A Statue in the Woods 2: Explanation

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"A cave full of crystals? There are no caves in my forest. Or—were none, at least, before. It wouldn't be impossible for one to have been dug or raised, but it doesn't seem very likely."

"I told you those pictures were faked," Tyler said.
"Wha—you don't know that! Maybe they just lied about where they were taken! You know, to like, hoard the crystals for themselves or something."
"Pfft—heeheehee," Elise giggled lightly. "I think you were just tricked. But I am quite grateful, all the same. If I ever happen to meet the prankster responsible, I must reward them appropriately..."

"You know it sounds kind of like a threat when you say that," Tyler said.

"Oh, but I meant it quite sincerely," she said. "Perhaps the way tones of voice are interpreted has changed during my time as a statue."

The Kitsune and the two formerly-lost humans had been walking along the path between the trees for a few minutes now. Elise seemed to dislike awkward silences, and had started up a more-or-less casual conversation with the two guys so smoothly that Tyler took a moment to realize it had even happened. "I guess I wouldn't know," he said. "I mean—seventy, eighty years? We weren't even around for three-quarters of that time."
"Doesn't it freak you out at all?" Ronan asked. "Like, finding out how much stuff you've missed?"
"I think it's exciting," Elise said. "I was around for twice as long as that before being petrified, and the world as I knew it changed very little during that time. Yet it seems to have changed quite rapidly while I was 'away'. Humans seem to have been busy inventing all sorts of interesting toys...and the gods finally gave in to the Ruler's demand to drop the veil, too? There must be all sorts of new things to see and do...and plenty of new opportunities besides."

"Uh, 'opportunities' for what?" Ronan asked.

She paused to turn half-around and give him a brief but searching kind of look. "Hmm..perhaps you are the naive, innocent sort. But I'm certain your friend is well-enough-aware of a fox's favorite pastime."

"She means opportunities to prank and trick people," Tyler clarified for him.

"Ooooh, yeah, that."

"We can have all sorts of fun together, master~," she continued. "That is—I hope you wouldn't try to put too tight of a leash on me, knowing the nature of my kind."
"We still haven't exactly, uh, agreed on this whole 'master' thing," Tyler said cautiously.

"I was just trying it on for size," she said with a slight shrug. "But I do think I like the sound of it. Why, don't you?"
"It's..still a little weird. You've gotta understand, among human culture, the idea of one person calling another 'master' is synonymous with being their slave most of the time, and that has like, a whole entire, super unpleasant history for us..."

Tyler trailed off at this point, because the corridor suddenly opened up, and the three of them stepped abruptly out of the woods into the golden light of the setting sun. The road they'd driven on to reach the gas station was in clear view—the station where he'd bought some of their supplies, and where Ronan's car was parked.

"And here we are!" Elise said, gesturing out with her right hand. "I believe it's your turn to guide me from here on out."

"Uh, yeah—I think the station's that way," Tyler said, pointing.
"Right," Ronan agreed. He probably had no clue, but was happy to defer to Tyler's sense of direction at this point.

"We've gotta get to our car first, and then we can drive—uh—somewhere, I guess?" Tyler explained to the fox-girl as they started off. "You..do know what a car is, right?"
"Is it something like a cart?"
"Uh—maybe, automobile?" he tried.

"Oh! I am somewhat familiar with those. I suppose they've seen some improvements compared to the ones I'm familiar with as well."

"Oh, totally!" Ronan said.

"Surely they no longer require burning up that dreadfully stinking oil to move, then?"
"Uh...we're still kinda working on that part," Tyler said. "I mean—ours, or more specifically Ronan's is electric, but the electricity still kinda comes from something like that...I think."

"It's electrified?" she said with the usual head-tilt.

"Not like 'it'll zap you', but it uses electricity to run. It's—perfectly safe," he tried.

"Pfft—I was teasing you on that one. I don't imagine humans would be adventurous enough to use a vehicle that often shocks them. Although that does give me some ideas..."

They got to the station before too long, and, thankfully, Ronan's car was still there. The Kitsune seemed to at least understand that the front passenger seat held some form of prominence, as she hurried to sit in it before either human could do much about it—pausing only to make all but one of her tails vanish from view. Tyler hadn't had his heart set on riding shotgun anyway, so he sat behind the driver. "I guess we'll get back to town first, at least?" Ronan said.
"Yeah. Maybe you can buy us supper, since this whole mess is your fault."
"Mess!? We befriended a super-powerful Kitsune...right?"

"That is hardly mutually exclusive with being a mess~," Elise said teasingly. "Mmh, now that you mention it—I am quite famished. Even discounting the time I was turned to stone, I've had nothing to eat for at least half a day."

Tyler dug around in his backpack, getting a granola bar. "Town's like half an hour away, so.." He offered it up towards her. "You want a snack?"
"Oh, certainly!" She said with a heart-melting smile—but after taking the bar from him, she held it up in front of her face and audibly sniffed the packaging like she wasn't sure whether she was supposed to eat the plastic.
"Uh—that's—you're supposed to tear that part off," Tyler tried to explain. When this just made her tilt her head, he took it back long enough to open it partway. "Like this.."
"Oh, I see~! Thank you," she said, and then went right to eating it. Considering how talkative the fox-girl had been until now, her complete silence while she rapidly devoured the snack evinced that she hadn't been exaggerating her hunger.

