It's early morning when I wake up sneezing.
"Achoo!"
I stretch my arms and legs as usual and patiently wait for my brain to reach optimum performance levels.
"Oh, that's right. I'm still in this army hospital or whatever they call this place is,"
I said to no one in particular just myself.
After another sneeze
"Achoo!"
I find the cause of my sneezing: my nose is still buried in my fluffy tail. "Pffftt!, blagh!" I pluck a few white hairs from my tongue.
Yuck.
Yup, that definitely woken me up alright.
I throw the blankets towards the foot of my bed and stand up, letting a loud yawn escape my mouth... "iiii aghhh!."
Okaaaay, that happened. I remember my yawns, this one is definitely different. Man, this can only mean one thing....
I need coffee...and soon!
Do you perhaps know that feeling you get when you look in your mirror right after waking up, and realize that you really, really are having a bad hair day?
It's flat where it's supposed to be fluffy, and fluffy where it's supposed to be flat.
Yours isn't fluffy? Well, mine is!
Now imagine that your reflection also shows an unfamiliar, younger person who's scratching their ears on top of their head while yawning ungracefully. Then imagine your tail hitting every piece of furniture at least twice before you realize it's attached to you....and you understand how I feel at the moment.
I walk over to the window and glance outside.
It's another cold morning and a few brave people are enjoying the early morning light by jogging, while clouds of warm air are leaving their mouths.
Most are heading for a small park area that I can only barely see from up here. Some trees are still hanging on to their leaves, but most have already given up, embracing autumn and preparing for winter. It's pretty much cloudy, but at least it stopped raining.
Of course the trusty old camera on the ceiling is following my every move again.
Thank god they didn't install one on the toilet.
That would be horrible
Now what should I do? Hmmm My thoughts are interrupted by a gentle knock on the door.
"Are you awake?" Katie asks.
Of course they know I'm awake, that's what the camera is for after all, not just for show,but they are just trying to be polite here.
"Yes I am, just come in Katie!"
"Good morning!. Slept well I hope?" She closes the door behind her.."click sound." Still locked in my cage it seems.
"Good morning, yeah, I was totally beat yesterday. What's on today's schedule, Katie?" My tail is swaying for some odd reason, it pulled Katies attention there for a second.
"Wow, you sure are in a better mood than yesterday!" Katie said. I guess I'm not the only one having a bad hair day today, but my lips are sealed. I need all the allies I can get.
"Ha ha, yeah I know. I just needed some time to process things and have a good night's sleep. It's still going to take a while before I can truly accept it...all of this, but I think I can manage it." I point towards my furry parts on top of my head and on my back.
"I'm relieved that you are feeling so much better. How about celebrating that by joining me for breakfast What do you say?"
"Oh god, yes. I desperately need some coffee!" I'm rubbing my hands in anticipation of drinking some of the warm wake-up juice.
"Ha ha..., me too." Katie said while rolling her eyes agreeing with me.
Then she said "After breakfast we can move you to some more..."normal"...accommodations."
"Really? Absolutely!" I jumped once from joy.
"Wow..easy there," Katie said, blocking me from leaving the room.
"Ah sorry about that hehe, I'm just excited to leave this place! Can you blame me? Let's go already! Come on!"
"I can imagine that. But just a thought...maybe you want to get dressed first?" Katie said, barely surpressing a giggle.
Oh crap, I really still am in my pajamas. "Yeah, that might be better idea..." I said while scratching my head and only then was reminded again that my ears are in the way.
After a few more minutes, I was dressed for the day in my training suit and followed Katie to wherever they had breakfast around here.
We are walking through long, seemingly unending, wide corridors.
It smells like disinfectant everywhere, I don't like the smell.
The place actually looks like a regular hospital, there are large rooms everywhere here and there.
My room was probably one of the few which resembled a prison cell instead of a conventional hospital room.
I then can see a man lying in bed, his leg elevated, covered by a white cast, probably to heal a broken leg.
Poor guy. We exchange glances for a second, after which he looks thoroughly surprised at my way, probably at me.
Then we have already passed his room.
Most rooms have shades before the windows near the corridor, giving the people inside some privacy.
Finally we reach an area where three corridors meet. There are four elevators here. Two elevators next to each other, facing another two.
Katie swipes a badge through a reader and we hear a "ping" sound.
Only seconds pass when the elevator doors open.
