Chapter 7:

Here's another chapter! Uh oh... big bad uncle is coming for them! And some more kick ass fighting coming up. I don't own anything but my characters!

Inola was dreaming... not a peaceful dream. A nightmare. She was dreaming that she was fighting a horrible nine tailed beast. Her master was behind her, bleeding on the ground. She was losing, the horrible beast was snarling and ripping at her flesh with its claws. She screamed in fear, clawing and hissing at the beast trying to get to her wounded master. The beast growled and let her go, making her crawl to her wounded master, she covered her master with her body and snarled at the beast. She beast chuckled and came into the light, only it wasn't her uncle like she had origionally thought. It was her. Only she wasn't herself, her eyes instead of blue were blood red and she had a malicious grin on her face. And she had nine tails instead of one. The dark evil her laughed above her and scooped her up, laughing evilly in her face at her pathetic attempts of fighting back.

"Who are you?!" she screamed up at her evil self.

Her evil self sneered down at her, "I am you. The true you. Just need to break the chains around your neck and kill your captor! Kill your master and you shall be free!"

"NO! I WILL NEVER," she screamed at her evil doppleganger.

"Yes! You will and when you do, you shall be the new Blood Queen," it laughed at her as she screamed and struggled some more.

"NOOOOO!"

The beast mouth moved but what came out wasn't the gastly evil voice that was before, "Inola! Wake up!"

"Inola!"

She bolted upright her eyes wide in fear as she looked around her madly. She was back in her room, in bed with her master. Her master was on her side of the bed, hands on her shoulders, pressumbably shaking her awake. She saw on his chest three long scratch marks. She flinched away.

"D-Did I?" she whispered, her eyes watering when he noted what she was looking at.

"It's nothing pet. Just a scratch," he answered, petting her head soothingly.

She whimpered, "b-but... I still hurt you."

He tilted her chin up to look in her eyes, "Inola... you scratched me during your nightmare. It wasn't your fault dearie, stop blaming yourself."

She nodded before leaning forward and using her fangs to slice her palm and gently pressed it against his wounded chest. He looked like he was about to object.

"Dearie what are you-" he started before starting, seeing the wound closing before his very eyes.

"How?" he stammered, his brown eyes wide.

She smiled softly, "I guess there is some good and useful tips to being a part of the Crimson fox clan. They can use their blood to do pretty much anything. Summon demons, create weapons out of blood, or heal. But it takes a lot of focus."

He remained silent for a moment before asking, "you mentioned that before the other night... said that your blood lust was the proof you needed that you were the final heir to the Blood King... now about the Crimson Foxes?"

Inola sighed, a frown on her face, "yes... my father's father is the Blood King... a very, very powerful nine tailed kitsune who went mad with power and tried to overthrow my uncle's family. He slaughtered my grandparents on my mother's side and my uncle took the throne since he was the eldest... my uncle feared my grandfather so much he had the entire clan wiped out. All the men and women, children and babies... none were spared. But they couldn't kill my grandfather, he was too powerful. So they resorted to capturing him... they had a trial..."

-Flash Back-

Kaname the Blood King knelt there in chains, his angry black and red aura flaring about him as was his tails. Lethanuel and the council stood in the councilmen chairs a few yards from him. Lethanuel took the stand, his gold eyes narrowed on the mad fox.

"Kaname Blood King, you have been convicted of high treason and murder of the first degree... how do you plead?"

Kaname sneered as he straightened, "not guilty... it isn't murder if you get rid of a fault in hierarchy. Like getting rid of a roach problem."

Lethanuel stared at the evil fox before him with outrage and anger, "slaughtering my parents, the current king and queen of the sky, isn't excusable!"

Something in Kaname's eyes changed, like his insanity vanished for just an instant as he snarled up at the seven tailed fox above him, "and slaughtering my clan is?! You're right... instead of killing your father and mother... I should of killed you! I would of saved so many lives then and be knownst as a hero for getting rid of a whiney mongrel who thinks he could fill his daddy's shoes!"

The council muttered in outrage and worry as Lethanuel stood there frozen, his gold eyes enraged. Kaname smirked.

