Pov Nadia:

Opening my eyes, Zoey was not there.

 

Faintly, I called out "Zoey?"

 

My heart rate rose.

 

Panicking, I stopped thinking rationally, and bolted down the hall, rebounding off the walls and ceiling.

 

Glimpsing Zoey, I sped up and glomped into her side, inhaling her scent as I slowly calmed down.

 

Feeling Zoey rubbing my back, I relaxed into her side.

 

Tenderly, Zoey asked, "You ok?"

 

Contentedly, I wagged my tail. "Nyep!" 

 

After a couple moments her amused voice giggled, "Are you planning on letting me go?"

 

I denied, "Nyope!" hugging her tighter, burying my face deeper into her side.

 

Possessively, I kept clinging to her, as my instincts kicked in, I started rubbing my head on her, marking her as mine. 'Mine! All mine. Zoey belongs to me.'

 

Zoey was laughing as my ears tickled her armpit.

 

"Heehehe, Stop! Ahahaha, Just stop! Mercy!" Zoey pleaded.

 

*Yipe!*

 

I jumped across the room as Zoey poked me in the side.

 

Now clear headed, my face heated up as I hid my face with my tail.

 

Being controlled by my emotions was getting to me. I hated not being in control of my impulses. I have only been a fox girl for about a week and a half, and it seemed that I would not be able to ever control my instincts.

 

I have done some research on the Nature Kin, and apparently this was very normal for them, however, as an ex-human, it was causing me a lot of distress.

 

*hic hic, uuuuuuuu*

 

I started sobbing as my thoughts spiraled downwards.

 

Suddenly I felt myself in a warm embrace. Zoey’s scent and soft voice soothing me down as she comforted me, "Shhh, it's ok, I am here."

 

Once I settled enough to speak coherently again, Zoey whispered, "Do you want to talk about it?

 

Sniffing a couple times, I mumbled, "It's fine, I am just making something bigger than it needs to be."

 

"It doesn't seem fine to me," Zoey softly reprimanded. "If it is distressing you this much, it has to be important. Just let it out."

 

At those words the dam on my emotions broke. I wailed, "I never asked to be a fox girl! Because of that stupid nincompoop who cursed me as a fox girl, it seems I can't control my impulses anymore! The whole world has turned into a haunted house where I am on edge waiting for something to go wrong! I worry about other people because I could do anything or nothing, and I could overload them enough to cause that to happen! He was very meticulous in his plotting when he killed and cursed me! I wouldn't doubt that he has experience causing long term suffering! I just want to be normal!"

 

Finishing my rant, I looked up at Zoey, who was making a very scary face. Seeing that, my tail poofed up as I slightly shivered.

 

Feeling that, Zoey snapped back into focus as she tenderly gave a couple of pats to my head.

 

Zoey curiously asked, "Do you think that your sis Iris can help?"

 

*beep!*

 

We flinched as a message came in.

 

Opening it up, it read:

Sorry for intruding on your conversation like this, but I had to make sure you were ok.

 

As for why you are still a fox girl I can only apologize for not being able to do anything. I really want to, but I can't.

 

Altering the soul is very dangerous, and can only be done once. While we can always add on to it -after all, everyone is constantly growing- we can't change it without it becoming very unstable.

 

Right now if I were to change you back to human, your soul would shatter into a million pieces and cease to exist.

 

I truly do apologize. And sorry about the earlier misunderstanding, I should have been more specific than saying that Zoey learned everything and added "and accepted you."

 

My bad, please don’t be angry.

 

Anyways, I have to get to work.

 

Sincerely with love,

Big Sis Iris

 

P.S. If you ever do get offered to be promoted to an administrator, think long and hard on it. The responsibilities and paperwork suuuucks! I really wish I wasn't that naive back then. Tata for now, and have fun with Zoey! *wink wink, nudge nudge*

 

Face heating up at the last sentence I looked up to see Zoey blushing as well before she frowned, looking off into the distance.

 

Vehemently she stated, "I am so going to make him suffer!"

 

Not knowing why she sounded so sure of making that happen, I shrugged, confused.

 

Pinching her chin gently and facing her towards me, I said with a sigh, "It seems like I am stuck like this. It hurts, but I will just have to adapt."

