A Tail’s Misfortune

With her tail hanging low, Sora steadily moved through her hotel lobby, leaving Jane to wallow in her alcohol. She didn’t particularly feel chatty with any of the staff or Foundation people, so she spun an invisibility field around herself.

Wendy’s lingering emotions hanging in the air were a mix of anger, bitterness, and depression. It drew her ears back upon spotting the worried looks the staff members gave one another, whispers passing between the older staff that had seen Wendy grow up with her.

It was hard to separate herself from what she’d felt from Jane and Wendy; she couldn’t quite understand Jane’s emotional state or reasons. Jane felt shame but not regret for her actions, which somehow made Sora’s heart hurt worse. Why had Jane acted that way? Something had changed in her between the time she’d first linked with the woman and now.

Trying to put the uncomfortable sensations in a box as she made it out of the building, she bit her lower lip as the salty ocean breeze hit her in the face. Wendy hadn’t stopped or slowed down, and she gripped her elbow as her magic conjured up an after-image of her best friend.

Wendy tripped and fell outside, scuffing her knees. Her heart breaking, Sora knelt down beside the past event as Wendy hit the pavement, chest shaking and face stricken with tears.

“What’s wrong with her?! What’s wrong with me…”

Looking at her weeping friend, Sora shook her head. Nothing is wrong with you, Wendy. It’s her. She’s the problem. What can I do to make it hurt less? Sora internally mumbled, fire creeping up her throat as Wendy forced her heels off and threw them off to the side. Is there anything I can do? I could block her memories… No, that’s a really bad idea… Really bad.

She straightened, ignoring the laughter and drunken gossip from the tourists and locals on her journey, following Wendy through the night. Glancing off to the side, she saw Wendy’s discarded heels and used her magic to bring them near. She mumbled the same thing, breaking one of the straps when removing it.

“I hate her! I hate her!”

Hearing Wendy’s past mumbles, Sora’s fingernails pressed into her palm. It wasn’t like Wendy. Wendy was always the first to defend her mom, but now she felt betrayed by the one person she’d always looked up to. While Sora couldn’t fathom the reason Wendy cared for Jane, maybe she didn’t need one; she just loved her mom. Now, the picture she had of her family was shattered.

Once she exited the hotel front entrance, the brunette dashed to the right, going to the one familiar place that had brought both of them comfort. Sora slowly pursued, influencing the crowd to move around her since she was invisible. She’d run down this sidewalk many times before, angry, frustrated, and sad.

She knew where Wendy was going; it was always the same place they went when they were having a bad day as children—the park.

The bustle of Miami brushed past her, their whirlwind of chaotic emotions bouncing off of her as she tuned it all out, solely centered on her new sister’s spiritual turmoil. Wendy had put her everything into this little plant she’d grown in her heart that was her relationship with her mother; she’d tended to it, cared for it daily, and nourished it as best she could—for years—and now, there was a hole in that place that Jane had ripped out herself.

The warm ocean breeze pulling at her hair contrasted with the arctic chill she could feel from her best friend as she made it to the green park. On Sunday evening, children played with their parents, siblings, or sitters. Laughter was in the air, and the positive vibes of the weekend flourished. Yet, one lone figure sat on a children’s swing, wrapped in pain.

Sora breathed out the stress in her chest as she closed in, redirecting the worried mothers who noticed Wendy crying with a desire. Placing a bubble around them as she stepped onto the woodchips, Sora sat on the swing’s low pair, meant for children, and unraveled her illusions to her best friend. She didn’t say anything, knowing there was nothing Wendy wanted to hear.

So, Sora just sat with her, letting her presence be felt; Ron or Howie had been the ones to be that shadow on the wall for her, letting her know that she wasn’t alone when things were bad at school. Glancing over at her best friend, she wondered if Ron or Howie felt this helpless, unable to really do anything to fix the damage that she saw her friend going through.

Minutes passed, then an hour as night fell over them, and the children gradually gathered to go home. The glow of the street lights gradually replaced the sun, but Wendy refused to speak. The depression soaked into her from Wendy’s radiating negativity, telling her where the brunette was at in her emotional struggle.

She lightly pushed out with her legs, keeping her heels grounded while gently swinging, staring across the small, grassy field to the beach and ocean beyond it. Everything was in vivid clarity with her enhanced vision, allowing her to see the boats and night swimmers or couples strolling the sandy shore.

