Chapter 184: Foxy & Foxy (1/2)
”All right, horny cat. Make yourself useful. What's the plan?” Rakna asked whilst standing in front of the shop's door.
”{Excuse me, I'm already useful; thank you.}”
”Well, be even more.”
”{Aaah, you're even sassier now… first, I guess, it would be a good idea to turn your hair back to normal. That would probably avoid some additional complications.}
”Hm, why did it change anyway?” Rakna wondered as he played with a few strands. ”I thought it only happened during reinforcements.”
”{Mana dyeing most likely,}” Fray said. ”{You see, to use Reinforcement, mana is sent throughout your body and the faster and denser it is, the more it will affect your hair, eyes, and at a much higher stage, your skin and body. You could say that mana is an extension of yourself. Normally, in your 'cold state', it is the same as you; calm, cold, and still.}”
”{But in your volcanic state, it becomes rowdy and the dyeing occurs automatically. The body parts that are susceptible to it without your mana actually being used are hairs,}” he explained.
”Really? Didn't notice a difference in my mana though.”
”{Well, it is not like your mana becomes more noticeable or anything. It is exactly like personalities in thinking creatures; mana also has personalities. And you have two; one is low-key while the other is very showy in nature, to fit the more destructive aspect of the volcanic star.}”
”Hm, if you say so. So, I guess I just need to do something like this…” Rakna closed his eyes and in just a few seconds, the color was drained out of his tails and hair. ”Uh, pretty easy. Only my eyes can't be changed,” he commented.
”{Yep… totally... Controlling your mana's nature on your first try is the easiest thing ever,}” Higure quipped sarcastically.
”Alright… here goes nothing,” the therian proceeded to open the door.
”Mom! I won't let you have it!”
”Aww, please. Just a sip!”
”A sip means the entire bottle with you! I won't let you get drunk so early!”
”But you're the one who woke me up early. I need a drink to start off the day, sweety.”
”Drink coffee instead! Why are you always so childish in the morning?!”
Rakna stood stunned and confused at the door's step. His eyes reflected two fox women pressing their bodies against each other as a Kaelith held a bottle above her head so that the other woman wouldn't be able to get to it.
'…I mean… it's a nice sight if anything,' he thought as they bickered, unaware of his presence.
”{Wow, sexually aware? I retract all my doubts. This is the best version of you,}” Higure jested.
'Ha. Ha. Ha. Bite me. I just don't say shit about it in my normal state. It's not as if I can't notice the obvious. If someone is beautiful, are you supposed to lie to yourself? Do you look away from a nice painting when there is no reason to? No. This is the same thing.'
”{…this is really throwing me off. You're too assertive about your thoughts now.}”
'Deal with it,' Rakna snapped and closed the door behind as silently as he could. He casually walked to one of the sofas and sat down with a quiet sigh. All while the mother-daughter pair argued.
”Wolfy is going to be here soon! Aren't you the one who wanted to see him?! So, don't drink! You'll embarrass both yourself and the clan! You're the matriarch for crying out loud!”
”Oh, come on, Kae. That's precisely why I need my morning drink. I can't meet your little crush in this drowsy state...”
Kaelith blushed. ”He's not my crush! And your logic of drinking to wake up is nonsensical!”
Meanwhile, Rakna looked at the ceiling. 'Well, that's awkward.'
The lioness chortled. ”{'Little crush', eh?}” She said impishly. You could practically hear the smirk in her voice and he rolled his eyes.
”{Is it not about time you announce your presence?}” Fray spoke. ”{At this rate, they might start a wrestling match for who will win that bottle.}”
”I wouldn't mind that happening,” Rakna replied without thinking and he realized he had made a mistake when the two women looked at him. ”Ah shit. Spoke out- loud?!” His collar was grabbed and he was instantly yanked out of his seat by a flushed Kaelith.
”How long have you been here?!”
”Um… since the… 'aww, just a sip!' part,” he replied laughingly.
The vixen closed and opened her mouth. On one hand, she was embarrassed to death and on the other, she was almost terrified by the fact that she hadn't noticed him in the slightest. The System hadn't even notified her of his arrival at all and even now, with her hand on him, she still couldn't get a reading on his aura or presence.
'What is going on…?' She thought with a scowl and finally, she noticed his red eyes, full of unhidden amusement, and his mouth that was quite clearly forming a smile. ”Wha-”
”Oh, so you are the infamous Rakna?” Kaelith was pushed away before she could say anything else and Kara greeted the therian with a graceful smile. Her previous childishness was gone; replaced by an air of maturity. But she still couldn't help her reddened cheeks. It wasn't only embarrassing for her daughter, but her as well, to be seen acting like that.
”I apologize. I have shown you a most shameful behavior. I am Kara Yahkshasa, Kae's mother. She has told me many things about you.”
”Rakna Xiorra. So; many things, huh?” Rakna repeated with a small grin that put Kaelith in a daze and surprised the older vixen a bit.
”Well, among other things… she has described you to be a lot more taciturn.”
”Ah, yes. Don't worry about that. Let's say that… I'm temporarily as warm as lava,” he joked. ”You can trust your daughter's descriptions of me. But for now, treat me as an entirely different person from the one you pictured.”
Kara blinked her enchanting eyelashes and nodded slowly. ”I see… Well, can you join me for a chat about the 'Obsidian' situation?” She offered whilst waving at the table in the corner of the room.
”Sure,” Rakna accepted and took a seat with her. All while Kaelith glared a hole into his back.
The matriarch cleared her throat. ”So, Rakna… I can call you as such, right?”
”Knock yourself out. You can even call my Rak if you want. You also don't need to be formal with me at all, especially as long as these eyes of mine are red.”
Kara smiled faintly. ”I do not really get the eyes part but I understand. I will call you Rakna so you can refer to me as Kara.”
”Pleased to meet you, Kara.”
”As am I.”
Kaelith groaned as she watched her mother and friend chuckle at each other. She pulled out three cups from her storage and slammed them on the table. ”Can we get to the point?” She asked with a snarl at the end. ”Then I can thoroughly question you, wolfy,” she said pointedly whilst filling the cups with tea, and a coffee for her mother, which she accepted sulkily.