 

After a moment of silence, I swear I was seeing things. An imaginary light bulb flashed above Zoey’s head as she leaned closer.

 

She remarked, "You are fine just the way you are. I love how we can be as cuddly as we want."

 

Leaning closer to my ear, she seductively whispered, "Besides, I bet that you have been wanting to try this and that."

 

Imagination going into overload, my face rapidly heated up at my desires.

 

When I finally came to, I saw that Zoey had finished cooking breakfast.

 

Seeing me back to the land of the living, Zoey smirked. "Sweet Dreams?"

 

Nodding meekly with my face behind my tail, I muttered, "Yeah."

 

After breakfast, we went back to Zoey's room.

 

Getting dressed, I remembered that we left my brush at my home.

 

Rapidly teleporting there and back, I slightly wagged my tail and blushed remembering how much I enjoyed my brushing session.

 

Instinctively drooping my ears and widening my pupils, I shuffled in place while shyly extending my brush out to Zoey.

 

Meekly, I asked, "You don't mind brushing my tail again?"

 

Clutching her hands over her heart over my sudden neediness, she beamed, "I would love to!"

 

Sitting on the bed beside each other, I set my tail on her lap, wapping it against her in my excitement.

 

Giggling, Zoey teased, "Someone sure is excited."

 

Face turning red, I nodded.

 

"Heehe, so needy." She chuckled as she began brushing before I could protest.

 

Her gentle strokes sent comfortable tingles up my spine, and I melted into her side.

 

Before I knew it, I was softly purring again.

 

When she finished brushing, she stopped, leaving me unsatisfied with how soon the session ended.

 

Grabbing the hand holding the brush, I pouted, "Nyooo, mooore!"

 

Giggling, Zoey folded, "Alrighty, I will continue."

 

*Diiiiinnng Dooooonng!*

 

The doorbell rang, before Zoey could even start again.

 

Very displeased, I bared my canines and growled at it.

 

Disappointed at being interrupted, Zoey huffed and walked over to the intercom to see who would dare interrupt our time together.

 

Seeing the brush lying on the bed, I stored it, just in case.

 

Pressing the button, Zoey grumped, "Yeah, who is it?"

 

Commander Reyes' voice came through, sounding very tired. "I am sorry for doing this, but I have to ask for your help… Would it be fine if I came in?"

 

Panicking, Zoey looked at me and asked, "What should I do?"

 

Thinking for a moment, I had to be rational. It was only a matter of time before I was discovered, so it really didn't matter if Commander Reyes found out. Also I knew if worse came to worse, I could fortify my forest or ask Iris to take us to another world.

 

With my thoughts collected, I whispered, "Just hear her out for now. We have many escape options should things go bad."

 

Calming down, Zoey turned the mic back on and replied, "Sure, you can."

 

Pressing the button to unlock the gate, we headed to the door.

 

I couldn't help my growling, I was still displeased at being interrupted.

 

Patting my head, Zoey whispered, "Here we go." before opening the door.

 

Commander Reyes looked haggard, hair slightly disheveled.

 

I couldn't help but ask "You ok?" Despite how displeased I was.

 

"Wow," she commented, "I must really look bad if you must ask about my well-being despite how angry you look."

 

Zoey turned around and saw me with my ears laid flat as I glared at Commander Reyes.

 

Giggling, she whispered, "Nadia, you are baring your cute little fangs."

 

Blushing, I hid myself behind her.

 

Zoey then invited, "Come on in."

 

Heading to the study room, I took my place beside Zoey, still displeased at the commander.

 

Giggling, she asked Zoey, "What happened for Nadia to be so tightly wound up?"

 

Looking at my angry face again, Zoey amusedly shook her head.

 

Reaching behind my ears, she started scratching.

 

Oh, was that such a heavenly feeling. I melted into Zoey's side with bliss and began purring.

 

When Zoey stopped, I pouted and grabbed her hand, placing it back on my head.

 

Denying me the satisfaction, Zoey amusedly whispered, "I am sorry, but we do have a guest over. That will have to wait for later."

 

*awawawa*

 

Rationality returning, I buried my face behind Zoey's back.

 

"Kyyaaa! You two are just so cute together."

