"I can't believe I forgot." Miyuki murmured as she massaged her temples, her long black hair falling over her face. Damion felt rather disappointed at this, even though he knew it should've been obvious that humans weren't allowed he was hoping that there would have been a way for him to come.

"You two could go and I can just wait here until you come back." He offered, not really wanting to stay in the little plastic house and miss out on a trip to the mysterious Kitsune Village but willing to do so if it meant they would be another step closer to the mask.

"We're not leaving you here. You're coming with. We just need to figure out how." Miyuki growled, slamming her hands on the table as she got to her feet. He was about to argue with her when he heard Kiki snickering.

"What are you laughing at? Is it amusing to know I can't come with?" Damion stated, staring at the little fox. She lifted her gaze, amusement glimmering in her eyes.

"No, I know you can't come with us with the way you are now, but I do know a way that would allow you to come." She answered, jumping off the table and wandering over to her heap of clothes.

"How?" Miyuki asked, frustration edging her tone.

"I'll explain in a minute but I need you two to leave while I quick do something." Kiki said as she ushered them out the door. 

"Hey, wait!" Miyuki cried, whipping around as Kiki slammed the door behind them. Within a minute the door flung back open and Damion's jaw dropped in shock.

Before them stood a tall, elegant girl with flowing honey blond hair who was wearing a now fitting sweater and a perfectly sized beanie atop her head.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" The girl asked, her voice velvety smooth. Damion immediately dropped his gaze, feeling his face flush in embarrassment as the girl smirked at him.

"Wow, you look great Kiki. " Miyuki said, admiring Kiki's disguise. He lifted his head a little and noticed her shadow matched that of a seventeen-year-old girl.

"Not too shabby if I do say so myself," Kiki muttered in agreement, a small smile twisting her lips. "It's been a while since I've changed my human form so no one should be able to recognize me. Anyway, let's go." She added, gracefully walking over to the chain link fence and climbing over it elegantly in one swift motion.

This is crazy. I would never guess that this girl was the six-year-old cackling just minutes ago. Damion thought as he followed them, wishing he didn't have to climb the fence again.

Once he dropped onto the other side he took a minute to catch his breath, glancing up as the girls discussed the plan. His stomach rumbled and he stood up, about to suggest lunch when Kiki screamed.

"KILL IT! KILL IT! KILL IT!" She screeched, jumping a couple of feet away from where she had just been and crouching on the ground. Damion jumped and looked around, trying to figure out what she was screaming about.

"Kill what?!" Miyuki shouted at her, clinging to the fence as her wide eyes darted around to try and find what it was. Damion noticed the shoulder bag Kiki had been holding on the ground and bent down to examine it. He smiled as he saw a tiny ladybug crawling around on it. He held his hand down to it and let it crawl onto his finger, carefully standing back up.

"Is this what you were talking about?" He asked, stepping towards Kiki as she lifted her head. She paled as she saw the bug on his hand and started rapidly scooching away from him.

"Get that horrible thing away from me." She growled, inching away from him. He grinned, tempted to step closer but thought better of it. Miyuki shoved past him, scaring the ladybug off his finger.

"All that was because of a bug?" Miyuki growled, towering over Kiki. Kiki ignored her as she stood up, dusted her leggings off, and stalked over to her discarded shoulder bag.

"I hate bugs; any kind of bugs. I tend to act out when I see one. Sorry about that." She replied quietly as she inspected her bag and put it on. "Well," She said coming up to them, "Are you ready to go?" Without waiting for an answer she started down the sidewalk, her long hair fluttering in the wind.

"Do you think we'll be able to grab some lunch?" Damion asked as him and Miyuki fell into step behind Kiki.

"As long as Miss Bug-a-phobe doesn't act out." She responded irritably, wrapping her arms around herself. Damion sighed quietly as the wind blew around them. This was going to be a long journey.

                                                                                       *

"So what are we doing?" Damion asked as he came to their table with his lunch. They had walked fifteen minutes to downtown and stopped at a small sandwich shop on Main Street to eat. He winced as he pulled out his chair, cringing as it scraped on the floor and made a horrid screeching noise.

"We're going to stop in that store then we're going to head the village," Kiki replied quietly as she took a sip from her straw, pointing at a store across the street. He peered out the large window they sat by and studied the bright building she had gestured at.

"The Blossom Girl Boutique? Why there?" He asked, his nose wrinkling in disgust. The outside was bright pink with pastel pink flowers painted on the storefront. It was not a place for guys.

"That's the only place for us to find clothes appropriate for the festival." She answered, taking a delicate bite of her chicken wrap. He sighed, knowing it would be useless to argue with her, and took a sip of the sweet tea he ordered, making a face as the liquid went down his throat.

"What's wrong?" Miyuki asked as Damion finished swallowing. He took a huge bite of his sandwich to get rid of the putrid taste that filled his mouth.

"This tastes awful. It's nothing like the tea that you made." He said once he had finished chewing. His stomach clenched painfully, thirsting for the sweetness of Miyuki's tea.

"Let me taste," Miyuki said, snatching it up and taking a thoughtful sip. "This tastes pretty good actually. I'll drink it if you don't want it." She said as she took another drink.

"As long as you make me some of your tea later." He replied as he polished off the last of his sandwich. He glanced up from his empty plate and saw Kiki staring at the drink in Miyuki's hands, her gaze troubled.

"Can I taste it Miyuki?" She suddenly asked, her eyes brightening like she found the answer to a perplexing puzzle. Miyuki took one more sip then held it out to her.

