Fay Tells All: I

Just as the tea kettle began to whistle, Fay Sinclair heard a knock at her door. The spaniel smiled, and her tail began to wag.

"Coming!" she called, turning off the stove top, and placing the kettle off the burner. "Be right there!"

Fay opened her door. Standing on her door step was a blue vixen with a happy and slightly nervous look on her face; the nerves made sense, being that this was likely the vixen's first time being in one of Corneria City's ritzy corners. Fay was grateful for her noble birth and the privileges it gave her—like the financial security—but she could resent it for how nervous it made people who didn't know her.

"Krystal!" she said, wrapping the vixen in a warm hug to her chest. Her height helped her give the best hugs, and she felt Krystal relax. "I'm so glad you could make it! You found my place easily, I hope?"

"With yours's and Fox's help, I did," said Krystal, smiling up at her. She walked inside behind Fay, and put her coat on the coatrack. "You weren't kidding when you said this was the more aristocratic part of the city. It reminds me of a similar place on Cerinia." The blue vixen got a wistful look in her eye in the mentioning of her home planet.

Fay gave her a reassuring smile. She didn't know the details, but from what Fox told her about Krystal something terrible happened to the vixen's home planet. Fay was curious—she was always curious about people, especially one of Fox's new friends—but she knew such information was not her business. The vixen would tell her when she was ready, if that time ever came.

Fay led Krystal into the living room of her home and served tea. They settled into their chairs, and with the practiced eye of a good hostess Fay saw Krystal visibly relax at the taste of the tea and the coziness of her winged chair. That made Fay happy. It was cute to see guest in her home feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"You know," said Krystal, placing her mug on her lap, "I didn't expect Fox to have a friend in high society.

Fay giggled. The Sinclairs were one of Corneria's oldest and wealthiest families; they were quite the bluebloods. "I get what you mean, darling. Fox is a practical person, with little frills attached; it's that country-boy part of him he got from Papetoon. It seems like he would avoid aristocrats." Fay smiled fondly. "Fox has an eye for good people, though. He makes a wonderful friend, that way."

"He does," said Krystal, smiling. Fay internally aww'd at the vixen's look when talking about Fox. "Fox is a sweetie, I've gathered that much." She took a sip of her tea. "So, he told me you two met in high school?"

"Yes," said Fay. "He was a freshman. I was a junior."

"Freshman? Junior?"

Fay explained the particulars of Cornerian education structures.

"Ah," said Krystal. "Back on Cerinia, most education was done in the home, with apprenticeships at the higher levels."

"Interesting!" said Fay. "But yes, Fox was a newbie to Corneria Central High when he stumbled into my life." She sighed nostalgically. "It's crazy to think this happened so long ago, it feels like."

Krystal sat up and leaned forward, balancing her tea on her lap. "How did the two of you meet, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, that is a story," Fay said. "I'm not surprised Fox hasn't mentioned anything about it yet. I'm sure he still blushes when he talks about it."

"Now I know it must be quite the story," said Krystal, smiling.

"Oh, it is," said Fay. "It's not every day that you get to meet a boy in the girl's locker room."

Krystal blinked. There was a pause, and Fay busted out laughing, her cackles filling the room while Krystal sat still, politely confused. It was miracle she didn't spill her tea.

"Oh," said Fay, wiping a tear from her eye. She collected herself. "Oh goodness, I need to explain! The way I said it makes you think Fox was peeping and I promise you that's not what happened! And, oh my goodness Krystal your face is incredible."

Now Krystal started to giggle. "Oh, yeah, I probably was a sight," said the vixen. "It's just the way you said it so casually. It was unexpected. And yes, Fox doesn't seem the sort of person to do such a thing."

"After that opening, I have to tell you about it, don't I?"

"Yes, please," said Krystal, leaning forward in her seat. It was adorable, how giddy she looked. "How did it all happen?"

"Well," said Fay, "It all started the first day of my junior year. Me and the cheer squad were performing for the pep rally at the beginning of the school year, something to get freshman excited for high school. All of the freshman were packed into the basketball gym, and…"


As Fay surveyed the basketball gym packed with new students, she smiled. Here were the huddled masses of freshies, all about to enter the most fabled chapters in education on Corneria—their high school years. While the New Student Pep Rally was a great time to freshen up cheer skills and routines for the next year, it was also a wonderful time to people watch.

