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Reynard found himself disappointed when he arrived at the train station and noticed there was a half-an-hour wait until the next train home. Usually they were more frequent and Reynard would only have to wait ten minutes, but a slight delay in one of the other sectors meant the train back to Nogune and the shores of Lake Pretca would be arriving later than usual. Reynard clung to the briefcase he had picked up as a gift from a coworker for helping him out on a large project for the company, pounding his feet on the pavement impatiently.

Finding something to stave off his boredom even for a moment, Reynard went over to a newspaper stand and picked up a copy of the local paper. He read through the front page headlines and picked his way through the sports and political sections before reaching a local news section for Nogune. Interested in an article about the recent appearance of Belleza Oncera in a ship just off the shores near Nogune, Reynard read through the article to see what it said.

"Locals in the Nogune area report seeing ghosts along the shores of Lake Pretca just outside the town. Mages sent to the area have confirmed the sightings of the ghost and large paranormal and magical presence on the shores of the lake and have told our reporters it is supposedly the ghost of Belleza Oncera, murdered by her husband five hundred years ago in their mansion. The mansion, which sits on a small island off the coast of Nogune, was once the home of the Ikasaratan royalty and is currently off-limits to pedestrian traffic due to the appearance of the ghost. While public records have shown the Oncera family is deceased, rumors have gone around the populace about a surviving member of the Oncera bloodline and wonder if it is in any way connected to the appearance of Belleza Oncera."

Reynard chuckled. Most of this was old news that was brought up again now that another mage had confirmed the presence of the ghost, but Lupino had already told him that. What amused Reynard the most was the fact that people did suspect someone remaining of the Oncera line existed, but Reynard kept to himself and quiet enough not many actually knew of his lineage. The few that actively knew were Mister Arstan, Reynard's parents, siblings, and family members and Lupino - along with the rest of the royalty - but they had kept as quiet about it as Reynard did. Others simply knew of his lineage, that he was a mix of Vulpine and leopard Canid, but otherwise didn't know his name. The only one that knew outside of Reynard's family and the royalty was Kirota Tontura, and even then his file was classified information that was only known between Reynard and Kirota.

Reynard started to worry; if the train was delayed any longer, there was a chance he'd miss his appointment with Kirota. Not like it was anything to worry about, as Reynard's call had informed Kirota he may be a little late, but the Vulpine was not one to be late. Reynard shifted around and checked the clock on the wall before putting the newspaper in his briefcase with his work and made his way towards the edges of the station, looking eagerly for the train like an impatient youngster going for their first train ride.

He was glad when he heard the horn that meant the train was passing through a nearby crossing. Much to his relief, Reynard soon saw the train coming along. Six streamlined cars of blue, white, and red slowed down as they approached the station and crept along to avoid accidentally hitting anyone. The sky was bathed in an orange light as Reynard got onto the train in one of the emptier cars towards the front and waited patiently for the train to start.

It didn't start immediately. Reynard could see the conductor standing on the platform from his seat next to the window. The conductor, a pale human, had his hand up in an open palm with the fingers clenched together pointing towards the front of the train and the driver in the first car while simultaneously was waving someone along. It wasn't much longer before a female leopard Felid shot along the platform to one of the open doors in Reynard's car and jumped in, managing to get out a winded "thank you" as the conductor jumped on board and announced the doors were closing and the train was leaving. The familiar snow leopard Felid, wearing a white tucked-in shirt and black pants, found a seat near Reynard on the opposite side of the car and sat down as the train began to move. The cars swayed momentarily as the train picked up speed, but soon the train was moving along nicely and Reynard eased himself into the seat.

"This is your conductor speaking," said a voice over the train's intercom. "This is train 646 to Nogune Station and the Ikasaratan Academy. Expected time of arrival is five forty-five."

Five forty-five. Reynard figured he could make it from the station to Kirota's quickly enough and still make it by six. Reynard sighed contentedly and relaxed as he looked out the window at the buildings and people passing by. This train also wasn't stopping at the Northeastern District station, Reynard noted as they swiftly passed through the station a few minutes later, which made it all the more bearable.

Eventually, Reynard's eyes turned to his attention to his fellow passenger in the train car: the leopard Felid currently staring blankly out the opposite window. It took a few minutes for Reynard to identify her as Valencia, the waitress from the restaurant he and Lupino had gone to that afternoon. Soon after, Valencia turned around and seemed to recognize him and got up out of her seat and walked over to Reynard's.

