So far, Fox's special Christmas evening with Fara had taken a turn for the worst. He had already received his first strike by allowing Scarlet to come with them to the concert, but now he was prepared to come back swinging for the grand slam.
If there was one benefit to being a widower, it was acquiring mad cooking skills. Being alone forced James to learn how to cook for himself, and over the years he had become quite skilled in culinary arts. It was for this very reason that he had insisted on preparing a meal for Fox and Fara, sparing them the trouble of having to come early to cook or purchase one themselves.
After Scarlet hitched a ride to her friend's house and Fara, Fox, and James returned home, the latter left for the store to do some very last-minute Christmas shopping after he had finished preparing dinner for Fox and Fara. Whatever it was that he planned to buy, he wouldn't tell Fox, preferring to keep it a secret.
As recompense for what had happened earlier in the evening, Fox seated Fara at the table while he finished with the preparations. Disappearing into the kitchen, he heated up the different dishes his father had left for him using either the microwave, oven, or stove top, and brought them out one-by-one to set before Fara. He felt like a pagan trying to placate an angry god with a sacrificial feast, but as long as it put Fara into a better mood, he would do anything. Stuffing, potatoes, casserole, cranberry sauce — he piled on the works, all of which he had planned out before-hand with his father. But he saved the best for last.
Grinning from ear-to-ear, Fox stepped out of the kitchen carrying his ace in the hole: a roasted goose, prepared in Fara's favorite way. He carefully set the cooked poultry in front of Fara, but the fennec kept her head pointed away from him, continuing to give him the cold shoulder. Hopefully, the dinner would remedy this.
Fox slid the goose closer to Fara, removing his oven mitts and using them to fan the bird's savory smell towards his mate. "Faaaara," he began in a sing-song voice, "Look what I've got for you: your favorite!"
Still looking outside the dark window, Fara's nose suddenly twitched, catching a whiff of the poultry. Finally, the scent overpowered her stubborn resolve, and she looked at the meal in front of her.
"Is that... is that goose?"
"Uh-huh," Fox affirmed.
"Honey roasted? With orange sauce?"
He nodded. "Just the way you like it. I know you only have the chance to eat it once a year, so..."
As her eyes greedily took in the meal Fox and his father had made for her, Fara couldn't help but let on a smile. At the sight of her expression, Fox mentally pumped his fist in victory.
"Well... I guess I can't let all of this wonderful food go to waste, now can I?" Fara hummed, tentatively fingering her silver fork.
"Allow me," Fox interjected as he began slicing the sauce-covered poultry for Fara, who in turn started heaping mounds of stuffing and casserole onto her plate. Once he had finished serving her, the vulpine returned to his side of the table where he sat down and set to filling his own dish. He sighed in satisfaction as the evening once again began coming together. With James and Scarlet gone, it was just the two of them alone in the big house. Outside, the air was frigid and dark, but the two foxes were protected by the house's thick walls and burning fireplace that lit up the family room adjacent to the dining room, not too far from where they now sat. The fire crackled in the brick hearth, letting out a loud 'pop' every once in a while, but for the most part remaining quiet and serene. Though a decorative gold chandelier hung above the table, Fox chose to keep it unlit, instead opting for two candles on the comfy table, giving the dining room more of a romantic setting. The meal Fox had planned with his father had turned out delicious, and Fara's lingering anger proved no match for the splendid food. With the cold wind blowing outside, a warm fire lit within, candles to illuminate the room, and a wonderful dinner before them, the couple's Christmas Eve appeared to be back on track again.
Fara's ear twitched. She frowned. "Fox... what's that?"
Fox paused, a spoonful of mashed potatoes halfway in his mouth. "What's what?"
"That noise," Fara continued. "It sounds like it's coming from outside, down the street."
"Oh no, the party. Dammit, Scarlet!" Fox cursed to himself. His face turned white as a sheet, but thankfully his golden fur hid the abrupt change in color. Instead, he tried playing it cool.
"Hmm... I don't hear anything. Maybe you're just imagining it."
