Chapter seven: Welcome To a World of Gods and Monsters


Somewhere far away...

In a lavish bedroom, a woman kept tossing and turning in her bed. She didn't have the appearance of a human, but that of a beautiful anthropomorphic bear with blonde hair. Though fast asleep, she nonetheless remained restless, her mind seemingly haunted by who only knew what. Eventually, something jolted her awake. She sat there, panting, trying to regain her breath as sweat trickled down her light brown fur. She buried her head in her hands before finally speaking.

"The balance is getting even worse. If it carries on, both of the worlds could be in danger. Where could the source of the imbalance possibly be?"

The woman concentrated for a moment, then opened her eyes.

"London... I must warn the others."




"Sweet! That's 15-40 to us!" said Kelly as she twirled her Tennis racquet in triumph. Amy, who was her partner in this match, said nothing, but was clearly pleased with herself.

"Hey, don't go celebrating until you actually win!" said Alice. She and Steve stopped the game briefly to grab a quick drink before jumping back in.

"Right. It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, as they say." said Steve as he prepared to serve once again.

"But there aren't any fat ladies here." said Amy. "Guess we'll be here for a while."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" said Kelly as Steve made his shot. Kelly bounced the ball towards Alice, who then batted it to Amy. Amy then batted it back to Steve, who then managed to smack the ball in between their opponents.

"And now it's 30-40." said Steve. "We're not out yet..."

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see." said Kelly.

While they were playing, Anna and Poppy were chatting away on the sideline. Poppy was giving Anna an amusing story about the time she and Steve went on a bike ride together and Steve fell off his bike trying to do a wheelie.

"Heh. Sounds like Steve was a bit of a daredevil back then." said Anna.

"Well, he's a lot more careful now, as I'm sure you've seen. Still, back then he couldn't help but get himself in trouble, you know? If he didn't have me around, he'd probably have got himself killed several times over."

"Hard to imagine, really. These days he's a lot more careful than some people I know. Myself included."

"You're still thinking about that animal attack, right? You sure you're still okay? It sounded really bad..."

"Well, yeah. You wouldn't think so after something like that, but I'm honestly doing great."

Anna wasn't joking. It had now been several days since she had become a werewolf for the first time, and she was having fun making the most of her enhanced abilities. Since her transformation, she had found herself more full of energy than ever before. She was still doing her morning run on a daily basis, but she was now doing it without even breaking a sweat. She felt like she could run the entire London Marathon and then be able to run another twenty six miles without feeling even vaguely short of breath. Of course, she wasn't about to tell that to anyone, so she quickly changed the subject.

"So hey, how's Kisa doing?" said Anna. "She up to anything today?"

"Oh, she's doing fine. Always busy working on her next project. She's working on the more technical stuff today. Fixing some stuff for her website."

"That's cool. Does she do web cam or something?"

"Not really, no. Her site is really more for things like photos, prints, information about her, that sort of thing. She works pretty hard on it. Hell, she works hard at everything she does."

"Yeees!" shouted Kelly, briefly stopping Anna and Poppys conversation. "We win this one! I'll give you two credit though, that was a great comeback!"

"Damn. We nearly had it, too..." said Alice, taking a sip of water.

"Guess that means Anna and Poppy are taking you guys on, then?" asked Steve.

"If they're up for it." said Kelly before turning to Anna and Poppy. "You guys up for a round against me and Amy?"

"Bring it on." said Poppy. "Anna?"

"Sure." said Anna. "But just so you know... I'm not the sportiest lass out there. This probably won't end well for us."

"I can attest." said Alice. "She's pretty crap at any sport. PE was never her strong point at school."

Anna sighed. Alice was right about her lack of ability at sport, but did she really have to be so blunt about it? She picked up her racquet and joined Poppy on the court. Amy bounced the ball and prepared to serve.

"Wait a second, what am I thinking?" thought Anna. "I have superhuman strength and agility now, even as a human. I should be a lot better at this that I used to-"

Suddenly, Amy served and sent the ball flying right towards Anna. Anna just barely broke out of her thoughts and dived for the ball, but missed it. She fell flat on her face.

"Wow. Alice wasn't kidding about you being bad at this." said Poppy.

"Pity, really." said Kelly. "I was hoping this'd be a good match. Oh well, let's get it over with..."

Kelly and Amy dominated the match despite Poppy and Anna's best efforts. The next few matches also ended in humiliation, with Anna's clumsy movements letting her and Poppy down time after time. Eventually, their last match was at 40-0. Anna was getting silently fed up.

"Damn. So much for being better at sport..." she thought as Kelly made the next serve.

"C'mon Anna, let's at least try to put in some effort for this one!" said Poppy as the ball headed in her direction. She batted it back to Amy, who hit the ball hard enough to send it quite high into the air. Anna wasn't about to let that stop her, and she leaped up to the ball and hit it as hard as she could. The ball went flying with so much force that it dented the floor when it landed, then went flying out of the court and into the distance.