They are the typical hospital elevators, being wide and high with a mirror inside. And there she is: the unkempt mystery woman with two furry ears and a ditto tail. Yup, that's me in all my disheveled glory.
Katie pushes the button for floor 12, it seems to be the top floor. While I'm still observing my own reflection, Katie quickly pulls at my tail.
"Ouch!?" I said, while glaring at Katie.
How dare you...
"Maybe watch where your tail is? It almost got caught between the doors." She pointed at the now closed doors.
"Oooohhhhhh! Right... Thanks..sorry." I honestly felt embarrassed, she was only trying to help me. I really need to start paying attention to that thing.
"Ha ha ha!. You are still half asleep, aren't you? Just follow me to the coffee and you'll be awake in no time."
She was having a good time at my expense, but what can I do? I really feel half asleep.
The elevator doors open at the top floor, and we step outside. I quickly janked at my tail, almost having the same thing happen twice.
In my experience the restaurants are mostly on ground level, but now I understand why they like to eat here...the view. It's simply amazing. There's an amazing view of the same small park that I can now see well from this height. Just as I had noticed earlier, most trees are leafless by now, but there are still some left with yellow and reddish colored leaves.
"Welcome to the 'Mess Hall'. Just pick any place you like," Katie said, opening her arms wide.
So not a restaurant, but a mess hall. Got it. I chose a table right next to the window overlooking the park.
"Somehow I knew you were going to pick that spot. I would have picked the same one."
She then motions for me to follow her after she puts her bag on the table to claim this spot for us.
Oh god, this smell~. I follow her to where all the divine fragrances are coming from.
Katie picks two small sandwiches and a cup of pure heavenly coffee, Extra creamer, extra sugar. I guess we're compatible coffee buddies, I like my coffee the same way.
I can't believe my eyes, or my nose, when I identify the best of the best.
Oh god~, who's the chef here? Breakfast has never smelled this good before! Except for the salads..., those are "meh" at best.
But then...my nose catches the scent of freshly baked bacon and egg in the form of a large pancake.
I ask for one of those and pick two slices of white bread. I make sure to include no less than two cups of coffee and take it all with me to our spot at the window.
We sit down at opposite sites so we can have a proper conversation. But before I can dig in, I notice people staring at my ears and tail.
Oops, I maybe should have tried hidden the tail from prying eyes by tying it to my back?
I lean forward to Katie and whisper in her ear "should they really see me here, you know...like 'this'?" Worried I said
"Why not? This is actually also part of our tests, to see how people will react to you. This floor is reserved for people working for...No, let's just say that only people who have a certain security clearance can get in here.
They won't talk about you and probably just think that you are cosplaying or something like that. Maybe even find it cute."
"You...you think I'm cute?" A modest blush appears on my cheeks.
She moves closer to my ears and whispers "well, look around. The guys can't keep their eyes off of you." She said mischievously
That put a smile on my face and a deeper blush on my cheeks.
Wait shouldn't I be worried?
Katie then frowns at the sight of the food on my plate, but she smiles immediately after.
"What? Did I do something wrong?"
"Nope. Just curious to see how much of that can fit into your tummy, that's all." Katie said while softly giggling for a second.
I shake my head to clear my thoughts and then fully prepare for my royal feast!. I carefully separate my bacon and egg pancake into two halves and make proper sandwiches out of it.
Oh god~, I think I'm salivating, *sniff sniff* it just smells absolutely amazing!. But before I dig in, I take a sip from my coffee with my eyes closed, really taking in the smell.
"Oh my god, this is delicious! The best coffee I ever had!"
"Now...before you start devouring your feast and two gallons of coffee..." Katie deliberately pauses her sentence to tease me.
"What? I love coffee?!"
"Ha ha!. At this point, nobody would ever doubt that you are human. Aliens probably don't appreciate that stuff like we do."
"Amen to that!." I said, quickly taking another sip after blowing off some of the heat. It was still a bit hot to really enjoy it.
"But what I wanted to say. Did you think of a new name? Or do you prefer Roland like before? That's fine with me too, you know?" Katie asked, while holding her hands up in surrender for a second, emphasizing that she truly didn't mind either option.
"Actually..." I quickly take a bite out of my sandwich. "Mmmm.. oh....mm...gwd....I mw findim diffult."
"You what?" Katie smiles at my voracious appetite.
