Meeseong Nari

Meeseong Nari, previously known as Cherry. Was an ex-courtesan who worked for the Red Dragon, as well as a barista at the Fox Den Café. The 10 of Hearts is a Club Defector, fact visible on her wrist and she belongs to the Fox Spirits Species, as a Kumiho.

[cherrykadeu]

September meme;

Spiders: Does your muse squish bugs or put them outside?

The Dark: Did your muse sleep with a mana nightlight as a child?

Snakes: Would your muse ever keep an unusual/exotic pet?

Blood: What’s the worst injury your muse has ever had?

Clowns: Does your muse prefer comedy? Or horror?

Mirrors: What is your muse’s least favorite thing about their appearance?

Tight Space: Does your muse ever feel that they’re not living up to their own potential?

Closet Monsters: What is one thing your muse does that identifies them with their species? Their faction?

Crowds: What does your muse prefer, the action of Downtown Diamonds and the Circle, or the quiet away from it?

Death:  What does your muse consider the worst way to die?

Ghosts: Has your muse ever seen something they couldn’t explain?

Needles: Does your muse have a strong stomach?

Curses: Does your muse believe in good/bad luck? How about karma?

Heights: Is your muse a risk-taker?

Solitude: Name 3 things your muse couldn’t live without.

Fire: Would your muse rather be very cold, or very hot?

Failure: Has your muse ever given up on an important dream?

Abandonment: How would your muse win back someone who left them?

The Unknown: Does your muse have a deity they believe in?

Boogeyman:  Name one thing your muse has lost that they wish they could get back.

Falling: What does your muse think about falling in love or commitment?

Change: What was a turning point in your muse’s life?

Disease: What does your muse do on a sick day?

Number 13: Does your muse believe any superstitions?

Noise: Name one sound your muse finds absolutely unbearable.

Insects: Name something your muse finds gross or annoying.

Dolls: Has your muse ever collected something?

Getting Old: Would your muse rather live 50 years loved, or 200 years alone?

Social Phobia: What’s one thing your faction does you could do without?

[alarkling]

[cherrykadeu]

kadeuxhyeonju​:

OVER WINE FROM UMBIBE

@cherrykadeu

Kadeu, Heart Territory, The Red Dragon

18 August 2021, Midday

Pleasant chatter filled every corner of the Red Dragon’s interior—so unlike the sounds that once  filled each room. Despite a year and half since Nari assuming ownership of the Red Dragon and renovating it into a restaurant, Hyeonju still grew awed every time he crossed the threshold. Gone were the dirty floors and walls, replaced with sleek new material that didn’t leave an opening for anyone to think the establishment was anything less than reputable. Tables and booths with cozy chairs sat underneath soft lighting. It was elegant. Beautiful. Replacing any bad memories any of the former prostitutes—Hyeonju included—might have had if it didn’t look the way it did. If it wasn’t run by the person he was visiting today.

And once again, Hyeonju was filled with pride at the realization that Nari had built this from the ground up. All on her own. The Heart wasn’t one to feel sentimental, but there was always something about the thought of Nari standing on her own two feet and living the life she deserved that warmed Hyeonju’s insides. He secretly hoped the joyous feeling would never fade.

A server saw his approach and smiled with all the courtesy afforded a patron. Hyeonju returned it, flashing his canines, amber gold eyes curling with the grin. Before the server could lead him to a table, he spoke quickly but politely. “I’m here to see Nari. Is she in?”

The flash of recognition as they took in Hyeonju amused the hybrid greatly. Perhaps they’re new? He though idly to himself as the server scurried off to presumably let his dearest friend know he’d arrived for their usual get-together. He double-checked the medium-sized pack hanging off his hip to make sure the content within was safe before patiently waiting for his best friend to arrive.

Nothing could have possibly prepared Nari for her future, despite all her thoughts and doubts that had very often held her back. For years, there had been no clear objective on her mind, the decision of her leaving the clubs and starting over again had been way too sudden for a fox as young as her, the line of work she had decided to pursue after becoming a heart had not been ideal, but it had kept her alive during all these years, even if the dream of a bright future had seemed so distant and at times, impossible to achieve.

However, she was grateful for the path she took. The Red Dragon was gone now, all the decorations that had once filled up the space had either been given away or had burned for all eternity, Nari felt a deep satisfaction seeing it all perish. Even if most of the sex-workers that had once filled the pockets of the owners of The Red Dragon had decided not to stay and instead continue the same type of work elsewhere, others grasped the opportunity to be by her side and to finally start a new life, the fox of course, had respect all their decisions regardless of how it affected her. But, she could not deny that, she happy to provide a safe place for those who had decided to stay.

Some knew her from the time where she had worked at The Red Dragon, others had simply heard of her and were only meeting her now, but Nari trusted them all the same, vowing to help all as best as she could. The fox had made some friends too, along the way and it made it all much easier to bear, the new responsibilities and worries. She was grown now and that had both negative and positive aspects.

But, today, she would not have any difficulty in smiling. The announcement of her dearest friend’s arrival brought a huge smile to her face, the tip of her tail peaking for underneath her long gown twitched in happiness before she had decided to finally leave her office in order to go greet Hyeonju.

When she saw him, all of her serious posture melted away and back was the little girl who had often come to him with questions, seeking advice and a few comforting words and Nari made no effort to hide her away, her feet hurriedly carried her to him and soon enough she enveloped him in a warm embrace, careful not to sink her claws into his shoulders as she squeezed him tight. “I’m so glad to see you here, I missed you” and just like that she could feel herself relaxing, even if some of the clients had turned their eyes to them.

