"Come on Carol, you're faster than that!" Lilac teased.

"I'm only getting started!" I retorted.

I pounced into an attack, but Lilac twisted out of the way, and I rolled right past her. I recovered just in time to see Lilac spinning straight at me! I leapt in the air, straight over her head, and turned on landing, ready to pounce again. Lilac stopped spinning, and took a moment to reorient herself. I took advantage of the opening, and leapt in, connecting a hit!

"Ow!" Lilac exclaimed. "Carol, have you extended your claws?"

I turned back to see Lilac rubbing her arm. I looked down at my hands and saw I had extended my claws. Embarrassed, I retracted them and hid my hands behind my back.

"Sorry," I apologised. "I got a bit carried away."

"Don't worry about it," Lilac assured. "It's only a scratch."

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know," Lilac winked. "Ready to go again?" she added, crouching in a fighting stance.

"Always!" I replied, ready to pounce.

"Claws in this time," Lilac teased.

"You kids finished play-fighting yet?" a new voice snapped.

Lilac and I looked over to where the voice came from, and saw a mean-looking orange fox with red hair, arms folded, scowling in disgust.

"Hanna Skarlett," Lilac replied. "Must you always spoil our fun?"

"I don't know why they even let you in here," Hanna continued. "This ain't no kiddies' ball-pit."

"We can fight just as well as you!" I challenged, extending my claws again and baring my teeth.

"So nauseatingly innocent of you to challenge me" Hanna replied, claws extended. They looked longer and sharper than mine. "You wouldn't last thirty seconds against a real fighter." She was really starting to get my tail twitching. "And still wearing that scarf, too. It's so pathetic."

"Pathetic? I'll-"

"Leave it Carol," Lilac interrupted. "It's not worth the effort. Let's just go and do something else."

"But-"

"We can always spar at home later."

I followed Lilac out of the dojo. Lilac didn't meet Hanna's nasty stare, but I did, hissing. Hanna growled back. She didn't scare me, but I didn't want to stay around her either. Out on the street, Lilac paused in thought. My tail was still twitching, but Lilac seemed totally calm.

"Why do you let that stupid fox bully us?" I asked.

"Because she's older, better trained, and not afraid to play dirty," Lilac explained.

"But it's not fair!" I cried. "We paid to use it!"

"I know."

"Then-"

"Relax Carol, don't get your tail in a tangle. I have an idea, a little trick we can play on her," Lilac grinned. I could see a twinkle in her eye.

"Miss Goody-Blue-Boots wants to do something naughty?" I gasped in anticipation.

"Something fun," Lilac winked back. "Want to help?"

"Ohmygushyes!"

Fifteen minutes later, we returned to the dojo, and sneaked into the locker room. Luckily, the locker room was empty.

"See if you can sniff out Hanna's locker," Lilac asked quietly.

It was difficult to pick up the scent, but after a few minutes, I found the right locker. "Shall I open it?" I asked.

"Of course."

I easily picked the lock with one of my claws, and opened the locker. Lilac took out the bottle of shower gel and emptied it into a nearby sink, then refilled the bottle with the contents of the one we just bought from a nearby cosmetics store. I could barely contain myself; I giggled the whole time! When Lilac finished, she returned the shower gel bottle to the locker. I closed the door, and made sure it was properly locked.

"Luckily it's the same colour and gloopiness," Lilac remarked.

"So she won't notice until it's too late!" I grinned.

"Quick, let's get out of here before someone spots us," Lilac suggested, her grin almost as big as mine. Giggling quietly, we ran back outside, and didn't stop until we were several blocks away.

"I wish we could have hung around to see the look on her face!" I gasped.

"Me too!" Lilac agreed. "Are you hungry?" she added a moment later.

"I could go for a bite to eat," I replied.

An hour later, we were sitting at a table outside a small café eating ice-cream, when I spotted an extremely angry white fox striding purposefully down the street, directly towards us. She was being followed by a silver hare, who appeared to be desperately trying to calm the fox down.

"Lilac," I whispered, pointing to the fox, "Hanna's coming."

Lilac glanced briefly over her shoulder. "Act natural," she whispered.

"I can't do that if you're giggling," I pointed out.

"Sorry. I'll try to control it."

Hanna strode right up to the table, glaring at both of us, growling loudly. I was really struggling to keep a straight face, and Lilac's stifled giggles weren't helping. I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What's the matter, Hanna?" I grinned. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

We couldn't hold it in anymore. We both burst into almost uncontrollable laughter! I fell out of my chair, I was laughing so hard!

"Very funny," Hanna snarled back. "I swear, I'm going to-"

"Not while I'm here, you won't!" the hare interrupted.

"Rob, stay out of this!"

"They're just kids! Kids play jokes all the time!" Rob explained.

"Look at what they did to me!" Hanna cried.

"Don't worry, it'll grow out within a week," Rob soothed.

"How-" Hanna started.

"You're making a scene," Rob cautioned, "and there are police present."

Hanna looked around at the sea of faces all now staring at her, including the three off-duty police officers sat at a table near the café entrance.

"I won't forget this," Hanna growled as she walked away.

A moment later, Rob turned to us, and fixed us with a hard and disapproving stare.

"That was a nasty trick you girls played on her," he told us.

"She asked for it!" I retorted, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes.

"Carol!" Lilac snapped. Then she turned to Rob. "We're sorry. We won't do it again. Will we, Carol?"

"It was your-" I started to protest.

"Will we, Carol?" Lilac repeated.

"No," I sighed, hanging my head.

"Apology accepted," Rob replied. He turned to leave, but paused and turned back. "Though I have to admit, the face she pulled when I pointed it out, it was really funny," he added with a smile. "And don't worry, she'll get over it. Although I recommend staying away from the dojo for a few weeks, just in case."

Rob left in pursuit of Hanna.

"I think I sprained my tail," I muttered as I climbed back onto my chair.

"You'll be fine," Lilac replied. "It's Hanna I feel sorry for."

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"With fur that white, people will think she's in fancy dress."

"…I don't get it."

"Yes you do," Lilac grinned.

"But-" Then it dawned on me. "Oh. Oh!"

Lilac and I looked at each other. A moment later, we burst into laughter once more.