Chapter Text
Maomao was just an ordinary person with an ordinary life she lived in a village out in the countryside
it was like a ghost town said to be haunted it was up on a high on a hill but at the bottom of the hill there was a forest witch only had so many stories based of ghost and mythological creature’s said to have happened there especially kitsune she had heard there was rumored to be an ancient pack of kitsune who lived in the forst they would trick you into traps charm you almost fae more then fox
she wrote everything off as conjure it was all just stories it couldn't possibly be true
but what wad true and alive was the plague many in the small town had it many were dying it got to the point where they just threw the bodies into the forest to stop it spreading the disease Maomao was an apothecary she was dealing with it all day everyday people coming to her for a cure for anything that could help young and old people on there knees promises that they'll do whatever for her if she found a cure but alas there was none
As for her children she made sure wouldn’t get it she barred them from playing with anyone she told them they had to say in the house
when she left her family long ago and went on the journey to find a new home she found them she was walking in the red might district then she spotted them outside one of the most prestigious brothels.
Ryousuke was only six by the look of him scrawny and skinny Yū only looked about four but he held little Shinju only a newborn she presumed.
Maomao was in town as a apothecary she came to treat people so Maomao walking over to ask if they were ok
But they asked her to help there sister she had a cold the poor things though she was dying tears running down their little faces
Maomao asked where there mother was Ryousuke shook his head saying they were from a brothel they didn't have a mother
Maomao heart felt something she didn't know she could familiarly
She understood them lead them to her little office and helpd their sister instructing them to give this medicine every other day
But Maomao knew they wouldn't survive out here she asked them the dsyshe was leaving if they wanted to come home with her
they didn't accept or deny her request to leave with her with her when she left they just followed her and she understood
It took a couple of years but they started feeling normal didn't have to feel like they needed ask to eat started learning how to read and write they had trouble bathing she helped them.
Yū was the first one to warm up to her one night she was overworking herself trying to find a recipe for her medicine in her book he just sat beside her and asked what she was doing she told him she was looking for a medicine he got excited saying he would help an hour later she had a very tired Yū sitting agenst her chest watching her explain all the medicines what they did how they worked
Shinju was easy to win over she naturally saw Maomao as her mother since she was only a baby she wouldn't remember her real mother Maomao didn't know how to feel about that
Ryousuke was always warry of her even after a along time staying with her it was like he waiting to be abandoned or for something to happen yet it never came
He reminded her alot of her younger self always warry you couldn't trust everyone in this world but when he realised his siblings knew they was safe he started warming up to
It was the little things saying good morning helping Maomao at her shop he didn't have to say it Maomao understood he reasons for being distant
but one night he asked Maomao about her parents the other two were asleep she sighed looking at the candle he told him how she had a similar life grew up in a brothel didn't have a mother nor a father she was nearly sold off so she ran away she patted Ryousuke head as he hugged her
"Im not good at these emotions things" is all he said she nodded
"im not good at them ether but sometimes its the people around you who make you change "
She understood and he understood from then on they all became a little family
And then when they started calling her mama
Maomao says she isn't one to cry
Well maybe she has her exceptions
She still worried for her children they often talked and talked about the forest maomao had forbidden them to go she didn't know what was out there and didn't trust it but she did know certain herbs and mushrooms could be found out there but she only would step in if it was nesssary if her children were ill
One day Maomao was walking home from the clinic she still was treating patients with the plague there wasn't many in the village anymore ether dead or dying
She was friends with someone who ran a library she died not long ago last Maomao spoke with her she gave Maomao a book to read
It was about the forest tails of kitsune any sightings were said to be documented here she read it to pass time it was interesting what intrigued her was the legend of the royal kitsune said to have all nine tails purple in colour it could heal any disease Maomao recognized the description it reminded her of a mushroom
She read it in Book once said to be purple in colour it's very good for the emune system can take out virus's in a just a couple of hours...
First was the fever Maomao noticed Shinju was getting warm she wouldn't sleep always fussy Ryousuke was worried as he brought Maomao over to her
Maomao knew what it was
To say she over worked herself was an understatement she stayed up night and day looking for a cure but like before there was nothing
Then came the wave of chills Maomao knew it was only a matter of time Shinju and Ryousuke were dead sent on helping there little sister in any way the could she was only two years old she couldn't handle this..
It was midnight there was nothing Maomao could do she knew that then she glanced at her book
That mushroom
And Before she knew it she was running deep into the forest only a torch in hand maybe she was crazy but the futher she went the quieter it got she couldn't let her child die she wasn't going to stand for it
After a while she came across a lagoon of sorts beside it finally the mushroomss she needed before she picked it up there was a voice
What are you doing out here human?
Maomao whipped around look at whatever just spoke
Kitsune is what they called them a spirit of the night
They are said to be tricksters cunning sharp
But those were just stories just conjecture
Well that's what maomao always thought until she's standing right infront of one in the middle of a forest
"Your a- your a- kitsune"
Maomao got defensive pointing a stick at him
The creature looked like a nymph fae-like but also human it was tall very so it had nine tails all purple with ears that matched long dark purple hair with a kimono black in colour bit with white and gold on it
He really was stunning as the legends say
"Well yes my dear you guess right i am infact a kitsune"
"now what are you doing out here all alone its dangerous for little kittens like you to be out here you could get hurt"
"Im fine i just need this mushroom and il be off-"
"Oh and what is it for" the kitsune smiled smugly getting infront of it
Maomao stepped up to him
"My child's life is on the line i sware to god-:
"You want to give that to your child?"
the kitsune looked at the fungus confused?..
"Yes and what of it i need it for my child she is going to die and this is my last option and this is said to help her"
The kitsune giggled
"quiet the contrary this mushroom is poisonous it is called a Cortinarius violaceus"
Maomao looked at the mushroom
"but book said in this foest purple mushrooms can heal"
the kitsune hummed
"Well did you check the region there's a forest with the same name over in the west"
"No it cant be" Maomaos looked at her hands
The kitsune frowned "well-"
Then Maomao remembered a purple kitsune in name nine tails healing it brings
Maomao nearly pounced on it so much so they both feel into the ground but Maomao didn't care
"Your the moon kitsune right the royal kitsune the one that can heal right right"
The kitsune blushed at how close they gotten
"Yes i can heal Well-"
Maomao only got closer "then you can heal my child?"
"Its just not that simple" the fox looked away
"How can you not just heal her"
He sat up a bit sitting her on his lap gentle
"No i cannot i would if i could but i can't "
"You see im usually in my full form but no im not "
every kitsune has a royal hairpin that holds there power and allows them to shape shift i was mid shape-shifting when it was stolen now all my power is gone "
Maomao groaned "what will i do its just time till my children die from this disease "
The kitsune hummed petting her cheek with his nail Maomao still realising how she was laying ontop of him
"You look so tired you must care about your kits"
"If you could help me get my hairpin i could treat your children"
Maomao eyed him suspicious
"Why haven't you gotten the hair pin before?"
"Because the person who stole it requires two people to undo the spell on the place its being held at and it knew i didn't have any family or was a smart enough to ask a human "
Maomao sighed "i help you get your hair pin you'll heal my child "
"Yes i will i promise you human "
"But what if we're gone to long-"
"I can put a small spell to prolong the curses pain"
"the virus willl still be there but the little one wont feel it" the fox toyed with maomaos hair
"Maomao hummed you got yourself a deal kitsune.."
"Jinshi my name is jinshi "
"Im Maomao"
she shook his hand as he helped him get up