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Arashi Hayashi. Fierce warrior. Ronin vagabond. Slayer of yokai. Killer of tyrants. The mighty shogun.

Yes, there are many tales of Hayashi's travels and adventures.

And there are twice as many of his misadventures. But they are seldom talked about.

When he was young, Hayashi took up the wanderers life, armed with a dinky sword, forged from his old hunting knife, and a shield he had made himself from a mighty oak, cleaved in twain by a bolt of thunder. He believed it to be a good omen and that the shield would bring good fortune to wherever he went.

On one of his journeys, he happened upon a small town. He walked through the streets with a proud step, only to be met by the ire of the people. Everyone seemed miserable or in a foul mood. But he didn't pay it no mind.

His first stop, as all heroes are to do, was the inn. He strode in, an air of confidence around him. He sat himself at the bar. The bartender took a gander at the young warrior, his nose twitching from side to side a few times, before finally asking him:

"What do you want stranger?"

"Sake."

A quick hand grabbed a bottle and a cup, placed them in front of Hayashi, and poured him his drink, all in one swift go.

Impressed, but remaining silent, Hayashi drank his beverage in one swing.

"My name is Hiro. Nakamura Hiro." The bartender spoke in a low voice.

"Arashi Hayashi." Hayashi answered.

"Where do you come from, Arashi Hayashi?" Hiro asked, pouring him another drink.

"How do you know I come from somewhere?" Hayashi asked.

"Your clothes. The way you carry yourself. Your accent."

Hayashi lifted an eyebrow.

"Alright, alright. I've just never seen you before. And everybody in this town is a regular."

"Everyone?"

"Everyone."

Hayashi drank his sake and motioned for Hiro to pour him another one.

"You've got a real drinking problem here" the young warrior laughed.

"Yeah, well, it is how it is."

Hiro took another cup a poured himself a drink.

"So, why are you here?"

"Traveling. Wandering. Looking for adventure."

"And you decided to come here?" Hiro asked, genuine surprise in his voice.

Hayashi narrowed his eyes.

"Yeess?..." he said, uncertain of what Hiro was going on about.

"Are you, by chance, one of those hero type wanderers?"

Hayashi nodded slowly, trying and unable to hide the smirk that was growing on his face. Hiro scratched his chin, obviously weighing his next words carefully.

"Have you been doing this for long?"

"Well...I haven't exactly been wandering around for all that long...about a month or so..."

"Ah..." there was disappointment in Hiro's eyes. "Have you rescued anyone from bandits? Matched wits with sorcerers? Fought the odd forest spirit?"

Hayashi scratched the back of his head.

"I helped a monk chase away a tanuki off the temple ground."

"I see..."

A heavy silence followed.

"Might I ask what ills you?" Hayashi inquired, trying to salvage the situation.

"You see, young master, an evil spirit has befallen our town. A malevolent fox spirit, a kitsune, has taken residents in an abandoned temple at the edge of the forest. She has locked the river, which flows down to our town. We thirst and we can't grow our crops. She unlocks it for one week, each month, after we have given her sacrifice - the cutest young man we have. He goes into the temple and is never seen again. And even when she lets the river flow, there is something wrong. Strange fish keep piling up. The crops become blighted and more often than not, whoever drinks the water gets possessed by a strange laughing madness."

"I see..." Hayashi straightened his back, placing a hand on his sword hilt. "I believe I can be of service to you then."

Hiro didn't seem very enthused. He poured himself another sake, drinking it one go and placed the cup behind the bar.

"Listen kid. This is a serious issue. If you go in there, I don't know what will happen to you. But I'm sure it won't be pretty. And if you don't manage to finish the job...nothing pretty will happen to anyone in the town."

"I understand your predicament, but-"

"If you do this-" the bartender interrupted the young warrior "-you've got to give me your word, that you will kill this fox. Understand?"

"Fair enough" Hayashi smiled.

The bartender extended his hand and the warrior shook it. The deal was struck.

"I won't charge you for your drinks." Hiro said just as Hayashi was getting ready to leave. "Come back in one piece and you get to drink on the house."

