A young skunk woman receives a phone call from her ex, with a special plea for help. About 3400 words.
𦨠Got the idea for this the other day, wanted to play a bit around with some elements of being furry and having to adjust to it. Accidentally ended up making something with a bit of emotion to it oops. Please enjoy!
The sound of her phone vibrating over by the kitchen bench Alexis out of the fog of reading she had been in for... When did the sun get so low?
The skunk blinked once, twice, and lifted her glasses to quickly rub at eyes that had finally gotten the chance to scream their tiredness. The glasses came down just in time to turn the blur of her apartment mostly back into recognizable shapes. Mostly. Her reading glasses helped her retain the shapes of letters in books held near her face, but if she wanted to see more than maybe three meters the heavy plates of glass that pushed down on her muzzle hard enough to give her a headache after a full day were the only thing good enough. As it stood, she could make out the half-full bookcase more or less and the landlord-certified Totally Innovative partial photo shot of the Eiffel Tower between it and her bedroom door, but anything further away, like the sunset past the neighbouring apartment blocks or her kitchen-
Her phone vibrated again, a reminder of why she wasnât still wrapped up in her beloved words. She stretched out and pushed herself into a sitting and then standing position off of her couch, taking care not to get the mass of fur and limb she called her tail in a pinch. Sore muscles all complained about the sudden movement, but when Alexis got close enough to see who was calling, those worries went right out. Alongside most other thoughts, all aside from the sudden debate on whether or not to even answer the call in front of her.
... This was a mistake. She sighed, preparing for the worst, and accepted the call. âWhat the fuck are you calling me for?â
The voice at the other end only giggled. âCharming as ever, I hear.â
That fucking voice made Alexisâ fur bristle. She still had no idea how her ex could remain so casual when the last several conversations theyâd had were so... Ugh. Alexis could feel her tail standing above her head, close to touching the roof. She didnât know if she could shoot stink, but more than a minute of this conversation and she had a feeling she would be finding out.
âLook, Rachel,â she said, âI think we both made our point very clear last time we met. Why the fuck are you calling me?â
âMaybe I wanted to reminisce about the old days- Nah, not gonna joke about that. Thatâs not what matters.â
âAnd what does, then?â
âI need your help.â
Alexis exhaled, loudly enough that she hoped it would be picked up by the phone. âReally? You want me to help you? After everything-â
âItâs not for me.â Fuck, Alexis knew that tone. It was Rachel dropping all her beloved joking around, and whenever she brought it out Alexis knew it meant serious time. Somehow her tail started to relax.
But she wasnât ready to accept yet. âWhy are you specifically calling me for this then?â
A moment of hesitation from the other end of the line. Rachel, stopping to think? Alexis realized this might actually be something serious. Then the response:
âI was hanging out with some friends over at the park, the one down by the lakeside. One of the others.... I was talking to Thomas, and then suddenly everyone is yelling, and I turned around to see one of the others glowing. Like what you said happened to you. He popped out of it... Like you.â
Like you.
The remaining anger in Alexis briefly shrank away. She had talked online with others who, like her, had suddenly turned into half animals. People from all over the world, whoâd found their lives turned upside down. Even a couple sheâd been lucky enough to meet in person. She knew it was fortunate that she knew someone who knew someone in the same situation through the internet, and could get access to that community shortly after... Shortly after everything with Rachel had fallen apart. She hadnât been subtle about it when she had finally moved out from the apartment they once shared.
âFuck.â
Rachel laughed this time, uncertainty vibrant in the sound. âYeah. Thatâs a good summary.â
Another realization ran cold down Alexisâ back. â... And the others? How did they..?â
âBad.â Another pause, painful air. âAlmost as bad as...â
âAlmost as bad as you did to me?â She could hear the words were already paining Rachel, but fuck it. Alexis could afford to be petty for five seconds. Her mind was made up anyway.
âI- Thatâs... Yes. Almost as bad. The way they talked... Fuck. Iâm so sorry for-â
âNot the time. Are you both still at the park?â
âYeah.â
Alexis snatched up the apartment keys, and got her high-power glasses ready. The park was a good fifteen minutes away, but with a bit of powerwalking... âIâll be there in ten,â she said.
