Chapter 22 – Preparations

Madelyn paced around her room, her tail flicking nervously behind her. Tomorrow—tomorrow her friends were coming over. Not just any friends—her best friends. Sarah, Lillian, James, and David. Her heart raced at the thought. She had no idea how to prepare for it, or if there even was a way to prepare.

Her mind spun in a hundred directions at once. How would they react when they saw her? What would they think of her now? She had changed so much since the last time they were all together. It wasn’t just the physical transformation—the fox ears, the tail, the new body—it was everything. She wasn’t Benjamin anymore. She was Madelyn.

But as she thought about it, she hugged her tail close for comfort, her ears twitching with anxiety. Am I still the same person inside? The question lingered in her mind. She was still her, right? She still cared about the same things, still valued the friendships that meant everything to her. But what if they saw her differently now?

Madelyn walked over to the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her fiery red hair, the fox ears perched atop her head, the amber eyes that stared back at her—it all felt so different, yet so right. She had grown comfortable with who she was becoming, but the thought of seeing that reflection through her friends' eyes filled her with dread. What if they didn’t recognize her? What if they couldn’t accept her like this?

Her hands clenched at her sides, and she bit her lip, trying to push the thoughts away. Sarah had accepted her, hadn't she? Sarah had been excited, even supportive. But that didn’t erase the fear that twisted in her chest. What if Sarah was the only one?

Her ears flattened in worry, and her tail curled tighter around her. Tomorrow would be the moment of truth. She just hoped her friends would still see the real her beneath all the changes.

Madelyn’s ears perked up when she heard the familiar sound of the front door opening. Her father was home. Without thinking, she rushed downstairs, her feet moving quickly across the floor as she sought the comfort she desperately needed.

As soon as she saw him, she wrapped her arms around him in a sudden hug. Her father, caught off guard by the unexpected affection, hesitated for a moment before patting her on the back, clearly unsure of what had prompted this. His eyes darted to Emily, his expression filled with confusion.

Emily looked up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table, her warm smile reassuring both of them. "She’s invited her friends over tomorrow after school," she explained gently.

Her father’s eyes softened with understanding as he looked down at Madelyn, still holding him tightly. "Ah," he said, his voice kind, "I guess you’re pretty stressed about that."

Madelyn nodded against his chest, her tail flicking behind her, the weight of everything suddenly feeling like too much. She needed this small moment of reassurance.

"It’s going to be okay, though," her father added, his hand moving to gently ruffle her hair between her fox ears. "You’ve got this, Maddy. Your friends care about you, and that won’t change."

His words helped, even if only a little, and Madelyn loosened her grip, stepping back and offering a small smile. She hoped he was right.

While her parents busied themselves in the kitchen, preparing dinner, Madelyn sat at the dining table with a notepad in front of her. Her fox ears twitched occasionally as she scribbled down a list of things she’d need for tomorrow. Snacks, drinks—just the little things to make sure her friends felt comfortable. Her tail swayed behind her as she tried to focus, though her mind was still buzzing with anxious thoughts.

Okay, snacks… maybe chips, pretzels, and some cookies? Sarah always likes cookies. She jotted it down, her handwriting a bit hurried.

Drinks… She paused, chewing on the end of her pen. Soda, lemonade, and maybe something light, like water. She added that to the list. Her mind wandered briefly to what else her friends might like, trying to remember their favorites.

Games, maybe? Something casual, just in case things get awkward, she thought, tapping the paper with her pen.

Her mom glanced over at her as she stirred something on the stove. "Got everything you need on that list?" she asked, her voice light and casual.

"Mostly," Madelyn replied, looking down at her scattered notes.

Emily smiled. "I’ll swing by the store tomorrow after work and pick up whatever you need before your friends get here. Don’t worry, we’ll have it all ready."

"Thanks, Mom," Madelyn said softly, her tail giving a small flick of gratitude. Knowing her mom was there to help eased some of her nerves, but she still felt the weight of tomorrow looming over her.

She glanced back down at her list, making sure she hadn’t missed anything, but no matter how much she prepared, it didn’t make the nervous flutter in her chest go away.

