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“Mmgmhmm…”  A shallow moan rumbled through Sora’s frame as she stirred; vision cracking open; everything around her inside of three-hundred and sixty degrees slowly came into focus.  “Wha—Did I … Did I lose?”

Her confusion deepened upon seeing Mofupsi fully exposed on the ground; the woman’s tanned, smooth skin showed slight signs of color, expression utterly slack.  Her long, nine golden tails were spread out across the white floor of the Training Room.

Sora couldn’t remember anything of what happened, and her physical Vulpes form was gone—it now resembled some kind of metal ring with a black inner lining and gold symbols circling it.

Where … I was in a fight … I started to change … Right, Dad’s side … I’m a chakram … Mofupsi was playing around with me, and then…

Nothingness filled her mind, but a few things gradually came into focus as she hovered in the air.  The foreign sensations filled her Core with the shifting colors and shapes of the unseen elements Existence sustained around her.

Sora’s voice vibrated off the surface of her new body in all directions, which would make it easily heard on every side.  “Is this … I transitioned and returned to my normal state … just like I did when I became a Founder—no, not became … I unlocked my Founder side … So, I unlocked Dad’s side?”

She wasn’t sure how to exactly phrase the unusual conflicting sensations rolling through her very being, but things were slowly coming together.

White flames sparked out of her halo as her natural instincts helped guide her way back to a physical form; it created a strange duality between her unnaturally focused and broad visions.

Blinking a few times as her left ear twitched, she emphasized her Vulpes sight to not confuse her adapting Intelligence.  It would take a while to get used to the expansive view her chakram gave and the subtle strings that made up Existence around her—she would see it like looking at a phone, not that she could explain how the technology worked.

Sora tightened and loosened her fist a few times, adjusting to her new physique; her ears twitched and pulled back while twisting to examine her new figure.

Still somewhat lost in her current circumstance, she still managed to let out a short laugh; all the envy she’d grown up with when viewing curvy women had become a reality.  Now, people couldn’t give her a funny look when she introduced Emilia as her daughter—well, at least in the looks department—minus the silver-white hair—okay, yeah, they didn’t look all that alike yet, but someday Emilia should tap into this side of her Core.

The downside?  She was currently just as naked as Mofupsi; although, it was only a passing thought that didn’t particularly bother her all that much.

Shifting around in the air, she spread her legs, separating her three tails between them to examine their silvery-white aura—the loss of her red fur was a bit disappointing, but perhaps she could change it later.  There was a new sense of pride that was instilled inside her curved ring.

Well, yeah … I’m now a chakram fox mom … Who ever thought those words would come together?  Heh, I’m super hot, though; no one can deny that—literally in every way.

Holding out a hand, Sora lifted a finger to teleport her chakram above it, slowly spinning the object.  It was without contest; she was absolutely killing it in the attraction game with these symbols, sleek black inner zone, and silvery-white outer rim.

I’m a hot chakram?  A Vulpes Chakram … No, I’m a hot naked Vulkram!  I like that!  Vulpes and Chakram bonded together sounds about right … Vulkram!

“He-he-he…”  She pulled her thick, flaming hair to her front with an amused smile and smothered her Null-Void cloak before pulling the locks into a clump and bringing her chakram to enclose it; the weapon shrunk to the size of a hair tie, closing it in to create a long ponytail.

Her vision fell to her bust, fingers moving down her curves and pulling at her skin to test this new figure; she finished by maneuvering her tails to her front, brushing them out.  Overall, nothing felt off—it was no different from a body of flesh and blood besides her nervous system that had no pain sensation.

The pain was obsolete; instead, she had a complex matrix of receptors that instantly told her how she was interacting with Existence; she was a separate entity to the elements around her.

Licking her lips, Sora flipped her ponytail back, stretching left and right while floating in the air.  “What am I now?  A Founder … but something else…”

Null-Void was blocking much of her Vulpes Founder traits; it was in lockstep, attempting to bond with her father’s side, which was causing a sort of war between the two forces, yet neither could cancel each other out, leading Sora to conclude Frankenstein was making them link by brute force and when both equal sides broke down to a certain degree they would bond.

