Fateful Encounter

“This is my familiar, Vyfal.” I introduced and placed Vyfal in the table.

Thomas and I headed to Andrea’s family restaurant; Lijinia Restaurant, an hour before lunch. We agreed to have lunch there and explore Azte afterwards. Once we got there, Andrea had already been waiting for us. And Bernard apparently arrived earlier because he was very excited since it was his first time in the capital.

When I introduced my familiar in her fox-cub form, the two immediately started ogling at her. Well, for entirely different reasons.

“She’s so cute!” Andrea squealed and was holding back on squeezing Vyfal.

-She can probably eat you in one gulp.

“Kyu!” <”She’s your friend Luna, I won’t eat her.”> Vyfal responded in a playful manner.

“Oh my gosh! This ear-cuff is really sophisticatedly made!” exclaimed Bernard. “And I think I can fit some sort of armor for her for safety.”

“Okay that’s enough.” I said, stopping the two of them. I saw Thomas holding back his laughter. Probably at how much our friends were acting silly over Vyfal. “She doesn’t like being ogled too much. After all, she doesn’t have much interaction with people.”

“It’s her first time inside Azte?” asked Andrea.

“Yeah. I brought her in this morning.”

“Luna, does Vyfal eat meat? Or is she a vegetarian?”

I eyed my familiar who only curled up in front of me and started drifting off. “Meat. Definitely meat.”

That afternoon, we had a feast for a lunch. Andrea’s parents were very glad with us visiting the restaurant as well as being their daughter’s friend. The restaurant also had really good food, so I might recommend it to people I know in the future.

After lunch, we started exploring the parts of the city I was not able to see while living in Azte. During my stay after moving in the Celestine Manor inside the capital, I mainly ventured the outskirts to get a sense of the city’s layout. Yeah, instead of having fun inside a big city, I was scouting it for security purposes.

Anyway, we headed to the shops in the southern district. Andrea, as the local, showed us around to the stores that could be useful to us. Meaning, she showed us around weapon shops, dress shops, cosmetic shops, bookstores, etc. We also visited the offices of the various guilds and organizations that operated in Praiji Empire; Hunter’s Guild, Merchant Guild, alchemy towers, etc.

-Hmm… It’s a lot to take in.

The building that attracted me the most was the potions shop operated by one of the alchemy towers in Azte; Jakart’s Potions and Medicines. Since I dabbed into alchemy and medicine-making as a hobby, anything related to it really intrigued me. Well, there was the bookstore a block away which I decided to visit at a later date.

“Thomas, I’m heading there. If they look for me, just tell them I wandered off somewhere again.” I whispered.

“Sure.”

My friends were already used to my disappearance whenever we were together. One minute I was with them discussing something, and the next I was already off somewhere alone.

-What can I say, I’m comfortable going solo.

I entered the shop and started looking around. I could see some recovery potions and health potions manufactured by some of the local alchemists being sold at a high price. The price also differed from the quality. On one corner of the store, I saw herbs and already made medicine. I tried looking for medicinal pills or solid-turned potions and found nothing.

A vial of potion caught my attention though. It was placed on one of the higher shelves, but I was confident I could reach out the blue potion with my hand. It was a healing potion made from Fuja Grass, an herb that grew in areas with dense energy. I had seen the plant in large quantities in Celestine Territory before and I knew they were on demand. I even had the chance to brew one myself, except my finished products were always bright blue. The potion in the store was a darker shade than that of mine, so it got me curious.

I was about to snatch it from where it was placed but a hand got to it first.

“Seems like this time, I got it first.” said a familiar voice.

I immediately whipped my head to the direction of the voice and was very surprised to see Peter.

-Him again?

“Peter?” I called.

“Tut tut. We’re outside the academy premises. You should address me properly.” he smirked at me and played with the vial of healing potion on his hand.

My jaw stiffened in annoyance but complied anyway.

“Prince Peter.” I called and curtsied.

Unfortunately, Vyfal did not share my sentiments and jumped to the prince who immediately panicked and dropped to the floor.

“Get off! Get off! Luna Hysi! Get this thing off of me!” he cried.

I sighed. Vyfal could be very impulsive sometimes.

Kai suddenly showed up and tried to pull Vyfal from Peter’s face. I was about to make my way to them and get Vyfal off myself but my familiar suddenly stiffened. Her head slowly looked upwards and I saw her get eye-to-eye contact with the white haired prince.

“Kyu?” <”A fox?”>

“What did you just call me?” asked Kai.

My eyes immediately widened when I heard Kai’s question.

