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Jackie-The-Junior First-Day-Part-Two

'So, lunch is up next. I wonder what they'll serve.' Christine glances back and forth to make sure no one is close by, satisfied, she watches me place the tablet and notepad in my backpack before I shoulder it like I was shown.

'I mean, I know they won't have some fancy chef running the place, but it can't be that bad, right?' Sighing while closing the locker I turn to face her.

'From what I remember, public schools are third in line for food distributors. Behind restaurants and fast food places, they get what's left and have to make due.' We use Christine's tablet to figure out our way to the cafeteria, though we should've just followed most of the crowd.

Considering its lunch for half of the student body, it is by far the most crowded area of the school right now. Kinda surprised we make inside and into the lunch line in any reasonable amount of time.

We also have to pin our ears to our heads and the sheer roar of the conversation in the room, it has to be just as loud, if not more so than the cafeteria in the mall. No point talking to each other right now, we just hold each other's hands as we wait.

The menu on Christine's tablet is what I expected; Pizza, Hot-dogs, Something listed as a 'salad', something called Poutine. Low fat milk and water are what we have for drinks and that's about it. Judging by Christine's face I don't think she expected any of this, nor do I think she finds any of it edible. As for me, I'm just curious as to what this poutine stuff is, some kind of Canadian dish?

Christine hesitantly picks up what I recognize as 'pizza' and some low fat milk, I pick up a bowl of fries covered in some kind of chunky and meaty sauce by the smell, covered in cheese. This is what's listed as poutine, as well as carton of milk too. At the end our student id cards are scanned, and we're allowed to go find a place to eat. Leading Christine to an empty table in the corner of the room so we can continue our conversation. Christine sits next to me once I've sat down.

'I hate to say this considering what we've had to eat before, but is this even food? I'd rather just bring some of y.. I mean mom's cooking.' Stifling a giggle, Christine pokes the square slab of pizza with a claw tip as she speaks.

'If it's anything like the pizza I had last time I went through school, its edible, bland but edible. Just hope it's not from a corner or it may be a bit, rubbery.' Picking up the carton of milk I notice that it has the words 'Bio-morph safe' printed on them. Huh, does that mean we can't have regular dairy? Opening it and taking a sniff it smells like how I remember milk smelling outside of what our enhanced sense of smell, well, smells.

Sticking a straw in it I look over to Christine, why hasn't she. Oh, Alpha eats first, then Beta's. Looking down at my own dish, I randomly pick up a fry, some sauce, and cheese sticks to it as I thrust it into my mouth. It is not cheese, but cheese curds, not bad, but I think I should've grabbed the pizza.

As soon as I swallow Christine picks up the square piece of pizza and takes a bite, her face says it all, she doesn't like it. I watch as she hesitantly chews, then swallows.

'This has to be.. The worst pizza I've 'ever' had.' I look at her meal as she looks at mine, without speaking we trade lunches, then get to work eating the 'food'. Yea, this pizza is pretty bad, still edible though.

The cafeteria is about as noisy scent wise as it is for sound, yet, I can smell Diane's perfume before she places her tray down in front of us on the opposite side of the table and sits down with a grin on her white muzzle.

'You two will get fat if you eat junk food. Unless of course you're both offspring of a pleasure model, in which case I don't know where it will go.' As much as I want to growl at her with my ears pinned back, aggressive posturing is frowned upon during school hours, that's what the handbook says.

'What do you want Diane?' Under the table I use my free hand to grab Christine's. I can tell she's already tense by her return grip, her P.I.D. must be screaming at her to defend her own Alpha from this threat.

'To say hello, and see your one and only beta.' Diane pauses for a second. 'I wonder who your father is to have both a silver-platinum and a gray fox breed offspring. She looks cute, though you got the better draw in the looks department Jackie.' Mentally sighing I let my tail thrash a few times at that statement.

Diane's posture is one of confidence, authority, ears up, tail up. Her white fur is pristine outside the parts covered by the school uniform. I guess she's still trying to get me to submit, no way in hell I'm going to.

Sitting up taller in my seat I return the same body language, this kind of posturing is not as far as I can tell against the code of conduct in the handbook thankfully.

I also realize it was a back handed attempt to insinuate our mom slept around, I'm not that dumb. It may have hit harder if us being biological sisters wasn't a fabricated identity. Still, I do have a counter to it, only to be beaten to the punch by Christine.

'Is that all you're going to have for lunch Diane? Someone your size needs a bit more than that, also, you should add a bit more animal protein in with it too. We're meat eaters after all, you'll get sick if all you eat is salads.' Nodding my head in agreement, I'm a bit surprised, I figured she'd shy back, so she could fight her instincts. Or at least that's what I gauged by how hard she's crushing my hand under the table.

'Speaking of food, I'm guessing it is about as bad as everything else here?' Taking a drink from the carton of milk proves it too is bland, as well as watery, not like the milk mom buys, and that I had with breakfast for the past month.

Considering Diane's collapse in her body language upon asking, after dropping her air of authority that is, I don't think she needs to verbally respond. I guess it is something everyone can agree on, school food downright sucks.

'Don't worry about my diet, I'm only eating this because it's the most palatable stuff they serve here. I get much better food at home.' She takes a bite of her salad then swallows reluctantly, I swear I see her shiver.

We follow suit with our own food, not savoring the taste at all. Diane turns her attention back to me. 'I'm also curious, I heard through the grapevine that both of you have impressed Mr. Mathew while appearing bored in your other classes. So you have looks and brains, that kind of combination can get you into a lot of trouble with other students. I can still protect you from that, and your sister too if you want, won't be as cheap as my offer back at the mall though.' She doesn't give up, does she?

Diane resumes her confident body language as she speaks, I doubt she'll let it slip again despite the quality of the food. I puff up my fur a bit to match it while keeping my ears forward and erect like hers.

'As far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with being both smart, and good-looking. Other than a some jealous glances from a passerby, or unwanted stares. So yea, we've had no problems so far today other than some nut-jobs in the faculty.' Granted, said stares were my fault for not knowing how to lean forward and lay my head down on a desk while having breasts.

Not that I blame him for looking, I was a horny teenage guy before and would've liked such a view too.

'Yea, we don't need you Diane. Alpha-Jackie and I can handle ourselves just fine!' Christine barks out as soon as I'm done speaking. Sigh, I feel sorry for her, today's been nothing but testing her control of her condition with only short reprieves in-between incidents.

A saccharine smile creeps onto her lips before she stabs her fork into the remaining bit of salad in such a way that it looks like she was hunting it rather than eating it.

