FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Meanwhile at the Lair of Dr. Callyco

"Dr. Cutie Pup! HELP!" The kitten in a lab coat was stuck underneath an upside down laundry basket within the kitchen. A large box of detergent sat upon it weighing down. "Our security system has gone haywire!

"Eh what?" Dr. Cutie Pup slowly entered the kitchen. His lab coat had been swapped out for a bathrobe and he was wearing a pair of fuzzy slippers. He slowly blinked the sleep from his eyes as he looked at what was happening. "How did that happen?"

"I don't know! Our security system must have gone haywire!" The kitten explained. "I was just trying to check the fridge... For reasons." The kitten looked about as shifty as can be.

"Reasons you say?" The pup narrowed his eyes. "The security has not actually gone haywire. But after our previous emergency I was forced to take steps to improve it and ensure such a problem never occur again."

"Wait so you're behind this!?" Dr. Callyco fell backwards beneath the laundry basket. "Traitor! Deceiver! Miscreant! And other synonyms! Let me out of here!"

"I'm afraid the matter is out of my hands." Dr. Cutie Pup replied with a shrug. "The security system is completely automated. "I guess there's nothing that can be done!"

"Well I can still!" The kitten stood up and grabbed the bars of the basket. He shook them a bit trying to move the basket but it didn't move. "I mean I can-" He tried shoving on the side but it didn't move. "Whelp I got nothing... I'll think of something though! Just introduce our next guest while I do this."

"Very well." Odin replied with a yawn. "Our next guest is Noel. This gray pommed moogle hailing from Ivalice is well meaning... But with a bit of a curious side."

"And sometimes curiosity can get the best of you!" Calex said. "As Noel will soon find out! We present to you... Our fifth tale. The Tale of the Hunter's Trap." With that he paused. "But seriously let me out of this trap."

"See you in the morning Dr. Callyco." The pup left the kitchen.

"Dr. Cutie Pup? Cutie Pup? Callyco looked around as the lights turned off. "Anyone?"

Thirteen Karmic Tales

Fifth Tale

The Tale of the Hunter's Trap

The Autumn air was crisp and refreshing today. It was just warm enough still that Noel didn't need any extra layers over his usual shirt and vest. Since it was such a nice day he found himself taking a longer walk than normal as he explored the local park trails. The leaves had already turned colors so the trees were full of color. Gold, red, orange and brown leaves formed a canopy above his head. The tree canopy was just thin enough to let a small amount of sunlight dance across the forest floor.

Yet as strangely perfect as the day was the park seemed devoid of other life. Normally the entire area would echo with the noises of birds and other forest animals. Today it was completely silent. This was disappointing to Noel. Part of the entire reason he had come out here was to do a little nature watching. Something must have spooked the animals off today.

Part of Noel wondered if it was the decorations the park staff had put up. The trail was lined with pumpkins and fake tombstones as a tribute to the coming holiday. But those were put out every year. You would think the animals would be used to that. Maybe they had just put them out today and that was the cause.

Then again... Maybe not. It was at that moment that Noel heard an odd sound. It sounded like a small animal whimpering. It was coming from beyond the line of trees. It meant leaving the trail... But he couldn't ignore the sound of someone in need.

He found the source of the noise easily enough. It was a fox kit. The reason for its distress became clear quite quickly. It was currently stuck in a wire mesh cage. It was desperately pawing at the door of the cage trying to get it open.

"Hang on kupo!" Noel gave a shout as he saw what was going on. He ran to the side of the cage and bent down onto his knees. The fox kit recoiled as Noel approached, moving to the back of the cage away from him. "It's okay I'm here to help kupo! But... Who would do this? Who sets up a cage in the middle of a public park?" That would explain why all the animals were spooked. Someone must have been hunting here illegally.

It took Noel a few minutes to work the door on the cage. The fox kit looked at Noel then looked at the open cage. Then after a few seconds it ran out of the cage and bounded away into the forest.

"Well goodbye then kupo." Noel said. He looked back at the now empty cage. He couldn't believe someone would set this up here. There was no way he could leave it where another animal could get stuck. But he didn't have any way to dispose of it. After a bit of thought he flapped his wings and floated into the air above the cage. Then he dove downward and landed atop the cage crushing it with a loud crunch! He did it several more times to make sure the cage was destroyed beyond repair. Now no one would be able to use it.

After smugly examining his handiwork Noel smiled and worked his way back to the trail. No doubt whoever was behind this was going to be quite upset when they saw the state of the cage. That was good! They deserved worse! Noel would like to dive bomb them a few times! At least he could continue his walk in peace knowing he had done a good deed today.

"Excuse me sir."

"What?" Noel stopped in place as he looked around. He had heard a boyish voice but didn't see the source of it.

"Down here sir." The voice responded. As Noel looked down he saw its owner. It was the fox kit he had seen earlier! But... Now that he got a good look at it he noticed something odd. The fox kit had three tails! "Sorry about running off like that sir. I was just a bit scared at the time and didn't know who you were."

"Um it's fine kupo..." Talking to a feral fox wasn't the most abnormal thing Noel had ever experienced. But it had still managed to catch him off guard. Especially now that he could see the three tails.

"But I wanted to come and say thank you sir!" The fox responded. As he did he slowly stood up on two legs. His body stayed mostly the same shape but was able to balance itself on his hind legs. "I might have wound up someone's handbag if you hadn't gotten me out of there. I'm afraid for all my magic I still don't have thumbs so couldn't escape."

"Uh... Sure... No problem." Noel responded. Then he couldn't stop himself from asking. "Why do you have three tails?"

