Continued from Chapter 96
This will be the final entry in the Vixen series. Thanks once again to Sophie for letting me see this through with her character Samantha Hopps.
Samantha wondered how she got herself into her present situation as she got into the steel-blue, sporty-looking car. She didn't often go to Serendipiday unless she had some sort of excuse, though her excuse this year was... not what she had expected. She was the only passenger of the four-door vehicle, and the kit fox that got in the driver's seat shut her door, buckled up, and started the car.
She was in a car, alone, with a vixen. After all this time.
"Comfy?" Terra asked. Her bright smile exposed her small but decently sharp teeth.
"Not really," Samantha tried to sound airy, as if she was making a joke. Terra giggled in response; it sounded like she had fallen for it. Samantha sighed deeply. It was going to be Terra's first Serendipiday. She wasn't much younger than Samantha, but had never been to the festival by herself. Samantha wondered why that was. Terra said she was too shy to ask anyone else, but surely her family could have taken her? Did they not like bunnies? Did one of them have a gambling problem? These questions could easily have been asked would Samantha's mouth just open and work correctly. The one time she tried, a strange, wordless grunt escaped that thankfully the sound of the vehicle had drowned out. It was going to be a long thirty minute ride to the festival grounds. The sun hung low on the horizon, coloring the sky a pleasant, fiery orange. Once the sun went down, Serendipiday would start in earnest.
...Come to think of it, Samantha thought, wasn't taking someone to their first Serendipiday supposed to be special? Almost like a date? Samantha felt a deep pang of unease in her gut.
Terra was a vixen. ...A small vixen, true, one of the smallest. She actually didn't quite come up to Samantha's height, and with her smaller ears she looked even shorter. Cute, but not overly cute like those teddy-bear-esque fennec foxes could be. Samantha caught herself staring at Terra, who had a blithe, relaxed smile as she focused on the road with her crystal-blue eyes. Kit foxes had interesting colors to them; dusty grays framed her forehead, back, and muzzle top, while a layer of creamy orange decorated her arms, legs and cheeks. Accenting this were areas of white, with the underside of her chin smoothly leading into a little bib of white fur. Her paws were similarly adorned in white, almost like natural gloves and socks. This was all finished by a black tail tip at the end of a bushy gray tail.
Samantha realized she was staring again and slowly focused on the road, swallowing. Looking at Terra made her nervous. Didn't make any sense, of course. She was a tiny, lithe thing. She posed no real threat. Her personality was winsome and subdued as well. If only she wasn't a vixen.
"Y'know, sometimes I've thought about what it'd be like to be a bunny," Terra suddenly chirped up. Samantha slowly turned her head back to Terra, feeling a unique, deep form of discomfort that merged with the suspicion that her thoughts were somehow perceptible to the kit fox.
"No kidding?" Samantha folded her arms, feigning disinterest.
"Yeah, like I said, I grew up around so many bunnies, that I might as well have been one," Terra smiled. "But, there are things you can't get away from."
"Were you teased or persecuted for being a fox?" Samantha asked the question automatically, as if she was expected to.
"Not... really," Terra admitted, and her smile vanished.
"That didn't sound convincing," Samantha said flatly.
"No no, I'm telling the truth," Terra nodded. "They didn't outright tease me or hate me, it was more... subtle I guess? Maybe I just imagined it. I mean, I'm shy to begin with, but I kind of always sensed, maybe even smelled, this air of suspicion. They kind of just tended to exclude me from social things... I guess."
"Yeah, that sounds like bunnies," Samantha said with a wry tone. "We're always making little cliques. Familial cliques, cliques based on interest, lots of things."
"I did notice that," Terra said. "So, if I was a bunny, even if I was shy, I'd probably be in one of those groups, right? I wouldn't have to feel left out."
"I guess so," Samantha said. "It's kind of like having a family following you around wherever you go."
"Don't have any brothers or sisters," Terra laughed nervously. "That definitely wouldn't have been the case if I were a bunny!"
"Family life not so good?" Samantha wondered.
"No no, can't complain, really," Terra smiled widely; her voice cheerful. "Mom and dad are great. Supportive. I've never had any real problems in my whole life." Samantha looked away. Of course this fox had it easy if all she was doing was complaining about bunnies not liking her. Her voice became somewhat peculiar, almost mysterious. "I'm always reading comic books and graphic novels." Sam continued to look away, causing Terra to bite at her lip. "Um, I know you don't really care much for those, but... they get me thinking sometimes." Sam tossed her a disbelieving look. "Great heroes are tempered through adversity. Every time someone topples a trial, they become stronger. When they're plagued with problems, they're interesting and relatable. But I'm not like that. I'm... uninteresting, boring... untested." Terra frowned. "Sometimes I think I'm destined to just be one of those mammals who's on the sidelines of life. You know? Just that girl behind the book counter. Destined for mediocrity. Hehe..."
