A Meeting in a Whole New World

Eri's tail was a prove of how happy she was at the moment as it was swinging back and forth "I want to see you happy too... You were... The first person who was kind to me... You offered me comfort, clothes, a place to live... A future..." she pulled Zoe back into a hug, sinking her face on the other kitsune's shoulder "You gave me hope too... Seeing you face every morning gave me the strength and the courage to go on and now... We are finally..." All the tension and the nerves finally caught up to her, her legs couldn't hold her as she fell to her butt "I-I think, I'm a bit tired from everything that happened today." She said giving a tender look at Zoe.

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Her look of pure happiness was really cute. She accepted the hug back, gently brushing the girls hair as she opened up to her. She was snapped out of it as Eri fell to the ground, though. She knelt down to be at her level.

"I guess it has been a crazy day, huh? It's probably best to get some rest. It's not exactly smooth sailing from here, after all."

She pulled out a sleeping bag from the suitcase, one large enough for the both of them. She hoped to grab more than one, but unfortunately they didn't have the room in it. It's a good thing they were used to sleeping together now, but this was just a good bit tighter fit. The two snugly fit inside.

Eri snuggled in the sack with Zoe, a big smile on her face as she looked up to her "This... Feels even better now..." She said softly as she placed her head on Zoe's chest, listening to her heartbeat "I never... Dreamed... Of some... Thing li... Ke this..." She managed to say before falling asleep in Zoe's arms.

Who would have thought that my life would improve so much... All thanks to Zoe...

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She was worried that being so close to her would make her embarrassed again, but after all that had happened today, something about holding her in her arms, her head against her chest, this close. All she could feel is happy, as she slowly drifted off to sleep in her embrace. These feelings, these emotions, this happiness. It was all so new to her! Part of her felt like she'd never get any of this. But it was real! Here, in this woman's arms that she...loved. She think she loved, anyway. She was still trying to work on this whole love thing. But she'd get it, and she'd make Eri happy, just like she made her happy.

Slowly, she found herself drifting off to sleep as well, that warm feeling flooding her whole body as she held Eri tight in her sleep.

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The days were uneventful, for the most part. She would peek out to make sure of things, but the dockman's advice seemed to be correct: No one even seemed to know this room was here. Both of them were growing a little stir crazy during the trip, but they had each other to keep them company. And now that they were more open with one another, it was a little easier to find ways to pass the time.

It was the morning of the second day, and both of them felt the gentle rocking of the boat come to a stop that woke them up from their slumber. Zoe awoke with a stretch, but Eri was still fast asleep. Smiling at her, she decided to check on things outside, just to be sure. She opened the door quietly, but as soon as she did...

"I KNEW THERE WAS A RAT SCURRYING AROUND DOWN HERE!"

An absolutely massive arm grabbed her by the next, pressing her against a hulking frame. Driven by almost pure instinct, she pulled out a needle and tried to stab her captor, only for it to harmlessly ting off of her arm. She could only stare wide eyed at the bent needle.

"Feisty one, eh? Hey, captain! I caught this rat stowed away down here!"

She noticed the man she was talking to. He was elderly, with a poofy white beard and a cane. His movements were deliberate as he came down the stairway to examine this intruder, wordlessly. She was panicking on the inside at her helplessness.

We were so close, goddammit. It can't end here. Maybe they won't notice the room with Eri in it. Eri, please, don't come out yet...

Something woke Eri up... A noise "Zoe?" She rubbed her eyes, Zoe was nowhere to be seen, a wave of fear washed over her "Z-Zoe?" She asked getting back on her feet and slowly exiting the room, what she saw brought her terrible memories, Zoe was in danger.

No, no, no, no, not again.

Eri's body seemed to shine as she started to emanate from her body "Leave Zoe alone!" with a cry, green sparks of energy started to come out, out of control, from Eri's body strucking down some of the sailors.

"ERI, N-Augh!"

She tried to cry out, to get her to go back to hiding, to stay away, but she couldn't get much out while being grabbed by the massive woman's arm.

