Gently tugging his tails from their grasp, Leon gently stroked their cheeks with the tip before sitting up and facing the trio.
"Ready?" Inari asked. The Devil-Angel pair looked on with sparkling eyes.
Leon nodded and began his first transformation.
It was another strange sensation. Not painful, or unpleasant, simply strange. His body rearranged itself, certain sections shifting and collapsing in on itself as his mass rapidly decreased.
To the onlookers it simply looked as if the massive fox in front of them vanished.
Sitting in its place was a six-year-old beastkin boy, black ears perked up atop his head and two midnight black tails waved in concert behind him.
Looking down, Leon frowned and covered himself, his first words in his new life passing his lips soon after as he looked up at the girls.
"No free shows."
….
A pair of squeals sounded out as the two women practically jumped on him, squishing him between them as they collectively cuddled.
Leon had a look of desperation on his face, pleading with Inari to save him, though he was soon betrayed as the god raised his hands and backed away with a smile.
It was some minutes later when he finally managed to wriggle free, citing a need for clothes and a desire for civilization.
Inari procured a child sized black kimono with violet cherry blossoms adorning its design, the colors matching his hair and eyes.
Sandals followed, and Leon was quickly dressed by the pair of girls flanking him.
"Sera, Gabby," Leon directly addressed the two, both of whom looked surprised at his nicknames.
"Don't give me that look, you've both been visiting me for years." His attempt at an arrogant and nonchalant appearance was crippled by his childlike looks.
He mentally sighed in defeat as the pair looked seconds away from assaulting him again. At least he wasn't a baby, or toddler. That would have been infuriating.
"Anyways," he pressed on, not giving the pair an opportunity to press their attack. "Dad," he turned to address Inari, his own look of surprise at his moniker. Leon ignored it.
"I've had a lot of time to think over the past three years, so I've come up with a plan to continue growing in strength. I need a place to learn and train. My ancestral memories," a convenient excuse to mask knowledge he technically shouldn't possess, "mention things that I need to know. Senjutsu, Touki, Kasha, Youjutsu, I want to learn these. Once I'm ready, I'll be able to continue the hunt and gain more tails in confidence."
Inari looked on in silence for a moment, giving the pair of women an opportunity to start getting handsy with his ears.
"I have someone in mind who can help you achieve your goals, though I'll need you to elaborate on what you mean by hunt."
The last word accompanied a scrutinizing gaze. While Yako weren't necessarily malicious, it still paid to be careful before unleashing one upon the world.
"Bounty hunting, I believe is the correct term. Over the years, my visitors have vented on occasion about stray devils and exorcists," he gestured to Sera and Gabriel in turn.
"I'm assuming I can be rewarded for taking care of other's problems, and it gives me the opportunity to continue my ascent. I doubt they are the only ones with problems as well. Monsters, in their myriad forms, from all pantheons and factions, are available for me to hunt, pursue, and kill."
Inari nodded in acknowledgment. Well-reasoned, with a focus on curbing and unleashing the child's impulses on the detritus and scum of their world.
Great Wisdom indeed, but he was right. He needed a mentor. Yasaka was available, though she had recently become pregnant.
Should his first choice not pan out, she would be an excellent alternative.
Perhaps growing up amongst a pair of Zenko, with one as a potential little sister, would be more beneficial than he had previously considered.
However, she was the kyuubi of the East, and had responsibilities that would keep her from investing herself into his teaching.
Perhaps in a few years when her child was learning as well. They could learn Youjutsu and Kasha together, meaning if his teacher could teach Senjutsu and Touki, he would benefit.
By the time little Leon had mastered those, the new Yokai princess would be old enough to begin her education.
He might have to call in his favor with Odin, but perhaps once Freyja spotted little Leon she would volunteer.
As the Norse goddess of nature and war, she was a shoo-in choice to teach the art of Senjutsu.
Touki would follow and could be honed among the warrior halls of Asgard. Whether he could learn their unique form of runic magic would be entirely up to him and his teacher.
Decision made, Inari broke his thoughtful atmosphere and readdressed his… son. That would take some getting used to.
It had been millennia since he had directly spawned a new kitsune.
His eyebrow twitched in barely suppressed amusement as the pair of women had somehow managed to splay him out between them, Serafall getting his tails with Gabriel caressing his head and ears.
"I'll be bringing you to Asgard. Odin owes me a favor, though Freyja may simply volunteer after she sees you." A twinkle of mischief could be seen as Inari watched his new progeny get pampered by the girls, a look of irked tolerance on his face.
"In a few years, when I've grown a bit, the two of you will be the ones subjected to my ministrations."
Leon left the implications and double meanings hanging as he sprung from their surprised grasp. A look of victory was spread across his visage as he clutched Inari's robes.
"Sera, Gabby, I'll be sure to write and call you both. I'll miss you, but the next time we see each other I'll be very different. I'll have Dad give you my number once I have a phone."