Nanami fidgeted silently in her seat. Her bottom lip quivered, and her big, blue eyes were dewy, as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment. She could hear classmates on every side cracking jokes about her because she was so different from everybody else.
She was a Foxgirl, and the only one in her entire grade. In the entire school even. Clasping her fingers together, Nanami hoped it looked as if she was keeping her composure, at least from behind. Anyone looking at her from the front could tell that she was about to have a breakdown though, and it was all she could do to keep from whimpering aloud. Cats, Dogs, and Wolves all filled her classroom, and she stuck out like a sore thumb with her two huge, fluffy tails. Everyone else only had one tail, and none of them were quite as fluffy as her own. It wasn't fair!
Nanami!
The girl was jerked out of her thoughts violently, her eyes wild. Nanami opened her mouth to apologize for not paying attention, but only a high-pitched whimpering sound came out. She covered her mouth almost as quickly as it began, but the damage had been done, and a small chorus of giggles rang from around her.
Miss Sachiko! I think Nanami is sick! The girl sitting directly behind Nanami said nastily with her hand raised in the air.
Face turning a bright red, Nanami sank into the seat of her desk, trying to hide herself from sight. Her biggest bully was a young Wolfgirl by the name of Oriko. She was everything Nanami was not. Popular, with long, pretty, silver hair that fell in curls around her face. It glittered and shone in the sunlight, always topped with an oversized, pretty red bow. This was in stark contrast to Nanami's own dull, brown hair. Most importantly though, her bully only had but one completely normal-sized tail.
That's enough Oriko! The teacher said sternly. Nanami, if you're not feeling well, you should go visit the nurse. She added kindly, offering the young Foxgirl the opportunity to leave the classroom.
Bottom lip quivering the entire time, Nanami nodded silently, as she stood on weak, jellylike legs and hobbled to the classroom's door. She tried her best to ignore the quiet jeers of her classmates, but her leaking eyes made it clear she wasn't doing a very good job of it. Above all the other voices she could hear Oriko's lilting voice taunting her, saying they were going to cut off one of her tails to stuff a pillow!
Scurrying down the schools empty halls, Nanami quickly came to the school nurses office looking like a complete wreck. The school nurse took a single look at Nanami before sighing, and asking the crying girl if she'd like to go home. Nodding slowly and sadly, the nurse offered an uncomfortable smile, and asked the young Foxgirl for her name and phone number.
Minutes later there was a knock on the office, and without waiting for a response, a tall, magnificent woman stepped inside. With nine gorgeous tails swaying in the cool wind of the office she approached the much shorter Catgirl serving as a nurse. With a haughty hand wave, the nurse took the signal and gave the mother and daughter some privacy. Crouching, the nine-tailed woman looked her daughter's tear-stained face in the eye.
What's wrong, Nanami? She asked compassionately.
It's just, Nanami began, sniffling as she did so. Why do I have two tails? Why can't I be normal like everyone else? She asked, her voice breaking.
Ohhh, it's okay, Her mother said, hugging the little girl tightly into her chest. Everyone has a hard time fitting in at first, but I'm sure you can find friends who like you for your tails, and will keep liking you up until you have all nine! She offered helpfully, squeezing her daughter.
B-But... Nanami whined, her wet eyes watering further.
No buts young lady. Her mother said, tapping the little girl on the nose. I've had a hard time dealing with the people here too, but you just have to suck it up and keep going. She said softly, running her fingers through her daughter's pretty hair.
Y-You have problems too? Nanami asked incredulously. Why don't you do anything about it then? She asked. She'd heard other people speak of Haruna, her mother, with reverence and respect. She knew that nine tails meant she was incredibly powerful and wise among her own kind. The young girl simply couldn't fathom not using such power to deal with any problem that presented itself!
Well... Haruna began, her mind searching for an answer. It was a good question. She could have certainly done many things to rid herself of those who bothered her. It would take no effort, and she would almost definitely be able to get away with it as well. So really, what was stopping her?
I don't do anything because it could be dangerous for you. She said honestly. Though a hundred ideas on how to be rid of all who bothered her ran through her mind, she knew that acting on it couldn't endanger her little girl. After all, raining death and destruction on an entire city was only good if there was no way the one person she cared for weren't present.
Oh... Nanami said, sniffling again. So she was holding her mother back. She looked down at her bare feet, trying to keep a fresh wave of tears from wetting her face.
Oh! I didn't mean it like that Nanami, honestly! Haruna said, trying in vain to comfort her daughter. Even with all her exceptional wisdom and power, proper parenting was still a challenge. But, maybe when you're older, and better able to take care of yourself we can talk about it some more? She asked, slipping a finger under her daughter's chin and tilting her head up.
Nanami smiled weakly, though it was clear she'd rather be bawling her eyes out at the moment.
Believe me Nanami, if there was a way to guarantee your safety we'd have moved already and all the bad people would be gone forever. She offered wistfully, before planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead.
Then... Nanami said, her eyes widening at her mother's suggestion. How about if I take care of everything? You won't have to worry about my safety then! She asked, looking a mess as she smiled through the tears staining her face.
Haruna looked at her daughter's smiling face concernedly. She'd shown a moment of weakness, and her daughter had capitalized. Her little girl was certainly on her way to earning those last seven tails, but what she was suggesting was crazy! Wasn't it? There was just no way, right?
But the more Haruna dwelled on it the more she began to consider it. She could certainly take care of herself in any situation, so her own safety wouldn't be any sort of an issue. Really, who said that she had to be the one to have all the fun? This city bothered her just as much as it did Nanami, after all. What could go wrong?
Well, a lot of things could go wrong, she thought, now that she was seriously considering that route. What if Nanami needed help? Though, if her daughter were in trouble, she herself could simply come to her aid. But what if they got in trouble when it was all over with? Though, if they did, who would stop them? Who could stop them?
Nanami... Haruna said sadly, hugging her daughter closer. She'd made up her mind, and she was going to say no. She looked down into her daughter's shining, hopeful eyes, and her words caught in her throat. Why couldn't she do it? Pulling her child away she lowered to her knees and looked the little girl in the eyes, trying to force herself to say no. Say no to those big, pretty blue eyes. Say no to that cute face that looked up at her with love and adoration. Say no to a request that she felt, deep down, did make some sense.
Okay, She finally said, her heart melting as a look of joy appeared on the girl's face. We'll talk about it more after we get home, okay? She added, her heart fluttering when the girl hugged her tightly.
Okay! Nanami said, releasing the death grip she had on her mother and jumping from the table she was sitting on. Her heart pounded in her chest as she began to wonder what her mother had in store for her? Would she be given the power to turn people into dust? Maybe she would be given the ability to shoot lightning from her tails! Or, maybe she would be given super strength so she could beat up Oriko and everyone else who bullied her!
The pair walked out of the nurse's office, not bothering to sign the required paperwork to go home. Haruna worked the details of her plan out in her mind, while an excited Nanami ran ahead, her mind filled with a hundred thoughts. The more she thought on her situation the more she thought that she'd just like to be normal, and settled on the idea that appealed to her most.
She'd like to make her second tail invisible, so no one could make fun of her. Knowing that her mother was a strong, wise woman, she was certain that this was her plan as well. Already she could imagine herself fitting into cliques she'd been excluded from now that she had a single tail on display. She could fit in with everything! Who knows, maybe she'd even become friends with her former bullies! They'd have to respect her!
Nanami waited patiently for her mother to catch up, eager to see what she had in store. In her mind she already knew, but it was still so exciting! She could barely contain herself as the pair stepped into their trimmed yard, and walked into their small home.
Giantess World
