It was another afternoon after class that I was followed and attacked by these Onis. The first was huge and he smashes me deep at land, almost making me to eat earth; the second were two handling long chains to tie me. If there is some word I can express all this is one: tired.

Come on! Two followed days that I was almost died by creatures that came from wherever I don’t know and with the same weird reason that I have kitsune bloodline and that eat me would be the origin of the power they want. Origin or not, this is so crazy and ridiculous than believe that Neymar is the best soccer player of world. Nothing makes sense.

And guess how am I? Upset, disappointed, chased. After a cold shower and looking at me on the mirror I just saw a simple orange fox that was sad with all this. My soul is at point to scream and my body is weak enough for every kind of temptation that comes and possesses me. I was shaken, but I couldn’t tell it to my father. He would be very worried and order me to return to my city and forget the university, the dream I fought so much to arrive and meet new and old people. All looks to break at my front.

– Master?

Tanuki knocks the door, waiting for me for some reason. I sigh and unlock the door, curling the towel on my waist and opening the door. I think incredible how someone that fights against demons can keep the body completely clean and in form, different from me that was hurt a lot. My ears are down together with my eyes, arms and legs are hurting and the motivation to keep going is fading away.

– You are disappointed, Master – Tanuki said worried. – Is there something I can do?

– I think I need to rest a little – I commented avoiding looking at him and going out of bathroom, walking until my room. Tanuki followed me.

– I prepared a tea for you, Master.

– I am grateful by your effort for me, Tanuki, but I need to rest a little – rest my head and put my soul in peace. For the surprise, my tea was already there, on my bedside.

– Tea is perfect to rest your spirit, Master – he pushes me until the bed, encouraging me and not caring if I was naked covering my parts with a towel – Please, sit. I am here to take care of you.

I couldn’t complain. I was really needing help or someone to talk or even a hug. I sit, leaning my back on the headboard and grabbing the cup that was warmed by the tea. Green tea. Before, I was trading my looks between Tanuki that was paying attention on me and the tea inviting me to take a sip.

I take a breath a little and I feel the smell flowing in my nose, arriving at my brain and sharing for the rest of body. This was the only thing that made me sketch a smile and give the first sip. The heat on my lips was good. Tanuki was glad with me and me for him. I don’t know for how long. Sometimes I am annoying with him and maybe I should me more grateful by his hand lifting me. I could wish the leaves flowing at the room and feel the good wind blowing my fur.

Thinking a lot.

– Thank you – I said. – I think I needed it.

– You’re welcome, Master. Now if you desire I can let you in peace.

– Wouldn’t you feel boring with it?

– Not more than you trying to rest.

His laugh was funny – even I don’t knowing if this was a joke – and he didn’t complain neither added any other word. He left me alone at room, closing the door and now I find myself in peace at my room. The bed was inviting me to sleep and my body was needing after a class… on true, after another hunt.

I believe that after a good tea I should rest my body and try to forget what happened today.

~

The nap was deep and sweet how I wanted after a good tea. I was waking up lazy losing notion of how much I slept. The body naked, the tower drying on the window and the good breath are sweet enough to make my soul flies away. I try to lift my body and stretch the arms, yawning long and feeling the bones cracking. I had forgotten how delicious was to stretch the body and feel…

Presence! God! There is someone at my front, one hooded man wearing a black coat, jeans, a white mask with a fox drawing and strangely a paper on the forehead with a strange written I can’t read. I can’t see nothing behind the black eyes and the marks together with the smile are giving me chill. I land my back on the headboard desiring that there was a secret passage in case of emergency or that it’s just a dream.

Forget the part I am naked. This I forgot completely unless he wants my body.

I rebuke this!

– Keep quiet. This will be a fast meeting – he spoke cold that if he wanted a fast and sweet meeting he isn’t helping.

– Get out from here! – I screamed forgetting if I could call attention of neighbors, even being a good idea… or not. – Are you a Yokai? What do you want?

– I said this will be fast and I just want to let you know the dangerous you are running.