It’s crazy how oblivious we all are to what’s happening to the people around us, Sora numbly thought as the hour went by, her mind wandering while thinking about all the other girls who were bullied at school. I was so focused on my own problems with Kari, I didn’t even really think about the hardships everyone else was going through… Kari had her own troubles. Everyone does, I guess.

Depression settled in, pulling her tail lower as she thought about her interaction with Jackie’s little sister—Amanda, if she remembered her name right—and how she thought her big sis was so cool when she was bullied by Kari’s gang, too. She just was the gopher and the butt of a lot of their jokes.

How can everything be going so well… and then just crash? I knew this would be rough, but I didn’t think it would be this rough. Maybe I can—

Her thoughts died as Wendy finally spoke, drawing Sora’s gaze.

“So… that’s it, huh?”

Her words were a ghost’s whisper as if she were already dead.

Sora moved her hands to her lap, playing with her thumbs. “…I don’t think your mom will be there when we get back.”

“Oh.”

Sora’s throat constricted at her simple and numb response. “I can have them keep her there if you want.”

A shiver ran down Wendy’s frame, and she shook her head.

“Okay,” Sora mumbled, brushing back her bangs and looking at the wood chips as Wendy just stared off into the dark ocean. “So… what are you thinking about?”

“Sinking ships. Stupid, huh?”

“Mmm-uh.” Sora chuckled. “What made you think about sinking ships?”

Wendy shrugged, playing with her toes. Sora noticed her big toe had blood on it; she’d probably stubbed it on her flight from the hotel. “I saw a post online that said they take a long time to sink… Crazy.”

“Yeah… Crazy.” Sora pushed her swing closer, tail illuminating with blue flames as she swung it over to envelop Wendy in the energy, healing her scuffed knee, stressed leg muscles, and toe. “Is there anything else I can do?”

Wendy shrugged again, not opening her mouth and making Sora’s gut sink as she let the swing return to its original position. Several more seconds passed before Wendy spoke again.

“Hey.”

Sora’s ears rose. “Mhm?”

A melancholy laugh shook her friend’s chest as she rubbed her arm. “If we were sinking on a boat… do you think my mom would find me or… or just save herself? You connected to her, right? You think she’d save herself?”

“I… don’t know,” Sora truthfully mumbled. “My senses don’t work like that—well, I wasn’t looking for that kind of stuff. Umm. Maybe she would try to find you? I can’t really say. Sorry…”

“Hmm. Crazy. You can’t really say my mom would want to save me… Wow. Okay.”

Sora’s gut knotted as Wendy got up, wondering if she’d said the wrong thing. “Want to tell me you’re good, even though you’re not… or that you’re not good—hah… have me summon an illusion of your mom to punch or slap?”

Hugging herself, Wendy’s downcast vision was even more terrifying than an infuriated, murderous version of her best friend. “No. I’m fine. Let’s just… go back to your place.”

My place… Oh, Wendy.

Putting on a fake smile, Sora nodded, holding out her hand. “Sure! Do you want to watch a movie? My…” she paused, realizing that her mom coming home tomorrow could probably be a sore topic. “Uh, yeah, we can watch some Sailor Scout anime or something. Maybe we can rope in Eyia and Daisy to join us!”

“Umm. No, I’m okay,” she whispered, taking her hand and squeezing it. “I’m… sure it will be better tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah…”

On the way back home, Sora felt like a frog in her throat. Wendy’s aura was a storm of uncertainty, doubt, and pain. Her emotional sense let her know that her touch was helping. It was something in the darkness that surrounded her best friend.

When they reached the suite, Kari was on the terrace, sitting in a sunbathing chair and reading a book. Eyia was in the infinity pool beside it, meditating in silence underneath the water; she didn’t want to guess how long the Valkyrie could hold her breath.

Fen lay on the front room sofa, her three tails swaying as she used the tablet the Foundation had left her to shop for things. Her guardian silently sat in an armchair, watching, of all things, the local news channel. It was nice knowing she didn’t have to come home alone to an empty home anymore.

