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Final Exams by Allen Kitchen May 1997 all rights reserved

Sharri stared at Karl as he lay sleeping beside her. She watched his bare chest rise and fall as he gently breathed in and out. They were both in Karl's dorm room. Sharri often spent the night with him here. It was far easier for her to become invisible and join him, than it was for him to try and sneak into her room on the woman's side of the dorm. The R.A. on the woman's floor kept an eagle eye open for any sign of him.

She smiled dreamily and moved her furry naked body closer, relishing his warmth and touch. It was unlike any feeling she had ever had, with anyone. Human or not, Karl was a wonderful lover. And she couldn't wait until his tests were finished. Today was Karl's last exam. After it was done, they planned to go camping in Oregon for the summer. She was looking forward to it.

It was truly a pity that he was not Kitsune like she was, but that really couldn't be helped. He would eventually grow old and die, Sharri knew. His life span was measured in mere decades whereas Sharri's was measured in Centuries. Lots of centuries.

She closed her eyes briefly, and forced the sad thought out of her head. She was with him here and now, she reminded herself. And even if Karl did not have a red and white fur coat, there was absolutly no reason for her to be depressed. Not for many years yet.

She glanced over at the clock on his nightstand, and noted the time. There were still about 3 hours before Karl's last test began. She grinned wickedly, and reached down for one of her 6 tails. Time enough for a little bit of mischief, she decided.

Sharri took the tip of her tail in one hand, and began to tickle Karl's manhood with it. As she expected, he became aroused, and slowly woke up.

Groggily he yawned, then he opened his eyes to face the lovely creature beside him. "Hey bright eyes. Weren't you in your human form last night?" he sleepily asked.

"That was last night." she replied. "It is morning now, and you and I have a bit of time on our hands before your test. So, I plan to perform an exam of my own first."

Karl sighed, rolled over against her, and put one arm around Sharri's naked torso. He began stroking the soft red fur of her back with his hand. "Well, just as long as there is no proctor." he drowsily joked to her.

She lightly nipped his ear with her front teeth, taking care not to hurt him. "Not now, there won't be. But I make no promises about later..."

Karl stretched along his entire body. It made Sharri all the more interested in him as she felt his muscles tense and relax against her body. She could feel his stiffening manhood pressing against the sensitive region on her stomach as well. Feeling his member touch her body was electrifying.

He then took his arm away, and sat up in the bed, moving away from her. "Man, will I be glad when this final is done and over with." he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "I can't wait for summer vacation to start."

Sharri set her tail back down, and leaned on one hand, facing him. "Oh, don't be such a sourpuss Karl. You like having a girlfriend living in your dorm. You enjoy having a live-in lover, who can also double as a fur quilt when the nights get cold."

Karl laughed a bit, and lovingly rubbed Sharri's hip. "I couldn't ask for better than you Sharri. And I couldn't even dream of a better setup than we have right now. No, I am simply fed up with school. And classes. It will be nice to get out of the dorm and go camp out in the woods with you."

Sharri hummed at his touch. She loved being carressed there, so close to having sex, yet so far from actually doing anything. She understood why Karl was not interested in lovemaking right now. He was too focused on completing his exam schedule. But he still excited her, rubbing her there.

"Maybe you and I can spend one more night here before leaving?" she seductively pitched to him.

He looked affectionately at her. "Hmmm. My little foxy lady feeling her oats this morning?" Karl continued to stroke the fur on her hip as she continued to hum, rocking ever so gently against his motion. "Your place or mine?"

"Yours." Sharri sighed in delight. "I will pack the things in my room while you're away at your final. I'll meet you here when you are finished."

"And help me pack." he hinted.

She smiled back at him. "Maybe. That is, if you are good to me."

Karl leaned over close to her face. He placed his nose against her muzzle, and stared into her eyes. "Aren't I always?" he asked playfully.

Sharri leaned forward and gave Karl a quick kiss.

"Usually. When your mind isn't on other things, that is."

He pulled away from her again, and hopped off of the bed. Standing up, he stretched once more, saying "Well, I can't help that Sharri. You knew I was a student last winter when you first met me. Sometimes I have to concentrate on my schoolwork."

"I know, I know." she sighed, a little disappointed. "But sometimes, I think you stress out too much. You need to relax some, and not take things so seriously."

He looked down, and regarded her with a smirk as she laid naked on top of his sheets. "Well, after this exam is finished, we can go hide in the woods for a few weeks, and really behave like animals. But till then, I need to think about chemistry. Okay?"

"Okay then." she chuckled. "Take one part Kitsune female, and one part human male..."

He laughed out loud at her as he walked over to the drawers for a pair of underwear. "Now there is a recipe for an explosion if I ever heard one, Sharri. Tell you what. After this last exam, we can experiment with that further. But please stop distracting me until then, okay?" Karl then winked at her.

Sharri laid back down on the bed again, letting her head flop into the pillow. "Only if I get to wear the goggles this time." she teased as she watched him pull the bikini briefs up.

*******

Karl went over his notes one last time, then kissed Sharri goodbye as he left for his chemistry final. She playfully swatted his behind as he left, and wished him good luck. Not that he needed it of course. Sharri knew that he had the material down cold.

Sharri became invisible again, and left his room a few minutes later. She walked down the hallway, and made her way into the main lobby between the men's and women's dorms. Sharri then went into the ladies room, made certain there was no-one else present, and became visible again.

In human form. She always made certain to wear her human shape before walking around the university.

Sharri examined her reflection in the massive mirror on the wall above the sink, looking for anything in her appearance that would give her away. For several seconds she stood and stared at the redheaded woman looking back at her from the mirror. Even after all this time, her human shape was still uncomfortable. It was critical that she wear it, and often. But it still chafed her. She didn't understand how humans got by with such little noses and tight faces. The facial expressions humans used to communicate with could never generate the subtleties and soft undertones that were possible in her native form.

If she had been in her true kitsune shape, her muzzle's expression would be one of near term excitement tinged with sorrow about the future. Her eyes would radiate acceptance of the inevitable, while her ears would mark her determination to enjoy the moment.

In her human form though, she simply looked tired. The human face couldn't generate all the expressions she was used to displaying.

She smiled at her reflection, the best expression she could make under the circumstances, and turned to walk out of the ladies room.

*******

Sharri finished packing all the things in her dorm room in just a few minutes. It really wasn't hard at all. Not for a Kitsune. She simply piled everything into the middle of the room, and held out her necklace. Then, focusing her magical powers through it, she cast an entrapment spell on the pile. Everything within the spell then ceased to exist in this universe, and went to that magical place where space and time did not exist. There, it would all be suspended until Sharri magically retrieved it again.

"Too bad Mayflower Moving Vans doesn't know about this spell." she snickered as she dropped the necklace free to hang down on her chest again. Sharri then walked to the door, picked up her purse from the study, turned off the light, and left her room.

She walked across the campus through the bright morning light. The dew was still on the grass, and the air was cool with mist. As the day wore on, it would become summertime hot, unbearable to walk through. But right now, it was pleasant enough. So she idly looked at the old stone college buildings she passed as she made her way to the student center. There she would wait while Karl took his final.

Sharri noted the style differences between the student center and the rest of the campus. The electronic eyes automatically pulled the double doors apart for her as she approached. The building was made from plastic and metal. Brushed aluminum ribs occasionaly jutted out from the walls, giving it a futuristic appearance. Whereas most of the campus looked dour and spartan, the student center was a firestorm of light and activity. Neon tubes ran in curving lines on the ceiling, starkly different than the cold flourescent lighting found in the other buildings around the university.

