I consider myself a patient woman. I would even say that I am a very reasonable woman. With these two assertions in mind, one may wonder how it was that I came to be standing on a bridge in a rain storm, preparing myself to jump into the tumultuous waters below.
The first blow to my soul came many years ago. My husband was killed when the plane he was taking for a business trip was hijacked and flown into the Twin Towers on 9/11. My son and I were devastated, and he never truly recovered from the loss of his father. I had to start teaching Japanese at the local community college just to pay the bills, and because I was gone so much, my son grew distant from me. He grew up angry at the world and enlisted in the Marines straight out of highschool despite my pleading. Shortly after he left, the college had a string of lay-offs, and now, today, I have received the final nail in the coffin.
My son is dead.
He was killed by an explosion from an IED while protecting a convoy of supplies. Now I am left with nothing. My last reason for living has been ripped away from me. My short life is now about to come to an end. I have fallen from the most joyous of heavens down to the sorrowful earth, never to rise again.
Just as I began to step off the railing, I felt a hand grasp my arm, restraining me. Confused, I turned to see what was obstructing my path to oblivion. As I completed my rotation, I beheld the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her shimmering, raven hair framed her glowing white skin and ivory features. She wore a flowing white and red kimono, styled after the cut of a shinto priestess. Even in the rain, she did not look bedraggled, if anything, the rain dripping down her hair only added to her grace.
She spoke to me, her voice as glorious as her countenance, “Michiko...” She knew my name. Who was this strange woman, and how did she know who I was?
“I know much more than your name, my daughter.” She smiled softly at me. Before I could voice any questions, she held a finger up to my lips and said, “I may not be your mother, but my blood runs through your veins nonetheless.”
Intrigued, I stepped down from the railing. I couldn’t help but feel as though I’d seen this woman before. She felt so familiar and there was some sort of invisible bond connecting us. Logically, I knew I had never before met her, and my confusion showed on my face.
Even as I began to formulate a question, she answered me, “That connection you feel is that of my divine blood in you. I have waited hundreds of years to show myself to a mortal. Hundreds of years spent waiting for you. I am the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu.”
My first instinct was to laugh at this woman who was clearly insane, but that same connection which I felt reverberated inside me as she spoke her name. A name which I had only heard in stories of the ancient times of Japan. A benevolent goddess who loved her people and provided for them. The same goddess whom the true Emperors of Japan descended from. All of this information flooded my mind, and with each thought that bond grew stronger and stronger till I could swear it was a visible line between us.
“Those ‘stories’ your father taught you were true.” She smiled gently. “He may not have known it at the time, but his ancestry dates back to the days of my own great-great-great-great grandson, Emperor Itoku, and your mother’s dates only a few generations after him.”
At this, I now knew this woman was making things up. My mother wasn’t even Japanese! Her whole family came from the Henan province of China. I was just about to tell this woman how full of it she was when she cut me off once more, as if she knew what I was going to say even before I did. “Yes, I know your mother comes from the Middle Kingdom, across the sea, but her father, 15 generations back, fled there from Japan.”
I was taken aback. How could this woman claim to know so much unless she truly was who she claimed to be?
I shook my head to clear away these thoughts. I had come here to die. Who this woman was had no bearing on that fact. My only reasons to live had been ripped away and so my short tale would come to a sudden end.
“Michiko,” her stern voice jolted me out of my morbid thoughts, “I did not wait these many years for you to kill yourself. I came here tonight to offer you a new life.”
I sneered at the offer. A new life? For what? To continue living in the agony of loss? Such is not life. That is only pain eternal.
“I say once more. I offer you a new life, in a new world, but most of all, I offer you a new purpose.” Those piercing eyes burrowed into my soul. I couldn’t look away, and somehow I knew that everything she had been saying was true. Impossible, but true.
The sun goddess took a deep breath and explained, “There is a world that is ruled in part by a sun goddess like myself, kind, loving, and wise. However, there are other gods who grew jealous of this near-utopia and are now fighting for control of it. Many good deities have tried to help this celestial being, but they are all locked in a stalemate.” A grimace marred her perfect face for an instant before she continued, “Although we don’t care to admit it, there are rules which we, as gods cannot break. This is why each god has chosen a mortal to battle in their place. Many have come to refer to this battle as a game of sorts, but those who do have lost sight of the lives which depend on this war.”