As they entered, the Huli Jing dropped her tablet to her chest. “Well, it looks like someone has a nasty case of the blues,” she noted in her Chinese accent. “There are plenty of men outside I could charm to lighten your mood, pups. Do you like them thick, tall, or pretty—some girls even like them ugly! Is that you, sweetie?”

“Oh, shove your tails down your throat,” Sora barked at the smirking vulpes, staring at them from her upside-down position, her dark hair bunched on the carpet. “I know Diane talked to you. We’ll talk later.”

“I’ll put it on my schedule,” the vulpes absently responded, waving with her tails as she picked up the tablet. “I need to shop around a bit to purchase the goods for my new residence in Avalon.”

Sora slowed. “New residence. You’re… leaving? Wait, no, Wendy…”

Wendy pulled her hand away with a sad smile as she shook her head. “No, I kind of want to be alone right now—well, kind of alone,” she giggled as the chime of a bell brought the blinking, two-tailed black cat sitting on a nearby table to their attention. “Hello, Nilly!”

“Meeeow!”

“Good kitty.” Wendy picked up the cat and gave her a very unconvincing grin. “I just… need to think about some things on my own for a bit. Talk to you tomorrow. I’ll be fine… ish. Hehe. Night, Sora.”

“Night, Sis…” Sora stepped forward to sandwich the cuddly cat, seeming to love the double hug. “I’m always by your side. Okay?”

“Mhm!”

Sora held back tears as she saw Wendy doing the same, trying to act tough for some weird reason. She should be vulnerable and open up! She was here for her, but Wendy was going through a weird, confusing breakdown that also somehow involved her.

“Wait!” she blurted out as Wendy went to the light elevator. The brunette shifted to the edge of the glowing rail guard and stared down at her, waiting for her to finish. “I’ll call Mary to come talk to us tomorrow. Cool?”

“…Sure. I guess it wouldn’t hurt, but… isn’t your mom coming home tomorrow?”

“Yeah, she is…” Sora wanted to say that she was literally legally adopted into their family now, yet she knew it was not the thing to say, even if she wanted to. “We’ll work it out tomorrow!”

“ ’Kay.”

“Love you.”

“Love you. Night, Sora.”

“Night!”

Worry creeping in, Sora rubbed her elbow as her sister went to her room, snuggling Nilly. Wendy knew she was concerned, but was also struggling with some internal guilt and depression. She kind of knew what Wendy was going through, but there was a gap that had opened up between them from this drama with her mother.

Is… she thinking that it’s her fault for being friends with me? Probably not. Why does Wendy have to have such a messed up mom… A sick mom, who refused to get help… Who would rather drown in a bottle and forget rather than fight for her daughter? Damn you, Jane! Mary will know what to do… She always knows what to say.

Wrestling with her own internal depression, she dropped onto the couch opposite Fen. The fox looked like she wanted to make a few nasty jokes, but, thankfully, was biting her tongue. Jian totally ignored them, minding his own business; she didn’t know much about the mysterious Baihu since he mostly kept his silence.

“What, Princess?” Fen grumbled, dull-yellow eyes drifting from her tablet to her. “I am not the coddling, motherly type. Sorry to disappoint, but my nearly three centuries of life have been dedicated to being the person who causes other people to cry, not comfort them. Oh, and I heard you got yourself a little boyfriend. Exciting! That’s a topic I can chew on.”

“Huh?” Sora’s mind blanked. “Boyfriend?”

“Indeed!” the fox grinned, showing a seductive smirk as she settled on the couch while glancing at her guardian. “A tall blond boy who is nothing but attentive. I have wondered what an intimate evening might entail with a firebird. How warm and cuddly are his fluffy feathers? Come now, spill the tea!”

“Aiden? No!” Sora balked with a stressed laugh as her cheeks flamed. “Pfft! Me and Aiden—pfft! Haha. No!” She cursed inside as she caught a lifted eyebrow from Kari, tilting her head back, ears twitching. “We didn’t even hold hands or anything—cuddle? You’re crazy!”

“Oh-ho-ho.” Fen snickered and returned to her tablet with a twinkle in her eye. “Quite defensive there, sweet tail. I’d learn to hide those emotions better if you were to be going to school in Avalon. Having the attention you already invoke while having a monopoly on a certain handsome new transfer student is bound to get you into trouble with certain fae clicks. At least from what information I’ve been able to gather.”