Her Intelligence was the same, but new elements were encroaching on it from her father’s side that detached her from specific human and Vulpes instincts.  I don’t have … fear … Well, much of it is being suppressed.  What is Shadow like now?

Straightening in the air, her ponytail fluttered as she dropped to the floor, easing herself back to the pull of gravity; her legs almost buckled, but she managed to strengthen them enough to stand.

A grin creased her eyes.  “That’s it … A chakram can learn to walk; I’ve done it before … just one step…”  Her hands went wild, trying to catch herself as she fell.  “Woah!  Woah!  Woah!”

She hissed, her nose four inches from the ground as she managed to stop herself in midair.  “Mmh … okay.”  Floating back to her feet with amusement, she stretched her arms across her chest, flexing her fingers and toes; she still had excellent flexibility.  “Mmgmm … Mmgmm … Okay … Let’s try this again…”

It took her a few minutes to just learn how to maneuver her new hip-width, leg length, foot size, and in general, correct her balance.  It hadn’t connected with her thoughts that changing her entire body might totally throw her equilibrium off.

Getting the basics down, she did a few easy acrobatics for the final test—it could use work, but she managed to accomplish all the movements in the end.

Sora took to the air, crossing her arms under her bust and staring down at her naked skin.

Crazy … I don’t ‘feel’ that letting everything hang out is technically wrong … It’s more like why should I even be putting energy into these thoughts, yet my brain tells me to shut up and get dressed.  Obviously, covering up is the natural thing to do, and it would give me strange looks by the others … It’s also not a good example to set in front of Emilia.

Her silvery eyes wandered to Mofupsi’s exposed figure.  Oddly, Sora found it more amusing that she was forcing herself to put more effort into dressing herself rather than other issues when it should have alarmed her.

Taking in a deep breath that filled her artificial lungs only to be absorbed, Sora grunted, creating the rippling soundwaves without air.  Fine.

Vision entirely going black, Sora tried to temper the driving flame inside her Core to enter the Outer Body Technique … It wasn’t working.  Forehead furrowing, Sora tried again, receiving the same results.

Lying flat in the air, Sora sucked in her cheeks; her hair and body defied gravity while she examined the super-dense threads of her grandmother’s weave of True Founder Magic shift, forming this private Existence inside of Existence.

I … can’t take the same route to my Core as I did as a Founder?

A small smirk brightened her cheeks at the challenge.

“Okay, if I can’t do it that way, then I’ll work my way through it outside!”  She pressed on her left breast with a critical eye.  “I mean, theoretically, if I can create this body, I should be able to generate clothes out of Null-Void.”

Spreading her hands apart, she funneled the energy out of them into a small sphere before twisting and shaping it; the process was slow, but Mofupsi was still unconscious, which gave her time to practice, and the space they were in was hyper-accelerated, which meant the standard, relative time outside would move at a snail’s pace.

After several minutes, Sora cheered, examining her first Null-Void underwear and bra—the issue, she could only generate a silvery-white color, at the moment.  Still, it was an excellent place to start.

She snickered.  “Great … I’m basically a ghost.  C’mon, colors … colors…”

Hovering down into a cross-legged sitting position beside the unconscious nine-tailed Vulpes, Sora spent the following several minutes testing out her new powers.  She could create almost anything she could imagine, but none of them had the same properties or abilities as her copied chakram.

Little by little, her color game was coming along; it all relied on her concentration and required the Null-Void to manipulate how electromagnetic waves interacted with it.  The process was incredibly challenging, but that only excited her to press forward.

The surprising part was what she learned through the experimentation.  Null-Void was a source unlike anything in Existence, which meant those within Existence only saw it as the author of destruction, yet Sora saw so much more that she could do with it.

She had an inherent tie to the substance; it dissolved Existent Energy to fuel its own growth.  In fact, the more she played with her new powers, the closer she came to realize a sort of symbiotic relationship the two shared, but it was utterly beyond her ability to explain.

