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There he was, a kitsune youth - and what a mess he was in! Lost within a forest of tall, yellow and rown flowers which stood tall above his own lengthy ears. He'd been seperated from the group he was traveling with when he was distracted by a beetle, which is youthful curiousity told him to follow.

However, unfortunately for the fuzzy youth that beetle led him into the forest of sunflowers which was no doubt tended to by the young maiden of Konohana, Tsukeichi. His first instinct was to panic. His fur was becoming littered with pollen and.. He didn't want to think about what kind of bugs were burrowing into it!

"Oto-san!" the youth cried. When no one replied he cried out again. "Okaa-san!" and as if they were satelites (SP?) his ears began to rotate on his head, attemtping to pick up any sound. Yet, there was nothing. At first, anyway, however it wasn't long until those towering ears picked up someone rummaging about near by.

Desperate to be free from his yellow, brown, and green prison he quickly began to scramble out of the flowers. ..What the kitsune youth didn't know - however - was the fact that it was hardly a forest. A simple square plot where Tsukeichi grew her sunflowers.

Another thing the youth didn't know is that he'd walk right into the towering woman of tanned skin - who could indeed pass for Konohana's double. Once he escaped from the sunflowers the poor youth walked right into Tsukeichi. However much to his surprise he was met with a rather soft, and cushioned form.

That poor Tsukeichi, how many times was it her breasts became cushion for a beast? If it wasn't a stray Amanojaku who had escaped to the mortal world, it was something else pressing itself into her chest.

"...It's soft." he uttered.

"No, that's no--!" his arms flailed wildly. Or.. As wildly as they could. The pooor youth resembled a fox standing on it's hind legs, although there were definately many humanoid parts here or there which gave him the form he needed TO stand. Even so, he was an almost awkward creature to behold.

Her hand, banded as it was, swatted him on the head. Between the ears no less! It wasn't long until that youth crouched down - as if it was the force of her strike which made him do so - and began to rub his head gently as his ears folded down. Those paws worked hard to smooth out his fur and soothe the pain. Although it was nearly nonexistent, granted, it still caught the youth off guard.

It wasn't long until those slitted eyes looked up at her, a frown clear on his face. "I didn't mean to, Onee-san!" that long nose sniffed gently. If he were in a much more huamnoid state it would be no doubt that his eyes would be tearing up - ready to bawl. The poor lump of pale fur and emotional oozings was ready to cry!

No mother, no father - he was alone and met with abuse at the hands of this amazon warrior! Could one honestly blame him?!

Such a tall woman, boring down at him with eyes of irritation. He couldn't help but cringe slightly as he looked up at her, with his own slitted fox eyes. It wasn't long, however, until the furious rubbing of his narrow head slowed to a hault. As if he was correcting her he pointed a paw up in her direction, his brows furrowing together once more. "But you still hit me!" the youth said, firmly. ..It was true, although she had every right to.

T'was quite adorable really. There was this tiny fox humanoid before her, trying patheticly to lecture her. One could almost see him in a more humanoid state with his cheeks puffed out, his arm flailing to one side as if all the fury within his body would come out from his finger tips (Although in the current state, the tip of his paw.) to prove his point.

However it wasn't long until the Konohana follower bent down to view him at his level, and he too began to speak in a calm manner. Although there was but one more point that had to be made. One which if it wasn't made clear, it would stain his honor! His reputation for a firey kitsune youth would be tarnished forever, and he would be the shame of his fellow kitsune children!

"I wasn't crying." he stated, allowing those half fox half human arms to fold over his chest as he looked away. If one didn't know any better, he would hold the resemblence of a Japanese biker, with his hair slicked back in a classic manner. Although in this case the hair were his ears.

Indeed, he was a child. His years in existence were not even long enough to enter the double digits, and if one judged from his manner and personality one could say he was around eight, or nine - no younger than seven. "I came here with my family to tend to the garden, and then a beetle crossed my path and I got distracted."

Stupid? Yes. At least he was somewhat honest about it though.
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((-Opens up another character in case people are interested in interacting with him.-))

It was near by the ordeal with the fox child and the Konohana follower that he sat himself down. He was a young man, he carried the appearance of being in his mid-twenties. He was definately no older than twenty-seven. Just what was he though? Judging from the long, flowing, velvety winter robe he wore that was the color of the clear waters of the ocean - a follower of Susanoo and a rebel of the shrine.