Sensing this, Nari decided to lace her arm with his instead. A smile that revealed a similar set of canines illuminated her face just right before she leaned in to whisper “Come on, before they get too jealous just for seeing such good looking individuals” holding back her laughter she guided them into one of her best tables, secluded enough so they would be able to talk with no interruptions.

Right after they sat down the younger fox smiled at her friend, her hands holding her chin as her claws tapped against the smooth skin of her cheeks, “I’m happy to see you, thanks for coming” she paused and then her eyes seemed to leave his face to look somewhere else “and I see you brought a gift”

[cherrykadeu]

WELCOME 2024!

The fox had long since disconnected herself from the persona she had adopted years ago when she first set foot in the heart’s territory. Nari had seized the opportunity to change her life once again, no matter how surprising it had been her first encounter with the ace of hearts.

Still, all good things must come to an end and while his wishes of severing ties with her had hurt her deeply, she could do nothing but comply and try to move on as best as she could - even if her feelings towards Zuihuo Joui had never changed. Understanding his feelings due to her betrayal, since Nari had decided to make a deal behind his back with none other than the one known as lucky bastard, made the departure from the villa one without any complications, despite the feelings of sadness of having to say goodbye to the ones that had helped her during her journey.

And yet, she managed to thank them all for all their patience and hard work before she left for good, the mark on her wrist that had once portrayed the beautiful symbol of the Zuihuo Clan was gone, leaving no other traces behind. It was easier to adapt to a new home than she had initially thought, Joui was kind enough not to chuck her out after she had broken his trust, but instead offered the help of his staff to her, so that the fox could find some other suitable place to continue her life. 

However, as much as she was grateful for all he had done for her, her actions and decisions could not be erased and so she had forged a path that she would now have to walk alone.

So, to contradict that awful feeling that made her heart ache, Nari started her plan and in the middle of 2022, a while after making a deal with Ko Gowyu. The Red Dragon finally had a new owner, the establishment changed completely. Nari was back to her origins, this was where everything had started, but now she would make sure that it would be a business to be proud of.

The restaurant welcomes every species, however those who are foxes experience a secretive special treatment since there’s a special menu to everyone who subtlety proves that they are one of the fox species to one of the staff - whether by flashing a smiling that shows of the impressive set of teeth or by the twitch of a long fluffy tail.

This helped Nari made peace with her own nature, it made her healthier and stronger, since she now has a sense of duty and an objective to not only keep herself busy (in order not to think of what she lost) but a goal to help her own species whenever they might need, it is her way of retributing the kindness that someone once shown her.

Drowning herself in her own work, however, can’t solve all of her problems and while she swore she would never worry herself with the club’s problems, the truth is that she hasn’t yet given up on looking for her brother, who disappeared right after The Resistance’s attack on The Armory.

[deep-at-night]

[cherrykadeu]

gowyuko​:

Gowyu was not fond of the entertainment that The Palace offered. He found the whole thing tedious, boring and lacking the creativity compared to what existed back in fae realm. But it was also home to many other pretentious minds and as such it made for a great hunting ground when it came to showing off the status that he held and how well he was supposed to be carrying the title of it among the ruins of this city. Basically, he was only present in such premises because of the image it gave him. Besides, certain people who were regular of the Palace did not really fit in with the kind of presence he wanted to have around him on a daily or constant basis. However, he’d take the joy of the bar, and the surrounding of his own security, which promptly made it obvious that to bother him while he was minding his own business. Tending to his own pleasure, with a round table somewhere that was quiet and maybe with the company of one person.

Oftentimes, that one person would be someone he was dealing with, or the man who took care of the smuggling of his earnings. It’d be safe to say that Gowyu would never let himself lose an opportunity to keep his affairs growing, or oversee how they were being handled even if he was supposed to be here for his own pleasure. Pleasure and business went hand in hand for him, every second was an opportunity, and just because he did not look like the type to grasp the idea of how to build an empire–his parents had said so once, although he hadn’t been invited to that private conversation. Those had most likely been words sprouted out of frustration for the situation that their oldest was forcing them to take in their world. But they’d fueled his desire to prove everyone wrong, his parents included. They wouldn’t approve with the reasons why though, so even if he knew they would not necessarily chastise him for his ways, especially his mother more so than his father, he also knew that he couldn’t let them see what it was that his intentions were. Because to reveal one side without the other, would be a hard thing to do.

Besides, he kind of knew the idea of letting all of this behind him whenever he wished to, no harm done, no traces of it staining his pristine reputation with them whenever he saw them or whenever he might need to head back home was the best escape route. Gowyu was no idiot, he had many plans, being left behind to rot was not one of them. He would simply enjoy the ride up, and if it had to come down, he would also enjoy his way out of it, although the time right here at The Palace’s bar was the only part of this night he was fond of. Although, it seemed as if someone had taken notice of his air of boredom lingering in the air. After all, the man who was sitting across from him, a cigar in his mouth as Gowyu sifted through the papers between them, was not what he’d classified as the best entertainment to be offered in Kadeu.

So Gowyu took the the light commotion that came to his ears with a more welcome interest than he would have, considering the guest was an uninvited. Any other day and it would have irritated him if it hadn’t been a welcome distraction from the monotony of the reports his eyes were scanning through. Gowyu wasn’t supposed to be seen doing this though, fingers through papers, mind seemingly working through things that were supposed to be above his expertise and skills, so he was quick to shove them towards his partner. The way they fluttered around the table as he leaned back in his chair and tilted his head towards the woman who one of his men had been quick to stop from making her way further towards him, that was more befitting of the image he was supposed to be showing. Forgetting the grumbles of the man bending to gather the papers, Gowyu watched the whole spectacle of it unfold with growing interest.

