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Sora’s head tilted to the side as she brought their magical bubble up to the surface, yet didn’t bring them to the street; Kari fidgetted a bit, refusing to meet her gaze, tail bristly and ears pulled back.

It didn’t take long for the wolf to mumble, “What’s up?  Aren’t we going to break into some club or trick some people?”

“Is that what you think I want to do?”  Sora asked, eyes narrowing while examining Kari’s uncomfortable tail and ear movements; it was a lot harder for her to hide her discomfort with the appendages since she wasn’t used to them—Sora couldn’t help but think it was cute, before worrying whether she’d had the same trouble.  “Do you… not want to go out in public?  If not, we don’t have to.”

Rolling her eyes with exasperation, Kari huffed and hugged herself, keeping herself pressed against the side of the bubble.  “Look, I said I trusted you, and you’re in control, so… we do what you want.”

Sora wanted to be confused and ask, ‘What the hell happened to that laughing wolf a few minutes ago,’ but she knew all too well what was running through Kari’s body and mind.

She wants to break out and do something sporadic and out of the norm… but she’s scared, and her anxiety is shooting through the roof.  I guess we’ll need to take things slow, which is probably better for us both as new friends getting to know each other.

Showing a smile, she fed her desires, expanding the bubble into a square-like boat for them to drift along the current; her magic kept them in the middle of the waterway, and fluffy air bubbles popped up to provide a comfy bean-bag-like experience for them.

“Sora—what are you doing now?  Where are we going?”

Sora shrugged, stretching out her tail and arms in the larger space.  “I told you; it’s an adventure, and we don’t need to go out into the stupid town for that.  Besides… I feel like you want to talk more than sight-see things we’ve both seen plenty of times since, you know, we live here,” she laughed.  “C’mon!  Topics!  Shoot.”

Kari gulped and nervously studied the cushy sofa that had spontaneously bubbled up beneath her, carefully finding a comfortable position.  “Umm…  I… don’t know.”

“We’ll make it a game.  First thing off the top of your head.  Go!”  Sora pressed with a grin.  

“Uh… how… did you change so fast,” the wolf mumbled, now leaning back to stare up at the light-polluted heavens.  “It’s just after I told you to scram, you… just changed overnight.  I don’t get it.  How?”

Left ear folding down, Sora followed Kari’s gaze to the dark skies, and a desire enchanted the bubble to filter out the light pollution, giving them a dazzling view of the shimmering heavens.  “Could you expand on that?  What change are you talking about because… well, a lot changed for me.”

A shiver ran through Kari’s frame as she hugged her toned arms, muscles becoming more pronounced with the tension that gripped her.

“Well, you went from this, I don’t know… awkward and timid girl who was always ducking around corners to this… this flaming vixen who was a social terror at school.  That’s… insane to me.  All the girls were talking about you being a problem for the first time, and I just… didn’t get it.  You?  How?”

“Pfft!”  Sora doubled over, imagining herself as this weak little fox-girl in Kari’s mind, scampering around lockers to hide.  “Wow.  You really thought of me like a total loser, huh?”

Sinking further into her bubbly sofa, Kari’s thick black locks bunched around her face as she searched the twinkling stars for answers; having something to focus on beside her seemed to be helping her calm down by her softening tail fluff.

“Not really a loser…  Honestly, I didn’t really think that much about you unless Jenny or Lori roped you into the conversation.  You were kind of just… there from time to time, and it was annoying how much people talked about you.  And then…”

“The message from Devin.  Haha.  Can we just take a second to say screw that guy?”

Kari held up a fist in solidarity.  “Screw that wolf.”

“Brrrah!”  Sora puffed out her frustration, crossing her legs as her tail flicked right and left.  “Like, for real!  All he talked about was hooking up with chicks and acting like he was the top dog when he couldn’t get fleas to sleep with him without name-dropping his master.  Am I right?”

“Hahaha!  That is pretty accurate,” Kari giggled, which made Sora smile, hearing the girl’s somber tone leave for a second.  “The only thing on his mind was sex, drugs, and feeling like the boss…  No, but the real thing that pissed me off was that, well… when he gave me that video you sent to the police…  He said Eric was coming back soon.”

Sora hugged herself, a chill running down her spine at the broader context.  “So… you really didn’t care all that much about me?  I always thought you were picking on me specifically because of… I don’t know, fill in the box with everything your girls told me:

“I smelled, I’m half-Asian, my hair, my butt, my wealth…  Shit, what didn’t they bully me on?  It might be a shorter list.  You… never really did participate like that, though,” she admitted, looking up at the melancholy wolf.

Kari worked around her jaw for a moment before looking at her purse.  “…You won’t happen to have a floss pick or a toothpick, would you?”