"By the way... where is your beautiful sister? Alue was it? I hear you have her under lock and key because my boy inplanted his seed in her... what's the matter boy? Scared of a little mixing of the bloodlines?! Ahahaha! You know... I think their union is a good thing... maybe it'll clear out the roaches," he taunted up at the enraged prince.

Lethanuel launched himself at the mad fox, holding him up by his kimono, snarling into the Blood King's face.

"Don't you dare utter my sister's name out of that hideous mouth of yours! My sister is not having a child! And even if she was I'd kill the abomination before it could breath it's first," he snarled down at the smirking fox.

Kaname lurched up against his chains, just inches away from Lethanuel's, "oh no... I don't think you will... because by the time you finish this trial, your beloved sister will have fled the castle with my dear son to have my grandchild. You're too late, white fox. My line shall live on!"

Lethanuel's eyes widened in horror before he dropped the laughing fox, turning and running towards the castle, calling his guards, "Guards! Find my sister! Do. Not. Let. Her. Escape!"

Kaname laughed maniacly, throwing his head back as he shouted after the retreating form of the prince, "ONE DAY PRINCE! ONE DAY SOMEONE IS GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR YOUR SINS! AND I WILL BE THERE, TO WATCH YOU FALL FROM DIGNITY! ONE DAY LETHANUEL!"

-End Flash Back-

"After that they locked my grandfather into a maximum security prison in another dimension. So that he will never see the light of day again. The rest you know, my mother escaped with me, had me, then perished," she finished.

Rumpelstiltskin sat there, his eyes filled with an unexplainable emotion. He looked away while speaking, "I... I never thought that there'd be someone out there who suffers just the same as I. Perhaps even more. Was that what your nightmare was about? You becoming a monster like your grandfather?"

Inola cringed before nodding, "yes...there's a whole heavy aura around me. I guess now I understand why some of the foxes looked at me the way they did... they all expected me to lose it at anytime and go on a killing spree. They expected me to slaughter them all."

She turned to her master, "what if I do? What if I become like him? Or worse... my uncle? I couldn't live with myself if I-"

"Enough pet, you're not the person to do such things. I would know wouldn't I dearie?" her master scolded her, making her nod.

"Yes master... I'm sorry for making such a fuss, it just really scared me is all," she whispered.

"I understand perfectly well dearie, we all have times when we are afraid of ourselves. We just have to learn to overcome it and learn from it," he answered, patting her on the head.

She smiled in gratefulness, hugging her master, "thank you Rumpelstiltskin. For being the best master in the whole world."

Her master laughed as he pat her back, accepting her gratefulness. They both returned to sleep, both curling in under the sheets, their thoughts elsewhere. Inola's last thoughts were of her master and how she would do anything to protect him. Anything. Even if it means losing a part of herself and becoming the monster everyone fears her to be.

-Time Break-

Inola crashed to the ground once more that day as she trained with Takoda. She was just thrown back from her attack with Takoda's sword. Takoda stood above her and offered her a hand.

"Come on Inola, you have to be a lot quicker than that if you hope to defeat your uncle! I'm going only half easy on you and you can't even keep up," he stated, yanking her to her feet.

"Now again! Only quicker this time," he instructed, getting in the ready position.

Inola released her breath and prepared herself. With a shout she charged at him, meeting his blow per blow. Their heavy wooden katanas clashing and banging through the air as they picked up the pace. Inola ducked as his sword just missed her ears before swiping her right leg out to knock his from under him. He yelped as he fell back before catching himself with his hands and flipping back onto his feet, meeting her charge. They danced like this for several more hours before calling it a quits. Takoda tossed her a hand towel, smirking.

"You're getting better at this. Pretty soon you'll be better than me! Where did you learn those moves?" he asked as he wiped the sweat off his face.

Inola paused, she couldn't tell him she was training with her insane, murdering grandfather when she wasn't training with him.

She just made things up as she went along, "just some moves I picked up over the years by studying and training with my master."

Takoda seemed to buy it, turning to pick up his gym bag with a smile, "well wherever you learnt it, keep practicing! It really gives you the advantage if you can dish out some moves that your opponent wont be expecting. Le's call it a day for now, same time tomorrow?"

She nodded at him before waving goodbye as he walked into the forest back towards town. She sighed before jumping at the sound of her grandfather's voice.