Could she devour the very fabric of Existence?  Sure.  It was somewhat good, if not a little bland where she currently was; then again, she was coming off a major high after her potential rocketed to the top before dropping her on her face—it was kind of similar to how she felt after her Founder side’s full force was sealed away again.

Her exercises were interrupted when she saw Mofupsi waking up; several seconds later, the woman stirred.  A smile brightened Sora’s eyes; it was only for a brief moment, yet she’d managed to visualize the future.

This is a power I need to cultivate!  Breaking past the 4th Dimension will help me in so many ways.

Mofupsi's chest spasmed as she groaned, rolling to her side and coughing with her tails curling in to hide her front.  “What  … S-Sora?”

“Welcome back to the land of the living!”  Sora snickered, holding up an abomination of a t-shirt that was partially see-through with her failed attempts to make it purple.  “I’m doing better.  How are you?”

A quake ran through her bones as she pushed herself up and pressed her tails tightly against her chest.  “Nothingness—everything—I … I can’t even … I was lost in an endless death—unable to escape—to retreat, and yet—yet it was all around me—seeping into my Core with such violent pressure … It wasn’t black … Maybe white … No, that’s … I don’t know.”

Sora hummed, slowly nodding; her shirt wasn’t doing any better as the left side turned somewhat opaque from her efforts.  “Yeah, there’s really nothing to compare it to in Existence as far as I know.  Uh … probably the closest would be a place without form, shape, dimension, time, matter, energy, distance, sound, motion, and concepts—which contradicts the aspect of it not being a place among other things!”

She giggled at Mofupsi’s dumbfounded look.  “Mmh, it’s only defined by Existence—not being Existence,” she shrugged, “but … I can form stuff out of it that can interact with Existence!  Confusing, huh?”

Mofupsi looked at her flashing smile, still trying to find her grip on reality.  Seeing the woman wouldn’t be much company for a bit, Sora returned to her task.  

“Hmm … Yeah, I’ll just be working on this while you collect yourself,” she mumbled, glaring down at the pants she was attempting to fashion.  “I’d rather not leave my backside open for everyone to see.”  Releasing a low hiss, she scratched the back of her head.  “Heh, I guess—this is pretty troublesome, but I’ll get it eventually!”

The Yellow Council Member watched her work in silence; Sora wasn’t keeping track of time, too focused on her project.  Mofupsi regained her wits as Sora managed to get various shades of red down to a science.

Mofupsi took a deep, shuddering breath and puffed it out.  “Okay, Sora … so, I suppose I lost … Mmh … And in such a pathetic manner … How unexpected,” she mumbled, brushing back her blonde locks.

Studying the dress she’d moved to, Sora accepted her current progress and floated a little into the air, creating a blood-red dress to offset her silvery-white features.  As an afterthought, since she wasn’t really going through the inconvenience of walking in the items, she added heels for the fashion.  “I can’t comment.”

“No?”  Mofupsi asked, replacing her own garments in an instant, donning a similar outfit that she’d worn before Sora had annihilated it.  Adjusting it, the woman followed her into the air.

Sora crossed her legs, resting her arms against her thighs.  “To be honest, I can’t remember anything after … Hmm, I believe I was using my chakram as accelerators … Mhm!  My memories go blank after that.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Mofupsi’s head tilted with her lips.  “Surprising … You seem different … Although, given what I sense, you certainly couldn’t defeat me how you are right now.”

“I’d like to disagree … I might have a chance,” Sora shrugged.  “In any case, I won, which means…”

Mofupsi’s vision darted away while she cupped her chin.  “Believe what you will.  Hmm … I’m your slave, after all … Huh, so what does that entail, to be precise?  Of course, I will be leaving the Yellow District; I know that much.”

A half-smile lifted Sora’s lips.  “Mhm … I’m thinking you actually wanted to lose to escape this hell; were you holding back so long to have a better chance of that happening?”

The golden-furred Vulpes adjusted her robe, once again revealing much of her bust, and without a shred of shame said, “I won’t deny that there was a hope in my breast, but … I never actually thought it would happen.  I’m baffled—thrilled, absolutely!  Yet, baffled, all the same—my mind is utterly blank, which is a first in … in so long,” she moaned, hugging herself.