"As long as you don't drink it all," Miyuki said as she reluctantly handed it to Kiki. Damion watched as she took a sip and her eyes gleam as she set it down. She licked her lips, her brows furrowed as she seemed to contemplate the flavor.

"Miyuki, do you have the tea that you made Damion?" Kiki asked and Miyuki nodded, looking confused as to what Kiki was getting at. "May I see it?"

"Sure." Miyuki responded as she dug into her bag and withdrew a bottle with a fine amber-colored powder inside. Kiki's eyes narrowed as she pulled the cork out of the top, releasing a heavenly nutty scent into the air that caused Damion's mouth to water instantly.

Without thinking, Damion snatched the bottle away from Kiki, as well as the tea from Miyuki and poured a small amount into the cup. Like a man dying of thirst he greedily sucked down the tea that now calmed the clenching of his stomach.

"Just as I suspected," Kiki muttered as Damion opened the top and tipped the cup above his head to try and get the last few drops into his mouth. She sighed as she glanced at Miyuki. "You are an idiot."

"Why are you calling me an idiot? You just gave the rest of my drink to Damion." Miyuki growled at Kiki, grabbing the empty cup from Damion's hands and chucking it angrily at the garbage.

"Well, it was my drink to begin with." Damion interjected, feeling a shiver of fear pass through him as Miyuki turned her furious gaze on him. At the clearing of Kiki's throat, they turned away to stare at her.

"I believe Miyuki was not aware of the danger of giving you tea that is made with Honey Root." Kiki said, sliding the jar towards Damion. Damion felt fear grip his heart as he saw the worry flash in Miyuki's eyes.

"What does it do?" He asked quietly, hoping it wouldn't kill him. Kiki sighed as she scooted herself forward.

"It's a rare tea ingredient that Kitsune find soothing but for humans . . ." She paused, shooting an annoyed look at Miyuki. "It's addictive; they won't be able to get enough of it." Damion groaned and Miyuki let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh good, I thought I had poisoned him or something." Miyuki said, relaxing back in the chair. Damion covered his face with his hands feeling sick as his stomach begged for more.

"How can I get rid of the addiction?" He asked, looking hopefully at Kiki as she stood up and threw away her garbage.

"Most humans can't but there have been a few rare cases where people were able to stop." She answered as she held the door open to let them out. Damion felt hope flutter in his chest as he stepped out onto the sidewalk then grimacing when he remembered where they were heading next.

"So how do I stop?" He asked as he gazed down the cobblestone street, fallen maple leaves racing across their path with each gust of wind.

"It takes a month for your stomach to stop clenching and even then you'll feel an occasional craving for it." Kiki replied as they crossed the street. Damion whipped his head around as he heard Miyuki snickering.

"From what I've seen you would never be able to last a week without a taste of Honey Root." She said with a smirk, ignoring his glare.

It's your fault I got addicted to it. He thought angrily as they entered the boutique. He stumbled back as overwhelming perfume assaulted him, causing him to gag.

"Welcome to Blossom Girl Boutique. Let me know if you need help finding anything." A bright cheery girl said from the counter, her hair matching the bright pink of the storefront.

"Thank you." Kiki replied with a little bow before heading to the back of the store with Miyuki hot on her heels. Damion reluctantly followed, noting the odd look that passed between the girl and Kiki as they passed. 

I wonder what that was about. He thought as he glanced at the overflowing racks they passed, noting that nearly everything in the store was some hue of pink.

"Please don't tell me I have to dress like a girl." He asked as they passed another rack which was filled with fuscia skirts. He narrowed his eyes as he saw Miyuki's shoulders shake as she held in a laugh.

"Of course not. The clothes we want are in the back." Kiki replied as she continued walking to the back of the seemingly endless store. Damion was starting to feel dizzy from the strong odor of the perfume when he noticed the store had changed.

"Wait, what happened to all the pink stuff?" He suddenly asked, glancing around in confusion. This area of the shop seemed completely opposite from the bright pink and crowded front area. The room was lit only by paper lanterns hung at different intervals around the cozy room. Racks ran around the whole perimeter with different kinds of kimonos hanging on all of them. The only way Damion could tell it was the same store was the sickening perfume smell still lingered.

"It's all still here; we're just in the secret area of the store now." Kiki answered with a mysterious smile. Before Damion could ask more she turned away from him to a rack of long, elegant kimonos and started leafing through them. 

He glanced around and saw Miyuki on the opposite side of the room looking at short floral kimonos, oohing and aahing at certain ones she pulled out. Damion wandered over to a rack in the back, deciding he should be looking for one as well. He pulled a bright blue one out and coughed as the perfume smell got stronger. He quickly shoved it back on the rack as he felt a wave of nausea overtake him. 

"I think I need to go outside." Damion announced as he edged towards the hall that led back through the store. Kiki turned to him, holding several kimonos.

"Okay but you'll have to be happy with whatever kimono we pick out for you." She replied, her eyes sparkling. Damion swallowed as he tried not to throw up, then nodded. Kiki turned away from him and he dashed for the entrance gagging.

He pushed the door open and breathed in a refreshing breath of the sweet outdoor air. He glanced over at a wooden bench by the building and walked to it as he tried to get the perfume smell out of his nostrils. He sat down with a grunt, suddenly feeling exhausted.

I wonder why I was the only one who was bothered by the smell? Damion thought to himself once the nauseous feeling had completely faded. He growled at himself when he realized why. Because they're Kitsune. Why did I ever want to know more about them? They aren't exactly what the authorities said they would be like however, they're not what I thought they would be like either. He sighed, closing his eyes as another thought crossed his mind. What did I think they would be like? He furrowed his brow as he dug into the memories he thought he had lost, or at least wished he had.