One Tail at a Time

Birthday Wishes

There's people everywhere, some of them I know, but most I don't.  They're Papas friends mainly, though there's some that belong to Mama.  Today is my birthday and I am 5000 years old which is a big day, or so Zhen Zhen rekons.  He's beside me at the 'Big Girl' table where I am the guest of honour and not only are they all smiling at me as if I am the main meal, but they are also singing.  Or at least that's what I think they're doing, only it hurts my ears and makes me cry.

There's so many people, and most of them I have never seen before and not only that, but they're all smiling at me as if crying is funny.  Zhen Zhen rekons that crying makes your face look so ugly that the tears try to escape the ugly by running back up into your eyes, which makes them get all blocked up that they fall out of your nose as snot and makes you look even uglier, so its best not to cry.  But I can't help it, because the more I try to stop, the more they laugh and smile and so the more I cry.  

Actually, I kinda like crying, because it ususally gets me what I want, only this time its strangers laughing and giving me goofy looks that make me feel worse so I can't help but throw my tail across my face to hide my ugly.

Mama is laughing.   I usualy love it when she laughs, because her whole face lights up like a pig in poo.  That's what Zhen Zhen says when I laugh and it always makes me laugh more just thinking about what a pig in poo might look like.  Only the singing is terrible.  I know they're all happy that its my birthday, but I just want to eat my cake now.  I've been a good girl all day, smiling at this man and that man and even letting them pet my tail even though I hate it.

Papa tells them I won't get another tail until I pass my first trial, whatever that means and though I can take on human form now, I much prefer to be in my natural beast form because I don't have to wear the ugly dresses that Mama likes me to wear and I don't have to act like a lady when eating my meals either.  Zhen Zhen likes my fox form, he rekons that if the Heavens wanted us to care about the plight of the Trolls, he would have made them white and fluffy like me.

Zhen Zhen is my brother and he is the wisest man in all the world.  Even more than Papa who scowls a lot because he rekons Zhen Zhen is filling my head with unnecessary thoughts that are a hindrance to my greater learning.  Well I'm sure that means something, but right now, I really don't care.  My tail knocked over my cake and now I just want to go home!

"Xiao Wu.  Here, have my cake." Zhen Zhen whispers into my ear before quickly retrieving my candle and placing it into the centre of his piece.

Now, normally I wouldn't allow him to give up his piece of cake for me, because I know how much he loves cake.  In fact, Zhen Zhen takes me to the mortal realm often just to eat the chocolate cake slices that we don't have in this world.  He tells me its a treat for me, but seeing as he eats four and I only get one, I know we really go there just so he can eat cake.

Only this time, I really do want the cake, because I have a wish to make on my candle which is now burning brightly in front of me.  The singing has finally stopped and I sneak a peak over my tail only to blush at the laughing eyes and smiley mouths waiting expectantly for me to blow the candle out.

Closing my eyes, which are still dribbling my tears down my face, I think of the one thing that I really really want.  I want a cloud of my very own.  Everyone else has clouds to ride around on, but I dont because Zhen Zhen said I'm not old enough yet.  I just turned 5000 years old, how old does one have to be to ride a cloud I had asked him and he said......  "When I gain all nine tails.

Hmm, maybe I should ask for all nine tails instead, only Papa said I have to undergo trials to gain my extra tails.  One trial for every tail, that is the law of the nine tailed foxes he said.  So I think I had better ask for my trials instead.  And all the while, they are waiting for me to blow out my candle so they can eat their own cake. Only this wish is very very important so I don't care if I make them wait and their icing melts all over their hands.  I have to get my wish right the first time.