The weekend arrived with the kind of excitement that seemed to fill the entire house before anyone had even finished breakfast.

  Eri woke to the sound of Yui running down the hallway.

  Not walking.

  Not jogging.

  Running.

  Which was always dangerous.

  Her door burst open without warning.

  “THEME PARK DAY!”

  Eri bolted upright in bed, ears snapping straight up in arm and tails puffing instinctively.

  “YUI—!”

  Too te.

  Yui had already unched herself onto the bed like a missile.

  Eri colpsed backward with a startled oof as her younger sister wrapped her in a tight hug.

  “Good morning!” Yui said brightly.

  Eri groaned.

  “You tried to kill me.”

  “No I didn’t.”

  “You tackled me.”

  “That’s affection.”

  From the doorway, Mira leaned casually against the frame, sipping from a mug.

  “She’s been awake since six.”

  “IT’S THEME PARK DAY,” Yui repeated proudly.

  Eri rubbed her face.

  Her tails were already moving restlessly behind her.

  “…Right.”

  The theme park.

  The pn had started earlier that week.

  Alex had mentioned it casually while they were hanging out.

  Mom had overheard.

  Dad had gotten excited.

  Yui had become unstoppable.

  And now—

  The entire family was going.

  Which meant Mom.

  Dad.

  Mira.

  Yui.

  Alex.

  And Eri.

  Eri slowly looked down at her nine fluffy tails sprawled across the bed.

  “…This is going to be a problem.”

  —

  Two hours ter they were in the car.

  Dad was driving.

  Mom sat in the passenger seat.

  Mira and Yui were in the middle row.

  Eri and Alex had the back.

  Which had seemed like a great idea earlier.

  Now it mostly meant Yui turning around every thirty seconds.

  “Are we there yet?”

  “No,” Dad said patiently.

  “Are we there yet?”

  “No.”

  “Are we there yet—”

  “Yui,” Mira said without looking up from her phone, “if you ask again I will throw you out of the car.”

  Yui turned toward Eri instead.

  “Eri.”

  “…Yes.”

  “Are you excited?”

  Eri hesitated.

  “…Cautiously.”

  Her tails were curled carefully around her waist to fit in the seat.

  Alex leaned closer and whispered quietly.

  “You’re going to be fine.”

  Eri looked at him.

  “…You don’t know that.”

  “You’ll be fine.”

  Her ears twitched.

  “…My tails are huge.”

  “They are majestic.”

  “That’s not helpful.”

  Mira gnced back.

  “I agree with Alex.”

  Yui nodded enthusiastically.

  “Majestic!”

  Eri buried her face in her hands.

  “I’m surrounded by traitors.”

  —

  The theme park was already buzzing with noise and movement when they arrived.

  Music pyed from hidden speakers.

  Kids ran around with cotton candy.

  Bright rides towered overhead.

  Eri stepped through the entrance gate and immediately froze.

  “…Oh.”

  Alex noticed.

  “What?”

  Eri slowly pointed.

  Every ride had a sign.

  Height requirements.

  Safety instructions.

  And something else.

  Loose article warnings.

  Dad cpped his hands.

  “Alright! First ride!”

  Yui pointed dramatically.

  “ROLLER COASTER!”

  Everyone looked toward the massive twisting coaster near the center of the park.

  Eri looked at it.

  Then looked at her tails.

  Then looked at the safety harness shown on the sign.

  “…Oh no.”

  —

  Ten minutes ter they were standing at the ride entrance.

  The ride operator scanned the group.

  Dad.

  Mom.

  Mira.

  Yui.

  Alex.

  Then Eri.

  Then Eri’s tails.

  The man blinked.

  “…Uh.”

  Eri already knew.

  “You’re going to say no.”

  “…I’m going to say no.”

  Dad frowned.

  “Why?”

  The operator gestured awkwardly.

  “…The harness won’t secure properly.”

  Eri sighed.

  Her ears drooped slightly.

  “Called it.”

  Yui gasped dramatically.

  “WHAT.”

  “The tails create… a safety issue,” the operator expined carefully.

  Alex tried not to ugh.

  Mira definitely was ughing.

  Dad crossed his arms.

  “…That seems discriminatory.”

  Mom gently touched his arm.

  “It’s probably for safety.”

  Eri waved them off.

  “It’s fine.”

  But her tails drooped a little more.

  Yui grabbed her arm.

  “We’ll find another ride!”

  —

  The next ride was a spinning teacup attraction.

  Surely that would work.

  The operator looked hopeful at first.

  Then he saw the tails.

  “…They might get caught in the center wheel.”

  “No,” Eri said ftly.

  —

  Next ride.

  A drop tower.

  “…Harness conflict.”

  —

  Next ride.

  A swinging pirate ship.

  “…Loose tail hazard.”

  —

  Next ride.

  Log flume.

  “…Tails can get caught.”

  Eri stood at the ride exit with her ears ft against her head.

  Alex slowly approached.

  “…Okay this is getting ridiculous.”

  Mira was openly ughing now.

  “Five rides.”

  “Five!”

  Yui looked horrified.

  “They won’t let you on anything!”

  Dad looked ready to file a legal compint.

  Mom was trying not to ugh.

  Eri crossed her arms.

  “…My tails are being discriminated against.”

  Alex nodded solemnly.

  “They fear your power.”

  “Clearly.”

  Yui suddenly grabbed Eri’s hand.

  “I HAVE AN IDEA.”

  Eri immediately looked suspicious.

  “…What idea.”

  “Games!”

  —

  The game section of the park turned out to be the one pce Eri absolutely dominated.

  Ring toss.

  Target shooting.

  Balloon darts.

  Her ears twitched constantly.

  Her reflexes were ridiculous.

  Within twenty minutes she had won:

  Three plush animals.

  Two giant stuffed dragons.

  And a massive fox plush nearly the size of Yui.

  The worker handed it over slowly.

  “…How.”

  Eri shrugged.

  “Natural talent.”

  Alex whispered to Mira.

  “She’s cheating with supernatural reflexes.”

  Mira grinned.

  “Obviously.”

  Yui hugged the giant fox plush.

  “BEST DAY EVER.”

  Eri’s tails finally lifted again.

  “…Okay this part is fun.”

  Dad cpped proudly.

  “That’s my daughter.”

  Alex looked at him.

  “…You’re very accepting of the fox ears.”

  Dad shrugged.

  “She’s happy.”

  Eri gnced at him.

  Her ears softened slightly.

  Mom smiled warmly.

  “Besides.”

  She gestured to the mountain of plush toys.

  “She’s carrying all of this home.”

  Eri froze.

  “…Wait.”

  Yui shoved another stuffed animal into her arms.

  “Victory prize!”

  Alex grinned.

  “You did this to yourself.”

  Eri sighed dramatically.

  “…I regret everything.”

  But her tails were swaying happily again.

  And even if the rides had completely rejected her—

  The day wasn’t a disaster after all.

  Just chaotic.

  Very chaotic.

  And by the end of the day—

  Alex leaned toward her while they walked through the park lights.

  “…Next time we find a theme park designed for Kitsune's.”

  Eri bumped his shoulder lightly.

  “…Deal.”