The first thing he acknowledged was that he knew the face of the univinted guest. It was hard to not recognize it, he couldn’t place a name on it because he rarely cared to put that much importance on people, especially those he did not have any significan dealings with. His assumption was then proven more than correct when in the midst of the altercation with his man she flashed the ink on her wrist, at least she knew better than to not prideful of the prestige the mark that proved her property of the Zuihuo’s heir gave her. It had to be the high of her day, to be able to prance around as if she was more than what she really was. A word he’d keep his mind free offor now, he didn’t wish for it to slip past his lips in such a public area. But, also, he was more piqued by the reason why she had any interest in the initiative she took to come seek him out.

Now that, that was something Gowyu had never thought he’d ever see occurring, you see. Not to misunderstand him, because he might have put some pieces on her chess, he might have simply nudged them now and then, and he might have a strong one in his hold, waiting to be able to shift his ‘Queen’ where she belonged, but for one moving piece to find its way right in front of him, under the tingling of his fingers that never tired of this game, it was an unexpected turn of events he was not averse to. Because this was not his doing, there was only one other conclusion to such a strange occasion; Sayge.

Because where Joui’s presence was felt, hers was never too far behind, Gowyu had learned that very young, and it still rang true to this day. Nauseating. He took in her smile, and listened to her before nodding and throwing a gesture at his men, as well as the teller who had managed to get all of the reports back in his hands. The directions were silent but clearly understood, his men opened up the way for her to come in and the teller bowed his head, a few more grumbles under his breath as he was also bowing his way out to the woman who was clearly going to be taking the chair where he was sitting. It was once his partner was gone that Gowyu remembered he had to show manners, this wasn’t one of his Den, this was a public setting and he stood with the reverence of a man who was doing this because he cared.

So he rose at once, not in any eagerness or hurry, he had all the time in the world for where the wheels were shifting. Hers would either go right in the way she hoped to, or they would dive further wherever they wished to, fortune was not always such a straight to the point lover. She loved to dangle, Gowyu hardly understood the gripes of her needles, but he could still manage to play to her will and get what he wanted from it. To start with, a small smile and a hand gesture to the now empty chair facing his, “I apologize for the dog-like behaviour of my men, they can be rabid, but they don’t mean any harm.” A white lie, as the harm would have been caused later on had she not been of interest to him.

But those were details a ‘lady’ did not need to hear of.

“I do share your sentiment and agree, there’s nothing wrong with your initiative, however of a surprising one it is. But, please, have a seat and allow me to start by undoing the manner in which you were welcomed,” Gowyu had a vague gesture for the man who had halted her and spilled the drink in her glass, he addressed the man with less of a courteous tone, but none of the bite he usually had in private quarters, “Help the lady find her seat, and see to it that she gets a replacement of the drink you carelessly spilled.” And so, this time, his man went for the chair and had it pulled and waited for her to find her seat.

Gowyu too, stayed still and waited for her to do so, in the manner a predator might have lingered to see which line would their prey decide to head into. The forest, where it would be easiest to track them down, because it would be harder to run, or right in the vast horizon, where they would easily be lost yet again? Either way, he’d heard of her having those same instincts, that made this all the more appetizing. Who knew what her instincts would be telling her, to take the seat, or to turn back on her heels and refuse the offer. Maybe this had been a spur of the moment, something that had been brought on by the drink in her hand. Maybe she’d had one too many, he cared none for any of those details though. The moment she helped herself in his chair, he hoped she knew it would be a point of no return for her.

She would get her introductions, and he would get to capture an important piece.

Nari should have been aware that meddling in Fae’s business was not the wisest of choices, especially when it involved any of the Ko siblings.  

However, after some conversation that took an unexpected turn, the fox ended up making a deal with Gowyu, forgetting the warning his sister had once given her. Luck was not on her side and it was very easy to lose everything.

Without any new information about the affairs she wished she could understand, the Kumiho left The Palace still with hopes for crafting a better future for her. She finally knew what she was supposed to do, what she could do in order to thrive as a true heart and lead the life she was always meant to have and this help would be crucial for her plans.

the end.

[cherrykadeu]

saygeko​:

Sayge saw the change in the harlot’s face, how her smile faded as if it had fallen and drowned in a sea of unwellness. Up close, Cherry was as beautiful as she had seen from the other side of the mirror, with delicate features and small gestures. The fox could have been mistaken for a gentlewoman in another life, one bathed in perfume until fleas left her body, but fleas always followed those smelling like misfortune, and Cherry reeked.

“Apparently, I came right in time.” Sayge’s voice was heard. The dealer, with one swift move, pulled a seat for his boss to sit by the roulette. Very little did the casino workers know about Sayge’s reasons for specifically requesting that this woman be brought to the Yoku games. And if there were whispers about it, each one of them would take special care so that they did not reach her ears, but as they were familiar with their boss’ ways, there was no need to guess that Sayge was up to no good.

This time she would not touch Cherry’s fortune as she had done before but would allow her bad luck to fall upon her and do what it did best. Bets were set, and the dealer started the last game. The ball rolled around the roulette wheel until it landed on an odd red number. For the first time that evening, Cherry lost, and she lost it all. The chips that once belonged to the woman, were now given to the man sitting next to her.

Sayge gave her a taste of having it all in her hands, and in the time she let out a breath, the Fae took it from her. The J in Cherry’s wrist gone, vanished along with the gold she didn’t deserve.

The Queen of Heart’s joy didn’t wait to be heard. He had won an amount of gold that if it didn’t raise him in rank it filled his progress bar significantly. “My Lady Luck, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for blessing me with your good fortune.” The man said, but Sayge paid him no mind, her eyes never left Cherry, and looking at her, she answered to his praising. “May our winner follow the dealer to collect his prize.” Her words said nothing about accepting the man’s thanks but spoke about being left alone with the loser, and the two men crossed the threshold of the door at her command, leaving them.