“Heh.  Really?  You really love these things, don’t you?”  she laughed, gesturing to her purse to bring it floating over and digging around it to find her small bag of floss picks.

“What, going to make a chew toy joke?”  Kari grunted, shaking her head while accepting the pick.  She popped it into her mouth and flipped her hair behind the bubbly bean bag before settling in again.  “Jenny made it plenty of times before…  Dammit.  I hate her… and she was my half-sister.  Shit’s messed up.”

Leaning into her own bubbles, Sora brought up her tail to fiddle with the tip, the atmosphere taking a negative turn rather than a joking one, but that was what Kari needed: someone to vent to.

“Technically,” Sora hummed, remembering a discussion on this subject in Health Class at one point, “I think you’d be ‘cross-siblings,’ but I’m not 100% on that.  It’s not like you share any blood, right?  So, she’s just some bitch you used to know.  Jenny’s a bitch!”

“Yeah!”  Kari huffed, lips pulling in and anger now showing on her face as her voice strengthened.  “Jenny’s a bitch.  I’m… a bitch.”

Using her elbows to sit straighter, Sora grinned.  “Yeah, you were a total bitch for throwing me into the water, asshole!  Jeez.  You’re the worst!”

“Pfft.  Why are you laughing then, idiot fox?  I just… didn’t want to have so many people around me.  It’s not easy, you know…  I don’t like having people… looking at me—not like that.” 

Dropping back to stare up at the sparkly sky, Sora smiled.  “Like when a crowd of girls sit around in a circle and roast you every week…  No, I get it.  It’s not easy to be vulnerable in public…  I had to walk home naked, so…”

“You don’t want to hear it?”  Kari sadly chuckled.  “No, that’s fair.”

Rolling onto her belly and straightening her dress, Sora reached through the bubble to weave her fingers along the riverway.  “When did I say that?  Talk away, wolf-girl!  All I’m saying is that I get it…  I get it.  C’mon, tell me what’s really on your mind.  No one here but you and me—well, and the fishes,” she snickered, glancing below them.

“I know you’re scared, and you know I’ve felt it…  You’ve felt my emotions, too.  I’m not here to hurt you.  We’re just a couple of hurt and broken girls, ya know?  We gotta stick together.  So… my big fox ears are here to listen.”

Kari shifted to her side with a strained laugh, hair bunching around her left ear as she curled up on the bubble sofa.  “Haaa.  You… won’t quit on this ‘friendship’ angle, will you?”

“Not until I can hate you again,” Sora chimed, flashing her teeth.  “So hurry up and do something evil!”

“Throwing you into the river wasn’t evil enough?”

“Mmm,” Sora smirked and held up two fingers.  “You’re on thin ice, puppy-girl, but I’m a forgiving baby kit, so spill.”

“Mmmgm.”  Kari’s eyes glazed over as she looked inside, making Sora sit straighter from the changing atmosphere.  “Have you ever… wondered why you’re alive?  What’s the point of getting up today?  What… would happen if I just… walked out into the ocean and disappeared?  Would anyone even care?”

Goosebumps prickled Sora’s arms, and she curled in.  “A lot of days, actually…  I almost did other things, too—stuff I saw on social media to feel better—but Ron and Howie always talked me out of it…  I can’t imagine what it would be like to have no one nearby to talk to.  You couldn’t look weak in front of your girls, right?”

Kari sucked in her bottom lip, shook her head, and tucked her tail between her legs as her arms pulled it against her chest.   “…Jenny always made fun of cry babies, and everyone always commented on how strong I was…  If I broke down, then… then would that have hurt them because I wasn’t so strong?  I don’t know.  I just… didn’t know what to do.”

“Sports?”  Sora softly inquired, hearing the sound of the ocean nearby, and she used a chunk of her magic stores to lift them over the divide filter between the riverway and ocean.  “You always seemed to like running, basketball, volleyball—basically any sport.”

Sniffing, nose a little red, Kari looked down at Miami’s nightlife, unaware of the invisible square bubble hovering over their heads.  “I liked the team aspect… relying on others and winning, but I don’t think I was really happy…  In the last three years, the only time I felt happy was…”  she trailed off, making Sora’s ears lift with her eyes to study the shivering wolf as they entered the open ocean.

“Are you cold, Kari?  When did you feel happy?”

Kari let out a stuttering breath before chuckling softly and rubbing her arms.  “It’s stupid… so stupid.  Pathetic.”  Looking up, Kari’s amber eyes showed shame.  “Ever since my mom—since she left… I’ve never felt safe… but when you said you’d protect me from Eric… I just… I can’t.”