"W-whoa..." said Amy. "What the hell was that?"

"Jesus Christ, Anna. I didn't think you were THAT strong!" said Kelly. "I mean, I don't think we'll be seeing that ball again. And look at what you did to that racquet!"

Anna looked at her racquet. She hit the ball so hard that she managed to break it.

"Ah, haha… Oops? I guess I don't know my own strength."

"I'll say. You did a real number on your racquet and the court." said Poppy. "How'd you get so strong?"

"That's what I'd like to know." said Alice. "I don't remember you being able to do anything like that before. Have you been working out in secret?"

"No more than usual." Anna replied. "Just my morning run and that's it."

"Looks like it's doing you more good than you think." said Steve. "Maybe you should stop."

"Maybe... Maybe I should."

Anna lost herself in thought while her friends kept talking. She really was much stronger now.

"I should really be a lot more careful about how much strength I put into anything. If I don't, I could end up breaking a lot of stuff..."



Alice couldn't stop talking about Anna's impressive display of strength as they approached their front door, much to Anna's annoyance.

"You sure you're not taking any drugs or anything? I've never seen you so strong."

"For the umpteen billionth time, no! I just instinctively hit the ball and I hit it really hard. It just happened."

"Whatever. Anyway, I think we need a shower after all that. Want to go first? I'll make some tea while you're in there."

"Sure. Might as well head up now, then."

"Cool. Oh, speaking of- you don't know what's been happening to Cookie's flea shampoo, do you?"

"Is something happening to it?"

"That's the weird thing. I used it on him last night and found there wasn't as much in there as I remember. I don't know why. I mean, Cookie's the only pet we have. Who else would use it?"

"Y-yeah... Um... I think that's just your imagination. Anyway, I'm taking that shower now, bye!"

Anna sped off to the shower as fast as she could, leaving Alice rather bewildered.

"Dammit, Anna..."

Following her shower, Anna went to her wardrobe to get a change of clothes. After some rummaging, she found the clothes that Lucy had given her a few days ago.

"Oh yeah, Amanda and Lucy are meeting that friend of theirs tonight, aren't they? Hmm. Can't say I'm not curious about her. I wonder if she'd be willing to teach me a few things too? Well, why not? Could be interesting at least. Okay, let's do it. And these clothes Lucy lent me just gave me the perfect alibi to tell Alice..."



Following Dinner that night, Anna gathered up Lucy's clothes, put them in a backpack and headed to the living room, where Alice was watching TV.

"I'm heading out for a bit, Alice. I wanna return these clothes to the lady who gave them to me."

"One of the ladies living in that mansion?"

"Yup. I might stay and chat for a while, so don't expect me back for some time."

"Okay, but be careful. Try not to break anything else while you're there, all right?"

"You know it. I'll be careful. I always am. Catch you later."

"You're never careful and you know it. But yeah, see you later."

Anna got her coat and left the house, stopping to give Cookie a quick stroke, and made her way over to the mansion. She did consider running to see how fast she could make it there with her increased agility, but she was already making good time so she felt no need to rush. As she walked through the streets, she could see a decent amount of people already on their way to the pubs in the area. A few noisy chavs were already downing beer as well. That, along with everything else on the streets added up to a great deal of pressure on Anna's ears. However, she'd been slowly getting used to it by putting her focus on one sound at a time. She had also been doing the same thing regarding her sense of smell. This helped, though she wondered how helpful it would be when she was a wolf and her senses improved even further. Eventually she reached the gates of the mansion. They were closed, so she pushed the intercom button next to them.

"Who is it?" came a voice from the speaker. It was Lucy.

"Hi, Lucy? It's Anna. I wanted to give you your clothes back. And I kind of want to meet your friend as well."

"Really? That's great. Hold on, we'll let you in."

The gates opened up and Anna made her way down the garden path to the front door. It was opened by Lucy, who was waiting with Amanda.

"Hi!" said Amanda. "So you decided to come with us?"

"Yup." Anna replied. "I'm definitely curious. Besides, maybe we should stick together. You know, like an actual pack of wolves?"

"Well, we'd be happy to have you come along." said Lucy. "Just so you know, though. What you'll be seeing... Let's just say I just hope you're prepared. It'll be a lot to take in."

"Well, now it's getting even more interesting." said Anna. "So, is it like a whole pack of werewolves or something?"

"Not quite." said Amanda. "You'll see when we get there. In any case, we're ready to go when you are. It's a little ways to go, but I don't think you'll be disappointed..."



Anna wondered how long she'd been walking for as she followed Amanda and Lucy through a decent chunk of London, including a few stops on the Underground. She wasn't tired or anything, but she had noticed the journey seemed to be a long one.