"Excuse me?" she said. "You were that Vulpine in the restaurant. It's me, Valencia. I just wanted to check up on you and see how you were doing."

"Thank you, Valencia," Reynard responded politely. "I'm doing fine. The water helped. I don't quite know what happened back there. I suddenly started feeling feverish. I wager it was the beer I drank; never have had a strong stomach."

"Well, you're not slurring and you walked out of there okay," Valencia responded.

Reynard merely nodded in acknowledgement.

"What's your name?" Valencia asked.

"Reynard," Reynard responded.

Valencia held out a paw. "I'm Valencia. You live in Nogune, too?"

Reynard scratched the back of his head nervously with one paw and shook Valencia's hand with the other. Her grip was firm but her paw was soft. "Yeah. I just have a little apartment there. I mainly work in Nogune's south-eastern district."

"What sort of work?"

"I work at a mining company. I don't do anything too big; just office work and data entry. It pays the bills. Working at a restaurant sounds like it would be better than what I have to deal with every day."

"Most people think that." Valencia's face turned into a disgusted frown. "But let me tell you this: you were probably the best customer I've had in a while. People can be so demanding sometimes. I guess it comes with the business, but it's all I can do to stop myself from screaming out and yell at someone."

"Really?" Reynard said as Valencia took a seat next to him. Reynard liked Valencia more and more. Furthermore, Belleza hadn't shown up yet so everything seemed to be going well. "I thought you seemed nice."

"I am normally," Valencia replied. "And you have to be for food service. It just can be so grating I've often thought of quitting."

"What keeps you from doing so? I mean, I've seen you there the last couple of times I've been to that restaurant." Reynard had, too, during two previous times within the past few months he'd gone with Lupino.

"The money," Valencia said. "I was shocked when my manager told me I'd only be making a few more dollars as a waitress as opposed to cleaning tables. But then the check arrived the next week and I started getting tips, which got me way over the amount I was getting before. It's helping me pay my way through college."

"Oh? I got a bachelor's degree in business a year ago. How many years are you?"

"I exited junior college about three years ago. I want to go to the Academy in Nogune, but it's expensive, so I'm trying to get some money while staying with my parents for a while."

"What do you want to do?"

"I've thought about either history or psychology. I'm kind of leaning on the history route a little more."

"I always did well in history when I was in school. What made you go to history?"

"I wasn't from Nogune originally. I came from a small city on the Brishind Coast. My parents wanted a change of scenery and a better place to find work and school for me, so we moved here about ten years ago when I was in high school. And that's when I saw it."

"What did you see?"

"That."

Reynard followed Valencia's finger out the window and into the moonlit night. Valencia's paw traced a path from where they were on the train out into the middle of Lake Pretca and to the aging Oncera Manor, its marble and granite façade and towers glimmering in the bright white light of a waxing moon. Reynard hadn't even realized they had left Ikasarat until he looked out the window, but even residents of Ikasarat could claim that the ruins of the Oncera Manor were the most haunting - if not awe-inspiring - things they've ever seen.

"I laid eyes on that for the first time and felt a strange tingle down the back of my spine," Valencia said. "Nothing ever had made me feel so scared yet so amazed. There was always something strange about that place to me, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was. Then I went to a museum in Nogune and learned about the Onceras." Valencia started chuckled. "Oh, look at me just talking on and on about silly stuff like that. It probably doesn't faze you, does it?"

Reynard shook his head. "No. I've felt the same way ever since I first laid my eyes on it and I've lived here all my life. It's kind of strange, to be living in its shadow. Every morning, you wake up and the first thing you see is that mansion standing in the middle of the lake blocking the light until later in the morning. It's... kind of unsettling."

"Reynard...?" Valencia said tentatively.

"It's always strange... to live in the shadow of one's ancestors."

Valencia could do nothing but stare at the Vulpine.

A harsh whistle startled both of them out of their thoughts, followed by a voice coming through over the intercom. "We are now arriving at Nogune Station. The time is five forty-three. This is the end of the line. Please make sure you take all your valuables with you when stepping off the train."

Reynard gathered together his briefcase and Valencia followed him out of the train. Reynard stepped off the train and made his way over to a set of stairs to cross the bridge to the other side of the platform, opposite the side on Lake Pretca's shoreline and away from the Oncera Manor; Reynard could swear that someone was watching him from the top floor windows as he saw a fleeting glance of a silvery outline.