"So, you brought a friend, huh? That's fine, more the merrier, after all!"

While still holding back Zoe, she managed weave and duck through the blasts of energy coming from Eri before reaching out and bringing her into a similar position with her other arm, even with her glow going at full blast.

Finally, the Captain spoke up. "...you two came from that blasted hellhole we docked at two days ago, didn't you? I saw that needle trick, that's grade-A pitfighter material right there."

"Y-Yeah, we spent months trying to find a way...out."

"And you wouldn't be the first that tried." He turned around. "Many had tried to flee that accursed place of misery. You're the first that managed to even make it on board, and on top of that, you managed to avoid being detected for the entire duration of the trip." He looked back, with a sly smile. "I must say, I'm impressed."

More and more memories assaulted Eri...

Sword to the chest, sword to the chest, sword to the chest, sword to the chest...

This time she was seeing Zoe being stabbed, over and over and over again. Terror filled her mind as she lost touch with reality, magic radiating from her without control, she didn't even know what was happening anymore. What was real? What was a memory? What was an illusion? She was lost in a sea of nightmares as her magic kept going wild around her.

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She could see Eri on the other side barely hanging on. Her eyes were cloudy, and that look of pure despair was unmistakable. She had to do something, fast.

"If you're just gonna kill us, get it over with already and stop yammerin', ya old co-AUGH"

Her statement was cut short by the hulking frame behind her tightening her grip. She'd dealt with pain before but this was excruciating.

"I'd suggest you watch your mouth around the captain, squirt."

"Now now, first mate, let's not kill the two. We're not savages."

Slowly, she loosened her grip on Zoe, if only enough that she could breathe again.

She gulped a little. "So...what're you gonna do to us?"

"I think you're perfectly well aware that we're not a passenger ship. Then, passenger ships don't go to that awful place in the first place. There, people are just another form of cargo. That said, we can't just take you back, since we won't be heading back for another month and we're not dedicating that much fuel to something that trivial." He took a good look at the two of them. "...you two've been through hell, haven't you."

"...y-yeah."

He thought about this for a few moments. "I respect your resolve. Both of you. Fine, I'll make an exception this time. Plus, far be it from me to give Sputzman any favors. Welcome to the mainland, you too. If I catch ya on my ship again, first mate here's gonna end up popping your heads like a grape. That said..." he made a motion with his hands and she dropped the two of them to the floor, both of them gasping for breath. Eri was still lost in a daze, though.

"Eri!" She said, rushing over to her on the floor. "Eri, it's okay! We're gonna be okay! Please, come back to me!" Tried as she might, she couldn't rouse her from her trance like state, whether it was through her words or light shakes.

What do I do...? If she's not in reality right now, then...

Without thinking, she brought her into a soft kiss, hoping it would do something to the girl in her arms.

Eri was in trance, she didn't even felt her body falling to the floor...

She's going to die, she's going to die, she's going to die, diediediediediediediediedie

It was like a living nightmare, without Zoe her life would return to the hellish nightmare it was before meeting her. In her nightmare, she was sent back to the hellhole she escaped from, forced to use her magic for her captor, abused day and night until her fever was like a burning inferno, living in a cage...

Zoe is gone... I want to die... Zoe is gone... I want to die... ZoeZoeZoeZoeZoeZoeZoe...

It seemed like she her heart was about to stop from the constant tension, terror and mental suffering when...

Something soft... This softness... T-This... Z-Zoe...?

The kiss returned her to the real world, her eyes were no longer white and the first thing she saw was Zoe... Her mind quickly calming down, the magic radiating from her stopped, she looked around at the destruction her blind rage had caused "I-I did... I did all of this..." She mumbled scared, her own powers terrifyed her, what if in another burst of rage she hurts Zoe... What if... Even when she was out of her living nightmare, she was still terrified.

"Eri, it's okay, I'm here, it's gonna be okay..." she said, pulling her friend into a tight hug, brushing the girl's hair with her hand to calm her down.

