Just like with every busy afternoon, there was a queue at the small market. Standing in line for the only register of the understaffed grocery store was a fox, last in line. Her clothes were designer, from a high-end retail store, hair likely styled at the expensive salon down town. She checked the expensive smart watch on her wrist, tapping her foot impatiently, her expensive sandals making an annoying clack on the floor with each footfall. She had only a few items in her other arm – a sandwich made with vegetarian meats and cheeses, organic kale chips, and an agave sweetened cola.
After a moment of waiting, a rabbit came from the back office holding a cash drawer in his hand. He signed into the other register rather quickly, and called out that he could help whoever was next in line. A feminine wolf with a small basketful of groceries, who was the proper next customer in line, started to make her way over. But before she could get there, the fox let out an exasperated sigh, muttering “finally” under her breath, and properly jogged over to the free register, cutting several others in line, including the wolf. The timid, chubby bunny boy spoke up. “u-uh, miss, I believe that the wolf you cut off was next in line.”
She barked at the rabbit. “I got here first, you’ll serve me, got it? That mutt can wait, I’m in a hurry.”
The wolf behind her responded softly, gently, “She can go first, she only has a few things. I’ll be fine.”
Despite getting her way, the fox gave her an angry glare, before putting her items down on the counter. She reached into her small purse, which looked like it cost more than the cashier bun would make in a week, and pulled out a coupon for the kale chips. The bunny took the coupon, but when scanning it, the register gave a small error noise. After looking over the coupon, he replied “sorry, this coupon expired a few weeks ago, it’s not valid.”
Clearly the fox didn’t like that. “No, you just scanned it wrong, try it again!”
“Listen, miss, it does not matter how many times I try to scan this, the computer won’t take it because it is no longer a valid deal. The total without the coupon is -”
“Then just put it in manually! I’m a paying customer, I shop here all the time, and you should know better than to make your coupons expire so quickly!”
“I don’t make the coupons, they come from the company. I can’t accept a coupon that expires this long ago.”
“Just give me the damn discount from the chips, you long eared rat!” She slammed her hand on the counter, which caused a display of candy to fall over and spill everywhere, several boxes spewing their sugary content on the floor.
“Miss, you’re making a mess.”
“So what? It’s your damn job to clean it up, it’s not my problem! I’ll make as much of a goddamn mess as I want!” just to prove her point, she kicked a display that was next to the register.
“Please pick that up. You’re making a scene.”
“No, I won’t! It’s YOUR job, not mine! Ugh, you rodents are just as lazy as you are useless! Get me a higher mammal who knows what they are doing, not some grass eating spaz!”
The wolf behind her finally spoke up. “Miss, that’s incredibly rude and hurtful.”
The fox turned back, giving her another, deathly glare. “Excuse me, but who the hell asked you?!”
“That bunny is a good friend of mine. And even if he wasn’t, it was still mean what you said to him. Also, weren’t you in a hurry? Arguing over an expired coupon seems like a waste of –” Before she could even finish her sentence, the fox drew her hand back and open hand slapped the wolf across the maw. A few other customers gasped; the other cashier stopped scanning to see what was going on. For a few seconds, the store was filled with stunned silence. The wolf simply stood there, closed her eyes, took a deep inhale through her nose, and let out a long, tired sigh. “Well… you’re quite the brat aren’t you? Didn’t they teach you how to play nice in preschool?”
“What the fuck did you just call me, you mutt?! Why can’t you just shut up and mind your own business?!”
“How people treat others is my business. And clearly, you need to be taught some manners. You’re acting like a spoiled child and need to learn that your actions have consequences.” From the wolf’s purse, she produced what looked like a cheap pen, with a fake glass gem attached to the end.
“What are you going to do, write a strongly worded letter at me?” She scoffed. “Do you even know who I am?! I’m worth more than -” The wolf gently tapped the fox on the nose with the gem, and a burst of pink sparkles came from it. The wolf became surrounded in a glittery display, magical light swirling around her. As she looked around, the world around her looked larger and larger, as everything grew around her. Even her expensive designer clothes began to hang loose on her body. It took a moment to realize that it wasn’t the world that was growing.
She was shrinking! By the time the shrinking had stopped, she felt as if she was the size of a toddler. Her designer top was draped loosely around her body, keeping her now young form hidden. Everyone went silent, and was staring at her.
The wolf broke the silence. “What a bad and naughty brat you’ve been. I’m going to be taking you with me to teach you some manners.” She bent down and began to swaddle the surprised kit in her own adult clothes.
She didn’t like this at all, and immediately began fussing and squirming against the suddenly much larger and stronger wolf. “Lemme go! I’m not a bwat, dis is no way to tweat me, you big meanie!” she quickly covered her mouth with her small handpaws, surprised by how infantile her voice sounded. Even the last two words, she had meant to call the wolf a bitch, but what came out of her maw was nowhere near that level of scathing.
“Oh, yes you are. You little naughty thing you. I’m going to take you to my special daycare for a few days, until you learn some manners.” Holding the kit in one arm, she reached into her purse and pulled out a small pacifier. It was dark purple, with stars on the mouth piece, and the little handle looked like a moon. “Now, open wide…” she began to bring the paci to the kit’s mouth.
At this point, a few of the other customers were giggling at the show of the fox being brought down from a full blown adult tantrum, and being treated like no more than a fussy toddler. Angry and annoyed by being treated like this, she tried to push the wolf’s arm away, but she was far too weak. Refusing to be treated like a baby with a pacifier in her maw, she leaned forward and bit the wolf on the wrist, hard. She could taste blood in an instant.
The wolf howled out in pain, and pulled her arm away for a second. “No, bad girl! We do NOT bite people like that!” The wolf carefully set the fox on the counter, and took away her designer top. She used it to wrap up her bleeding wound.
“Don’t you soak your mutt bwood into my designer top! That costs -” while she was shouting, the wolf took the opportunity to shove the paci into the fox’s maw. She became flush with anger, but she couldn’t open her mouth to drop it. She was about to bring her hands to pull it out, but she began to suck on it. As she did, with each suck, she felt more and more tired. She couldn’t stop herself, and her consciousness was slipping.
The wolf properly swaddled her in the rest of her outfit to preserve her young dignity, and carried her out of the shop, telling the bunny to put both her own and the fox’s food on her tab. Just before she lost all consciousness, the fox saw the wolf unfurl draconic looking wings from behind her back, taking off to the sky, before she fell asleep, peaceful for the first time that afternoon.
