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Chapter Five

"Broken Hearts and Pokeman"

By

Furry Sith Lord

I sat in my dorm room watching television but my mind was busy daydreaming to focus on the show. I was really disappointed because I tried calling Benyamin but when I asked him to go out on a date with me he refused saying he had other plans. His words hurt me deeply because I don't understand what happened and why he seemed to b e avoiding me.

I tried thinking of anything I could have done to upset him but the last thing I had said was to invite him to my brother's football game and he didn't want to go. Was he mad that I went to support my brother rather than hanging out with him? It seemed like a pretty petty reason to get upset about. I finally decided to give him his space and let him sort out whatever was upsetting him.

The trouble was that I was bored because Lyon and Dash were going to a party tonight to test out their dance skills and help Lyon get used to dancing in front of other species. I thought about playing some video games and maybe hang out with my online friends but I kept thinking about Benyamin and really couldn't focus.

I was still daydreaming when I felt someone plop themselves down next to me on the couch. It took me a second to realize it was my roommate Phil the black panther.

"Earth to Tyger, are you there little buddy?" he asked as I snapped out of the daydream and I frowned at him calling me 'little buddy.' I hated when he called me little because I was not little at all. We were both the same size except his stomach stuck out in what they call a beer belly. If they had to group the room into sizes then Phil would be the biggest because of his belly and Tyger would be second. Lyon would be third because he was Tyger's little brother and last was Hooper because he was just a regular house cat and they tend to be very smaller than regular felines.

"Sorry," I replied weakly.

"That must be a good show because you're so focussed on it." he said but he wasn't fooling me because I knew he was fishing trying to find out why I was upset.

"I just have a lot on my mind today."

"Like?" he asked

"You know that Ben and I are going out but I think we're fighting because I try talking to him and he makes excuses about why he can't talk to me at all. I dunno what I did to piss him off but he seems super pissed." I explained.

"Maybe he has a lot of homework?"

"If he does then all he has to do is ask and I'd rush over and help him." I countered.

"Is that the only reason why you think he's mad? Because he won't talk to you?" Phil asked.

"I called him and asked him to go out with me tonight and he's like, no I have other plans."

"Rude." Phil commented.

"Plus I heard it may snow Sunday night so I really wanted to go out before the weather gets bad."

"Then you know what you have to do, right?" I shook my head. "You go over there and scruff his neck and make him have a good time then he'll knock it off and if he doesn't get over it then it's his fault not yours." Phil counseled and I agreed with him up until the point that I had to go over to his room and drag him out.

"Well," I whined as I agreed with him but also couldn't bring myself to actually do something about it.

"You want me to do it? I'll scruff him and drag him over here. If you two still aren't talking then I'll tie you two together and leave you in your room until you settle things. Oh that reminds me, Mr. Jon will be doing his inspection of our rooms and Hooper needs to clean his stuff up. His room is a wreck and his clothes need to get washed because I'm sick of the smell as I walk by it." Phil remarked and Tyger agreed because he had caught whiffs of the smell from the room in question. The problem with Hooper was that like all house cats he was lazy and he'd agree to do his share then slack off.

Hooper is a ginger tabby cat and while he is extremely intelligent and friendly he can also be tempermental at times and when he's lazy he won't become active again except on his terms. Other than being lazy and messy Lyon, Tyger, and Phil don't have a problem with him and they all get along well but each has their own lives so it's rare that they get to hang out together.

Hooper walks in and grabs a snack from the small fridge he keeps in his room and then he joins us as we watch him.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he asks

"Actually we were just talking about you." Phil says and Hooper gives him a look like he's not liking where the conversation is going.

"Mr. Jon is stopping by next week for the monthly inspection and," I explained.

"I thought that was next month," he interrupted.

"It IS next month! That means you gotta get your stuff together and clean that pigsty of yours." Phil said his voice sounded a bit harsher than I think he meant it to be.

"OK I'll get on it." he replied but he spoke as if he was just agreeing and not really paying attention.

"Why don't we get started, I'll help you so we can get it done faster." I replied and I figured it might give me something to do other than sit here and brood.

"No thanks, I can handle it." Hooper replied.

"Then we'll let you get to it then." Phil responded then he rose and he gripped me on the back of my neck and I went limp as he scruffed he and pulled me to stand. He went a.long helpless as he brought me out of our dorm room.

