After the bath, Clara and Tucker made their way to the kitchen. Clara picked up some snacks for herself and raw meat for Tucker, which he didn't mind at all.
He happily chewed on the plate of raw meat, reminiscing about the far worse things he had eaten in his long life.
As he enjoyed his meal, he heard the news playing from Clara's phone.
The mention of the train incident caught his attention, but he quickly looked away, continuing to devour his meat(Ayo!!) while Clara ignored the news and scrolled through Sissitigram, taking pictures of Tucker and posting them with cute filters.
Just then, someone walked into the kitchen. Odette, a tall and thin demon with white skin, light blonde hair tied in a short ponytail, and small black horns atop her head, entered.
She wore circular-rimmed glasses with red tinted lenses, a long white buttoned lab coat over a black turtleneck, long black gloves, black tights, and silver pointe shoes.[Pic]
"Good Afternoon, sister," Odette greeted, her voice cold and indifferent.
Clara smiled brightly. "Morning, Odette! Look at my new pet, Sparky; isn't he the cutest?"
Odette glanced at Tucker, then back to her sister with a dismissive wave. "You shouldn't take in strays, Clara. Throw it away."
Clara gasped dramatically, covering Tucker's ears. "How could you say that? Look how cute he is! Look!" She smothered Tucker against her face.
Odette rolled her eyes and walked to the fridge. "They're loud, noisy, and flea-ridden. Keep that thing away from my room or mother's."
Clara sighed, already used to her sister's non-caring and harsh remarks. Tucker, slightly annoyed but letting it go, saw Odette grab a bag of bagels.
Suddenly an idea popped into his head. He jumped out of Clara's arms and snatched the bag of bagels from Odette.
"What the—!" Odette exclaimed, shocked and angry. "Come back here, you little thief!"
Disgusted and furious, she tried to grab him but missed. Tucker darted around the kitchen, jumping on Odette's head before running out with her hot on his heels. Clara followed, scared her sister might kill Sparky.
They ran all around the house, through the living room, down hallways, and ultimately to the stairs.
Odette, thinking she had him cornered, leapt off the stair balcony, only to realize too late that she was falling.
Clara tried to warn her, but it was too late. Just as Odette thought she was about to hit the floor, she felt something catch her foot. It was a rope.
Odette dangled inches from the ground, realizing the fox had grabbed the rope earlier and had bitten it off the wall.
Had this been the flea bag's plan all along? Her body slowly spun until Tucker's soft paws stopped her, his paw on her head like he had felled a mighty beast. He bit into her pretzel, causing her left eye to twitch with rage while Clara laughed.
Suddenly, both Clara and Odette froze. Odette stuttered, "M-Mother, this is…"
Tucker, basking in his glory, heard the distinct click of sharpened heels against the floor.
He slowly looked up to see a very tall and, he had to admit, gorgeous woman with the most unique hairstyle he'd ever seen. Her presence was commanding, her eyes sharp and assessing.[Pic]
"What is going on here?" she demanded, her voice cold and authoritative.
Clara gulped. "Mother, I can explain. This is Sparky… He's just a little fox I found and Odette—"
Odette, still hanging upside down, cut in. "He's a nuisance, Mother! He stole my bagels!"
The woman sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Clara, you know better than to bring strays into the house without permission. Odette, stop whining about bagels and get down from there."
With a flick of her wrist, the rope untangled, and Odette fell unceremoniously to the floor. Tucker yipped, realizing this was his chance to escape.
He darted past Clara and Odette, but before he could make it out of the room, the woman's commanding voice halted him.
"Stop."
Tucker froze, turning to face her. She looked at him with an appraising eye, then sighed. "Very well. He can stay. But Clara, he's your responsibility."
Clara beamed. "Thank you, Mother!"
Odette grumbled, picking herself up. "Fine, but keep him away from me."
Tucker yipped softly, relieved for now. As Clara scooped him up again, he thought, "Great, now I'm stuck here. But at least I'm not getting thrown out. Yet."
Clara carried him back to the kitchen, setting him on the counter. "All right, Sparky. Let's finish our meal, shall we?"
Tucker resumed eating his raw meat, eyeing Odette as she warily grabbed her bagels and left the room, muttering under her breath.
Clara continued to stroke his fur, smiling down at him. Despite the chaos, Tucker felt a strange sense of relief. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
-------
Clara carried him back to her room. The space was very big, filled with documents, weapons, anime posters, and various trinkets. She placed Tucker on her bed and pulled out a game console from a drawer.
"Want to see the latest version of what Peak looks like, Sparky?" she asked with a mischievous grin.
Tucker yipped, his curiosity piqued. Clara set up the console and handed him a controller. He didn't know why she handed him a controller when he didn't have any hands, but he grabbed the controller with his tail.
The screen flickered to life, displaying the game's title: "Devils Don't Cry: Wrath Edition." The graphics were dark and intense, with demonic creatures battling each other in a hellish landscape.
Clara explained the controls and they started playing. Tucker found the game surprisingly engaging, despite the gruesome content. Clara laughed as she easily defeated him in the first few rounds.
"Come on, Sparky, you can do better than that!" she teased.
Tucker yipped in response, determined to win the next round. They played for hours, the room filled with Clara's laughter and Tucker's playful barks.
Eventually, Clara yawned and stretched. "I think it's time for bed, Sparky. We've had a long day."
She turned off the console and picked Tucker up, placing him gently on a pillow next to her bed. "Goodnight, Sparky," she said, giving him a soft pat on the head.
Tucker yipped, curling up on the pillow. Clara climbed into bed, pulling the covers over herself.
As she drifted off to sleep, Tucker lay there, thinking about the day's events. Despite the mayhem and almost dying, he felt a strange sense of calm and comfort in Clara's room.
As the night wore on, the room fell silent. Tucker closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to relax.
He began to drift off to sleep, ready to face whatever the next day would bring.