She looked away, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes and making Sora’s chest burn, but she knew Kari didn’t want a hug this time; the broken wolf was trying to work through her own feelings, and that wasn’t something Sora could help her with this time now that the dam was broken.  Kari needed to process all of it on her own, and in her own time, as she’d done with her negative emotions.

“It’s okay,” Sora choked.  She cleared her throat and rubbed her itchy nose and eyes.  “You want to know how I changed?  Do you want to hear about my last two weeks from my perspective—you don’t have to talk—just listen, if you want, that is?”

Kari shrugged, watery eyes fixated on the coral reef they were entering.  Sora’s heart felt like it was on fire, which made her want to slap herself.  She was having an emotional one-on-one with her worst nemesis as the wolf utterly broke down and spilled her soul.

Here was her bully, dressed in her too-small clothes, having raided her closet without her permission, thrown her into a river after nearly shoving her into traffic, and yet still, Sora’s heart felt like it was being ripped from her chest.  No matter how much Kari pushed her away, asking to let her suffer and die in peace, Sora couldn’t leave her alone—she couldn’t abandon her silent cries for help.

Breathing in sharply, Sora puffed out her cheeks and slowly let out the hot stream of air clawing at her lungs as she brought them under the waves to explore the nighttime coral reef.  A short silence ensued while Sora collected herself, studying Kari  while the wolf-girl tried to cope with the struggle of letting herself be vulnerable.

Just looking at the too-small shorts and top the tall girl wore made her want to go to a nearby shop and get her something that actually fit her; it looked so uncomfortable.  

Kari’s actually really shy when she isn’t in her element, Sora internally reasoned.  She’s nervous, even trying to understand where I’m coming from, which is huge!  It is… but she also doesn’t know what to live for without her family and any dreams.  I guess this is her attempt at following all those motivational videos she’s been into lately… just trying to find a way to survive.

“Okay,” she whispered, trying to put on a positive smile.  “We can start with the day you kicked me out of school… because that was possibly one of the greatest days in my life.”

Kari looked up, blinking her shiny amber eyes and sniffing back her waterworks, big ears fluttering a little.  “Jokes… great.”

“Nope!  I’m serious,” Sora whispered, feeling lighter than she had in ages.  “No lie.  If you told me all I had to do was walk home in a towel, and you’d let me leave Miami Senior High, then I would have cut off my hair and destroyed my clothes myself without a second thought…  It was after that that I met the people who would help me change myself for the better.  And do you know who I think changed me the most?”

Ears rising a little, Kari’s searching gaze locked onto hers.  “Who?”

Thinking back with a reflective smile, Sora rubbed her chest, feeling the pressure mounting as she said it.  “You did… when we met on that bench two times… and I defended you.  It was only then that I realized how much I’d changed, and despite all the pain, your influence put me through…  You made me into the girl I am today.  Just don’t expect a thank you!”  she said with a pained laugh.

Kari didn’t look amused, though, hands pressing against her toned abs as if she had an upset stomach.  “Should I… feel guilty?  I don’t like what I’ve been a part of.  I don’t want to make other people feel trapped and isolated…  Why don’t you just kick me out of this bubble and drown me?  Why is my life worth anything?  What do I do other than make everyone miserable?”

“Including yourself, idiot wolf,” Sora huffed, crossing her arms and feeling her magical reserves passing the halfway point with how much she’d been using while untrained in mitigating the cost.   “Look, I don’t need to go over all my trauma and everything painful you did to me because… it doesn’t matter to me anymore.  I’ve given you a reason to live, but you refuse to accept that I’m being genuine.”

Scratching at the base of her right ear, Sora sat straighter, ready to get to the heart of the discussion.  “So, let’s try something different.  I already told you what I want.  Tell me what you want so we can quit going around in circles.  I want to be friends.  I want you to come to fae school with me.  I want to give you a chance not to be just a bully in my life.  What do you want?”

Feet pressing together, Kari looked up at the murky surface above them, her low voice and skyward, distant eyes making Sora shiver.

“What do I want?  Hmm.  I’m exhausted, jumping at every shadow, thinking Eric will show up, grab me by the hair, and drag me off to… somewhere I don’t want to be.  My body aches every time I close my eyes at night… seeing my mom’s corpse and vacant eyes…  My brother inviting me to…”

She shook her head, cheeks flaming and untold pain in her amber irises.  “What do I want?  I don’t want to think until the sun comes up.  I don’t want to be numb anymore.  I want to know what it’s like… to walk away from my life—to have a different life.  I want to be me… not what my brother wants me to be.”

Sora sat up and scooted forward a little, tugging at her dress and stretching out her hand to the wolf with a welcoming smile.  Finally, she could say what she’d struggled to for some time without resisting and from the bottom of her heart.