'That's right, her profile says your sister has pack instinct disorder. Must be hard, feeling the urge to lead a pack, but to be saddled with someone who if you're not careful, land you in a lot of trouble if you say the wrong thing. Surely you'd welcome an extra hand in taking care of her, right? I have a lot of pack members in almost all the classes here, wouldn't be hard to tell them to keep an eye on her, say, while you're at gym next period and science after that while she's on her own?'

For the briefest moment my ears move to fold back and my lips start to curl, but I catch myself. Right now, I don't know, nor do I care how Diane learned of our schedules when their private on the social site. I only care about taking care of Christine, she's my adoptive sister and beta.

As angry as it makes me that she just did a low blow using Christine, I can't let that anger show. Not when she's not showing any signs of anger or aggression herself. Christine though, I have to pull my hand out of her grip and firmly place it on her head to get her stop bouncing between calm and anger with her body language.

A 'loud' chime sounds that the handbook called the fifteen-minute warning for the start of the next period, what's the old saying? Saved by the bell?

'I've managed to take care of her just fine for as long as I can remember Diane, I don't need your help with my sister. Please do not sit by us again tomorrow at lunch.' Shouldering my backpack I pick up my tray and stand, Christine follows suit.

Without saying another word we go and dump what's left in the trash and place our trays with the rest of the used ones. Christine visibly relaxes once we leave the cafeteria, the halls are a bit less crowded than on the way in giving her room to breath.

'Sis, Christine. You okay?' Breathing deeply, she nods once.

'Yea, sorry, I was fighting the urge to defend you. Diane made my instincts scream at me that she was a threat to you.' Well, not physically at least, Diane still was trying to get me to submit to her, at least by body language.

'Never-mind that. I need to go to Gym, alone. You need to go to Science class.' I dig out my tablet from my backpack to check on something. 'We have the same teacher's just different periods. I'm going to have you promise me to behave yourself, I won't be there to act as a rock for your condition okay?' Christine nods firmly as her body language makes me realize I unintentionally gave her an order.

This is hard, and I'm supposed to be so used to handling this minefield considering we are supposed to have grown up together. Yet, I just stepped on one, no telling how it will make her act as I wasn't careful in wording it.

'I'll behave alp- I mean sis. I hope the Gym teacher understands what's going on though.' Tapping the screen gives me the directions to the physical education wing and the locker room I'm supposed to go to.

'I hope so too.' Hugging her, we part ways. Christine isn't even out of sight before I start to worry about her. Taking a quick glance back shows she's trying to confidently make her way through the now thickening crowd to the science wing.

As for me it is pretty clear as to where I'm supposed to go once I reach the physical education wing, hard not to notice the walls, floor, and ceiling all look newer than the rest of the school.

The second thing I notice is that signs are hanging from the ceiling, directing students to the correct classes, by species, breed, and finally gender. Humans have their own class, small breed Bio-Morphs like me, felines, rodents, etc have their own. With the larger breeds having one to themselves, the divide between large and small breeds makes sense.

I've seen some larger ones here, more than a head taller than me while looking strong enough to bench-press someone my size. Why divide humans and small breed Bio-morphs though? We're about the same size and mass, doesn't make sense, at least to me.

The crowd thins here and the hall reeks of exercise and other musky odors. Yet, what stops me is that I have to go into the 'women's' locker room. Ms Henderson Physical ed class to be exact. I've never been in one, and in the last school I went to the guys all talked about the rumors of what lays inside their locker room.

Carpet, couches, hot water showers and better toilets. Each guy who said it claimed he either saw it, or heard it from his sister or girlfriend. A few guys were dared to go take a peek, one did, I think they kicked him out of the school for some reason. Just peeking into the women's locker room wouldn't have warranted that, right?

Now I get to see what's inside simply because of what I am now. A 'female' Bio-morph. Breathing in, I place my hand on the metal paddle that works as the door handle and push it in, thus opening the door.

Disappointing is the word that comes to mind, it looks like any other locker-room I've been in, just with more pink than I would like. The rows of mesh lockers are a vibrant pink, the concrete benches they sit on are covered with beige rough surfaced tile, same as the floor thankfully. At least that means I won't slip on it once out of my shoes. The place isn't even any cleaner or smells any better than I remember a school locker-room being.

Letting the door close behind me I glance at my classmates, all in various states of dress or undress. Some other vulpine bio-morphs, a few canine, both wolf and domestic. A mouse bio-morph, she seems familiar, a squirrel Bio-Morph, and one lone bird bio-morph, a cardinal, and the first one I've seen. So I unintentionally stare a bit longer than I should, she doesn't seem to notice or care.

Making a beeline to the back of the locker-room I find the teacher's office, a walled off room with a paddle handle door. Looking behind me and on the opposite side of the locker room to the office sits a shower and set of bathroom stalls.

Said office only has a window facing the lockers and through it I can see a squirrel Bio-morph woman sitting at a desk with an older looking monitor on it compared to the others.

Every other teacher in this school has those paper thin monitors and touch keyboards made by that one popular high status manufacturer, yet they gave Ms Henderson an older system for some reason. A generic box that I've actually seen before because of the style being popular at one time, a keyboard with actual keys with a monitor about half an inch thick. Almost as if giving her a computer was an afterthought.

Knocking on the door gently once before entering I watch Ms. Henderson instantly stand with a friendly buck-toothed smile on her face, stepping inside I let the door close behind me.

Her office is filled with a mix of both office furniture and track equipment. Hurdles are stacked near the chair opposite of Ms. Henderson, file drawers and weights line one wall while mesh racks holding various sports gear line the other.

'Hello, must be Jackie Strader, take seat.' She gestures to said chair in front of her desk, I gently place my backpack on the floor by it and sit down while cocking an ear to the side. I can understand what she says, but the sentences seem broken, missing words along with an odd sound to her forming them.

Can't help wondering if there's something wrong with her, only for her to speak before I can voice my thoughts.

'Am Chinese, what hear is accent. Still learning English based tongue, different from Chinese one. As know, name is Jenny Henderson, but address as Ms Henderson. You here because paperwork mistake?' If you want to put it politely, yea it is a paperwork mistake. As in an obese bitch decided to shred and delete it.

'Yea. I was going to be exempt from gym this semester due to my leg injury, but the main secretary didn't believe me.' Ms. Henderson grins and chitters, she's laughing maybe? Then rotates her monitor around to show me something.

'Mr Mathew email me, vice principal too. Inform both on run in with her. No need be polite, few like her. School fighting union to remove her. I make sure you not get injured, we do track today. You only need to walk, mild activity best for such injuries.' Swiveling the monitor back to facing her she quickly opens one of the file drawers, pulls out a bright pink rfid card, a lady's t-shirt, and a pair of shorts. She places them on her desk in front of me.