With a lofty laugh, the two men parted ways. But deep down inside, Hiro knew that he had made a mistake. In the vain hope that he might help his town, he had just sent a young man to his doom. And most likely doomed his town as well. He opened the bottle of sake once more a drank.

Hayashi followed the main path out of the town and into the forest. Although dense, the light of the sun perfectly penetrated the dense foliage, covering the path in a spring green. But as Hayashi followed the main path, the surroundings became dimmer and the air turned colder. It wasn't long before he stood in front of the abandoned temple. A marvel of architecture, made a ruin by the elements and the passage of time, and turned into a haunting by malevolent sprites.

He climbed the stairs, his sword in hand, each step becoming heavier. The temple itself radiated something profane. Malicious. Evil.

The doors were long gone. There was only darkness in front. A chill went up his spine when he took the first step inside the temple. There was little of value left. What was worth any coin, had been looted decades ago. What was left, had been desecrated.

The ringing of bells.

Hayashi turned, sword at the ready, only to see the entrance. A mist was forming around him.

A gentle giggle.

He turned once more, greeted by a stone buddha statue, missing its head and arm.

Something in the corner of his eye, behind the column.

He turned; his sword pointed at one of the many columns which held this building together. Like the rest, the paint had been scraped away by time.

A gust of wind.

He turned, swinging his sword, slicing at mist. Fog. Smoke. The smell of incense and mold filled his nostrils. What had he gotten himself into?

"Hello there, stranger."

Hayashi turned once more, caught off guard. In front of him stood a woman in a scarlet cloak, wearing a grinning white fox mask.

"My name is Yugi" she said lowering the hood. Without any signs of fear, nor hesitation, she stepped forward, each step accompanied by the sound of jingling bells.

Hayashi did not faulter. He tightened his grip and stared down his foe.

"I am Arashi Hayashi. Traveler and warrior."

She stopped.

"A warrior? How exciting! What, prey tell might you be doing here then?" she said, while taking turning her mask to one side, her voice like honey and roses.

Hayashi wasn't sure what to expect. He had an idea of what the fox spirit might be or do. But before him stood a beautiful young girl with gorgeous blue eyes, short black hair, and an innocent smile, spread on her crimson lips.

"I am here for you, demon!"

"For me?" she said in mock shock, while she threw her cloak on the ground, revealing her naked body, three bells tied around her ankles and a fan of nine golden tails slowly spreading behind her. "Why? Have I done something?"

Hayashi narrowed his eyes. He knew she was trying to distract him. He had heard of the mesmerizing powers of the kitsune, but he believed himself strong.

"I am here to slay you and to lift the neighboring town from your yoke!"

"Oh...Is that right?"

She stepped closer, her tails waving gently behind her. Hayashi didn't answer. The sweat dripped from his brow as he tried to remain focused on his target.

"It's just a little trick. A little prank. A light joke I've been playing on people. You on the other hand." She blinked, her irises turned a sinister, venomous green while the white of her eyes turned black. "You are trespassing in my home."

Her nails extended into claws. She opened her mouth, stretching far more than any human and filled with deformed fangs. Her tongue, resembling a tentacle in form and movement, ran across her jagged teeth. But her step was still slow, calm and collected.

Hayashi hesitated. He did not know what to do. He gripped his sword and, in a moment of panic, he lunged forward. With a battle cry, he slashed towards Yugi. And just as the sword was about slice threw her neck, there came a "poof" and she turned into a cloud of white smoke and glitter, from which a small fox jumped out, running behind one of the columns.

Hayashi's breath grew heavy. The demon's giggling seemed to come from all directions. He shuffled towards the column, his eyes darting to both sides of the column, trying to figure out where will the spirit run off to.

"Brave, young warrior. So many like you have come to my temple, thinking themselves as saviors. Protectors of the weak. Yet, all of them fell."

Hayashi did not listen. He remained focused and closed in on the column. He jumped on the right, sword ready to strike, but there was nothing there.

"Guess who" Yubi said in a playful tone, gently covering Hayashi's eyes.