As if on cue, a vocalist suddenly screamed, "Jump!" which was immediately followed by a pounding guitar riff and an unforgiving drum beat. Inexplicably, the obnoxiously loud song managed to carry down the street and through the walls of the McCloud residence, rudely interrupting the couple's intimate dinner.
"All right, you have to hear it now, Fox! It sounds like... like alternative metal. That's System of a Machine, isn't it?"
Fox lowered his head in shame, avoiding Fara's eyes. "Rage Against a Down, actually," he mumbled.
Fara was furious. "What business do they have blaring a song like that at this hour of the night? And on Christmas Eve, of all days! The least they could have done was play "Jingle Bells" or "Silent Night" instead! And that's exactly what I want to have; a nice, quiet night alone!"
Fox's ears flattened against the side of his head as he felt an icy, sinking feeling in his gut. Apparently, he had thought too soon that the rest of the evening would go his way.
"Honestly, this wouldn't have happened if we had stayed at my family's house!" Fara huffed, continuing her tirade. "There have to be residency laws against this. Fox, call the police! Chances are, they're probably smoking something over there anyway — and I have a feeling it's not mistletoe!"
Her partner raised his hands, defensively. "I understand, Fara; but it is a Christmas party, and they're just celebrating. It's not too loud, right?"
Fara pointed to the hanging lights above their heads. "Fox, the chandelier is shaking, and their house is behind a quarter mile of woods! Are you going to do something about them or not?"
Once again eager to placate his mate, Fox stood up and motioned with his hands to help Fara remain calm. "Alright, honey; I'll go over there and ask them to keep it down. I'm sure they'll understand. I want a peaceful night alone with you as well."
Noticing Fox's willingness to help, Fara's expression suddenly softened. She rubbed her face and eyes with her hands. "Look, I'm sorry for blowing up like this, Fox; I know it's not your fault. But I'm sure a little peace and quiet would set the cozy atmosphere and help us out... later tonight, that is."
Leaning on the back of his chair, Fox repeated, "Later tonight?"
Fara grinned, mischievously.
Fox raised his paw. "Say no more! I'm off!"
And with that, the vulpine raced to the front of the house and grabbed his coat. By the time he was out the door, he had only halfway placed it around his torso. "Don't get started without me!" he called back.
Fara couldn't help laughing. "Fox, we haven't even finished dinner yet!" But it was too late; her mate had already slammed the door and rushed down the thin stone sidewalk.
- § -
Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Fox meekly knocked on the door. Apparently, his first attempt went unnoticed; the music continued to blare from whatever military-grade speakers they emanated from, drowning out his noise. Working up his resolve, Fox dared to knock louder, until he was practically pounding on the wooden door. "Please don't be Scarlet, please don't be Scarlet, please don't be— dammit!"
The door opened to reveal a familiar red vixen clad in a shiny catsuit. Unlike the rest of her similar wardrobe, the outfit appeared more gaudy — it was colored a bright shade of purple and had several strategically-placed holes in the arms, legs, chest, and back, all of which revealed the woman's sleek red fur.
At the sight of Fox, Scarlet's face lit up. "Foxie! I thought you'd never come!"
Eager to get on with his mission, Fox said, "Yeah, well, here I am. Listen, Scarlet, I came over to—"
But Scarlet interrupted him, pointing upwards. "Look, Fox: mistletoe! You know what that means?"
Fox glanced at the decorative foliage hanging beneath the door mantel. "Actually Scarlet, that appears to be a marijuana leaf—"
Silencing him once again, Scarlet grabbed Fox's tie and pulled him in for a big, wet kiss. Fox prayed to God that Fara wouldn't show up behind him, and his instincts screamed at him to pull away. But for some reason he lingered... in fact, by the time the intimate moment was broken, it was Scarlet who had pulled away — not Fox.
Without giving him a moment to breathe, Scarlet grabbed his arm and jerked him inside the house. "Come on, Fox. You're holding up the party!"
In a flash, Fox was pulled out of the freezing winter air and into the heated house, the door — his only escape — slamming closed behind him. As he began to protest his treatment, Scarlet unzipped his coat and slipped it off his shoulders, tossing it on a pile in the closet.