"Why wouldn't I?" The fox kit scoffed. "Do you think I'm some kind of newborn pup! I'm over two hundred years old you know! And every hundred birthday members of my tribe grow a new tail! But... You're not considered an adult until you have all nine."

"I see." Noel couldn't help but laugh. Despite the fact the fox was so much older than him, the kit was still considered a child... And apparently had almost 700 years of childhood ahead of him.

"Don't laugh!" The kit shouted. "I'll have you know sir! I'm well over a third of my way to adulthood! So you see sir I'm practically already full grown!"

"I see I see kupo." Noel suppressed the laugh but he couldn't help but smile.

"Anyway sir... I ran off before I could introduce myself. I am Wata of the Obake clan." With that he held out one of his forepaws to shake Noel's hand.

"Oh I'm Noel kupo!" Noel responded.

"Right so! Sir! The other reason I wanted to track you down! My kind... See we're really adamant about not owing debts to others you see!" The fox dropped back down onto all fours. "So when someone does something for you! You do something for them! That way you never owe any favors! So now I need to do something for you!"

"Oh that's okay!" Noel existed. "You don't need to do anything kupo."

"But I have too!" Wata insisted. "It's simply my nature! But... As much as I am loathe to admit my juvenile state... With only three tails the magic I can do is somewhat limited. I can't quite grant you any wish sir... But! I know! I could introduce you to people who could! You see there's festival! We have it around the time of the harvest every year! My entire tribe will be there! Please sir, allow me to have you as my guest at the festival. That way I can repay your favor."

"Well..." Noel considered it. A festival did sound like a lot of fun. And it would be nice to meet more of these talking foxes. "Sure I'd love to come kupo!"

"Wonderful!" Wata wagged his tails happily. "Oh but you can't go looking like that! It's not allowed to bring outsiders to the festival."

"But then why did you invite me?" Noel was genuinely confused at this point.

"We'll just have to make you not an outsider!" Wata replied. "My magic might not be great but it can at least handle that!" With that the fox jumped up onto its hind legs. This was different from last time, it didn't stand or balance itself on its legs. Instead it balanced itself by holding its forepaws against Noel's shoulder. The moogle was short so it wasn't hard for the fox kit to reach that far. Then the fox kit opened his mouth and gave Noel one slow lick across his face before dropping back down onto all fours.

"Gaaaaaah!" Noel gave a shout. "A little warning would have been nice!" He then paused as his felt a strange twinge at the tip of his face. He went crosseyed to stare at his own nose. As he did he saw his face push out into a canine muzzle. Not only that... But the fur on it was now red and white! "Wait what?"

The changes started at his face and spread from there. Noel's pom disappeared as his ears became more shorter and more triangular. Meanwhile his peach colored fur became red and white over his entire body. As it reached his hands it became black in color instead. Noel stared at his hands in wonder as his thumbs slowly disappeared and he was left with a normal animal paw.

Then his clothing began to loosen on him. He was now getting a lot smaller. His hat fell from his head as he tumbled out of his boots. His feet were paw shaped now and covered in the same black fur as his forepaws. It was at this point that his trousers and underwear fell down around his ankle. This was partially due to his decrease in size, and also due to the fact his tail had suddenly gotten a lot bigger. It was a long and fluffy tail, a fox's tail. There was also only one of it.

Noel tumbled onto all fours. He continued to shrink in size and suddenly felt a lot weaker. Then try as he might, he couldn't stand back up on two legs. Instead he could do nothing but flail about as he continued to shrink until he disappeared beneath his shirt.

"Oh dear. That was unexpected. Sir are you okay?" Wata asked. As he did he picked up Noel's shirt with his mouth and tossed it aside. Beneath the shirt was a baby fox kit. It was less than half Wata's size and was little more than an infant.

"Yip!" Noel tried to walk. Words escaped him. For some reason he had a hard time remembering how to form words.

"This is most unexpected." Wata said. "I'm sorry sir! I thought you were an adult! I had no idea you were still under a hundred years old! But... that's very impressive that infants of your species can already walk on two legs! But don't worry sir! By your hundredth birthday you should be walking and talking again! Right around the time your second tail grows in."

"Yip! Yap!" Noel barked weakly. He was trying to explain he was an adult! It didn't usually take someone hundreds of years to reach adulthood! He was 29! That was an adult by moogle standards... But judging by his current form it was still an infant by multi-tailed fox standards.

"Well this is a bit awkward sir." Wata said. "I can't exactly leave you by yourself after the festival looking like that. I don't think you can take care of yourself. And... Come to think of that if you're that young I shouldn't be calling you sir either."

"Yap!" Noel barked in a response. Even he wasn't sure what he meant that time.

"That's okay sir! I mean Noel!" Wata replied. "I promised I'd take you to the festival! So I'll keep that promise! And besides! I always wanted a little brother! Now I won't have to be the baby in the family." He paused and considered this for a moment. "But... Maybe let's wait to tell my mom and dad how I met you until after the festival. I don't want to get grounded and not able to go."

"Yip yip!" Noel responded to that. Despite his new stature he couldn't help but feel excited at the idea of the festival for a bit.

"Good I'm glad you agree!" Wata brushed up against Noel. The warmth from the other fox's face made Noel feel safe. "So we'll just keep this a secret till after it's over." With that the fox bit down gently on Noel's scruff and lifted him into the air.

Noel couldn't help but wag his tail weakly as he was held by his big brother. Part of him wondered why it was so easy to slip into this mentality and think of the fox as his big bro. However, it was drowned out by the part of him that was very tired. His little body just didn't have a lot of energy right now. And so while his new brother carried him off into the forest he dreamt of the festival to come.

The End