Of those, the pair of shorts has my attention as it means I can ditch the dress, at least for a little while. Handing them to me I quickly take them while wondering if I somehow 'lose' the dress, maybe I can spend the rest of the day wearing this much better set of clothing in my opinion.

'Go change, fancy underwear, jewelry, electronics, hair, and fur pins not allowed. Leave in locker. When done follow rest of class out okay?' Nodding once to show I understand the rules, though I do have to wonder why fancy underwear is not allowed. Standing, I pick up my backpack, then the stuff Ms. Henderson gave me.

On the way out of her office something grabs my curiosity about her, while Mauri and Alpha were the oldest natural's I've met. I don't know why, but Ms Henderson seems older than them to me. Pausing at the door I look back at her.

'Just curious. Are you a natural like me, or were you a converted human?' Ms. Henderson tilts her head just ever so slightly while I watch her super fluffy tail twitch back and forth. I wonder if it is soft like mine?

'Converted, you perceptive, or not see Bio-Morph my age. Either way, no time for story. You have less than ten minutes to change.' Nodding again, I leave her office and look for my locker. Glancing at my card it seems I'm locker fifty-three, and that puts me right in middle of an isle.

The isle my locker is in isn't deserted, a few of the others are here and their almost finished changing into their uniforms, which don't look as new as mine. Swiping the card over a similar black square as the class locker makes my gym locker unlock and open.

Dropping my backpack onto a hook I start to take off the uniform, folding it carefully, then place it on the bottom of the locker. Not long after do I start to hear some whispers from the other girls, one of my ears tilt to focus in on what their saying.

'So her breasts aren't fake.' And 'Shit, I hope she doesn't hit on my boyfriend.'. Sigh, not even finished with the first day and the gossip mill is in full swing about me. Still, it doesn't ruin my mood, after dealing with a dress for several hours I finally get some time to be in some pants!

Fully dressed in the gym uniform I pocket the card, and close my locker. The audible click assures me that no one should be able to get in. Putting a friendly smile on my face I walk by the others in the isle who are also finishing up.

I know they knew I heard them, yet I don't want to make any more enemies if I can help it.

Being nearly the last one here, and the talk with Ms Henderson most started before me. But due to the jewelry and stuff like phones, hair and fur decorations, it took them longer than me to get dressed. So I end up in the middle of the group as the class walks out of a set of double doors at the back of the locker room, down an empty hallway, then outside.

I'm surprised at the fact that once we are outside, Ms Henderson is waiting for us. The doors leading out of the locker room weren't the quietest set I've used, I didn't hear them open. Yet she beat us out without me hearing her. She's cradling a tablet that's slightly larger than the one I was issued and as soon as the last girl catches up with the group outside, the cardinal Bio-Morph, Ms. Henderson's eyes start to dart about looking at each of us as we stand in silence.

'Good. No tardy, everyone present. We jog, not walk to track today. On two leg, not four, you not kits anymore right?' Everyone replies with a unanimous yes ma'am. 'We run laps first today, last one to track run extra. Ms Jackie Strader exempt from this.' The second she finishes the majority of the class takes off at a decent jog, the only ones who lag behind besides Ms. Henderson and I are the mouse girl, whom upon further inspection I realize she's the one that checked me out at the electronics store.

Behind her is the cardinal Bio-morph, mainly due to her talons on her feet cause her to jog at a slower pace. Yet, even with that handicap she's gaining ground relative to us and the mouse girl.

Ms. Henderson zeros in on the mouse Bio-morph as soon as she notices that she's not jogging or even trying to keep up with the cardinal Bio-Morph.

'Said jog, not walk to track. Can hear me, yes?' Can't help it, I have to stifle a laugh. The sight of the mouse Bio-morph tilting and pinning her large ears back like a canine makes a hilarious sight in my eyes.

'If the new Jackie doesn't have to jog, then why should I? She's not on crutches, and seems to walk fine. Must've forged whatever she gave you to in the office.' Ms. Henderson moves ahead of us and directs both of us to stop.

Puffing herself up she stares down at the mouse bio-morph putting on an air of authority with her body-language. Even being an alpha doesn't make me immune to people whom are higher in authority to me. Ms. Henderson has my full attention.

'Ms Strader look fine at glance.' She looks over at me and with her hand motions for me to hike up one of the pants leg's of my shorts, no need to ask what for.

Shifting my weight fully to my good leg I pivot and hike it up, then part some of my fur to show the slightly courser and thinner white fur over the pink scar tissue running up my thigh. The mouse Bio-morph visibly winces with a cringe on her face, frankly it was worse than it looks. Scar tissue and the fur hiding most of it.

'Was attacked by drunk human nut-job at last school, shot. Lucky bullet miss artery, but wound get infected. Spent half month in hospital unconscious due to pain, nearly lost leg. Still healing inside, muscle need regrow lost tissue. Not supposed to have gym this semester, idiot in office delete record.' Ms Henderson motions for me to stop and I do so, after scratching an itch on the leg.

As for the mouse Bio-morph, her ears are laying back, not in defiance but in submission. Possibly hoping that she won't get into too much trouble over her outburst.

'If stress, new and weak muscle tear. Cause further injury, may need more surgery. But can't stay inactive, cause malformed new muscle, so she walk, not jog or run. Now, in time between yesterday and today have you injured self?' The mouse Bio-morph shakes her head meekly.

'That what thought. Jog to track, you do two more laps at same pace, slow down and do more. I teacher, you listen, have authority over even your alpha.' A surprised yip escapes the mouse bio-morph before she quickly jogs off in the direction of the track, Ms Henderson watches her go for a few moments before she resumes walking.

I follow close behind being the only ones outside of the track area due to the delay. The cardinal Bio-morph basically closed the gap between her and the rest of the student body by this point.

'Doctors schedule movement therapy?' Ms Henderson breaking the silence once we reach the gate to the track, she holds it open for me. Movement therapy? Oh, she must mean physical therapy.

'No. Only a suggestion to not be too inactive, to take a walk once in a while or stand instead of sit if possible.' She frowns and her tail flicks back and forth in agitation. Even if they did, I wouldn't have had time for that having to spend almost all of my waking moments for language lessons the following month.

'Was least active as suggested right?' nodding in reply, a slight fib, otherwise I'd look like I was being careless, which I'm not, and to keep my cover.

The track is like any other High school one, except that instead of an American football field in the middle, there's a soccer one. Not going to get used to calling it football though. We're also not the only Gym class out here.

The human male and the Bio-morph small breed male classes are out here having an inter class friendly match on the field, their coaches are sitting in the bleachers but at opposite ends, odd. Our class has rounded the corner and is on the back straightway, the mouse Bio-Morph bringing up the rear. She's gaining ground but likely won't satisfy Ms. Henderson.