"Where is your boyfriend staying?" he asked and I pointed and he continued to drag me along.

Phil knocked on the door and an ocelot answered the door. He was wearing a onesie that looked like Ketchum the pika from a popular video game series called Pokeman. In the game you play as a pika species named Ketchum that is trying to become the greatest pokeman trainer in the world. The goal is to capture hairless apes and make them your slaves to battle for you. Each hairless ape has a special power they can use to fight each other with.

Special cubes are thrown at them and red collars jump out and try to attach themselves to the neck of the hairless apes. The struggle to try and pull it off but if you weaken them enough they become easy to capture. The cubes can shrink and store the hairless apes, or pokemen, inside of them until you need them.

You play and have to try and beat your rival named Gary and his species is a weasel. Then you have a mentor named Oak and he is a wise old owl. It started as a cub's game but it grew that even adults want to capture all the hairless apes.

"Can I help you?" he asked but he gave me a sideways glance as I stared at his spots. We met before but ocelots amaze me because they look the same as jaguars and leopards only smaller in size. I didn't mean to b e rude but I also kinda wonder what a rare white fur ocelot would look like.

"Hey Max, is Ben here?" I asked shyly because I really didn't know him that well and he was probably pissed I kept staring at his spots.

"He took off a while ago, don't know where he went." Max replied.

"We should go," I said to Phil as he finally unscuffed me but he turned his attention to Max

"Into Pokeman I see." Phil said and he and Max fist bumped. "I got a level 100 Mueter that will wreck you." Phil said, smiling evilly.

"No way bud, my dearden will wipe the floor with your guy." Max replied.

"Wait, which one is that?"

"He's the old hairless ape that has a brown mouse on his loincloth. The mouse has a spiked tail and whiskers." Max replied.

"Alright, it sounds like we gotta play sometime." Phil replied.

"You better be prepared to lose." Max replied and Phil laughed at him then Max went back inside his dorm room as we left.

We walked along the quad and I shivered a bit and wished Phil had let me take my jacket before he dragged me out. I was like my father in that I hated the cold and snow even though it affected me little. My fur kept me warm enough but I liked the extra layers of winter clothing I added to keep me warmer.

Phil tapped my shoulder as I was shivering then pointed and I saw Benyamin sitting on a bench some distance away from us. He was drinking something and looked down at the ground depressed. I walked over and Phil followed behind me trying to appear invisible so he could observe the whole meeting.

I walked up on him and he seemed unaware of my presents the same way Phil was able to sneak up on me when I was daydreaming. I tapped him on the shoulder and Phil made a noise like he was clearing his throat.

"Hey," I said, feeling like a fool for saying something so lame. He looked at me blankly and the tension was running high. I stood there and we were in the midst of an awkward silence and Phil finally coughed again to encourage one of us to talk while he hung back waiting.

"So what are you up to?" I asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Just trying to relax, get some peace and quiet." he replied sourly.

"Alright I don't get it, why all the hostility lately?" I asked as his response pissed me off. I couldn't believe he made a comment like that to me. Like I was constantly pestering him and never gave him any space. I didn't know what the problem was but I was not about to just let it slide that he's been the rude one for no good reason that I knew of.

"Look, I just need some space." he replied

"Some space?! Well fine, I'll give you all the space you want! I don't know what I did but you could at least tell me so I'll know better next time." I replied then stepped away and turned my back to him. Phil stepped over and used his paw to lift my head and he saw me silently crying. He put his arm around me and led me a short distance away then told me to wait a moment and he went back to Ben.

"You piece of shit," Phil yelled as he angrily stomped his feet as he approached Ben. He stood from where he had been sitting and braced himself as if he expected Phil to punch him.

"I ought to smack the stripes off your fur for that."

"Look, it doesn't concern you." Ben replied.

"Well I'm making it my concern! I've known Tyger for a few months and he's a good little guy. He's been madly in love with you and everything seemed like it was going great then you pull this shit." Phil snarled at him.

"Yeah, well you need to stay outta things that are none of your business." Ben got up close and they stood nose to nose baring their fangs at each other.

"Well I'm making them my business."

"Look, just stay outta it." Ben replied. He took a step back to diffuse the situation and Phil crossed his arms.

"Since you're breaking up with him just tell him it's over and tell him why, then move on. He deserves that, not this 'I need space' and 'I'll never talk to you again' bullshit."