Without a second thought, he turned left, swinging his sword, impaling it into the column.

"Oh, dear!" the fox exclaimed, a sly grin stretching on her face, resembling her human form.

Hayashi stepped back, knees shaking. He took off the shield from his back, holding it up. He took frantic steps backwards as the kitsune closed the distance between them.

"Are you afraid, Arashi Hayashi? Is the great warrior having second thoughts?"

Yugi leaped forward, her claws extended, ready to slice open Hayashi's throat. Hayashi reflexively lifted his shield, but then he felt a pressure on his ankles. He gave in, falling to one side. In the brief moment when Hayashi lifted his shield, Yugi had ducked slid her leg, swiping Hayashi's legs.

The warrior tried to get up, but the demon placed a firm foot on his chest. Her eyes, once more green and black, she gazed into his and he felt heavy, unable to move. She smiled.

"I think I just might have my fun with you, before deciding on what to do, little ronin."

#

The entire town had gathered to watch. Most of them had never really seen the kitsune and were amazed by her beauty, having believed her to resemble something much more monstrous and demonic. She walked with bright smile, dressed in her red spring kimono. By her side, tied in complex shibari knots and wearing a white fundoshi, crawled the young Arashi Hayashi. Whenever he would lag behind, she would pull his leash - a rope tied around his neck.

When they finally reached the square, Yugi stepped on a bench and turned towards the crowd.

"Dear citizens," she said, with a powerful, yet playful voice "I've decided to have a little stroll today and look upon my subjects. You've been so kind to me for the past years. And in return, I've decided to give you something in return. Behold!"

She pulled on Hayashi's leash and he climbed on the bench.

"Arashi Hayashi. The great traveling warrior. A ronin, slayer of evil. And my personal, little, pet." She ran her hand through Hayashi's hair, to which he seemed to shrink down. "Now, as a special thanks to all of you..." Yugi smiled, as she focused on one specific person in the crowd; Nakamura Hiro's heart skipped a beat. "...I will have my dear and lovely pet, sing you a little song."

She pulled on his leash once more. Hayashi tried to get up, finding it exceptionally difficult. But he stood up, hunched over, eyes vacant.

"Come now, little Hayashi. Sing these good people a tune."

Hayashi's face didn't show much emotion, but he didn't sing.

"I said SING!" Yugi yelled out, her voice turning into a crackling grow.

Hayashi flinched, his eyes wide in fear. He turned towards the crowd, his knees together, shoulders slumped, head hunched and he sang.

"I was a hero, now I'm a little fox, I can count to zero, and play with blocks"

He sang as he swayed left to right.

"I had a sword, and sought reward, but mommy proved me ill and cured me with bottle"

"There you go...my little bard" Yugi caressed the broken man. "Now. Get down."

Hayashi did as he was ordered.

"We should work on your rhymes these days."

Yugi sat down on the bench and motioned the warrior to lay down next to her. She then placed his head on her lap, gently playing with his hair.

"Are you hungry, little Hayashi?"

Hayashi nodded his head. Yugi smiled and pulled out bottle from her bag. She undid the top and pressed the opening to Hayashi's lips. Warm milk flowed into his mouth. And he was lost. Lost in the moment, he didn't care that he was surrounded, watched and possibly judged by the people he swore to protect. He truly felt happy.

Or so the story goes.

You can never find two people who know a Hayashi story the same way. Some say that Yugi let Hayashi go, thinking he had lost his honor and will to fight. But years later he returned and slew the kitsune, claiming her tails as a trophy.

I've heard it said that it was all just a ploy by Hayashi. When Yugi was feeding him, he grabbed the bottle, smashed it against her head and slit her throat with one of the pieces, so he can prove that the kitsune was dead and that everyone can escape they fate.

Still, others say that when he was let go, he let the kitsune live, being too afraid to face her ever again.

But my personal favorite one is that he took her with him. And she became his concubine. After each battle, he would return to her and she would treat him like a child, feeding him her milk and singing songs to him until he fell asleep in her lap.

Yes, there are many tales of Hayashi's travels and adventures.

Some being more popular than others.