“This is the first time you visit my casino to play,” her words implied she was aware that the woman had been under her roof before —not the elitist one but the others— as the pet that she was and not to bet her pennies. “It’s a pity you came so far but lost at the last minute.” She tsked, and a little fake smile followed as if she was truly saddened by her loss. “It always amazes me, how one can lose everything so quickly when luck is not on their side.” A pause in her speech made the change in her tone of voice even more noticeable, almost threatening, “Don’t you think?” There was no reason to hide Sayge’s doings.

As expected the meeting between the two beauties was not a very pleasant one. The plans Nari had of simply meeting Sayge in order to understand the true nature of her relationship with Joui, crumbled in front of her eyes as she got entranced by the game of luck playing before her eyes, unaware of the manipulation that was allowing her to win.

Once she got to her home, the fox only felt like crying, the words Sayge had spoke never left her head, the cold cruelty still haunted her and her weakness that lead her to getting lost in just some stupid game made her feel guilty.

The fox just hoped she would never have to see that woman ever again. (but do any of my muses get what they want? lol)

the end.

[cherrykadeu]

shuliing​:

This was the softest hour of all softest hours: 

They ate soup. They talked. They played some. They might have made a mess in the cabin that does not belong to them. Shu-Ling lied!! People DO LIVE THERE. I’m kidding, she didn’t lie, she just didn’t know, okay. She found out later. oKAY. Anyways, then they slept, cuddling was involved. 

Saying goodbye was super hard. Even harder if you think that this is the last time they saw each other. Have that bittersweet end to this sweet time, sorry, not sorry. IF Shu-Ling would have known this was the last time she would have tried to at least know where her friend lived you know? But nope. She was stupid little girl and she was too busy trying to become a soldier.

Whatever, they’ll meet again, don’t cry. The gods have said, it is not over yet my sweet little friends. They shall meet and we’ll see if they stay friends or fight when they do. 

FIN. 

[cherrykadeu]

shuliing​:

The moment that trailed on as the fur of the fox casually shifted to reveal the other form of Nari was always something amazing to witness. Shu-Ling wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to it, not in a bad way, she truly enjoyed watching the shift. It filled her head with a million questions about how that was even possible? It also reminded her that there was so much she didn’t know about this world, or this place where she was born. The people around her weren’t particularly fond of letting her wander further than her house and their houses. Yannick had strictly forbidden her from venturing even as far as she currently was, which made her happy that she’d disobeyed him at least once–or twice, in her life. Because it allowed to see that there existed much more than just what she was used to seeing. More than the sullen silence of a desolate mother, more than the envy of the children of the adults who took care of her, and more than the sting of abandonment each time she wondered why they were envious at all when their parents were only pitying her and not really caring for her.

The world didn’t make much sense to Shu-Ling, but she didn’t have to worry about it here, did she? No, absolutely not, she did not. So she shook her head and her face broke with a wide grin as she stayed crouched to receive the grip of Nari’s arms around her. The coat she was wearing, which belonged to one of Yannick’s kids, certainly did its thing in providing warmth. But the warmth of her friend would definitely rival any man made fur out there. Shu-Ling would bet her hand in a fire for that.

“Not doing much, but oh! I’ve started training too! With an old lady!” Yes, it would be a strange statement to anyone’s ears, but it was true. The lady was old and Shu-Ling was being taught how to fight from her, with her cane that gave more hits than it did affections or praise. She finally rose when Nari made to put a fire in the cabin, and gingerly joined her to stand by her side, “She says missing training is not something a true warrior does. You would get scolded if she was your trainer.” The scolding would also come with a few hits of the end of her cane that Shu-Ling did not enjoy being on the receiving end of.

She wondered if Nari would get in trouble for her own mischief, and she hoped not. Then she wondered if Nari could afford to skip training, because Shu-Ling couldn’t. She had to make sure to be a true warrior, so of course she couldn’t miss even a day.

But before she would forget, she made her way to the counter to tend to her own duty, which was to find the place where she’d left the bowls of soup. They hadn’t been the easiest to carry here all by herself. Shu-Ling had tried making just one trip and failed lamentably because she was not habile, and she would have hated to lose one of the bowls. So she’d made two trips, one for each bowl. Now they were probably a little colder than they’d been, and true enough when she put her hands around one, she felt herself feeling a little disappointed for not having thought of that.

“Oh no, Nari, the soup has gone cold!” Although Shu-Ling would not mind eating it as it was, simply because she’d done so many times before. It didn’t matter if it was just her who was waiting on it, but it did matter if it disappointed Nari that she would not feel warm from the meal. She turned to her friend with an evident scowl, “You can’t have cold soup, it’s yucky and stale!” At least, Yannick’s wife had said as much the last time their soup had gone too cold to be edible. 

The flames started to flicker, slowly at first, the thin wooden that Nari was holding was poking the fire as if that would help fasten the process. The young girl made no comments, though it was easy to tell that she was paying attention just by looking at the displeased look on her face at the mention of training and an unknown old lady.

However that fleeting look abandoned her face at once, leaving no traces that it had once been there, as soon as her friend approached her by the dull fire. Even if the words were spoken by a voice that was dear to her, it was still really hard to hear it, but the excitement present in that sentence was enough to keep all the bad thoughts and feelings away from her heart.