"Reynard!"

Reynard stopped and turned around in the middle of the bridge over the line. Valencia was running up to him and stopped when she got near him, seemingly winded. "Do you... want to get together for coffee sometime?"

"Really?" Reynard said, a little too surprised and confused than he'd like to admit.

"Yes. I mean, you seem like you know a lot about the Oncera Manor, and maybe you could tell me a few things."

"I can tell you more things than you'd ever find in a history book," Reynard said, "but I'd doubt you'd want to listen." Reynard turned around and started walking again, but he couldn't walk very far before Valencia spoke up again.

"I still would like to have coffee with you sometime."

Reynard stared at the floor for a moment. "Sure."

"How about... this weekend on Sunday?"

Reynard thought about it for a minute. "Sounds good to me," he said. That little coffee shop a block away from here, I assume?"

"Yeah. And you can tell me about the Oncera mansion. That is," Valencia added, "if you want to."

Reynard looked back at the snow leopard Felid and smiled. "I'd like that. I'll make sure to stop by." And he left the station for his appointment with Kirota.

Kirota Tontura of Nogune was known primarily for three things. Firstly, she was one of the premier therapists in T'sivet. Secondly, she was the third most powerful mage in T'sivet after Kantara Vulpina V of Ai'sharra and Desmaia Lo'Kanta of Bailova. Thirdly, she ran the Ikasaratan branch of Kantara's Academy - located just outside Nogune to the north - where she also made her office. What she wasn't known for was that her family line was as closely related to the throne as Reynard's was; Kirota was the first of her line to decline the position of advisor and magical representative in the royal court in preference to teaching magic at the Academy and being a therapist.

Kirota, however, was no normal therapist. One of the few reasons she let Reynard use her services was because of his lineage and connection to the royal line. A few families outside the royal court and lines could afford her high-priced services but Kirota refused to extend her service to anyone who wasn't directly connected with the royal court. This also meant she had a certain level of privacy that not many others gave when it came to matters of royalty and whenever someone had a problem they could count on Kirota not divulging it to the press. Kirota had kept quiet about Reynard's connection to the royalty for fifteen years, something which Reynard always gave her extra money for even though Lupino always seemed to have wired money to Kirota ahead of time.

Her office was almost as secretive as patients that came to her. Reynard had to call ahead of time in order for Kirota to be available in the lobby of the Ikasaratan Academy, a very ornate marble and granite room with lounges, a small café unrelated to the one a block from the train depot, and a decent-sized fish tank. The lobby alone was larger than Reynard's apartment and contained a gold-plated wood ornamental piece that covered a wall behind a courtesy desk, on which a brown and black wolf Canid with brown eyes was waiting patiently.

"Miss Tontura," Reynard said, quickly eying a clock on a nearby wall as he extended a paw.

"Mister Oncera," Kirota said as she smiled at him.

"I'm sorry for the delay. Not only did my usual lunch break run long, but the train back home was delayed. I've been unable to drop any of my things off at home before I came."

"It's no trouble, Reynard," Kirota said. "You're not abandoning anything in my office."

Kirota guided Reynard along to a small corridor just off the lobby and to an elevator. Once in the elevator, Kirota took out a small card and swiped it through a slot on the elevator's keypad. There was a beep and the elevator started upwards. Reynard watched as the numbers ticked by until they were seven stories above the ground level, one above the largest number on the keypad. The doors opened into another marble hallway with large rugs that nearly covered the white stone.

"I imagine this is what the royal palace would look like if I ever stepped inside," Reynard mused as he followed Kirota out of the elevator and down the hall.

"Oh, trust me," Kirota said, heels alternately clacking along the floor and muffled by the rugs. "This is nothing. As yet, even the ruins of your ancestors make my Academy humble by comparison. Also, the fancy entryway is just to get people interested. It's a lot more homely - though still quite expensive - once you get beyond the entryway."

Kirota brought out a single key as she spoke and made her way to a large wooden door. Kirota used her key to open the door and invited Reynard inside the room behind the door. The room contained a desk surrounded by numerous shelves filled with books - some of which Reynard held records of her students and patients - and had a wall lined with steel filing cabinets. Kirota used the same key she opened the door with to unlock one of the cabinets, simultaneously motioning for Reynard to sit down on a long couch. Reynard complied as Kirota brought out a beige folder and walked over to a chair near the couch to sit down.