Guessing that she might be at least slightly thirsty after all of that, Tyler offered her a water bottle as she finished the bar. "Mmh..." She didn't have as much trouble figuring out how to open that, and took a long gulp before actually speaking. "My, you're considerate! Thank you again."

"Yeah, sure. Uh, I guess we need to figure out what to do with you at some point?"
"Hey, if people being petrified or magically sealed or something is a thing, it's gotta be a more-than-once kinda thing, right?" Ronan said.

"It isn't exceedingly common, but I'm hardly the first case," Elise agreed.
"Yeah—so, uh, maybe there's some like...non-profit or something whose job it is to deal with this stuff? Or like, the regenerator people could handle it?"

Elise, of course, didn't know what he meant by that. "The..?"

Tyler sighed. "Rejuvenation service. They're..some kinda charity group who use magic to make old people young again, or something like that. Mostly celestials, I think?"

"Hmmn." Elise appeared to think carefully about this information for a moment. "A certain world-spanning organization—its members mostly celestials—was responsible for maintaining the veil in my time. It isn't inconceivable that they might have a new occupation now that there is no veil to protect. And—I believe they also helped newly-created celestials to integrate into society."

"Uh—'created'?" Ronan asked, confused.
"Oh, yes! Are you unfamiliar with the process? Sometimes when Sol hears of a job that needs doing, he makes a brand new person to do that job." Elise explained this with a perfectly straight face, the way someone might explain the job of firemen to a grade-schooler, but Tyler still had no idea whether she was messing with them or not. "So they should surely be able to help me."

"Okay then, I guess we at least have a plan for now," Tyler concluded. "But it's getting kinda late to try to contact them today, so—I guess you can just crash at my place for tonight?"

"'Crash'?"

"He means, like, y'know, come in and stay the night? Sleep and stuff?" Ronan said helpfully.

"Ooh! You mean to invite me into your home?" Elise said, obviously delighted. "You'll make for a wonderfully kind master indeed~!"

"We still haven't—ugh." Tyler just facepalmed and shook his head. "Look, it's—just for tonight. Until we find you something more permanent. So you don't have to like, sleep on the street or in the woods or something."
"Sleeping in my forest isn't so bad~," Elise said. "But I'm very grateful for your hospitality all the same."

A short time later, she said, "Hmmn..I actually know precious little about you two. Other than your names and personalities, I suppose. What can you tell me?"
"Well, I'm a fashion designer," Ronan said, "and sometimes artist and photographer, but that's kinda more of a hobby."
"Is that why you wanted a picture with me before?"
"No, he just wanted to post about meeting a Kitsune," Tyler answered for him.
"Post...meaning, mail?"

"Uh, no—there's..."
"Awwh, man, now you've done it!" Ronan laughed. "Now you get to explain the internet to her!"

Elise, mercifully, was a very swift learner. Once Tyler had the basics out, she started drawing her own conclusions aloud—most of which were more or less correct. "And your phones are connected to it as well? I suppose that is what makes them so valuable."

"It's definitely a big part of why," Tyler said.

"Ehehee~, now I just want one even more. I don't suppose I could just borrow yours for today?"
"I literally watched you drop Ronan's phone, on purpose, just to mess with him," Tyler deadpanned. "I'm not gonna trust you with mine."
"I wouldn't dare damage something belonging to my future master," she said, her tone a kind of feigned astonishment at the suggestion.

"Maybe not, but you could do way more harm using my phone than breaking it. So—no. Maybe whoever we talk to tomorrow can get you one."

"I certainly hope so! I'd hate to miss out for very long," she said.

"So, you're an artist of various media, then," Elise concluded—returning to where the conversation had been before an explanation was needed. "What about you, Tyler?"

"I'm a game critic."
"You..criticize games?"

"You heard us mention video games once, right? They're..another, newer art form," Tyler explained. "Interactive. The people who make the game do most of the work, but the person who plays it is still, like..a participant, in a way."

"Intriguing. Like an improvisational performance at the theater? I'll have to try one of these games some time," she said.
"Hey, there's plenty of 'em at Tyler's house!" Ronan said, seeming more than happy to throw him under the bus.

"I guess you couldn't do that much harm trying a couple tonight," Tyler said with a slight shrug. Actually, it'd be great to have something to keep her busy enough to not be constantly on top of him.

"Wonderful~! I knew you'd be an excellent host," Elise said—although there was no telling what her evidence for that was. "And so, you judge works in this new art form?"
"Yeah. And write articles about them for a journal. Uh, a publication. Like a magazine."

"Is it on the internet?" she asked, seeming to immediately make the connection that it'd be a natural way to publish things.
"Yes, actually."

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I made the decision to just let this story flow more or less naturally, rather than trying to shove a transformation and/or image into every single part. I think the results are much better than if I'd done that.