And it was crowded. Noisy too. People of every size, shape, color, and odor were gathered here in this building for one thing or another. Far different from the quiet empty halls of the other buildings. Some here were reading the campus newspaper while they lounged at the coffee bar. Still others were grabbing something to eat at one of the dozens of food courts. Some were arguing about this and that over mounds of textbooks.

Sharri shouldered her way to the coffee bar, and laid down a dollar bill for a cup of Hazlenut coffee. Her favorite. A pimply-faced parttimer rapidly took the paper, and replaced it with a steaming hot cup of Java. She took a sip, and felt the warm rush of caffeine as it drove the last bits of sleep from her mind.

"You should really try the Jamacain Blue Mountain." a woman beside her said. "It is the finest coffee on earth."

Sharri turned and looked at the woman who spoke to her. She had raven black hair, and was wearing a solid white blouse and skirt. The woman was facing forward, not looking at Sharri as she drank her own cup of coffee.

"Well," Sharri politely replied to her. "as good as that blend is, it is far outside of my budget."

The jet haired woman set her cup down on the counter, and slowly turned toward Sharri. All at once, Sharri saw the necklace around the woman's neck. An ivory figure, set into a silver backing.

A butterfly, identical to the necklace she wore! The blackhaired woman was a Kitsune!

The woman nodded in acknowledgment to Sharri's wide-eyed reaction. "And since when do we have to worry about a budget?"

Sharri got over her surprise, and held out a hand to shake with the stranger. "This is quite a surprise!" she brightly said. "It has been years since I have seen a necklace like that."

The blackhaired beauty shook Sharri's hand and smiled weakly. "I am called Domino." she said.

"I'm Sharri. And I am very glad to meet you Domino."

Domino withdrew her hand from Sharri's enthused grasp, and gracefully turned a bit to pick up her coffee once more. "Yes, I know who you are." she began. "And you may or may not be happy to meet me Sharri."

Sharri looked puzzled. "I don't follow."

Domino took a sip of her brew, and glanced beside her to see if the people crowding her were listening in on the conversation. Several seconds went by until she was satisfied they were too engrossed in their own discussions to eavesdrop. She then leaned forward, closer to Sharri.

"This meeting is not by chance. And I am not here, so far from home, by accident." Domino looked Sharri straight in the eye. "I have come from the council of 9-tails on official business."

Sharri appeared awed. "The council of 9-tails?"

Domino nodded, and took another sip, her eyes never leaving Sharri's.

"What could the council possibly want with me?" Sharri asked.

"Word has reached the council of your... relationship... with a man." Domino made sure to use only terms that would not arouse the attention of the mass of ears around her.

Sharri looked surprised yet again. "You mean Karl?" she quizzically asked.

Domino did not even blink. "Is that your lover's name? So. The rumors are true then, after all." There was a definate icy tone in Domino's voice.

Sharri began to get nervous about where this conversation was going.

"Yes, his name is Karl." Sharri calmly stated. "And he is the warmest, most caring individual I have ever known."

Domino leaned closer still. "Maybe. Maybe not. But he is not one of us, now is he?"

Sharri shook her head. "No, of course he isn't."

"Are you aware of our laws, and what they say about this matter?"

Sharri nodded. "Yes, I know our laws."

Domino looked sternly at Sharri. "And yet, you disobeyed them. You threw our laws out and made love to a human. Have you lost your mind, Sharrikonicha?"

Sharri normally would have jumped at the full pronounciation of her name. Not even Karl knew the whole thing. But this fellow Kitsune wasn't here for smalltalk, and wasn't happy at all. Sharri knew instinctively that Domino was dangerous. Yes, the black-hair would be very dangerous if crossed.

"I did not believe that those laws applied to me here." Sharri replied. "I am far away from our homeland and our society. Their rules don't exist, way over here. I live under a different set of laws now."

Domino continued to stare hard at Sharri, and abandoned the doublespeak she had been using to hide the truth. "The council feels otherwise." she sharply replied. "And they have sent me here to study the situation, and to deal with whatever I find. The council said I was to inform you that the laws of Kitsune society are still valid, even for exiles such as yourself."

Sharri sighed at Domino's pointed reminder of why she was in America in the first place. That memory was still fresh in her mind. She had not been exiled for very long, and the experience which got her sent away still haunted her dreams on occasion.

"I do not agree." Sharri said dejectedly. "They told me that I was to leave for one century. I complied. But if I am not a part of Kitsune society anymore, then the laws which bind it do not apply to me anymore either."

Domino continued to glare at her. "The laws of our people do apply to you. Even in this desolate place."

Sharri pulled away and crossed her arms, insulted at Domino's unflattering opinion of her new home. "It may not have the golden spires of our homeland, but this country is far from desolate Domino. There are wonders and beauty here that none of you back home have even dreamed of, if you'd only take the time to look."

Domino smiled at her, diabolically showing off her teeth. "And is Karl one of those wonders Sharrikonicha?"

Sharri nodded determinedly. "I think so, yes."

"And is he worth eternal exile to you?" Domino asked, her voice like granite as she sat up straight once more. "If the 9-tails permenantly isolate you for sleeping with Karl, what will you do 60 years from now when he finally dies? What will you do for the remaining centuries of your life Sharri? Will you be happy here? All alone?"

Sharri sternly locked gazes with Domino.

"That is my problem." she strongly answered. "Not yours, nor the councils. They were unjust to send me away in the first place. I only accepted their exile in order to..."

Sharri quickly stopped speaking, realizing that she was about to betray a deep, dark secret. The damned blackhaired kitsune almost tripped her up. She bit her tongue, and cut herself off in mid-sentence.

Domino noticed immediately. "Allow me to finish that for you." she quickly added. "You accepted exile in order to protect your master Allisonisho from dishonor. Isn't that so?"

Sharri blinked angrily. "How do you know about that? He and I are the only ones who were there, and still live."

Domino's expression remained stern. "Not quite. You and your master were not alone in Kyoto. There was a young child, barely a 1-tail, who saw it all."

Sharri blinked. This was the first time she had heard of this. "A child?"

Domino nodded quickly. "Yes, a child. She had just started living there, in Kyoto. She was curious as to what you and your master were doing in her territory, so she followed you for awhile, at a distance."

Sharri shook her head, the anger wearing off. "How much did she actually see?"

Domino picked up her coffee again, and took another sip. "All of it. The poor child saw everything. She got scared, so she ran away and hid in the forest for a few years. But she eventually came forward and told the council exactly what she saw."

Sharri hung her head in shame. "So it has all come out now, has it?"

Domino regarded her closely. "Yes Sharri, it has. The council has learned what really happened in Kyoto. The 9-tails have found out that you were not the one who killed Koramioto, and they have already dealt with your master, who did."

Sharri's heart sank. She had tried so hard to protect master Allisonisho. She had tried so hard. None of this was his fault, so why should he be the one to suffer? Koramioto had been drunk, and he hated Allisonisho with a passion. Why? Sharri did not know the reason. But Koramioto had, in a drunken fury, cornered them both and drawn a katana on them.

He wanted to kill them both, teacher and student. He swore to wash the streets clean with their blood. Allisonisho was no warrior and he was never armed, so Sharri gave him her sword to defend himself with. She would have gladly fought in his stead, but that would have been dishonorable. It was between the two of them.

If Allisonisho had been a better fighter, things might have turned out differently. But he did not know how to control the sword very well, and his drunken opponent had his guard down more often than up. In the end, Koramioto died on her blade. Allison accidently killed him, beheaded him, when Kora let his blade slip out of his hand during a blocking move.

A more skillful swordsman would have stopped the blade at the neck, not actually causing any injury. But Allison was not so skilled. And thus, her master killed Kora by mistake. She could not allow him to suffer the dishonor of murder, and so to protect the one she swore to serve, Sharri claimed that she had killed Kora in self defense. It was her sword, after all.

