Shouki sticks out his tongue and randomly licks Asher a bit while he's trying to push Shouki's cheeks back in. "Well she could if she'd listen to the words that come out of my mouth. But she doesn't, so she won't know." He makes a weird little surprised noise as Asher's face meets his chest. He wraps his arms around Asher. "It's alright. You'll get out someday...." He doesn't, yet he does at the same time, want to push Asher to leave. This is unhealthy....and it seems like it's too late to help Asher's mother on that part. She's too far gone. "And I'll be around as often as I can.....if you want me to..." He likes leaving an option for the other person to back out of it....if they want to. "They...well I can't speak for that man, don't understand. Keeping you in the house a lot.....not letting you out to see some of the world around you...will cause problems...eventually you'll have to go out. It's a law of nature..." He's kind of...ranting? or something.

"That's the truth apparently." Shouki just holds him close. He chuckles a bit at Asher's enthusiasm. "Don't worry about my stall. I'll still have to take care of that too. So no worries." Besides, a friend is more important than his stall, right? At leas long enough to visit him when he wants. "But....what about falling in love? Having children? What if you want to do those things? You can't if they're keeping you at home all the time...though the things you need....to survive, not live happily, is there. Food, drink, shelter and all that is there. But the things to live a happy life? Not necessarily." Shouki hugs him tightly. "You won't be alone if you do leave. I won't leave you..." Asher shouldn't be thrown into the world alone. Not as he is.

"Eeew." Shouki makes this face at the idea of an arranged marriages. "I'm glad my parents never tried to do that. I mean....what if you're not compatible? What if your two personalities are just those that are naturally at war with each other? Then really, it would just be a marriage on convenience....or to have children. And if she is unable to have children....you might resent her....or she might resent herself for it and that wouldn't be pleasant." He knows somewhat what he talks about. His mother felt inadequate, he thinks, since she couldn't produce a "normal" kitsune male and all. And maybe his father too for all he knows. "They don't control your life or destiny. You control that...and for now....you're going with them." He hopes that Asher will pick his own path. "Of course I will be." Even with his....strange mother.

"I've been let down too much." Shouki says softly. "Well, if they left....and she was like this then too....I can't really blame them. People want to be able to live their lives and not be controlled all the time by others. He ends up with his hand in Asher's hair....trying to be soothing at least. "My parents left a child." It's a bit different from losing a child....it's the opposite of the spectrum in his mind. They abandoned instead of being abandoned. "I'll be there...but...hopefully....by then I will have more money so we could live somewhere better than that..." He doesn't know how well Asher could deal with the differences between this house and his shack, so he hopes that he can have a better place when that happens.

"I never said she tried to hurt them or anything, but keeping a tight leash means....the second it is broken....they're gone. Kind of like a dog who wants to chase a squirrel or something." Shouki sees it as the truth. A caged animal will take any chance to get away. Humans, and kistune, are no different except that they aren't usually in a physical cage. "It isn't your fault. You aren't them and you didn't force them to do it." He's threading his fingers through Asher's hair, he happens to like his hair a lot for some reason. "We can do that no matter where we live around here. We will find the woods if we move away. But no going out at night....at least not alone. I've never seen any bears or anything....but that might be luck instead of there not being anything..." He's not trying to really scare Asher....just giving him a warning being out there alone at night.

Asher just turned his head to look out at the sky. He knew what Shouki said was true, but he wasn't going to leave because that was what he was suppose to do when he could. His mother had feelings of her own and he didn't have the right to just leave her behind like a ruined mess. Even if she did cage Asher up she was still his mother. She raised him and loved him and he couldn't just turn his back on that fact because of her actions no matter how extreme they were. "That's true..." Asher said dully as he looked out at the grass swaying. His ears perked up when he heard Shouki mention bears. "There are bears around here?" Asher asked curiously. He had never seen any, but he thought it would be interesting to see one. He knew it could be dangerous, but that didn't really scare him too much. "Shouki, I'm glad you're my friend." He said with a little yawn. He was beginning to feel a bit tired from Shouki running his hand through his hair. Asher nuzzled into Shouki's chest.

"Not that I'm saying you should leave and never come back. I wouldn't do that in your position....I'm just saying.....don't let them decide your entire life for you. You need to live it for yourself somewhat at least." Shouki isn't an idiot. He wouldn't be able to just cut himself off from his parents, but then again...he didn't have that choice. His parents made that choice for him. And so, now he wouldn't be able to take them back even if they actually did come back. "Mmm....I don't know to tell you the truth. Like I said, I've never seen one, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there somewhere." He smiles at Asher. "I'm glad that you're my friend too." He says softly as Asher yawns. He blushes lightly at the nuzzling, he has no idea why though. Shouki just hold Asher close.