"Say, Amanda?" she finally asked. "If you have a car, why are we walking to this friend of yours?"

"There aren't really any viable parking spots at this place. Not without arousing suspicion from normal people, anyway. And believe me, this is a spot they're better off not finding." Amanda replied. "Don't worry though. We're almost there."

Very soon, the trio found themselves in a deep forest at the east end of London. As they walked through it, Anna felt something strange in the air. It wasn't a bad feeling, just unfamiliar. They soon came to an enormous tree in the centre of the forest. It looked perfectly normal, but Anna could feel that it was anything but. Lucy knocked on the trunk three times, and a gruff sounding voice came from within, startling Anna.

"Password?"

"The Lucky Fox." said Lucy. The front of the trunk then opened up, startling Anna even more. Inside was what appeared to be a lift with a pole in the centre.

"That's different..." said Anna as they walked in.

"It'll be even more different in a minute." said Amanda, holding onto the pole while Lucy pushed a button on the nearby panel. "By the way- you might want to hold on to this pole."

"Okay... AGH!"

As soon as the door closed, the lift plummeted down at quite a speed. Anna held on for life as it continued its speedy descent before finally slowing down.

"You okay?" said Lucy as the lift came to a stop.

"I think I may have had a few years shaved off my life..." said Anna, shaking.

"This thing always catches you off the first time, but you get used to it after a while. It's kind of like being in a theme park ride, wouldn't you agree Amanda?"

"I think so too." said Amanda. "Anyway, here we are. I think you'd better get ready..."

The lift doors opened to reveal a seemingly normal British pub. However, Anna immediately noticed something very different about the people who were drinking here- not one of them was human. They were mostly anthropomorphic animals. There were many different species here, from tigers, pandas, the odd raccoon here and there, a squirrel or two, and lizards and birds for good measure. Anna also noticed a few waitresses, including a cute red panda girl in a Chinese dress. They weren't the only patrons though- there also appeared to be a few other creatures- a few orcs, a couple of trolls, even a few dwarves. All of them enjoying a drink and chatting away as though they were normal people. As the trio stepped out of the lift, most of the creatures turned to look at them. More specifically, at Anna. They stared for a moment, then turned around and went back to their business.

"Don't worry." said Amanda. "They're always suspicious when they see a new human here. Once they realise you're a werewolf, they stop paying you attention."

"Good to know." said Anna as the trio came to a bar counter, where they sat down. "But what is this place?"

"Ah! Lucy. Amanda. Good to see you both again! I take it you're here to see the mistress?" said a distinctly welsh sounding voice. Anna looked up to see a humanoid rabbit girl with long vivid red hair and what appeared to be a deep purple dress that showed off her modest cleavage, as well as deep purple gloves. She also had mostly cream coloured fur, with pure white fur on her upper muzzle and chest area, a small buck tooth and fairly long whiskers.

"Good evening Ethyl." said Lucy. "Yup, we're here to see Miyuki."

"Of course. She already knows you're here, and she'll be along in a moment." said the bunny, who then looked at Anna. "I also see you have a new friend!"

"That's right." said Amanda. "This is Anna. She was turned last month, and she just had her first full moon. She's still not quite used to everything, as you'd expect. We figured Miyuki might want to meet her too."

"Uh... Hi." Anna waved meekly.

"Nice to meet you Anna. I'm Ethyl, the bartender here at The Lucky Fox. I'm a friendly sort, unless you end up causing trouble here. Then I'll have to get nasty. But I'm sure you're not that kind of person, right?"

"Oh no! No, I hate trouble as much as the next sensible person. Don't worry, you won't get any of that from me!"

"I thought as much. Anyway, feel free to look at the menu while you're waiting. You probably won't be served right now, but you're welcome here at any time if you ever do want a drink."

"Nice to know I've only been here five minutes and I'm already like a regular. I must say though, I wasn't expecting this. I thought wolves were the only kind of weres out there. Not other animals..."

"They're not were-animals. Not like you, anyway." came a pretty voice from behind the group. Anna turned around to see a beautiful human woman, Japanese in appearance. She had long black hair that went down to her thighs and a red kimono. She continued to speak.

"The majority of the people you see here are what we like to call Furs. As you can see, they are quite literally animal people. Most of them were born this way, but some of them used to be ordinary humans until they found their way here to the Inner World and ended up becoming what you see here. Unlike you, they cannot change back. But they don't want to anyway. They had nothing to live for in the Outer World, but here, they have purpose. A sense of peace. But I don't want to give you a full lecture here. There will be plenty of time for that later."

"O-kay..." said Anna. "You lost me at the whole "Inner World" thing."

"You'll have to excuse her." said Lucy. "She's still very new to all this. But still, I think an introduction is in order. Anna, this is Miyuki, our friend and mentor. And Miyuki, this is Anna Tyler, a recently turned werewolf. She shifted for the first time a few days ago, and we figured you could help her adjust to her new lifestyle..."