Eri had these incredible powers, but it's clear she has lost control for a moment. Zoe could only fathom what was going through her mind at the time, but that didn't matter to her.

She pulled back just enough that they could see each other's eyes. She knew that always calmed her down. "Eri, I promised you that I'd protect you, that we'd get out together. And we did it. We're here! We're okay! You don't have to be afraid any more!"

The crew watched in silence at the display in front of them.

Eri was shaking but Zoe's hug started to calm her then those eyes she loved so much, eyes filled with concern for her... She looked around her, with some fear still in her body "R-Really? A-Are we really free to go?" She asked with a weak voice.

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"Aye, that ya are. Why don't you go take a look at where ya ended up?"

Zoe broke the hug and got up, offering a hand to Eri. "He's right. Why don't see what this new world's like, together?"

The two of them exited the inside of the boat and could see the mainland in front of them.

They were docked by a small town. There was green pastures as far as the eye could see. People of all kinds were living peacefully with each other. Humans, monsters of all types, walking together. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. This is what they wanted, they had really found it.

Zoe couldn't stop the tears from coming back, streaming down her face, as she looked at Eri next to her. "W-We did it, Eri. WE DID IT! WE'RE HERE!" she said as she pulled her into another big hug. She was just too happy to contain herself. This is what they dreamed of, right from the start. A new world, one that would give them a new start, away from everything that brought them here.

Feeling more calm thanks to Zoe's words, Eri looked at this new world, her eyes opened wide "Whoa..." She was impressed by the sigh, it was so different from what she was used to see, the people, the landscape, the ambiance... Everyone seemed happy.

We really did it... We are really here... Together...

Zoe sudden hug woke Eri from her daydreaming, she couldn't feel happier "We really did it Zoe... This is what we worked so hard to archieve..."

Tears were still coming down hard as the two embraced tightly. It was everything she'd ever dreamed of, and more. And it was real! They were here!

She pulled back slightly, bringing their eyes to each other again. Come on, let's take our first step here, together!"

She wiped the tears from her face, her cheeks still red, as she broke the hug and pulled her to the edge of the boat's stairway to the dock.

"Ready, Eri? 1...2..." she said as she raised her foot for that first step that'll change everything for them.

Eri nodded with a bright smile "Let's do it." following her to the edge of the boat, Eri raised her foot "3!" she said at the same time as Zoe taking the first step into their new life.

What probably looked like a silly gesture to people around them was a massive, monumental occasion for the two foxes. That first step in a new land, one that one would accept. That first step into a new life, with each other to boot.

Still holding to each others hand, they laughed to themselves about the whole thing.

"So, the whole world's open to us now. We'll probably have to get jobs again, but we'll at least get to pick them ourselves this time! And we've got all the time in the world to figure what we wanna do! But, uh..." she looked away for a moment, a blush forming on her face. "...t-there is, one thing I-I wanna do..."

She brought her into a sweet kiss that lasted for but a moment. "I-I wanna learn more about this...love, thing. W-With you."

"We'll find good jobs... And a place to live... And clothes." Eri was daydreaming with the possibilities just as Zoe was doing, she felt so happy. Their new lifes together were just starting.

Our new life start now... Finally...

She was so enraptured with the scenery that she didn't noticed Zoe pulling her into a kiss, the moment she noticed though, Eri was sent flying into the clouds, no matter how many times she felt that sensation, she was never going to get tired of it, after a few seconds of bliss, Eri was blushing and with glassy eyes "I-I... Want to learn more... Too... With you..." She managed to said softly.

Her face was bright red, but Zoe had the biggest smile on her face after hearing Eri. Her tail was practically wagging. Do foxes wag? She honestly had no idea, but it felt right.

"I-In that case, come on, Eri! Lets go meet the new world, together!"

The two foxgirls, practically aliens in this new land, never stopped holding hands as they went off to explore this new world of beginnings for them. Who knows what waited for them? Maybe they'd even find out more about themselves in the process? All they knew for sure, is that as long as they had each other, they'd always be happy doing it.