The council didn't like the fact that Koramioto was drunk when he died. They weren't convinced that two fully sober kitsune had to kill a drunken one out of fear for their lives. So the 9-tails passed judgement, and sentenced her to one century in exile as punishment. The punishment rightfully belonged to Koramioto, but it could never be given to him. He was dead.

She left that very night. She never spoke to her family or to her master again.

"What did they do to Allison?" Sharri urgently asked, raising her head to look Domino in the eye once more. Oh please, she thought. Please don't tell me they did what I think they did to him. He doesn't deserve it.

Domino just smiled a little bit, staring back at her.

"I do not know what the council has done to your master." Domino said teasingly. "But why don't you come back and find out for yourself? The 9-tails may not be perfect, but they are always just. You did not kill Koramioto, so you are no longer exiled Sharri. The council has restored your honor and your place within our society. You are now free to return, Sharri. I'll even take you back with me if you wish."

Sharri's face was filled with surprise again. She looked like a child given an unexpected toy. "You mean it? I can really go home again?"

Domino nodded. "Whenever you like."

Sharri was both excited and heartbroken at the news. She could return home again! She was no longer dishonored in the eyes of her friends and family, and she could go home. She could almost smell the ginger-fried Carp cooking in the Opal Arcade. Could already hear the singing trees in the arboretum.

But what about Karl? She couldn't just take off and leave him like that. What would happen to him?

Sharri took a deep breath before speaking. "I doubt I would be allowed to bring Karl with me." she mumbled.

Domino glared at her once again. Suddenly Domino was angry. "No, you will not. And you will not be allowed to continue your relationship with him here, either!"

Sharri's smile quickly shrank away under Domino's gaze. "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.

Domino's eyes narrowed as she stared. "I mean that you and Karl are finished Sharri, as of this minute. By order of the council of 9-tails." she lowly growled.

Sharri quickly began to frown. "And as I've said before. The council threw away their authority over me when they exiled me. So I'll let you have 3 guesses what I think they can do with their stupid laws, and which orifice they can stick it in."

Domino reached out and placed her hand on Sharri's shoulder. It was far from gentle. Her hand was strong, and the grip on Sharri's shoulder was firm. "This is no game, Sharri." Domino growled. "I had hoped that you would forget all about your human when you learned that you could return home again. But I now see that stronger methods are needed. More... violent methods."

Sharri suddenly snarled, deep in her throat. Automatically. She did not like being grabbed, or the tone in Domino's voice. "Is that some kind of a threat Domino?" she said as she locked gazes with the black-hair once more.

Domino's eyes were practically ablaze with anger. "No, it is not a threat. But it is a warning Sharrikonicha. The council is not fooling around. The laws are very clear, and they have told me to deal with you in whatever way I see fit. That includes killing you, if I must."

Sharri and Domino stared fiercly at one another for several moments.

"You cannot remain with Karl, Sharri." Domino harshly warned her. "The 9-tails will not stand for it. You can leave him and return home with honor, or you can leave him and stay here. I do not care. But your relationship with him is over! It has to be, Sharri. Otherwise, someone is going to get very badly hurt."

Sharri quickly stood up and knocked Domino's hand off her shoulder with a swipe of her arm. "You just stay away from me Domino!" she savagely spit out, oblivious to the shocked expressions of the students standing around her. "You stay far away! If the council thinks that I am so shallow-hearted to abandon a lover at the drop of a hat, then the council had better think twice. What I do here is nobodys business but mine. I am staying put, and I am staying with Karl. So you go tell the council that they can piss on their tails!"

Domino gasped and leaned back on her stool, very surprised at the highest insult possible for a Kitsune. And to say it about a 9-tail! Much less the entire council!

Sharri then leaned forward, closing the distance with Domino again, and spoke lower to her. "And one more thing Lady Domino. If you ever dare to attack me," she snarled, displaying her sharp teeth. And they were sharp, even in human form. "then the next exile I serve for murder WILL be just, and properly earned. Do you understand me?"

Domino nodded mutely at her, still shocked at Sharri's previous insult.

Sharri spun angrily on her heel, her red hair flowing behind her. She pushed a freshman out of the way, then stomped off into the sea of people. In an instant, she was lost among them.

Domino watched her go while she struggled to regain her composure. It would not do to let these lowly humans see her in any condition other than total control. She took a slow,deep cleansing breath, and went over the situation in her head.

Sharri was unrefined and brutal, Domino noted. Barely a lady at all. Probably due to her exposure to these beastly people. But at least she was dedicated. Domino had to give Sharri that much credit at least. She would not give up her human lover in exchange for a ticket home. Eternal exile did not frighten her either, since she had Karl with her. She was not going to leave him, not even under threats of violence or death. Yes, she was dedicated to her human all right.

Domino shook her black mane of hair as she set her empty coffee cup down on the table, still mulling the problem over in her head. Everything kept coming back to Sharri's damned human sextoy, she decided. As long as they loved each other, Sharri would never leave him. So long as their hearts beat for one another, Domino knew that they would be inseperable.

Domino did not understand the attraction. But then, she had never understood the attraction of females to males in the first place. She did understand her attraction to other females, but that was an addiction she didn't get to indulge in very often. Very few kitsune enjoyed being totally submissive and subserviant to her. No kitsune woman put up with Domino's bondage and domination for very long. They always left, leaving her alone and hurt, with nothing to slow her tears except her pride. So most of her life was spent looking for those rare oppurtunities to indulge her sadistic appetites.

Then, all at once, the solution to her problem with Sharri became obvious. It came to her in a flash of inspiration. She slowly began to grin. Getting Sharri to leave Karl would be easy. After all, Domino thought, Sharri had never suffered from a broken heart before. She couldn't grasp all the types of pain that she flirted with, loving a man the way she did. She did not know how easy it was for a man's sex drive to be... misdirected.

But Domino knew exactly what men thought with. It was in their pants. She also knew that most human males would have sex with anything that would sit still for them. Sharri was about to learn that... the hard way.

Domino knew which room the human lived in, because she had been following Sharri invisibly for days. She also knew that Sharri went there often. She could almost picture the scene in her mind, how Sharri would react when she came into his room and found Karl lying there naked... in Domino's black-furred arms.

It was not going to be a pretty scene. But at least she didn't have to kill Sharri now.

It would be complicated and difficult keeping Karl in the midst of foreplay until Sharri came by. After all, Domino was here to enforce Kitsune law, not break it herself. She really wasn't interested in actually making love to him anyway... the very thought of having sex with any male revolted her. Especially a human male. But she could make Karl linger for awhile, even if she had to resort to magic to do so. Sharri would then "catch them in the act" and throw a fit. Domino expected Sharri would then leave her unfaithful lover for home, and never return.

The plan was clever, required little energy, and misdirected those she wished. It was perfect, a classic Kitsune ploy, she thought in self-congratulations. Her master would be proud of her, and so would the 9-tails. She began to mentally polish the plan as she got up off her stool and turned toward the exit.

*******

Karl was charged with excitement. He wanted to sing. The chemistry exam was done, and he was certain that he had aced it. It was so simple, he was the first one finished. Free at last! No more classes until fall! And he was home a full hour earlier than he expected to be. As he took out the key to his dorm room, he wondered if he had time for a quick snack before Sharri came over. He could certainly use the nutrition. Like all students, he didn't eat very well during finals week.

The door latch came back with a soft click, and Karl turned the knob, pushing the door slowly open. He peered inside, and saw that the lights in his room were off. It was dark inside. The shades were pulled down, and only a bit of summer sunlight got through the blinds.

But Karl could see the telltale white robes lying on his bed. He smiled to himself as he crept quietly into his room and closed the door behind him. Sharri must have fallen asleep waiting for him, he thought. How sweet. Well, so much for lunch. Food was over-rated anyhow.