“Is she nice?” Nari asked, a bit of concern hidden behind an otherwise casual question. The fox did most of her training with her own father and while it was her own fault that she could not tell the difference between her dad as a fighter and her dad as the loving person he was, she knew that most were not as lucky as she was, or rather, she knew how much more she would suffer if someone else was in charge of her training. Nonetheless, she only wished the best for her friends.

A weak laugh left her lips, her shoulders trembling a bit, but it might as well have been only a shiver due to the stubborn cold that clung to the cabin’s walls. “I already get scolded a lot, I think I’m used to it by now” the confession sounded sour and sad, but not nearly as bad as the words that would soon be spoken.

Her hand finally threw the already half scorched wooden stick before she hugged her knees close to her chest and even though the fox made no effort to move her head, her eyes had already moved away from the now crackling fire, looking sideways to her friend, a blush was spreading across her cheeks in embarrassment, forcing her to hide half of her face behind her knees. “And I don’t even want to be a warrior anyways” the words were nearly incomprehensible, spoken in a hushed tone.

In a way she wanted someone to understand her, to tell her that it was alright not to be like everyone else, that it was alright to like things such as dancing and laughing and listening to music opposed to wanting to be a great fighter. But, no matter where she looked, she still hadn’t found someone that was willing to say this to her and maybe, it was wrong and pathetic to desire something different.

A sigh left her lips at the contemplation and before she knew her head was finally turning in the direction of her dear friend and she was speaking once more, this time with a lot less shame and a lot more confidence, “Just make sure that you become strong enough for the both of us, I may not become a warrior, but I’m sure you’ll be the best” and the smile that illuminated her face spoke of nothing but friendship and reassurance.

No matter how different they may be or the different routes they would take, Nari hoped that they would always be friends.

Right after that she observed how her friend stood up, watching her curiously as she made her way back to the counter. Her own eyebrows furrowed upon witnessing the look on her friend’s face as she picked up one bowl that Nari had failed to notice after their arrival.

“Stop fussing over soup, I’m sure it’s fine” Nari laughed, before she too had stood up, to pick the other bowl and examine the content on its inside. Her nose met the brim of it as she sniffed the soup, and then she thought that while it was not as good as a fresh heart it was still pretty fine. “Well, it’s fine if you don’t want to eat it, but I will, so thank you for the meal” Nari shrugged with indifference before going back to sit closer to the warm fire with the bowl of soup still in her hands and just as she was sitting she looked back to say “and bring me a spoon please, I don’t have my snout now to eat it straight for the bowl”

[cherrykadeu]

Nari has been on a journey. Once younger and in search of a place to fit in, the fox was eager to forget her past (6), to cut ties with all the connections she had before she became her heart, even more so after achieving the point where she was satisfied with her life.

However, the changes that have been happening, while not easy to surpass, pushed her forward towards acceptance and happiness. At last, she got rid of the alias that had tainted her for so many years (5) (8) and no longer working for others but herself - she made that very clear with the bloody footprints that followed her back to her villa, the power of her own species resonating in her mind (1).

The ace of hearts has given her more than a chance to change her life, he gave her understanding and demonstrated a willingness to help her in her path towards acceptance, his interest in her made her want to fulfill what she was supposed to be. No longer afraid of her own past and species (3).

Despite all of those positive changes, there are still some problems that the kumiho needs to figure out. The love that continues to grow between the fox and the high fae is known showing its own limits, the lack of information about his own species and the way they operate often leaves her confused and that has become a weakness too (2) (4), since now Nari knows that luck is not her friend.

On top of that, the civil war in clubs has affected her more than it should. Her brother (7) is missing and has made no effort to approach her still, maybe he knows that she won’t be happy about the fact that he is a member of The Resistance. 

This makes her wonder what other secrets does her family keep hidden from her.

[4tzu]

MUN KA YOUNG FOR VOGUE KOREA.

[cherrykadeu]

saygeko​:

Cherry had accepted to raise the bet, and Sayge’s smile appeared, reflecting on her side of the mirror. The fox was gambling with money that had barely fallen into her pockets. She would lie if she’d said to be surprised, after all, greed was a common thing, and it was what the air in the casino was made of. Sayge knew more about the courtesan than she could imagine, only by reading her fortune and how much luck she had left after spending a significant amount only by crossing paths with Joui.

Her interest in Cherry blossomed many moons ago when it came to her ears that her eternity was sponsoring a harlot. This might have been insignificant information if not because his patronage had given her a more decent number on her wrist. It wasn’t their relationship that bothered the Fae, but that it bore fruit to her without merit in Sayge’s eyes.

Luck, it was luck, and because it was that twist of fate that made Cherry raise, Sayge would break it and show the pet her place. Luck would follow her command, not the other way around.

Bets were placed, and the dealer spun the wheel a second time, expectation incrementing in the room. The same way Sayge did before, she took control over Cherry’s luck. The ball landed on a red and odd number, Cherry’s bet once again. It made Sayge cackle. She hadn’t used her magic to make someone insignificant win for a long time, and to see that damn smile on the woman’s face appear when good luck was forced into her pocket fueled her bad intentions.

“Odd and red.” Announced the dealer, and the yelling of the losers didn’t wait to be heard. The dealer looked at Cherry and smiled as if congratulating the woman for choosing exactly the winning number. “Please, everyone who had lost, leave the room and your chips behind. The Koi Casino thanks you for participating.” Reluctantly they left, the atmosphere between the four walls suddenly became heavier with the sorrow of lost gold.

Two, there were two remaining players; Cherry and the Queen of Hearts. The Queen looked at the woman with a playful grin on his face. “It’s only you and me, now. Have you looked at your wrist?” He said, raising an eyebrow, telling her to check if the bar engraved in her skin had increased somewhat after winning the countless amount of gold wagered and lost by the other eight highrankers.