'Good! If leg get sore, stiff, alert me or other student if near. Means pull muscle or tendon, if feel sharp pain, then lose strength, sit. I'll come get you. Try not push self, point not keep up with class, point to get new leg muscle used to exercise. Prevent scar tissue and make limb stiff.' Makes sense, I take a few steps and then stop to look at her.

'That sounds similar to what the doctor said about my leg, how do you know about stuff like that?' Ms Henderson shrugs as if it's not much of a big deal.

'Was gymnast before conversion, they hurt selves lot in practice, picked up thing or two in anatomy and movement therapy.' Nodding once I turn and start walking down the track, as I round the first corner I see that Ms Henderson has taken a seat on the bleachers closer to the Bio-Morph coach than the human one.

Still, she seems more interested in her class than the other two coaches.

I couldn't tell if they did this with the other's since they're in a large group. For me though as I walk down the outermost lane of the straightway my presence seems to grab the attention of some of the guy's.

They're sitting on wood benches on the sidelines as their classmates play, all in similar uniforms to ours, only they seem to be allowed to have their shirts off if they want. Something I'm most likely going to get jealous of as the weather warms up.

From this distance it's difficult for me to tell just what kind of face the human students that are staring at me are making, the Bio-morph ones in contrast are easy. I get a whistle or two and friendly wave, both actions get the students barked at by both coaches.

I wave back at them. Its harmless, I've gotten much worse before from people I would not have been able to refuse, even though I wanted to. It breaks up the monotony of just walking, the ones with their shirts off provide some decent eye-candy, hmm, maybe I can get a pair of those gym shorts in Patrick's size, so I can see how he looks in them. Now that would be some eye-candy.

Making my way to the front straightaway I can see the rest of my class milling about, minus the mouse Bio-Morph who's on her punishment laps due to not catching up in time. Ms. Henderson and the other two coaches on the other paw seem to be in a discussion that I pay no attention to until I happen to walk by.

"Hey you." I stop, look over at the other students in case the person speaking means one of them, only to see it is the human coach yelling at me. Glaring back with my ears flat more or less conveys my mood, annoyed, he doesn't seem to care.

'Don't accuse student of mine doing something she didn't do. Not force stare at her, she not fault for how she built. Just like you not fault for more muscle than brain.' Without missing a beat she looks over to me.

'Continue walking Jackie. I take care of this.' I don't want to though, I hate being accused of things I didn't do!

Sigh, she's the teacher though and I'm supposed to obey her. Ignoring her would get me in trouble and my first day here has already gone worse than I expected. Walking away I have to wonder, is that Flint's coach? Maybe Flint learned this attitude from him.

Rounding the corner of the track a small grin forms on my muzzle while I allow my ears to point forward and tail to twitch. Ms Henderson said to continue walking, not to 'not' do anything else while I do. If that coach thinks I'm a distraction, I'll show him what a distraction looks like when I'm serious.

Heh, funny really, something I learned at Mauri's while being enslaved is going to be useful to me. Adjusting the gym clothes to show a bit more as I round the last corner and onto the back straightway. Approaching the soccer field benches I go from the outermost lane of the track, to the innermost. Closest to the center football field.

At the same point they noticed me last time I adjust myself to walk in the provocatively seductive manner I was taught to do while hosting private parties at Marui's, to encourage them to add me to their order. Its uncomfortable, puts more stress on my injured leg than I want to, but it gets the 'exact' reaction I wanted from them.

Every single guy on the benches, as well as a few near them on the field stop what they're doing and watch. I get hoots, hollers, several whistles from a few of the humans. Not to mention several waves to come over and a couple 'hey baby!'s' as well. Every single one of them taking the bait and acting how I wanted them too.

What's most surprising, yet satisfying, is the thrill that runs through me causing goosebumps under my fur. The thrill at the power I have to do this, I can't lie, it feels great. As I walk away, I shake my rear a bit more than what my gait naturally causes, this earns me a few more hoots.

Remorse replaces the thrill a second after I stop, a feeling I somehow did wrong to Patrick as a mate and his Alpha Female. My ears lower to the sides and my tail droops as I round the second corner and onto the front straightway.

I don't have long to think about what I recognize as an instinctive feeling, Ms Henderson is waiting for me as soon as I reach the bleachers as the rest of the class resting nearby.

Oh right, I proved her wrong while getting my revenge, she has to be pissed. Being angry does little to cover the comical look of a squirrel's tail twitching wildly in agitation like a wolf's would as I approach her.

'How leg feel?' Annoyance drips heavily from her voice. I just reply it is a bit sore, otherwise it's fine. She just puts her hands on her hips as I speak.

'Explanation better be good. Not want waste time defending dick hungry student.' More than a few of my classmates make what I know are giggling noises. Ms Henderson waits for my answer as I take a breath and let it out.

'I don't like being accused of stuff I didn't do. If he thought just walking by was purposeful act in distracting his class, I figured I would show him how distracting I can be if I wanted to do it. Kinda got more of a reaction than I wanted. I also regret doing it though, it makes me feel like I've slighted someone I care deeply about.' For a moment I thought she isn't going to accept my explanation, only for her to lower her hands while her tail stops twitching.

Next thing I know she's grinning and chittering, which I think means she's laughing. Her body language is certainly unusual to other Bio-morphs I've encountered.

As she composes herself she turns and directs the class to head in with the others before looking back at me while giving a buck-toothed grin.

'Like style Jackie, can call you Jackie instead of Ms Strader?' Nodding once, she places her hand on my shoulder, gently guiding me to follow everyone else as she walks alongside me.

'Coach jerk, calls Bio-morphs freaks, but seen him stare at better looking ones with hunger in eye. If had your figure, would do same to him, just for look on face!' Yea I get that from my mother too, it feels, odd, to be such the focus of attention from women in that way when I wanted other kinds of attention a year ago.

Guess I'm just not used to it yet? My only reply is to nod to her as I walk with her back inside the school.

As we head inside, the classes start to intermingle, except for a decent sized group of the human's and the human male's coach. They're all off to the side keeping a decent distance from the rest of us. All the while some of the guy's both human and Bio-morph hit on others in my class, others in my class grab hands or so other minor signs of affection to the guy's.

The one that was worried I'd hit on her boyfriend, has wrapped herself around the arm of a semi decent looking human guy.

No one seems bothered by this self segregation, its normal to them, but for me it raises a red flag. Something unusual considering what I've seen elsewhere.

I can pretty much guess now who influenced flint in his views. Going to have to tell Patrick and their parents about this. Of course the students have to go their separate was once we're inside the school, so the conversation among the group switches to temporary goodbyes.

Ms Henderson taps my shoulder again once we're in our locker locker room, everyone else is quickly disrobing and going into the showers.