Sora’s thoughts pulled in, her focus wandering.  Why do I feel so at ease?  I’ve been filled with anxiety with so much pressure weighing me down, but now, it’s different … I’m different.

“Mofupsi?”

“Hmm?”

“Why don’t we talk a bit?  I’m working through my own feelings about this outcome, and taking might help.”  She sucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, making a noise.  “Ah, I’m so scatterbrained—heh, if I have a brain,” she mumbled.  “How are Eyia and Kari doing?”

Mofupsi glanced to the left, weaving magic in a complicated fashion around herself.  “The other two that were with you?  Hmm, it seems they have yet to start since I accelerated this space to such a high degree.  I was a bit impatient,” she giggled, “and wanted you to be able to see them fight, win or lose.”

“Thanks…”  Sora was a little taken aback by the feelings she experienced from the thoughtful gesture.  “I can’t … believe you’d do that for me.”

The woman yawned, shivering a little.  “It seemed like something you’d enjoy doing … Am I the only one that feels exhausted?”  she asked, her smile turning strained.  “Whatever you put me through was so … demanding.  Should we go now?”

Sora bit her lower lip, reaching back to slide her fingers down the rim of her chakram.  “No … I have this feeling that they’ll win … I should let them have the joy of explaining it to me.”

“If that’s what you wish … Master.”  Mofupsi tested it on her tongue, playing with the syllables in a delightful undertone.

A doubtful hum resonated in Sora’s throat as her thighs tightened against each other.  “Is it what I want, though?”

Mofupsi’s brow furrowed.  “You’re unclear what you want?  I’m confused now.”  

“You and me both,” Sora groaned, waving her hand.  “Is there a comfortable place we can talk?”

Spreading her arms, Mofupsi sent a pulse of magic to the floor.  “Heh, I told you before, but maybe you don’t remember … there is no better place in the Yellow District than here.”

Sora looked up in wonder as the white room melted away, revealing a wide-open area filled with amethyst mountains that sparkled under the distant sun; it was somewhat chilly, and what appeared to be blue snow covered the peaks, but Sora wasn’t bothered by the weather.

She spotted hundreds of packs of unique furry animals the size of elephants with a dozen legs; they grazed on the violet stones around them that grew into long, tree-like branches.  A massive palace made of jade was to their right, and various red and pink metallic trees dotted the landscape.

“Incredible,” she whispered, following the beams of light as they slowed inside of the crystal beneath them, twisting and turning into condensed lasers; they maneuvered through the various layers into orange mirrors lining the palace walls to reflect back into space, producing stunning visual displays of radiant waves.  “Is this here—on this planet?”

Mofuspi’s gaze softened, scanning the majestic canyons surrounding them.  “I wish … Although, after hearing Niomie’s confession, I suspect this is a past wonder of the Purple Planet.”

Manipulating the magic still connected to the room, the woman sped up time; as the night darkened, the lights changed colors, lowering to fill the canyons with a sea of rippling colors; the rays wove through the mountains, sending small streaks of light that illuminated the spiky fruit on the gem-like trees before fizzling out.

The sky opened above them, showing a massive planet dotted with color, which Sora assumed was the only sphere left untainted by Niomie’s blunder.

Sora could see the longing in Mofupsi’s eyes.  “I’ve dreamed of escaping this place … seeing these wonders with my own eyes, but a scene like this no longer exists because of what Niomie did…”

“Hmm…”  Sora pressed a hand against her breast; certain emotions were impressing on her at various moments that she assumed came from the knowledge she’d gained when ascending.  “I can’t say why, but I feel like everything wrong in this Realm will work out in the end.”

“Is that right?”  Mofupsi asked, floating a bit closer to stare into Sora’s silvery irises.  “What makes you so sure, Master?”

Sora shook her head.  “I can’t say.  Everything I want won’t go as we’ve planned; I’m sure … I know my mom and aunt will be a bit shocked … That’s okay, though, and it may be different, but it will work out.”