Samantha gave her a somewhat incredulous look that Terra caught and cringed away from as she drove.
"Yeah, pretty pathetic, right?" Terra grinned. "I mean, not everyone can be an interesting person I guess, or else there'd be no one to measure dullness against."
"You think you're dull?" Samantha asked.
"Oh yeah, oh yeah," Terra nodded, smiling. "Sorry for dumping all that on you, I dunno what came over me."
Samantha shrugged. "No big deal. Don't really have any advice for you, though."
"No no, wasn't asking," Terra shook her head. "I just wanted to say, uh... I appreciate this? Your offer to take me to Serendipiday. Might be the most interesting thing that happens to me all year!"
"Well, don't get your hopes up," Samantha huffed, smirking and punching her own fist into her arm. "You know how these luck-based things go. They're rigged so barely anyone wins."
"Woah ho! Wah ha ha ha ha!" A giraffe bellowed out a laugh with a strange cadence as lights and buzzers flashed on his "test-your-strength" game. The indicator had stopped less than halfway down, and Terra's swing had stopped the meter directly at the goal. She had a guilty smile with her shoulders arched up as the game made a loud din over her success.
"Huh, lucky," Samantha chuckled.
"First bullseye of the night!" The giraffe slashed his hand horizontally through the air. "Let ol' Sam give you a big prize!"
"Pardon me?" Samantha narrowed her eyes, putting her hands on her hips.
"Muh name's Sam!" he said, indicating the name of his stall. "Sam Tangiraffe's Test Your Luck/Strength Type Thingy!" the sign read in whimsical letters.
"Oh, right," Samantha relaxed a smidgen, folding her arms. "Weird."
"What's yer favorite color, little foxy girl?" the giraffe asked brightly.
"Uh, orange?" Terra smiled. The giraffe nodded, and from a nearby tent pulled out an enormous orange, blue-eyed Serendipity plush toy from it. Samantha's eyes bugged; the monstrosity was nearly her size.
"Holy squash!" Samantha blurted.
"...Whoa?" Terra winced. "That looks a bit... enormous."
"I'll carry it," Samantha said, and "oof"ed as the giraffe gave it to her. She wrestled with it to find a comfortable position, and ended with it balanced on her back. Terra tried not to laugh at the silly sight of the bunny bent a few degrees forward, carrying a ridiculously large plush.
"I... I can get it, I won it..." Terra offered politely.
"Yeah, no, I'm already carrying it," Samantha grumbled. "What do you want to do next?"
"Uh, we should probably get to the car so you can drop this thing off," Terra giggled into her hand. "I know I still have some coins left, but it'd be weird for you to lug that thing around all evening."
"...Yeah, guess so," Samantha shrugged, and the two headed back to the car.
"Oh, are you kidding me!?" Nick's voice came from far off, and Samantha had to smirk as he and Judy approached.
"Oh hey, Sam!" Judy said brightly.
"Sup?" Samantha smirked. Terra waved.
"You won a huge Serenidpidoll? You don't even like Serendipiday," Nick said in an aggravated voice.
"Ah, annoying a fox," Samantha grunted as she tried to steady the gigantic plush. "One of the finer pleasures in life."
"Right?" Judy laughed. "Speaking of foxes, I see you've brought Terra tonight! That's... unexpected!"
"Judy," Samantha's humor vanished.
"It's my first time!" Terra nodded happily. "Can't believe I won something this big already!"
"Yeah yeah, rub it in," Nick folded his arms, his eyes half-closing.
"You brought Terra to her first Serendipiday?" Judy looked utterly baffled, but Samantha's intense stare told her not to press the issue. Judy rolled her eyes away from Samantha and over to Nick. "Oh-kay then! Nick, let's go. We still have four coins between us."
"We're bound to win something," Nick shook his head. "The more we play, the more the odds have to be in our favor. I mean, probability-wise, it'd only make sense for us to win by continuing to play."
"I'm pretty sure this is how addictions get started, Nick," Judy smirked. "Let's go, hubby-fox." Nick gave a flippant wave to Samantha and Terra as he was dragged off.
Samantha got back in the car with Terra after all of their coins were exhausted. Samantha let out a small yelp as she saw the enormous form of the Serendipidy plush staring at her from the back seat.
"Jeez," Samantha rubbed her hand down her face. "That's pretty terrifying, for a bunny."
"Yeah," Terra laughed nervously. "I uh- I mean your sister Judy can be pretty intimidating."
"Guess so, she's still just a little sister to me," Samantha shrugged. There was a few minutes silence. "Hey uh, we put on a pretty good fireworks display at the Hopps Compound. After you drop me off why don't you stick around a bit for the fireworks?"