“What do you think? Shall we expect Lady Luck to appear now?” He had just finished his sentence as he settled into his seat when a door at the back of the room opened, and from the other side, Sayge appeared, coming to spit on the new J flashing on Cherry’s wrist granted by Lady Luck.

“Please, once again. Place your bets.” The King of Hearts said as she crossed the door frame, stealing the dealer’s words.

Quickly her main objective had slipped from her mind, wishes of meeting the woman who had been beside Joui the night of the blue moon gave way to the need that she was now feeling of mastering the game in front of her, completely oblivious to what was happening and to who was watching her just being that glass.

That need only increased each time that she won, all of her bets had been met with only success and perhaps Nari was starting to believe that there was really something like beginner’s luck. The giddiness she felt was met by impressed eyes and the cries of the ones who had lost and thus needed to leave the table, years had been spent when she was the one to back down and walk away seemed to be over and all of her sacrifice was finally paying off, in the form of love and fortune.

The question from the queen of hearts was unexpected, a confused look passed through her eyes as if breaking a bit of the daze she had been in and reluctantly she moved her eyes from the view of the table to her wrist. It had changed, now a J sparkled brighter than all the other marks on her wrist and suddenly it felt like all the oxygen had left her lungs.

Nari thought back to when she had woken up at the villa, the change from a simple low-ranker to a 10 had been so sudden and unexpected that she had to make sure that it was not a mistake or that her mind was not playing tricks on her. This was not the first time the numbers had changed and yet it was just as shocking as before.

But, she accepted it and perhaps that acceptance had come a bit too soon and far too easily.

The mention of the owner of the renowned casinos remind Nari of what she was here for, her objective had never been the gold, she only wished to meet the mysterious woman whom she only knew by name and face and her wish was finally granted once Sayge appeared in that room.

The atmosphere felt intimidating, there was only four people in the room and yet it seemed like all eyes had settled on her, all the while Nari was simply staring back at Sayge, trying to find something to say or to at least present herself in a manner that would not make it seem like she had just tracked her down.

But, there was another thing that was still pulling her attention, something that made her break eye contact to once again place her bet and just like in a trance, she obeyed her request, trusting in her own luck.

Odd and black, was her bet now. And while she may have been bound to lose from the beginning without having realized it with time to protect herself from harm, maybe the fox had predicted something else tonight by choosing odd countless times. Someone was definitely trying to pick the odd-one-out and maybe the odd one here, on this table, was her.

[calliophies]

[cherrykadeu]

shuliing​:

the biggest problem of having a fox as a friend? well, when nari was in this form, it was how to understand what she meant with her various ways of communicating. nipping at shu-ling in various part of her body could be considered playful, or downright telling her off for doing something that might have caused harm or discomfort. shu-ling wasn’t an expert in fox, or animals, she liked them enough to not want to hurt them though. she also liked nari enough, in her fox and in the one that resembled shu-ling in appearance too, to also not want her to be uncomfortable, or in pain. especially not if shu-ling was the one hurting her. which in turn, sort of made shu-ling respect that she had to also feel hurt for doing the same to her friend. one had to be taught how it felt to harm others, in order to not ever try it again, right?

shu-ling could confirm that at least, she’d taught the kids that were steadily causing her growing harm that they could get hurt too and they hadn’t tried to do much with her since then. mostly, they now seemed to groan discontently when she passed them by. she didn’t care though, but she had to care for nari. even more so when she was nari the fox, shu-ling crouched at her level when she was tugged down by her teeth. the nudge to her leg almost had her toppling back in the snow where she’d been lying awhile ago, and she sort of missed the cold cushion it’d given her.

“be careful, how can you be so small and so strong?” she steadied herself, settled for plopping down in the snow and frowning down at her little friend. “let’s see, what’s got you trying to make me fall back in the snow, hm–”

what statement had shu-ling uttered before, her little finger found her chin as she pondered. she’d been told before, that her memory was exceptionally developed. there are certain things she didn’t want to remember, but she supposed it helped every now and then. like now, as she let out a soft gasp and lifted a hand, open palm to receive a snowflake. “it’s the snow, right? it’s pretty but kinda cold, right? just bite me if i’m wrong, like you always do but i’m thinkin’ we need to find somewhere warm for you.”

shu-ling should have not felt so safe in picking up an animal such as a fox, especially when they were foreign to her. but this wasn’t just any fox, this was her friend. so her friends scooping nari up in her arms and tucking her against the warmth of her body as she headed down a path she knew all too well, it was an easy thing to do. it was done with a giddiness too, something she found she enjoyed doing more than fighting the kids of her neighbourhood was running in the snow. the crunchy sounds it made as she lightly jogged back to a cabin in the woods that belonged to no one. shu-ling figured it was abandoned, but her and nari had found it during one of their adventures, and shu-ling had been taking care of the place, filling it up with various piece of clothing given to her by yannick. all of them were mostly outgrown by his children.

last week, she came by to put in some woods from a few branches she did climb and broke off with only her foot. who knew she had that much strength in such a small body? shu-ling was discovering various things about herself these days, mostly, she was doing things then wondering how she managed to do so, then forgetting to question herself and simply using the newly learned abilities to her advantage. nari was going to be slightly surprised by how stocked the cabin was, at least, shu-ling hoped she would be surprised. she’d done it all by herself, and it had to be a surprise for the fox in her arms. soon enough the cabin was neared, and she climbed the stairs without much of a problem, pushing open the door with her back. it’d been unlocked since day one, the warmth of the cabin welcomed them and had shu-ling puffing out a bit of fog before she crouched by the open door and let nari down.