"I see." said Miyuki, shaking Anna's hand. "Training werewolves isn't really my speciality, but I've made an exception for Amanda and Lucy here. And you're probably still a little confused about your condition..."

"Among other things..." said Anna.

"Yes, well perhaps we should talk elsewhere." said Miyuki. "The spare room should be adequate. Please, follow me."



Compared to the more typical pub area, the spare room Miyuki mentioned was more oriental looking in appearance. It was also rather empty, save for an ornately designed screen near one of the corners. It seemed as though she rarely ever used the room, unless it was used for training purposes. Miyuki closed the door behind her and turned to face the trio.

"Right, we have some peace and quiet now." she said. "Now Anna, I'm guessing you must have some questions?"

"A few." said Anna. "I think that's quite an understatement though. I'll start with a simple one. Who are you? Especially if you're not a werewolf..."

"An excellent and valid question. I think it may be best if I show you..."

Miyuki turned and walked towards the screen. As she stopped next to it, she slipped off her kimono, showing she was wearing nothing underneath it. As Anna blushed at the sight of Miyuki's naked behind, she saw her her ears point up and start to grow black fur. Her now fully fur covered ears grew longer until they shifted to the top of her head, forming some kind of animal ears. White fur started to cover her breasts while her fingernails grew into claws, with black fur growing from them. Her toenails were also becoming claws and growing black fur, all the way up her legs and her back as her feet grew out into large paws. The bottom of her face began to sprout white fur and the top half in black as her nose also turned black and grew out with her mouth, forming a long muzzle. Her arms and the rest of her body became covered in black fur as well, her transformation completing with the emergence of nine long and bushy black tails, each with a white tip at the end. Anna quickly realised what she was.

"You're... a fox! A nine tailed fox- a... a kitsune!"

"I think you'll find the correct term is Kyuubi." said Miyuki, her nine tails flowing behind her beautifully. "Although Kitsune is acceptable. Just don't call me a Nine Tails. I'm not a bloody Pokemon..."

Anna laughed as Miyuki walked behind her screen. The trio watched her silhouette as she slipped on a new outfit. She emerged now wearing a dark blue Kimono, a low cut one that showed off her impressive cleavage. Her large breasts were also nicely pushed up, making her look even more captivating. The kimono was also slit at her legs, showing them off.

"I'll bet. You kind of look like a furry peacock, actually. I mean that as a complement. Really pretty. So, if you're a kitsune- uh, kyuubi, that must mean you're a shape-shifter?"

"Indeed. We kyuubi are able to shift from fox to human as we please. That's what you hear in the legends, at least. However, there's considerably more to us than that. A lot of them are untrue as well. For example, none of us actually devour human or any kind of flesh. There's not a single Hannibal Lecter type among us. Tell me. What else do you know of the legends, Anna?"

"Well... I've heard you tend to be mischief makers. Something about being loyal guardians as well... Oh, and you apparently hate dogs."

"Somewhat true, very true and completely untrue. We don't really hate dogs, it's just that they, and all other animals are capable of detecting our true nature when we are in human form. Some of us do like their mischief, though it's mostly due to people trespassing on their domains. Very occasionally you get some who have a little fun just for the sake of it, but that's really it. As for being loyal guardians, well, that's why we kyuubi exist in the first place. But time is wasting, as they say. You're here to receive training so we may as well begin."

While Miyuki was talking, Amanda and Lucy had been stripping down to their underwear and were almost about to take those off as well. Anna turned her head to see them, and looked surprised.

"You... probably might want to take your clothes off as well..." said Lucy.

"W-what?!"

"She's right." said Miyuki. "You don't want to tear them."

"Eh?"

"If you're wearing them when you change, you'll destroy them." said Amanda. "You don't want to go home naked, do you?"

"Que?"

"I think she needs a demonstration." said Miyuki. "Anna, if you please, could you roll up your sleeve and let me see your wrist?"

"Okay..."

Anna did as she was told and let Miyuki hold her left wrist. Miyuki started to concentrate, and suddenly Anna saw her fingernails grow and turn into claws as her fur started to sprout from them. Her hand quickly became a paw as the rest of her arm was covered in fur, stopping just above her elbow.

"Whoa." Anna said in a surprised manner, looking at her now transformed arm.

"That right there is something you don't hear in folk tales." said Miyuki. "Our shape-shifting capabilities go far beyond merely being able to transform ourselves. Our magic is a lot more powerful than that. We can turn ordinary humans into whatever animal we wish, normal or Fur. We can also choose whether to make the change permanent, after a set amount of time or whenever we feel like changing them back. As another benefit to our magic- we can force a werewolf to change, even if it isn't a full moon. As you can see here."