Sora scowled at the woman as she got to her feet. “The more I talk to you, the more I realize how different I am from the typical vulpes.”

“Oh, you are more vulpes than you want to admit,” Fen mused as she stormed upstairs to get ready for bed. “Off to chat with your songbird? Try not to be too loud. Young foxes tend to be screamers—consider that our first lesson in vulpes culture.”

“I’m starting to think I don’t want to take your class.”

Sora paused at the top as a quite obvious illusion of Aiden materialized with the vulpes’ part words. “I’m sure your mother will be a much better instructor than I could ever be at seducing a mark. What do you like about him the most? His rainbow eyes? His warm touch… The burn against your ears as his strong, deep voice whispering your name while…”

“And… muted!” Sora growled, walking through the illusion and using her magic to filter out the woman’s entertained laughter. “I’m starting to regret freeing you! I have enough on my plate without you teasing me.”

Rolling her eyes as she entered the hallway, she heard the one-sided conversation Jian had with the fox.

“You had to rile her up?”

“It doesn’t matter if it is easy or not. She did free us from the Foundation. Both of you could try not to be so insecure… Inari isn’t listening to us. Mia wouldn’t still allow us to be here if she was. You’re so negative lately. Liven up a little. I miss seeing you have fun.”

Sora felt her emotions take a turn at the white tiger monster’s words. Fen’s white tail came to the forefront of Sora’s mind as she glanced toward the kitchen, where the dangerous amulet of her aunt was stored in the safe.

There were some serious things to consider regarding her Aunt Inari and Aunt Rose. Right now, it wasn’t worth the brain power. Fen was a problem for the future, but now she was worried about what these vulpes classes might involve since… vulpes had a certain culture and stigma.

She paused in front of Wendy’s door, her ears pulling back as she heard her sister sniffle a little and talk softly to Nilly.

“Did you have a mom?”

“Meow.”

“No? Hmm. How does it feel not to have a mom? How would it feel…”

“Prrrrr.”

“Yeah, I don’t know. I just… don’t know what happened. How it happened… I swear, she loved me… once. I know she did. Why did it change? Do you think if I ask her to come back… and I give her a lot of alcohol, then she’ll stay?”

“Meow.”

“Oh. You don’t think so? Hmm. Maybe not…”

Sora’s heart went out to her sister, not sure if Nilly was really talking to her or if she was just talking to herself.

“Well, it’s time for bed… Night, Nilly. We’ll check to see if she’s downstairs tomorrow morning. Maybe she stayed and waited… Maybe she’ll say sorry if I say sorry. I don’t know… I just want to check once. Maybe… I should check right now?”

“Meow.”

“No, yeah, that’s stupid… I’m stupid. Stupid… The stupid, human girl who gets kidnapped all the time and is a total loser. The worst character in a book.”

Her hands pressed against the base of her tail, Sora’s gut cramped. She wanted to rush in and tell Wendy she was stupid for thinking that, but… it was her true feelings, and Sora knew she would feel the same way in Wendy’s shoes.

Werewolves had broken into her home and bit her, terrified her mom, and then she was helpless to stop herself from being used as a hostage to get at her best friend. Eyia, Kari, and Sora, herself, all had powers. Wendy was just the human friend in the background, destined to be left behind—or that was what her sister was most likely feeling.

Now, her mother abandoned her, and she was utterly lost. She didn’t have a home to return to, and she felt isolated from her new, magical fox family. Sora couldn’t just deny the situation and try to project her love. Realistically, not having powers and being the kidnapped friend trope would be something Wendy latched onto.

Sora continued to her room next door, feeling guilty for eavesdropping on her best friend. Today had been rough… maybe she should call Aiden. Would he be up at this time? He did do a lot of work in the community, and it would be nice to talk a bit with someone who had a happy voice—someone who wasn’t falling apart because she felt that way right now.

She redirected her path to her father’s room, giving the new nurse on staff a quick smile before bending down and kissing her dad’s forehead. The woman bowed her head and left the room, closing the door behind her to wait in the hallway.

Taking a second to study her father’s peaceful expression, she felt renewed strength, reliving the experience she’d had with her mother only days before. Unlike Jane, her mother loved her; her mother loved Wendy. Everything would get better. It had to get better.