With every word that flowed from her mouth, images washed over my mind as though I were remembering my own past experiences. Images of beautiful plains, cities of clouds, colorful, peaceful creatures frolllicking in bliss. Then the sights of death and destruction came. Chaotic and frightening, they assaulted my mind in a cacophony of fire and fear.
I looked to Amaterasu, no doubt in my mind now as to her identity, my eyes pleading for a good ending to this tale. Her lips curved upward in an understanding and merciful smile. “This is where you come in, my daughter. You see, all those years ago when your ancestors fled from persecution, it was all in preparation for you. Omoikane himself was the one who created this plan, with his incredible mind. You are to be the one who brings peace to this great war of the gods. Even Inari has contributed to this cause.”
Omoikane, the god of wisdom, being able to think many thoughts at once. He was the only one able to predict the future accurately. Inari, the god of fertility and foxes, another benevolent god who was occasionally mischievous in teaching his lessons to those who had wandered from the path of righteousness. Those names rattled around in my mind, dislodging stories of old from my father. If legends as great as these three great gods, Amaterasu, Inari, and Omoikane, were all depending on me to stop this battle, how could I say no?
Just as those words ran through my mind, Amaterasu sighed in relief. “I, no we, thank you for this. While it may seem like a sacrifice now, you will be very glad that you chose this action. Your choice will save countless lives.”
With those words, my vision began to fade. As the corners of my sight turned to blackness, I began to panic. Had I made the right choice? What was happening to me?
Just before I lost all of my sight, Amaterasu appeared before my eyes once more, her smile as gentle and reassuring as ever. No words were spoken, but with that smile, I knew that I was going to be fine.
No.
I was going to be better than fine. I had a new life and a new purpose. When my time is through I will be with my family again, but until then, I am needed here.
In Equestria.
Author's Note
Hello again everyone. It has been quite some time since I last wrote anything at all on here. In fact, it was nearly a year ago that I started Not the Afterlife I Signed Up For. I am sorry that the story died, but I was inexperienced and far too preoccupied with other things at the time to give it the attention it deserved. I hope you all enjoy this story as it unfolds, and I wish you all the best of luck in your own endeavors!
The scent of lemongrass wafted through the air, carried by a dainty breeze. The same breeze which rustled the leaves of the oak trees overhead. My new ears flicked involuntarily at the noise, tracking the movement of the wind through the branches. I forced them back to their natural position. Stillness was crucial for meditation, meditation is crucial for understanding, and understanding is crucial for action. These immutable facts had been drilled into my head from my childhood. These same facts have helped me countless times throughout my life.
When I woke in a grassy meadow, I had been startled to discover my new form. Even before I opened my eyes, I knew things were different. My whole body just felt strange. Not unnatural or bad, just strange. It reminded me of that sensation one gets when awaking after a long nap. The next thing I noticed were my senses. They seemed a hundred times more active than they had been in my previous life. Even without opening my eyes, I could hear the life around me: the plants, the insects, even the small squirrel watching me on the tree about 20 ft away. I could feel the sun on me, the wind rustling my fur coat. I could smell the grass, the trees, the animals, everything.
Then I opened my eyes.
The sun's glory was faintly muted by a passing white cloud in a sapphire sky. This incredible sight stole my breath away, but there was still more to see. The heavens were framed by the verdant leaves of the surrounding forest, and the light of the sun flickered through the moving branches, leaving moving patterns of light, dancing across the meadow of pale green grass.
Finally my eyes turned to myself. As my other senses had already told me, I was different, new. I now had the body of a fox. A fiery orange pelt covered my body, though my ears faded to black as though charred. My other extrimities were tipped with white. The only feature that immediately distinguished me from a normal fox would be the number of tails which I sported. Three tails extended out behind me as natural as though I had been born with them. I could feel so much energy and balance flowing from these appendages.