As Madelyn sat at the table, her mind still wracking for anything she might have forgotten to add to her list, she caught bits of her parents’ conversation from the kitchen. Her ears perked up at the sound of her dad’s voice, her fox-like instincts making it easy to catch every word even when she wasn’t fully focused.

"Again, no luck today," her dad said, his tone tinged with frustration. "We just can’t figure it out. Every lead ends in nothing."

Madelyn’s curiosity stirred, and she paused her list-making. Though her father rarely spoke about his work, she had picked up over time that it involved something… strange. She wasn’t entirely sure what, but it always seemed more complicated than the usual kind of job at the government.

"You’ll get it, honey," her mom replied, her voice calm and supportive. "I’m sure you will."

Her dad sighed. "I hope so. These disappearances… they just don’t make any sense. Every time we think we’ve found a connection, it slips away."

Madelyn's ears twitched. Disappearances? It wasn’t the first time she’d overheard her dad talking about strange things happening, but he was always vague. She knew he couldn’t give too many details about it, but she would like to know more about what her father did exactly.

By the time Madelyn had finished her list, her parents had completed dinner, and they all sat down together to eat. The meal was accompanied by light conversation—nothing too serious, just the usual talk about the day, a few jokes, and funny stories that made the weight in Madelyn’s chest feel a little lighter.

After dinner, they moved to the living room, and Madelyn settled in on the couch beside her parents to watch TV. As soon as she sat down, she instinctively snuggled up against her mom, her tail curling around her legs. Since her transformation, she had found herself drawn to moments like this more and more. Being close to her parents made her feel safe, like all the worries of the world could melt away, even if just for a little while.

Her dad glanced over at her with a small smile, adjusting so she could nestle more comfortably between them. Madelyn let out a soft, contented sigh as she rested her head on her mom’s shoulder. The warmth of their presence surrounded her, easing some of the tension that had built up inside her throughout the day.

For now, everything felt okay. She could worry about tomorrow when it came.

Madelyn woke up in her own bed, blinking groggily at the morning light filtering through her curtains. She hadn’t even remembered falling asleep the night before—she must have dozed off while watching TV with her parents. They had carried her upstairs and tucked her into bed, something that filled her with a quiet warmth.

She stretched beneath the covers, feeling a little groggy but well-rested. Ever since her transformation, she had been sleeping much longer than she used to. Before, she would get by with six or seven hours of sleep, but now she slept almost ten hours each night. It made her feel more rested, her mind clearer when she woke up, so she didn’t mind the change too much.

Madelyn yawned and snuggled back into her pillow for a moment, enjoying the coziness of her bed. But then the memory of what today held hit her—her friends would be coming over after school. Her heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay in bed much longer.

Today was the day.

Madelyn made her way downstairs, her bare feet padding softly on the steps as the smell of breakfast filled the air. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation as she reached the kitchen. Her father was sitting at the table with a newspaper, sipping on his coffee, while her mom had already left for work.

Emily had a flexible job that allowed her to work both from home and at the office, which suited their family perfectly. Yesterday, she’d been busy on her laptop, but today she must have needed to head in.

“Morning, Maddy,” her dad greeted her with a warm smile, putting down his paper. “Hungry?”

“Morning, Dad,” Madelyn replied, grabbing some toast and sitting down at the table. “Yeah, a little.” She took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, glancing at her dad. It had been a while since they had spent much time together. Lately, she had been leaning more on her mom, especially with all the changes she’d been going through.

But today felt different. Her dad was home, and maybe she could take this time to be with him, to reconnect. It felt right.

“Do you have the day off?” she asked, curious.

“Yup,” her dad said, taking another sip of his coffee. “I have to work tomorrow, but today, I’m around.”

Madelyn smiled softly. “Maybe we can hang out a bit?” she suggested, her tail swaying slightly behind her.

Her dad’s face lit up, clearly happy with the idea. “I’d love that.”

"What do you want to do today?" her dad asked, leaning back in his chair with a curious smile.

Madelyn paused for a moment, thinking. "Well," she began slowly, her ears twitching slightly as she glanced around the room. "We should probably clean up a bit. My friends are coming over later, and everything’s kind of a mess."