Just to show this, there he sat on one of the sacred rocks which Konohana moved aside with her might to protect the newly built shrine. A sacred object, and yet he was treating it as if it were a chair and no more. He was rather gruff looking, those long locks wild and cascading across his shoulders as if they were shadows reaching across his body. More than just stubble, a small ammount of fluff - not even visable at first glance - had gathered around his chin and upper lip.

It wasn't that he was dirty looking - because that wasn't the case. He prefered to keep his body as clean as an undiscovered lake, but it was his appearance on the other hand.. He didn't care much about it at all. In fact, the only reason he shaved at all was to keep the damned facial hair from itching.

Speaking of which.. "Geh." he grumbled as he reached up to his cheek to gently scratch at a particularly thick patch of hair which had gathered. It was after that a whole chain reaction of itching and scratching accored, those long fingers moving from his cheek to his chin, and then finally to smooth the hair upon his upper lip. "I'd cut my head off if I didn't need it." he complained quietly.

It wasn't long, of course, until he returned to his original task. His index finger pointed to the water, and to be honest it served no real purpose outside of him focusing his concentration. Indeed, he was one of the elder students and yet he still needed the aid of his finger tip to help him guide water.

Sad, when those such as Tsukeichi and Saigare had already a light mastery of their magics. Not that he cared anyway. His supposed friends were always gloating, and boasting about their power! That.. That Tsukeichi and her kameosa! She didn't even use it!

His brows furrowed and it wasn't long until gentle humming produced by a low but smooth voice turned into rough vocals, which were no doubt botched and off key. "You are selfish, an idle fish!" it was with that his index finger shot into the air and a thin jet o water rose into the sky, and to Takamagahara, before raining back down atop of him.

The lake, it wasn't had it out for him! "Ah, you stupid piece of shi...!" in midsentence he was forced to stop, his voice strained. Why was that exactly? For there he was, standing beside the massive stone, attempting to throw it into the lake which just assaulted him.

It wasn't long until he took to mumbling and grumbling once more as he slid himself to sit down beside the rock, his hands stroking the cool grass. He got no respect, the fish of ill waters - Yamisa.

It wasn't long until that snickering filled his ears, those once calm eyes narrowing as they once did as they cast death upon the stone. No, this time it was the follower of Amaterasu who was met with his gaze of irritation. That irritation soon faded however as the young male folded his arms over his chest. He was a clean person - yes. Unlike the male who followed Amaterasu, however, Yamisa was not vain. He could always cleanse his robes later, no need to fuss about the filth on his robe so early in the day.

Those long legs which belonged to the follower of Susanoo soon stretched themselves out across the sea of green, his robe of course covering those legs and hiding them from the world - thusly keeping his descent. That slender brow arched itself upward to the sky as the male in the golden robe approached, and his words sounded.

"It doesn't have anything to do with you." he uttered, those full lips raising themselves up into a slight snarl. A follower of Susanoo and a follower of Amaterasu, natural enemies like a cat and a dog.

However he ultimately cave the Amaterasu male the answer he sought. "What makes them so special?" almond shaped brown eyes glanced over at the follower of Konohana - Tsukeichi - and the Kameosa tied to her waist. "How come they get an endless bottle of sake?" Because yes, that was the problem. He wanted sake too!

"Look at her! She doesn't even use it!" if the Susanoo male was not so lazy, he would have stood himself up to wildly point and flail at she who followed Konohana. However, he was wet and.. Well. It honestly wasn't worth the fuss. So, instead when he was done speaking he tossed a nod over in Tsukeichi's direction.

However, it wasn't long until he took his gaze up to the male before him, those chocolate colored orbs studying him. He appeared to be around his twenties, close to Yamisa's age. "You're.. One of the elder students of Amaterasu aren't you?" he stated the obvious. "What do you want?"

"Oh, of course not! You weren't crying-- you just got some pollen in your eyes and nose." Responded the grey-eyed amazon as a hand came to flop off just below her shoulder. "Brave boys don't cry, let alone get lost-- they simply go off on advanetures to get better acquainted with the Earth." Thus spoken, the girl offered the youth one of her bright smiles that could make even then sun jealous.