There were the familiar patters. Fay spotted students looking excited to be here and eager to get their high school years started. There were students who looked visibly nervous, shy and not talking to anyone next to them, who were either new students to Corneria, or students dreading the start of the school year, or just shrinking violets. Then there were the students who clearly didn't want to be there; they looked bored or angry, heads propped in their paws and wearing looks that could kill. They either hated school, were mad that summer vacation was over, or were just having a bad day.

Fay could sympathize with the last two groups—coming to a new school was scary, and summer ending was always a bummer—but she enjoyed her time at Corneria Central High. It was a better experience than the private boarding schools she attended before arriving here—less stuffy, more freedom, and more interesting people.

Some of the freshies did look cute, too.

"Oh my gosh, Fay," said a voice beside her, a slightly ditzy Fay knew well. "Look at them all! They're all so cute! I want to hug all of them at once."

Turning, Fay saw one of her oldest friends at Corneria High, and one of her cheerleading teammates, Sheila Spitz. A husky with limitless energy reserves bolstered by the occasional sugar rush. She loved anything she deemed cute, and would probably take every freshman home with her with if it were possible to do so.

"You say that every year, Sheila," said Fay.

"You can't tell me they aren't cute," said Sheila, smiling knowingly at Fay.

"Some of them are," said Fay, nodding. "Though I don't think we could take them all home. We'd probably scare some of them, honestly."

"Aw," said Sheila, pouting. "Maybe. But some of them would be happy about it."

Fay scanned the front row, and stopped her gaze at two boys sitting on the edge of a row of bleachers. It was a fox and a frog. They were chatting with each other. Fay got the sense from their manner that they were the best of friends—they talked, gestured, and chuckled in the way that only best friends do. Fay smiling at the sight. She liked seeing other people look happy. And they did look cute, too.

"Who are you looking at?" said Sheila. The husky followed her friend's gaze. "Oh, that looks sweet. Two besties, probably. I like the fox."

"Yeah, he is cute," said Fay. "He looks friendly."

Fay watched the two boys a little longer. The fox chanced a moment to look up and look around—vague curiosity, Fay guessed—and his eyes found Fay's. The boy looked startled that someone was looking at him, and Fay gave him a friendly smile and wave, and in her peripherals she saw Sheila wave as well. The fox blushed and look startled, but he put on a bashful but sweet smile and waved back. The frog looked to where his friend was waving and burst into a deeper shade of scarlet than the fox's. Then the frog got to talking to the fox again, taking the fox's attention away from Sheila and her.

"Oh my," said Fay, giggling into her paw. "They are adorable. I think I'd take them home with me."

"Fay, I need you to hold my arm," said Sheila, bubbling enthusiasm in her voice. Fay thought she was vibrating too. "I'm actually about to march over there and sweep them into a hug, and claim them as mine." Fay did so, just as Sheila's tail was beginning to wag at supersonic speeds. Fay knew her friend, and knew the only thing stopping her from giving those boys a heck of Cornerian High welcome was, in fact, her paw.

"We need to talk to them," said Sheila.

"And give them heart attacks?" said Fay. "What else would happen if two new freshman boys saw two upperclassmen girls approach them? Cheerleaders, at that!"

"Aw, c'mon, Fay," said Sheila. "The fox would be alright. The frog, actually…he could have a heart attack though…"

The frog would, Fay thought. Still, she did want to go over there and say hi. The boys looked friendly, and Fay loved to make new friends.


Latter that day…

Fay stepped out of the showers in the girls locker room, wiping herself dry with her towel and humming to herself. It was after the first day of school, and she'd just finish doing extra workouts at the end of the day. She took her duties as cheer captain seriously; she liked doing some extra fitness work after school, and she enjoyed the solitude; she was the only one in locker room at the moment. The quiet gave her time to reflect, and right now she was reflecting on the Pep Rally.