A short drew Sora’s gaze; Mofupsi’s solemn golden eyes revealed the bitterness she’d felt for her lot in life.  “It must be nice having those … comforting feelings,” she grumbled through clenched teeth.  “I haven’t felt comfort in … in so long … only fear, frustration … envy.”

“Even now?”  Sora asked, turning away from the fantastic scenery around them to focus on the Vulpes.  “You’re going to leave this place.”

“Humph,” Mofupsi’s lips pulled in, wanton eyes drifting to the sky, “for how long?  I am not fool enough to believe I will survive more than a month without this artifact in my hair,” she muttered, reaching up to press a hand against the floral hairpin.  “I’ve lived far longer than a Vulpes should … I often wonder if my predecessor allowed me to kill her to escape this endless cycle…”

The blonde’s nose creased while glaring at the jade palace.  “Heh, what does it say about me, Sora, that I survived five thousand years longer than her?  What kind of creature am I to endure such solitude and envy?”

“Strong,” Sora replied, recalling what Inari told her.  “In fact, I’d like you to be a tutor to Emilia and me.  We need to learn more traditional forms of Vulpes Magic.”

“Or a fool, my Master … and, of course, I’ll do any service you ask—my mind, body, and spirit are yours to play with,” she said, pressing her fingers against her breast.  “You need only ask, and I will obey; although, I do find it somewhat mysterious why you would need my help on such matters, seeing as you can perform adequate weaves on instinct without the slightest hint of skill.”

Sora’s lower lip tucked under while pondering her question.  “Hmm … Now that you say that, I … really don’t know … Perhaps, to understand the basics better?  My aunt mentioned it.”

“The mythical figure.”  Mofupsi chuckled, summoning her pipe again to draw upon the end and expelling wisps of blue flames; Sora couldn’t help but be drawn in, curious as to how the substance felt as her golden eyes flashed blue again.  “Hmm … In any case, I am your slave, and again, I’ll say that I am somewhat unclear on the specifics of what that means?”

Her free hand lifted from under her bust to press against the top of her partially exposed right breast.  “Do you mean to use me as a pleasure as some of the younger Vulpes do?  I cannot say I have seen many female Vulpes be attracted to another, but it is not unheard of—I certainly have dabbled a bit in everything to try and ease the hole in my chest.”

Sora’s arms tightened around her core.  “No … heh, no, Mofupsi!”  She forced a chuckle.  “You certainly are an attractive woman, but I don’t see myself … using you like that!  What example would I set for Emilia if I just turn you into a sex slave?”

Mofupsi’s blue eyes lit up with excitement.  “Oh, there’s a name for it … Sex slave?  Hmm…”  She popped her tongue.  “It does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“Eh, if you say so,” Sora mumbled, scratching her left ear; she wasn’t quite as embarrassed as she knew she would have been in her Vulpes form, which probably had something to do with her being a chakram now.  “Umm … In short, I want to make you my follower—like my aunt does for her Kitsune.  You’ll guide Emilia through the process.”

The blonde’s nose crinkled a bit.  “Follower … Kitsune?  I am unfamiliar with those terms or however it is being translated to me.  What is it that I am guiding your daughter through?  By the way, daughter is a somewhat … foreign idea to me—it’s not unheard of, but most Vulpes in the Yellow District, me included, are sterile.”

Sora’s heart filled with rage.  “Niomie, no doubt.”

Mofupsi drew in a few puffs from her pipe and let it out.  “Hallaway, actually; she was in charge of that area.”

Her gut twisted.  Hallaway?  So, the green fox was more involved than she let on … sterilizing the Vulpes?  Is it to further draw hatred by allowing some to procreate and others that were never given the option in the upper levels?  So much corruption.

“I see,” Sora growled.  “Well … luckily, I can fix that.”

Yellow eyes returning, the Vulpes’s pipe fell from her lips.  “Fix … that?  I am confused about the purpose, given my limited lifespan with you.”

