A few days had past since Koji and Yasmin defeated the fire fiend Dakumet. The two warriors decided to stay within the safe walls of Sobal Bend City, a popular tourist area where people travel from all over New Eden to partake in the massive festival that takes place around this time of year. Five miles out from Sobal Bend, Koji and Yasmin continued their training in getting Koji accumulated with the fire Ranshio Essences that surrounds them. The young boy sat with his legs crossed on the massive hillside of Sobal Plains. He could feel the wind slightly caressing his cheek as he continued to search for the fire essences around him.
Approaching behind him was Yasmin who had just finished picking up fresh apples from a local tree. She looked on at the green pastures that stood below them and began taking a deep breathe while soaking in the moment. The wind had carried her hair in front of her face as she slowly began tracing the strands back behind her ear. She noticed the young boy not making much progress with gathering fire Ranshio Essences as he released a low grunt with fidgeting eyebrows.
"Ahhh it's no use, I can't draw out the fire Ranshio Essences like I did last time!" Koji shouted while lifting both of his hands in the air then proceeded in ruffling up his hair.
"It's gonna take time to get use to it kid, Tensuke City wasn't built in a day you know," Yasmin replied reassuringly as she approached the boy while offering one of the apples she had picked from the tree. Koji looked up at Yasmin and saw the bright smile painted on her face. A red blush line had instantly appeared upon his face as he quickly grabbed the apple and shifted his gaze away.
"Um...thanks..." he muttered, then proceeded in taking a bite out of the apple.
"You know you don't have to act all bashful around me right?"
"It's not that it's just..." Koji stumbled on the words to say to Yasmin, he began reflecting on his past for a few seconds while gazing up at the clouds, watching them stroll by. "It's nothing..." he said finally as he proceeded in taking another bite out of the apple.
"Hmmm...ok then..." Yasmin had taken upon herself to sit beside Koji with her arms stretched back and her legs stretched forward. She could feel the rich soft soil beneath her fingertips as she started to stare at the sunset that was occurring before her. "There's something I've been meaning to ask by the way," she said suddenly, grasping Koji's attention immediately.
"What is it?" Koji pondered.
"Has it really just been you, traveling alone all this time?"
"For a good part of it, yeah, but then I met Vincent and Zack. The three of us have been traveling in search of the Dragon Claws and my friends. We would take on odd jobs as well to make money for our travels,"
"Really? Where are they? It's been a few days now and you haven't made mention of them or tried to meet up with them..."
"Let's just say we had a little disagreement so we're taking some time to cool off," Koji replied with pouted lips and a slight cast of his gaze towards the right of him.
"Oh I see," Yasmin chuckled as she finished her apple "so they're most likely still in town then huh, that's why you didn't want to leave too far from the area to train?"
"Well aren't you perceptive."
"Hey, I got a knack for these kinds of things," Yasmin lifted herself up from the ground while performing a slight stretch of the arms. "It's going to get dark soon, let's call it a night and head into town I'm sure a good bath at the spa will help your body focus on gathering essences."
"It will?"
"Hey, don't you trust your master?"
"I mean yeah I guess..." Koji stated with narrowed eyes.
The two had made their way back into town where multiple crowds were forming throughout the city. People were dressed in kimonos as they walked passed the many vendors that offered various items for sale. Yasmin had paid for a room and the use of the hot springs that were located in the back of the inn. She gave Koji a slight nod, signaling him to go on ahead without her.
(I have to get stronger, and fast...I have to control my element...) Koji thought while getting himself undressed. He quickly wrapped a towel around his bare body as he proceeded towards the steaming water that seemed to relax and soothe the body upon contact. He slowly entered the spring as the heat began to rise off his body. "(This heat...)" he thought as he began staring at his right hand.
"Ahh so you're feeling the fire essences after all?" The voice of Yasmin questioned from behind Koji, startling the young boy as he quickly shifted his gaze back to see his master leaning towards him with nothing but a towel and a smile.
"H..hey...what are you doing?" He stuttered as he quickly plunged the rest of his upper body inside the water.
"What does it look like silly, I'm getting in!" Yasmin stated as she placed the tip of her right toe onto the steaming water before her. The heat from the springs was to her satisfaction as she entered the bath while releasing a slight moan. "Oh how I've longed for this!"
"Wait am I in the wrong section or something?" Koji asked.
"What? Of course not silly, this inn only has coed hot springs, you're perfectly fine where you are."
"But...but..." Koji stated with a slight blush line appearing across his face.
