The bullet train finally stopped at the busy Kyoto Station.
Elias and Dee stepped out into the beautiful, historic city.
Their romantic date had officially begun.
They spent the entire afternoon walking through the colorful, lively streets.
Dee was incredibly happy.
She held Elias's hand the whole time, a massive smile never leaving her face.
They ate sweet, sticky dango, tried hot noodles, and bought cute little souvenirs from the street vendors.
Elias took lots of pictures of Dee smiling brightly in front of the giant, ancient red shrines.
"This is the best trip ever,"
Dee mumbled happily, chewing on a warm strawberry crepe.
As they walked past a busy, sweet-smelling snack bar, Elias suddenly stopped.
Standing near the wooden counter was a little girl.
She had bright blonde hair, cute golden fox ears on her head, and a fluffy fox tail drooping behind her.
She was staring intensely at the sweet rice cakes displayed on the counter.
She was drooling slightly, her mouth watering. She was clearly very hungry.
But the human worker at the snack stand didn't notice her at all. He just looked right through her.
To normal humans, the little fox girl was completely invisible.
Because no one could see her or hear her, she couldn't buy any of the food she wanted so badly.
She sighed sadly, her fox ears flattening against her head as she rubbed her empty tummy.
Elias looked at Dee.
Dee smiled softly and gave him a little nod.
She knew exactly what her kind boyfriend was going to do.
Elias walked right up to the counter.
"Excuse me,"
Elias said to the worker.
"I would like to buy a large box of those sweet rice cakes, please."
He paid for the snacks and took the warm box.
Then, he turned around and walked right over to the little fox girl.
He knelt down so he was at her eye level and gently held out the box.
"Here you go,"
Elias said with a warm, friendly smile.
"These are for you."
The little fox girl jumped back in pure surprise.
Her golden eyes went as wide as saucers.
She looked at the warm food, and then she looked right into Elias's eyes.
"You... You can see me?"
The little fox girl asked, her voice tiny and full of absolute shock.
"But you smell like a human. Normal humans can't see Yokai. We are invisible to you."
"I am a little bit different than a normal human,"
Elias chuckled softly, keeping the box held out to her.
"But I could see that you were very hungry. And no little girl should have to stand there and look at delicious food with an empty stomach."
The fox girl slowly reached out her small, shaking hands and took the box. It felt so warm and smelled so sweet.
She looked at Elias with deep confusion and wonder.
"You are giving this to me for free?"
She asked, still not quite believing it.
"Yokai and humans don't usually talk to each other. Humans are usually scared of us. Aren't you afraid of me?"
Elias shook his head gently. His dark eyes were completely calm and fair.
"Why would I be afraid of a cute little girl who just wants a sweet snack?"
Elias asked, his voice full of simple, honest kindness.
"It doesn't matter if you are a human or a Yokai. Hunger feels exactly the same for everyone. Go ahead and eat before it gets cold."
The little fox girl's eyes filled with happy tears.
She quickly opened the warm box and took a big bite of a sweet rice cake.
"Thank you!"
She mumbled happily with a full mouth.
"It is so yummy!"
Elias smiled and gently patted her soft, blonde hair.
"You are very welcome,"
Elias said kindly.
"What is your name?"
She swallowed her food and stood up perfectly straight. She tried to look very brave and polite.
"My name is Kunou,"
She said proudly.
"I am a fox, Yokai."
But then, her brave face slowly faded away.
Her golden fox ears drooped down sadly again, and she hugged the box of rice cakes tightly to her chest.
"But right now... I am a lost Yokai,"
Kunou admitted quietly.
Dee stepped closer, looking at the little girl with endless, gentle eyes.
"Lost?"
Dee asked softly.
"Where are your parents, little Kunou?"
Kunou looked down at her small shoes. She looked incredibly guilty and embarrassed.
"I snuck out,"
Kunou whispered, kicking a small pebble on the ground.
"My mother is always very busy with work. I was bored and lonely, so I quietly ran away from home to come play in the city."
She sniffled, and small tears started to form in her eyes.
"But the human city is way too big,"
Kunou cried softly, rubbing her eyes.
"There are too many people and too many loud noises. Everything looks completely different. Now I don't know the way back home. My mother is probably so worried about me, and she is going to be so mad."
Elias looked up at Dee. They didn't even need to speak.