Anna looked at her furry arm with amazement, wriggling it about, stroking the fur with her human hand. She was enjoying it a little too much.

"Okay, this is awesome. And I did kind of wonder how you could train us without us being transformed. I always thought your kind was more into possession or something, though?"

"It's possible, but only if we absolutely must. We much prefer transforming people. Anyway, I'll let you have a play with your arm a little more while I change Amanda and Lucy. You'll be next, okay?"

"Sure, go ahead."



The three were now fully transformed and standing before Miyuki in an entirely new forest Anna had never seen before. They were now also wearing Karate style outfits that Miyuki had loaned them.

"How you feeling, Anna?" asked Amanda.

"Okay, I guess." Anna replied. "I was a little uncomfortable about stripping off, but now I can see it was for the best. The change was a lot quicker than it was last time, though. Didn't even have time to feel anything."

"Indeed." said Miyuki. "One thing you also have to bear in mind, Anna- even though you're in your wolf form, you won't be at full power. The full moon is your main source of power, and without it you won't be as strong. You're still far more powerful than you were as a human, but don't overdo things or you'll regret it. Anyway, I think we will begin your lesson. I'd say the first thing you need to learn is how to use the tree tops to your advantage. Now, I know Amanda and Lucy have already been given this lesson, but I hope they don't mind going through it again. I think Anna needs to learn this as well."

"Not at all." said Lucy as Amanda nodded in agreement. "It won't hurt to have a little recap to hone our own skills, either."

"All right." said Miyuki. "Anna, did you use trees to move around on your first night?"

"Only a little." replied Anna.

"Very well. Then I'll teach you how to make the best use of them. Trees are your best friends when it comes to cover and movement, so the sooner you get good at using them, the better. Let’s begin."




After Amanda and Lucy had their lessons, it was Anna's turn. She was bouncing from tree to tree, feeling a great deal of exhilaration as she did. It was almost like it was on her first night as a werewolf when she leaped over all the buildings. The power, the wind in her hair and fur, it felt good. Meanwhile, Miyuki was keeping track of her movements with Amanda and Lucy.

"She's not doing too badly, is she?" said Lucy.

"She certainly seems to be enjoying herself, at least." Amanda replied. However, Miyuki wasn't so sure of Anna’s performance so far.

"Hmm. She could be doing better. She's moving at a good pace and is keeping to the shadows, but there's one thing that could use a lot more work..."

Anna jumped to a branch on another tree and grabbed it, flipping around and planting her foot paws on top of it. She then stepped onto the branch nearest to it, only for it to break under her weight. Anna fell to the ground, landing flat on her back.

"O-ow!"

"Anna! You okay?" said Amanda as she ran over to her with Lucy and Miyuki in tow.

"A-ah! No, I'm... I'm not okay. That fall really put my back out."

"Luckily for you, it'll heal up quick." said Lucy, helping Anna up. "Just rest for a few moments, okay?"

Anna took a few deep breaths. Her back was in a lot of pain, but it didn't take long before it started to go down. Miyuki looked at Anna with a stern look on her face.

"You're simply putting too much weight into your steps. You must remember that even though your agility is much greater when you're transformed, you're also a lot heavier. You must learn to tread lightly on trees, especially branches. Otherwise you'll keep losing your footing and fall like you did back there."

Anna sighed. The pain in her back was fading away more and more as her healing kicked in.

"Sorry..."

"Try not to worry too much about it." said Amanda. "Lucy and I weren't that good to begin with either. But as you saw earlier, we've improved. So will you."

"She's right." said Miyuki. "You're still getting to grips with your everything, and you can't expect to get it right first time. Just try to be more careful, alright? Another bad move like that and it could get even worse. Still, you didn't do too badly back there. Just remember what I taught you and you'll get better in no time. As for you two, I see you have improved quite a bit since last time. You've clearly been practising. A very commendable performance."

"Really? Awesome!" said Amanda as Lucy simply blushed.

"Indeed. I still see a small amount of clumsiness, but that's nothing that can't be ironed out. Keep it up."

"We will." said Lucy, bowing. "Thanks for teaching us again. Are we done for tonight, then?"

"You two are." said Miyuki. "However, I wish to spend some more time with Anna. There's still much for us to talk about. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I wanna know more about this whole Inner World thing." said Anna as Lucy held her arm out. Miyuki took hold of it, and Lucy's fur quickly receded, her ears, nose and mouth shrank back to their human shape and her tail retracted back. With Lucy back in human form, Miyuki did the same for Amanda.

"Alright then." said Amanda. "When you're done, bring her back to the mansion and I'll run her home. That work for you, Anna?"

Anna nodded.

"We'll be off, then." said Lucy. "Thanks for bringing those clothes back Anna, though are you sure you didn't want to keep them?"

"That's okay. It gave me a good excuse to be here tonight, otherwise my housemate would have gotten suspicious. Thanks for lending them to me though!"