"Oh, that sounds cool; fireworks are great!" Terra nodded. Silence descended for a few minutes. Samantha started to become increasingly uncomfortable.
Night had fallen; and the stars were bright and the sky beautifully untainted by light pollution on the empty country roads.
It was a warm night just like this one...
With a vixen driving the car. She was supposed to take me home, but...
Samantha's breaths started to unsteady, but she shook her head subtly, as if refusing herself the memory.
The memories wouldn't be denied.
There was a vixen at the driver's wheel RIGHT THIS MOMENT, Samantha's mind shouted. She could take you anywhere and do anything she wants to you. She's a predator! A fox! A VIXEN! Samantha's breathing was becoming labored. She turned the radio up a bit louder. The bubbly pop music Terra had decided to inflict on the both of them should drown out her strange breathing.
Terra's ears flattened. "Uh, isn't that a bit loud for you?"
"No," Samantha lied, her own ears sitting back.
She wasn't feeling better. Terra sniffed, and she smelled something like intense worry from Samantha. Anxiety clamped onto Terra as well at this, and she shot Samantha a nervous look. Samantha was distractedly toying with her arms and face with her paws; she almost looked like she had a nervous tic.
"Samantha, are you okay...?" Terra asked weakly.
She knows everything! She can smell your fear! Samanatha's mind screamed in panic. Predator! Assaulter! Destroyer!
"Stop the car!" Samantha yelled suddenly.
"Wh-what!?" Terra flinched in surprise.
Samantha roughly smacked the volume knob of the radio to silence it, making Terra yip in panic. She bellowed: "I said pull over!"
Terra complied suddenly, making the car rock as she skidded to a halt on the side of an empty, nondescript road bordered by wheat fields. Samantha fumbled with the belt and unlocked it, and violently throwing the door open, she rushed into one of the fields, doubling over and hyperventilating. Terra remained in her seat, paralyzed with fear. She thought she heard Samantha muttering to herself, but the words were indistinct. A lot of them sounded vulgar. Terra waited an agonizing minute, and swallowing hard, she got out of her car and wandered meekly toward Samantha.
"Don't get any closer," Samantha warned. "Just go. Go home."
"Um..." Terra said. "And leave you here?"
"I'll walk," Samantha said, "I need the walk."
"It's... it's still a twenty minute drive, though," Terra offered weakly. "It'd take forever for you to get home and yh-you'll miss the fireworks."
Samantha glared at her. "Shut your plucking mouth and get in your car and leave me alone!" She pointed down the road.
"Ss-Sammy...?" Terra took a step back.
"SAMMY!?" Samantha spat. The anger in her voice burst.
"Ss-sorry, just slipped," Terra took two more steps back. Samantha remained still. "I'll uh... I'll be quiet; I'll keep the radio off. Jh-will you just let me drive you home? It's the least I can do..."
"You think I need anything from a one-note fox like you!?" Samantha yelled. "Go!"
Terra's jaw dropped halfway as she took another step and gasped when she backed into the car. Her eyes started to tear up and she mumbled incoherently.
"I just... jh-just... I uh..." Terra babbled, shaking her head. "Mmh... ngh..." She started to cry. One of Samantha's eyes narrowed and one of her lips curled up in distaste.
What a weakling. Someone strong like Judy or Nick would snap right back at her. Violet, even Violet would. She'd come up with something that bit right into Samantha's fur like those fox claws-
Samantha gasped.
"Mnh, I don't know what I did wrong..." Terra whimpered, collapsing onto her haunches next to the car. "I don't... I don't know. Just- what did I do? What... wh-what did I do wrong...?" Terra was crying hysterically.
Instantly, Samantha's own anger was doused and clarity returned to her. Terra yipped and whined as she cried, trembling as she tried to control herself. She struggled to her feet, using the car for balance.
"I'm sorry, I..." Terra hiccuped. "I thought- I just thought we were hh-having fun... I guess I messed- I did something wrong- sss-sorry..." Terra shivered again and sobbed.
"You... you didn't do anything wrong," Samantha was slightly disgusted with how calm her voice sounded. She was almost robotic. Couldn't she summon one ounce of empathy for that creature?
"I must've!" Terra protested, coughing. "Hh-how else could I have made you... hh-hate me so much? Mm-'m sorry you had to lug around that stupid plush."
"No, no Terra, it's for nothing so trivial," Samantha said, holding her hand out.
"So you do hate me, then," Terra sounded defeated.
"No!" Samantha balled her fists. "Listen... I- just... listen. There's no easy way to say this."
"Mh?" Terra squeaked pathetically.
"A vixen..." Samantha sighed, trying to center her breathing. She took several seconds to apply her techniques to remain calm. "A vixen used me. Took advantage of me. I've got scars all over my back to prove it. Want to see?"