“Then accept my friendship offer and join Eyia, Wendy, and me at school.  My mom is coming home in two days, and you can ask her whatever you want.  Mary will be available for all of us to cry to and get help—including me—so you’re not alone.  And know that I’ve got your tail; well, poor choice of words—or is it?”  she chuckled, “but you get my meaning!  You won’t have to be a lone wolf anymore, Kari.  Will you join the fox pack?”

Kari’s bottom lip began to quiver, tail fur and her thick black locks bristling against her back as she stared at her open palm.  After a few seconds, her hesitant fingers met hers.  “If… you’ll have me, then… I don’t have anywhere else to go,” she sniffled.

“Well, you do have a home now,” Sora whispered, crawling forward on her knees to pull her into a hug.  “Welcome to the fox den.”

Holding Kari for a time, letting her new wolf friend get out all her tears and torment, Sora slowly brought them up to the surface and to the beach.  The gentle breeze filtered through, salty scent clearing her sinuses as Kari gradually pulled away, rubbing her nose with her forearm.

“What am I supposed to do now?  Won’t you get shit from Wendy and Eyia if I’m just… walking around your home?  Aiden could probably find me a place…”

Sora firmly shook her head.  “Wendy can be pissed!  Eyia’s learning a lot of stuff, too, and she’s open to friends if you’re good to her.  Just, uh, be your normal… sporty self, and I’m sure Eyia will be best friends with you.  She loves games and competition.  You better?  Remember, better is a spectrum!  You can be ‘not okay’ but still be better.”

“Hehehe.  You’re funny sometimes, Sora,” Kari chortled, sitting on the bubble sofa and rubbing her cheeks with both palms.  “Haaa.  Do you really think there’s anything… good about me?  No one likes wolves.”

Standing up and stretching out, Sora desired for the bubble’s top to open up.  “You are so out of touch if you think—eh?!”

The shell completely popped as her spells failed her, illusions unraveling for some reason as her desire hit some kind of roadblock that triggered her magical circuit breaker.  Kari grabbed her arm, landing on the sand and keeping her stable as the surf rushed past their feet.

“Watch it!”

“Ugh.  Stupid magic,” Sora grumbled, wincing as a large chunk vanished into the aether for some weird reason.  “Yeah, I think school will do me good…  Thanks, Kari,” she chimed, finding her balance again as the water passed.

“No problem…  You okay?”

“Mhm…  My magic can sometimes just… short-circuit if I try something that I can’t handle yet.  Why is folding back a bubble and making stairs too much for me but making it float and livable underwater is totally fine?!  Well, that was a little costly, I guess.  Still!  Can I get an explanation, Universe?  No?  Well, screw you, too!”  she shouted, getting a few squinting looks from others on the dark private section of the beach.

Kari chuckled, shaking her head as they made their way off the sandy shore, Sora’s magic now cleaning off their feet and repelling the grains.  “You’re so random.  Do you often curse the universe?  Where are we going now, Fox Leader?”

“Only when it screws with me, which is, like… every day!”  Sora huffed, but a smile brightened her cheeks at the wolf’s nicknames, and she glanced right at the tall wolf’s scrunched chest and the stress that was on her shorts’ button.  “We find an open store for you to get some actual clothes to wear!  Seriously, you’re not embarrassed or scared it’s going to just… rip?

“Don’t get me wrong,” she quickly defended, “you’ve got a killer body to show off, and I know you wear a ton of tight sportswear, but not stuff that doesn’t fit you at all!  I’d be fretting over people thinking I was homeless or something, wearing hand-me-downs or something…  Yikes,” she winced, speaking quickly, “I sound like a total spoiled rich girl, don’t I?”

“Mmm.  A little,” Kari smiled, sounding much better as she plucked at the stretched tank top strap, pulling up on her compressed boobs.  “I mean, back home, we were always nude, so clothes are a new thing to me in human society.”

“Come again?!”  Sora’s tail and ears bristled while looking up at the unabashed, beautiful, raven-haired wolf.  “Your mom, brother—Aiden?!  No way, Aiden went nude!”  she gasped, the horrific images of the family dynamic and golden-haired Firebird’s naked body now flashing across her stunned brain.  “Explain!”

Kari absently checked her bare feet, wholly cleaned off of sand through Sora’s magic and stretching out now that they’d made it to the side alley of some random hotel.  The fear of her sports bra and pants being torn apart by the wolf’s ridiculous hidden strength gripped Sora’s nervous gut as the fabric made noises that set her tail on edge.

“Mmmm!  What’s there to explain?  I was a wolf.  Sure, we practiced changing forms into humans, but I still had fur, and Aiden was a shiny little bird that Tiri would chase around.  What, you thought we just walked around as humans all the time?”  she asked with an incredulous smirk that put a pout on Sora’s cheeks.