Her dad groaned dramatically, making Madelyn giggle. "Ugh, you want to spend time with me cleaning?" he teased, feigning disappointment. "I thought we’d be doing something fun!"

She laughed, her tail swishing behind her in amusement. "Hey, it’s gotta be done! Besides, it’ll be easier if we both do it."

Her dad sighed, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Fine, fine. I guess if I have to clean, at least I get to do it with you." He ruffled her hair, making her ears twitch again.

"That’s the spirit," Madelyn said, standing up from the table, ready to tackle the day with her dad by her side. Even if it was just cleaning, she appreciated the time they’d get to spend together.

The cleaning ended up taking far longer than Madelyn and her dad had anticipated. Things had gotten a little messy over the last few days, and as they worked, they realized just how much had piled up. Despite that, they had fun together, even if it was just cleaning. They chatted as they worked, laughing over the mess and trading jokes while tidying up.

As they finished up one last area, Madelyn glanced over at her dad, curiosity getting the better of her. "So, what is your job exactly, Dad?" she asked, her ears perking up slightly as she wiped down the table.

Her dad paused for a moment, giving her a sideways glance. "Well, you know I work for the government," he started, his tone casual but thoughtful.

Madelyn nodded, her tail flicking. "Yeah, I know that part," she said, leaning on the counter as she waited for him to explain.

He set down the cleaning cloth and leaned against the counter too. "I work for a very special division," he said, lowering his voice just a bit as if it were something secret. "I haven’t been in my current job for too long, but it’s kind of like the detective branch of the police… only, we handle the more mysterious cases. The unexplained ones."

Madelyn’s ears twitched with intrigue. "Unexplained?" she echoed, her amber eyes widening slightly.

Her dad gave a small nod, though his expression remained serious. "Yeah. You know I can’t go into too much detail, but let’s just say we deal with cases that don’t have a normal explanation."

Madelyn thought back to all the odd things she’d overheard, the disappearances her dad had mentioned before. "So… like weird disappearances?" she ventured.

"Something like that," her dad replied, his tone evasive but not dismissive. "We try to solve cases where the usual rules don’t seem to apply. It's complicated."

Madelyn fell quiet, letting that sink in. Her mind wandered back to her own strange experiences in Astralyth Online, and she couldn’t help but wonder if there was some sort of connection. But she didn’t press further—she knew her dad couldn’t reveal too much.

"That sounds... intense," she said softly, her tail swaying thoughtfully.

"It can be," her dad admitted. "But it’s also rewarding. We’re trying to figure things out that no one else can." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Though I’d rather spend a day cleaning with you than puzzling over some of those cases."

Madelyn smiled back, feeling a bit closer to her dad after their talk. Even if there were things he couldn’t share, it felt good to know a little more about what he did.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, Madelyn’s mom returned home from work, arms full of bags filled with the snacks and drinks Madelyn had put on her list. As she stepped inside, she glanced around the house, her eyebrows lifting in surprise.

“Well, look at this! You two have been working hard,” Emily remarked, clearly impressed with how spotless everything looked.

Madelyn’s dad gave a playful grin, wiping his hands on a towel. “Yep, we’ve been on cleaning duty all day. The place is spotless now.”

Madelyn smiled as well, feeling a sense of accomplishment from the productive morning she’d had with her dad. “It wasn’t too bad,” she added, her tail swaying slightly behind her as she glanced at her mom. “We actually had fun.”

“I can see that,” her mom said with a smile as she set the bags down on the kitchen counter. “I’ve got everything you need for later.”

Madelyn’s heart fluttered a bit at the reminder. She had been so wrapped up in cleaning and enjoying time with her dad that her earlier anxiety had been pushed to the back of her mind. But now, with the afternoon creeping on and the time for her friends to arrive getting closer, that familiar nervousness returned. Her tail flicked restlessly, and she could feel her ears twitching.

Her dad noticed the slight shift in her demeanor. “Everything okay, Maddy?” he asked, his tone gentle.

Madelyn nodded but bit her lip, her anxiety creeping back in now that the moment was drawing nearer. "Yeah, I’m just… starting to get a little nervous again."

Her mom stepped closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. You’ve done all you can to prepare. Just be yourself.”