He quickly and silently pulled his t-shirt over his head, and dropped it on the floor. Then he reached down and undid his trousers, trying not to let the change in his pocket jingle. He really should have remembered to take it out first, he grumbled to himself. But then again, he knew that he could never REALLY sneak up on Sharri. Her kitsune senses were too sharp. She was already awake, and aware of his presence, but she was playing along. And as long as he was reasonably quiet for a human, she would continue to play the game with him.

He slowly, deliberately, pushed his pants down around his ankles and stepped out of them. The white robed figure on his bed did not move a muscle. Karl wondered for a moment how best to approach her. He could pounce on her, which was a lot of fun when he was in the mood to wrestle. Or he could wake her up with a kiss, which was quite romantic.

But then Karl remembered the mood Sharri was in before he left for his exam. He dropped his smile, and climbed onto his side of the bed. He then crept over to her on all fours, moving slowly so the bed wouldn't shake too much. Sharri was quite amorous this morning, he thought. She should enjoy waking up to a massage...

He reached over to the front of her robes, and began to unclasp them. Ever so gently, he parted the robes until he could just see her white chest pelt inside. Karl then closed his eyes, and slowly pushed his hand inside the robes. He pushed further and further, until his hand at last held a firm, furry breast.

Karl then began to massage her, expertly rotating his wrist and fingers. He knew she was enjoying the attention. He deftly rubbed her, occasionally running a fingertip over a nipple, which never failed to excite her. He could feel the nipple begin to harden with arousal.

He carefully leaned over her body, and began to kiss her softly on the neck. He inhaled her scent, and noticed a slight change in the aroma since morning. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something didn't quite seem right. Something was nagging at him, just at the edge of his conciousness.

But Karl ignored his misgivings, and continued to caress and kiss her. "You know," he said slowly. "This morning, you were ready to tear the clothes right off my body, you were so horny. But now, I think I will tear all of yours off instead."

He felt her chest rise as she inhaled to speak.

"So what is stopping you?" she asked.

Karl stopped instantly, and a cold wave of alarm swept through him. That was not Sharri's voice!

"Um, Sharri?" he stammered, frozen, yet still with his hand upon her breast. "That you?"

The white-robed female rolled over and stared up at him with brilliant green eyes. What made them so brilliant was that they were surrounded by jet-black fur. Sharri's fur was orange-red, and her eyes were brown.

"No." Domino said as she smiled seductively up at him. "I'm not Sharri."

Karl quickly withdrew his hand from her robes. "Oh my god!" he sput out. "Oh man! I am terribly sorry miss... miss..."

"Domino." she replied softly, still staring into his eyes. "You may call me Domino."

Karl tried to study her face, which was difficult in the dim light of the room. Her black pelt didn't make it any easier. "I am very sorry for groping you like that. I thought you were... someone else."

Domino reached over and set her hand on his thigh, and began to massage it. His legs were well within her reach, and Karl only wore underwear. "You thought I was Sharri." she softly rumbled. "It's all right Karl. Don't be afraid of me."

Karl would have sworn that was a purr, but he knew that foxes and Kitsune did not purr. Well, Karl thought, if it wasn't, then the kitsune was doing a damned fine imitation.

"I can see that you are a Kitsune." he nervously asked, trying to ignore her leg massage. "Are you a friend of Sharri's?"

Domino just kept rubbing Karl's thigh, slowly moving upwards toward his hips. "Oh, yes." she replied. "You could say that we are friends. Close friends. I know lots of secrets about her... things she probably never told you. We share lots of things."

She then slowly sat up a bit, moving to his chest, and kissed him gently on one of his nipples. "Yes." she breathed. "Sharri and I share a lot of things."

Karl wasn't certain what was going on, but he was very uncomfortable with the situation. That nagging voice at the back of his mind kept telling him to get out of the room. But as usual, he ignored it.

"Um, well, Sharri will be back in just a little while." Karl stammered.

Domino laid back on the bed again, her white robes in disarray. "Good." she said as she released a clasp on them. "When she gets here, she can join us. But in the meantime, you and I can get acquainted, and be warmed up for her."

With that, the last snap on her robes came off, and they quickly fell off her body. Karl didn't see her move her arms to disrobe or anything. Just one second they were on her body, and the next second, they weren't.

Even in the dim light from the window, he could tell how attractive Domino's body was. He was actually quite aroused at her coming on to him, and disrobing in front of him like she did. He caught himself staring, looking over her gorgeous body, and studying the line where her black pelt met her snowy white front. Karl began to reach forward with a finger to trace that borderline, trace it lower and lower into her crotch, and see where things led to from there.

Then suddenly, he stopped in mid-reach. This just wasn't right.

Domino laughed sexily, and reached over herself and put her hand on his cock, feeling it through the material of his shorts. Karl heard himself gasp as she did so.

"Come on sweety." she lustily said to him. "I told you that Sharri and I share lots of secrets. And she has been keeping you a secret for far too long."

Karl wanted to move back and get away from her. But his mind was now at war with his body. His concious and subconcious minds told him that something was very wrong, while his hormones told him to roll her over and screw her into next week. It was unlike any problem he had ever had to face before.

"Um, Domino?"

"Yes, lover?" she said as she cupped his balls in her hands.

Karl began to grit his teeth. "Why didn't Sharri ever mention you to me?" he asked, his voice vibrating from his internal turmoil.

Domino did not answer right away, but instead took her hand away and slipped it into his shorts. Slipped it in quite easily too. She took hold of his cock in her hand, and began to gently stroke it. She rubbed the length of his stiffening shaft over and over, occasionally using the back of her hand, which was covered with fine velvet fur.

"Now dear, what was that you were asking me?" Domino was very sure that he would not remember his question anymore. Not after the rush of testosterone she just gave him.

To her surprise, he did remember. And there was a bit more steel in his voice as well. "I asked you why Sharri never mentioned you to me."

Domino pressed her chest against his, and let him feel her warm luxorious breasts as she continued to stroke him. "How many of your childhood friends have you forgotten to tell Sharri about, hmmm? Is it possible that she didn't tell you everything about her past?"

Karl was almost persuaded by that line of logic. Almost, but not quite. "I don't expect my old friends to come over and jump into bed with my mate, though." he protested.

His line made her pause for a second, but only for a second. Mate? Did he really just say that? Yes, yes he did.

Domino began to seriously wonder whether or not her plan had any chance of succeeding. Although his body was responding the way she expected, his mind was not! She expected him to be fully erect and trying to do all kinds of unspeakable things to her by now. Instead, he was trying, halfheartedly, to get away from her!

"Kitsune society tends to be a bit looser about sex than yours does." she lied to him. "Orgies are nothing new to me. Or to Sharri, for that matter. She and I have shared lovers many times, but I have to admit that you are the first human male I have had. Thus far, the equipment seems to be almost the same." She snickered at the last line.

"Almost?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There are small, subtle differences." she softly replied. "Like your length, and your lack of a knot at the base. But these things just make it all the more exciting, Karl. You will probably go deeper inside me than anyone else has ever gone. I can't wait to find out, so come on over here, and let me have a taste of that wild life Sharri finds so thrilling."

Domino began to roll her body over, and arch back so she could take his now fully erect phallus into her mouth.

Instead Karl rolled away, and pulled himself from her grasping hand. He stopped at the other side of the bed, and looked into Domino's surprised face.

"I'm sorry, Domino, or whatever the hell your name is." he quickly said. "But that isn't the way I do things. I don't know you at all, and I don't go screwing around anymore. Not since Sharri came into my life, I don't. Besides, how do I know whether you are really a friend of hers or not?"