Brushing off his suit with lingering hands, she clucked, "Well, you are rather over-dressed for the occasion, but we'll fix that by the end of the night."
"End of the night?" Fox repeated, questioningly. "Scarlet, I don't plan on staying here that long. What am I saying — I never planned on staying here at all!"
"Don't worry; the best plans are those left unmade. Come on, there's someone I want you to meet. She's a great friend of mine, and a mercenary like ourselves. You'll love her; she's a lot of fun!"
Gesturing for Fox to follow, the vixen weaved herself through the myriad of party-goers in search of her illusive friend. With no other choice but to pursue her, Fox waded into the crowd as well.
The interior of the house was done in a rustic style, though it still appeared to be quite comfortable, with modern day appliances hidden in handy locations. A bar was placed adjacent to one of the walls, lined with a tap for alcoholic mixes, a rack for glasses, and several bowls of Christmas punch. Arrays of multicolored lights hung from the ceiling, casting glowing circles of color around the living room and the dancing guests. A high-tech sound system lined another wall, comprised of several massive curved speakers and an assortment of entertainment systems. Currently, it was playing a metalcore cover of 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'.
A pair of nerds were grouped around a laptop hooked up to the sound system, though they seemed to be intently staring at a text document instead of tweaking the playlist. One wore reflective sunglasses and a red-banded top hat, while the other wore a large sombrero and a flag over his back that Fox had trouble placing. If Fox could just reach those two, he could tell them to turn down the music, achieving a "mission accomplished" — but as soon as he started shouldering his way to the sound system, Scarlet impatiently grabbed his arm.
"Come on, Fox; you can change the music later. We don't have time for that now."
The male vulpine glanced longingly back at the booming speakers, powerless to change anything. It seemed as if James, Scarlet, and even the two DJs were involved in some great conspiracy to ruin his Christmas with Fara.
"Oh, hey Felix!" Scarlet called out, grabbing the attention of one of the party-goers.
The guest was a red-furred vulpine similar to Scarlet, though with noticeably unkempt facial fur. He wore a long professional-looking coat and thin, square-framed glasses on the edge of his muzzle.
"Well hello, Scarlet," he answered, turning to the approaching foxes. Eying Fox with suspicion, he asked, "Who's your friend?"
Scarlet quickly introduced the two vulpines to each other. "Fox, this is Felix Sparta, head of the Gaia Corporation. Felix, meet Fox McCloud; runs a mercenary team based in Corneria."
At this last piece of information, Felix's expression softened. "Well, Mr. McCloud, you're a mercenary? We are currently employing several operatives at the moment — including Scarlet from time-to-time — but after that last mission, I believe we may have some vacancies."
The vulpine reached into his coat pocket and produced a small piece of stationary, raising his arm to present it to Fox. "My card, if you're interested—"
Scarlet sighed, and to Felix's chagrin, forced his arm back down. "Stop networking, Felix; it's a Christmas party. Sorry, Fox; he's just desperate after his company nearly pulled a Chapter 11. Listen, have you seen Cassie anywhere? I want to introduce her to Fox."
"Fine. I believe she's out on the deck at the moment, which would be... right over there," he finished, pointing.
"On the deck?" Fox asked in disbelief, glancing out the frost-covered windows at the snow-dusted yard.
"Oh! She must be setting up the hot tub," Scarlet exclaimed. "This should be fun! Well, see you around, Felix. Hey, you should join us!"
As Scarlet lead Fox away once more, Felix quickly glanced down at his watch. "I'd love to, but I've got an interview with someone in the guest room. I'll try to join you later."
On the way to the deck, they passed a small crowd of women circled around the hearth. The center of their attention appeared to be a red panda inexplicably dressed in a white karate suit. His audience giggled, gasped, and jokingly praised the panda as he aggressively performed a series of martial arts moves.
After he finished showing off, the panda struck a ridiculous stance, panting as he scoured the room with his eyes. "KFC... doko ni aru?"
"Katina Fried Chicken?" one of the girls asked, skeptically. "On Christmas?"