She could hear some relieved sounds from the other side of the call. âThank you so so so much,â Rachel said. âI owe you one.â
Alexis made sure to end the call before she could say âYou owe me one?â, because she already had her one petty moment. She was out the door (Tail kept in front as she went through; she had learnt the hard way how long it took all of her to get through a door) while her thoughts were racing.
Rachel asking her for help for someone else who had also turned into an animal. Despite the obvious rejection of everyone else in that friend group. A corner of Alexisâ mind dared to hope that the distress in Rachelâs voice came from genuine compassion. That something in her had changed. A much larger part of her mind remembered Rachel coming back home after her own change. The way her body language seemed cold, even to eyes that could barely make it out. Rachelâs voice, speaking to what was ostensibly her lover with a vile mixture of disgust and hatred. How total the rejection was.
And how, despite everything, there was still something in Rachelâs voice that made Alexisâ heart bounce lighter.
A quick check of her phone as she got to the park told Alexis she had spent a total of eleven minutes getting there. She had once hoped becoming part animal wouldâve improved her stamina a little. Five seconds of Googling and a couple days of experience told her that nope, she was not getting away from her lack of physical skill that easily. At least the traffic hadnât given her any trouble. It was one thing having right of way as a pedestrian, but she knew nobody wanted to argue with a skunk. If not for the situation at hand, she mightâve thought more depressively of it.
But she did not have the time. There, framed against the almost setting sun reflected upon the lake, were two people sitting on one of the park benches. Alexis could recognize Rachel and- Not red hair, as it had been for as long as the two had been together, but a deep blue now. It suits her, Alexis thought. And the other person....
When Rachel got up to greet the approaching Alexis, she managed to make out some details. They appeared to be a gray fox, between the light charcoal and orange fur coat and that muzzle deep in thought. Alexis could smell the hint of something salty, and they confirmed with a sniffle that they had been crying up until very recently. Of all human features to stick around, it was one Alexis too was familiar with. They seemed quite uncomfortable in fancy summer clothes, a polo and shorts that they now seemed to drown in. Alexis noticed a bag by their feet, and thanks to actually having glasses that almost gave her her old sight back, she could barely make out a badge with âThey/Themâ on it- another thing she had to talk to Rachel about later.
âYeah, I noticed the badge after the call,â Rachel interrupted Alexisâ thoughts. They were apparently having that conversation now. âI fucked up on that too, I have apologized, didnât help that none of the others paid any attention to that either.â
Alexis looked back to Rachel. She totally did not have to fight any sort of urge that suggested she should hug the woman in front of her. âWeâll talk later. How are they doing?â
âA little better,â Rachel responded. âTook them a good few minutes to calm down, and I donât know how theyâre holding up all around, but they did give some cool details about a plane that went by just now, so thatâs a promising sign.â
Alexis nodded, before approaching the bench with the fox. They mustâve not noticed her coming over through the park, because Alexis saw the moment they looked up and realized another animal person was approaching them. A fair bit of surprise, like she often got when out on the streets, but more than that was the sense of awe. Of knowing someone had been through the same thing. Sheâd done the same thing the first time sheâd met someone like her.
... Okay, maybe the first several times. It was incredible to know others like you were out there, okay?
âMay I sit here?â she asked, knowing full well what the answer would be. Had to make sure. The fox, realizing they were full-on staring at her, shook themselves out of their state and gave a quick nod. Alexis, with a gentle hum, manoeuvred herself down onto the bench, taking care with her oversized tail.
Silence. Alexis knew she was coming here to help someone new to being part creature, but now that she was sitting on that bench beside them, she realized she had spent exactly zero seconds of that eleven minute walk considering what to say. And now she was paying for that. Amazing help she was bringing-
Nope. Not going there now. She could self-doubt on her own time, when someone didnât need her.