Domino slowly sat up on his bed, fully naked. This isn't working, she raged inside as she stared at him with her huge, bedroom eyes. She faced him, and spread her legs, affording him a good look between them.

"Oh come on, Karl." she teased. "How could I know your name, if Sharri and I were not close? This is supposed to be a surprise for her." Oh yes, quite a surprise at that, she thought to herself. A real shocker.

"It was certainly a surprise to me!" Karl sharply replied, refusing to look at the pleasure she offered him. He stared at her face instead.

"Now don't you ruin my party, dearest. Sharri hasn't seen me since..." she let her voice taper off. Since an hour ago, she finished wordlessly. But she wanted Karl to think it was much longer than that.

Karl sat crosslegged on the bed, still facing her, and put his hands in his lap, covering himself with the palms. "Still, if it is all the same to you Domino, I would rather not." he firmly said to her. "At least not until Sharri gets here. And then, only if she asks me to."

Domino sighed deeply, and mentally abandoned the sex ploy. Damn this human! He was ruining her plans. He couldn't just get stiff and hump her leg like any other animal, oh no! He had to pretend that he had some morals!

Well, there was no help for it, she decided. She was going to have to resort to plan B.

She smiled disarmingly at him, showing off her pearly white teeth. "Well then, Karl." she softly said in her silky voice, "If you insist on waiting for Sharri, then we will wait. But while we are waiting, why don't I teach you a little game?" She then held up her right hand for him to see, with her fingers and claws all extended and spread apart.

"I don't believe Sharri has shown this game to you. It is simple. Go ahead Karl. Pick one." she said, constantly smiling at him.

Karl studied her fingers for a second. "You're right. I don't know how to play this game." he replied.

Domino nodded and kept her fingers out for him to see. "That is why I am teaching it to you. It is very easy, trust me. Just pick one of my claws Karl. Any one of them will do."

"Any one?"

"Whichever one you wish."

Karl scratched his head for a second. "Is there a right or wrong choice?"

She snorted playfully. "You have been in this school too long, I think. No Karl, there is no right or wrong answer to this game. Just choose one of my fingers, and let me show you something."

Karl shrugged his shoulders, and chose her index finger at random, pointing to it with his own finger.

Domino slowly lowered the other fingers and thumb into her palm again, leaving only her index finger out for him to see. She then cocked her head, and looked at him with her large warm green eyes.

"Are you certain that is the finger you want?" she asked him.

Karl nodded to her. "I guess so." he answered. "And now that I have chosen one of your fingers, what next?"

Domino grinned wider at him. It was a seductive smile, and Karl had no reason to be afraid of her.

This, of course, was exactly what Domino wanted, and she swiftly, expertly swung her clawed finger across his throat, slicing him deeply! There was a flash of red in the air as his blood spurted out the sudden gash in his neck!

"That, then, is the finger I will use to draw first blood with." she growled as her smile vanished in an instant.

Karl just sat there in utter amazement, even though he could plainly see his blood splatter onto her white chest pelt, trickling down the cleavage between her breasts. The attack was so swift he never even felt the pain. It wasn't until he saw Domino reopen her hand and the saw other black claws flash out that he snapped back to reality and terror grip him. Of course, by that time, Domino was all over him in a savage slashing rage. She wasn't playing anymore! Her face was twisted with anger as spots of red quickly dotted her black muzzle.

*******

Sharri was back in her natural kitsune form and invisible when she returned to the Dorm. She was very upset, and she didn't feel like wearing her human shape right now. Her 6 tails flashed about behind her angrily as she walked, even though nobody else could see them. The incident with Domino an hour ago was still fresh in her mind. It was so alarming she roamed around the campus for awhile, trying to calm down again.

It didn't work. She was still mad.

She stomped into the woman's side, and went down the hall to her room. Normally she had to dodge coeds walking around the hall, since they could not see her. But with finals winding down, there were fewer and fewer people in the dorm. And almost none at all roaming the hall. Everyone was either gone, studying, testing, or asleep.

Sharri walked up to her door, and noticed that it was slightly ajar. Sharri never left her door unlocked. Someone had entered her room while she was gone. She narrowed her eyes at the thought of a thief in her dorm room. Her hands balled reflexively into fists as she reached the door. Whoever it was inside sure picked the worst room to raid, and just the wrong time to raid it.

She leaned forward, and took an experimental sniff at the crack in the doorway, trying to discern how many people were inside. Her eyes went wide as she figured out the smells her nose detected. She smelled blood! Lots of blood! And Domino as well!

Sharri gritted her teeth, and stormed into the room as fast as she could. She slammed the door closed behind her, and dropped the invisibility, materializing out of thin air.

"Domino!" she furiously roared. "Where the hell are you?"

All at once, a blackfurred kitsune in native shape appeared, wearing nothing but a smile. Domino was lying down on Sharri's bed, and was wiping her arms with a blue towel. She wasn't wearing any clothes whatsoever. Sharri noticed that her black fur was damp and dripping red.

"Ah. Hello Sharri." Domino murred as she dabbed the blood from her hands. "So. Are you ready to return home yet?"

Sharri snarled. "I told you Domino. I am not leaving Karl. Period! So get your ass out of my room, and out of my life before I sell you to a Korean restraurant as an entree!"

Domino sighed, and swung her feet over the side of the bed, facing Sharri. "You should really be more respectful to your betters, Sharri." Domino muttered. She then looked down, and began to wipe the blood off one of her tails as she wrapped them, one at a time, around her waist. Sharri counted them as they came into view. 4... 5... 6...

Seven!

Oh shit, Sharri thought to herself. Domino was a 7 tail. Many times more powerful than she was! She felt the blood rush from her face and felt her knees become weak. This was not good... not a good development at all.

Domino disregarded Sharri, ignoring her as insignificant while she cleaned the blood from her 7 tails with Sharri's best towel. "And as for staying with Karl, well, that is fine with me. You can stay with him till he dies, for all I care."

Sharri could not help but look surprised.

Domino looked up, and grinned wickedly at Sharri's shocked expression. "Yes, that is correct. I will let you stay with Karl until he dies. Of course, that could be any minute now... He was still alive when I left him, but I slashed him up so well that the end should be very soon now." Domino then let out a shrill laugh.

Sharri suddenly realized just where all the blood came from...

Her mind snapped, and everything went white with rage. Sharri screamed madly, and threw her hands forward, towards the kitsune on her bed. Small yellow bolts of lightning flew from her fingertips, making a sizzling sound as they burned through the air towards Domino.

Domino just as quickly put her index fingers together, before the bolts of energy hit. The spectral bolts struck something hard and transparent surrounding her, and flew off at all angles. The mirror in the corner of the room shattered as a wayward flash smashed into it.

Domino sneered, and tapped her thumbs to her little fingers three times.

The pillow on the bed suddenly sat up, and turned toward Sharri. The tassles on each of the pillow's corners had become clawed feet, and a large toothy mouth appeared in the middle of the cushion. The monster faced Sharri for a second, drool oozing from it's malevolent maw. The horrible construct then howled horribly at her, and leaped off the bed straight at her chest.

Sharri slapped her hands together, and a green line of light sped out from them across the room. As the light struck the monsterous pillow, it erupted into a shower of fabric and scorched feathers. Then, mysteriously, all the debris and feathers vanished. Sharri blinked, and quickly saw that her pillow was still on the bed. Untouched, and as inanimate as it had ever been.

While Sharri was distracted by the illusion, Domino was busy casting another spell. One that was more time consuming, but very effective. She had not used it in decades, but now seemed like a good time. Domino cupped her hands a few feet apart, and a rod of greenish light flared into existence in the air between them.