“Uh-duh!  Of course, I did,” she defended, wrapping them in illusions again as they set out on the Miami Beach streets.  “You don’t look very afraid of your clothes jumping ship right now, so why would I think otherwise?  If it wasn’t for your tail, someone could look right down your butt crack, girl.  No concerns for creeps?”

“Hahaha.  You’re so insecure for a fox,” Kari laughed, face lightening up as she held her hands at the base of her tail and glanced around at the tourists and club hoppers moving through the night.  “Look, if any dude starts acting the fool, then just make them strip naked and run down the street, screaming like an idiot.  I just throw them into a garbage can or fold them like paper… although, eesh, yeah, there are some dudes that like that.  Those situations can get… awkward.”

Unable to believe her ears, Sora’s lips parted, yet she didn’t know how to respond.  “Eh… huh?  I’ve… only had my powers for two weeks, Kari.  Give me a break!  Geez.  You’re totally clueless about how it feels to be helpless and afraid some dude might snatch you away in an alleyway and have their way with you.”

Kari’s eyebrows lowered as she glanced off into a nearby alleyway, spotting a few homeless people huddling in their makeshift tents.  “I mean, I have been the person who snatches people into alleyways to have my way with them.”

“Stop!  Stop!  Stop!”  Sora cried, almost tripping.  “Hold the phone!  You did what?!”

“Yeah,” Kari mumbled, rubbing her neck, amber eyes glancing off to the side as if it was no big deal.  “Why would I want to thrash Devin in public or one of his goons that show up at school?  If some monster or predator were getting near my territory, then I’d break a few bones or cause a few fractures…  What would you expect of me?”

“Oooh!  Okay, okay… framing!”  Sora growled, shooting a dubious glare up at the wolf before spotting a 24-hour open boutique and redirecting them to it.  “Wait, does that include, like… pedophiles that would come onto school grounds, trying to groom kids?”

“Yyyeah?”  Kari slowly replied as if it was obvious.  “You can smell when humans are in heat, you know, or putting off those hormones.  Heather was stalked by one of the janitors in junior high, and I broke his leg when he tried to grab us when we were going to her house after school.”

“Damn…  Based,” Sora whispered, thinking back to the creepy man in his 50s who worked for the school, and she did recall him wearing a cast for a while.  “How the hell did I not know about a lot of this stuff?  I guess there weren’t any sexual assaults like that in school…  Wow.  Okay,” she mumbled, now seeing some positive sides for Kari being in their school.  “Cool.  We really need to get you clothes, though, and… yeah, I found out about the whole ‘smell sex’ thing, which is… a problem, to say the least.”

Once again, Kari’s eyebrows lowered as Sora took them to the lingerie area to get her some items that would actually fit her larger proportions, unraveling part of her illusions; the wolf was practically a head taller than her, which meant they were not meant to share clothes—Eyia and the wolf certainly could, though.

“Why?  Sex is a natural part of nature.  I still find it weird that humans are so… up-tight about such a natural process, but, meh, I adapted since the other girls were the same way as you.  Uh, I’d rather have sports bras, Sora, not these… other ones that really serve no practical purpose,” she mumbled at the purple bra Sora held up with a smile.

“Boo!  C’mon, Kari, branch out a little.  I can get you sports bras, but this is about you exploring new things!  Try to dress up once in a while—and not sports crap.  You can’t go around dressed like a baseball player when Eyia, Wendy, and I are all dolled up and going out as friends to have fun.  Work with me a little!”

The late-night female attendant behind the counter came around with a beaming smile.  “Welcome, ladies.  Is there anything I can help you with?  My!  Haha.  I can see someone is in need of some new clothes.  Can I recommend a few items?”

Sora beamed at the woman, more than ready to have a tag-team partner in this fight to get the wolf something other than sports outfits; it wasn’t even a sports boutique, which severely limited their options if that were the only option the tall teen would go after.

“Sora, I don’t really see anything I’d—”

“Oh, shut your yapper, Sparky!”  Sora chimed.  “Yes, we’d love to try out all sorts of new things.  Our parents gave me their card and told me to get my stepsister as many cute outfits as we can—she just got in tonight, and, well, my clothes obviously won’t do the trick.  She’s a bit shy, so, yeah.”

“Sora!”  Kari’s ears flew up, hidden behind illusions.  “If you want me to keep my tail out, then I can’t fit just anything, and I’ve… never worn a dress before,” she mumbled, eyeing her with a doubtful eye.  “Why can’t I just get some tank tops, sports bras, and shorts shorts?  Simple, easy, done.”