"Alright," Kirota sighed as she settled into the chair and brought out a pair of glasses. "Forgive the repetition, but code states I must go through this every single time. Let me confirm the information we have on file. Your name is Reynard Azeri Oncera. You are currently twenty-five years old and your birthday is on the fifteenth day of the fourth month. You haven't had an accident or been prosecuted for any criminal charges and haven't done any drugs outside of allergy and cold medication."

"That is correct."

"Are you still taking either medication?"

"I take the allergy pill once a day and the cold medication only when I'm sick, the last of which was three months ago and I didn't have to go to the doctor for it."

"Very good. You are currently here to discuss with me the matters of your ancestry and how you keep seeing the ghost of Belleza Oncera, the sighting of which tends to give you nightmares, fever, and insomnia."

Reynard nodded somberly.

"Very well. I'd like you to start at the beginning."

"The very beginning?"

"As far back as you can remember. Lie back on the couch and start speaking whenever you're ready."

Reynard sighed and lay himself down on the couch, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. Kirota's paw soon rested on his shoulder, causing Reynard to look up and see a gentle, reassuring smile on the Canid's face. Reynard took one last deep breath and began to speak.

* * *

The beginnings of my family line are rumored to have started somewhere around eight hundred years ago, back around the time of the human's first landing in Arctic Point. The southern regions had been established by the T'sivetan clan of nomads, who eventually brought settlers with them looking for more space and room to live. Nogune was started around then as a small farming village built on bartering. Eventually, clans built up and started to fight with each other for land with the small village of Nogune in the middle of the conflicts.

Around eight hundred years ago, the first of the snow leopard Felid Oncera's established himself as the leader of the Nogune province. Taking about one hundred men with him, this Oncera went to battle against one of the western provinces bordering Nogune and won, capturing it and uniting the two in conflict against a larger northern neighbor. Oncera's army won that battle and went to war against a southern neighbor, using members of the northern army as part of his own. In this way, Oncera I captured all but the Soron Desert region and stopped the conflict in the now fully conquered Western Ikasaratan Plains.

Oncera I originally planned to step down and let someone else take his place, his only intention being to stop the fighting going on around Nogune, but the captured provinces drew up a treaty and united themselves under the T'sivetan kingdom. More debate came about and eventually Oncera I was made king of the provinces without any real experience.

The first few years were rocky. Oncera I didn't know how to rule so large and was only used to commanding an army of a few hundred, not a quickly expanding kingdom of thousands. It wasn't until someone found a natural quarry of stone that Oncera I actually stepped up to lead and started his reign by commanding that a road be built. Farms became larger and money came into effect when a copper vein was discovered outside Nogune - I happen to work for the same mining company that originally started mining that vein. The stone was also used to build better homes than the wood they had previously been constructed out of. Police and schools and libraries were created and almost anyone was allowed to settle in the plains region so long as they accepted the Oncera family as their rulers.

It was said that the Onceras paved the way for the Golden Age of T'sivet. Throughout the four members of the Oncera generation that ruled, the Ikasaratan province grew to one of the richest and most educated provinces in T'sivet thanks to an emphasis on arts, culture, and education. Eventually, when the kingdom was well established and profitable, the fourth member of the Oncera dynasty passed down the rule to Siam I, a talented military leader and tactician who had helped fight in numerous battles against the Soron Deserts, Kotew Woods, and Kantaran Mountain regions. It was also around this time that humans migrated down from Arctic Point and the Northern Plains and brought their technology with them, causing Nogune and the newly formed Ikasarat to be a place of science as well as art and culture.

It was around this same time that the Oncera Manor was built on the small island in the middle of Lake Pretca. Towering four stories high and almost a football field long, the Oncera Manor was the largest building in T'sivet at the time and contained most of the Oncera's most valuable treasures. A bridge was built from Nogune to the island and the manor soon housed nearly the entire Oncera clan and many offices regarding the affairs of their estate and the business headquarters they started up afterwards, including the postal service and a large chain of stores.

