The Nine-Tailed Pony

by Burning Wick

Every Journey...

Have you ever had the desire to change who you are? Had you ever had that drive to change how you look at yourself and how others look at you? Did you ever know someone who was able to do just that? I do. In fact, I know plenty of people to know that you’re looked upon the same by those closest to you. A grown man who landed the best career in his life will still be the little toddler running around to his mother. True, you may now have a horde of fans when just yesterday you were some farm girl singing a lullaby to your baby sister, but to that little girl, you are still the same loving big sibling.

So that’s why I long to see my sisters. They gave me comfort in moments of unhappiness. I would treat them to gifts in times of joy. But time has a great role in this world. It makes humans age and desires grown. My sisters and I have always wanted one thing; we wanted to love someone. One would think that loving each other was enough, but it isn’t.

We wanted true love. We wanted the love that comes from being in a happily married couple. We wanted to know how it felt to tie our lives to another person. We wanted to feel the love that a mother gives to her child. But our kind can’t. We aren’t humans. When our true nature is revealed, we’re hunted down or just chased out of town.

Humans hated our kind. They hated my sisters and me. They hate the other families. Even with the great fortune we bring, they despised us for not being like them.

That’s… that’s when eldest sister had an idea. If they hated us for being different, then we become like them. We must become human to fulfill our desire for love. We could already take a form that will make us appear like them, but it’s our weaknesses that expose us.

No, we had to cast aside who we are in order to truly become human.

We searched for a way. By the Eight Immortals we looked. We must have traveled across the sea that spanned our homeland to an island chain to the east a hundred times. But we found it. We found how we could change who we are.

We met this old woman who had once been like us. She too had looked for a way to escape the wrath that humans dealt to our kind. She was more than willing lend us a hand in our escape from the hate. She taught us a method that she claimed would let us become that what we wished to be.

This method involved several steps that ended with a spell. Most of these steps involved what our kind does naturally: blend into a community and make a man fall deeply in love with us using enchantments or our natural techniques. Then there were some other things I never suspected we could do. No less though, we were able to learned and master these steps.

We left her house with high hopes. As we near the first village, our family agreed to have eldest test the method first. We all watched as she followed the steps our teacher told us to do. The man she found to test it on was a strong farmer type. To ensure her success, my sisters and I did everything we could to draw attention from her, I even show my true form to the folks of the village.

Then on the night eldest became human, the others and I hid just outside the window. He confessed his love her and sealed his fate. Eldest said the spell and we all saw the most amazing sight. A mist of blue flew out of the man’s chest like a bird released from a confining cage and into eldest.

She reacted to the flow of energy strangely at first. Then as we gathered around to hear what she had to say, she returned to old self. Old self in mind though, not in body. She had lost everything that once made her like us. She lost her old kind’s body and powers but, she gain the ability to enjoy the life she wanted. Everyone was thrilled to see the spell work.

I was horrified.

It took only a little time poking the man’s body to realize what had flowed into my sister. It was the man’s soul. It was the man’s spirit energy. It was the man’s life. To become a human, we had to kill a human.

When I told of my revelation to my sisters, they all responded like I had grown another head. “Humans hated us,” they told me. “Humans seek to kill us because we’re not like them. So what if one of them dies? You get to live out your dreams.”

We left eldest to fulfill her dream after that. Together the rest of us went looking for a man who’s humanity we could take as our own. It didn’t take long though as our little family broke apart in a race against each other to become human. We stayed in contact by sending letters to each other and when we were ready to cast the spell, the rest of us would come to watch, even those of us who were already human.

But when it came to my turn to become human… I couldn’t say the spell. Guilt from that night came flooded all my thoughts like something inside of me had kept it trapped until that right moment. Overwhelmed, I bolted out in tears. Later that evening my sister came to comfort me and issued kind words. “You’ll get the soul next time,” they told me.

But I didn’t get it the next time or any time after that. Every time I was in inches of becoming human, the spell froze in my throat and I would run out in tears. And every time my sisters would give me comfort.

But time makes desires grow and humans age. After each failure, I could see the passing of time on my sister’s faces. One time, one of them came with their newborn. Another time, two of them couldn’t show up because of their families. As the failures stacked up, so did the years on their mortal bodies.

And as human’s aged, humans die.