â... The sunsets are lovely at this time of year, arenât they?â she finally said. âEspecially with how the light bounces all over the lake like this and the water almost looks like a gemstone or something. Itâs beautiful, donât you think?â
They blinked at her. Had she already messed things up? How good were even fox eyes, was she accidentally reminding them about something they had lost-
âYes,â they replied. âYes they are.â Another moment of silence, before they looked right into her eyes. âThose glasses... Did you have them before..?â
âBefore I became a skunk?â
They nodded.
âNo, I didnât. There were times I thought I needed them, mostly after spending all day staring at a screen for work, but not like I need them now. If I wasnât wearing my glasses now, I would probably not be able to make out most of your face. I got a little unlucky with the skunk to human eye ratio.â
The fox once again drifted off into their own thoughts for a moment, now staring out at the lake in front of them. â... You know if anyone has found a way to fix this?â
Alexis couldnât stop the gentle exhale. She could hear Rachel a bit away from the two giggling not quietly enough. âIf you mean something to make you appear human again, no. People have figured out tools to make things easier for us, and weâre fortunate that weâre not being made a major political subject right now, but right now thereâs no way back.â
They collapsed slightly, sinking into themselves. Their eyes seemed less bright when they turned back to Alexis. âSo youâre saying itâs just tough luck?â
âPerhaps in some ways it is.â Alexis took a long breath, clearing her head. âBut honestly, itâs like every other thing with being alive. We have to find a way to best get through it, somehow. Thatâs all anyone can do.â
They sighed. âAnd how can you figure out how to do that?â
Alexis smirked. âWell, first of all you try finding something about your new self that you like.â
âWhat did you find?â
âWell, the biggest advantage was that I donât need HRT anymore. Or most of the surgeries I worried about. Whatever causes the changes is damn good at apologizing for this entire thing by giving people those small extra things.â
They froze, and looked Alexis up and down. Only now did she remember that she brought the purse without the trans flag pin on it. She just grabbed the closest one earlier. Ah well, she was used to that gaze. Better the fox finding a companion than the old men on the street by a mile.
âYou- Youâre really like me, arenât you?â They finally said. For the first time, Alexis hear joy in their voice.
âYeah. And so are a lot of cool people out there too. And I know everyone are willing to help you out with stuff. Youâre not alone in this.â
They sniffled again. Tears- happy ones, Alexis hoped- were pooling in their eyes. â... When everyone here... When I transformed,â they said through sobs. â... I thought they were my friends. They might not have noticed the pronoun pin, but I didnât really call it out either, but I thought they were the kind to be cool with anything. And then...â
âAnd then they werenât cool with something that mattered.â
âYes.â They were crying again. Alexis raised an arm and tipped her head slightly, offering a hug, and quickly had to catch herself against the bench as the fox threw themselves at her and almost sent both of them tumbling down. That hug was probably one of the happiest sheâd had in a long time.
â... What do I do now?â The fox eventually asked, unwrapping themselves from Alexis.
âNow thereâs a bit of work to do. I recommend looking into your new speciesâ diet, make sure thereâs no surprises there. Most people remain omnivorous, but there can be some nasty surprises. Chocolate is probably off the table, check with a doctor about that.â Their ears drooped at that last sentence. âHonestly, get a doctorâs appointment as soon as possible, make sure nothing is going horribly wrong. If your doctor is a shithead about it, I know a couple in town who are for sure not. You can somewhat choose when you want to come out to people about this- as long as those âfriendsâ donât do anything unnecessary- but remember that you will have to come out about this to everyone you meet at some point. Also, there is a whole bucketload of paperwork to transfer your current IDâs and all that, but I know a couple guides on that- You have any social media or anything I can message you on?â
The fox, partially occupied with their hands, perked up again. âOh, uh- I have a Facebook, but the name...â
Alexis grinned as wide as her muzzle allowed her. âNot a fan of that old name?â The fox shook their head, and punctuated the motion with an angry flick of their tail. âCompletely understandable, felt the same.â She handed them her phone. âYou handle adding your stuff to a chat, and what would you like to be called instead?â
They started typing something Alexis didnât care for, clumsily. Very clearly unused to the pawpads. That was the sort of thing that came after plenty of practice.