“Mom comes home tomorrow. I, uh, hope she has some answers… like, hehe, when you’ll wake up, for starters. I’m… worried about Wendy.” She gulped, taking the seat beside her dad’s bed and rubbing his arm as goosebumps cascaded up her own; it felt so comforting and warm. “I want us to be a family again… a happy family… a growing family.”

Brushing away a tear, her cheeks burned as she smiled and cleared her throat. “Ahem. Yeah, so, Kari and Eyia seem to be getting along. Well, they’re at least in the same room together. I think…”

Ears flying up, she cast a sound barrier around the room just to be sure she wouldn’t be listened in on. “Umm… Dad, I think Kari’s scared I might try to… I don’t know, push some things on her or something. I’ve been a little… pushy lately. I can see it. Wow. Uh. It’s hard to say that aloud,” she laughed, brushing back her hair.

“I’m worried about how I’m changing… If I’m somehow causing more problems—I don’t want to cause problems—I want to make all of our lives easier. I want to help them, Dad. I’m scared…” Nose burning, she blinked back her watery eyes. “I’m scared. I don’t know how to help Wendy. Mmm. Mary might help, but how can she help Wendy not feel powerless? I know that feeling—it’s not… it doesn’t feel good.”

She laughed and rubbed her nose, wiping at her wet cheeks. “Eyia is so innocent and pure! She’s wonderful, but she’s so hard on herself. I don’t know how to be a good friend to them without… without pushing boundaries. How am I supposed to help them? Mary said I’ve had problems with boundaries lately, and I know I am… I just, it’s hard seeing people hurting and not being able to help—people I care about. Gah!”

Looking around and puffing out her hot cheeks, she shook her head and brushed her hair back while fanning her face. “I need Mom and you… Oh!”

She brought over her purse to extract the black rose Stephanie had given her, instantly feeling the soothing relief it brought to her turbulent heart. “Okay. I’m okay… Mmm. Today was hard, Dad. I met your sister—supposedly—and no one can flipping remember her when I talk about her, so that sucks. The Herald of Sakura is kind of cool… but also, I hate her because she’s too mysterious and won’t give me crap.”

Sora smiled as she sat back and studied the harmonious pulse feeding into her from the ice flower. “Steph is really, really cool, heh, literally. I want to get to know her better, but that probably won’t happen… Another ‘that sucks’ point on the board. I get it, though. Her family is number one… Yeah, she’s awesome.”

Her heartbeat slowed, and her smile softened as her thoughts returned to a certain bird. “I went out with Aiden today—not like a date… well, kind of, but not really… Anyway, yeah, we went to rescue Sela. It was kind of intense at the end, but I had a really good time… A really good time.

“We ate together on a float ship run by elves. We saw dragons and all sorts of magical creatures. Oh, we met the Fae High Court! Honestly, not a huge fan, but I may be biased because they hate Sela, and… Okay, I don’t know if I like Sela yet, but we’ll put that on hold,” she rambled to her dad. “Wow. I have so much to get off my chest. Hmm. Aiden…

“Yeah, Aiden’s great. He just makes everything so… simple. And I need simplicity in my life! Boy, do I need simple… Not that he’s simple! No, he’s super interesting.”

She lifted the flower up to smell it, the stress in her chest dissipating with its unique, crisp, and smooth scent that was impossible for her to identify. “Yeah, Aiden is helping me a lot—more than he might know. I feel free from all the stress when I’m around him, and he’s funny when he teases me—in a good way,” she quickly defended. “Not like a certain vulpes.”

A low hum rumbled in her throat as she felt a lot of the weight that had been drilling her into the ground lift off her shoulders. “Maybe I like him… Maybe he likes me. I don’t know. I don’t want to ruin anything and be too pushy—you know, like I’ve been doing lately. I think I need to give Kari and Eyia some space to find themselves. I don’t know about Wendy, though. I’ll have to ask Mary because I feel like she needs someone there for her.”

She smiled as a little abused puppy cowering in a corner flashed across her mind. “I think I need to wait for Kari to start asking me to do stuff. She’s kind of a big extrovert—well, maybe… Aiden makes her sound like a bookworm, but that’s comparing her to her siblings, not your typical human. She’s struggling, but she knows I’m down to be friends, and that should be enough for now.”