Fox missed the rest of the exchange, for at that moment, Scarlet pulled him out onto the deck. The porch was raised nearly a story above the ground, for the house was built on the side of a hill. The incline behind the house swept downwards into an evergreen forest, the branches of which were covered in a sparkling layer of snow. Near the edge of the wooden deck was set a white acrylic hot tub, already bubbling, steaming, and melting the snow blanketing the porch around it.
Shutting the door behind them and trapping the two in the cold, Scarlet called, "Cassie! You out here?"
The head of a female arctic wolf poked above the far edge of the hot tub. "Oh, Scarlet! I was wondering where you went." She stood up and walked out from behind the hot tub, carrying a bag of maintenance chemicals with her. She was a few inches taller than Fox, with a sleek yet well-curved figure to match her extra height, and wore a red Christmas-colored dress that made her look like a piece of red velvet cake — with cream cheese icing. Plenty of cream cheese icing.
She smiled warmly when she saw Fox. "But I see you've brought a friend. And who is this handsome devil?"
"Cassie, meet Fox McCloud," Scarlet said, introducing him. "I told you I'd bring him. I figured it would be rather boring without a man."
"Oh, I'm sure we could make it just as interesting," Cassie commented. "Still, he'll make a welcome addition. As you can see, I went ahead and heated up the hot tub."
Scarlet pinched Fox's suit and tugged on it several times. "Alright, Fox; off with this. We wouldn't want to ruin your suit, now would we?"
"Wait, hold on now!" Fox demanded, breaking free from Scarlet's grasp and taking a step back. "You've been leading me around the entire house without even pausing to listen to me! Scarlet, you have to understand that I have other plans for tonight. Fara and I are trying to enjoy our dinner right now — I only came over to ask if you could turn the music down."
"Oh, is Fara your girlfriend?" Cassie asked, hopefully. "Say! You could bring her over here as well!"
But Scarlet shook her head furiously. "Afraid not, Cassie; she wouldn't approve. You haven't met her yet. Privileged and spoiled AF." Then, turning back to Fox, she asked, "Are you sure you won't spend even a little time in the tub? Fara wouldn't have to wait that long."
"No! I don't have a swimsuit with me, and I've already stayed here too long. Just turn the music down, and I'll be on my way. It was nice meeting you though, ma'am."
"Awww," Cassie lamented, disappointment twinging her features. But Scarlet was quick to step over to the lupine's side and whisper something in her ear. Cassie shared a quick glance with Scarlet before retreating back to the hot tub, while Scarlet left for the door back into the house.
"Well, Cass," Scarlet sighed, "Sorry it didn't work out as we planned. I'll show Fox to the door."
Fox waved a hand to the female lupine and gratefully turned to follow Scarlet inside. But before he could enter the house again, his ears stood to attention, catching the sound of a small metal object plopping into the water and clattering to the bottom of the tub.
"Oh no!" Cassie exclaimed, gazing helplessly into the bubbling water.
Sighing, Fox turned around to see what was wrong. "What happened?"
"I dropped my earring into the tub!" the wolfess explained, pointing into the water. "If we don't get it out, the water will corrode the metal."
"Well... I guess I could help. Here, let me." Fox stepped over to the side of the hot tub, already feeling the heat from the rising bubbles chase away the frigid winter air. Removing his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeve, he leaned as far out over the tub as he could and plunged his arm into the warm water. He groped around in the bubbling liquid for a few seconds, but he couldn't reach the bottom.
Grunting in frustration, he stepped back from the pool and began removing his shirt and tie. "Seems like I'll actually have to hop in to get the earring. But don't worry, I'll have it out in no time."
"Thank you, Fox; you're so sweet!" Cassie exclaimed, clasping her hands together.
After removing his shoes and gripping the zipper to his pants, Fox suddenly fixed Scarlet and Cassie with suspicious looks. Something didn't seem right.
"You will get my earring, won't you, Fox?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah, of course..." Fox continued stripping until he was down to his boxer briefs, heaping his clothes in a pile by the tub. Once he had removed his clothes, he self-consciously stepped over to the hot tub and climbed over the side. But as soon as his legs sank into the water, he was greeted with the feeling of pure bliss. He tried to keep the wonderful sensation from making him linger in the tub, but for the moment he could give into it.