'You not exert self much, no need shower. Go change back to uniform, head to next class. When leg heal, or do upper body activity will need to, not today.' With a quick sniff of myself I shrug and nod, changing course to the lockers rather than the changing area in front of the shower.

That jerk deserved more than just a few lost points in my opinion, still, probably should've told Ms Henderson beforehand. Sigh, wonder how Christine is doing? She should be getting out of science soon, while I should be heading there.

With my gym uniform properly stored in the locker, and back in that infernal dress, I shoulder my backpack and head out of the locker-room. Leaving early allows me to head through the physical ed hallway more or less freely due to the lack of other students.

The crowds pick up once I'm in the main hall though. Are there always going to be crowds of students milling about at all hours?

Due to this I don't cross paths with Christine as I head for Mr Davidson's Science one oh two, to get there I have to use one of the stairways in the main hall and go up to the second floor. Then walk to the other side of the main hall from the Physical ed hall is located.

Unlike the rest of the plaques for the teachers Mr Davidson has a PhD next to his name, odd. I would think someone with that high of an education wouldn't be a science teacher at a High-School. A college maybe, but not a High-School.

Opening the door and heading inside reveals what I expect for a science classroom, three of the four walls are lined with lab stations, stools for the students to sit on, each science station has a natural gas port for bunsen burners. In the center of the room are the same student desks as every other class, in the same rows and columns.

I'm early enough to class so they're not all filled, yet as soon as I look at who's here I put my ears back momentarily. Sitting in one of the desks is Diane, and she is looking right back at me with a polite smile that is obviously fake.

"Ms Strader. Welcome to my class, there's a non assigned seat over there." Mr Davidson speaks up from his desk and points to the one in front of Diane. You've got to be kidding me! Sighing then thanking him politely, I walk over and take a seat.

Great, not only is Diane here for some reason, but she's going to be sitting 'behind' me for the rest of the year.

'Hello 'Jackie'' Her voice drips with hidden malice under a fake politeness for some reason when she's normally not so careful. I stow my backpack under the seat, since I don't have a working locker key, after taking my tablet out along with everything else I'll need.

With that done, I turn to face Diane while forcing my ears to stay up and not to show any other signs of anger of asserting dominance.

'Hello 'Diane' I'm surprised you're here. This is supposed to be a junior class and you're a senior correct?' I can already guess it is because she's been held back in this subject, why though has me curious.

Diane adds some fake laughter to her smile, well yips actually, but the way she's doing it is Bio-morph laughter and it sounds forced.

'Lets just say Jackie, Science isn't my strong suit.' Stating the obvious, considering your strong suit seems to be exploiting your beta's and lower ranked pack members. Boy do I wish I could say that.

I'm about to more or less say that's pretty obvious, but Mr Davidson stands and looks in our direction as soon as the tone plays, signaling the start of the class. He has the same wand in his hand as the rest of the teachers and the one wall without lab stations is of course the oled whiteboard one.

"I would introduce our new student, but judging from the social media posts about her and what she did last period, my guess is you all know who she is by now." Folding my ears to hide a blush of embarrassment is surprising, I figured it would happen. Expecting it though doesn't lessen the impact of hearing the confirmation of it.

"What I do have to say is this." His gaze focuses onto Diane. "Ms Diane Cobbler, If I find out you were trying to convince Ms Jackie Strader to do your classwork for you. Like you've done before with your pack, I'll fail you right here, right now, and you can take it up with the principal and your father as to why a g.e.d. will be the 'only' way for you to graduate High-School. Do I make myself clear?" Diane's posture instantly changes, she's sitting straighter, ears forward and attentive.

'Yes Mr Davidson, I understand that I can't do that again. You, my dad and the principal made that crystal clear.' I'm not surprised that is what she did. Having her betas do her homework for her. Not so different from last time I was in High-school, only it was bullies forcing the meeker to do it if they were better at a subject.

Diane's statement draws some chuckles and giggles only from the human students in here, the Bio-Morph ones all stay silent or look away. Are they 'all' in Diane's pack? Holy crap. Mr Davidson then turns his attention to me, his gaze causing the fur on my tail to puff up in surprise.

"Welcome to my class Ms Strader, eyes and ears forward please. I won't tolerate someone slacking in my class, especially someone, according to other teacher's notes, stating that you're pretty intelligent." I swivel them forward, only had them like that due to what you said earlier and to hear Diane better. Not to mention the tone of his voice forces me to pay attention.

"I won't accept you being bored and inattentive in class simply because this is easy for you. If I have to I'll find something that is challenging. Otherwise, how are you going to learn?" Nodding to him he focuses on the entire class rather than me.

Letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding as he was speaking to me, I work on calming myself down.

"That's better. Okay everyone, open up your textbooks on your tablets. Our first in class assignment is for you to read chapter five, Introduction to gene heredity pages eighty through ninety-five. As you all know, but just to make sure Ms Strader knows, You'll all be timed on how long it takes you to complete this. The shorter the time, the better the grade for this. Going too fast though will give you an auto-fail. Your times will show on the board so you all know where you stand in relation to your classmates. As you read I'll write up some problems and examples to test your comprehension of the material." Loading up the text-book and the mentioned chapter triggers a stopwatch timer in the corner of my screen, quickly counting up the seconds, but only having enough space for sixty minutes.

A single momentary glance up shows he's writing stuff down on the board, so I get to work. Of course, it's material I already know due to last time. Not even changing much at all since older paper text book I read it from. Yet, I can't just skim over it all quickly or I may end up being too quick and failing.

I'm about done half skimming, half reading the last page when a small ding sounds. The first person has finished with a time of ten minutes thirty seconds. I end up tying for second with eleven minutes thirty-five seconds.

Diane ends up finishing in the lower third of the class, higher than I expected but not that good to be honest. Mr Davidson finishes writing on the board and waits for the last student to finish reading.

"Tied for second I see Ms Stradder, I'm impressed compared to your last school's transcript. You've also just edged out your sister to." He dismisses the ranking list and then turns back around to look at me and Diane.

"I think I'll have you Ms Strader, and Ms Cobbler answer these inheritance equations first." I've never liked being called up front to answer problems on the board, this hasn't changed along with everything else either. Doesn't help that it's also with Diane, still, she behaves as we both get up and walk up to the whiteboard.

Mr Davidson hands us each a smaller and thinner version of the wand he has, it also lacks some buttons that his has, and I assume it's only for writing and erasing, nothing else.

I take mine, Diane takes hers, and we get to work. Easy enough, done this enough times last time I was in this kind of science class to remember what to do. Despite this, it is a bit unnerving feeling Mr Davidson watching us so intently.