It had gone well. The girls were a little rusty, but summer vacation did that. The enthusiastic students cheered, the shy ones less so, and the angry ones not at all. After the cheer routine came speeches from faculty, mostly about the upcoming joy of some of the freshman's most formative years. Fay remembered hearing that speech when she was a freshie two years ago, and smiled fondly.

Then Fay thought about that fox. She waved to him again at the end of rally, and he waved back. He blushed again, but that sweet smile was still there. Then they met again under funnier and cuter circumstances; while walking in the hall alone—the boy was lucky Sheila wasn't there, because it would have been crazy—Fay met the boy by bumping into him in the hall. Or rather, the boy had bumped into her chest while he wasn't paying attention. He was quite short for his age, and she was quite endowed, so he was in quite the position. This explained his reaction; he gave her a shocked and mortified look, blushed, and then scurried away.

"I need to see him again soon," said Fay, finishing with her towel and beginning to put her underwear on. "I need to let him know that I know it was an accident." She frowned in concern. "Poor dear. I don't want him to be afraid of seeing me now."

She shook her head to clear away her worries—she would see him again and reach out to him about it—and started humming again, finishing putting on her bra and panties. Then she heard something fall to the ground.

Fay looked up. She didn't hear anyone come in. Thinking about it for a moment, she realized that sound came from the supply closet. She walked over to the closet door.

She heard a gasp.

"What in the world?" said Fay. She opened the door.

Standing at the back of the closet, facing her with a paw over his eyes and another paw raised, was the fox from the pep rally. He stood straight at attention.

"I have an explanation," said the fox, trying his best to sound calm. He was shaking a little, cutting a contrast to his tone, and Fay picked up—and her heart went out to him—a bit of fear in his voice. "I was chased around the school by some bullies, after I stopped them from beating up a friend of mine earlier in the day. They were waiting for me after school. We fought for a bit, then I had to run because there were too many of them, and ducked into this locker room, then I noticed it was the girls locker room when I saw the signs and when I heard a girl singing in the shower and I—"

"Waited for thirty minutes," said Fay, now wearing a bashful smile. That was her singing in the shower. "That was how long I was in the shower. You waited in here for thirty minutes?"

"Yeah," said the boy. "I didn't want to scare you. Then I bumped into a broom and it fell to the floor."

Fay's smile changed to friendly one. The boy's tone was honest and fretful, and the paw covering his eyes was enough to tell her he wasn't up to anything. And there was something adorable in the boy's earnest manner. It was a refreshing, straightforward simplicity. She liked him more immediately.

"I'm telling the truth," said the fox. "Honest."

Fay walked over to the fox and patted him on the head. "It's okay, I believe you," she said, and she could some of the boy's stress visibly leave his body. Her tail started to wag, and then she noticed the bruises and cuts on his arm and face. Fay frowned, putting a paw to her muzzle. "Oh my. You look really hurt."

"It's nothing," said the boy. "Just got a few lumps defending Slipp. Nothing I've never got before." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I should be on my way. I really shouldn't be in here."

"How are you going to get anywhere with your paw covering your eyes?" Fay asked, putting on her best big sister tone, with her hands on her hips and a concerned frown on her muzzle. "You could bump into something and hurt yourself further. And I'm in my underwear right now. Judging from your nerves, you look like you'd freeze up if you saw me."

The boy blushed, and Fay could feel the heat coming from him. "…you aren't wrong?" he said.

Fay giggled, and patted the boy on his head again before taking his free paw in hers. "C'mon, sweetie. I'll lead you to one of the benches in the locker room. I'll get dressed and get a first aid kit, and see to those bruises and cuts."

"But-"

"No buts," said Fay in her firm, sisterly tone. "You look hurt and I'm going to take care of you. I'll lead you to the benches slowly."

The fox let her guide him to the bench Infront of her locker. She told him to wait a moment while she got changed, and when she finished dressing, she told him he could move his paw.

"Are you sure?" asked the fox.

"I'm sure," said Fay. Then she touched his paw covering his eyes. "Here, I'll do it for you, okay?"

She moved it. Two green eyes—pretty green eyes, she thought—stared at her owlishly. There was still a faint blush on his cheeks. Recognition flashed across his eyes. "You're the girl from the pep rally," he said.