“do you remember this place? i brought toooons of stuff in we can use! i even have spoons, and yesterday mr. yannick gave me a bit of soup. mother doesn’t eat it, so i thought you could eat with me instead. but do you even eat soup though?”

The weather had been quite unpleasant lately, brutal if one was being completely honest. Most choose to stay warm inside of their own homes, leaving only when absolutely necessary, for work or really just to get their hands on a warm beverage inside of the many taverns that filled the streets. This left young Nari with no other option but to spend most of her days and nights protected by a blanket of thick fur, this form of hers was much more effective when trying to fight off the cold, it also allowed her to have a bit more fun too, to venture herself into the snow filled streets, to run and play around for more hours than she would have been able to in her human form and yet, at times, it could also be infuriating.

However, there was something that warmed her heart and fought off the irritation of not being able to speak like a person. Someone outside of her family was also able to identify her even in this form and to relate it to her human one, it felt nice to feel like someone still took the time to learn small things about her, took their time to really understand her even if without her uttering a single word. 

The ice did not show any signs of melting or of mercy, it had started to burn her paws and her fur was more wet than dry after having rolled and tumbled around in the snow, but even with all the discomfort she was beginning feeling, there was happiness inside of her, the non-aggressive stance and the way her long fluffy tail swayed from side to side were small indications that she had heard something that had pleased her.

Nari was still small, that was a fact she could not ignore but she knew she had all the time in the world to grow and yet she had also been called strong and there was definitely some pride in that. Her big dark eyes stared back at her friend, both sitting down in the snow, a sign of patience as she quietly studied the girl in front of her as her features changed from confusion to recognition, until Shu-Ling finally discovered what was affecting her.

There was no bite, in fact if Nari could possibly find a way of thanking her for her intelligence she would have, but before she could take her time to think about it, her body was lifting off the ground. Nari moved around for a second, confused, until she eventually settled down and welcomed the warmth that had enveloped her. Her body relaxed to the point of her being able to close her eyes if only for a few seconds.

It was warm and safe and now it was the time for Nari to wonder just when exactly had Shu-Ling grown to be so strong?

Nari took in the moving surroundings, the path that Shu-Ling was carrying her to was not at all unfamiliar and in a matter of minutes their cabin had come into view, the place quickly became theirs once they found it. It was abandoned with barely nothing inside beside its four walls, no one needed it and Nari doubted that there would ever be a day when anyone would feel the need to claim it and if that ever happen, it would only be cruel.

This was their place and Nari could recognize it by scent alone. The fox leaped from her friends arms, her four paws meeting the solid ground once more as her snout stuck to the floor in inspection of the place. Nari had stopped at a small cabinet and all it took was a little pull from one of her paws for it to open and then she saw it, the tons of stuff that Shu-Ling was talking about.

And then, she shifted just like that, her small, cold hands were quick to rummage through the clothes that Shu-Ling had brought, more than excited to finally being able to have a proper conversation as she covered her body.  “yes, silly, I do eat soup” Nari giggled, finally pulling a shirt over her head before closing that cabinet again, not even the slightest bit offended by that question. 

She stretched for a bit, her bones cracking as if they were just now adapting to her new form.  Her bare feet carried her back to her friend before she was within the perfect distance to give Shu-Ling a hug. “Missed ya, what have you been up to anyways?” Nari squinted at her, just briefly before pulling away in order to start a fire, she needed to warm up. 

“This all looks pretty cool, thanks for bringing some clothes for me” the girl smiled the small flames reflecting in her eyes “I think I’m going to spend the night here, if I’m lucky enough I’ll sleep through all morning and miss training”

[amouthfulloflove]

“You’ve heard this myth. One dark, one light, live inside. Feed one & it survives. When will we learn what we starve always becomes claw & teeth & snarl?”

— setting the table, Kara Dorris

[cherrykadeu]

zuihuojoui​:

There was a weighing of outcomes that came with this gift. Indeed he wished to witness her devour the organs, watch the blood run down her neck, watch those canines rip into the flesh and enjoy her enjoying every bite. Yes, it beyond fascinated him. Ever since they spoke of hearts and racing them, he recalled the knowledge that her species has great need of the essential organs. Of course, the humans have more natural claim to their use, as they cannot exist without the organs, but, oh, what is a more fitting role for such a useless species than becoming food for another.

It did sum the Fae disgust with humanity so poetically it birthed envy. Simply using the humans and their variations meant nothing other than, of course, amusement to the tickle of boredom. But to consume their very lives to nourish your own, he would love to be able to. Why not? It was just how weaker animals were used to fatten another, stronger animal, used to nourish another more deserving of life, so was the same of the Kumiho and the lesser humans. If a Fae could do the same it would bring greater purpose to the feeble creatures.

But they could not. And so Joui would manage his disappointments and enjoy the sight given by this beauty. Yet he knew, she could find this quite offensive. She, who he knew did not feed and had yet struggled with the more natural side of her species for years, how would she react if he presented her with such a thing and called it a gift?

The turning of her in his arms, her hands to his face, caressing him, yet the expression on her face made him wonder. There was no glee present, no warmth radiating as it did when the crystal flowers were presented. He wondered, had he truly upset her? Did she perhaps feel forced? Oh how he would hate that.

He watched her move to the table, seeing suddenly her face when she realized her staff had been harmed in her stead. How weak she looked, how weak she felt, he wanted to take it from her. Indeed she was no predator, not yet, but that same woman growled at others who dared look to him, bared her canines, staking her possession of him to those who were indeed above her in rank. That daring resonated within him. Her potential inspired him.