Diane seems to be struggling though, she has it about half right with her answers, but seems to not understand where to go from there. Finishing up I turn my attention to her, should I help her? I can't head back to my seat till she's done and I don't like the other students staring at me. Sigh, might as well help, so I approach Diane.

'Don't read too much into this, I just want to sit back down and not be the center of attention, so let me help you out here.' Glaring at me Diane looks like she's about to say no, but an audible cough from Mr Davidson causes her to put her ears back in annoyance as she relents to my offer.

I point out where she's tripping up in the inheritance equations, she got the percentages wrong, then walk her through how to solve it properly. All the while Diane stares daggers at me.

"Good, both of you got it right, though Diane, there's nothing wrong with asking for help if you don't understand something." We hand back the electronic wands. Diane politely nods, which I'm sure is forced, and quickly walks back to her desk. Not caring about how she seems to insist on being first back, I just walk normally back to mine and sit down.

Diane thankfully does, nor says anything during the rest of the class, which is just Mr Davidson lecturing on subject we read about in our textbooks. Speaking of which, being stuff I already know it is hard to feign interest in accordance with his earlier comment. So the rest of the hour just crawls by at a snail's pace.

I'm not faking my enthusiasm to leave once the end of period tone plays and everyone packs up, then heads out of the classroom, I'm eager to get to home room. I end up being near the end of the crowd as I had to put everything I had out but the tablet into my backpack though. Still don't like the baby blue color.

Only a few steps outside of the classroom and into the hallway I'm suddenly grabbed by my shoulders as I'm looking at my tablet for the directions to home room. Its Diane, and she spins me around slamming me back first into a row of lockers, all around me and her are other Bio-Morphs directing the crowd of students around us.

Part of her pack it looks like, blocking the view of us from the other students as well as keeping them away.

'You vixen slut! Don't you fucking dare think what happened in their means you're better than 'I' am!' It does mean I'm smarter than you though, I guess? I'm sure once, or if, we reach material I don't already know I can prove it.

Her grip loosens, experience from being bullied last time helps me react quickly. I twist my shoulders, thus getting out of her grip, ducking, and sliding to the side just in time for her claws to slam into the locker where my muzzle would've been. Diane flat out growls and stares me down as I quickly hop to the side, putting enough distance between us that she can't hit me. Or at least with the space her 'pack' has made.

'Mark my words Jackie, I 'will' get you to submit to me as your alpha, and you will be lucky to be a gamma, not to mention your sister will be my pack's bitch. No one refuses me like you have and gets away with it.' The space her pack members carved out collapses back into the mob of people as soon as Diane leaves it.

Sadly I don't have time to fix my clothes, I have to get to home room before I'm tardy. So while following the tablet's direction I wince as I notice one of my bra straps slipped off my shoulder, worse is the dress. It shifted, again, and the tail-hole is pinching the base of my tail now, an annoying feeling I will gladly put down as a major downside of being a Bio-morph.

After all, it is an extension of my spine making it a very sensitive spot.

The home room Christine and I are assigned to is in the hallway near the front of the school on the first floor , and the room itself is just inside said hall, so the door is bathed in the afternoon sun coming in from the skylights in the common hall.

Grumbling I place my backpack on the ground in front of the door along with the tablet. Then spend the next minute to both fix my bra strap, going down the stairs was hell with how it caused one side to bounce.

Followed by adjusting the dress and gently rubbing top of my tail base to relieve the minor ache due to the damn tail hole rubbing into it.

Picking up my belongings I notice the door, unlike all the other ones that have a permanent plaque for the teacher's name. This one has one where someone can slide one in and out. Right now it says Mr. Mathew, huh, so he's running home room too?

In my last high-school it was normally the gym teacher that pulls double duty as a home room teacher. Opening the door I casually walk inside, as soon as it closes I'm instantly hugged and a familiar muzzle placed under mine.

'Hello sis. Glad to see you too!' With my free hand I pat her head a couple times, she lets go while wagging her tail excitedly. No one seems to mind us doing this, not that we linger either. Heh, her wagging tail makes me wag mine equally in turn, okay, I admit, I'm happy to see her too.

The room is set up similar to the English-French class, large tables with seats around them rather than traditional student desks. Leading Christine over to an empty one we take a seat next to each other.

'How was gym?' Christine's body-language just screams that she's happy to be next to me again.

'Better than expected, still like the last school.' Framing the answer so people overhearing will think I'm talking about where we supposedly transferred from. Even though it equally applies the actual last high-school I went to.

'Ms Henderson is a nice lady, but one of the other gym teachers, they're going to be a problem.' Christine tilts her head just ever so slightly.

'Is that why I heard that you flirted with both soccer teams during class?' Tilting my ears back to hide a blush out of embarrassment, the tone for the start of the period plays before I can answer. Mr Mathew stands, but stays in front of the teacher's desk.

"Hello everyone, if you need anything, I'll be here at my desk grading work. Otherwise, you can do what you want for the period." Mr. Mathew sits down while I look back at Christine.

'I wasn't flirting, though I did use, well you know.' I give a miming motion with my hands to show the 'walk' we learned at Mauri's. Christine nods, completely understanding as it's a hand signal done at the place when it was too noisy.

'To prove something to the teacher of the male human gym class. He claimed I was distracting his students and costing his team points on purpose. At that time I was only just walking down the track, so I wanted to show him how distracting I can be if I wanted to do it. Needless to say I got more of a reaction than I wanted or expected.' Letting out a sigh while letting my ears relax as I feel the blush subside.

'I instantly regretted it though. Felt like I was slighting, well you know.' Christine nods once and then pats my shoulder reassuringly. Her eyes though have a mischievous glint, yet she does nothing to back that up. I think she wants to say or do something that we can't do here without blowing our cover.

Probably to make a joke on how feminine it was compared to my self admitted tomboyism.

'So how was gym for you sis?' Quickly changing the subject, that, and I'm curious to know how she handled something like that on her own considering her P.I.D.

'Since we have the same teacher, she put my locker next to yours. Your scent coming off your gym uniform kept me calm enough while I was in there. Outside the locker room, Ms Henderson kept us busy enough to focus on that and to push my instincts aside as much as I can.' I'm going to have to thank Ms Henderson tomorrow for this. Didn't think of asking for that bit of kindness, and yet she did it anyway.

'What about science one oh two?' Christine's ears splay and her tail does a couple of quick lashes back and forth broadcasting her annoyance.

'Mr Davidson is a mean teacher, not like how Ms. Alice is or that secretary, he just, was a bit to pushy on the students. Didn't matter if they were having an easy time or were struggling with the material.' Odd, that didn't seem mean to me.

Yes, it was annoying he made sure I couldn't just zone out for the hour, but he wasn't mean. Felt more like he wanted everyone to just do their best and, then some.