Asher remained silent and just looked out gazing at the area around them. He didn't really want to talk about his life anymore. The truth was he didn't know how to deal with it at this point. He didn't know how to deal with almost anything. He never had to make choices on his own, though he wanted to. He just couldn't bring himself to go through with it. He ran back to his parents. He wasn't like Shouki, who had been out on his own. Even it was not of his own choice. Asher didn't know how things impacted his life and other, besides his parents. Shouki knew how to handle things unlike Asher. "I want to see one." Asher says as he looks out at the grass. He wanted to see one even if it was dangerous, to say that he had. It was childish, but to Asher it was a challenge that he wanted to over come. "Shouki? Why do I have fox ears and a tail like you?" Asher asked as he yawned again. His mother hadn't really told him much that did any good. It just confused him, he thought maybe Shouki could explain it to him.

Shouki just keeps doing the hair thing. "I like your hair." Random comment there. "Mmm...well....it would be safer to see one in the zoo....Would you rather see them there? Then we could see other cool things too. Maybe some komodo dragons!" His tail is wagging a bit. He apparently likes the komodo dragons. "And other animals there too....like monkies!" He likes monkies too. "Um....your mother hasn't told you?" He just looks at Asher surprised. His mother hasn't told him why? She's keeping him in the dark about something it's essentially impossible to hide now? He then looks a bit annoyed about it. "Your mother should've told you already. She's one too. In Japan...there's a myth about these foxes with human forms. They have magic. Well, they were a bit wrong....it's more like a....human and fox mix I guess. I have a fox form...like the myths say.....but I don't think all do. But....what do you want to know about it, what you are?" Shouki doesn't know everything.

"What's a...Zoo?" Asher asked Shouki with a confused tone. He didn't know what he was talking about or why there would be bears in a place someone can visit. "What's a Komodo Dragon? Is it a real dragon!" Asher asked his tail wagging back and forth quickly now. He thought this Komodo dragon sounded interesting and he wanted to see one. "They have monkeys there too?!" He asked happily at the thought of such a place. "She told me something, but I didn't understand her. It was really hard to follow what she was saying." Asher said as he turned to look at Shouki."My mom's one?" He asked with wide eyes. He hadn't known that. He didn't remember her having fox ears and a tail. Though it did help explain why she knew so much. " She did say something about a myth, but I don't understand why I have them." He said frowning a bit as he tried to think of what to say. "She kept mumbling something about me not being full-blooded and something about it shouldn't have happened." Asher's fox ears lowered a bit. He didn't know what she meant and why she kept saying it. It made Asher feel back for making her be like that.

"It's a place where they keep animals in enclosures....kind of like big cages, but designed to fit their natural habitat minus any predators they have in the wild." Shouki chuckles a bit at Asher's enthusiasm. "Well....I don't think it's a real dragon, but if it was....I'd be afraid. How can metal or glass hold back a fire-breathing dragon?" He's got a point there. "Yep, they have those too." He hugs and nuzzles Asher a bit. He's too cute right now. "Yeah, I saw her ears that day..." He nods a bit. "You have them because she is descended from the myth as am I and you. That's why you have them too...though if you're not a full-blood....I guess there's a chance that you wouldn't have them..." He pulls Asher's ears back up to normal. "Don't be like that."

"How do they catch them and put them in there? Do they hunt them down?" Asher asked wanting to know more about these Zoos. He thought they sounded like fun. He wanted to see all the animals they had there. "It's not a real dragon?" Asher said pouting a bit at his little fantasy being crushed. He had wanted to see a real dragon, but he understood what Shouki was saying. They couldn't keep a dragon in a cage made of metal and glass. "Then what is it if it is not a real dragon?" Asher asked wanting to know what this Komodo dragon was. Asher laughed a bit when Shouki hugged him and he smiled. "I wonder why she didn't tell me?" Asher asked, but it was mainly to himself. He knew that Shouki wouldn't have known why she didn't tell him. "What does that mean if I'm not full blooded ?" Asher asked wondering if it meant anything. He reached up and grabbed his hand and brought it down to lay beside them. Asher looked a way before he said anything. "But..." Asher began to whine a bit, but then he stopped. He didn't want to bother Shouki with his whining.

"Some they hunt....some they breed....and some were wild animals that people wanted to try to keep as pets. Then they realized they couldn't handle it and the zoos got the animals." Shouki just loves his enthusiasm right now. It's how he was when he and his family would go to the zoo. "I don't think so, but it is still really cool! It's bite will kill anything. It has all this nasty bacteria and the like in it. It's a really big lizard that's been around for like....ever!" Shouki is excited about the komodo dragons. He always has been. "I....don't know...maybe she still wants to pretend it hasn't happened or something? I don't know." His ears flatten a bit and he whines softly. He wishes he had answers for Asher. "Um...it means your part kitsune....and part something else? I guess human....since that's the only species I know kitsune can have children with....other than kitsune...I guess...." Humans and kitsune aren't too far away on the relative tree. "Don't be like that. Be happy? You can't control emotions." His mother's or his own for that matter....probably.