"Well! I thought he'd never leave," he exclaimed in false exaggeration.

She spun around in surprise and cursed, holding her chest, "dammit grandpa! Don't do that!"

Kaname made a ugly face, "then don't call me grandpa... it makes me feel old!"

Inola rolled her eyes at him, "well you are over 800 years old."

"Pssht! So? I'm 800 years young!" he stated in mock outrage.

"Whatever... so what's on the agenda today," she asked boredly, putting her hands on her hips at him.

Kaname straightened before smirking, "today we're gonna harness those summoning powers of yours."

Inola made a nervous face, not liking the sound of that, "o-oh? Like what?"

It was Kaname's turn to roll his eyes, "like... learning how to summon your first demon follower! Or how to summon a shadow raven to spy for you! All those fun perks that come with being a Crimson Fox!"

Inola snorted, "I am only a quarter Crimson fox you know? I'm mainly a black fox with some white fox traits."

Kaname gagged and waved her off, "don't say that! It makes me sick to hear the word "white"! Ugh I get sick even by thinking it!"

Inola laughed, a natural booming laugh that came from her chest. She smiled at her grandfather.

"You know... if I wasn't currently learning how to fight for my life and you weren't a murderous insane lecher, we could almost be friends. Well a part from you being imprisoned for eternity and all," she stated, smiling softly at her grandfather.

Kaname paused and seemed to show remorse upon his face, he may be evil, but family and his clan meant more to him than anything in the whole wide world, "I know. Sometimes I wish it were that easy. But alas... it is not."

He seemed to shake his head clear before growling, "alright! Enough with all the sappy stuff! I have a lot of money set on you defeating your uncle! We ain't getting any younger and time's a running out! Now focus on what you wish to summon, perhaps for a beginner you should learn to summon a shadow raven. Focus on the thought and the idea of the raven, then cut your palm and let the blood draw itself. Remember! The power is in the blood, never doubt it or else you will fail."

Inola nodded determinedly, closing her eyes to focus on a midnight black raven with red eyes. She imagioned every tiny detail, from the veins in his beak to the feathers on his hide. She then cut her palm with a small dagger she keeps in her pant's pocket and let the blood draw itself. Soon she felt her eyes open as power surged from a tiny circle of ancient writing and a black form formed out of the haze. Finally after the mist settled, she saw a black raven standing in the center of the circle, its beady red eyes watching her curiously. She smiled in success and turned to her grandfather.

"What do I do now," she asked as she kept her gaze locked on the raven who curiously watched her too.

Kaname snorted, "tell it what to do! To fly or do tricks or something. To spy on anyone or peck someone's eyes out. That's always fun too."

Inola sighed in exasperation as she focused on the raven before tilting her head, watching the raven to the same, "alright... I'm gonna name you since it would be too akward to call you raven all the time. Hmm... how about Diaval?"

The raven cawed at her in agreement, liking the name. She smiled at it before holding out her arm to it.

"Come Diaval," she ordered firmly, smiling when the bird obeyed and flew up to her arm and perched on it.

She fan girled on the inside, "this is so cool."

Kaname chuckled from his spot on the tree, watching his granddaughter play around with the raven she-so-fondly named Diaval. She called him to do loop-de-loops in the sky, or to fly up onto the highest branch of the tree before diving down and flying around her body in swirls, making the girl laugh. He cackled out in laughter when the bird crashed into her hair when she wasn't paying attention.

Later on...

The day had ended with her learning how to summon a few more things, one by one getting harder to control. After Diaval, Kaname taught her how to summon small things like ghouls or lesser demons. Finally teaching her to summon a nightmare horse, which was definitely hard to control. It kept testing her and throwing her off each time she tried to ride it. Eventually her grandfather made her break the summon and go home to rest, warning her that summoning too much will make her weak and vulnerable to attack. She took the advice with gratiousness, knowing that it will be very useful to know that when she is fighting her uncle. Use summoning as a last resort, got it. Inola dragged her feet as she walked into the shop, making sure to have her ears and tail concealed as she walked in. She was met with the sheriff and her master deep in conversation. Inola waved at the sheriff as she walked into back, intent on making herself something to eat. She decided on ramen... yes... nice salty ramen sounded great right now. She was interupted by her master's voice calling her from the shop.