“Because,” Sora slowly sang, “I’m shopping with you!  This is a new you.  How can you say you don’t like it if you’ve never tried it?  Let’s see that feminine side, Kari!  Please.”

The woman’s left eye narrowed as she mouthed the word ‘tail’ but slid right past it since a quick glance at Kari’s backside didn’t show any, the bulge and embarrassing bits hidden behind illusions.  “Right, uh, I think you’d look absolutely amazing in emerald greens, royal blues, and deep purples!  Where would you like to start?”

“Right here!”  Sora chirped.  “She needs underwear first, and if there are any issues, Kari, we’ll stop by the seamstress I used before; the place can use more business anyways, and I pay well!  Don’t deny these hardworking small business owners our business!”

Kari sighed and submitted with a lowered tail.  “You’re an evil fox… Stepsister.”

“You bet your tail, Step Sis!”  Sora cackled maniacally.  “Blouses, pants, dresses, skirts, tanks—we’re getting you a wardrobe.”

“Yay…  Don’t I feel special,” Kari grumbled, grimacing at the item Sora handed her.  “This isn’t even in my size.”

Sora grabbed the next size up and presented it.  “Well, don’t feel special; I did the same thing with Eyia.  Hmm.  I want to see what a pretty Kari looks like, so don’t deny me this treat because I only have one image of you, and I bet you do, too, and that’s what we’re here to change!  Let’s get shopping!”

The attendant was bubbling with excitement with the colossal order Sora was hyping up, and she had the Foundation’s unlimited black card, so this was going to be fun!

She felt the night slide by as Kari went in and out of the changing room.  If Sora didn’t know any better, the wolf was starting to enjoy the reactions she got from them, and other women cycled into the store every so often, participating in the fashion show.

With her magic returning, now that she wasn’t doing anything extremely taxing, she was able to spell the items Kari wore so the back would phase through her tail.  She could use magic on the clothes, not Kari herself, and that helped make the experience so much better.

From skirts with stockings to tights and shorts, Sora kept the show going, clapping and complimenting her when the wolf came out every time.  It was as if the girl had never been on a girl’s day out shopping trip—which she probably hadn’t since it was something she’d had to be forced into, but now she was eating up the attention.

Exiting the dressing room in a cute green nightdress that fell to her knees, Sora held up a thumb.  “You need something to sleep in around the house.  Nice!  I think… we’ve gotten enough to get you by for the week.  We’ll go out more as a group for school shopping later.  How are you feeling about it?”

Kari glanced at the giant pile of bags already paid for and waiting to be taken home.  “…Heather or Lori would die for something like this…  It felt better than I thought, to be honest,” she said, showing a thankful smile that made Sora beam.  “I think there’s one last thing you need to get me at this point, though.”

Sora blinked as Kari slipped back inside to put on a tank top and shorts that actually fit her.  “And that is?”

“A choker.”

“Hahaha!  You’re actually pretty fun, Kari.  I’m serious, so stop being so hard on yourself.  Yes, you’re a tall, hot wolf-girl, and never doubt it!  You’re a 10, so own it; a 10 needs 10 clothes!”

“Uh… I think you got me more than ten items, Sora.  You gave it your best shot, though.  What’s your next trick, Fox, making me jump through a flaming hoop?”

Snorting, Sora got to her feet as Kari exited, handing the amused store owner the nightgown to ring up; she looked a whole lot better in an outfit that fit her proportions, and the shorts were low-riders, which worked with her tail.

“Perfect!  We’ll snag a few accessories on the way out, stop by the refitting store for her to take your measurements, and then we’ll go home.”

Kari shifted her weight to her left hip, fingers finding her elbow and looking cutely uncomfortable.  “Where… you’ll wake up my brother?”

A little concerned about her magic reserves as they hit roughly 30% with the extra phasing spells she’d been constantly casting, on top of everything else she was doing, Sora pushed her lips to the side.  A quick desire drew away any listeners with a radial charm to redirect their attention.

“Only if you want me to.  Like I said, all of that is in your hands.  If you want to just chill in your room and listen, then I’ll tell him to scram and not see you again unless you say so.  What do you want me to do?”

Lips becoming a line, her muscles flexed as she restrained a tremor.  “Umm…  Yeah, just… to stay clear from me is fine.  I just… can’t really, um, yeah… I can’t really face him.  I’m such a coward…”

Sora’s loose copper locks swung around her face as she swiftly shook her head.  “No, Kari, you’re not.  He’s just… horrible.  I’m scared of your brother!  It’s only because of Ylva and my mom that I can tell him to screw off, or else I’d be right there beside you, so don’t think you’re alone.  Okay?”