â... Olive,â they eventually responded. âCould you please call me Olive?â
Alexis smiled back. âSure, Olive. Itâs lovely to meet you.â
It was a good thing Olive had finished adding themselves to a chat, because when they returned the phone it was with the joyous fluster of someone who had just had their name said to them for the first time. Alexis made sure not to giggle at the happy creature, even if the random plaps of fox tail against her own from uncontrolled wagging was a little tickly. She double checked the chat, quickly replaced the ill-fitting name on there with Oliveâs, and sent a quick confirmation message. A loud pling sounded from the bag, loud enough to make Olive jump slightly in surprise.
âOh yeah,â Alexis said while very much not holding back the giggles at the jump, âThatâs another thing. Hearing is almost always something that improves after changing, youâll get used to it mostly.â
âI guess...â Olive meekly responded. They dug out the offending phone, and gave the screen a glance. âAlexis, right?â
âYeah- Oh yeah, I did forget to introduce myself, didnât I.â Now it was Alexisâ turn to be flustered. Not only did Olive do a terrible job at suppressing a giggle, she could also hear Rachel laughing behind them. Traitor. âWell hi hello, yeah Iâm Alexis. She/her. Local skunk.â
Olive smiled back. âWell, itâs nice to meet you too. When Rachel said she didnât know if you were gonna show up or not I didnât know what to think of you, but you seem alright.â
âThanks.â A cool breeze blew by, a reminder that the sun was still setting and night was starting to approach. Perhaps a star or two had started to show. It was still too bright for Alexis to possibly make any out, even with her glasses. She could barely see them during the dark too. âWhen I last talked to Rachel... Iâll be honest, we had a very rough breakup. A big part of me still wants to test my stink spray right in her face.â Alexis then pointedly ignored the angry cry of âI heard that!â from behind, and gave Olive just enough time to giggle a bit at the mental image, before continuing; âBut the woman I broke up with was not the same one who wouldâve sat here and comforted someone recently transformed like this. How did she react to the others..?â
Olive sighed. âEveryone stared at first, but then when someone- I think it was Thomas- started saying some ugly things, and she called him out on it after the second full sentence. I donât know if she realized something there, but she did her best to both try and calm everyone down and stop the ugly words. And she kept me company all the way until you came here, and didnât mind the fur or the tail or anything. I donât know why you broke up, but I trust her.â
âAnd thatâs what matters right now,â Alexis said, stretching her body and getting up from the bench. She turned to face both Olive and Rachel, the latter of which had moved closer again as the conversation drew towards the coming conclusion. âOkay, so Iâm gonna send you a bunch of stuff when I get home, both the fun and not so fun kind. Iâll also link some good chat groups I know of with others like us. Youâll probably love most of those fuzzballs too.â She focused on Rachel. âOlive seems alright, but can you make sure they get back home safe?â
Rachel nodded. âOf course. They live like five minutes from me anyway, itâs not much of a detour.â She paused briefly, making sure to meet Alexisâ eyes. âListen, I know I donât deserve to say this, but Iâm so sorry about how I... About being a fucking asshole to you like that back then. And youâre still willing to jump in and help despite everything, and I just keep on messing things up-â
âHey.â Alexis put her hand on Rachelâs shoulder. It was warm, like it had always been when sheâd rested her head on there. More bittersweet memories, but this time the sweet was the vibrant emotion. âIf someone had told me earlier today that Iâd be seeing you actually take responsibility like this, I probably wouldâve just laughed them off. I donât think itâll be love again, but... If this is the Rachel Iâll get to know, I think I might be willing to give things another shot.â
Rachelâs face shone with relief and a hint of joy. âThatâs more than I probably deserve, and Iâll take it happily.â She held her hand out. âFriends?â
Alexis shook it. âFriends.â
The two looked over to Olive, who was struggling with keeping all their clothes on, and giggled at the situation. The angry yelps as the fox noticed them staring only brought open laughter. Perhaps things could get better.