She whistled once, and the magically glowing rod flew across the room in a blur and wrapped itself about Sharri's neck. It then dragged the red-haired kitsune bodily to the far wall, and slammed her into it.

Sharri reflexively grabbed at her throat. The magical collar was choking her! She could breath, but barely. She cast a dispel on the glowing collar twice, but nothing happened. The 7-tail's power was greater than hers.

Her eyes were wide with fear. She was trapped, and she knew it. Domino could choke her to death with nothing but a thought as she controlled the magical collar with her mind. Sharri couldn't do anything to save her own hide, much less Karl's!

She had failed him. Just like she had failed her master.

Domino glared dominantly at the helpless kitsune pinned to the wall. "Poor, poor little 6 tail." she mockingly said. "Poor little misguided one. What on earth did you possibly hope to accomplish, attacking me like that?"

Sharri growled as she clutched at the glowing ring around her neck, trying to break free of it's mystical grip. "I hoped to shove your tails down your throat, and make you gag to death on them." she croaked.

Domino shook her head, and slowly walked over to her captive. Her tails swung effortlessly as the naked kitsune made her way across the room. She then stopped and stood very close, her black muzzle side by side with Sharri's. She felt Sharri's trembling whiskers against her lips. Could feel Sharri's hot rushing breath. The fear, anger, and utter helplessness were delicious, Domino thought.

She did not get opportunities like this one very often, Domino decided.

"You never had a prayer, Sharrikonicha." Domino pointed out. She gently rubbed her muzzle against Sharri's, breathing in her fearlaced scent. She thrilled in the softness of Sharri's red fur, and the trembling of her lips. Sharri was powerless to do anything but stand there.

Domino reached forward, and placed her hand on one of Sharri's breasts, feeling the roundness through the fabric of the robes. "And you still don't. You are completely at my mercy now. I can do anything with you that I wish to do."

Sharri jerked at her touch. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, come now Sharrikonicha..." Domino breathed. "You did not mind having some lower life form make love to you. So why does a little bit of erotica with one of your own kind disturb you? You have never known this kind of joy, obviously." Domino then closed the last short bit of distance between then, and began rubbing her groin into Sharri's hip. "Seems I must teach you..." she murmered.

"You and I are the same sex!" Sharri protested.

"At least we are the same species." Domino murred as she continued to fondle her helpless prey. "So which one of us is more deviant, hmm? You or me? At least I keep my affairs within my own kind." With that, Domino's other hand began to explore Sharri's robes, caressing her hip.

Sharri was revolted by Domino's blatant sexual advances, but couldn't do anything about them. She was also scared as hell. She was scared for Karl. Sharri knew Domino wasn't kidding about him. He was badly hurt somewhere, probably dying! And she knew that if she didn't get her mind clear and start thinking straight, then they were both done for!

Domino took her hand off Sharri's breast, and reached up to the top of her robes. She then tore the top clasp off, ripping the fabric and forcing the robe to open up to her. Domino smiled greedily, taking pleasure in Sharri's fright. Soon she would have Sharri clamped against the wall, naked and powerless. And then, Domino thought... then the things she would teach Sharri. Oh, the things she would do to her helpless captive.

"You can't stop me, little 6 tail." Domino said, her voice even more excited as her hand reached down to tear another clasp from Sharri's robe. "I was trained by the master mage Lupinul." The clasp came away with a tearing sound, and Sharri's robes invited Domino even further into its folds.

"Perhaps." Sharri replied, her voice still trembling. "But I have learned a few things from masters here that you have never even heard of."

"Do tell." the blackfurred kitsune chuckled evilly as she reached inside the robe, and rubbed her paws roughly all over Sharri's chest. Her claws were slightly extended, and they scratched Sharri mercilessly. "There are no mages outside our homeland, Sharri. So do not bother trying to bluff. You are no better at bluffing than you are at recognizing an illusion."

Sharri took a quick breath, ignoring the pain from Domino's claws, and gathering strength. "They are not masters of magic." she said, still clutching at the glowing ring around her throat. "They are masters of something else."

Domino licked her tongue slowly, sensuously, across Sharri's lips. She watched for any sign that Sharri might try to bite her, but saw none. "And what are their names then, these masters that you speak of?" she sighed, anticipating the pleasures to come.

Sharri carefully raised her paw away from her neck, and held it up for Domino to see, right in front of her muzzle. She raised a finger for each name she called out, counting them off. "They are called Larry, Curly, and Moe."

Domino stopped, and looked puzzedly at Sharri's hand. "And what are they masters of?" she inquired.

Sharri forcefully rammed her outstretched fingers into Domino's eyes!

Domino screamed in pain and jumped backwards, grabbing at her eyes with both hands. The spectral collar around Sharri's neck vanished as Domino's concentration broke, and Sharri fell gasping to the floor, holding her neck. Domino continued stumbling blindly backwards across the room.

"They are masters of slapstick..." Sharri coughed as she sprawled on the floor, catching her breath.

Several long seconds passed before Domino took her hands away from her bloody eyes and furiously glared across the room at Sharri, who was just begining to rise off the floor. Domino grabbed her necklace, and held it up over her head with both hands. Her teeth were clenched with rage.

"Bitch!" she screamed. "You savage little monster! You have just damned yourself!" As she spoke, a soft blue light began to glow about her necklace as she focused all of her magical power into her next spell. The necklace glowed brighter and brighter...

Sharri stumbled to her feet, and quickly grabbed her own necklace. She felt the huge amount of power that Domino was calling on. It made the fur on the back of her neck stand on end. Desperately she tried to think of something that she could cast faster than Domino. Something more powerful than any spell thrown by a 7-tail. Anything that would save her life.

The light about Domino's ivory butterfly was brilliant blue now, and the power buildup was almost complete. Mystical sparks began to drip down beneath the necklace as Domino poured astronomical power into it. She was really pissed off, Sharri saw. Domino's face twisted in fury as she funneled nearly all of her power into the necklace. In another second or so, the spell would be cast.

Sharri could not think of any spell that could help her. Her mind was blank. She could cast an entrapment, and send Domino packing with the rest of her furniture. But that took too long. She needed something already in her hands!

For some reason, she remembered staring at herself in the mirror. Then she thought about her necklace.

Domino tossed her head back and shrieked with pain as the blinding blue ball tore away from her necklace, straight at Sharri's chest. Every bit of the 7-tail's magic went into the spell, and it showed. The air was thick with ozone as the brilliant ball of energy flashed across the room.

Sharri quickly spun her necklace around, exposing it's silver backing.

The spell slammed into the silver disc, smashing it forcefully into Sharri's chest. The collision threw her hard into the wall once more. She closed her eyes and let out a ragged woof of air as the impact knocked the wind out of her. A second later, she forced her eyes open to defend herself again.

Sharri saw the intense energy ball zooming back across the room toward Domino again. It had bounced!

The blackhaired kitsune just stood in place, too terrified to move. Her arms were still raised, holding her necklace over her head. It happened so fast, she never even got the chance to scream as she watched the blinding spell pass between her elbows.

The energy ball struck Domino's chest, and bloomed across her body. In an instant, the blue flames covered her completely. Her fur was instantly incinerated to dust, and her flesh began to char. The Disintegrate spell was very quick, and deadly to boot. Domino looked at Sharri through the blue flames, seeming to ask "How?" with her eyes.

The last thing Sharri saw of Domino were those shocked green eyes as they vanished into vapor.

Then, nothing. Domino was gone. Gone, forever. Her own evil spell had killed her instantly, leaving nothing behind except a puff of acrid smoke, and something else. Sharri watched in morbid fascination as the blue spectral light and steam rapidly dissipated into nothingness, revealing Domino's necklace.