A weak chuckle shook Kari’s chest as she sniffed and blinked back her emotions, trying not to let a few tears out.  “Thank you, Sora…  It’s nice knowing that at least… someone doesn’t hate me or think I’m a little cry pup… even if I don’t believe it yet.”

“Awww.  Come here!”  Sora cried, hopping forward to hug the taller girl.  “I told you: I’m here for you, so you go ahead and cry as much as you want because I’m a crier, too!  We’re criers here in the Fox Den, so no judgment, only hugs!”

“Emotional foxes…”  Kari gulped, her chest puffing up before releasing a hot stream of air, gently hugging her back so as not to crush her, no doubt.  “I’m sorry for everything I did to you.”

“Past!  It’s in the past, so don’t bring it up again,” Sora chided.  “Well, unless you want me to headbutt you for slipping back into the woe-is-Sora because I’m doing good!  And we’ll get you there, too.  This is us, okay?  And we’re going to be okay!  You’re going to be okay.”

“If… you say so.”

Comforting the shy and submissive wolf in her moment of vulnerability, Kari gradually got through the emotional heavyweight that decided to go a few more rounds.  Eventually, the light filtered past the darkness enveloping Kari, and she drew away, giving her a strained, unconvincing smile.

Kari…  Sora internally cried, taking the girl by the hand like a little sister to guide her to the register to finish their purchase; the wolf’s cheeks burned with embarrassment, but she couldn’t seem to let go of her fingers.

She has so little self-confidence that it physically hurts!  Wendy is going to be so pissed that she can’t hate you.  How can anyone hate her?  Damn you, emotions.  Damn you, Eric!  Who does this to their little sister?  A good big brother would be here, not me!  We’ll get through this.  

Drawing strength from within, Sora felt like a big sister who needed to defend her little sister from vicious bullies; her tail was lit and ready to roast anyone who made the vulnerable wolf-girl cry.

The sun started peeking over Miami Beach after they finished their refitting session, and Sora brought Kari back to her new home, their remaining bags of clothes floating next to her purse.  She greeted a new door attendant from the Foundation in the elevator, getting confirmation that Ron would be replacing him in the coming hours.

Happy to finally get a chance to speak to the married man when she woke up, Sora saw an assistant rouse Doctor Ferdinand Fischer, sleeping on her couch as she entered the front room.

“Mmm-huh?!  Oh, Sora, I see you’re—”

“Can’t talk,” she dismissed, pointing upstairs.  “Eric will be down in a bit to shove off, so you’ll get your living weapon soon enough.  I want him gone!  Okay?”

The man lifted his hands in a way that said he didn’t want any smoke, backing off as she stormed upstairs; Kari looked like she was about to have a panic attack the closer they got, and her hand started to quake in Sora’s when the hologram elevator took them to the second level.

“Sora… I don’t know if I can—what if…”

“I’m here, okay?”  She stopped at the top and took her other hand to confidently look into her agitated eyes, darting everywhere but the medical bed by the wall.  “We’re just going to walk past him, and I’m going to take you to your new room.  Just breathe.  In… out.  Do it with me.  In… out.”

“In… out…”  she shakily stammered.  “In… out.  H-He’s going to be gone?  He won’t come back?”

“Do you trust me?”

“I-I don’t know…  Yes?  Maybe?”

“Good enough!  We’ll wait right here, though, until you’re ready.  In… out…”

Repeating the exercise a few times, she slowly took Kari around her brother’s bed, her tail pressed between her legs and ears pulled back.  It took several minutes to get to that point, but it was like lightning moving past the bed and into the free room down the hall, next to Eyia’s.

“I’ll be right back,” Sora promised, waiting until she got the okay from the terrified wolf-girl.  “I promise.  I’m just going to get you a tablet—right back, I promise!”

“Right back,” Kari repeated, voice cracking and sweat slicking her quaking body.

Fighting the pain from recalling her own panic attacks at school, Sora slipped out and snatched the tablet from Wendy’s room, being careful not to wake up the sleeping brunette.  She dropped the item off to the wolf, showing her how to order new things to decorate her room.

“…Alright, do you have it?  Do you want me to tell your brother to go now?”

Kari set the device on an empty dresser as fingers dug into her sides, drawing blood and ripping her brand-new tank top.  “Just… get it over with.  Please… just… make him go away—forever.”

Drawing power from the protective nature budding within her breast, Sora marched out to confront the nightmare that had haunted Kari for years.  She heard the wolf lock the door and press her back against the wood, sliding down it and breaking down into shameful tears.

Damn you, Eric!  What kind of brother does this to his little sister?

Stopping in front of the hateable wolf, Sora slapped his face, stomach tightening and tail radiating flames.  “Wake up, bastard.”