Now I don’t know if he says it as a guardian angel or the next one to hunt me alive. Looking at his tail and the fur I was presuming he was some canine or maybe a black fox, but I can’t believe that a fox is on this game too.

– I don’t trust in your words – I contract my body wanting that any part of me he holds. – Get out from here!

He didn’t move, neither reacted. The mask gives him the coldness and firmness that he needs to face his opponents. What I need literally is a help and, God! How didn’t Tanuki notice that someone entered into my room by the window?

He keeps quiet looking at me. This is the pure scene of horror movie.

– I said to get out from here! I have nothing to offer you.

I have seen nothing what happened. He puts his paw on the bed and in a velocity I can’t judge he was literally facing me almost making my muzzle touches his mask while he handles a sword close on my neck. This was fast and unpredictable enough to make me shut up and almost cry forward him, even trying to hold my hard breath. The heart pulsing fast and crazy while I see my future behind these occult eyes.

– You are daring how I presumed even not knowing to defend yourself – he talks lifting the blade under my chin, making me shake in pure fear to die. – And on true, you have a lot to offer.

– What… what are you meaning with it? – I stuttered low. – I have…

– You are…

His voice… was very cold and strong, penetrating my feelings and piercing my heart. This sword… how I am afraid of it!

I was there such seconds facing him and the mask by force until he backs off with his sword, saving it in a sheath on his left side. The way he saves the sword and the posture he keeps brings a scary elegance by his soft movements. Almost I narrowly had my neck cut.

– Forgive my hurry – he lowers the head, but I suspect his eyes are lifted. I keep trying to pass through the headboard with a desire to get away from there. – I believe you are receiving these invites very early and at wrong moment. You have notion of everything that will come.

– I know nothing – I keeps stuttering. – Who are you? You aren’t helping me.

– I am just letting you a warning. There are more Yokais that will come until you and I will be one of them on the right time.

He said “Yokai” completing that he will be the next one to hunt me too. Who in the hell is he?

– I never asked for it! Why are you hunting me? What do you want with me?

He kept in silence on the same pose and angle looking like frozen. I don’t know what is more fatal: the silence from his eyes or the blade he handles.

– I thought you knew the answer. I was like you when I discovered it.

– Discovered what?

– You will understand best when you look for yourself.

He jumped back and stands out of bed, letting me a big space – at least this was in part relief. He could attack me, kill me, steal me… whatever. I was alone and Tanuki didn’t hear my screams or this crazy Japanese dog appears on wrong hours.

The masked fox turned at window and walked there to go out, but before he looks at me staring his eyes with the mine, enough to make me freeze.

– Don’t get anxious with your time, Ochiba. Your time will come like the mine.

– What are you talking about? And I am not Ochiba – after this reply he keeps in silence looking away from the window, maybe the sky that looks beautiful for him – for him.

– Everyone is hunting you for one reason and you should know it.

– If you are talking about my suspicious kitsune bloodline can forget it!

He replied no words; his eyes were the disapproval from my attitudes. He puts his paws on the window and climbed with one hand holding the board while the other holds the sword like if he was afraid that it falls from him.

– I hope to see you soon, Ochiba.

– Wait! Why are you calling me Ochiba?

The time I was asking he already jumped and disappeared from my eyes, letting me alone again. Alone and afraid because I was glued on the headboard sweating a lot at right moment I woke up and I face again with another person, other Yokai.

If he is a Yokai, who would he be? He looks like a normal fox, but it was difficult to see his fur. I just wonder he is black because his ears were visible together with tail. The mask was other thing very weird. Now-a-day who would use a mask with a paper on the forehead that I was unable to read what was written?

God! I need to jump from the bed and look for Tanuki. Where is he when I most need? I don’t care in dressing neither an underwear because I was very anxious to think in other thing if not help. Forget the boring neighbors if I have them. I was in trouble and it justifies my screams, not matter what these people say about me. It’s the second time that someone invaded my apartment by the bedroom window.

What should I do next? Keep the window closed the entire life to not receive Drácula here?