! Still…” The fox-girl looked at the statues again. “Even so, why does Feyfey have her own statue here?”
“Hah.” Steph tilted her head. “Maybe they’re very good friends?”
“How good of a friend do you have to be to get a statue in the shrine dedicated to said friend?”
"If I ever become a goddess, there will be tons of statues of you in my shrines!" The dog-girl was on a roll.
“I-I see…”
“How about we ask her once she’s back?” Steph was also interested in the story here.
“Yeah, let’s do that! I’m really curious now!”
As they were unable to get any answers right now, as the foxes in question weren't around to tell them, the duo continued their exploration of the shrine for a while until eventually arriving back in the central area with the giant statue of full fox Mira.
“I guess that’s all, huh?” Steph noticed they were at the entrance again. “Well, it was much bigger than I had thought.”
“Much more surprising, as well!” Chloe was still confused about their findings.
“True!” The dog-girl gave her a big nod. "I would really love to meet Mira and thank her in person! Do you think there’s a way to contact her from the shrines?”
“How, though?” She tilted her head.
“Hmm…” Steph thought about her idea for a bit. Soon after, she lifted the hand she was using to hold Chloe's and put both their hands on the side of Mira's statue. “Maybe we just have to think about her here and pour some magic into her statue to get a connection?”
“As if it’s that ea-!” Without even being able to finish her sentence, their vision suddenly turned white, and the duo disappeared from the shrine grounds.
Comments
Le Sparkle
Well, good luck cracking a "code" that's different for everyone who reads it. I hear that's called something about a chase for some wild avian species.
Aster Vulpes
Oh, that actually makes a lot of sense, like for a loooooong time the 3 primary colors for humanity was black white and red, because of the dark of the night the light of the day and the red of blood, (tho that arguably was during the "cave man" area, but take this with a grain of salt, my because I don't remember the Context for this fact)
Kill.Me = Killian Merphy
The red comes from the dyes available in that time period, plus most foxes are a red-ish orange over there... Plus there was something else to go with it... But I don't remember exactly... It's been almost 20yr since I went to Japan
Mistress Araenidae
Poorly.
Deltanz
wonder how Chloe would've reacted if that had happened.
Mistress Araenidae
For real! Plus, Mira gave her magic.
Teanam
Steph's a lot less angry at Mira than Sophia was at Canir. ( 0 vs. over 9000) For *many* reasons xD
Aster Vulpes
that's why im happy you went with this teal as a color, and not a straight up japanese shrine
Teanam
Well, do want to give her design a bit of Japanese feel, but Miko might be a bit much.
Mistress Araenidae
If there was ever any doubt that she and Sophia weren't sisters... Well, at least she didn't power smash the statue and the surrounding temple grounds into oblivion.
Aster Vulpes
i don't know where it comes from but in most media (read: anime and manga) when a Kitsune that is affiliated with a god/goddess shows up they are dressed as a Miko with red eyeliner and red-tipped tails (the same shade of red as the outfit and the shrines in japan use) also if you look at those "kabuki masks" there is a lot of red used... now thgat i think about that might be where it come from at least for modern media
Teanam
Well, everything needs to have an origin somewhere, there is always that excuse~. I don't really know enough about it to say red = kitsune. Teal = pretty. That pretty much was my line of thought.
Aster Vulpes
Hehe it is a nice color, but yeah mith Mira being a Kitsune, and her using teal and not red sells the different world wibe a bit more imo, and show that is not just straight up the Japanese version :3
Teanam
I was already thinking of making Steph teal or some shade of blue, but it didn't really fit for what I had in mind. Love the color, though, so I used the chance here. Also, Fey has red accents already.
Aster Vulpes
I also live that fact that you went wit teal, and not red :3 also, there is *magic* to help with balance! *grumbles*
Aster Vulpes
Sounds like the intrusive thoughts I have xd
Teanam
<< you have to tell me, was this already planned? That's why I asked if *that* wouldn't be something xD Not that it's a fun idea or something I should've thought about~
Aster Vulpes
“Oh, you are right! Let’s see... One, two, three... Nine in total! Wow!” Chloe also got more interested in it. “Wait, nine...? That sounds familiar for some reason...?” you have to tell me, was this already planned? Or did I give you the idea xd also I have a feeling that Fey and Mira were very good *friends*, gal pals, or even room mates, but if you'd ask the historians here on earth than they were best friends who sent each other over 700 love letters and were known to enjoy tea in *private* ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Martynas Samsonas
See a good story is always a cliff at the end of chapter :D because no matter how the chapter ends, you want to read another chapter but it's not yet out so its a cliff :D
Kill.Me = Killian Merphy
That's why you would just jump... No thinking involved...
Lucy Stella Kitsune
You can't crack a code that isn't there I'm afraid ^^"
Teanam
I mean, that can be kinda fun, too. I had a great time with adding hints to the Chloe = Steph theory only for Sophia and Canir to dunk on Maya when she said it out loud~
Deltanz
Didn't Canir say anyone could do what they did to see them or does it only work with people that they allow it to work for.
Teanam
I mean, it is pretty obvious that they got the Sophia treatment and a free ticket to an overseer, so is it really much of a cliff?
Lucy Stella Kitsune
Also I didn't mean it in a bad way. I'm just vary because there's been a lot of authors who made everything point towards one direction only to reveal that in fact it was not the extremely sus butler
Teanam
Well, that much is clear. This story is still mainly for my enjoyment, and everyone liking it is welcome for the ride. It would've still been interesting to crack the "code" xD
Kill.Me = Killian Merphy
Sees the cliff... Jumps
Deltanz
there is that way true.
Lucy Stella Kitsune
Yes. Not care about what people like me have to say about their expectations and just keep telling your awesome story
Deltanz
not that I've ever seen, sorry.
Teanam
I mean, there are some slight hints that Steph's opinion might be ever so slightly biased.
Teanam
<< Too obvious I get complaints from different sides when it's too obvious, not obvious enough, fake obvious because I'm teasing (in retrospect), slightly obvious, slightly not obvious, it making no sense, it making too much sense. Is there a way to win?
Deltanz
what if that's where Fey is at right now as well...
Deltanz
and how Sophia will react once she learns what happens.
Lucy Stella Kitsune
You're making it very obvious that Chloe is Mira and Feyfeys daughter. Too obvious. Oh well they're about to meet Mira anyways, maybe she'll have some answers...
Ultrabenosaurus
I wonder how Mira will react to Steph spending the last hour emphasising how she isn't the most beautiful or fluffiest fox and even dunking on her multiple tails~
Deltanz
knew that would happen. lol. Chloe will need to get used to all the compliments when around Steph.
