It wasn't long before Miko had fully recovered. She has stayed for quite awhile, and was eager to visit Takei, considering he had professed his love for her too. Although she wasn't strong enough to protect him from other spiritual beasts or spirits, she would be able to stand by him like a human. Just that would suffice. A peaceful and uneventful live with her lover, unlike a spirit's life, full or tribulations and turns, where you could die and leave behind loved ones at any moment. In a human life, you could just spend time together until the end of your days if you did not persue the life of cultivating. Since Ryo and Miru would be busy at the shop, Miko decided she could use this time to visit Tashi, and that was what she did.
Stepping onto the old cobblestone path leading to his house, Miko knocked a few times on the wooden door. A few moments passed, with no response.
"BOO! Miss me?" A voice called from behind.
"Hmm, knew you were there." Miko huffed.
"Huh, how?! I thought I hid pretty well..." Tashi replied, finally crawling out from the bush.
'Because I caught your scent,' was what Miko wanted to reply.
"Hehe, secret!" Miko snickered, winking at him, before continuing, "how did you know I was comming though?"
"Hmph, secret too," Tashi replied, folding his arms and huffing just like Miko earlier.
"Huh, fine! I'll tell you! Its because I could already hear you snickering and moving about there! Its not a bad hiding place, you just suck at hiding!" Miko retorted.
"Huhh, man. guess I need to improve," Tashi replied. Miko could smell and hear Tashi from over ten meters away, but saying that to a human would be awkard. During her time here in the past, she had to learn to watch for social cues and behavior, something that Takei taught her before too.
"Heh, I will be looking forward to the day you can hide from me," Miko smirked, "Now, your turn to explain."
"Uhh, I saw you across the lane form the other end and quickly ran to hide through the back door... Does that count?" Tashi chuckled.
"Why though?" Miko asked.
"I wanted to surprise you..." Tashi smiled, before patting Miko's head, which caused her face to flush a crimson shade of red.
"W-w there any need for that?" Miko mumbled.
"If its you, theres nothing worth not doing," Tashi smiled before swiftly placing his lips over Miko's, kissing them as if he were sucking them dry. Miko widened her eyes in shock, before sucking back in return. Tashi held her waist tightly, as if too afraid to let her go, while Miko savoured her every moment in this heated kiss.
"Promise me you won't leave," Tashi said, pulling away, leaving Miko panting slightly. She had never kissed anyone this passionately before, and was inexperienced.
"Uhh, I don't think I can promise that... But, what I can promise is that my heart, my soul, will be yours for eternity. Forever with you." Miko replied.
"Then thats enough, more than enough," Tashi replied, before going back for seconds.
It was late at night already. The cresent moon casted its glow over the realms. The crickets were singing their nightly tune, as the diurnal creatures prepared for their slumber.
"Where is she?" Ryo asked.
"Probably snuck out to meet that human again," Miru replied. They had contacted Asura, but even she could not find Miko in the forest. She thought that Miko had followed them to the human realm. As for Miru and Ryo, they both thought she was with Asura.
"Whenever she recovers, he's the first person she runs to, tsk," Ryo commented.
"Hmm? Just realised?" Miru sarcastically replied.
"Ughh, why him? What's so good about him? I know she apologised for this before, but its still pisses me off." Ryo said, rubbing his head in frustration.
"Mhm," Miru replied.
"You're calm about this," Ryo said, "Too calm in fact... Have you... accepted it already?"
"The day I accept it is the day my soul gets destroyed. I won't accept it even if I die." Miru replied rather calmly. Ryo looked at him in confusion.
"Obviously, since I can't stand him, making him leave would be the most ideal situation," Miru continued.
"How? Meddling too much in human business is punishable by the heavens. Even they seem to believe humans are supposed to be segregated from us now..." Ryo pondered.
"Of course, we'll try the simplest way first. And according to the heavenly law, they mean meddling through the use of our powers. If we simply bewitch them, its not a crime since they fell into temptation."
"But you're a male..." Ryo choked out.
"Still a fox though, who says I can't seduce humans," Miru proudly replied.
"A-are you...?" Ryo asked, shocked by the answer.
"NO! AND DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT! There are certainly powerful female humans I can bewitch! Thats what I mean!!" Miru answered. Ryo didn't know what to say, and just looked at Miru with amusement in his eyes.
"Wow, what did I just hear?" A voice called from behind the counter.
"HEH???" Miru glanced at the counter, to see his boss, Yasuko, paying extremely close attention to their conversation. Sometimes, it was creepy how she could even appear without being noticed even by a powerful fox like Miru. He was at least six hundred years old, since a kitsune grew a tail every one hundred years it survived. He also had six hundred years of cultivation at least, which meant Yatsuko was definitely much more powerful than him. Maybe it was because she was a crow spirit, she could sneak up on others quietly. However, instead of using it more regularly in her battle techniques, she chose to eavesdrop on others.
"What? Please continue, I'm interested. Its not everyday I get entertainment like this. You were saying about how you were going to seduce human males?" Yasuko continued.
"NOTHING! I'M NOT DOING THAT! I NEVER SAID I WAS!" Miru yelled.
"Oh shucks, don't have to be so shy. I will gladly support you in whatever 'path' you choose," Yasuko said, the smile on her face not faltering.
"UGHHH!!" Miru yelled again, not knowing how to retort anymore,"Its for my sister okay?! I don't want her being seduced by some human scum!"
"Uhh, aren't foxes supposed to be the one seducing humans??" Yasuko asked.
"By nature, yes," Ryo replied.
"Then what do you plan to do?" Yasuko asked, the smile on her face dropping, signalling she was all serious now.
"Hah! Now you are suddenly serious! Why do you care now?" Miru chuckled.
"Because, I get to lead him on the right path! He must be blinded with greed or lust by your sis- I mean- a fox's beauty, so I'll just guide him on the right path! You foxes have many tests to immortality, but I only have a sole one, to guide human souls! I have to guide ten thousand of them, and over the course of my one thousand year life, I have only guided two thousand... I only have fifteen thousand years to live, and those humans are getting more foolish and thickheaded! In fact, revealing myself to them is as good as suicide, considering they are hunting beasts, spiritual or not, now. I have to travel to the country side to persuade them where they used to carry at least some of the respect of the past to us!"
"True..." Miru replied. His sister may not know, but human civillisation has really changed already, and was no longer safe. That was why her safety was now his responsibility.
"Anyway, do you have a plan?" Yasuko asked.
"I think so," Miru replied, "as well as a backup..." This would be a test to their love.