Hello readers! Here is a new update, enjoy!

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Chapter 6: Adolescence, Part 2

It's not long before Zhen and I end up in the city: boy…did her eyes light up brightly once we saw people again.

I too felt excited inside but being away…trapped on that hill for so long…it took a while for me to adjust to everything again. She and I walked around, getting a feel for everything. The gray vixen looked back towards me and said with delight in her voice, "looks like everything's the same…you thinking what I'm thinking, Mei?"

I crossed my arms, thinking to myself: let me guess, you really want to steal? We have everything we could ever possibly want back at the Chateau…what's the point? Is it simply for the thrill…to relive the good 'ol days?

The corsac fox tilted her head, ears falling in that direction (adorable, I know.) It's as if she's waiting for my reply…as if! I rolled my eyes to her and shrugged.

Fine…just for old-time's sake.

With haste, she grabbed my hand and led me through the street…scanning for easy targets (or as she calls them: Easy Marks.) We found one: a crocodile who was walking out of a store with a bag of coins holstered around his waist. Zhen and I looked at one another and nodded.

It went off without a hitch: we followed the reptile until there weren't as many witnesses as possible on the street. The fox across from me nodded before I ran ahead. I ran in front of the male crocodile: feigning ignorance as he bumped into me. He stops in his tracks as Zhen quickly runs up behind him on all fours.

"Watch where you're going!"

I threw my arms out, waving them in an attempt to diffuse the situation (mind you, I was wearing my mask so they couldn't tell if I was an animal or not.) I briefly looked slightly left to see the vixen reaching for the bag.

"I'm talking to you, are you stupid or something?"

I backed away and bowed, finally moving away as the crocodile resumed walking…scoffing in my direction, "pathetic."

As I looked on, Zhen moved to join me and smiled mischievously. She brandished the money bag to me, "hungry?"

…

We found a tavern not too far away from where we were. It must be new, for I don't remember ever seeing this street when we lived here.

Anyway, we made our way through, and once inside we were met with quite a chaotic, drunken scene. Zhen led me to a vacant table along a wall. Once we sat down, we ordered some traditional dishes and some hot tea. I had to be careful not to show my face, so I put on my mask between bites.

The grayish fox sighed in relief, looking at me (I was enjoying the "peasant" dish that was given to me.) "Is this the life or what?" She asked as I looked toward her with my mouth full (I kind of looked like a chipmunk in that instance, heh.) I nodded furiously in agreement. I certainly think it was worth it.

As we were enjoying ourselves, a group of animals (a hog, a crane, and a bull) were talking amongst each other: they planned to rob us.

As Zhen and I were finishing our supper: drinking the last of it away with Jasmine Tea, the three strangers walked up to us, just as I quickly hid my face with my mask. "That's quite a lot you two got there…" the hog muttered (their appearance is rough…many scars were on their tough hide.) The delinquents surrounded us, blocking any exit for us.

Still, Zhen decided to play along for the heck of it, "we do alright for ourselves."

"I'm sure you can spare something for the three of us?" The female bull added, placing a hoof on the table. The vixen gave a fake apologetic smile, "we're fresh out, sorry!"

"That bag you got seems to tell us otherwise" the crane murmured.

"Such an astute observer!" My companion chuckled in her high-pitched voice. She put her arms behind her back as she leaned back on her chair. I made a facepalm at this (both a physical and a mental one.) This is going to end a certain way for sure…

The three cracked their knuckles (technically not the crane because…well, they're a bird) just before Zhen and I looked at each other. Before the gang could react, the fox and I kicked the table toward them and all our leftovers and drinks fell toward them. Their leader is momentarily distracted by the falling debris and doesn't have time to see both our feet headed toward them. We kicked the pig in the face at the same time…managing to knock them out! Sure enough, the whole tavern (drunk and excited by what was happening) soon erupted into a brawl.

The crane tried to counter-attack, but I grabbed a cloth just as they pecked at us, and I wrapped it around their beak and forced them toward me. I managed to head-butt them…hard, and they were rendered inert by my attack.

As the scene around us became more and more destructive, Zhen and I barely managed to see the bull charging for us…brandishing their horns toward us! She and I ran to the wall and jumped off at the same time just as the bull impaled the wooden façade (and they got stuck as a result.) My best friend, funny enough, began to pickpocket the three criminals before we looked at each other, "triple score!"

I nodded, but I soon gestured the way out to her, we should leave.

She sighed, giving an annoyed expression, "give me a second." Sure enough, the sly fox began taking some other things from people who had fallen from the brawl around us. I chuckled, deciding to join in and help her take what she wanted. When she's satisfied, she gives a big, satisfied, smile, "after you."