It was floating in midair, still glowing faintly. The blue wisps of smoke seeping from it revealed just how much power Domino had used. Since the necklace was magical in and of itself, it was immune to destruction. It could be affected, but never destroyed. Neither could Sharri's, and that was how she had managed to deflect Domino's spell to start with.

Sharri let her own necklace drop to her chest again, and painfully pulled herself away from the wall. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. Gasping for breath, she forced her legs to move across the room, towards the hovering necklace. One foot at a time, she slowly limped over to the magical emblem floating a good 4 feet off the floor.

As she approached the ivory ornament, she look upwards. "Sometimes, Domino." she choked. "Sometimes creativity and love are more powerful than even the strongest magic..."

Sharri then reached out and took the necklace. It burned her hand, as it was still hot from the previous massive energy burst. But it would cool. And Sharri already had an idea of how she could use it.

But first she had to find Karl! She quickly became invisible again and limped toward the door, clutching the necklace protectively to her chest.

*******

Sharri had seen butcher shops that were cleaner than Karl's room. The stench of fresh blood was awful. His guts were all over the place. She closed the door, locked it as she became visible again, and choked down the impulse to gag. The lump in her throat was the size of a grapefruit as she limped over to Karl's side.

He was still alive, but only barely. Karl was lying face up on his bed. His face, throat, and chest had been torn apart. There was blood on the walls, the ceiling, everywhere. The bedding was dripping with it. Domino had really done a number on him. He was unconcious, and barely breathing. Blood still ebbed from his body, but slowly.

Sharri reached out with her magical sense, and felt for his life force. She had to search carefully, but she finally detected his feeble energy. It was weaker than anything she had ever detected, and it was fading fast. He would be dead within minutes. Already his heartbeat was starting to slow. She could feel the cold steel of death's sickle at his throat.

Sharri knew there was no time for an ambulance. She wouldn't even be off the telephone in time. Looking at her all-but-dead lover, tears came to her eyes. She leaned forward, and kissed his forehead tenderly as a teardrop fell onto his ravaged face.

"I am so sorry, beloved." she whimpered. "I should have realized what Domino was going to do, and protected you from her. But I let you down Karl. I am so sorry."

Karl's eyelids fluttered slightly at the sound of her voice, then they were still once more.

Sharri reached out with her hand. She sobbed quietly, and dangled Domino's old necklace above him for a moment, staring at the ivory butterfly within it.

Butterflies came from caterpillars, she thought to herself. From nasty wormlike things. They were all but dead as they transformed themselves, finally emerging again as beautiful creatures that were nothing at all like the caterpillars they came from. Butterflys were life overcoming death, beauty overcoming horror, if only for awhile.

"How appropriate." she sniffed as she set Domino's butterfly necklace down in the center of his bloody chest.

Sharri wiped the tears from her eyes, and took a step back. She could save his life, in a roundabout sort of way. She knew a way to keep him from dying. But the price was high. For both of them. Sharri paused as she placed her hands on her necklace.

Her own sacrifice was of no consequence. She did not wish to go on living without him. But what about his sacrifice? What would he do when he woke up? Who was she to make such a decision for him? For anyone? Did she have the right to decide life or death for somebody else?

Was she overstepping her bounds, just to keep him with her?

Karl let out a small gurgle, deep in his throat.

There was no time to consider what was right or wrong. If she didn't act now, it would all be over. Sharri shut her eyes tight, mentally begged him for his forgiveness, and steeled herself for what she was about to do. She tightened her grip about her ivory butterfly, and clenched her teeth in anticipation.

Suddenly the necklace in her hands began to glow. Brightly. The emblem became a brilliant flare in her hands, yellow flames shooting out between her fingers. The necklace on Karls chest let loose a blinding burst of light as well, the ivory figure within it erupting into blue flame once more. The blue and yellow energies touched occasionally, creating a powerful green flash wherever they overlapped.

Sharri's tears turned to steam as they left her eyes. She tilted her head back in agony, but she never let go of her necklace. Not for an instant. The fiery energy became as intense as the sun as Sharri released a magic far stronger than anything Domino had ever known...

*******

Karl felt awful.

That about summed it up as he laid flat on the floor. He was on his belly. His mind was full of cotton, and his thoughts weren't very clear. The only memory in his head was that of Domino sitting on top of him and slashing him again and again with her claws. Even after he begged her to stop. He remembered that face well.

He took a deep breath, and noticed the intense smell of blood in the room. It was far stronger and more pungent than it should have been. And that wasn't the only smell in the room. He detected dozens of others. Perfume, toothpaste, plastic, dust, more scents than his muddled mind could categorize.

But the strength of the scents surprised him. Every one of them was stronger than it should have been. He sighed, and felt the exhalation tickle the hairs on his nose.

"Oh great." he muttered slowly. "I'm dead."

His nose hairs twitched again, and he sensed something slowly moving next to him.

"No Karl. You aren't dead." Sharri told him. She sounded very tired.

He did not open his eyes, but instead pivoted his ears forward to hear better. "But... but your friend Domino..."

Karl then felt a finger on the tip of his lips, and heard her warm soft voice again. "Hush, Karl. Speak of her no more. She was no friend of mine. Domino was sent here to seperate us."

"Sent? Sent by whom?"

She sighed, and he felt her lay down next to him on the floor. It was different though. Her fur felt thicker than he remembered it being.

"We kitsune have a social structure Karl. And at the very top, with almost godlike power, is the council of 9-tails. It was they who sent Domino. You see, I broke the law when I took you for my lover. Domino was sent here to put an end to that."

Karl licked his dry lips, still not opening his eyes. His lips felt... well... longer than he recalled. Probably just the shock of being killed, he decided.

"Well, I'm dead now. So I guess she succeeded."

"You aren't dead Karl." Sharri insisted. "I couldn't be talking to you right now if you were, now could I?"

Karl thought about that logically, and decided she was right. His mental capacity was coming back, and he was begining to think more clearly. He inhaled again, and again the intense aromas from the room assailed his senses.

"If I am not dead, then why does everything smell so strong? And why are my nosehairs tickling all the time."

He heard her snicker a little bit. "Your 'nosehairs' are twitching because I am lying next to you. My fault, I'm afraid. Just relax, my love, because the next few minutes are going to be hard enough on you without you getting all upset beforehand."

Karl stretched his hands a bit. Why did they feel so weird though? "What do you mean Sharri? What is going to be so hard on me?"

"Domino came very close to killing you, beloved. I had to use magic to save your life. But you may not like it."

"You saved my life, and I may not like it?" he said incredibly. "How could I not like it?"

He felt her inhale deeply, his nosehairs registering the air passing his face. "I don't know any soft way to do this Karl. So I guess it will have to be the hard way. Open your eyes."

Karl just laid there. "Huh? Why?" he asked her.

Sharri got up, and moved to face him directly. He felt her press her nose to the tip of his. This time, she ordered him. "I said, open your eyes Karl. Now!"

Karl quickly snapped his eyes open, and looked into Sharri's warm face. She was staring at him, rubbing her nose on his as he laid on the floor.

"Can you see my nose?" she asked him.

He looked at the little black pad on the tip of her muzzle. "Yeah. So?"

"Can you see yours?" she prodded.

He looked again, and noticed that he had a little black pad too. And it was a good bit away from his face, resting on a snowy white muzzle. His nose. On his muzzle. With whiskers jutting out the sides, just like hers. His whiskers.

Karl leaped up in shock, and found himself to be kneeling on all fours. He felt something dangling from his neck. He looked down and saw that he was wearing an ivory necklace in the shape of a butterfly. It looked exactly like Sharri's.

He also saw that his arms were now covered in a thick white coat of fur. He had a pelt! He then peered underneath him, and saw his chest was fur-covered too. Every inch of him now sported a white pelt. Even his privates had a thin layer of fur. Solid white. Every inch of him.

