Welcome to Gaia! ::

Jake blinked when Fujiko shrank back a little when he reached for her collar, and he figured she was unsure as to what he was doing. The tears that welled up in her eyes when he said he hadn't brought her there just to send her back told him that removing her collar was the right choice. He was about to move to catch her when she rolled off the couch, but before he could do so, she rose and walked toward him, then hugged him tightly and hid her face in his clothes. "It's alright, Fujiko," he said, his voice gentle as he returned her hug. "You're home."

Jake released Fujiko when she ran into the kitchen, and from the smell coming from the oven, he figured the stew was ready. He could tell from the way Fujiko was smiling that she was happy with the way the stew had turned out, and he smiled when she confirmed the stew was ready, putting it on the top of the stove. He watched as she got bowls, a ladle, and spoons, then dished out some of the stew into the bowls and tried hers. "Usually, at the table, although sometimes, I'll eat in the living room if I'm doing something else at the same time," he said. "What would you like to drink?"

Jake nodded when Fujiko said she would be okay with water, and he put some ice in a glass and filled it with water, then set it in front of her, pouring a glass of milk for himself. He sat down and took a bite of his stew, his eyes lighting up immediately upon tasting it. "This is great, Fujiko!" he said. "This is the best stew I've had in a long time!" To prove his point, he dug into the stew hungrily, making sure to savor each bite before taking another. He glanced at her a few times and noticed she kept looking at his tails, and he could see the curiosity in her eyes. "Multiple tails on a kitsune is mainly to show their age," he said, "although each tail also stores magical power and energy."

Jake smiled when Fujiko lit up at his compliment, nodding when she thanked him. "You're welcome!" he said, barely able to contain his laughter as she wiggled excitedly in her chair. He could see that she was even more curious about his tails now that he'd explained the primary use for them, and he nodded. "I can see you've got more questions," he said. "Feel free to ask whatever's on your mind, alright?"

Jake couldn't help chuckling when Fujiko spouted off a round of questions, taking a breath, then asked a few more. "Easy, tiger, one at a time," he said. "Kitsunes gain a tail for every hundred years they've been alive. It's more of a magical gain than a physical one. Each kitsune is born with only one tail, and don't grow a second until their 200th birthday. Each hundred years after that, on their birthday, a new tail will magically appear. The new ones are the same size and color as the previous tails, but it takes the full century for the magic and energy to store in the new tail. Aye, my tails are soft, and aye, they keep me warm. As far as how many tails a kitsune can have, the maximum number I've ever heard of one kitsune having is nine tails. It's possible that some kitsunes can have more, although I've never read or heard of them." He paused and took a few more bites of his stew, washing it down with milk, then looked at Fujiko again. "Sometimes, they can get in the way, although most of the time, I forget they're there," he said. "It's a little difficult to get them all washed when I shower, but I've learned to make do. Yes, please, I'd love to have more stew!" He watched as she rose and moved the pot from the stove to the table, setting it on the hand towel she'd folded in half. He smiled as he watched her eating again, sensing that she was happy now.

Jake smiled when he noticed Fujiko tilting her head as he spoke. He nodded his thanks when she refilled his bowl, then went back to eating her stew. He ate the second bowl in relative silence, then sat back when he was done, letting out a small belch as he did so. "Excuse me," he said. "That was some of the best stew I've ever had, Fujiko. Thank you for dinner." He got up and put his dishes in the sink, then looked at Fujiko when she asked what he usually did after dinner. "It usually depends on what kind of mood I'm in," he said. "Sometimes I like to draw after dinner, sometimes read, and other times, watch a movie. What would you like to do?"

Jake smiled when Fujiko giggled, watching as she put a lid on the pot of stew, then put her own dishes in the sink. "We could certainly watch a movie, if that's what you want to do," he said, smiling at the suggestion. "Most of the movies I've got are animated, and some of them I've had for years. Tell you what, why don't we watch a movie, then go put our feet in the water after that? Is that alright with you?"