They both nodded at the exact same time.
They couldn't just leave a crying, lost little girl all alone in a massive city, even if she was a magic fox.
Elias knelt down again and gently wiped away Kunou's tears with his thumb.
"Don't cry, Kunou,"
Elias said in a strong, comforting voice.
"Everything is going to be alright. We will help you."
Kunou sniffled and looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.
"You will?"
She asked, her fox tail giving a tiny wag.
"Really?"
"Of course we will,"
Dee smiled warmly, kneeling down right next to Elias.
"We are on a date, but helping a cute little fox find her mom sounds like a really great adventure."
Elias stood up and held out his hand to her.
"Take my hand so you don't get lost in the crowd again,"
Elias said gently.
"Do you remember anything about where your home is? Any big landmarks or special buildings?"
Kunou quickly grabbed his hand, holding on tightly. She finally felt safe.
"Yes!"
Kunou nodded eagerly.
"It is a very big, very beautiful red shrine. It is hidden deep inside a large bamboo forest, far away from the human houses."
"A big red shrine in a bamboo forest,"
Elias repeated, committing it to memory. He smiled at the little fox.
"Alright, Kunou. Let's go get you back home to your mother."
Elias took his smartphone out of his pocket.
"Let's see,"
Elias said, typing on his screen.
"A large red shrine hidden in a bamboo forest in Kyoto."
It didn't take long. The internet was very helpful.
He quickly found a map that pointed to a famous old shrine on the edge of the city.
"I think I found it,"
Elias smiled, putting his phone away.
"Let's go."
Elias, Dee, and little Kunou walked away from the busy, noisy city streets.
They walked until the concrete roads turned into dirt paths, and tall, green bamboo trees surrounded them.
But as they walked deeper into the forest, the air suddenly changed. It felt heavy and thick.
The space around them seemed to shimmer like a puddle of water.
When they stepped through the invisible barrier, the scenery completely transformed.
It didn't look like the normal pictures on the internet anymore.
The bamboo trees were much thicker and glowed with a soft, magical light.
The red shrine in the distance was massive and ancient, far bigger than any normal human building.
They had crossed the border. They had stepped right into the hidden domain of the Yokai.
Before they could walk any further, several dark shadows dropped down from the tall bamboo trees.
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
Five tall Yokai guards surrounded them. They held long, sharp spears.
Their animal eyes were wide with panic and anger. They had been searching everywhere for the lost little girl.
"Princess Kunou!"
The lead guard shouted in absolute relief.
But then, the guard saw Elias and Dee standing right next to her, holding her hand.
The guard's face instantly twisted into a fierce, dangerous glare.
"Humans!"
The guard growled, pointing his sharp spear directly at Elias's chest.
"How dare you enter our sacred domain? Step away from the young lady right now!"
The other guards raised their weapons, hostility rolling off them in waves.
They were ready to attack to protect their princess.
Elias didn't even blink. He didn't raise his hands, and he didn't look scared.
He just stood there, looking at the sharp spears with completely calm, empty eyes.
It was incredibly lucky for the guards that they hadn't attacked right away.
If they had done something stupid and actually tried to hurt him or Dee, they would have paid a very heavy, painful price.
Elias could have crushed all of them into dust before they even swung their weapons.
But Elias didn't have to do anything.
"Stop!"
Kunou yelled loudly.
The little fox girl let go of Elias's hand and bravely stepped right in front of him.
She spread her small arms out wide, protecting the tall teenager.
"Put your weapons down right now!"
Kunou commanded angrily.
"They are not bad people! They are my friends!"
The Yokai guards completely froze.
They lowered their spears just a little bit, looking very confused.
"But Princess,"
The lead guard said nervously.
"They are humans. They could have hurt you."
"They saved me!"
Kunou argued back, her fluffy fox tail puffing up to make herself look bigger.
"I snuck out to the human city and got lost. I was hungry and crying. Nobody else could see me, but Elias saw me. He bought me warm food, and he held my hand so I wouldn't be scared. He brought me all the way back home!"
Kunou glared at the tall, armored guards.
"They are good people! If you try to hurt the nice person who saved me, I will tell my mother how incredibly rude you are!"
The guards quickly looked at each other.
Hearing the truth, their hostility completely vanished.
They lowered their spears to the ground and took a respectful step back, looking deeply ashamed of their quick anger.
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