The Onceras were very generous well after their decent from the throne and continued to often play a part in T'sivet's expansion. One member helped draw up plans for a castle to be built for the Siam dynasty, which happens to be the castle still in use today, while another provided the funds to build it and hire the laborers. Others donated to museums, schools, libraries, and charities, and a few libraries were built by Onceras and originally run by them as well. For a long time, it seemed that everywhere you looked, you would see something that the Onceras had a part in. It remains this way; the most well-known building the Oncera's didn't help build was the Ikasaratan Academy, due to a series of strange events that started up about one hundred and fifty years after the Onceras descended from the throne.

Around the time of the first Vulpina, the family that ran the Oncera estate and its many businesses and charities was a Scott and Belleza Oncera. Because the preservation of the lineage was key by that point, it was Belleza Oncera who had the name and Scott who married into the Oncera family but was required to change his last name in order to keep the line going. Scott and Belleza had three children of ages six, seven, and ten, and were happily married for fifteen years.

Scott was a snow leopard Felid and a wealthy businessman by trade, and his marriage into the Oncera family was rejoiced by both the Onceras and Scott's own business; Scott knew how to run large affairs and estates and the Onceras were well-liked, reputable, but very much efficient in running their own estates. Scott married Belleza Oncera, the oldest of three, at the age of twenty-nine and officially became a member of the Oncera family.

Belleza, before and after meeting Scott, was one of the curators and managers of a museum in Nogune with an extensive knowledge of the artifacts inside and a detailed history of each one, including where they were found, what they were, and what they were used for. Belleza sometimes left her position as a manager to become a docent once every couple of days, giving tours of the museum which was a treat and highly sought after and even was once reported to have an ancestor of Desmaia Lo'Kanta come down before the Bailovan Academy was established; the visit eventually resulted in the construction of a museum and later the Academy in Bailova in the Northern Plains.

Belleza was also known as one of the most beautiful women in all of T'sivet. She wasn't like the models, but something about her just seemed to click with everyone and made anyone who looked at her just stand there in awe of her. Some say it way she dressed, the way she would take one odd thing like a feather of a falcon or an off-color broach and wear it just off enough that people would take notice of her and love her for it. Some say it was the way she looked, that she was the picture of perfect health and natural beauty coupled with just enough grooming to keep it that way. Some say it was her attitude; she treated every day like it was a whole new experience and never got bored with the way her life was. Still others thought it was magic, that Belleza had cast a spell on herself that made everyone who met her love her no matter what they thought of her beforehand. While no magic was ever found on her and no one can cast such a spell to this day, Belleza was constantly the ideal image of beauty and carried the requisite amount of charm to make everyone fall in love with her.

Belleza was also rumored to be a bit promiscuous. Even before meeting Scott, Belleza was known for holding large gatherings at the Oncera Manor about once or twice a month, using a large parlor room and patio for guests to come to the manor for social gatherings. Often, those in attendance were related to the Oncera state or its affiliates in some way, but other times she invited a large amount of friends over just because she wanted to. Whatever the occasion happened to be, the lights were frequently on in the Oncera Manor until very early in the morning and a large amount of men were seen heading to the mansion on those nights. By the time Belleza finally met Scott, it was said she'd had small affairs with nearly fifty other men.

Belleza declined the rumors, and once it went public it was as though everyone believed her. Belleza noted her attendance at charity events, the fact that she hadn't dated even once and was a regular attender and volunteer at one of the larger Churches of the Creator around Nogune and how she hadn't found the right one and married yet so she wasn't going to have an affair with anyone. Our family records state Belleza was always telling the truth and hadn't committed a crime or had an affair with anyone in her life except for Scott.

Belleza met Scott at one of the parties she held. This particular gathering was meant to work out an agreement between one of the other Oncera's business holdings and Scott's own business, where Belleza took the helm as the one who invited them all together to get them to talk with each other in a relaxed, informal event. Scott took a liking to Belleza and the two eventually got together and talked with one another, partially helping the agreement between the Oncera's and Scott's business. Scott soon became a regular attendee at Belleza's parties and the relationship extended into three years of dating and they eventually married soon after Belleza turned twenty-eight.

No one was quite sure what drew Scott to Belleza or what it was about Scott that Belleza found attractive. Belleza always insisted it was that Scott looked like he had a rough exterior but in reality was a very generous, nice, even loving companion. But even in the early stages of their relationship Scott had a streak of jealousy whenever Belleza was around other men. Belleza constantly talked with Scott and assured him he had nothing to fear from other men and that Belleza was loyal to him, but Scott could never shake the feeling no matter how much Belleza told him even after they had married.

