Tied to the stake in the center of the people's courtyard was the queen of Senyou Country in a place and time far, far away. The crowd of civilians standing around the stake cheered violently.

"Burn that witch now!"

"She's a kitsune and dangerous to the people."

The executioners lit torches and prepared to throw them on the wood placed at the bottom of her feet. Using the last of her energy, the queen twitched her left middle finger to speak mentally to a friend of hers who stood among the civilians in the crowd. "Dr. Gehabich, you're my last hope. Make sure the king's guards don't find the princess, regardless if she's being exiled."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Dr. Gehabich sneaked out of the crowd and took a secret shortcut to a nearby ryokan. He saw dark smoke rise from the courtyard and knew she was being burned. Rest in peace, Cassandra.

The doctor opened the doors and was met with a fair-skinned teenage, hime-cut redhead. "There you are, Hime-denka. Follow me and stay silent. I've been away too long and have no idea you're being exiled. Have you spoken to your servants?"

"Just my closest one. Everyone else is gone already. I already have my people everywhere ready to help. Let's go."

The civilians were right about Queen Cassandra being a witch. The fire burned for hours, and by sunset, only her legs were badly damaged. The crowd continued yelling until a blue-masked blond man appeared, prompting the crowd to make way. He took out a bow and arrow and prepared to aim.

"I heard silver is lethal to wolves, and it actually works, proving to be a great help in my hunts. Let's hope a silver arrow will work equally lethal on foxes. Any last words?"

Queen Cassandra recognized the vigilante who claimed to know how to kill her, and shook her head. "Every deed I've done for this country will be every catastrophe that'll come your way in the future after my death."

He just smirked. "That's it? Short. Now, I shall aim this arrow...directly at your heart."

The arrow penetrated the air, and the queen suffered blood loss and poisoning, letting the fire could fully consume her.

"One more piece of unfinished business left to go..."

Meanwhile, the princess and doctor ran for their lives out of the palace and into the woods but stopped. "Whatever we do, we need to stay alive. Therefore, we should take separate paths."

"But Hime-denka, did you just hear? You're not being exiled anymore, but assassinated."

"Since when?! If I live, then there's hope for revenge." The princess took out her half of Libra necklace and removed the chain. "This pendant is my last-"

"Over here!"

The two looked up to see a masked man and black-clothed assassins descending from the trees above. Dr. Gehabich pushed the princess away and yelled, "Get out while you have the chance! Take care!"

"Good luck!"

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"What now?!"

Shun looked out the window of his carriage to see a guard stopping the chauffeur and asking to verify identification.

"That does it. It's been the third time we've been stopped today, and we're making no progress."

"Grandfather, you can't blame them. Do you know how hectic it's been?" Shun complained. "Just take out your identification token and show it to the guard. He's only doing his job."

"And the more he does his job, the less we're doing our job." He slammed his token into his grandson's hand. "You show it to him. I'm not leaving of my seat."

Shun lifted the curtain and stepped on the cement ground with the chauffeur's aid. "Here you go. My grandfather and I recently left Japan and are coming to Senyou to complete another business task."

"Explain no more. I recognize your tokens, and you may pass."

Shun took the tokens back as the guard stepped aside. "May I ask why security has been so tight lately?"

The guard leaned closer and spoke cautiously. "You didn't hear this from me, but her Majesty was discovered to be a kitsune, and some very unsatisfied people wanted her and her daughter gone. The original punishment of exile for the princess has changed to execution, more like assassination now that Hime-denka went missing. I wouldn't find out more if I were you."

"That's tragic. Thank you." Shun ascended the carriage, and the chauffeur drove off. "There's a civil war in the inner palace."

"Who cares? It's not our business. Now give me my token back!"

Why am I always stuck with Grandpa on business trips? Shun sighed and stared out the window. The carriage stopped shortly in front of a ryokan. The aroma of udon noodles from the food stands reminded the boy very much of home, where he hadn't been to in a long time.

"Kazami-sama, Shun-sama, here's where you'll stay for tonight. The owner said it's for safety precautions, and the real business doesn't take place until we reach the inner city. Plus, it's getting dark. We should get settled."

"Actually..." Shun looked up and around to see a faintly blue and cloudless sky. "It's not that dark. I'm going to explore the town for now."

His grandfather handed him a green pouch. "You might want to take some money."

"Whatever."

Shun thanked his grandfather and walked down the streets until he reached the forested outskirts of town. The smell of sweet grass, beautiful flowers, and fresh leaves filled the air. Haven't felt this relaxed in a long time. After confirming there was no one nearby, he couldn't help but jump up one of the trees and rested on a tree branch. Thisis much better.

Not too far away, Shun spotted a patch of orange among tall green grasses. Someone must have left a bag behind. I should check it out.

But it wasn't a lost bag.

It was a young fox kit.

"Uh oh..."

The kit's left front paw was stuck in a trap. "I don't know if I should help, especially after hearing what happened to the queen. However..." He used a few coins to propel the trap open. "I'm not that heartless. As for your injury," Shun emptied his coin pouch and ripped it in half. "that makeshift bandage should stop the bleeding. You're free to go."

Before the kit left, it ran over by a tree and began digging. Shun simply watched while the kit returned with a half Libra necklace pendant in its mouth. "Seriously? You don't have to give it to me!" He returned it, but the fox kit dropped the gift in Shun's hands again. "All right, then. I'll take this as a sign of thanks. Stay safe."

Thus, the fox kit was gone, and Shun headed back into town.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"Split up."

A redhead ordered her servants to survey the surrounding area to make sure it was safe. She rolled up the map and stayed in her room at the ryokan. Even with Her Majesty dead, there's still mayhem everywhere. If we leave Senyou Country and ask for help, His Majesty will order associates in every kingdom and country to kill us. She covered her face with her hands and almost cried. I can't believe he made peace with his sworn enemies just for of this.

"Alice-sama, maybe you should take a walk."

"Good idea, Marucho. You too, Baron." The three of them exited the back door and strolled around the street in front of the ryokan. The two boys then noticed a raven-haired boy on the street in front of them.

Unfortunately, it was bad timing for Shun. "Who are you?" Baron demanded.

"I booked a room in this ryokan, that's all."

"Really? Hand up!" Marucho ordered.

Shun held his hands up, for he had nothing to fear since he did nothing wrong. However, he tried to hide the item he received from the fox earlier, but the metal surface reflected the bright. "What do you-"

"After him! He probably stole it!" Marucho interrupted.

Baron took out a sword and aimed at Shun, who dodged every attacked aimed at him with his ninja skills. "Can I please have an explanation for this? I'm just a foreigner-"

"Who happens to be very skilled in ninjutsu, but that won't help you here!"

Alice finally saw the item in Shun's hand and gasped. "Marucho! Don't-"

The blond took out a blowgun and shot a sedative dart. Alice tried to block it, but the feathers cut her left hand, and the dart landed on Shun's right arm. He collapsed immediately, and Alice ran over and held him in her arms. She looked at the pendant and gasped.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. Take him back to my room now!" Alice reached in her pocket and pulled out an identical but mirror image pendant half and place it with the one Shun had. It matches...could he really be the one?