"Mmhm," Fay hummed, nodding. "And you're the cute freshman I waved to." She wagged her tail and gave him a dazzling smile, and his blush deepened. She worked hard to contain a squeal. "And the one who ran into me in the hall."

The boy looked away in shame, and Fay quickly patted him on the head again. "It's okay. I'm not mad. It was an accident, and besides, at least you bumped into something soft, right?"

He looked at her while she continued to pat him on the head, still blushing, but with a little smile blooming on his muzzle. "Yeah," he said. "Thanks for understanding. And thank you for believing me, by the way. I didn't want to make a bad first impression on my first day of high school."

"Sweetie, you're making a wonderful first impression," said Fay.

The boy smiled and scratched the back of his head. Fay felt the incredible urge to take him home with her. She would love him and squeeze him and kiss him and call him George, and her and her mother would fight over him. And Fay would win.

"I'm Fox," he said, holding out a paw. "Nice to meet you."

"Aw," said Fay, taking his paw and shaking it. "I'm Fay, sweetie. Nice to meet you too."

"Fay, huh?" said Fox. "Honestly, I wanted to meet some new people on my first day, but I didn't think I would meet an upperclassmen cheerleader." He put his paws in the air with a worried look. "I didn't mean that badly, I just wasn't expecting it. I thought the different grades just kept to themselves."

Fay giggled into a paw. "Well, high school is full of surprises. Just see this as a lesson, Fox." She batted her eyelashes at him. "Aren't you a lucky little darling, getting to meet a pretty girl and get doted on by her?"

Fox sputtered, and Fay let out one of her cackling, full laughs. Fox watched her and smiled ruefully while scratching the back of his head again.

"And I'm already getting teased. This happens a lot," said Fox.

"Really? Well, I'm not surprised. You're easy to tease because you are earnest," said Fay, sitting beside him. "And that's a good quality. You're also cute, too."

Fox chuckled. "I'm an easy target," he said, rolling his eyes. "It's a curse."

"It gets you attention," said Fay, patting him on the back.

Then Fay became aware of steady, growing, squealing noise filling the room. Her ears perked up, as did Fox's, and she deduced the sound was coming from the entrance to the locker room. She looked in that direction. And there was Sheila, staring at Fox with a predatory look in her eyes. Fay could practically see the hearts in those eyes, and she faintly wondered how long her husky friend had been watching.

"Am I in trouble?" Fox asked.

Yes, thought Fay. Though not in the way you're thinking.

"Sheila," said Fay quickly, "don't—"

Before Fay could stop her, Sheila launched herself at Fox, a squealing missile that wrapped itself around the boy in a tight hug. Sheila was even taller than herself, and a tad more busty, which meant that Fox was in the grips of a soft and all-encompassing husky hug; Fox's head was buried in Sheila's bosom, and the boy never had a chance of getting out of the way in time.

"Fay!" Sheila said. "It's him! The freshman from earlier! How dare you steal him away for yourself?"

"Sheila—"

"How did you lure him in here?" the husky asked, tail wagging. "Was it hugs? It was hugs, wasn't it? You know I'm better at those!"

"Yes, Sheila, but—"

"And he's even cuter up close, oh my goodness," said Sheila, swaying side to side and cuddling Fox close. "So, I was thinking, I can keep him during the week, and you can keep him during the weekends but I get holidays—"

"Mmmmph!" said Fox.

"Sheila!" said Fay.

"Huh? What is it?" said Sheila, cocking her head to the side.

"He can't breath," said Fay.

Sheila looked down and noticed the beet-red and purple Fox struggling in her arms. "Oh. Oh!" Oh jeez, sorry cutie!"

It actually took a moment to pull him out, his muzzle being wedged so deep in Sheila's chest. The boy sat against the lockers, catching his breath.

"I'm sorry," said Sheila, rubbing his back. "I should've warned you I was about to hug you like that."

"Warn?" said Fox, cocking an eyebrow.

"Sheila is…something of a force of nature around cute things," said Fay, looking sheepish. "Sheila, you need to control yourself."