My new body was so exceedingly different from my old one, but I already felt as though I had spent my whole life in this form. To test myself, I began to move around, reveling in my new form. I would be lying if I said I didn't get a little carried away. I may have even frolicked a little bit.
My mirth was interrupted as I noticed something laying in the grass near where I had awoken. I paced through the tall grass till I could make out what had caught my eye.
In the grass lay a katana in a ruby-red sheath. The hilt was wrapped in black with glimpses of white leather beneath it. The brass fittings hugged the glistening red-lacquered saya, accenting the black metal designs lining the sides. On top of the sword was a white, silken scroll. Curious, I used a paw to unfurl the scroll on the ground. Inside I found a message from Amaterasu, giving me more information about my body and this new world in which I found myself.
I read of this world, this place called Equestria and many of its inhabitants. While there was no map, nor were there pictures, I could feel the life and energy of each creature as Amaterasu's words described them. From the magical abilities of the Unicorn to the incredible flying of the Pegasi, I could picture each one in my mind, and my awe of the majesty of this world continued to grow.
Then the letter turned to me. She told me of my new form, that of a "kitsune." I had already heard of this name many times in the stories from my father. Stories of mystical fox spirits the could either be mischievous tricksters, or the most loyal of lovers. Inari was their ruler, and now Amaterasu's previous mention of him now made sense. He had lent me one of their bodies to use.
She then explained what my tails meant. The number of tails a kitsune had was representative of their wisdom and magical power. With three tails, I was granted short range telekinesis, selective telepathy with other telepaths, and the ability to shapeshift into one other form.
Now, even after reading this information, I had no idea how I was supposed to actually make use of these so called powers. Amaterasu's letter was quick to inform me that when I needed to use the powers, I would be able to use them.
I then read the final paragraph. This was the one that really surprised me. I had been somewhat prepared for a new world and a new form, but not for a companion.
The sword was named the Kogitsune-maru, which translates to English roughly as the Little Fox. This was a magical sword forged by the Shinto Blacksmith God, Munechika, with the help of the fox spirits of Inari.
Now, in Japanese folklore, everything has a spirit. The best swords of legend had very strong spirits. So strong that they dictated how the sword would perform in combat. The Kogitsune-maru was famed for having a strong good spirit. It would not cause any unnecessary harm.
Apparently, Amaterasu had chosen this sword to be my "travel companion." I was quite confused at this. How could an inanimate object be my companion?
My silent pondering was interrupted by a voice which pierced my thoughts. "Excuse me, mi'lady?" The voice actually had spoken in Japanese, but for the sake of the story, I will translate what he said into English.
At the sound of these words, my head shot up, peering through the tall grass to find who had spoken, but despite my new senses, the speaker could not be found.
Once again, I heard the male voice, rich and deep, call to me, "I apologize for interrupting your perusal of Madame Amaterasu's letter, but I feel I should introduce myself."
It was then I realized, both times I had heard the voice, my ears hadn't reacted, but my left tail had. From what I knew now from Amaterasu's scroll, that meant this voice was not speaking to my ears, but to my mind.
Finally everything clicked into place. I looked at the sword on the ground. Feeling somewhat foolish, I thought at the sword, Yes?
I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved or worried when I 'heard' the voice again. Ah, yes, I was somewhat worried that you weren't able to hear me for a moment. He coughed as though clearing his throat and then continued, While I am sure you know who I am from the letter, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the one and only Kogitsune-maru, forged by the hand of Munechika himself! It is a great pleasure to be working with a descendant of Amaterasu herself!
There were many things which I can easily accept, but disembodied voices aren't on that list. I gulped and nodded. The pleasure is all mine, Sir. I, uh, thank you for accompanying me on my journey.
Pah! Think nothing of it, mistress. I started a bit at that title, but he continued before I could interject, Now, what are we going to do first? Slay some bandits? Fight some demons? He continued to rattle off questions in a rapid fire manner.
Finally, I cut him off, mentally shouting, Be silent! The peace of being left to my own thoughts for a moment was blissful. I then informed my talkative companion that I would be meditating over the information which had been given me in order to come up with a plan. Though he did not say as much, I did get the distinct impression that he did not care much for meditation.
