Ketone Twins

“It’s a boy. What do you want to name him?”

“R-Royce,” the woman gasped. The squealing baby was held by the lady as she carried it to the circle just inside of the Shrine. The old man sighed.

“Is she sure she wants this for her children?”

“Wait, wait!” the woman’s frantic voice called. “There’s a second child!”

“Twins?” the old man was astonished. “Twins, then. Don’t stand there gawping at the baby, put her in the circle.”

The woman quickly placed the baby girl inside of the circle and the man spread his hands out. The two children wailed, their little hands reaching up as if to try and grab the invisible person standing above them. The old man cleared his mind and began to chant:

“Feel the power now bubbling,
Let it help us who are now struggling.
Let the anger rush through,
Feel it go to,
Inside of your heart,
To tear you apart…

Feel the power now bubbling,
Let it help us who are now struggling.
Let your tails now grow,
Let it be so,
You are to be feared,
And not shed a tear…”

There was a flash of black light and the symbols drawn on the ground forming the circle rose from the ground and implanted themselves into the babies’ stomachs and chests. The symbols disappeared, sinking into their skin. The boy’s midnight black tail shrank and burst apart while the girl’s tail burst into white ash. They stopped crying quite suddenly and opened their big eyes.

The old man smiled and sighed, relief flooding through him. He felt drained, exhausted but his job wasn’t finished yet. He picked up both babies and walked into the room where the mother was resting, staring at the ceiling.

“Is everything alright?” the old man asked and the babies let out little squeals, catching sight of their mother. “Have you named the girl yet?”

“Rachelle,” the woman breathed, holding her children and sobbing quietly. “How long will the ritual last for?”

“Sixteen years. Be prepared for it, alright?”

The old man sighed. It was just a matter of time… time and patience.

While Rachelle washed her hair, she looked at her feet. The pedicure Robyn had given Rachelle was still shining bright red on her toes. The bathtub was full of bubbles from the shampoo and the actual bubbles. She washed her hair again, noticed that some glitter had fallen from the sparkling clip into her hair; she climbed out of the bath.

Rachelle looked in the mirror and screamed.

“Rachelle?” the tired, but worried voice of Judy spoke up from behind the door. “Are you alright?”

“Uh… I... um…” Rachelle stuttered for words. What was that?

Rachelle stared at it with terror. Surely something long, sleek and pretty couldn’t be so horrifying, could it? The thing had a fluffy end, white fur sleek and silky. She ran her trembling hand down the thing and when it ended at her back, she gasped with horror and collapsed onto the ground, still staring at it.

A tail?

Rachelle had an actual tail. And it was moving when she wanted it to. Rachelle stood up and began to breathe. I just have to breathe. This is just a dream, right? Some weird, pre-birthday dream.

She grabbed the tail and pulled, much harder than what she wanted. The pain seared up her spine and she let out a little scream. Judy knocked on the door. “Rachelle? Are you sure you’re alright?”

“No!” Rachelle squeaked. “One sec… I’ll be out in a minute. No, wait… Um, can you come in here, with Robyn?”

“Sure, be dressed, alright?” Judy footsteps grew quiet. “Robyn? Robyn, something’s wrong.”

“Chocolate cake!?” Robyn’s yelled.

Rachelle clambered into her underwear and sat at the edge of the bathtub, dreading what they might say. The knock came quickly. “Rachelle? Can we come in yet?”

“Yeah… I…” Rachelle trailed off, burying her head in her hands. “Come in.”

Judy walked in first. “What’s wrong?”

“This!” Rachelle grabbed the white tail and flicked it. “This is what’s wrong.”

Her eyes widened and Robyn gasped. “Is that… real?”

“Yes,” Rachelle snapped and let go of it. It flicked around, unlike a fake tail which normally sank to the ground. “It is real.”

Judy put her index finger on Rachelle’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “One of the skills my family learn is the ability to track heritage.”

“Like, family powers or something?” Robyn asked. “That’s pretty cool, I guess.”

Judy opened her eyes and shook her head. “I can’t get anything, nothing from your father’s heritage.”

“Why are you looking at my father’s side of the family? Mum never told us anything about him!”

“Well, since your mother doesn’t have any Ketone heritage, it would come from your father’s side of the family, wouldn’t it?”

“Are you saying I’m a Ketone?” Rachelle asked, gritting her teeth together.

“I can’t think of anything else so come up with. A demon, maybe? But demons smell bad. And spirits are dead; they can’t reproduce. What other solution could there be?”

“But Ketone have the mark, not a damn tail sticking out of their butt!” Rachelle snapped. Judy sighed.

“There is… another possible solution,” she said quietly. “But it isn’t possible.”

“What isn’t?” Robyn asked, crossing her arms. “I’m confused. Rachelle has a tail and you’re babbling on about her long-forgotten father.”

“Forget about it,” Rachelle hissed. “I’ll call Mum and ask her myself.”

“Are you sure?” Judy asked, grabbing Rachelle’s wrist as she grabbed her clothes. “How are you going to hide your tail?”

Rachelle smiled. “Get me some bandages and a shirt. I have an idea.”