Her thoughts shifted to her conversation with the little Korean girl. “Jin… Jin, Jin, Jin,” she repeated with a sigh. “Our terrifying dragon Founder is going to basically be my gym teacher. Fen is going to be a teacher’s aide to the Academy vulpes instructor—I’m scared. And Sela was purified! Oh, did I skip that part to talk about Aiden?” she asked with a rosy smile.

“Yeah! I did it with Aiden and High Queen Titania—like, the real Fae High Queen Titania. She’s pretty awesome, too. Although… she probably does have a scary, manipulative, dark side to her. It just fits too well,” she laughed. “Anyway, that’s about it, I think. I try not to think about the Foundation—they just do crap for me—and I let Mom and Aiden handle that. So that’s the update! A lot, I know! Love you, Dad.”

Leaning in to kiss his forehead, she sat there for several minutes, soaking everything in; she felt like she’d shed a thousand pounds. Returning to her room and thanking the nurse, she undressed, tossed her clothes in the hamper to throw down the laundry chute later, and donned a nightgown before hopping into bed.

Shooting a quick text to Mary, asking if she’d be free to stop by tomorrow and giving her a quick synopsis about what transpired between Wendy and her mom, Sora’s fingers ended by hovering over the call button with Aiden’s grinning face on the contact display—she’d taken it with a stunning backdrop on their airship voyage.

To call or not to call, that is the question… And I choose violence!

Tapping the call button, she pressed the speaker icon. Her heart picked up its drum beats with every shrill ring that beat against her ears, making them twitch. Toes curling, she played with her tail fluff beneath her sheets while holding her breath, and on the tenth ring, Aiden’s voice hit her brain.

“You’ve reached Aiden. I’m probably wrapped up in a wormhole or being choked by a fox right now, so leave me a message, and I’ll get back to you! Well, unless I’m dead—”

Sora’s smile grew as her voice came through the messaging machine. You stinker, she snickered. You said you deleted it! Liar. I love it—no… you continued it?!

“What kind of message is that, Aiden?! Choked by a fox?! No way you’re keeping that message—do it again!”

“Fine, fine—ahem… beep. You’ve reached the blond crusader, Firebird of the Millennium Skywing—is that what we’re calling this airship?”

“It is, Captain Blond Crusader!”

“Right! Firebird of the Millenum Skywing, who zips through time with his gorgeous companion—no, dashing companion, Ms. Cuddly Tail—saving the lost puppies we’ve been tasked to collect, scattered across time and space from a life of no cuddles!”

“Hahaha! Lost puppies? Are we talking about Kari again? And I’m dashing now, am I?”

“Oh, very, Ms. Cuddly Tail—dashingly fluffy-tailed,” Aiden said in a totally serious tone that made her laugh. “If you receive this message, know that we may not have made it back from the void of no cuddles, but our spirits will search on for eternity—and then the Fire Nation attacked!”

“What?! You actually watched—beep.”

Sora’s chest shook with silent laughter as it was cut off. “Love the message—liar! You totally were still recording us. Anyway, Blond Crusader, I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful date—eh, day… shoot. Uh, scratch that last part! Haha. Umm. Yeah, I had fun. I hope to see you at the party tomorrow. Night.”

For some reason, she felt so much better. Reaching over to place the phone on her wireless charger, she snuggled into bed before a devious thought made her smile and throw back her covers.

Pillow tucked under her arm, she creeped out of her room, hearing Eyia only just now leaving the spa, having been underwater the whole time. Sora’s aim was on the room next to her, though. Using magic to remain silent, she gently pushed Wendy’s door open and crept inside.

Nilly’s big eyes were already on her the second she entered, but she saw Wendy’s chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm; she was asleep.

“Meow?”

“Shhh.”

Putting a finger to her lips, Sora gently wove her desires into Wendy’s sleeping spirit, influencing her dreamscape to draw her sister into a wonderful dream of her own creation. She slipped under the covers, snuggling close as Nilly moved to lay between them, spreading out with a cat-like yawn.

Nice and cozy next to her new sister, Sora closed her eyes and drifted into her own dream. She didn’t want to intrude on Wendy but wanted to be close enough to feel her nearby in case Wendy woke up in the middle of the night and needed someone to hold her.

Sweet dreams, Wendy. Welcome to the family. Our mom is coming home tomorrow, and she abandoned all her power to be with us… She loves us.