"I just need to think things through."

"Bullshit." Phil replied again.

"I don't even know if he loves me to begin with."

"Wow, I guess I gave you too much credit thinking you were smarter than that. Shows how wrong I was." Phil remarked and Ben looked down at his feet and kicked the ground with them.

"Tyger is way too good for the likes of you. He's like a little brother to me and I promise you this, come near him again and I'll beat you so hard your whole family will feel it." Phil said then he put his paws in his pockets and walked away.

I was laying on my bed as the last of the tears fell with the door to my room opened slightly. Phil was telling Hooper in hushed tones everything that happened.

"That's ruff," and "Oh my paws," were the replies Hooper made as Phil explained. I did not want to believe it was over and although the way Phil told the story we had broken up but in my mind technically we hadn't. He said he wanted time to think so it was a stay of execution for the moment. I was going to give him all the space he needed and would wait until he either called or texted so there was no way he could say I hadn't given him the space he needed. I had to push what Phil was saying about him never speaking to me again out of my mind because I did not believe him. One way or another I knew we'd talk even if it was to officially break up.

I heard Lyon and Dash enter laughing and having a good time and I couldn't help but feel resentful that they were so happy while I was miserable.

"Hey guys why the long faces?" Dash asked.

"You won't believe the timer we had! The squirrels had a party in their dorm and it was a blast. Everyone was there and guess who were the best dancers? Dunno? We were!" Lyon said and I heard them slapping each other's paws. I lifted my head and looked through the crack in my door to see Phil fist bump them. I then lowered my head and pulled a blanket around me as if it could shield me from them talking about me.

"Tyger and his boyfriend broke up and he's not feeling too well." Phil replied with a hushed voice but I was still able to hear him because of my feline hearing.

"What?!" I heard Lyon exclaim then I heard his foot pads on the floor as he approached my room. He knocked softly and I heard the door open as he stepped inside. His movements distracted me from hearing Phil retell the tale to Dash about the lie that Ben and I broke up. It annoyed me that he was starting such a vicious rumor when he was right with me and it was not true at all.

"Bro?" Lyon asked softly and I wiped my eyes then turned to look at him and forced myself to smile in the same way Merrik smiles at us. For a brief moment I wondered if the reason Merrik smiles is to hide the pain he feels. I then realized I was being sympathetic with Merrik and I then recognized that I wished my father was here to smack some sense into me because I wasn't thinking clearly. The other thing was that I wanted my dad to hug me so I could feel that everything was alright.

"I'm sorry about you and Ben." he said softly and I saw him fiddle with his tail and his ears sagged.

"It's OK, I'm fine." I lied but as he looked at me I knew that he knew the truth but he didn't call me out on it. Lyon and I get along so well that we never lie to each other so after I did it; it made me realize I was more messed up than I realized because if I had actually lied to him then something was wrong.

"Me and Dash was invited to a party off campus,"

"Dash and I," I corrected him for some reason but once I heard myself say it I had no idea why I even bothered. Maybe it was a sign I was feeling better.

"Right, anyway we think Phil has a license and can drive us. Wanna come along? I could use you to help me dance better if you did." Lyon pleaded and I was literally dumbfounded because it seemed like a half truth but I couldn't be sure. I guess I was really messed up because I couldn't think straight for some reason and I wanted to stop brooding about Ben.

Something about breaking up with Ben felt like how things would be if my Father and Dad got a divorce. Both Lyon and I would be devastated because they were the only parents we knew. Both of us had tried burying memories of the adults that gave us birth because of what they had done to us. Our parents were the only ones to love us and make us their natural born children. The thought that they would ever get a divorce was unimaginable!

Getting a divorce was simple enough they had to physically tie their paws together like they did when they got married in the first place. Then they go before a judge and tell him that they hate each other and want the cord cut and then he cuts the cord and they are officially divorced. A number of students here had divorced parents and they seemed fine by it but it was something I had trouble with. My parents were proud of having their paw and hoof tied and I don't think they'd ever get a divorce.

"I don't wanna be a third wheel and ruin all the fun you guys are having." I replied and I laid back down. My brother grabbed me and pulled me upright.

"Please big bro, I need you!" he pleaded and I lost some of my resolve as I looked into his eyes.

"Dammit," I thought to myself. "He knows how to manipulate me."

"Pleeeeeeeeese," he continued and I lost all my resolve.

