Continued from Chapter 84
Samantha Hopps is Sophie Ripley's character!
Samantha Hopps entered the bookstore as a petty criminal might. Her steps were guarded and her amber eyes darted around nervously. She pet at one of her cream-furred arms with her other paw to try to still her nerves. The bunny avoided aisles occupied with other mammals. Samantha felt as though she were a string being pulled taut and hastened her pace, heading toward a fitness and well-being section. Her eyes flitted over the titles until she found an intriguing one. Picking it up and thumbing through it quickly, she then closed it and started making her way to the checkout counter.
"Rh...!" Samantha's teeth grit tightly as she saw who, or rather what, the only mammal at the checkout was. Looking around as if for an escape, she started to walk backwards, wondering if she could convince another employee to get to the register. Feeling an additional burst of shame, she turned around.
"Samantha?"
Samantha started with a terse yelp as she turned around to find one of her sisters, Violet Hopps. Violet had on her usual sweater, which she seemed to wear no matter how warm it got, a skirt, and her glasses. In her arms she had a book closely guarded to her chest, and around her shoulder was slung a carrying case for her iPawpad.
"Violet!" Samantha adopted a readied stance instinctively, though it looked somewhat comical as she was also holding a book. "You know better than to sneak up on me! What are you doing here!?" She quickly changed into a more casual stance.
"Yes, sneaking up on you is a poor idea," Violet wrinkled her nose. "But I did not do that. You nearly backed into me. As to what I'm doing here?" She nodded down at her book. "Bookstores are one of the last bastions of my people." She smirked.
"I thought 'your people' would just download your books nowadays," Samantha pointed accusingly at her electronic device.
"My iPawpad is for business, books are for pleasure," Violet returned. "There's nothing like the tactile feeling of a book, it's weight, it's smell. We aren't quite to that level of intimacy with electronic devices yet, and I hope we don't rush to get there."
"So uh, what do you have?" Samantha tried to slowly circle around Violet as to make her way back to the fitness and well-being section to put her own book back.
Violet smiled, holding up the book. "Oh! This is the latest from humorist Dave Beary. He lives in Meowami, Flowerdia. Crazy place." Violet chuckled. "His usage of hyperbole, comparisons, and running jokes is just sublime."
"Didn't take you for much of a funny person," Samantha scoffed over her shoulder as she continued walking away from Violet.
"Well, I suppose there's a lot we don't know about each other, Samantha," Violet said. "Such as why you would be here at a bookstore." Samantha flinched as she had almost gotten away from Violet, but the latter hastened to catch up to her and look at her book. She bent over while reading the title, which Samantha was trying to obscure from her. "Hm... 'Lapine Meditation and Revitalization'. Sounds appropriate for you."
"Tch, what do you know?" Samantha growled defensively.
"Are things not working out with your therapist?" Violet straightened up and tilted her head slightly.
"Well, uh," Samantha turned her head, sighing as she closed her eyes briefly. "Well here's the thing about books, Vi. They don't judge you."
Violet's eyes narrowed. "Is your therapist judging you? It might be prudent to get a new one, then."
"I don't know, it's just..." Samantha sneered, taking a few more steps away from Violet. "Therapists have to hide behind whatever their own ideas are, right? They have to say the professional, 'correct' things. Who knows if it's really how they feel?"
"So you'd like healing to come from a more personal level," Violet observed.
"I want to fix myself!" Samantha said, sweeping a paw out. "I'm strong enough to get past this, I know I am! I'll be best pals with Nick the next time he comes over, you'll see!"
"I have no doubt of your strength of any kind," Violet said warily. "But don't set a time limit on how long this should take." She shook her head. "Anyway, I've found meditation to be helpful occasionally, so I hope that book can help you. Perhaps I could even help you with some of the techniques?"
"Please. When do you have time for that?" Samantha sucked at her teeth. "Our little Hopps organizer egghead spends all of her time getting things down at the farm in order. I'm surprised you found the time to come here."
"So you're saying I couldn't budget out some time to help my sister?" Violet had a blank look. Samantha momentarily didn't respond.
"Here, if you want to help me..." Samantha started digging in her wallet. She offered a crisp green bill and her book to Violet. "Here's twenty bucks. Could you go buy this for me while you're getting your humor thing?"
"I... could?" Violet looked at the book and the money, taking both. She looked toward the checkout counter. The only mammal there was a female kit fox with crystal blue eyes. She seemed to be just as tall as the two bunnies talking to each other, but her smaller ears made her seem shorter. The vixen appeared to have her nose stuck in a thick graphic novel; she was enchanted by it. "Ah."
"Don't 'ah' me," Samantha glowered at Violet. "As if you know all of my problems."
"I know of your history with foxes," Violet said, sighing. "I can see why you'd want my help."
Samantha sighed. "Thanks-"
"However, given her size..." Violet narrowed her eyes. "Were she to lunge at you from behind the counter, all you'd have to do is deflect one paw while leveraging the other one and her motion to roll her across your shoulder and onto the floor." She demonstrated such a motion. Then, she sharply chopped down with her free hand. "Then, a sharp blow to the neck should incapacitate."
Samantha stared at her incredulously. "Okay. Okay. I see what this is. You're trying to make my feelings about vixens seem ridiculous in this context. Just because she's a little kit fox."