And there dangling behind him, was the thickest, whitest, bushiest tail he had ever seen in his life!

Karl snapped his head back up again. "What in god's name did you do to me Sharri?" he angrily barked at her.

She backed away a couple of inches, slightly injured by his tone. "I saved your life Karl, in the only way I could."

"By turning me into a plushie toy??" he cried. "I mean, look at me! I'm an animal! How could you do this to me?" His trembling voice gave away the alarm and surprise he felt.

Sharri knew Karl didn't mean to hurt her. He was just shocked, and would be for the next couple of minutes. She shook her head slowly. "No, Karl." she softly said to him. "You are not an animal. You are a Kitsune. There is a very big difference."

Karl blinked. "A... a kitsune?" he stammered, recovering from the sudden shock of his transformation. "You mean, I look like you now?"

Sharri moved closer once more, and placed a reassuring hand on his cheek. "Oh, you more than look like me Karl. Your nosehairs, as you keep calling them, are whiskers. Your sense of smell is many times more sensitive than before. You even have the same powers that I do. You ARE Kitsune now Karl. Same as I am."

"You mean I have all the powers of a 6-tail at my disposal?" Karl asked her, becoming excited about the prospect.

She looked away, the pain in her eyes very real. "No, Karl." she lowly replied. "You only have one tail. You don't have the powers of a 6-tail yet. And... neither do I anymore."

"What do you mean Sharri?"

He saw a tear fall from her eyes. "To save your life, you had to lose your humanity. I am sorry, but that is just the way things are. But to save your life, I had to lose something as well. Changing someone into a kitsune takes a lot of power. More power than anyone short of a 9-tail can muster. To get it, I had to sacrifice all but one of my tails. I gave up almost all of my powers to save you. I had to become a one-tail, just like yourself."

Sharri stood up, and turned around to show Karl what she meant. Sure enough, only one red and white tail swirled around behind her.

She then looked over her shoulder at him, a sad look in her eye.

"I hope you will forgive me for taking away your humanity Karl." she sniffled. "It was the only thing I could do. And it cost me dearly to do it. It takes a century or so to grow each tail."

Karl slowly stood up, steadying himself by gripping the edge of the bed as he got used to the balance of his new body. His sharp claws dug into the wood of the bedframe as he rose wobbling to his feet.

"There isn't anything to forgive Sharri." he softly replied as he wavered by the bed. "If anything, I should be thanking you for this."

She turned to face him again. "You mean that?" she asked hopefully.

Karl nodded, and looked over his snowy white body again, starting with his arms. "Sharri, you don't know how many times I have envied you for having several shapes. For having fur, magic, and countless other things that I did not. And I have long envied you for your tails."

She swirled her foxes tail about behind her lazily. "I only have one now, you know. And I am almost powerless to boot."

"Yeah, I know." he answered, looking back over his shoulder. He watched as his own tail just hung there off the base of his spine. He tried to get it to move, to swish around the way Sharri's was doing. It didn't budge. "But now I have a tail and magic of my own. And that is more than I had when I got out of bed this morning."

Karl then reached behind him, and tapped his tail with a clawed hand, trying to get it to move. The large bushy mass just hung limply behind him. He turned to face Sharri once more, and sighed. "I guess you get the hang of it with time, huh?"

Sharri stepped forward and took him into her arms, hugging him tightly. "You will get used to lots of things in time, Karl. And so will I. I am so glad you don't hate me for stealing your body from you the way I did."

Karl put his own arms around her, returning her warmth. "As long as you are with me Sharri, I don't care what shape I am in."

He tucked his head against hers, and let her help hold him up. Karl could hear her gently sobbing as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"I love you so much Karl." she sobbed. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

He breathed deeply, getting used to his new set of lungs, and nose. "You aren't getting rid of me that easily Sharri."

"Sharrikonicha." she corrected.

"Excuse me?"

She pulled away from him, and looked deeply into his eyes. "My full name is Sharrikonicha, Karl. You should get used to it, and other names like it, if you expect to come home with me."

Karl blinked. "Go home with you? Where is home?"

"Across the sea, in Japan." she answered, settling down once more. "No human knows of it's existance. It is a magical land, just on the edge of the sea of dreams. I think you will like it there, with me."

Karl looked unconvinced. "What about these 9-tailed councilthingees that are after us?" he asked. "Won't they catch us quickly, if we go there?"

Sharri smiled gently, and gave him a long, loving kiss. They stood there in each other's embrace for what felt like forever. Karl began to rumble with pleasure at her tender touch.

She slowly pulled away, and stared at him again. "I let you down once." she murred. "Never again. The 9 tails won't care what we do anymore. You aren't human now, remember? We are both Kitsune, and we are no longer breaking their laws. The council won't pay any attention to us, once I explain everything to them."

"And what about Domino?"

"She is dead."

"Did you..." he began, concerned.

"No Karl." she interrupted. "I did not kill her. She died by her own hand. I defended myself, but it was her own spell that destroyed her. No 6-tail can throw enough magic to kill a 7-tail. Besides, I'm a 1-tail now. What more can the council do to me? Take away my birthday and cancel Spring?"

He nodded to her. "Well, you are still my tutor. Now more than ever. So whatever you say is best, I will do. But I do hope you know what you are doing Sharri."

She beamed at him, looking over his white body. "Incidently Karl, I have thought for a long time that you would make a wonderful Kitsune. I see now that I was right. And I can't wait to show you my homeland, and my family."

Karl blushed a little bit at her examination. "Before we see your family, do you think I could put some pants on?"

"If you can find some pants that have a hole for your tail to stick through, go right ahead."

He looked behind his back at his new appendage again. He shook his head, realizing just how much he had to learn about his new body. "Oh. Right. Forgot about that."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and chuckled at him. "Trust me. Levi's doesn't make 501's for Kitsune. I've looked."

He turned to face her once more, shrugging. "Okay then, I give up. What do I wear?"

She grinned. "I have some spare robes you can have."

"You expect me to wear a dress?" he surprisingly said.

Sharri shook her head, still grinning. "Not a dress, silly. A robe. It allows your tail or tails to hang out behind you. Both male and female Kitsune wear them."

"I assume that the tail is the only thing it allows to hang out..." he nervously added.

"Trust me. I'm not going to let you wear anything immodest. After all, I am going to have trouble enough keeping the other ladies away from you as it is. Why would I add more fuel to the fire?"

Karl then began to smile himself. "Oh! You mean I am attractive? To other kitsune?"

She nodded to him quickly. "Most definately, Karl. White furred Kitsune are very uncommon in my land. You have the sleekest, most handsome body I have ever seen. And the ladies will go wild when they see you."

"And how about you, Sharrikonicha?" he asked hopefully. "Are you still wild about me? Now that I am in this new body?"

Sharri stood still for a few seconds, deciding how best to answer such a loaded question. "Well Karl, if you weren't still recovering from the transformation, I'd show you rather than tell you. But it would be too much stress on your new body. Give it some time to rest, and then I'll show you just how wild I can be about you..." She ended her sentence with a quick nose nuzzle.

Karl had to admit it felt good. What a wonderfully intimate and touching way to communicate. This new body, fur and all, felt much lighter and stronger than his human body ever had. And much freer too. He had Sharri with him, and he never had to worry about schoolwork or anything else again. Life was wonderful.

He nodded to her, and began to lay down on the floor again, since the bed was still filthy. She tussled the hair on his head as he settled down once more, wrapping himself up into a white fluffy ball to sleep. "That's right Karl." Sharri murmered to him as he got settled. "You curl up and go to sleep. You will need the rest. After all, you and I have a busy schedule for the next couple of centuries..."