With his back turned to Scarlet and Cassie, he stepped into the center of the large hot tub, sinking to his knees and allowing the hot water to rise to his chest. Taking a deep breath, he plunged his head beneath the surface and began feeling around the bottom of the depression for the elusive piece of jewelry. Finally, his hands closed around the tell-tale object, and his side quest was complete.
In a flash, he burst back out of the water, but his head bumped into something soft that kept him from rising. He sank back down, blinking the water from his eyes and reaching up to see what his head had collided with. His hand closed on a smooth round object that yielded as he squeezed it.
"Mmm, Fox, I never knew you were so forward," Scarlet purred.
With the water still clearing from his eyes, he looked up, and was greeted with the luscious red and white figures of Scarlet and Cassie, standing in the hot tub in front of him.
"Look, Fox; Christmas colors!" Cassie exclaimed, throwing an arm around Scarlet's bare shoulders.
"Gah!" Fox choked, removing his hand from Scarlet's chest and splashing backwards in the tub. "Girls, what are you doing!? Why aren't you wearing tops!?"
Scarlet chuckled, giving Cassie a friendly squeeze. "Silly Fox; it's because they wouldn't match with our bottom pieces."
Fox looked down. "What bottom pie—"
In an instant, his face turned redder than Scarlet's velvet pelt. Jumping up, he grabbed the ladies' shoulders and forced them to take a seat. "Get down!" he hissed. "Do you want people to see!?"
Laughing hysterically, Scarlet and Cassie gave into Fox and sat down on the hot tub's seat ledge — though they grabbed his arms and pulled him down with them. Trapped between the two seated canids, Fox crossed his arms to avoid brushing against their sides. The women wouldn't let him escape contact, however, as they each threw an arm around his shoulders. Though the foaming water now rose to their waists, their chests still remained above the water — too high for Fox's comfort.
The vulpine glared angrily at Scarlet. "You planned all of this, didn't you? The music, the hot tub, the earring? It was all one big dirty trap!"
Scarlet rolled over onto her side to face Fox, laying her arm across her leg and returning his glare with a playful smile. "Aw, come on, Fox. Admit it; you're glad you got in with us."
Fighting a losing battle to keep his eyes on Scarlet's face, Fox warned, "But there are guests inside the house! They're bound to see us!"
"Ah, they're all good friends," Cassie assured him, dismissing his worries. Then, as the red panda from earlier passed by a window, she pointed and waved at him. "See? He's a great friend. Can't remember his name, though."
The martial artist paused by the window and returned the wave, grinning as he held up a box of fried chicken. He continued on past the window, not giving the naked canids a second thought, but in a flash he was back again, plastering his face against the frosted glass and gawking at the women in the tub.
As Scarlet and Cassie giggled at the panda's reaction, Fox let himself sink down into the hot tub in shame. "Seriously, girls, this is getting out of hand. I only meant to be here for a minute, and Fara's going to start wondering where I — oooh!"
Cassie had crossed her legs underneath her and started rubbing Fox's bare back and shoulders with her soft paws. "Looks like Mr. Foxie needs to loosen up. You know, always having tense muscles is bad for your health. Let me relax those muscles a bit."
"Enough!" Fox exclaimed, jumping up from his seat and sending torrents of water from his chest. "I'm sorry, but I have to be going, ladies. I have a date with Fara I need to get back to!"
To his dismay, Scarlet leaped up as well, strategically positioning herself between Fox and the house. "You're not getting out of this one, Fox. You'll have to go through me!"
"Scarlet, stay down, please!" Fox begged, trying to force the vixen below the water again.
"Uh-uh! Not unless you get back in with us. Cassie, give me a hand here. Operation hot tub is still incomplete!"
To Fox's surprise, the lupine stood up behind him as well, clapping her wet body tightly against his back and wrapping her arms firmly around his waist. Tugging him backwards, she crooned, "Come on, Fox; back in you go."