We zipped past the fighting and ended up on the streets again; however, our escape was halted by two large beasts who grabbed our backs and held us off the ground. It was two city guards…and they just apprehended us…

I looked over to Zhen, who had a grimacing smile on her face as she shrugged at me. I just had to shake my head, sighing loudly.

We're screwed.

…

We were ultimately taken into a small jailhouse, and we were put into a small cage. I was against the wall…waiting to see what'd happen to us (nothing good I imagine) while Zhen tried to figure out the lock (she couldn't.)

"Ugh…I should really invest in a lockpick" the teenage fox muttered as I scoffed across from her. She decided to give up for now and join my side, sitting down against the rocky wall. A few moments of silence prevailed before she looked toward me, smiling to get our hopes up, "that was the most fun I've had in a while."

I just couldn't contain myself. I had to admit…it was fun.

I glanced at her and smiled with my eyes closed.

"Sure, getting caught put a damper on things a bit, but who knows…maybe we'll be outta here before midnight rolls by!"

Suddenly, we heard a door open, and a large rhino came walking in. The guard on duty turned his attention to the man and the latter said, "you look exhausted. I'll take over."

"A break sounds good" they gave the keys to the rhino and the mongrel quitted the jailhouse. The guard left behind turned toward us. For some reason, they had both an angry and disappointed look on their rough exterior and then that's when we noticed the eyes…

"I have nothing but disappointment for the two of you" the rhino shifted into a smaller figure: it's Lady Chameleon!

Zhen and I gulped. The former's ears drooped as her paws sunk along the bars of the jail cell, "we're sorry…" she muttered in shame. I too felt the same…now…we definitely went too far with all this.

To our surprise, she let us go, opening the doors before she escorted Zhen and me out. We soon returned home with her by the time it got completely dark outside. After we entered the main chamber, the Chameleon gazed upon a particular artifact she had stored in a case. Inside, she mused…thinking about why we had done what we did…how it could be useful to her in the future…

The reptile pulled out what appeared to be a jade earring and she soon rested the item on Zhen's paws, "wear this on your ear. If should an event like today ever occur again, this can be used to escape most confinements."

The gray vixen managed to figure out the mechanism and the earring transformed into a lockpick. Her eyes shone brightly at what had just occurred as I joined in the amazement. Chameleon gave a satisfied and conniving grin unbeknownst to us. Sure enough, Zhen clipped the jade earring on her right ear where it rested firmly for future use. The fox smiled and bowed to Lady Chameleon, "thank you, master."

"Perhaps I have been keeping the two of you inside for too long. If you wish, explore the city as you please; however, I expect the both of you to not miss any training I will have planned for you."

We both nodded, agreeing to the generous terms before we both bowed in unison to her. Inside, Zhen felt like she couldn't contain her excitement, but didn't dare do it in the presence of Chameleon. She waited until we got to our room before she exploded with happiness! My companion hopped up and down her bed, unable to control herself, "BIG SCORE! This was the best day ever, what a day!"

I sat on my bed across from her, just watching the girl have the time of her life. I rolled my eyes and decided to join in for the fun. I started jumping on her bed alongside her, not caring if our weight could demolish the furniture.

I have to admit, we somehow got the "freedom" we so desperately wanted. Now we can actually do what we want in Juniper City in our free time. It definitely felt like a win-win.

As my best friend calmed down and made a butterfly pose, I decided to join…sitting next to her. She looked at what I was doing: I stretched out my hand to feel her right ear where her new jade earring now resided. I smiled whole-heartedly, appreciating it being part of Zhen.

It looks beautiful on you.

She smiled back, knowing more or less that I liked it. In return, she asked me to face the other way and I did. The vixen grabbed a brush we both use and started brushing my long brown hair as I let her.

"Man…I always wondered…what must it feel to have fur like yours?" She asked and I just giggled at that.

I don't think it's fur, Zhen…mine is a different texture compared to everyone else's.

"I love it, it's like…the mane on a stallion…or better yet…a mare…a beautiful mare…" Zhen had me face her when she said this. I immediately blushed from this gesture…more than I'll admit, but she totally saw it because her grin widened in response. Oh man…my cheeks are SO RED right now!

Then, an idea struck her. There was this item she managed to snag from the tavern brawl that wasn't taken away from her when they were put in jail…it seemed perfect.

She pulled it out from her bushy tail, and I examined it with interest: it's a bow the shape of a butterfly. It's red and it glistened in the light from the torch in our room. Immediately I loved it, and I soon motioned Zhen to put it in my hair. She did…firmly placing it before pulling away afterward, "you like it?" She asked, giving me a small mirror so I could see. I nodded gleefully upon seeing it.

I LOVE IT!