It was one of the middle children to pass first. She had fallen ill by a virus carried to her by a foreign traveler. Then it was the eldest as her mortal heart failed her. One by one, as with them becoming human, they died. Sorrow was filling my heart and if I could have, I would have died from it.

But my kind isn’t affected by weights of time. But while I was unburdened by time, I was carrying a much heavier weight. My home soon became a field of memories and broken hearts.

So as means to escape the hardships, I ran. I bid my remaining sister good bye and climbed onto a ship that was heading West to a land where man had claimed to achieved flight.

She was the youngest out of all of us and the one I was closest too. Unlike the others, she too had problems dealing with the guilt that still plagued me. I knew I we wouldn’t meet again in this world, so we promised that we would see each other in the land of souls before she returned as a new person.

“You take care of yourself, sister,” she told me with a broken voice. She brushed her hand through my hair as we embraced each other.

“I’ll find you,” I replied as we broke apart. With a kiss on her head I walked up the ramp.

That was over a hundred years ago.

In this new world, I had quickly set out to get that soul so I could find her. I found willing men to bend to my will but… I soon found that the only thing I left behind was my family. Like before, the memories of that night haunted me when I went for the souls.

The only difference this time was there were no sisters who could comfort me with kind words and gentle strokes. I would cry myself to sleep for the next week after each failure.

It was after a great war that ended when the island chain was hit by a massive bomb when I met someone who finally gave me comfort. It was one of the fairy-folk from a country further west. She offered me a place to stay and helped me recover a bit of I was lacking, love from one who cared.

She was curious sprite, always asking about where I came from and in return, she told me about her land. It wasn’t much really but it was just fact that… I have someone that cared about me. A part of me cared about that fairy too. But I couldn’t stay forever like my body wanted.

My sister was still waiting in the realm of souls. Souls don’t reincarnate right off the bat but, they still reincarnate. It was only matter of time before her soul would be forced to take on a new body and new memory. I couldn’t break my promise.

When I told my friend about the promise I had made, she was more than thrilled to help me out. Together we traveled the land looking for anyone who would do. But even with the new support, I still collapsed under the guilt. But she supported me through each ordeal all the way up to the modern day.

******

“You ready for this?” Bethany asked me as she helped tie my hair up.

I nodded while applying the last of my makeup, “Yes.”

Adding a bow in the ribbon, the fairy asked, “So, what’s tonight’s agenda?”

“Well, first we’ll eat at restaurant,” I started while interlacing my fingers. “Then he’ll drive us to the movies. There, we’ll watch something he’ll ask me to pick.”

“Hrmmmm… How do you know he’ll ask you?” she asked with a knowing grin.

Looking around at her tiny body floating inches by my face, I replied, “Who’s been doing this for 150 years?”

“I know, I know,” she back off with grin. “What’s next?”

Looking back at the mirror, I continued, “Then he will drive me over to his house where we proceed to-”

“TMI, girl!” she interrupted again.

“-stare longing up at the stars.” I finished my sentence with a giggle.

“Ohhhhh. Jump the gun there again, didn’t I?”

“Never say gun.”

“Sorry.”

“Anyways,” I said as we walked out into the bedroom, “There, he’ll confess his love that I know he has. Then… I’ll say the spell.”

“And then we party at my place!” the sprite finished with cheer.

“That’s if I don’t run this time,” I added brushing my newly made ponytail with my hands.

Bethany fluttered around and bopped me on the nose, “No worries. If you fail again, I’ll still throw you a party. The only difference is what I’m serving.”

“Chicken for if I succeed and Tofu for if I fail right?” I asked knowingly.

“Yeppers,” she replied as she gave me a kiss on the forehead. “Do you have everything?”

Tapping my pocket, I felt the glass bead within it. “Good Luck and see ya at back at my place!” Beth added before I slipped out the door way with a wave.

*****

Everything went according to plan. The meal was perfect. The movie was overly romantic and as I predicted, he took me home so we could stargaze.

“And that one is Scorpio,” he said pointing at the collection of stars.

“What’s that one?” I asked pointing at a section of the night sky.

He inspected the spot before replying, “Why that’s you, of course.”

Playing ignorant to the Ursa Major that I was pointing at, I asked, “Really?”

“Mmhmmm,” he nodded before pointing to random stars, “those out line your face while those highlight your lips. And those two are your beautiful eyes.”

He then paused before adding, “I guess the heavens think you’re as beautiful as I do.”

I leaned onto his shoulder while saying, “Awww, you’re just making that up.”