'He didn't seem like that. Just seemed he had high expectations.' Instantly Christine's mood deflates, a moment later I almost literally face-paw at what I did.

I had forgotten what I was told, to be careful when she and I disagree on something, even minor things. Quickly but gently I take Christine's muzzle in my hands and get her to look at me, takes a moment as she's gone full submissive.

'Sis, your opinions are welcome and when we disagree it doesn't mean you're challenging me.' Christine's ears raise back up, and she moves to remove my hands before nodding once. Considering this flare up, I more or less assume our conversation has ended, so I turn to my tablet as Christine does hers.

A few minutes later my ears twitch as I hear Mr. Mathew get up from his char and walk in our direction, both Christine and I look up and watch him come over to our table and take an empty seat across from me. None of the other Bio-Morphs do this, at most if they have movable ears, they swivel them in his direction.

"Hello Jackie, Christine, do you mind if I call you by your first names?" Both of us nod once.

"Just wanted to see how you two were adjusting and if you were having any kind of problems or issues." Okay, yea. He saw that little P.I.D. incident and wanted to make sure things are okay. Kinda touched, never had a nice teacher like this.

'Just, some difficulty with sis. She's had her P.I.D. under such good control for such a long while that I've never had to give her as many orders as I have today. Three in total, two due to the sheer crowds between classes.' Half truth, these were my first ever orders as an Alpha to a Beta. Still have to keep up the appearance that I've had more experience than this.

"They've given us classes on the subject, the stress of new locations and novel situations can cause flare-ups. I'm guessing its from all the new things as well as the sheer amount of people here. Wish they'd either expand the school or build a new one. You though seem to be doing well, she's lucky to have you." Makes sense, I just give a toothless smile and nod. Christine does as well and gives me a momentary hug.

'Thank you, Mr Mathew. Mom and the Tanner's drilled into me how to handle this.' My false identity just states I have been taught and registered to get the Alpha card. Not how I learned it, so I just insert the truth in a way that fits the lie.

"Who're the Tanner's?" Oh, right it wouldn't be in my student records.

'Close family friends. They moved with us here, we share a house.' Mr Mathew nods once. This may be easier than I thought with how the truth meshes well with what I'm supposed to lie about.

"Where there many Bio-Morphs at your last school?" Hmm, how should I answer this? Either extreme would be suspicious to say the least.

'Not many, nowhere near the amount here. A little over a dozen maybe? It fluctuated from semester to semester.' I get worried at the change of expression on his face to one I can't seem to recognize, yet I feel I should. He doesn't seem angry or agitated otherwise.

"Odd. I would've suspected more. Yet it explains how you reacted when I walked over here, must've just picked it up as a habit having been raised by a human and being around humans more. Natural born Bio-Morphs don't turn their heads in the direction of a sound catching their attention, they swivel their ears and only look up at the last moment. Yet, only naturals would have issues picking up human facial expressions, you looked, confused when I gave that look to you." Shit! I knew not knowing how a natural born behaves would cause problems.

How am I going to explain this?

'Jackie has always had trouble with human faces, even mom's. Same as me, she thinks it might be genetic. But without knowing who are biological parents are, mom can only guess.' Relaxing as tension I didn't know I was holding in dissipates as Christine speaks up, literally saving my ass in coming up with something.

Remarkably, Mr Mathew accepts it and nods once.

"Wouldn't be surprised if it is. We don't know a lot about Bio-morph Biology simply because it is locked behind walls of international patent law." He pauses and the reminder that my very genes are considered the property of some Chinese firm depresses me, my ears droop and so does my tail.

"Anyway, how was your first day? Other than what happened this morning, also the fact you have to be in Ms Alice's class." Welcoming the change of subject I let my ears and tail show that I'd rather talk about this.

'Good I guess. I like Ms. Henderson, she seems nice even though she's a bit hard to understand with her accent. Mr Mason is okay, and Mr Davidson just seems to want me to do my best despite being pushy. The only problem is I'm stuck in the seat in front of Diane in his class.' Christine stops her fiddling with the tablet and looks at me.

The expression on her face, her ears and tail all show utter surprise at this. Guess I should've told her that earlier.

'That..' She stops herself knowing swearing in front of a teacher is frowned upon. 'She's there?' I nod once in response.

"I was wondering about that. Diane Cobbler was caught having someone else do her coursework for her in his science class, since it is her worst subject last year when she was a Junior. The school decided to only hold her back in science, everything else she's in the senior classes. All she has to do to is pass with a B or higher in Mr. Davidson's class to graduate. Then she's out of all our hair for good." He pauses for a moment.

"Did she do anything to you Jackie?" So it is not just me who doesn't like her, some school faculty does as well. Christine's tablet beeps a bit while he speaks.

'She confronted me, rather physically after class because I had to help her on a question Mr Davidson put on the broad for us to answer.' Mr Mathew politely reaches over for Christine's tablet to look it over, again his face is hard to read, but I feel like I should know what it is.

I hope this goes away with time, otherwise I'm going to have serious trouble later.

"Ms Alice raised the priority of her 'assignment', making it default to 'do first', then made sure no one can exit out. I'll go into administration mode and delete it for you, Same with your tablet Jackie." I slide mine over to him politely.

"I would ask for the details, but, it won't do any good. Last time someone tried to push an issue of her doing something, every one of her pack members flooded the main office to say otherwise. The school dropped the issue shortly after." Another pause while he taps and types on each tablet.

"There! Deleted that assignment on both of your tablet's. She's been warned not to do this, maybe this incident will be enough to revoke her access to those settings." Mr. Mathew slides our tablets back over in front of us.

'What about Mr Mason?' I wonder If I'll have to have Mr Mathew, or get someone else to delete her assignment every day this year.

"He's got administration permission to do what he's doing. We haven't bought updated textbook files for the system yet, damn rip off as it is. Only one file but each one buys 'access' to copy it to a reader. Each 'seat access' costs as much as a normal text book." Okay, I understand now.

'Shouldn't this get Ms. Alice fired?' Christine pipes up. Mr Mathew sighs.

"Same as the secretary. The union is covering her, supporting her, and more or less dragging its heels hoping the district runs out of patience before they do. Till they blink or give in, she can teach what she wants." Well, that's just great. The only place I know where unions still exist, and they're acting crazy, protecting nut jobs who should be fired.

'How many more of them are there?' Please, let those two be the only ones in this school!

"Most of them are the sophomore teachers, one of the other junior history teacher's is one. None of the senior teachers are as far as I can tell. Just make it through this year and you won't have to deal with any of them outside the secretary if the district isn't able to remove her by the end of the year." That's good news. At least only this year will be hard, next year should be easier.