Increasing Fox's horror even further, Scarlet threw her full weight against his torso. His eyes bulged and his throat emitted a high-pitched whine as her voluptuous breasts compressed against his chest. Fox was now sandwiched between the two women, helpless to escape. Still, he struggled against them and refused to sit back down, grasping at any part of Scarlet's body he could to force her off of him.
"FOX JAMES MCCLOUD!?"
All three canids froze in fear, hopelessly entangled in each other's limbs. Turning the whole sandwich of bodies sideways so he could see around Scarlet, Fox looked at the newcomer.
James stood just outside the door to the deck, holding a large stack of boxes in his arms. "Remember to have plenty of fun, son!"
Fox heaved a massive sigh of relief; it had only been his father. He didn't know what he would have done if it had been—
At that moment, Fara stumbled out onto the deck, covered in confetti, streamers, and a Santa hat. When she saw Fox pressed against the other two women, her face balked in pure horror.
Fox felt his stomach drop again, realizing he was currently grasping Scarlet's shapely backside, previously in the hopes of forcing her back into the tub.
One by one, Fara flung the streamers and clumps of confetti from her dress, finally ending with the Santa hat. "What in the hell are you doing, Fox!?"
Taking his arms from around Scarlet, he pleaded, "Fara, listen to me—"
"I was waiting to eat until you got back, but by the time the food got cold, I thought you were up to something suspicious. You made me come all the way over here and walk through that nightmarish house to get to you! My ears were blasted with that god-awful music, I got confetti and silly string sprayed all over my dress, and some shady creep dressed in a Santa outfit tried to sell me some guns from the black market! And you know what topped it all off? I finally make it through that limbo of a party and find you in a... in a... an orgy!"
"I can explain everything, Fara, just let me—"
"No sir!" Fara shouted, flying into a fit of rage. "I can't believe you, Fox! You invite me over to your father's house to spend a few nights with me, and instead I find you in the arms of two other women! And why you chose that-that slut over me, I'll never know. Well, if you'd rather spend your Christmas in the arms of that woman, then fine! Have it your way!"
Fara raised her nose in the air and stamped off into the house, leaving Fox, Scarlet, and Cassie alone in the pool.
Fox stood there for a full minute, silently staring with his mouth open where Fara had just been standing. Hesitantly, Scarlet ventured, "So... more time in the hot tub, right?"
Slowly, Fox rotated his head to face Scarlet. For several seconds, he fixed her with his horrified blank stare. Then, in a flurry of movement, he wrenched free from the prison that was Scarlet and Cassie, and dove for the edge of the hot tub. He slipped on the bottom of the acrylic pool, causing him to sprawl across the wall of the hot tub. Frantically, he scrambled to crawl over the edge, but Scarlet wasn't prepared to let him go without a fight. She flung herself across the tub, grabbing onto Fox's underwear before he could slip away. As he flipped over the edge of the hot tub, Scarlet stubbornly held onto his briefs, causing them to slip off as Fox landed on the porch and crawled away. Like a wild animal, he scurried on all fours to the edge of the deck before he mounted the railing and leaped off, landing in the snow below and disappearing into the woods behind Cassie's house.
Rising to her feet and waving Fox's underwear, Scarlet called, "Wait, Fox! You'll catch pneumonia and freeze to death out there!" But when no answer came back from the forest of evergreens, she sighed and sat back down in the warm tub, crossing her legs.
Crossing her arms and pouting, she huffed, "Party-pooper."
Turning back to face the house, Scarlet and Cassie noticed the red panda from before, sitting on the seat ledge across from them. He grinned.
"Oppai!"
K.S. REYNARD'S AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This installment was written almost entirely by Elarix, with a few mild revisions on my part. The reverse is true with the first chapter. He commented that he was getting the better end of the deal by writing this part of the story, but I was the one who suggested that he write in the first place. The final installment is an even split between the two of us.
ELARIX'S AUTHOR'S NOTE:
If anyone likes heavier music, or is just interested in this Easter egg, the first song played at Cassie's party was "Bounce" by System of a Down, and the metalcore cover of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is a collaboration by Eskimo Callboy, We Butter the Bread with Butter, and a few other bands signed to Redfield Records. Either song is pretty head-bangeable.