"Don't worry about it. I wasn't about to let you go home in that sheet that day. Anyway, see you!"

"Yeah, bye!" said Amanda as she and Lucy left the forest, leaving Anna and Miyuki alone.

"How's your back? Do you want to wait for it to fully heal before we leave?" asked Miyuki.

"Still a little sore, but I should be okay soon. Don't worry, I’ll be fine."

"Very well, but don't push yourself." said Miyuki. "If you would be so kind as to follow me. I have something I'd like to show you. Perhaps on the way, you can tell me a little bit more about yourself?"

"Uh, yeah. Okay." said Anna. Miyuki then turned and darted off into a new area of the forest. Anna quickly gave chase.




On their way to wherever it was they were going, Anna told Miyuki a bit about her life, The bullying she endured, her move to London and how she was bitten and turned. Miyuki said very little, but she showed a clear interest in Anna's story. Very soon, they reached what appeared to be a large rock wall.

"We're here." said Miyuki, feeling around the formation for something. "Now, where was it again? Here? Ah, here we go."

Miyuki pressed something on the wall and the wall opened up, revealing a long looking tunnel.

"Wow..." said Anna.

"Save your wows for when we actually get there." said Miyuki. "This is nothing compared to what I'm about to show you."

The pair began walking through the tunnel. It was incredibly quiet, something that felt all the more apparent to Anna with her newly attuned sense of hearing. It was also very dark, though that was nothing to Anna in her wolf form. They eventually came to the end of the tunnel, which led to an incredible sight. A huge cavern with a big pool of water in the centre. Various ordinary animals were drinking from it- deer, foxes, even a few badgers. None of them seemed to have any hostility towards one another, which seemed unnatural but not unpleasant. Looking around, Anna also saw a lot of trees and plants, which seemed even stranger given the location. There were also many glow bugs flying around, giving the scene a rich and beautiful aura.

"This is what I wanted to show you." said Miyuki. "What do you think?"

"It's... beautiful." said Anna, her mouth wide open. "And so quiet, too. The animals here aren't fighting or trying to eat one another either. Actually, I didn't even know there was any deer in London..."

"Hold on." said Miyuki as she took two water bottles and filled them up at the pool. As she approached the water, the other animals moved to one side to let her through as though she was royalty. Having filled up her bottles, she returned to Anna and gave one to her, as well as a straw.

"What do I need this straw for?" Anna asked. "I'm not a kid."

"Trust me. You'll need it."

Anna tried to drink the water without the straw, but Miyuki could tell she was struggling.

"Dammit... The water's dribbling out of my muzzle!"

"I'm amazed you’re not choking, actually. As you can see, it's quite hard to drink properly when you have an animal muzzle. That's what the straw is there for."

"Okay, okay. I get it."

Anna placed the straw in the bottle and started drinking.

"Wow, it's really good! Very refreshing."

"That's because the water here is of the purest quality. You can't get better anywhere else."

The two sat down and looked at the scenery.

"How's your back now?" said Miyuki. "It should be better by now, I should imagine."

"Yeah, it is. Good as new. Quick healing is pretty handy, huh?"

"Indeed, though you shouldn't rely on it too much. You can still die if you sustain too many wounds too quickly. You're not invincible, especially when it's not a full moon."

Anna thought about Miyuki's words for a moment, but there was something else on her mind.

"So, what's the deal with this place, anyway?"

"This is a very special place where nature is at peace with itself. We call it The Garden."

"As in, the Garden of Eden?"

"Not quite, though there is also a place called Eden in real life. No, that's not the one in the stories either. But as you can see, this place is nonetheless unique, even for the Inner World. Here, there is only peace. You can see things you wouldn't normally see in London, regardless of which of the two worlds you're in. It's just... a hidden paradise. I like to come here from time to time to take my mind off things for a while."

"I can see why. It's really something else. But tell me. You keep mentioning this "Inner World". What is it, exactly?"

"I knew that one was coming eventually. Essentially, this planet is split into two worlds that run parallel to each other. The Outer World- your world- is solely inhabited by humans and normal animals, and is usually devoid of any supernatural activity. Then there's the Inner World, which is home to various mythological creatures, and even gods. Many creatures and beings of legend exist, or have existed here, away from human eyes. Even the gods of various mythologies actually existed, though perhaps not in the way you know them. This side of the world is at one with nature, as you can see here in the Garden. Despite all that, the Inner World is mostly populated by Furs. They are the most common species here, just like humans are in the Outer world."

"You did say Furs aren't like us, right?"

"Right. I'm a shape shifter by nature and can change whenever I want. You change every full moon or if a kyuubi forces you to change, but we can both spend time as a human. Furs are different, though. They can't change their form, even the ones that were once human."

"So, ordinary humans managed to find this place, then?"