When Belleza was pregnant with her first child, the docent work and the parties slowed down to only about once every two months, eventually stopping for a few years after Belleza gave birth to a second child. Belleza was a loving mother and Scott settled down a little and became as loving a father, with the two taking care of their duties in addition to taking care of their new cubs. The first gathering Belleza gave after the third of her children was born was the opening of a new library in the center of Ikasarat, and a few months later the parties returned in full swing - along with Scott's jealousy - after a celebration of the opening of the newly rebuilt Hall of Records.

Around the time that the third child was born, Scott also started leaving on frequent business trips around the expanding kingdom for various reasons, leaving Belleza to take care of the estate and the children. This wasn't usually a problem until Belleza became lonely from how long Scott took on his trips and started having small gatherings until the parties she had once organized returned after the opening ceremony at the Hall of Records. No matter how long Scott was gone, Belleza always managed to fit one in before he returned without fail.

Eventually, while Scott had left the Manor on a four-day trip to the Kantaran Mountains to discuss the plans for building the Ikasaratan Academy, Belleza decided to provide a small gathering for one of her friend's newly-widowed husband to help him overcome his grief. It was late into the night when Belleza started talking to the man - his species and name are lost to me - and started showing affection towards him. While other guests could attend that Belleza was not intending to cheat on Scott with the man, it was obvious she was being somewhat forward in her affection and was easily mistaken by many of the guests. It never went much further than some gentle touches with her paw and some nuzzling, but a few guests actually thought that Belleza was intending to both cheat on Scott and take advantage of the man's grief. While Belleza tried to show others it was merely friendly and she was trying to comfort her friend, others planned to tell Scott when he returned.

Much to Belleza's and the other guests' surprise, Scott ended up arriving home late that night as Belleza was dancing with the man. Scott's trip had been delayed by the serious illness of one of the main contractors and the delayed presence of another benefactor; as such the meeting was to be rescheduled for a later time. Scott arrived home tired and not thinking straight and walked in on the party. While it wasn't the fact that Belleza was having a party that ended up upsetting him, Belleza dancing with the widowed man was. Fueled by his building jealousy, Scott pulled out his own sword, normally worn for decorative purposes, and ran the man through. He proceeded to grab Belleza roughly, but Belleza shook free and tried to explain her actions with many of the guests at the party backing her up.

Scott would have none of these explanations and proceeded to run after Belleza. Belleza went through the manor screaming in terror and sorrow at her husband's anger and suspicions of her. Unfortunately for the both of them, their children walked out to see that their father had come home only to be pushed aside by the raging Scott and fall down the main staircase. The two youngest died of trauma, one immediately and one in the hospital, but the oldest lived and survived, only the experience had left her scarred and she proclaimed chastity and joined the Church of the Creator as an acolyte and never married.

Meanwhile, Scott had chased Belleza up to their room at the far side of the manor from Nogune on the highest floor. Belleza found herself trapped and pleaded with her husband both for forgiveness and understanding of her actions and that she had never meant to cheat on him. Scott was still too tired and tried to run Belleza through with his sword but he missed. However, the force of his charge knocked Belleza backward through an open window nearby where she fell into the lake and was never seen again. It was at this time that Scott finally snapped out of his rage and, upon realization of what he had done, took his sword and fell on it, killing himself.

Two of the remaining Oncera family survived. The middle sibling, one year younger than Belleza, was so grieved at her sister's death she killed herself with poison. Dame Vivian Oncera - the youngest sibling - survived and continued to live on and marry, though she was so traumatized by the encounter that she left the Manor and started living the life of a mostly normal citizen, hiding away the Oncera's estate and leaving it in the hands of the royalty at the time, the Lupino family, to preserve it and was also knighted in compensation of her loss.

Dame Vivian Oncera is my great-great grandmother, though of the time between her and my parents I do not know much of as my own grandparents died long before. All I know is that my grandmother on my mother's side was a Vulpine and was courted and eventually married a male snow leopard Felid by the name of Oncera. The only way the line was preserved was by the usual Oncera tradition of males marrying into the family name through the female as opposed to by the male in order to keep the name intact. As far as I know, I currently have the closest connection to Belleza though how that happened is beyond me.

* * *

"Anyways, that's about it," Reynard said. "The ghost of Belleza Oncera started appearing at my birth, then every year on my birthday, then in ever-increasing frequency after my eighteenth birthday. That was seven years ago." Reynard fell silent, his tale told.

