The Fox, Red

025 - Back Into The Swing of Things

I'm glad that Madam Odette gave me this cabin. Something about it being built from my own work makes it so much more enjoyable. The wood is still fresh and smells like the tree it came from. The books from Delula that she left for me are amazing for what I've been doing. I'm really happy that I'm here and I'm safe but recently, after the whole hospital exchange, I wonder if I can stay here. I still want to know what's happening to me.

As I roll over on the bed I can feel it still there, sitting right next to the other one, my second tail. I can't tell if it's magically created or just physically grown. I feel weird about it and am still scared of what it could mean for me. There's a genetic deformity that causes split growth and sometimes perfect split growth but this just appeared whereas the deformity is almost always from the beginning and grows at a steady pace. The more I think about it the more it worries me that I may be something that I cannot control.

There's a knock followed by the door creaking open slightly, "Red, are you there?" I recognize that voice. "Yes, come in." It's Anne that walks around the corner dressed for the day. "Good morning, Red. Madam Odette sent me to check on you and see how you are doing."

I know that Madam Odette has her eyes everywhere and can see everything that happens all the time but even so the fact that she sends a physical body to check on me is reassuring, even if it's not herself. "I'm fine Anne. Just rather tired."

"That's good to hear."

She goes to turn away but I catch her, "Are you ready to get started?" She turns back around puzzled at my question. I clarify, "We're working together today right? I know I was gone but I can still help right?" I still promised to help her so she can learn to cook. I'm not sure if Penny was able to while I was gone yet I can still help now that I'm back. Even with the smile and offer, she seems reluctant, "Are you OK to?"

"I feel like I am. A bit stiff but moving will work that out."

"Then you may follow me."

I get up snapping a few joints. I don't change clothes because they're already nasty. The two of us leave, Anne going first, while I close up behind us. I turn to make sure the door shuts when I hear her yip. I lock onto the noise and sure enough, it was her. She's covering her mouth and looking behind me and it clicked. I turned to the side when shutting the door and she got to see the new change. No one has seen it yet so I have a feeling that this will be a strange day.

Anne gets over the initial shock of me having a second tail but I catch her looking often. It moves independently which is throwing off my balance a lot. It slows me down but with time I feel I'll get the hang of it. The lunch rush comes around when Anne and I pull out our signature tag team carry to get food out. Or so we started.

The door to the kitchen is not heavy but it is rather large. Anne went out first and I followed behind but I slid past the door instead of opening it again. Without thinking I hug my tail to my forward leg to make sure that it does not get caught but I'm only used to the one. The second ended up twitching out and the door caught the near end of it where the nerves cluster. The best way to describe it is like hitting the funny bone spot on the elbow. It numbs the area but you feel the pain. The entire kitchen went quiet when they heard the crashing sounds of the plates. I dropped the tray immediately hitting the floor on all fours. With one foot I kicked the door back as hard as I could causing it to swing and slam against the inside wall while I moved out of the way again. When I can move I roll over grabbing the one that got smashed in the door hoping that it didn't break the skin. It didn't but it's still very tender. A couple of the people from the kitchen came out looking and that was when they noticed the sudden change in me.

Anne made the first run of plates while I tried to recover. By the time she returned I was able to stand again but now it was a pulsing pain. It was going to sting for a while but I still had work to do. The next time we returned through had been propped open for me so it would not happen again. I got to see the real relationship I had with the kitchen staff at that time. They went out of their way to make sure I was ok. They replaced the broken plates with no fuss. They even made sure that the work environment was safe.