"I'm sure it was Mother Earth's way of showing you a different path, that is all. Forget about the beetle, he has completed his job. Here," Tsukei'chi said as she allowed her weight to be evenly distributed betwixt her limbs; one knee kissed the ground, the other offered a bit of support to an awaiting elbow. "Look up there."

As she spoke, a half-bandaged digit came to point at the tall flowers that soared above their heads. "Sunflowers are Konohana's tribute to the sun; it is her way of showing him devotion and adoration; a thanks for all he's got to give so that her beauty blossoms all year long. It is because of this that they perpetually turn their faces to his warmth, and follow his ascent and descent from the heavens. " She reached out then, pulling the boy to her side and turning him to face the East. "In the morning, they eagerly await his return. The sunflowers then face the East, waiting to be blessed with his presence. As he travels across the sky," Slowly, her left arm began to sweep across the heavens, her finger tip guiding the way. " So do they, always watching. By Midday, their faces are looking straight ahead, somewhat tilted, to recieve his warmth. And as the sun sets, their saddened gaze continues on toward the West to bid him goodbye. Remember that."

Tsukei'chi then pressed a fingertip against his chest as to draw his attention southward. Once his gaze was upon the ground, she continued on with her lessonby drawing a map as she spoke. " To the East of my own little plot is the shrine. If its late as it is now, then you'll know to head over in the direction they, these flowers, face away from. To the West is the lake, so you know to head that way if is late, the opposite from the way their attention if its the early morning. If its midday, close your eyes. Concentrate; you'll feel the coolness from the water kiss your skin, even on a still day where Fujin's words don't caress the tree tops. Can you feel it now?"

The youth waited a moment to make sure he understood and found the ways to orientate himself, even without the help of the flowers or the sun. "Now that you know that, to the North is the vegetable garden and the South is where the flowers and fruits grow. If you're here at night, follow the Moon's path as she's often chasing after her brother, the Sun. If not, the water's coolness will always greet you. This plot isn't big, and even if it were, keep on heading in the direction you want to find your way out."

Again, the girl smiled, this time as she let go of the boy and reached out to her basket of flowers.

He sighed. "From what I know, all seek contentment. I think contentment is gained through three things, freedom, companions, and hope." He closed his eyes and looked up as though recalling something, then levelled a sly gaze upon the follower of Susanoo.

"Of those, I seek freedom first, which I find out here. second is companions, of whom there is no shortage, and finally hope, which I believe to be borne in the hearts of everyone anyways." He fully opened his eyes. "Although everything is in the eyes of the beholder; you might seek something different than I do." That was as straightforward as an answer as one would get out of the mischeivous Jikazuku, the only matter was for the listener to decipher it...

He loved riddles and puzzles a lot; a trait easily shown through his diction and evasive speech, although he would be quick to point out the solutions to his muddled listeners when they were struck by a migraine. He continued to smile as he awaited another question, a solution, or a cry of exasperation.

He grinned. It was not the first time he had been stared at in such a way, and it definitely would not be the last. He watched his face intently; the face of one who probably either didn't understand or didn't like puzzles, he surmised. His grin only widened when he was asked his name.

"Jikazuku." He stated bluntly. His name was one of the few straight answers he would give; after years of being known as the strange fellow who often spoke in riddles, he decided he would never give up a chance to offer his name. "Well met, I'm sure." He bowed slightly.

As he straightened, he raised a brow. "Have you decided of which I seek, or do you wish for an answer to end your musings?"

He just watched Yamisa, studying him as he waited for an answer. He noted him scratching his chin. He noticed that it was slightly hairy first off, and also noticed that he had scratched it more tha once. He first thought it to be a nervous habit, but dismissed it as less-than-nervous.

He suddenly pondered why he had chosen his following if he so liked watching people suffer. He decided quickly that it wasn't the suffering that he liked, but the puzzle itself, and the challenge. He dismissed the thought as soon as he thought of, although he thought to ponder it at another time.

"You're half right." He said, trying to attest that he would try to carry the riddle on, but he had already decided to relent. "both a companion, and freedom would be the answer." He decided to explain the riddle, as he often did.

"I said that all humans seem to seek freedom, companions, and hope, correct? Well if all humans want them, and hope is the only of them that all begin with, when which am I seeking? the two I do not have, of course." He didn't feel superior, but was thoroughly enjoying this encounter.