"Oh Anue? Sheriff Swan would like to ask you some questions," stated Mr. Gold, smirking when he heard her groan and mutter about being so close and that she will return for the delicious ramen.

She slumped into the shop looking up at her master then towards the sheriff.

"What can I do for ya sheriff," she grumbled, straightening to lean against the counter.

"Hello Anue, this will only take a minute. I was just talking to Mr. Gold here about some bodies we found burried in the woods this morning," she stated apologetically, growing more serious as she went on.

Inola froze. Bodies? They must of found the assassin's bodies then. She and her master made sure to remove any identification from them and to conceal their ears and tails permanently so that they'd look human. Some dogs must of dug them up looking for food.

"B-Bodies? Here in StoryBrooke? Whatever for," she stuttered, her eyes growing wide in horror.

The sheriff sighed, "we don't know what their cause of death was, but the body count was five and they seemed to be out-of-towners. They must have been camping and a wild animal got to them."

Inola agreed, making sure to keep her eyes wide and disbelieving, "wow... five bodies here in StoryBrooke. It's hard to imagion!"

Emma Swan nodded a soft tired smile on her face, "yeah it is. It's such a quiet town. Anyway I just wanted to spread the news and see if anyone recognizes them."

Mr. Gold nodded before shaking the sheriff's hand, "understood. Please, if you need any help finding the cause of this, don't hesitate to call dearie."

Inola nodded in agreement, "yes! We'd be glad to help."

Emma smiled and waved at them as she headed for the door, "will do guys. Thanks for the support. Have a good day now."

Inola waved back smiling as the sheriff left, before sagging in relief. She turned to her master, noting the thoughtful expression on his face.

"Dearie, you don't think they'll get a match on your DNA from your saliva do you," he asked mildly concerned.

Inola shook her head, "no. They'll get a fox's or canine's saliva. Our kind protects ourselves that way."

He nodded before turning away to work on some of his nick-nacks, "alright. You can go back to making your ramen dearie. I'll let you know if there is anything else."

She nodded, turning to go back into the kitchen to make ramen. She noted the fresh pomagranits in the fridge and plucked one up, walking over to the counter to grab a cutting board and a knife. Inola hummed as she cut the ruby fruit in half, purring at the sweet sour smell when the ripe fruit was split open. The scent of it brought back fond memories of when she had first tried a pomagranit.

-Flash Back-

Anue's ears perked when she heard her mother's pawsteps approaching. She turned around in the dark den ontop of the soft leaves and grass that made their nest. She saw her mother's glistening white fur as she entered and she grew envious. Why didn't she have perfect white fur like her mom? Anue shook her head clear of her thoughts when she saw something red in her mother's mouth. Anue tilted her head to the side in curiousity. What was that? It didn't look like an animal. Her mother sat down on her haunches infront of her kit, setting the red object down on the bedding. Anue crawled forward, sniffing and poking the object with her tiny paw. Anue was only two months old, so she was still small, about only three pounds. She yipped up at her mother, who was staring down at her lovingly, her blue eyes sparkling with warmth.

"Momma? What is this thing," Anue asked with wonder, still jabbing it with her paw, giggling when it rolled from side to side.

Alue laughed softly, her laugh like tinkling bells, "well my kit, that is a pomagranit."

"Pom... Poma...Pomagrany? Pomagra... Pomagreygrey!" Anue crinkled her nose and tried in vain to pronounce it right.

Alue laughed louder, tears in her eyes, "Pom-a-gran-it, my sweet kit. Pomagranit."

"Pom-a-gran-it... Pomagranit! I got it! Did you see me momma did you see," she squealed in happiness, her little tail wagging happily.

"Yes dear, I saw. Good job," her mother congradulated, nuzzling her kit.

Anue nuzzled her mother back happily, "so what's a pomagranit?"

Alue smiled, "it's a fruit. People eat it."