“It’s true,” he replied before clearing his throat. “Umm, there’s something I need to say.”

This was it; he was going to open himself up. This was my window of chance. All I need to do is say the spell and get to Bethany’s before anyone spotted me.

“You probably can tell but, I love you. I love you. Honest to God, I love you.” Here it was; my window of opportunity. Looking into his eyes, I could see the dull blue flame that was his soul dancing wildly. Leaning in close I open my mouth whispered back.

“Roono-”

Blam! “Back away from my brother!” a blonde hair woman shouted as she kicked the door off its hinges.

I was horrified. First, it was the surprise that came from the sound of the door being kicked in on itself. Second, it was when I realized that the moment had passed. Lastly, and the thing that truly placed me into a started me to panic was what she was carrying in her hands; a shotgun.

Attempting to cover my nervous state I stood up and said to the hand cannon marauder, “I’m not doing anything to him.”

“Like hell,” the woman swore as her hand pulled the choke back. The sound of the weapon priming itself rang loudly in my ears. “He hasn’t gone to work in days. He hasn’t contacted his family in a longer time. His friends hardly see him without you attached to his arm. I thought him to be dead until this morning.”

If you gave me enough time, he would have been, I thought morbidly to myself.

“Sis, can we talk about this?” my victim started as he moved closer to her side and out of the spread of the weapon.

He was quickly silenced by the woman’s raged filled voice, “We can talk as soon as this succubus leaves.”

Did she just… call me some European demon? Bethany told me that they used intercourse as a means to draw the life energy from men. Not only did I find the method revolting, I found being called one degrading.

“Sis, you read too many horror novels,” the man I would have killed stated.

I just had to give this girl a piece of my mind, “Listen here; I’ve done nothing to harm your brother. I’m not going to either.” I bit a finger till the point it began to bleed. “I’m also not a demon. They can’t bleed. So you can just leave us alone.”

“Like hell,” she barked raising the barrel up to my face. I had to back off to prevent having my head blasted off. Even the Eight Immortals can’t survive a head wound that big.

The hot head’s expression changed from anger to confusion to panic as the shotgun started to tremble in her hand. Even my victim looked worried. Unaware to what they were looking at, I started to panic.

“What is there something on my face?” I asked because that is what they were gawking at. There was something on my face. Fur. White fur was poking through my skin all over my body. My ears twitch horribly as they elongated and I could feel my tail bone growing. My shape shifting spell was wearing off and I was reverting back to normal.

The only word that escaped my mouth as the blonde pulled the trigger was a swear word in the old tongue.

Luckily, in her panic the shot went wild. A nearby picture was blown to pieces and the wall would need to be redone before winter. But unluckily, I found myself holding onto my shoulder as pain bore into my flesh.

With one last look at my once prey, I whispered, “I’m sorry it ended this way,” and took off through the window.

*****

I had covered the distance between the house and the nearby woods with ease before my legs were soon caught under the reversal effects. Running quickly became walking which quickly became limping and soon I wouldn’t be able to move until the effects of the spell were complete.

Taking a seat under a tree, I listened to the cries of the night birds while inspecting my body. My hands were nothing but their normal paw forms as I looked at them down my elongated nose. I could feel the twitching of my ears as the sounds became crisper. And the nine studs I felt growing from my tailbone were now the long beautiful tails they always were.

I sat there looking back up at the stars as what happened back at the house replayed back into my mind. I felt a tear rolled down my face. Like nights before, I felt like crying myself to sleep. Not because I couldn’t do it again. No, this time I was going to do it. I had started the spell. The soul would have been mind. I would have been able to find my sister in the soul world before she was reborn. I was so close, and that blonde had to kick the door down.

I knew what to do. As I said this has happened before. I would just sit here and wait for the changes to stop before casting a new one and heading back to Bethany’s. So I sat there looking at the Jade Rabbit that hung in the sky. It wasn’t fully there but the sight still remained me of another poor soul unable to see her loved one.

My vision started to blur as I allowed sleep to take hold of me. I can live through this. I’m immortal, I thought to myself. I’ll just rest here until I can recover and then I’ll head back to Beth’s. It was a solid plan, one that I knew I could carry out. The bullet wound had drained me of physical energy alongside the transformation. A little rest and I’ll be able to meet back up with that fairy before we try again.

BARK! BARK! BARK! AAAWHOOOOOOO!