And even as he witnessed the fullness of her form, watched her pad through the space she made her own with blood in her fur, her attendants concerned at the fox in her space, unsure of whom it exactly was. He had remembered those ears, pinned back at the sight of him. He had smiled then, remembering the same ears at his birthday ball and walked to her with no fear, ignoring the concerns of the staff, seeking to protect him from harm. She had relaxed when the distance was closed, let him search her fur for injuries, let him pass his hands over her without any harm. He remembered that look of adoration passing through the staff, realizing she could have harmed him but did not. Blood staining her fur, all the makings of a beast, yet no harm to him. No beast, all beauty.

Even then his heart responded to her. 

And now, to see her bury her teeth into the bloody organ, his smile spread across his face, features darkening as he watched her consume it. How the blood painted her with deeper crimson that had been on her lips, painted her flesh in its deep hue, and oh, the lacking concern on her face.

He eased closer, excitement unhidden from him his face, yet holding back the urge to take her into his arms while she ate.  Whatever her concerns were, those there shading her expression, he would take them from her, free her from whatever told her this, this most natural act of her species, was not beautiful. Because it was. It was majestic, it was strength and he was in awe.

He held his words but it marked his face. Initially the fulfillment of the potential he saw spread his mind to the range of such a creature at his side but that vanished, his face softening, his eyes gazing with affection. “My sweet, beloved Nari”, he breathed with ease, the words passing him with no effort, unable to be contained further. “You forever gift me beauty and this my dear, you, I cannot take my eyes away from you.”

Every bite was meaningful, the sink of her pointed teeth into the fresh muscle meant so much more than just pure hunger or even gluttony. The acceptance of such a gift was only possible through trust and courage, to trust in the man that now stood at the other side watching her carefully as she devoured what filled her plate and courage to accept what she had forsaken for years.

This need that held all the foxes hostage was never supposed to be viewed as a bad thing amongst their kind, they knew that there was no malevolent intent behind it, it was solely an action that needed to be carried out in order to survive. All of them were just trying to survive and live their lives, was it so wrong of foxes to try and do the same?

However, Nari had quickly changed her mind once she was forced to face the consequences of their actions. Never creatures that had the habit of hunting in packs, a lot more lonely when compared to others, and yet, her family had a very specific rule, they always ate together.

Nari never questioned it, was not one to really challenge their parents traditions unless she found them completely boring. As a small fox it was easy, her mother and father would go out, sometimes together but most of the time separately and each of them would be the nourishment that was needed for the family. There had never been any contact with death in the early years, the food was just food and did not serve any other purpose than the one it had when it appeared on top of her plate.

Afterwards, her brother Geon was the only one who would go out, the only one who would bring food enough for the four of them. Their parents had always looked proud and the whole family was happier when sharing a meal.

The problems had only started to appear when that vital role was passed unto the youngest  one in the family. If Nari failed, whether on accident or purposefully, it meant that no one in the family would eat, it meant starvation and weakness not only for her but for everyone else.

She got used to the looks in her parents’ eyes, something that was not only disappointment but concern and only later did she understand the reason behind it. They would all be fine,  even Geon had passed the test, but what place did a weak and unhealthy fox  occupy in  this world? What would become of Nari?

The fox had killed many times before, but she could recount every single one that she did with the purpose of feeding herself, none of them had been based on rationality and all of them had made her feel absolutely disgusting afterwards. But here she was gulping down each of the ripped pieces with vigor in an astonishing pace that almost made her wonder how she had yet to make a fool of herself by choking on it, no sign of rejection to her species ways because as simple as it sounded this gift brought back fond memories that she had.

There were no horrified faces flashing in her mind, no lingering screams of pain like the ones that would echo every time a piece of her victim fell onto her plate, because now the hearts and livers were just a meal and most importantly food that she hadn’t needed to hunt down and kill. In a very twisted way, Joui’s presence was valued, it kept her grounded and safe, even though he was different for her in many ways and thus could never be able to share a meal like this with her, just like she would never be able to taste the delicacies of his realm, this situation still reminded her of home and of her family.

Back then, ignorance had been bliss, but there was no denying how happy she had been. Just aim to be as strong as you are beautiful, her father used to say, but it seemed that Nari was only now willing to listen and understand.

Words of praise were not ignored, much less forgotten and while Nari lacked manners in many aspects, she had never been one to speak with her mouth full and so she quickly finished her meal, leaving behind only a bloody plate and a red stained napkin.

“Thank you” she finally spoke, a rosy hue rising all the way up to her cheeks after she realized what had happened, never one to shy away from compliments and sweets words and certainly never one to act coy because of it, it would be considered hypocrisy  given her late profession, but she allowed herself to display the emotions that she was feeling - this was the most intimate she had ever been, with anyone really. “It...it was really good” there was no way that she could suppress the small laugh that followed, her poor choice of words in comparison to the rich flattery was almost comical, but Nari could not really find it in herself to care.

Her body was needing  this and she felt completely accepted. Joui had seen all sides of her and there was no sign that he wished to run away, if he was still able to trust her with his heart  after having watched  her devouring one, maybe she could find it in herself to love the both of them, Joui and herself.

The smile that she had worn for the majority of the evening returned to her lips, the sparkle in her eyes suited for an important day as this one and reserved only to the one she was quickly falling for, the one that had always taken such good care of her. Nari knew that one day she would be able to take care and protect him to, until then she was still able to please him in other ways “Can’t wait for dessert”

[thus-said-the-soul]

“Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it.”

Latin: Pulchrum est terror. Quicumque vocat pulchrum, tremimus ante id.

Greek: ἡ εὐπρέπεια ἔστιν ὁ φόβος. ὁτιοῦν καλοῦμεν καλόν, τρέμομεν πρό αὐτοῦ.

— Donna Tartt, The Secret History (1992)