Kirota, who had been quiet and madly scribbling notes the entire time, finally spoke up for the first time in an hour. "That is quite the extensive history," she said after a long period of silence and review of her notes. "It sounds like this was a well-rehearsed tale."

"It has been passed down as the story of our lineage from the time we're old enough to sit still and listen for long enough," Reynard said. "It is an honor to have come from such a prestigious family, but the burden it has come with, especially in recent years, has made it difficult to feel the same honor."

Kirota nodded and wrote down something on another sheet of paper. "Well, it seems that you have very close connections with Belleza, given your recent testimony and the detail and accuracy with which you remember the events. It strikes me as odd that, although you have a brother and sister and multiple cousins, she has chosen you as the one to contact - or torment, whichever you prefer - instead of the others."

"For the sake of my siblings," Reynard said, "I am glad they don't have to deal with it. But I just want her to go away and leave me alone."

Kirota nodded. "I'm going to try something. We're going to see if you can't use sleeping medication to help out with the insomnia. If the dreams start going away, you can slowly wean your way off the medication and check up with me every month or so."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then we try intensive mental investigative therapy."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to use hypnotherapy on you in order to make you relive some of the past memories and dreams and we'll see if there's a common connection."

Reynard thought about it. "That doesn't sound very safe."

Kirota sighed. "I'm sorry, Reynard, but at this point it's the only option we're going to have. You've been attending my sessions once a month for the last fifteen years. While progress has been made, you still haven't been able to overcome your fear of Belleza and keep seeing her around. Now, you're not the only one, but you have stronger cases against Belleza than most others do."

Reynard nodded. "I think I understand."

Kirota nodded and scribbled down something on a piece of paper before giving it to Reynard. "This is a weak-to-moderate sleep aid I'm giving you a prescription for. It won't conflict with anything and has been proven to be one of the better medications for insomnia without the side effects. I want you to take this, get a good night's sleep, and call me in a week to let me know how everything is going."

Reynard nodded. "Thank you, Kirota."

"It's no trouble at all. Now, your friend Lupino has already paid me for the session earlier today, so you don't need to give me a single cent."

"I won't tell him next time and pay you myself."

"Mister Oncera," Kirota said as she opened the door and started leading Reynard back to the elevator, "Prince Jack Lupino has already paid for your next four appointments unless you for some reason stop coming, at which point I am to give the money to you."

Reynard slapped a paw to his forehead. "I hope he did that quietly."

"He came in last week after requesting an appointment," Kirota said as they entered the elevator and started going to the ground floor. "That's when he gave me the money. The transaction went smoothly and quietly behind closed doors and it was an agreement we both found satisfying. And he assured me that you would be open to it. Am I right, or am I to give Mister Lupino his money back?"

"Keep it," Reynard said. "I don't see myself suddenly stopping anytime soon."

Once the elevator hit the ground floor, Kirota directed Reynard to a government-run pharmacy nearby to pick up his prescription. Reynard thanked Kirota once again and went to the pharmacy, where his prescription was filled out by the pharmacist without question. After he picked it up, Reynard returned home for dinner and promptly picked up the phone and dialed.

The phone rang three times before a voice responded. "This is Jack Lupino. Who is it?"

"Thanks for picking up my therapy visit," Reynard replied.

"Not a problem," Lupino said, his voice cheerful. "It's not like it's a terrible pain to my wallet. Hardly felt a difference in weight. Besides, what's a little goodwill between friends for?"

"I suppose so," Reynard said, a smile on his face.

"Now, what you need to do is get better," Lupino continued. "That way we can resume our normal lunch meet and maybe I'll take you golfing somewhere, like that course just outside Nogune; I've heard it's really nice and expensive. And if you don't know how to play, I'll teach you."

"Thanks," Reynard said. "For lunch and for the therapy."

"Like I said, no big deal. Anyways, father wants me to attend a play with him in a little while; got to keep cultured, he says. I'll talk to you later."

"See you, Lupino."

Reynard hung up the phone and sat for a moment in the quiet of his living room. A few minutes later, he went to the kitchen and took his medicine with a tall glass of water before going to his bedroom and lying down on his bed. The moment he hit the mattress and closed his eyes, he could feel himself melt into the bed before he heard an ear piercing scream and his eyes shot wide open.

This is going to be a long night, Reynard thought to himself.