-Did he just… hear her?

“Is nobody going to get this rodent off my face?” yelled an infuriated Peter who was still on the floor, Vyfal’s claws on his head.

I awoke from my stupor and grabbed Vyfal.

“Calm down Vyfal. Why did you do that?” I asked.

<”I don’t like him. He seems annoying.”> Vyfal hissed inside my head.

“Well, she speaks the truth.” said Kai. “But only sometimes.”

It made me stare at him again.

“Kai, you can hear her?” I asked.

Kai caught my stare and froze for a few seconds.

“I- I-“

“Luna Hysi!” a voice yelled. I groaned and turned to the direction of the voice. “Look what that rodent did to my face!”

Peter had small scratches on his forehead and cheeks. But it wasn’t something that could cause a scar, especially when he had all the resources to get it all patched up.

“She’s not a rodent!” I defended.

“It is if it hurt me! I will have it executed immediately! Hand it over.”

“No! Are you crazy?”

“Cra- crazy? How can you call a prince of this empire crazy?”

I was aware we were making a scene, but it was mostly Peter’s fault.

“That’s enough Peter.” Kai inserted. “That’s not a rodent, it’s a familiar. Can’t you see the ear-cuff it has?”

“I don’t care if it’s a familiar or a pet. I will have it killed. And you Luna Hysi, as its owner, will be punished!”

-What an unreasonable kid. Thankfully, he’s not inheriting the throne.

I heard Vyfal growl and said to let her have another go at the prince.

“”No!”” Kai and I exclaimed.

Thankfully, Senior Leo arrived and stepped in.

“Calm down Peter. Can’t you see it’s just a cub? A baby fox. It doesn’t have enough intelligence yet.” I heard Vyfal growl even more at Senior Leo’s statement. “Everything is fair game to it. So don’t get your insides in a twist. It probably wanted to play with you, but you misunderstood it.”

“It’s scratched me in the face imperial uncle.”

I noticed Senior Leo eye Kai who immediately nodded and took me out of the store.

“Sorry about that. Peter can be a little…”

“Insufferable?” I inserted.

“Well, I suppose that’s a good choice of word.” Kai chuckled. “He’s used to getting what he wants, so he acts like that.”

“He better steer clear of me then. I don’t like people like him.” I replied.

“Once you get to know him better you’ll understand.” he smiled. “By the way, for a young fox, your familiar can converse already?”

“Oh yeah… Speaking of… What’s the deal Vyfal? Why did you do that to the prince? And why did you call Kai a fox?” I asked my familiar who curled up on my head.

<”Not telling.”>

“At least give us a way to defend you.” said Kai.

Vyfal’s head immediately perked up and stared at Kai. <”You can hear me?”>

“Uhm…”

Vyfal suddenly bounced off from my head and landed on Kai’s shoulder. We decided to stop in a bench and let Vyfal stare at Kai a little longer.

<”Hmm… Interesting.”>

“What is?” I asked.

<”Luna, he’s got the scent of a fox but is not a fox.”>

“It’s probably because of the Fox’s Curse, right?” I questioned when I remembered about it.

<“I don’t know. I should ask old Bai.”>

“Him again?”

“Who’s old Bai?” asked Kai.

“He’s an old owl my aunt keeps. His name is Bai and is her familiar.” I answered.

“Oh. By the way Vyfal, can I call you that?”

<”Suit yourself.”>

“Vyfal, why did you that to Peter?”

<”He’s annoying.”>

“Vyfal.” I called as a warning.

<”He’s got the scent of a wolf. I don’t like wolves.”>

Vyfal hopped on my lap and ran to my head.

“What does she mean?” asked Kai again.

“There was this incident a long time ago, when she was just newly born. Vyfal almost got mauled by a wolf. She never liked wolves ever since then.” I paused and looked at him. “But, Peter has the scent of a wolf? I wonder what that means.”

Kai only laughed nervously. He obviously knew something and he wasn’t willing to share. So I decided to change the topic.

“So Prince Kai, why did you accompany me today?” I asked.

“Ah, that. Well… imperial uncle will take care of Peter so that means I’m alone right now. Would you like to… I mean. Would you like to… see the capital… with me?”

With all the pauses on his statement, I immediately figure out he was nervous.

“I don’t know the capital well myself but if its company you want I can be one.”

“Great!”

The two of us continued the capital tour until we met up with Thomas and the others. They seemed to accept his presence so Andrea offered him to hang out with us until we had to head home. Unlike his cousin, Kai was more down to earth and much nicer. He could be a little shy at first, but we could work on that.