"Sorry," said Sheila, looking sheepish herself.

"It's fine," said Fox. He looked at the husky with a friendly smile. "Honestly, I thought you would be mad at me, seeing me here."

"Why would I be?" said Sheila.

"Well, this is the girl's locker room."

"Oh, if Fay isn't mad about it, it's probably fine. She's chill like that."

Fox stared at her, and then looked at Fay. Fay gave him an easy smile.

"Anyway, Fox," said Fay. "Meet Sheila, my best friend. Sheila, this is Fox."

"Hiya!" said Sheila, shaking Fox's paw. "Nice to meet you. You are the cutest freshman I've ever seen."

Fox chuckled. "Nice to meet you too," he said. He looked at ease, and Fay thought it sweet to see that. Especially considering where he was a few minutes before.

"Sheila," said Fay, "fetch me the first aid kit, please. Fox got roughed up in a fight and needs to be patched up."

"Oh!" said Sheila, noting Fox's bruises. "Poor thing. Here, I'll help too."

And so the two of them set about tending to Fox's injuries, with Fay explaining how Fox found his way into the locker room. Sheila thought it was a good story, and pretty cool that he picked a fight to defend a friend. Fox said it wasn't a big deal; he'd been doing that for Slippy—the frog sitting next to him at the pep rally—for years. Sheila said that was awesome, and Fox blushed about it. Fay got the sense the boy was still a bit self-conscious, but he was visibly relaxed with the two of them. He was probably enjoying the friendly attention too, which was fine.

When they finished, Fox stood up. "That does feel better," he said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Fay.

"Don't mention it," said Sheila.

Fox looked at the door to the locker room thoughtfully. "How will I leave, though? Won't someone see me?"

"You could pass as a vixen," said Sheila. Fox gave her a flat look, and Sheila started laughing.

"You'll be fine," said Fay. "We'll walk out with you. Anyone asks questions, we'll explain."

"Thanks," said Fox. "I really appreciate that." Then the boy looked like he wanted to say something; he opened his muzzle, then closed it, and then took a deep breath.

"Something wrong, Fox?" Fay asked.

"Wanna be friends?" Fox asked. He blurted the question out, like he was happy to just get the words out and into the air.

Fay and Sheila looked at each other, growing conspiratorial smiles on both their muzzles. Their tails revved up.

"Fox," said Fay, puffing herself up and adopting a slightly aristocratic tone. "Let me see your phone, if you please."

Fox gave it to her. She punched in her number and handed the phone to Sheila, who then punched in her number. Then the two girls added Fox's number to their phones. Sheila gave Fox's phone back to him, a large grin on her muzzle.

"Your first mistake," said Sheila, "was asking that question. Now we have your number."

"And that means you are our responsibility," said Fay, folding her arms. "A poor freshie new to Corneria Central High with no one to guide him? No, no, it simply won't do."

"Oh really?" said Fox, his own tail starting to wag.

"Yup!" said Sheila. "We're your friends now, and we're taking you under our talons-"

"Wings," Fay said.

"Wings!" said Sheila. "Under our wings, to guide you like any good upperclassmen should. You will never escape."

"What have I got myself into?" said Fox, a good-grief sort of look on his face, betrayed by a growing smile.

"Too late now!" said Fay, who reached over and pinched Fox's cheek. "We're friends!"

"Yup! Too late!" said Sheila, pinching his other cheek.

"Hey! Quit it!" said Fox. He was still smiling.


Present day…

"And that's how Sheila and I adopted Fox," said Fay.

Krystal, by the end of the story, was leaning forward in her chair and grinning. "That," she began, "is one of the cutest stories I've ever heard."

Fay giggled. "It helps that Fox really was a sweetie, even back then. And before he hit his growth spurt in his junior year, he was our smol boy." She sipped her tea. "We could put him in a pocket and take him home."

"You've known him for some time, then," said Krystal.

"Yes," said Fay. "It's been something to watch him become what he is now." The spaniel looked out the nearest window wistfully. "Corneria knows him as a hero. Sheila and I know him as our little brother."


A big thanks to Sheppard for letting me use Sheila. She is a joy to write for.