I jumped at the sound of howling hounds. How far did I run? Then I remember that some of the more backwater people of this country hunted small game at night. Raccoons, badgers and the like were all up for game to these people. My reversal was still impeding my movements and I was on the verge of passing out from blood loss.

My thoughts raced. I knew the hounds had my scent. I took a look at my body, before bringing my eyes up to the source of the howling. I gauge I had enough time (and energy) to cast one last spell. I prayed that it would work. Closing my eyes I thought of the area around Bethany’s home.

Rolling green hills settled among a forest, gentle animals roaming the area with a stream to wash my wound out. It wasn’t too close to Beth’s house I noted. But I rather have to limp in rather than drop right on her doorstep and have her panic.

Here goes nothing! I mentally shouted as my magic vibrated throughout my soul and I felt my body, mind, and spirit take flight through time and space.

******

The first thing that I thought about once my thoughts returned to me was pain. Pretty reasonable seeing how I still had shotgun pellets stuck in my shoulder. Still, when my vision cleared I took stock of where I was.

It was slightly dense wooded area. Denser than I remembered and the trees had this haunted forest feel to them which was unnerving. Bethany had this urge to shroud every inch of her home in fog. The mist made a great deterrent to humans.

The faint sound of water moving around rocks trickled into my hearing. With a look around the oak tree I was leaning up against I saw the stream that I wanted in an open clearing. The moonlight bouncing off the calmer water give it an almost glass like appearance.

I saw a deer drinking the cold water as well as several other mammals. With a closer look up stream I could even see a duck floating in the creek. I can say for a fact that it was a truly lovely sight.

Doing my best to not apply pressure of any sort to my wounded shoulder, I limped over to lower part of the river in an attempt to not ruin their late night drink. The stings of a hundred bees couldn’t compare to the fire that burned deeper and deeper into my body. Just moving my body the short distance drained whatever energy that my body tried to gain from my moment of respite. Falling into the small river unceremoniously, I used the last of my little strength to position by body so I wouldn’t drown. My body shivered as the freezing coldness soaked my coat.

Something came over to me as I laid there enjoying the pain numbing cold. Looking up I saw a white hare looking down at me. It looked different than I remembered members of this family were and for a moment I thought it was the hare from the moon or one of the Wardens of Souls coming to fetch me. To my luck it just sat there and asked with its face, “Why are you lying down in the water?”

I rolled around the best I could so I could show the white rabbit the wound better. The rabbit seemed to react just like I expected, a shocked filled expression with a bit of fear hanging on a bit. A part of me couldn’t help but chuckle as it ran off. Most animals run when they see or smell blood so this was nothing new.

Rolling onto my back I stared up at the night sky. It was beautiful and unblocked by smog or lights anything really. It made me remember my home a lot. I slept under the stars like this with my sisters back when we were young. The memory brought tears to my face as I looked for other aspects of the night sky. The North Star, the Little Dipper even the full moon gave me thoughts of home.

Wait a minute. I felt a surge of panic creep into my body as my gaze shifted back to the full moon. It was there, high in the night sky. It was roughly eleven o’clock if my memory of the positions of the moon was right. It seem like it made sense because by body did feel like it was out for an hour or two.

But this was a full moon. I remember it being a half moon when I teleported away. I checked my wound in panic; it was still oozing small traces of blood. With a shake of my head, my thoughts went into overdrive.

I’m still bleeding there is no way I could have been asleep that long. I would have healed all the damage by now. There won’t even pain if that was case.

Could I’ve manage to jump a bit into the future by mistake? It’s the only logical explanation. True, Beth would assume the worse and took off to look for me. She cared about me as much as I cared about her. But in my state I couldn’t do anything that would help ease the worry in her. Still a part of me hoped.

I was starting to fall asleep again when I heard more noise creeping up to me. Sleep wouldn’t even let me see who it was though.

Author's Note:

There is a funny story about how this came to be. One of my classes got me hooked on the Chinese fox spirits. So one day when i needed something for creative full, I started working on this as a toss around piece. Then when it came to taking about final projects, I see a bit about graphic novels. I went "Novel... as in story?" So I went pitched the idea of this narrative to the teacher who said "as long as you can provide true facts about fox spirits in it, I will accept it." So I went, made close to five or so chapters, took the parts that had the most information on fox spirits in them, and poof project done. So this is the chapters already written and hopefully I can finish it some time.