Asher's tail starts to sway faster and faster as Shouki explains to him the Komodo Dragon. He liked the idea of this lizard. Asher really wants to see one now that he has heard all of this. He wants to see a Zoo and all of the animals. He wanted to see the Komodo Dragon more than anything. "Where do they find them?" Asher asked wanting to know more about this interesting animal. Asher knew she must have had her own reason, or at least that was what he was going to tell himself. That was the only way he could really explain it to himself. He needed to have a reason to justify her reasons. Asher looks at Shouki when he whines and his mouth kind of quivers as he tries not to cry. He didn't want to upset Shouki either. He tried not to cry because he didn't want his new friend to see him like that. Asher didn't want him to think he cried a lot. "I know I can't..." Asher says softly as he buries his face in Shouki's neck.

"Ah...I think they live on these one set of islands...but I'm not sure." Shouki's ears twitch a bit, but he's still smiling, happy to see Asher this excited about something., especially something Shouki is also excited about. Shouki just holds Asher close, noticing the...change in emotion. "It's alright. It'll be okay soon enough." He whines a bit again....he isn't sure why Asher is sad and wants to cry or anything. So he doesn't know what to do to help or stop it...or whatever. "I'm sorry?" He's not sure what he did to cause this, but he didn't mean to. He starts rubbing Asher's back a bit, trying to be calming/soothing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

He didn't know why he was suddenly upset now and was on the verge of crying. It wasn't something too depressing or sad, but it might have been from all the things he had been through lately. His whole life had changed and he didn't really know why. His own mother wasn't telling him everything and that hurt. Shouki had told him, but even then he felt like his mother should have told him. "You don't anything to be sorry about." Asher said rubbing his eyes a bit trying to get rid of the tears. He didn't want to cry about something this little. Asher rested against Shouki as he tried to calm himself down. "It wasn't anything you did or said...I just...couldn't stop it." Asher said not wanting to make Shouki feel bad for something he didn't do. "Will you go to the Zoo with me one day?" Asher asked wanting to change the subject now. He really didn't want to stay on a unhappy subject for too long.

Shouki whines again, his tail twitching anxiously. "I'm sorry." He still thinks he had to do something wrong...or something....people don't normally just want to cry...do they? He isn't sure on this. Shouki just hold Asher close and kisses him on the forehead. "Well....don't worry about it then? You'll be able to sort it out....or it will sort itself out eventually." That's been his experience. Him being abandoned sorted out eventually through a mix of the both. Him still being alive is the proof. Shouki blinks a bit, surprised at the sudden topic change, but it's okay with him. "Of course. I like to see the animals too! Just got to save up money for it." His tail is wagging a bit. And...he likes being around Asher too, but that part he'll just keep to himself for now. It could sound really awkward if he says it himself.

Asher nods a bit making him rub his head against Shouki's chest. He felt safe there with him like he did when he was in his room. It was the only past of his home that he didn't mind being in. It was his get away when he needed it. He liked being with Shouki and having someone around to talk to him. "Oh, okay...I'm not sure when I'll be able to go." Asher said a bit sad at the thought thought that it may be a while before he could go anywhere with Shouki. He wouldn't be able to get away any time soon with his mother watching over him like she was. "Is the zoo close?" Asher asked wanting to know if there had been a zoo near him and he never knew about it. He would have felt really caged if there was. Asher wanted to think he at least knew some of what was around him. Though he knew he knew little other than what his parents told him.

And the Shouki blush returns as he squirms a bit. "It's not like the zoo is in danger of closing or anything. Plenty of people go and pay for it, so they'll be open for many more years. So don't worry about it. We'll go when we can go." No need to rush. Kitsune tend to live a bit longer than humans so they have plenty of years to go to the zoo and other places if Asher wants. "Um....it's kind of close? I wouldn't really want to walk that far too often....but you could walk there I guess..." He's walked there once before....he'd saved up just enough to go to the zoo which is how he knows. "I've walked there once. I was very tired once I got there though.....had to just sit and rest for awhile...but I was younger then too, so that might've been part of it..." Wouldn't have been so bad if he had a bike or something.

"Really? So it won't matter if I can't go with you for a while?" Asher asked his tail swaying again. He was happy that it didn't matter that he couldn't leave often and the zoo would still be there. He didn't know whether things moved often or how things really worked outside his home. He only knew that there was things outside of his home going on without him really knowing about it. Of course what Shouki said made sense to him it just hadn't been in his mind then. It was just thinking that he might ruin it because he couldn't get away. "So...If we can't walk there easily is there another way to do it?" Asher asked. He knew his parents had a car, but he couldn't drive that. He knew about trains and such, but he didn't know where to find one at. Walking was the only other thing that Asher knew would get them there.

"It won't matter. The zoo will still be there for a long time. Many years from now it'll still be there." Shouki smiles, happy about Asher being happy. Shouki doesn't know about everything either, but he does know the zoo will still be there. Those don't just get up and leave with no warning or anything....though sometimes the get rid or animals or get new ones. "Well, we could walk....we'd just have to leave really early and stuff. Um...do you have a bicycle or anything like that? That would cut the trip a lot shorter..." He doesn't mind biking all the way....he just doesn't have a bike to do it with. Maybe he can find one somewhere pretty cheap somewhere. He doesn't know.