She resisted jumping back when Eric’s eyes snapped open, focus drifting to her as a smirk lifted his lips.  The giant of a man used his elbow to push himself up, swinging his legs over the side and hissing in a breath through his teeth to puff it out in a relishing laugh.

“Well, well, well…  What have I missed?  Aiden was here—Kari, bawling her eyes out… nothing new—and…  Ooh.  Some new blood—a Huli Jing and Baihu?  Ugh.  The Valkyrie.”

Sora almost jumped out of her skin as a rush of chilled wind swept through the hallway, a radiant rainbow light dancing across the walls, and Eyia’s resplendent presence raised the tension.

“Watch your words, Half-Breed; you stay in my sister’s castle.”

Eric gulped, a blinding crystal blade held against the man’s throat, releasing a burst of mist that swiftly overtook the hallway.  “Skofnung…  Well, that’s interesting, considering its legend…”

Jin appeared out of nowhere from within the thickening mist, two fingers pulling the blade away from Eric’s throat.  “We talked about this, Eyia.  You can’t use your weapons or powers, or else it could draw unwanted eyes as a Primordial.”

“She’s right,” Eric chuckled, showing a toothy and challenging grin at the infuriated Valkyrie.  “Play nice, blondie.  What do you think Daddy Odin would say, causing trouble in someone else’s house?”

“I do not need my weapons to slay you, beast!”  Eyia snarled, sword changing into the spear Sora enchanted in a flash of light, her dazzling diamond necklace shimmering against her liquid crystal-like breastplate.  “You are the one that needs to play the nice.”

“Oh, I will!”  Eric snickered, a mocking smile returning to Sora, yet Jin’s clawed fingers slid around the cocky man’s throat, the small Korean floating up to whisper in his ear.

“Be thankful Nilly likes your grandpa, mutt.  It’s the only reason you’re still alive right now.”  Pulling away and leaving Eric rubbing his throat, Jin sighed as if all of this was beneath her and gave a dull salute to Sora.  “See you at school, Sora…  Don’t cause trouble in my class while I figure out what the hell I want to do with my life after the shit storm I’m wrapped up in.  Later, Spitfire.”

Eyia backed off as the Dragon Founder vanished in a pulse of red light, keeping a close eye on the wolf.  With Jin’s confirmation that she’d be at least a temporary teacher at Avalon Academy, her reservations about The Darkness that haunted it were lessened; the Korean girl was a powerhouse to be reckoned with.  Then again, she probably wouldn’t intervene in most cases with her personality.

“Ugh.”  Rubbing her forehead and trying to get back into the groove, Sora shot a seething glare at the half-Fenris Wolf.  “Here’s the deal.  You’re going to super-expand your empire here on Earth and keep everything working smoothly with The Foundation.  You’re an employee to keep the peace.  So, go downstairs, meet with your boss, and never come back to Miami or contact Kari unless she contacts you first.”

Crossing her arms, Sora stared him down, fire in her green eyes.  “My mom is coming home in two—no, tomorrow now, so I think you should listen.  If you can’t abide by those rules, then I’ll have her toss you out of our territory or straight to Ylva for reeducation, and I’m happy to say… you won’t last long.  I’m sure.  Kari is now a part of the Fox Den.  You’re no longer needed.”

Eric took in her statement with a considering nod, sucking in his cheeks as his gaze wandered to Eyia.  “Hmm.  I do love your spunk, Sora…  Kari could learn a thing or two from you.  Huh.  Mia is coming to be the fox-mom she’s always wanted to be, eh?  Well, that’s all great news!  I’d like to speak to her myself if you’ll send the message.  I won’t step foot near Kari so long as she’s welcomed in your den.  Haha!  I guess I should go.  Love the fire, by the way,” he winked, nudging her shoulder and jabbing a thumb at her tail.

Sora felt like she’d been slapped in the face as the man casually waved at Eyia with a charming smile before walking to the edge and jumping down as if waiting for the light elevator wasn’t worth his time.

“I’m sure Aiden is welcomed into the den, as well.  I look forward to talking to my little bro before I take off.  I hope my sister learns something because you’re a real Founder, Sora.  Bah.  Maybe it has something to do with Kari’s dad, whoever he is.  I’ve wondered if that slight impurity caused that weakness in her—yo, what’s up, boss?  Who do I get to eat?”

Unsure what to make from any of that, much less the ‘weakness’ in Kari being shoved onto Kari’s mysterious dad, Sora stood at the railing, watching the arrogant wolf walk off with Ferdinand.  It wasn’t two minutes later that the pair were heading for ground level—Eric was gone.  Kari was free to live her life and figure out who she wanted to be.

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