"Nh-no," Terra shook her head violently. "No." Terra staggered and made an uncomfortable gagging noise, catching herself on the car with her hand. She held up her other hand to wave away Samantha's approach. It looked like Terra would be ill.
"So yeah, nice convenient excuse," Samantha sneered, mostly at herself.
"That's horrible," Terra wiped her eyes. "Just... monstrous."
"Yes," the bunny said blankly. "But I didn't need to take it out on you."
"Why-" Terra started.
"Because I'm an idiot!" Samantha shouted. "Okay? I'm stupid! I thought I was over this thing. I thought I was strong. Apparently I have a long way to go if I can snap at a harmless marshmallow like you!"
"Nh, no," Terra shook her head. "Not 'why did you yell at me'? Why did you agree to take me to Serendipiday...?"
"Because I..." Samantha broke herself off. Her mind went completely blank.
"Why put yourself through that?" Terra's lip wobbled. "Why even talk to me? I... I didn't know I was hurting you..."
"No, you- you haven't..." Samantha waved her hands side to side. "You're a nice fox." Samantha's jaw dropped open as if she was speaking a foreign language. "Yh-you're a nice fox. Huh. You're a nice fox!"
"Um...?" Terra looked confused.
"You're a nice fox!" Samantha excitedly placed her hands on Terra's shoulders, causing her to flinch in terror. Samantha's hands flew back from Terra's shoulders as if she had touched a hot stove. "Oh, sorry!"
"I'm confused, and a little scared," Terra understated.
"Me too!" Samantha balled her fists up, looking excited. Terra had to nervously chuckle.
"Hey uh, I can still leave you here, y'know, if you want," Terra tried a weak smile.
"No no, silly kit fox," Samantha shook her head, getting back in the car. "C'mon, we'll be late for the fireworks."
"You sure?" Terra tentatively re-entered the car.
"I'm sure we'll be late if you don't get that tail in gear!" Samantha shouted.
"Mm..." Terra said serenely, relaxing back on her paws propping her up on a grassy hill. "Those were nice fireworks."
"Told ya," Samantha nodded, seated much the same as she was. "Violet organizes a really good show. Which reminds me, she must have laid out a detailed plan beforehand if they still went off without a hitch..."
"She still feeling bad?" Terra tilted her head.
"I think so," Samantha shrugged.
Terra paused. "Are... you still feeling bad?"
"No, no..." Samantha assured. "I'm really sorry for blowing up at you tonight."
"I don't feel like I should blame you," Terra said meekly. "That's an awful thing to have happen to you. If I had known..."
"Well, that's not the type of thing you tell just anyone," Samantha chuckled wryly.
Terra frowned and shook her head. "I'm 'just anyone'."
"No," Samantha placed her hand delicately on Terra's shoulder. "You're a soft and sweet little kit fox, and the nicest fox I know. That's definitely something special."
Terra stared blankly at her, then blinked three times. She sniffed only once, then gasped.
"...Oh, great," Samantha wrinkled her nose.
"You're... attracted to me?" Terra asked in an awed voice.
"I am... attracted to foxes, yes," Samantha said, looking away from Terra, but only with her eyes. "That's part of how I got into that mess in the first place."
"But... you're attracted to me?" Terra's voice had a nervous giggle.
"...Yes?" Samantha shrugged, looking somewhat defeated.
Terra's muzzle twisted into a strangely-angled smile. She slowly moved her muzzle forward, and briefly gave Samantha's nose the briefest of touches with her own. Samantha froze during and after the act, finding her own nose twitching after it was kissed by the small, cold nose of the kit fox. That was definitely the first time a fox had done that to her. Terra smiled, her tail gently beating against the ground.
"Okay," Terra said simply, her face warm. Samantha exhaled slowly.
The two turned to watch the night sky together. Though the fireworks were over, the ambient light was still low enough that a number of stars could be seen twinkling in the inky darkness.
"So... can I call you Sammy, or..." Terra asked playfully.
"No," Samantha said curtly.
"Are you sure...?" Terra's tail wagged faster.
"No," Samantha repeated.
"Okay, so you're not sure if I can call you Sammy or not," Terra declared, holding an index finger up before letting the hand drop back to the ground.
"Terra..." Samantha grumbled. "Or should I call you 'Terrie'?"
"I don't mind!" Terra smiled. "If I can call you Sammy!"
"Aren't you suddenly brave?" Samantha playfully sneered.
"...Not as brave as you are," Terra said quietly, her tail stilling. Samantha's heart skipped a beat. Those crystal blue eyes were looking at her with admiration she'd never seen from another rabbit, let alone a fox.
"Yeah, I'm brave," Samantha smirked wryly. "This tiny little kit fox is so scary."
"Sammy..." Terra rolled her eyes. "I'm almost as tall as you, not counting our ears, y'know."
"Hey! I still haven't agreed to that name!" Samantha barked.