This brings us back to the three-tailed fox meditating in a forest clearing with an impatient katana strapped to her back and a scroll in her lap.
My meditation continued for at least a solid hour. It may seem long to some, but this was quite the puzzle I was faced with. While I knew some about those who populated the land, I still did not know where I was, or what to do. I might have made slightly more progress had my thoughts not been constantly interrupted by, Are you done yet? Can we go fight something evil already? and other such interjections by the sword on my back.
Finally, my concentration was shattered entirely by a sound that I could not simply brush aside. The sound of a crying child.
My eyes flashed open, full of fury. The fury of a mother. I would not stand idly by when a child cries for help. Despite only occupying my new body for a few short hours, I nearly flew through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and bounding off tree trunks to add to my speed. While Kogitsune said nothing to me, I could feel his whole outlook change as well. Where he was yearning for conflict before, now he was tense, ready to defend and bring forth justice upon whatever had caused this weeping child to cry.
Finally, we came upon the source of the commotion. I could scarcely believe my eyes. I had only heard of such creatures from the legends that my mother told me of ancient China. Amaterasu’s letter had told me there would be many more creatures beside the ones she listed, but I never could have expected this. For there in front of me lay a tiny filly. A young horse or pony, but with batlike wings. A lóngmǎ?
I had been running from those bullies for at least half an hour now. Most of the time they'd give up after so long, but since I hit that jerk in the face, it didn't look like they were giving up any time soon. I looked at my small pair of leathery wings and wished they were big enough for me to really fly away. If only I were older, then these bullies wouldn't be able to catch me.
A rock whizzed past my head, shocking me out of my thoughts. That darn Divine Justice. Ever since he'd been able to lift so much as a pebble, he'd been lording his magical talents over the rest of the school. Then you add the fact that his mom keeps telling he is the bestest little colt in the world, and his ego, you'll quickly see why I don't like the guy. I could have easily just shrugged off his stupid little antics, but when he started making fun of me for my wings, I got angry. When he started calling me names because I'm an orphan, I got freakin' angry. I'm not about to let some racist prick start making fun of me because I don't have parents. I know I probably shouldn't use words like "prick," but sometimes I just get so mad, that those type of words are the only ones I can think of! I remember my teacher used a word to describe ponies who are scared of things that are different. I think it was "xenofaber," um, no that's not it. "Senofibic?" Ugh, I don't remember what it was, but Justice was really being that!
Anyway, I kept on running through the woods behind the school, hoping I could lose them. I got hit by a couple of the rocks, and I scratched my left wing on a branch, but it could have been a lot worse. I mean, I did kinda make Justice's nose bleed when I hit him, and I don't really want to know what all they had planned for me. Finally, I ducked under a fallen log and hid there. I heard them all go rushing past me, but I decided to wait for awhile and let thembe the ones chewed out by the teacher.
While I sat there, my mind went back to the mean things the other kids said about me. How I was weird because I had different wings and eyes. How my parents must not love me since they left me at the orphanage. How nopony would ever love a freak like me. Once I started thinking, I couldn't stop. I'm not sure when I started, but pretty soon I was crying. I tried to stop the tears, rubbing my face with my forelegs, but I just kept feeling sadder and sadder. Eventually I couldn't hold back anymore and started sobbing. I didn't really care at that point. I mean, who was going to hear me way out here in the woods? The other kids had probably already gone home to their parents.
I was really at a loss of what to do, so I crawled out of my log and did something I'd never tried before. I prayed to Celestia. I mean, I didn't actually say anything out loud, but I thought at her really hard. All I really wanted was a friend. You know, someone who would be on my side when the other kids picked on me. Though, I really wish I could have a mommy...
Author's Note
I hope you all are enjoying this so far, and I can't wait to get y'all's reactions to my little bit there at the end. I had originally planned on leaving it with just the "A lóngmǎ?" bit and forcing you guys to do some research, but I felt that might be a bit much to ask for some of you. :P Thanks for reading, and I hope you like what is to come!
P.S. Sorry for "THE FEELS!" You'll be getting more of those to come.
