Gathering the last $500 and closing up the clutch, I feel like no one should be carrying this much money at once. Then again, these people carry cards that connect directly to their bank accounts... but not all of them go without a PIN like the silly Alpha.
After a relieved sigh that this part of my day is over with, I turn back to Ellie Rushwater. While perhaps being a little too friendly with soone she just t, I can at least understand feeling an interest in a person with a quality you find intriguing.
"Is that so? My hairstyle is popular in this... art of yours."
"Absolutely. The contrast of youthful energy it brings to their appearance is almost like a calling card of their potential personalities. Like my hair is uh... uhm..."
Looking around nervously, she steps closer and covers one side of her mouth. Vrika and I both beco a bit on edge at her sudden approach, but she’s been nice enough so far... so I give her the benefit of the doubt despite muscles shifting underneath my skin.
"H-hi cut. Sorry for whispering, but I explained it out loud to soone nearby once and they made fun of for a month."
Her finger secretly pointed over to one of the werewolves keeping an eye on us. The large imposing bald man certainly did have a look like he could easily bully soone, though physically.
"...Why would they make fun of you?"
"Ah, well, you see... Hi ans princess if you translate it. When they asked, I didn’t think twice about saying so. I was just translating... but I was ribbed for supposedly thinking of myself as an ’Indian princess’ for weeks..."
Hearing this, I feel complicated. On the one hand, I actually was a fox princess. On the other... I have experienced telling two people now and getting reactions that could definitely be called ’making fun of ’.
"Anyway, for mine, the characters having demure personalities despite sotis being a bit naive is the common the. Of course, it’s not like hairstyle is the only factor... and not every one of them acts exactly the sa."
She swiped to find another image on her phone until she showed a different cartoon girl - and from my sneaky glances all of them really were ’girls’? This one with dark hair, in an unbound at the back version of this werewolf’s hair, was wearing an expression that was sohow solemn and severe.
> Hm, yes. I have definitely t a few other princesses like this. I could never tell how volatile they truly were, so I just avoided them. <
"Like Kuromizu here - she looks cute but can destroy entire cities with her teor calling powers."
"That’s... interesting."
I wasn’t sure what else to say to that. This entire conversation had taken such an unexpected turn long ago, but hearing about magic that can do sothing so terrifying... like we are talking about a turn in the weather?
"Hey, uhm. Sorry if I ca on too strong."
Slipping her sticker-covered phone back into her pocket, she took a step back and tried to give an apologetic smile despite looking like she was having a good ti. Because of that disparity, I squint my eyes and raise my chin.
"Really. It’s not sothing I usually discuss with people I’ve just t. Especially not while working in my professional capacity. But when I saw your hairstyle, I got excited and approached. I’m actually impressed we made it all the way over here where you needed to be first!"
"I can understand enthusiasm for one’s interests. Truthfully, I have so of my own that I can get particularly... invested in."
What nervousness remained lted. I could see her face slacken, shoulders droop, and stance change all at once. Turning into soone relaxed around the other party.
> Perhaps this was never an opponent at all, Vrika. Just a woman, who happens to be a werewolf, that wanted to talk for a while without being judged for it. <
My wolf whimpers as I think of so many tis in my life where I wasn’t in the mood to act the part of the perfect royal fox. It built stress that I could only relieve in ways my parents could not or would not officially approve of.
"So if not ani, what inspired the twin tails? It’s such a distinctive look. Did you just play with your hair until it clicked?"
I considered my answer and how much to actually say. Sothing told to be cautious - a little tingle from Intuition? - but there seed little harm in providing a partial truth... and maybe it will even make her feel better.
Or make her think I’m making fun of her too, which is just as good...
"Sothing like that, actually. It’s a personal choice I made long ago. I was once a princess and this hairstyle was the one thing I was allowed to choose for myself."
Ellie’s eyes widened as I spoke - and I’m certain she thinks I am joking for all of two seconds, when her expression turned from an assessnt of my words to sothing more intense. She stepped closer again and put right back to feeling wary.
> The people of this world, especially the werewolves, seem to have no concept of space! <
"A princess? From what setting- I an, where from exactly?"
"A kingdom... you wouldn’t find on any maps, The number two has nurological significance where I’m from. It represents balance and harmony, and I wanted that to represent myself to the public."
And perhaps I hoped that an outer nature would soday spread to my inner one. I am still waiting for that to be true... but even this world knows not to count on the insides matching the outsides.
"Fascinating, I still don’t... maybe an original? Oh, then how did you end up here? In Vossden?"
I didn’t answer imdiately, wondering what I’m even doing. Talking about this with a relative stranger, dropping hints about my true nature. But she seems so genuinely intrigued that more truth slips out before I could stop myself.
"One mont I was standing in the royal gardens and the next... I wasn’t. Life takes so unexpected turns."
"Royal gardens... oh, she’s so good. I didn’t even doubt her..."
Ellie repeated what I said before mumbling almost to herself. But I could, of course, hear her. With a werewolf’s senses and the fact that she is only a foot and a half away. Her head ticks back up so sharply that I take a half step back.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t get your na yet?"
"...Citra Lomdi."
Her eyes sparkled before she grabbed her phone again, smashing her thumbs into the keyboard... before giggling at whatever she saw. I’m gradually growing uncomfortable, but it’s not a warning from Intuition.
At least not the system’s version...
"Last na ans fox? That seems significant but I can totally see why you’d pick it - they are cute. Does your... your kingdom have a Lunar Goddess too?"
"Lunar deities are important to many cultures of... the world."
I weakly deflected and Ellie’s expression shifted even more dramatically. That light behind her eyes turned into sparkles of turquoise glow as she leaned in with a lowered voice.
"So you’re saying you’re a tsundere fox princess from another dinsion, transported to our world and now hiding your true identity, right?"
"I really think you shouldn’t just get so close to-"
A tallic crash echoed through the casino. Startled, Vrika surged forward defensively, causing my eyes to flash deep blue so strongly that I could see it in her much too close eyes. Ellie gasped and backed off... with her hand flying to cover her mouth.
"Oh my god, you’re *full-on* and this is amazing..."
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