She shifted into her human form and cut the fruit in half, exposing the glistening ruby seeds to the firelight. Her mother's human form was as beautiful as her fox form; her hair was waist long and wavy, it's color was pure white as her fur. And her complexion was pale but still had a healthy glow to it. Anue didn't mind seeing her mother in her human form, she thought it was cool. She wanted to do it someday. Her mother plucked one of the little red seeds and held it towards her.

"Try it my child, it's very sweet," she coaxed her kit.

Anue stared at it before opening her mouth obiediantly, keeping it open when her mother dropped the seed on her tongue. She closed her mouth and chewed on the seed, yipping in surprise when the flavors exploded on her tongue. It was a very sweet and yet sour taste, very refreshing. She stared up at her mom in surprise.

"It's good mommy!" she stated in surprise.

Alue smiled and petted her young kit, "I know. It's a rare delecacy these days. They come from over the seas. So enjoy it my child."

Anue yipped in acknowledgement and continued to eat the juicy pomagranit with her mother. That was the first time she ever had a pomagranit... and it has been her favorite ever since.

-End Flash Back-

She smiled softly at the memory, slipping a little seed into her mouth and humming in happiness when the seed's juices burst on her tongue. She chuckled, if only her mother could see her now... these days pomagranits weren't a rarity anymore, you can find them practically anywhere at stores around the states. She jumped slightly when her master's arms wrapped around her middle, his chin resting on her shoulder as he peered down at her hands as she plucked the seeds from their core.

"Having pleasant thoughts dearie?" he teased as she held up a pomagranit seed to him.

"Yes. Just remembering when my mother first brought home a pomagranit and had me try it for the first time. Back then they were very rare," she whispered fondly, giggling when he took the seed from her fingers with his lips.

He hummed in acknowledgement, "yes... they have quite the history you know."

Inola turned to peer back at him, an eyebrow raised, "oh?"

Rumpelstiltskin pulled away, taking a half of the pomagranit with him, "oh yes. The legend is Greek. And the legend goes that there was three brothers whom were gods; the youngest and strongest of them all was Zues, king of the gods; then there was Poseidon, king of the seas; and then there was the oldest of the three, Hades, lord of the underworld. You see, Hades was not as priveledged as his two younger brothers, he was trapped in the underworld of which he reigns. But sometimes he could sneak out of his dark charge and walk amongst the surface. One of these times he caught glimpse of a beautiful maiden goddess who was tending to the field. She was Persephone, daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest and seasons. Hades was so taken by her beauty that he stole her away to the Underworld. When Demeter had heard of her daughter's kidnapping she had thrown a fit, in her rage the crops died and the seasons changed to a forever winter. She demanded to Zues to have her daughter returned to her or she shall never bring back the harvest and the summer. With millions of lives on the line Zues went down to the Underworld to confront his brother. Hades had heard that Zues was coming for his beloved so he grabbed a forbidden fruit from his garden and offered it to Persephone. Persephone ate two of the seeds of the Pomagranit, not knowing that once you eat food from the Underworld, you're doomed to stay forever. Zues had arrived and demanded that Persephone be returned to her mother. Hades told his brother that she had ate from the fruit of the underworld, so she had to stay. Persephone mentioned that she only had two of the seeds from the fruit and Zues turned to his brother stating that for two seasons she was to stay with Hades in the underworld and for the other two she was to return and stay with her mother, thus the changing of the seasons. When she was with her mother the land was ripe and green, thus spring and summer; and when she went to stay with Hades the land cold and grey, thus fall and winter. That was how the changing of the seasons came to be, all because of a little fruit, the pomagranit. To this day this fruit is still known as the Forbidden fruit or Devil's fruit. So you see dearie, Pomagranits are quite famous."

Inola smirked at him, walking over with a sway to her hips, "so... master. Are you going to feed me the Forbidden fruit as well? Keep me trapped here with you as Hades did to his beloved?"

He leaned down till he was inches from her lips before whispering huskily, "only if you wish it..."

"I wish it..." she whispered back up to him, meeting his eyes which were glazed.

She gasps as his lips crashed against hers in a bruising yet passionate kiss. She tasted the pomagranit on his lips as she kissed him. He pulled away from her, them both gasping for breath.

"Then so be it...," he whispered huskily before diving in to capture her lips once more.

She purred into his touch, wrapping her arms around his neck. Yes, so be it.