“It will be hard if thou is a girl named Richard me thinks”, Okami said with a smile, “ ye must choose a more apt name and also whether ye accept Inari's choice or that of the mages.”

…................

Reaffirmation 07

Richard still did quite understand what choice was being offered. Typical of the fox maidens, they thought the choices between what they considered right and the rest of the world were not quite visible. That was compounded by the fact that his thought patterns were flashing between teenager and toddler. He had to agree though with him being a girl now and this small Richard was not quite the right name.

Okami could sense the thoughts of confusion in the child, though could not quite work out the basis of it. The child's heritage should be paramount. The demi deity was hampered by the social traditions of the Japanese culture. The fact that the girl that was Richard had been raised in the western world and in an environment that was quintessentially English. There was also the fact that in typical adult to child fashion explanations were mainly orders to do one thing or another.

This behaviour really caused Richard to be very irritated and his body reacted by jumping down from the chair and to start to stomp around in front of the desk. Merlin in his guise as Mr Magi tried to get the apparent child to sit down again but Richard just glared at him. This caused Okami to laugh loudly, as it seemed to her that these western magic users could not even control a toddler on the verge of a tantrum.

The sudden musical laugher caused Richard to stop and stare at the kitsune and the tail on the small body to appear to fluff up. Okami could see the child staring at her and the brush of the tail fully fluffed in exasperation. She could see a fleck of gold light in the child's eyes and she bit back her laugh.

“Apologies my little one methinks that you are unaware of the choices and levity is something not called for.” She hopped off the desk and crouched to look Richard in the eyes.

“thy first choice should be a proper name and then consider what these magic users require of you,” her voice was gentle without humour again, “also thy should consider what thy desires are.”

This caused Richard to calm down and lock gazes fully with the kitsune. Yes Richard would not be a suitable name now, there was also the fact his features or should say hers were oriental in nature. The other fact was the darned ears and tail, who would adopt a child that looked like a fox, it caused a feeling of depression to settle again. Shaking that off Richard turned away and stared at the reflection in the office partition glass.

For a few minutes all the surroundings and voices were tuned out. Richard was starting to feel lost and subconsciously a thumb started teasing at the lower lip. Names started to pop into mind and the consideration got deeper. Circe looked closely shocked as she examined the aura coming from the child's body. It had started growing in intensity after the 2nd transformation, the strange thing was it was not a god like energy but more akin to leyline type energy.

“I fink I feel likes a Sarah” Richard said after a short while.

Okami frowned, such a western name she had hoped for something more traditional. Circe beamed as it being western in nature to her meant the child would follow the path she wanted to lay out.

“So be it you shall be a Sarah,now we need to find you a family we can't send you back to the orphanage.” Merlin put in his two penny's worth.

“Indeed not Magi, though the family we had arranged were expecting a young gentleman” Circe mused.

“So thee were not going to offer the child a choice of where she went !” all nine of Okami's tails bristled and so did the child's single tail.

Circe cringed back at the anger from the elder kitsune and also the little girl that battered at her. She realised that they had not really thought things through and it was going to get out of hand. Just then the telephone on the desk rang loudly and her slender hand reached out to grasp the handset. As she listened to the voice on the line she murmured light responses and her face clouded in concern again.

That had been the head of the magical family that the child formerly Richard was going to be placed. The news it was now a toddler girl had reached his ears. This individual was known to be a sexist idiot and had cemented that definition of him in her mind.
He had found out the child was now a girl and he was in no way having a sissy in his household.

That really left them in a bind, sending the child back to the orphanage was the only option she could see. Okami could see the sorceresses shoulders slump and she knew now it was the time for her to put up or shut up. She had an option and wondered if the child would accept it, or maybe there was a close connection in this child to this land.

“Well Sarah, if that is the name thou chooses tis a good start,” Okami was still at the child's level, “now to where thou will reside is the next question.”

“yu not sendin me back to tha hall” There was an underlying panic in the young girl. Okami shook her head with a gentle smile.

“Nay child, thee should not fret so” Okami laid one of her tails on Sarah's cheek and found the girls tail was intertwining with one of her other tails.

That sign of intimacy and familial closeness was a surprise to the older kitsune. It should not of been as Richard now Sarah had been turned into a kitsune and they were animals that had a close community. Just then the voice of someone filled the older kitsune's mind and the god/goddess Inari chose to speak to her and the rest of the persons in the office as it moved from outside of her mind.

“So the choice is made and the kit is to be the charge of Okami, thee accept this kid my maiden?” the voice held a lot of love and warmth.

“yes my god” Okami replied as one of her deepest wishes had now been granted. She now had a kit of her own and a cute girl kit she could raise and love.

“So be it, the magic users can take care of housing and bringing your dialect up to date, love the kit and help her grow she has many tasks to come”