"Not at all," Violet said, her face still even. "There would be a non-zero chance of an attack by that kit fox. However, I think you are more than capable of subduing her." Violet suddenly looked contemplative. "You know, I've always wondered why they were classified Vulpes macrotis. 'Big ears'? You'd think a fennec fox would have gotten that name. Kit fox ears aren't even that large."
"You're unbelievable," Samantha said darkly, snapping up the meditation book from Violet with a flinch from the latter. "I'll get it myself." Samantha stormed closer to the checkout aisle, which was still currently empty. Feelings of apprehension and anxiety clawed at her, slowing her steps. The kit fox still had her full attention on the graphic novel, oblivious to the bunny's worry. With a groan of frustration, Samantha turned on her heel and rushed over to the section she had picked the book up from. Violet looked on in worry as Samantha plopped the book back down and walked over to her.
"It's not always about logic, Violet," Samantha held up her hands near her face and closed them. "You can lay out everything for me in that infuriating way you do, and I know she's not just going to pluck my life story from thin air or anything when she sees the book... but it's- it's about... feeling, you know? I just can't do something like this! Even though it seems easy. Even though I should be strong enough... it's just... rgh!" Samantha punched her hand into her fist. She let out a heavy sigh of shame and discouragement.
"Understood," Violet nodded once. She walked over calmly, picked up the book from the shelf Samantha left it on, and headed to the checkout.
"No, Vi! What are you-?" Samantha followed her over, but stopped short and hid behind a fixture near the exit of the store.
Violet made a single huff of amusement when even standing right in front of the kit fox didn't provoke a reaction. She read her name tag and cleared her throat.
"Terra?"
The kit fox flinched dramatically as if she'd been wrested from a spell. "Oh! Oh, hi. Hi! Uh, reading on the job, not so professional! Hee...! Sorry." She closed the graphic novel and put it out of sight.
"What was that graphic novel?" Violet asked conversationally.
"We just got it in today, and I bought one right after all the pre-orders were set aside!" Terra smiled broadly, placing both paws on the counter. "It's the latest in the 'Piberius' series. It's this really cool story about masked vigilantes, and-" Violet held up a paw to halt her. The kit fox blinked twice.
"Ah, no spoilers," Violet said gently. "I'd actually like to get into that series myself some day."
"Oh, you totally should," Terra nodded rapidly. "It's great! So um, enough about that... did you find everything okay?" Terra took the two books from her and gave a wincing smile at her outburst.
"Mm," Violet nodded. Terra scanned the first book. Samantha felt like her heart was beating fast even with no physical involvement in their exchange.
"Ooh, Dave Beary!" Terra giggled. "I can tell you like 'high brow' literature."
Violet laughed in return. "Says the vixen reading a comic book on the job."
"Graphic novel!" Terra pointed a finger up to correct her.
"Regardless," Violet chuckled. "Dave Beary never ceases to make me laugh. I have a feeling this book won't disappoint."
"Yeah, I loved his last collection!" Terra said, then scanned the other book.
"That one is for my sister," Violet offered. Samantha gasped, then grit her teeth tightly into a sneer.
"Meditation, huh?" Terra shrugged. "Never tried it. I can relax with a good book or graphic novel really easily."
"Well, I suppose some of us don't have it that easy; their problems aren't so easily cast aside," Violet said with an even face. "I'm hoping this will help."
"No, you're right, that's horrible to think about..." Terra nodded. "I hope it helps her..."
This was too much for Samantha, and she rushed out of the shop, slamming the door with her shoulder as she made her way out. Rubbing both shoulders with her hands, she furiously wandered around the sidewalk the store was on, cursing and muttering to herself.
Soon enough, Violet made her way outside the store, carrying a bag. Samantha angrily rushed over to her sister.
"Can you just not control yourself!?" Samantha flung both arms in the air, towering over Violet though they were both the same height. Violet defensively flinched backwards. "What was that all about!? Airing all my dirty laundry to some stranger! Some vixen!"
"Do you think I have no sense of propriety?" Violet managed to stay calm. "I didn't say anything sensitive."
"You're so nosy; such a busybody!" Samantha fumed, throwing her hands down next to Violet, nearly hitting her inadvertently. Violet flinched again. "Not even Judy is spared your wrath! You have to know everything about everyone!"
"I just want to help..." Violet said weakly. "You know I'm fussy and a worrier. I'm concerned about you." Violet pulled the meditation book out of the bag and offered it. Samantha slowly defused, taking the book. "Oh, and I got Terra's contact information."
Samantha recoiled with her jaw dropped as if struck. "You what?"
"Yeah, I'm thinking of doing a little book-club kind of meet up at our place, maybe once a month," Violet looked up into the sky. "Terra seems pleasant, and she's definitely enthusiastic about reading; maybe she could help cultivate such interest in the younger ones."
"I just... you what-" Samantha sputtered. "Are you trying to aggravate me? Are you trying to make my life difficult!?"
"I'm not, Samantha," Violet's lip twitched, betraying a small twinge of hurt. "I hope someday you see that." She turned around and walked away with her head slightly bowed. She moved brisker than her normal pace.
Drained, Samantha scoffed at herself and sighed in fatigue. "Violet... ugh." She made a face at the book she had her sister buy for her, then turned around to walk to her vehicle. As she did, the crisp twenty dollar bill that she had given Violet dropped out of the book's cover and onto the sidewalk.
Samantha slightly gasped as she noticed this, and stooped to pick it up.
With a small grumble and a sigh, she pocketed the money and started to head home.
She had some reading to do.