Biff.. was feeling pretty weird all things considered. Her wing was still feeling sore. She frowned at the door that impeeded her. Doors.. Damn DOORS! They were meant for human hands to open. They were everywhere and she couldn’t open them on her own. She was either trapped outside or trapped inside until someone let her out- or she broke out. She gave an irritated growl, her ears flattening as she knocked at the door. “Hello?” she called out. “Miss.. Collins?”
Miss Collins quickly opened the door. “Biff! I was worried- when I saw you took your car...” she could smell.. yes.. there was the hint of oil around the sphinx. She had defintely been in a car accident. “Are you alright?”
“..yeah,” she looked down.
“Well, come in please.” she gestured her over.
Biff silently padded to the living room. She winced slightly as her wing grazed the side of the door frame. Why did something she didn’t even want to have hurt so much!
Miss Collins looked the young woman over and sat down on the sofa. Biff wasn’t exactly sure what to do to be ‘comfortable.’ She just sat there, her ears flattened and her tail bristling from side to side. The fox-woman looked her over shaking her head. “It’s times like this, I wish the Mist changed ‘more’ people. Society would adapt enough to.. well.. the general comforts. Still, would you like a cup of tea dear?”
“… how would I even drink it,” Biff growled.
“Making a cup of tea is a time honoured tradition dear, do not worry about the ‘how’. I certainly need a cup of tea myself and we’ll make one for you.”
With that Miss Collins disapeared into the kitchen, With Biff catching a glimpse of her fox-tail. She looked at it for a while curious.. she slumped down on the rug. “Jeez, what did I do...” She took her car, got into an accident- nearlly killed a family for her pride. Collins was doing everything she could to help her- a total stranger whie her father had run off to God only knew where just beause he didn’t want to deal with her as a sphinx. Biff didn’t want to deal with herself as a sphinx!
“So, do you take sugar?” Collins called out.
“Uh.. no sugar.” Biff replied getting up and walking towards the kitchen.
Collins turned back with the kettle boiled. She was pouring the water into an actual teapot. There was a ceramic tea-set on a tray. Biff took a moment to stare at it. The novlty of doing it in such a way without using a bag seemed so old fashioned. Collins gave a little smile. “Like I said, a time honoured ritual to calm the mind.”
The smell of tea was certainly welcoming on its own. Biff felt.. calmer. “I.. was stupid.” She admitted. “I shouldn’t have tried to drive my car...”
“It must have been quite difficult,” Collins nodded as she took the tray back to the living room. With a touch of ceremony she placed the tray on the carpet, and set a single straw on one of the cups. “Come on then, have a seat.”
Biff seemed surprised. “What- on the floor?”
“Just between us ‘animals’ I am pretty sure nobody will care. It’s no worse then having a picnic.”
Biff sat down on the other side. She looked at the inviting tea and sipped it through the straw. It was… weird really. She was feeling almost like she wanted to laugh.. or cry at her sitution. “You’re- lucky,” Biff felt her tears well. “I can’t even open the door.. I can’t drive… I can’t… I’m a weak- crippled thing!”
Collins looked at Biff… and bit her lip. “My form does come with its own… challenges dear. Though I don’t know if explaining my own journey will help you in yours.”
“How can it be a challenge! All you have is a fox tail.. and fox ears. That’s it!”
Collins gave an awkward glance. “I suppose having grown up a boy, you can probably imagine what I went through. People… saw me always quite.. sexually.”
Biff spluttered her tea.
“You wanted to know right?” Collins asked innocently.
“Well...” Biff trailed off. She wasn’t sure she did now.
Collns chuckled dryly. “Let me explain it. People saw me as this ‘thing’ that only existed in their mind. A fox-woman… a foxy woman… a sexy woman, with an unsatiable lust that would make me the center of their horny world. There were.. advantages, though there were also many times I couldn’t get a job. People would say the .. worst things possible about me; that sex was all I was interested in… that kind of thing.” Collins gave a light shrug as she took another sip of tea. “I’m sure this is at least somewhat relatable. You’ve been a teenage girl for some time.”
Biff gulped. The stares of her classmates.. people seeing her as.. this monster- or worse. A pet.. something they wanted to make fun of or.. or… She winced. “I- guess.”
“...Besides that, well.. getting on a bus is a pain. Seats are not made for tails. Sometimes I can smell too much.. and don’t get me started on dog whistles.”
Biff gave a slight smile at that. “We’re really both just freaks arn’t we.” She felt her wing tense up suddenly and winced.
“I’m quite content with who I am now. I can only hope you will be someday- Oh dear.” she reached up to look at the sphinxes wing. “Biff, how long has this been like that?”
“Uh- just after the accident. It’s just a wing I don’t even use-”
“Hush. Your wings have bones in them silly! Lots of small ones. It could be broken. We should take you to a hospital.”
“No!” Biff shouted. “Uh- No- I don’t want to. I don’t need it!”
“… well… what if I brought someone here? I know someone good with .. animal-part injuries.”
Biff slumped on the rug. “Fine… but no hospitals...”