"Fine, I'll go." I replied and he cheered then hugged me. He ran out of my room to tell Dash and while Dash wasn't as pumped as Lyon was but he did seem glad I was tagging along. The next part was to get a ride there and Phil wasn't old enough to have a license let alone a car. We put our heads together to try and think of a way to get there. In the end all five of us: Lyon, Dash, Phil, Hooper, and myself were going.

Ben sat on the bench letting the liquid in the bottle he was drinking roll around inside it. It was just a bottle of iced tea but he was no longer in the mood for it yet because it was half full he didn't want to just throw it away. As the iced tea tumbled inside the bottle his mind was in a similar state as he thought about what the black panther said to him.

He was trying to figure out how they had gone from 'I need some space' to 'we are broken up.' Was it really such an unreasonable request that he needed to think about their relationship? If Tyger really did love him then why did he just end their relationship just like that? Was his sister right and they really didn't love each other but were just desperate to be with someone?

Maybe Tyger didn't love him but he merely loved the idea of dating a white tiger like he was. He could remember the ridicule that they had no idea how to mount each other but the other couples like them knew how to do it almost instinctively. Maybe because they had no idea what to do, it was a sign that neither was attracted to each other.

"Poor child," he heard a voice say and he saw an albino sparrow and a albino magpie walking towards him. He suddenly sat up straight because he didn't remember seeing them before. They looked too old to be students but they definitely weren't part of the staff here.

"Shame." the magpie replied as he hopped over.

"Who are you two?" Ben asked.

"We're just like you... almost." the sparrow replied

"White colored we are... just like you." The magpie replied then used his beak to scratch under one of his wings. Ben looked at them wondering what they wanted but the two made quite a pair. The sparrow seemed interested in him while the other one seemed to ignore him.

"Do you two work here? Cuz I've never seen you before."

"No but we were flying by and saw that you're like us and we thought we'd come by and say 'hi.' It's rare that we find a white animal that lives in a place other than where we're from." The sparrow replied as the magpie continued to groom himself.

"Where you come from?" Ben asked.

"We call it WC. It's a small community of other white animals like we are. It's so we can be with our own kind without species hating us." the sparrow said.

"I heard you broke up with your boyfriend?" The magpie said as he turned his attention to Ben. "He was white like you but he never loved you or something."

"Well,"

"How many rare white fur species are there here?" the sparrow asked

"Two or three others that I know of." Ben said and was beginning to wonder why they were asking about white furs and telling him about this WC thing. Were they trying to recruit him and the others?

"You look angry," the magpie stated as it stared at him.

"I'm just curious what you two want since you're asking about the others here." Ben replied and he already knew that he didn't like the brash nature of the magpie. It felt like he had no interest in Ben and was being forced to talk to him while the sparrow at least seemed friendly enough.

"Sorry, we don't mean to be nosy like I said. It's a surprise to see guys like you here among normal species. Our kind have never really had a place with normal species because they hate us so much.

"That's something I've never had to face here, it's like all the students don't care about cub stories or fur color. This is the one place where I feel happy!" Ben replied.

"As you should," the sparrow responded. "One day I'd love to have you guys visit the WC just to chill and relax with only white furs to see what it's like." the sparrow said

"And if you found a boyfriend there it would be because of true love and not the fear that other species were doing it out of desperation... Question, how many regular species have you dated here? If they are so accepting of you, have you dated any normals or only that boyfriend you broke up with?" the magpie asked and Ben was really beginning to hate him.

"Look we're not broken up just spending some time apart to sort things out." Ben replied and the sparrow and Magpie briefly looked at each other knowingly then turned to face him again.

"Of course," replied the sparrow

"My mistake," the magpie replied then began to groom himself again.

"I'm Sam by the way," the sparrow said.

"I'm Erik." the magpie said not looking at Ben as he continued grooming.

"We'll see you around." Sam replied and both took flight leaving Ben to cover his eyes as he watched them.

When they were far enough away Sam took out his cell phone and called Bear.

"Hey Papa Bear, we made contact. No not with the football lion you heard about but his brother is dating a white tiger. We made contact with the boyfriend and they are in the process of breaking up. Yes sir it's a perfect opportunity to draw them in. I've got it covered and we'll continue to make contact. Sure. So why is the football lion so important to us?" the sparrow replied as the magpie listened to him making the call to their boss.

To Be Continued...