"But what?" Yasmin asked. She watched as the young boy began pointing his right index finger towards her chest and soon began to understand his dilemma. "Oh wow is this the first time you've been this close to a half naked girl?" She asked in a slight chuckle.
"You don't have to make it sound like that!" Koji barked.
"Aww you're so cute, come here I won't bite you, let me help you focus."
"I'm perfectly fine focusing over here!"
"No silly, I don't mean focusing on my boobs, I meant focusing on the fire essences,"
"Right..." Koji stated with narrow eyes as he slowly made his way towards Yasmin I swear I feel like she's doing this on purpose.
"Hey I heard that, don't forget I can read minds too you know," said Yasmin while stretching out her hands with the palms facing upward "now grab a hold of my hand and close your eyes, I want you to focus on the heat that's rising off of you..."
"Right..." Koji began taking in deep breaths as he centered his attention to the warmth that he had felt earlier. Fire Ranshio Essences started to appear around him as he slowly began drawing them inside his body one by one. Yasmin could sense what was occurring as she continued the meditation with her apprentice. Suddenly, she had awoken in a strange place that was filled with water and flames. Two massive gates stood before her, one harboring a sleeping black dragon, the other, harboring a massive fox covered in flames. The creature was resting it's head against its paws as its eyes lifted slightly to see a confused Yasmin scanning the room around her.
His twin tails carried no form, they were inextinguishable flames that swayed side to side. The fox began to raise it's body as it walked slowly towards the fiery gate that sealed him.
"You," he snarled, grasping Yasmin's attention completely "who...who are you, and why don't you have any clothes?"
"Wait what!?" Yasmin stated as she looked down to see her bare body being visible to the naked eye. She quickly placed her hands around her chest and pelvic area as her face turned completely red. "What the hell is going on!?"
"That is what I would like to know," said the Fire Fox. He quickly shifted his gaze to the side in an effort to keeps his eyes from lurking "but first, put some clothes on!"
"How!? I don't even know how I got here!"
"We are in the boy's subconscious, apparently his last thought of you before you entered here was of you naked so just imagine yourself completely clothed!" Yasmin quickly did as she was told while releasing a slight whine. Her clothes had finally returned to her as she began checking herself out in amazement. She then ushered her attention back to the flaming fox that stood before her.
"You said we are in his subconscious...does that mean this boy is an Anfitrion and you're a Spirit Animal?"
"Yeah don't call me that, I prefer the term Beast Spirits, Spirit Animal makes me sound like a pansy" said the Fox in a low snarl. "So tell me, what brings you to my domain?"
"Honestly I don't even know how I got in here. My energy must've accidentally mixed with Koji's when we were going through our meditation..."
"And here I thought I actually had a visitor," The Fox chuckled, grasping the young girls attention "here I am supposed to be that brat's guardian and he still isn't aware of my presence and doesn't hear me."
"Oh...really...." Yasmin stated in a nervous chuckle he sounds kinda lonely...
"I've watched this kid ever since he was just a little boy and I was a small kit...every time I tell him to take a left turn, he goes right and get's himself into trouble. Every time I tell him to dodge, he blatantly ignores me and takes the hit!"
"If I can be honest with you uh..."
"It's Kuro," the fox snarled.
"Right, Kuro, normally Anfitrions can't hear there guardians until they reach a certain age. It's quite possible Koji doesn't even know of your existence..." Yasmin watched as Kuro's expression became more stern.
"So do you mean to tell me that I'll have to wait till the brat becomes of age before I can start having hope of leaving this hell hole of a cage!? Do you know how infuriating it is to stay locked up with no one to talk to but a sleeping dragon who I'm convince is just blatantly ignoring me!?" Kuro roared, startling Yasmin slightly as she released yet another nervous chuckle.
"Unfortunately yeah, you do have to wait a bit, but this gives me an idea. Even though Koji isn't aware of your presence yet you can still help speed the process by helping him become more attuned to the fire essences," said Yasmin while bringing her hands together.
"You think that'll work?" Kuro questioned.
"Yes I'm sure of it, once Koji has an understanding of Ranshio and Ranshian energy he'll soon recognize your energy and eventually will reach out!"
"If this doesn't work, I'll kill you," said Kuro calmly causing a blank gaze to cover Yasmin's face. Her consciousness quickly returned as she lifted her eyes to see Koji staring at his hands in amazement.
"I...I can see them..." said Koji. Yasmin noticed Koji's light brown eyes had turned ominous red, the same kind of eyes the Fire Fox had. "The fire essences, and even the water essences, I can see them all. Why can I see them?"
"There really is more than meets the eye with you huh..." said Yasmin as she watched the cheerful expression being displayed upon Koji's face.