"I.." I quickly swallow and drink more coffee to wash it all down. Ah!, still too hot.
"I said I think it's difficult. But I really want a new name. Roland somehow doesn't feel... Kinda right anymore...."
"I was hoping you would say that!. May I....suggest something?" she rests her arms on the table, her hands crossed.
"Eh, sureee. I honestly have no idea where to start." Quickly, another bite before it gets cold.
"What about...a kitsune name?" Katie asks while smiling.
"A...what now??..." I said, not realizing that my sandwich filling fell to the plate. My next bite was without much flavor.
Katie shakes her head and smiles at my clumsiness, then continues. "A kitsune is a mythical Japanese creature, said to be part human and part fox. It seemed appropriate to you right?."
"Ah yes, I finally remember now. I read an article about those beings a long time ago. It was one of my first subjects to read when I first started my job. If I remember correctly....those beings could shapeshift and use foxfire. And most stories agree that they all looked really cute with those many fluffy ear's and tails." I said nonchalantly
"Oh ho! That sounds like you want a cute name, don't you? right?"
I felt embarrassed for saying out loud what I was only supposed to be thinking. I instinctively covered my face with my hands.
"Ah, I was only teasing. You are cute, so a cute name it shall be!"
I quickly sip some more coffee and continue munching on my next sandwich. Maybe kitsunes are hungry little critters who thrive on coffee for all I know? Not gonna complain though.
"How about....Sakura!...no no...too common maybe Akira no.... Mmm...let me check the internet on my phone. Mmm how about Kagami? I means mirror it says here." She was grinning, yup, definitely grinning.
"You got to be kidding me, aren't you? I don't want to be called mirror. Can't you find a more common name for me please?"
"I'm just teasing you hehe. Maybe something else."
She continued looking in her phone for the the names
A few minutes past 
"Ahhhh....none of these seem right. Wait, I have an idea!." She then turns around and speaks in a loud voice. "Excuse me you over there!, yes you, could you please come here for a second?"
A man in an Air Force uniform walks to our table. "Morning major Dove, what can I do for you?"
Major? She's a major? What?
"Good morning lieutenant Brown, sorry to bother you. We were having a little bet here. If you could name her, what would you call her?" Oh she's smiling like she's up to something no good.
He laughs for a second, then says "seriously? Well...she looks a bit like the Japanese cartoon show my kids watch. Actually, now that I think about it, she looks EXACTLY like those. Are you cosplaying here?" The lieutenant asks after focusing on me.
"Yeah, something like that." I said, not blushing at all.
"Well, I must say, those ears look incredibly real. Huh? Did they just move? Anyway, they are absolutely crazy about her. They even have some dolls in her image. What did they call her...ah right!....Ayako the witty fox."
"Mmm, interesting. What do you say.... Ayako?" Katie says with a mischievous look in her eyes.
"Eh... Hmm doesn't sound too bad. But being named after a cartoon character..." I quickly begin sipping my second cup of coffee.
"Alright then, it's settled! Thank you for your input, lieutenant." Katie said, while he smiled and nodded, then returned to his table.
"It says here that Ayako means colorful design in Japanese, similar to kimonos. Sounds exotic, I think you should take it." She keeps scrolling on her phone.
"Let me think about it. Maybe as a provisional name? You know, to see if it works?"
"Sure, but you really need a Japanese last name to match your colorful first name..." Katie said continue her mischief plan.
"No way.. that's where I draw the line! Listen to me:...not..gonna..happen." No way, I won't allow it!
The look in her eyes shows me that she's up to something. That grin is also a dead giveaway. But before I can ask what she's thinking about, she says "now finish your breakfast... Ayako...for we will be leaving soon."
" Eh? Now stop it, Katie. Please don't call me that. I'm still considering alternatives, it takes time you know? Hm? Wait..what? Leaving? Where are we going? Oh no.....you are not going to sedate me again, are you?" I worriedly ask
Katie giggled, while looking at my ears which decided to somehow fall flat onto my head.
"Ha ha!, no. We won't be sedating you for this. We are heading to where they sent that mirror of yours.
Swan will join us as well, his superiors want to see if your mirror story pans out. Otherwise this will be a giant waste of time for everyone, no offense." She cuts her sandwich into two parts and then sips from her coffee.
"Non taken. As long as you treat me like any other human being and don't keep me prisoner then All's good."
"We will find a way, don't worry about that."