The Kitsune Den: Today's Writing Prompt Is....! Kitsune and the City

The Kitsune Den: Today's Writing Prompt Is....!

I am a kitsune. Now most westerners are not familiar with my breed of mystical, but those who know Asian folklore are probably a little worried and concerned that my kind actually exists. According to their legends, we're undead spirits usually seen as foxes, but who can with equal ease assume the form of young women or wily scholars. Akin to vampires, we feed not on human blood, but rather on human passion and souls. Well, this is partially true, as almost all legends are based in some fact. We don't really -need- to feed on human passions or souls, we're just wildly attracted to them and can't help the temptation to mess around with mortal minds to arouse such passions, but we don't deserve the frightening reputation.

Most kitsune nowadays, myself included, spend more time in human form than as foxes. Urban sprawl has simply made it easier to settle down and blend in than to try to defend our constantly shrinking territory in the forests, and dogs are a lot less likely to take chase if we're on two feet. This doesn't mean that we've given up our penchant for furred frolics, and I simply have to slip off every once in a while for a run in the wild, or more often, the somewhat wild. Follow this up with a stop at IHOP for some fruit and pancakes and you have pretty much the perfect kitsune day.

One nice thing about cities is that there is almost always some sort of human passion happening that we can just soak up. Strolling through the mall is a perfect place to absorb wild amounts of free-flowing emotion, and traffic jams are practically a source for gluttony. It's also quite easy to play harmless and anonymous pranks, such as leaving napkins with gum on the floor of a theater to be stepped on. That sort of thing can keep us amused for hours. Sad, I know.

My favorite thing about living in a city, though, is the food. I've already mentioned IHOP, which has so many offerings that a kitsune is eager to devour. Pancakes, eggs, and fruit being among our favorite things ever, there's bound to be a kitsune in almost any IHOP you wander into late at night. In-n-Out is another happy destination for kitsune, and Wendy's late night window satisfies our nocturnal nature. There are enough sushi bars in Riverside to keep my other craving for fish and rice sated. If someone were to open a toasted marshmallow stand, I think my life would be utterly complete in the dining out department.

As you can see, it's actually rather nice to be a kitsune in the modern age. In fact, you may have a kitsune in your neighborhhood without even knowing it. Just watch for the person watching everyone else with a bemused smile, nibbling on a marshmallow with a twinkle in their eye.