"I wouldn't say they found the Inner World, more like we found them. Most of the time they're either found, rescued or both by kyuubi such as myself. Sometimes they find their way there by pure chance. But they always remain the same- people who have had a miserable life, nothing to live for in the Outer World. So we give them a choice. Become part of the Inner World, where you can start over, or go back to your previous life. Those who choose the former are then transformed by our magic, and all traces of their existence in the Outer World are removed. All memories and signs they ever existed, like photos and whatnot, completely erased from people's memories. They then live the rest of their lives as one of those you saw tonight, and the change is permanent. If they choose to live with us, there's no going back. If they choose the latter, they return to their normal life, but all their memories of being in the Inner World are erased. That's so there's no chance of our world being discovered by those who would fear and try to destroy us."

"That's some powerful magic. But didn't you say that it was possible to make the change temporary as well? What do you use that for?"

"Mainly on those who trespass on our territories, or when we're feeling particularly mischievous. That's not as often as you'd think, but it does happen. I have a friend who lives in Alaska, and one day she felt like going on a sled ride. Problem was, she couldn't find any huskies about to pull it. As luck would have it, she saw a human couple who were spending time in a secluded cabin in the snow. So, she turned them into huskies for her sled."

"As in normal huskies, or Furs?"

"Furs, oddly enough. She always did have a perverted sense of humour. She set the spell so it would wear off the next morning, and spent most of the evening having them pull her along. They actually ended up rather enjoying it, and when they were done the couple spent the night getting rather... frisky, shall we say. By the time morning came, they became human again and lost all their memories of what happened. However, they still kept some of that friskiness. It turned out their marriage was in trouble and they went to that cabin in the hope of rekindling it. And it did, thanks to my friend's intervention. So, even a little mischief can do some good."

"Haha, that's actually kinda funny. Glad to know it turned out okay, though. But what really got me was the non furry folk. I mean, the orcs and all that were even less expected. They don't cause trouble, do they?"

"Not in my pub, they don't. And honestly, most species in the Inner World, orcs included, are actually quite peaceful. It's just that as with humans, there are good ones and bad ones. All the good people here live together in peace. However, that doesn't mean life is easy here, either. There are certain creatures that can be quite vicious and try to cause a lot of harm, as well as escape into the Outer World to cause harm to the people there too. In between the worlds are the kyuubi, the guardians of the Inner World. We ensure that humans do not find the Inner World, and that the Outer World is protected from those from the Inner World that would be a threat to them."

"So you're basically peacekeepers, then?"

"In a way. Some of us have their own territories that they must protect, others wander both sides of the world in search of any activity that might catch our interest, be it escaped monsters or other strange phenomena. Some of us tend to settle down and retire to a more quiet life, like I have with my pub. Having said that, even the likes of me are vigilant for any problems that may arise. We always have to be on our toes."

"Settle down, huh? I heard kitsune like to take the form of beautiful women to seduce men. Is that true?"

"We do indeed do that, but it's only because we can be lonely and we crave companionship. Sometimes, being a guardian can be very lonely, and sometimes we just want a family of their own. Me? I more wanted to have somewhere others from the Inner World could meet and have some fun while I keep an eye on things here in London. I used to work as a ninja in the old days, and I've seen much of the world in my time. I've experienced so much in my life. More than you can ever imagine. All the events in world history you've read about? I've actually lived them. But the time came where I just wanted to stay in one place. In the end I decided to set up The Lucky Fox with Ethyl, and we've been here ever since. I still do fight from time to time, but only when I need to."

"Sounds like you've seen a lot. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'll just say I've been around for a very long time. I've seen many people come and go in my life. We are immortal, though we can still die to fatal wounds."

"So you don't have quick healing like us?"

"Not quite. We can still recover from wounds faster than humans, but nowhere near as fast as you can. Being careful is something all species need to bear in mind, be they human, kyuubi or even werewolf."

"Yeah, I hear that. Speaking of werewolves, how did you meet Amanda and Lucy? And why did you choose to help them?"

"It was several months ago during a full moon. I was taking a walk when I noticed a fight going on. I was shocked to find it was between two werewolves and an orc that had escaped into the Outer World. I still don't know how it happened, but there it was. He had the werewolves on the ropes, too. It was clear they had no combat experience, so they were losing badly. I intervened however, and together we were able to put the orc back where it belonged. Afterwards, the werewolves introduced themselves as Amanda and Lucy, and they thanked me. It had been a while since I had last met any of their kind, and I saw they had no idea about what they had just fought. So, I offered to teach them about the Inner World as well as help them hone their skills. That way they wouldn't be in quite so much danger if something like that ever happened again. They accepted, and we've known each other ever since."

"I'm not surprised they struggled. Those two definitely seem to be the types to spend more time feeling each other up than actually stretching their legs."

Miyuki laughed.

