"I don't know what to believe anymore..." Those words from Ichiro forced Kumiko to confront that his trust in her had been badly shaken, and she would have to take great effort to mend things between them. 

"Is there anything I can do to earn your trust?" she asked before feeling ashamed of herself for being so direct. There was no way Ichiro would comply when it seemed like she was deliberately trying to curry favor.

"That's difficult to say," he replied with the same dull voice and eyes as earlier. "But it would be nice if you weren't capable of killing me..."

Kumiko stared down at the hand that she often used to produce fire and begun to think of how she could make herself less threatening. She remembered how terrified the bandits were by her true form and guessed that Ichiro would feel the same way. Nevertheless, she still had to be honest, so she decided on another option. 

"Ichiro, there's something else I must tell you." She reached down to untie the bright red sash around her waist. "But I doubt it will shock you more than what you've already heard..."

"What is it?"

Kumiko removed her sash completely and tugged open the collar of her kosode. Ichiro's jaw tightened as blood rushed to his cheeks. "Stop. Why are you undressing now?"

"You'll find that it's quite necessary. These clothes won't fit me for long."

"I... I beg your pardon?"

Kumiko swallowed, then forced herself to stop dallying. "I'm about to turn from a young woman to a little fellow. Please don't be alarmed." 

"Little fellow?" Ichiro muttered. His eyes expanded in confusion for a moment before they flashed with shocked understanding. "No..."

"Yes..." Kumiko slipped her clothes off and began her transformation into the playful fox that he had encountered in the forest. The surrounding grass seemed to increase in height as she shrunk to stand on all fours and sensed fur prickling out from her tender skin. 

Ichiro produced a choked sound as he fell to his knees. "Oh, Gods..." His quivering hand came to rest on top of her head. "It was you all along..."

Kumiko rubbed her cheek against Ichiro's soft skin, then gazed up at his confused face. He towered over her like some beautiful god in disguise, and she felt tempted to leap into his arms for a chance to nuzzle against that firm yet divine chest. 

To her surprise, Ichiro brought both hands around her belly and scooped her up so that they were face to face. She swung her hind legs and bushy tail around in displeasure. This wasn't what I had in mind!

"I... I'm beginning to see the resemblance. You both have such large, beautiful eyes..."

Why, thank you. Kumiko blinked slowly at him like she was a cat. Could you put me down now?

"You can't hurt me like this, can you?" Ichiro's lips twisted into an almost crazed smile that fueled her indignation. "Isn't that right, little furball?"

I take those words back! Your humanity is undeniable!

Kumiko bared her sharp teeth and growled to show that she was still a force to be feared. Unfortunately, the noise came out too shrill for her liking, so she swept one of her front paws at Ichiro's arm with just enough force to tear his sleeve but leave his skin intact. 

"Ow, why?!" Ichiro cried out, dropping her to the ground in an unceremonious manner. "You scratched me!" He brought his left arm close for inspection.

No, I didn't. Kumiko shut her eyes before assuming human form again to the best of her ability. She opened her eyes to see that Ichiro had dropped his arm and was gaping at her. A trace of saliva at the corner of his lips made her bare shoulders tense. 

"Good heavens, your ears..." Ichiro wiped his mouth in haste, though his gaze did not falter one bit. "And your hair... why do you look so alluring...?"

"Huh?" Kumiko shot a hand up to feel one of the warm and pointy ears that had sprouted on her head. "How can you say that?"

Her words seemed to free Ichiro from his lustful stupor, and his eyes narrowed once more in suspicion. "Wait, is this another trick? Are you trying to tempt me?"

"No," Kumiko was quick to reply as she examined her reddish-brown strands. "At least not on purpose. I can't help being this beautiful..."

"Just put your clothes back on. You can't fool me..."

Kumiko turned and reached for the splayed pink robe behind her, only to consider how much Ichiro's mood had softened at the sight of her one-tailed form. With her energy steadily waning, she would become more foxlike in appearance as the hours passed. Therefore, maintaining an animal disguise until she had eaten enough to replenish herself was a wise course of action.

She only hoped that Ichiro was capable of keeping her safe and staying sane while at it. He seemed to have become fickle indeed, wavering between amorous passion and cold distrust at a moment's notice. She didn't know which side of him would prevail next, but perhaps such uncertainty was what she deserved after deceiving him for the past few days. 

"Ichiro," Kumiko murmured in as sweet and coy a voice she could muster. "I'll turn back into Little Fellow and be your pet for a while. How does that sound?"

"I don't know." Ichiro's arms were crossed, and he refused to face her. "Will you be able to make fire?"

"Not really. It would be impossible with all of my paws on the ground," Kumiko answered despite knowing that she could still cloak herself in flames and use her tail as a catapult. The older kitsune like Aki and Masahiro could even breathe fire, but so far, Kumiko's throat did not have the strength to sustain such heat. 

"Then, so be it." Ichiro sighed and rose unsteadily to his feet. "But I expect you to obey my every command. It's only fair."

"Of course," Kumiko agreed. She lowered her head while wondering what she had just gotten herself into. "Please don't forget my clothes. I want to get dressed again when the time comes."

Ichiro shifted his gaze and let it linger on her naked body for at least a couple of moments. "Right. I'll make sure of that..." 

The desire in his eyes caused Kumiko to blush and imagine him giving her that look as they rocked gently together in bed. She tried and failed to fight the warmth rising within her cheeks. It forced her to confront the notion that maybe she was genuinely falling in love with Ichiro, or at the very least, becoming obsessed. 

And could she blame herself? He was as fine as a person could be, almost rivaling the few male kitsune that there were in beauty and charm. Granted, Sora was insufferable in character, and she'd never been fond of the haughty face he adopted when in human form. But the matter still stood. She was leading herself towards despair yet enjoying nearly every minute of it. 

"Kumiko, why are you just standing there? Someone might see us..."

"Oh!" She covered her chest with both arms to protect herself from the cold, only to look down and see her own privities. It was best not to find out if she could fall sick, so she devoted her energy to turning into a fox again. 

Ichiro's eyes filled with less surprise this time. He gathered the fallen garments on the ground and returned to the main road with her trotting along behind. Contrary to what she had anticipated, she was now the one putting trust in him. She hoped that Ichiro had a plan or explanation ready for when they encountered other travelers, since a man with a fox companion was bound to raise many questions.