 

Spooked, my tail floofed up as I squeezed behind Zoey, growling over her shoulder.

 

Commander Reyes realized that she said that out loud, and turned her head and blushed.

 

Zoey on the other hand was rebooting, shocked that her commander could show that kind of emotion.

 

When Zoey.exe rebooted, she was robbed of words, not able to say anything. 

 

We just stared awkwardly at each other, stretching the silence out.

 

Unable to take the awkwardness anymore, Commander Reyes coughed, taking charge of the conversation.

 

"Yeaaah… So, as I was about to ask before we got sidetracked, I need to ask for your help."

 

Folding her arms, Zoey humphed. "Depends. What for?"

 

Choosing her words carefully, Commander Reyes spit it out. "We need your help narrowing down the location of where the deity is, the invaders are throwing a lot of resources into this search, and we are suffering from it. As the only one who can naturally sense mana we need your hellll…p"

 

She trailed off as she noticed something wrong with Zoey's face. 

 

Then stated knowingly, "You know where the deity is, don't you."

 

Studying Zoey's face closer, her eyes widened in shock, "No! Let me rephrase that, you have actually seen the deity!"

 

Zoey gasped at the statement, worriedly looking to me for what she should do.

 

Trembling, I made the go ahead gesture.

 

Zoey turned to Commander Reyes and nodded meekly, "I have met them."

 

Hearing that, she gasped in shock, and asked for clarification, "Them, as in multiple?"

 

Zoey weakly nodded in confirmation.

 

At that verification, Commander Reyes sighed in frustration, pinching her nose as a headache came on. "This totally changes everything."

 

After mulling over the new information, she turned to me.

 

Gently she asked me, "Would you happen to be their shrine maiden or priestess?"

 

Zoey and I tumbled off the couch at how off the mark her conjecture was.

 

Looking concerned at us while we scrambled back on the couch, she asked, "Are you ok?"

 

We replied, ""Yeah.""

 

Looking at each other, I exclaimed "Jynx!", causing Zoey and Commander Reyes to look at me in amused confusion.

 

Snorting, Zoey asked, "What was that about?"

 

Blushing, I realized that the saying was only popular in my world.

 

Saddened that they wouldn't get the reference, my ears drooped as I felt homesick, tears welling up at the corners of my eyes.

 

Seeing that, Zoey pulled me closer into a hug, comforting me softly, "It's ok, I am here."

 

I  softly whimpered into her shoulder, "I miss my home.", before I started sobbing, which then turned into wailing. Spending all my energy, I fell asleep into her comforting arms.

 

---

 

Pov Zoey:

After Nadia finished crying her heart out, I moved her into my lap, softly stroking her head as I held her lovingly.

 

Suddenly I clenched one fist, 'That guy will definitely not survive if we meet.'

 

*cough*

 

Turning my head, I blushed remembering that Commander Reyes was still there.

 

She commented, "I don't think I have ever seen you that angry before."

 

Snapping, I remarked, "Yeah, and that nincompoop should hope to never run into me, or he won't even live to regret it!"

 

Holding her hands up in surrender, Commander Reyes tried consoling me, "OK, he -whoever he is- is someone who deserves death."

 

Nodding, I frustratedly verified, "That's right!"

 

"And he is the one you hate?"

 

Seeing me angrily nodding again, she gently inquired, "Why?"

 

Shouting, I exclaimed, "Because he is the cause of Nadia's trauma!"

 

Hearing that, she remarked, "Oh."

 

*beep!*

 

Receiving a message, she opened it up and read it.

 

Seeing what it said, she sighed.

 

Exhausted she moaned, "They need me back at Hero HQ. They opened a giant rift and I need to direct the heroes to close it. We will continue this conversation tomorrow."

 

Before she left, she paused at the door, turned around and seriously inquired, "Before I forget -the deities- are they at least in a safe location that the invaders can't get to?"

 

Nodding my head, she sighed in relief and muttered, "At least I don't have to worry about them getting a deity while we are distracted by battle."

 

Then she left, giving me a nod of thanks.

 

All alone with Nadia, I pondered over what just happened.

 

Too tired to think straight with everything chaotic happening one after another, I decided that I would follow Nadia to dream land.

 

Taking her to bed, I snuggled in with her and passed out.