"Indeed. Luckily, they turned out to be fast learners and are progressing well. I think you could be the same. For someone who's only been a werewolf for less than a week, you've adapted to your change quite well, but you could still use some finesse. Still, I think you can go far if you use your abilities wisely. But I must ask- how are you feeling about all this?"

"Honestly? I actually feel great. I'm surprised I'm not a monster like I originally feared, but I'm still... me. Whatever's different about me, at the end of the day my personality is the same. I'm just... stronger. And furrier. And sexier, if I do say myself. I don't think I've ever looked this good. I only wish I had this kind of confidence when I was younger..."

"From what you've told me, your life before moving here was awful. It must have been hard."

"Yeah. I went through a lot. My best friend Alice helped me through most of it. Then I had my imagination. That helped me out a bit as well."

"What did you imagine?"

"Well... Ever since I was I was young, I always wanted to be a superhero. Do things normal people couldn't, go on adventures on a regular basis, save innocent people... Yeah. I just wanted to be like Spider-Man or Batman or the Power Rangers. That's the kind of stuff that always inspired me. Of course, I was nothing like that in real life. Rather than saving people, I was always the one needing to be saved. I think my dream mostly stemmed from how weak I was in real life. I just wanted to be strong. And I wasn't."

"Yes. Well, strength isn't something to be taken lightly. Simply being strong means nothing if your heart isn't strong either. It may be corny to say, but it's true. And it applies to anyone, no matter who or what you are. I feel your heart is stronger than you think. You just need to see it."

"Yeah. Maybe now I have a few more friends, hopefully I will. Both them and becoming a werewolf has definitely boosted my confidence. Actually, I have one more question about you. Do you have any hobbies?"

"I do love watching movies. Though I can't say I care for many of the films of today. They're just not as memorable as they used to be. What about you?"

"Haha, I never would have twigged you as a movie nut. Well, I do love video games. And I'm also a movie nerd. I agree about preferring the older ones, too. I would probably say Airplane! or Die Hard are my favourites. You?"

"Blazing Saddles. An unusual choice for me, wouldn't you say? But it just gets funnier every time I watch it. Maybe Dirty Harry if I'm in a more serious mood. I must say, this is rather pleasant. You're an interesting one, Anna. I think it's fair to say I'll be keeping a good eye on you."

"Heh, some people would consider that stalking."

"I don't mean it like that. As I said earlier, it's been a long time since I last had a chat with any of your kind. Now I've met three in the space of a few months. Most peculiar, in a good way."

Anna smiled, then glanced at her watch suddenly and saw the time.

"Oh geez, it's getting close to midnight. I should probably head back home before Alice gets worried again."

"Your friend? I understand. There's still a lot I have to tell you, but I guess it can wait another day. In the meantime, I'll take you back to Amanda and Lucy. I'll change you back when we get there, too."

"Thanks. And thanks for the training. It's been nice talking to you. And meeting you."

"Think nothing of it. You're always welcome to come to my pub if you want a drink or to talk to me or Ethyl. You know the password, right?"

"Yup. Knock three times, and then say "The Lucky Fox", right?"

"That's right. Well, time to go."

Miyuki dashed off out of the cavern, closely followed by Anna. As she followed the kitsune, her words echoed in her head.

"But I think you can go far if you can just use your abilities wisely."

Anna still had no idea what to use those abilities for. However, it wouldn't be long before she would find her answer, and her calling...



After returning Anna to Amanda and Lucy, Miyuki returned to The Lucky Fox. As she walked in, she saw that most of the regulars had left, and the few people who were still around were getting ready to leave after a good night's drinking. Ethyl was also cleaning up around the counter before she noticed Miyuki.

"Welcome back." she said. "How'd it go?"

"Not too bad. Amanda and Lucy are certainly improving, and while Anna is a little rough around the edges she has the potential to be quite skilled. We'll have to wait and see. I trust nothing happened while I was gone?" said Miyuki.

"Well..." said Ethyl. "There has been one thing..."

"What's that?"

"You have a visitor. She's waiting in the spare room. She says it's urgent."

"A visitor? Now who could that be?" said Miyuki, though she felt she already knew. She moved to the spare room and was met with an extraordinarily glamorous woman. She was a humanoid bear with a stunning figure, with long legs, large breasts, a smallish waist and wide hips. She had long blonde hair that went down to her knees and bright red lipstick. Finally, she was clad in a skimpy red top which showed off much of her cleavage and bared her midriff, and a long red skirt that was cut away at the front, showing off her legs. The woman had a truly otherworldly feel about her.

"O-oh! Goddess Minerva! What brings you here?" said Miyuki.

"Hello Miyuki." said Minerva. "I have some very important news for you. The situation is becoming increasingly dire..."

Miyuki felt her stomach tie in knots. She knew what Minerva was talking about, and it wasn't going to be good...