Chapter 4: Lucid

Marie's ringtone of I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas filled the air. It was loud enough to startle the squirrel behind the counter. The family of bunnies looked annoyed.

I gotta feeling (ooooo hoooo) that tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good good night...

She anwsered it quickly, not wanting to disturb the other customers any more than she already had, "Hello?"

"Oh! Marie! Hi," The voice on the other end said. It sounded worried. It sounded faintly... familiar, in a way. Marie heard a faint tapping in the background.

"Oh, hey," She replied calmly, but annoyed. She realized who it was; the annoying kitsune named Redd spoke nervously on the other line of the phone.

"Well, I was wondering if you could come to work," He suggested, "Like, right now. You don't have to be dressed up or anything."

"Why?" Marie asked, irrated.

"Well, it's the kind of situation that needs your tea making skills," He replied. Tea? Was that what was worrying him?

"Fine," She sighed, "I'll be there soon." She turned off her phone. "I'm sorry Malachi, but I have to go. Thank you for everything." She grabbed her milkshake, and rushed out of the ice cream shop. She didn't hear Malachi calling after her.

Marie ran down the street, knocking over an old tiger in the process. "Sorry!" She called back, but kept running. The bus stop finally came into view, and Kapp'n was just pulling in. I'll make it! Marie thought anxiously as she run up the steps on the bus. She paid the bus fair, and sat in the back seat.

What could Redd want? She wondered. Marie realized that she still had her milkshake in her hand. She was surprised it didn't bust from the tight death grip she was holding it in. Marie tried to calm down, but everything she was doing wasn't working. She tried to count backwards from ten, taking deep breaths, and thinking about snow, but nothing worked.

The bus (after what seemed like forever) finally stopped at Volante City. She jumped off of the bus and halfheartedly jogged towards the shop. She actually knocked. Redd didn't open the door before he had the chance.

Marie was certainly confused. She walked in, to find an exotic black panther standing in the middle of the shop, tapping her paw on the floor to relieve some nervous energy. "Uh..." Marie said, "Hello?"

"See, Katrina?" Redd rushed over to the cat, "She's just an employee. We are not in a relationship of any kind." He placed his paws on Katrina's shoulder, but she shoved him and backed away.

"No!" She shouted, throwing her hands in the air, "I don't care! I don't trust her."

"You don't trust me?" Marie spoke timidly. She never met this animal; how can she not trust her? Maybe she's xenophobic, but she looks foreign. Why?

"Listen," Katrina walked over to her. Her face changed from anger to that of sadness or sensitivity, "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but... who wears a maid outfit to a business that hardly gets any customers?"

Marie was shocked. This cat thought she was a prostitute? She sighed. I could say the same to you she thought.

"Well, I do," Marie had to chose her words carefully, crossing her arms, "The maid outfit isn't revealing. I just prefer to wear it. If it makes you feel any better, I'll wear something else."

Katrina sighed, "It's alright. I just wanted to hear it from you." She looked at Redd, "Oh, and we're breaking up." She had a thin smile on her face, and stomped out of the store.

She slammed the door behind her. Redd quickly rushed outside to try to get her back. "Wait! Katrina!" He shouted. Katrina didn't look back, and just flipped a very rude gesture at him. Redd walked back into the shop. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He directed his anger to the scary painting he had for sale. He punched a hole through it, knocking it off its easel.

"Are you alright, Redd?" Marie asked, cautiously taking a step towards him.

"No!" he exploded, "My girlfriend left me, and these damn forgeries aren't selling. Hell, nothing's selling! Nothing! Not even the furniture."

It took everything for Marie not to smile. "Okay," She redjusted her purse, getting ready to leave, "I still have to come here for work tonight, right?"

"No," Redd sighed, "If Katrina is going to be this suspicious, you might as well be fired." He looked at her. The painting was completely ruined and probably wouldn't be sold now or in the future.

"Marie, you're fired."

A/N- Didn't get to my 1,000 word quota, but I figured I should post this anyway.