Sora leaned forward, rubbing the inner lining of her chakram to calm herself.  Adding a small smile, she giggled.  “No, Mofupsi, when you become my follower, whatever I call you, you’ll be the first, by the way … you’ll live for as long as you want; I’ll make sure of it.”

Mofupsi’s lips parted, then closed, chin lowering to give the glimmering ocean of light below them a critical stare.  “Live as long as I like?  I do not think you understand the damage I have done to my own spirit, Master … This hair accessory is the only thing that keeps me alive after the harm I’ve inflicted on myself throughout the millennia … I am a broken Vulpes beneath this lovely exterior.”

“Maybe so,” Sora smiled, floating closer; a portion of her mother’s side was beginning to find a bit of ground in fusing with her father’s, “but we have as long as it takes to fix what is broken inside of you.”

The blonde gave her extended hand a hesitant stare, arms tightening under her breasts as Sora held out her fingers; uncertainty was in her yellow irises, tails twisting together and ears pulling back when Sora said, “All you need to do, is take my hand.”

“Master … if you order me…”

“No,” Sora shook her head, firming her tone.  “No, Mofupsi.  The only way this is going to work is if you trust me and want to heal.  I’m willing to take those steps with you, but you must walk with me; I can’t carry you the whole way…”

A sly smirk lifted her cheeks.  “Well, I mean, I could put a leash on you and walk you down to the park each day, if you’d like; we’ll need to talk about that outfit, though!”  she laughed.

“Why?”  Mofupsi asked, focus fixated on her open hand.  “Why go so far … No one has offered me anything without conditions … Why offer me so much?”

“Well,” Sora created a Null-Void choker that radiated a silvery-white luster, “heh, I never said there wouldn’t be any conditions.  I mean, we can even get little accessories for your tails and dress you up!  You’ll be the prettiest little recovering servant in history!”

She cheered as Mofupsi snorted, eyeing the item.  “Wow … he-he-he, I cannot say I’ve ever had someone offer me so much for so little, but I am already your servant, Master…”  

Sora’s own three tails intertwined as Mofupsi’s voice cracked, and a thin line of tears fell from the corner of her eyes as she hesitantly reached forward, dropping her pipe.

“If you … If you wish to offer your hand to rescue me from this prison … If you want to give me a life I do not deserve … I will take it, but just know … know that I am not like you … I’m not the kind of Vulpes you are.”

When her fingers closed around the choker, Sora teleported it up and reached forward to put it around her neck.  “I don’t expect you to be me, silly,” she chided.  “I want you to be who you want to be”

The choker fused around the woman’s exposed neck as Sora brushed back her blonde locks; she felt the lump and quiver that ran down Mofupsi’s hot skin.  “Within reason, of course!  Again, we gotta talk about your dressing habits around Emilia!  We can go through a bit of a wardrobe session as we teach her how to make clothes; I can already see how much fun we’ll have!”

Lurching forward as the stunned Vulpes touched her neck, Sora threw her arms around the woman, squeezing their bodies together.  “In a way, I’m welcoming you to the family, so, welcome, Mofupsi!  We’ll teach you all about what that means … I want you to be happy, too,” she whispered.

Voice thick with emotion, Mofupsi awkwardly closed her arms around her back.  “W-What are we doing … What is … this thing?”

“A hug?”  Sora asked in disbelief, pressing in tighter.  “Doesn’t it feel warm?”

Mofupsi’s chest fluttered.  “I … Why am I crying, Master … I’m not in pain?”

The heat in Sora’s chest reached new levels; this woman had never cried out of joy in over seven thousand years.  “It’s okay, Mofupsi … It’s going to be okay.”

Unable to restrain herself any longer, Mofupsi whimpered and leaned into the embrace, pressing her ears against the side of Sora’s neck as she released millennia of pain into Sora’s shoulder.

The bubbly emotions in Sora’s chest triggered another thought that brought artificial tears to her own eyes as her chakram’s black inner ring illuminated a dull gold.  She no longer hated her mother, and she didn’t know why, but it felt so liberating.

Mom … I love you … I can’t wait to see you.  Please, give me strength … There are so many broken people around me, and I want to help them.

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