Madelyn gave a small smile in return, but the knot of anxiety in her chest tightened. The time was approaching, and soon, she’d be facing her friends—the people she cared about most in the world—and revealing everything. Just be yourself.

The dreaded time had finally come. Madelyn sat on the couch, her heart pounding in her chest as she nervously counted down the minutes. She had calculated the exact time it would take for her friends to make their way over after school, and now that time was approaching faster than she wanted. Her ears twitched anxiously, and her tail flicked restlessly beside her.

She sat there, her fingers gripping the cushion beneath her, her parents sitting nearby, trying to keep her calm. But the knot in her stomach tightened with every passing second. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry, laugh, or simply freeze. Her emotions swirled uncontrollably, and the overwhelming wave of anxiety made her feel slightly nauseous.

Her dad leaned forward, placing a hand on her knee. “It’s going to be okay, Maddy. You’ve got this. Just take deep breaths.”

Her mom, sitting on her other side, gently stroked her hair, her touch soothing against Madelyn’s twitching fox ears. “You don’t have to face this alone, sweetie. We’re here for you.”

Madelyn nodded weakly, trying to focus on their reassurances, but the weight of what was about to happen pressed down on her. Her friends were about to walk through that door, and she had no idea how they would react. Would they still see her as the same person, or would they only see the changes?

Her tail curled tightly around her, and she pulled her knees to her chest, the nerves hitting her harder than she expected. "What if they don’t… what if they don’t understand?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

“They care about you,” her dad said gently. “And no matter what, that’s not going to change. You’re still you, Maddy.”

Madelyn took a shaky breath, trying to hold onto that thought. Her heart continued to race as the minutes ticked by, each one bringing her closer to the moment she had been dreading for so long.

Madelyn sat frozen on the couch, her mind racing as she contemplated whether she should use her Human Disguise to hide her tail and ears. Her fingers absentmindedly brushed over her furry tail, which was wrapped tightly around her waist, while her fox ears twitched with indecision. She had thought about hiding her traits before her friends arrived—maybe it would make the situation easier, at least for the start. But was that the right thing to do? Shouldn’t she show them the real her?

Before she could come to a decision, she heard the faint sound of voices just outside the house. Her heart jumped into her throat, and her breath caught. They’re here.

Her father stood up from his seat, giving her a reassuring smile before walking toward the door. “I’ll get it,” he said calmly, as if this were just another ordinary day. But for Madelyn, it felt anything but ordinary. It felt like everything was about to change.

Madelyn’s pulse quickened, her hands trembling slightly as she sat there, wide-eyed. What am I supposed to do?! She wanted to sink through the floor, to disappear entirely. Her mind screamed for an escape, but there was none. This was happening.

She glanced down at her tail, feeling the weight of her decision bearing down on her. Should she hide it? Or show her friends the real her? Before she could make up her mind, the sound of the door opening filled the room, and she heard the familiar voices of her friends filtering in from outside.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and for a moment, she thought she might faint from the sheer anxiety of it all. But there was no turning back now.

Her father’s voice greeted her friends warmly as they entered, their footsteps echoing softly from the hallway. Madelyn’s breath caught in her throat, her fox ears twitching at every noise. She could hear their familiar voices—Sarah’s excited chatter, Lillian and James laughing about something, David’s quiet response. They were right there, just beyond the door, and her heart pounded harder with each passing second.

Madelyn sat frozen on the couch, her tail curled tightly beside her. She wasn’t thinking about hiding it anymore. There wasn’t time for that. This was it—no more delays, no more disguises. Her friends were about to see her for who she really was now.

Madelyn could feel her anxiety building, her thoughts racing in a chaotic blur. Her hands gripped the edge of the couch cushion so tightly it felt like the only thing keeping her grounded.

The voices outside grew louder as they approached the living room. She could hear Sarah laughing, the sound of it familiar yet distant in her anxiety-filled mind. The floorboards creaked under their feet, and then—silence. They had reached the doorway.

Her father turned the handle, opening the door.

Madelyn’s heart seemed to stop altogether as the moment she had dreaded finally arrived. Her friends were just beyond the threshold, seconds away from seeing her new self—her ears, her tail, the transformation she hadn’t been able to explain to them.

The door began to swing open.