It is early in the morning on Sunday, and I am opening the back door to see if there are any ripe lemons on the tree.

Instead I almost tread on a fox. Curled up and asleep.

Now, you have to understand that ever since Europeans settled here, we have had Japanese immigrants as well. Some by choice, some ... less so.

This is why I am not too surprised to see that the fox has three tails. My opening the door has not awakened it, so I step over and continue on to the lemon tree. There are two ripe lemons this morning, which suits me just fine.

I have another look at the fox on the way back, just to make sure, but there is no sign of any injury. I step over again, and leave the screen door ajar.

Charlie is still asleep upstairs as I start putting breakfast together. I am cooking pancakes, and I know the smell of them will wake her up. Eventually.

I'm on the fourth one when I feel a nose in the back of my knee. I look down at the fox, and nod towards the crockery cabinet. "Can you get some plates out please? The medium ones." I ask.

The fox looks at the cabinet, back at me, back to the cabinet, and sneezes. The young woman standing in its place sticks her tongue out at me "You're no fun" she says in a broad accent.

"I'm Toby, Charlie's husband. A kitsune is fairly normal by my standards. Now, do you want bacon on your pancakes?"

"Sally. Your wife, Charlie? She's the witch?"

"Yep. What's the problem?" As I speak, I put some bacon on as well.

"Um, I need some help finding Mum."

"She's missing?"

"Yes? No? Sort of? I was adopted. And, well, I had no idea what I was until a year ago."

"Are you in trouble?"

"No, but I don't know what I should do. I um, I like this guy back home, but there's also my best friend, and they don't know about me and I don't know what to do."

The last came out with a bit of a whine, and she blushed, clearly embarrassed by it all.

I smiled a sympathetic smile "OK, I'll get Charlie, and let's get you sorted. If I know how these things go, it will not be too bad. But first, breakfast. Tea or coffee?"

"Um, do you have hot chocolate?"

"Of course." Plus the smell of chocolate will get Charlie down here even quicker than the coffee and pancakes.

#CharlieAndToby #SF #SFF #UrbanFantasy #microfiction #tootfic #microfic #IAmWriting

「オーバーウォッチ」新ヒーロー「シエラ」が参戦するシーズン2「征服の道」，4月15日に開幕。Switch2版の配信がスタート
https://www.4gamer.net/games/484/G048450/20260414047/

#4gamer #オーバーウォッチ #Nintendo_Switch_2_オーバーウォッチ #OW2 #overwatch2 #オーバーウォッチ_2 #SF #ファンタジー #ミリタリー

PvPvE脱出シューター「Marathon」，最新映像「Recon Shell Cinematic」を公開。索敵と追跡に特化したリコンならではの戦闘シーンを収録
https://www.4gamer.net/games/709/G070952/20260414038/

#4gamer #Marathon #マラソン #SF

me last Saturday just before giving a talk and reading from my Japanese language debut short story Photo Bomber (フォトボマー), as part of SF Carnival, held at Daikanyama T-Site.

Photo c/o Sakai Sampo

#SFカーニバル #SF #scifi #speculativefiction #exophony

WP-7 j’ai fait une map

Pour WP, comme c’est une nouvelle par semaine, je n’ai pas le choix : j’ai une bible que je complète avec les informations importantes. Mais il se trouve que j’avais aussi envie de créer une énorme carte, avec des points qui montrent ce que l’humanité a conquis dans le système solaire (parce que oui, on n’a pas encore tout conquis en 2400).

D’ailleurs, pour

https://www.elekis.net/2026/04/14/wp-7-jai-fait-une-map/

#nouvelle #sciencefiction #SF #short #wp

今夜22時から放送の「RADIO 4Gamer Tap（仮）」では，カプコンの「プラグマタ（体験版）」を紹介します
https://www.4gamer.net/games/512/G051239/20260410054/

#4gamer #プラグマタ #Nintendo_Switch_2_プラグマタ #pragmata #SF #RADIO_4Gamer_Tap_仮 #マフィア梶田 #岡本信彦

「VA-11 HALL-A」開発スタジオ最新作「.45 パラベラム ブラッドハウンド」などを紹介。「INDIE Live Expo 2026.4.25」詳細情報を公開
https://www.4gamer.net/games/815/G081534/20260414029/

#4gamer #45_パラベラム_ブラッドハウンド #SF