'Mom told me these people were nuts, didn't know how much they were till today.' I sigh while Mr Mathew nods once.

"Anyway, I had a chance to look over both your assignments. Your transcripts are very much out of date, both of you are well into college sophomore level math. I guess it is because small town districts still use paper rather than the centralized digital system of Winnipeg and other cities. This allows a personalized approach." Can't help it, my tail starts twitching nervously, as does Christine's. I'm about to say something but Mr Mathew shakes his head.

"No, you're not in trouble. I'll just have to find something to keep you two occupied rather than bored as you go through stuff you already know. I will though suggest at the end of the year your mother pushes the school to enroll you into either Honor's math next year or pre-college algebra. The senior math class would just be a repeat of this year at your level." Relaxing I let out a silent breath.

Not only are the forged papers not fool proof, today I've also slipped up too much to be able to keep this ruse up in any other situation.

At this rate the old saying that big lies protect themselves may not hold true for us. I'm going to have to be more careful from now on. Mindful of my words and actions to make sure no more slip ups happen.

'Could you, maybe, ask the school to change our schedules so Jackie and I take both gym and science together, not to mention she gets away from 'her'.' Glancing at Christine I make a mental note to thank her. It didn't cross my mind to ask that.

Again Mr Mathew shakes his head at both of us.

"I have some weight with the administration, but not enough to have something like that done without having to go through the secretary. If she's the one who switched your classes, despite the notes in your files to keep you together due to your P.I.D Christine, you're not going to get her to switch it back. She's stubborn as she is, round." Christine puts her ears flat back upon hearing that for a second or two, can't blame her. I don't want to deal with her either.

"What's the story between you two and Diane? While she's never been subtle in anything here, it has been awhile since she's singled out student to this extent." I would think other than what happened in the mall, that's a question that should be asked of Diane and not Christine and me.

Granted, what I did with tricking her to fall over like that, in front of her own pack, in the crowded food court of the local mall didn't help the situation any either. I more or less tell Mr Mathew that its me she's after, not Christine, and of course what I did in the mall. He just shakes his head.

"Not that Diane's blameless, cause if there was a way to prove what she was doing, she'd be in legal trouble far beyond what the school can do, but. You could've handled that better Jackie." Mom, Patrick, everyone has been pointing that out to me.

"Anyway, I'd suggest Jackie that you try to not antagonize her further. Unless she escalates to the point the police need to be called in, the school can't and won't protect you, since Diane knows how to game the system." Nodding once, the end of class and thus the end of the day tone plays on the P.A. system.

All the general conversation instantly stops as everyone packs up and heads for the door, eager to get out with deliberate speed with the school-day being over. Christine and I follow suit after thanking Mr Mathew politely as we gather up our belongings.

Next stop, our lockers to get the rest of our stuff.

'You know, other than the stupid disorder, I think I can get used to this again.' Christine comments after making sure the hallway is too busy for anyone to completely overhear us. I'm busy stuffing everything into my backpack as she waits for me to finish, Alpha's go first after all.

'Better than the last school, that's for sure.' Again, phrasing my reply in such a way that it is factual for both our fictional lives and the actual last time I was in High-school. Surprisingly, even though this place is always crowded between classes, it quickly empties, much faster than I expected.

So neither of us say anything as we follow the much thinner crowd from our lockers, to the front door. I pretty much expect either mom or Patrick to pick us up, only to remember that they both have work today and mom put our light rail cards in my backpack. Fishing them out I hand Christine hers.

A quick walk takes us off of school property and into the city, the first block around the school are filled with low buildings hosting shops from fast food, to smaller specialty stores, along with more than a few empty lots. Just enough to give the area a light urban blight feel.

We have to go a few blocks into the city proper to get to the rail station.

'Nervous sis?' Only upon Christine asking do I notice that my tail's twitching with a nervous tick, and my ears are moving about, focusing on at every sound including the whine of electric cars going by. It only takes me a moment to realize why.

Old habits, always had to be alert for gangs or police when walking the city I grew up in. The former wouldn't hesitate to take what little you had, the latter would just assume your part of the former then you'd spend the day at the station. Ruining any plans you had that day, lost an interview due to that once.

A block before the light rail station the buildings change from small two story buildings to sky scrapers. Office buildings, apartment complexes, doesn't matter. Their presence creates the alleyways and small one-way side streets I've learned to be weary of. You would think our better eyesight would help me look into the shadows, you'd be wrong though.

If they were adjusted to the gloom, then that would be true, but they're nearly closed vulpine slits, adjusted for the afternoon glare. Turns those shadows into nearly pitch black curtains hiding anything inside.

'Yea. First time I've been in a downtown area of a city without Patrick.' I pause for a second to try to pierce dark gloomy veil of an alley shadow we pass by, thankfully without incident.

'Or like this. If someone like Flint can physically overpower me, I'd have trouble with anyone else, even with you here.' Not to mention that if someone went after Christine, I'd be hard-pressed to do anything to help her.

'You, don't know how to fight like a girl, so to speak, do you sis? Can't rely on brute strength anymore.' Stating the obvious there.

Shaking my head to answer her, but I say nothing else as we approach the light rail station. Not exactly crowded, but with enough people that we should be careful how we speak.

After sitting for most of the day I decide to stand while we wait. Christine decides to lean against me, not a bad choice considering the shape of the metal benches placed around the edge of the elevated square platform.

We aren't the only Bio-morphs here, there's a wolf one and a house-cat one here too, the latter is sitting on one of the benches. We 'are' the best dressed Bio-Morphs though. Our uniforms looking prim and proper compared to their street clothes.

All the humans here are in prim and proper casual wear, or nicely pressed business suits or blouses. No one else from our school seems to be here too, unless the two Bio-Morphs changed out of their uniforms before coming here. Doubtful, since we came straight here, and they were already waiting upon our arrival.

It doesn't take long for the automated light rail train arrive at the station, coming to a stop with a loud and harsh squeal causing Christine and I to wince, the Wolf Bio-morph does too, but the house-cat one takes it in stride.

None of the humans react in any way other than to get ready to board, must be something out of their hearing range. The moment the light rail train comes to a stop a digitized, and heavily compressed bell ring sounds throughout the platform.

I learned shortly after arriving home, along with Christine, that most of the compressed audio on computer's and the internet is geared to human hearing ranges. Either making their sound, hollow, without depth, or in this case, overlapping digital noise with what is played as the compression fills the ranges outside human hearing with compression information and error-correction data.

The sound and voice the tram uses is the latter, much to the pain of our ear drums. Only the wolf Bio-morph seems to mind, the feline either doesn't hear it or is so used to it, it doesn't bother him.

"Please stand clear of the train until it has come to a 'complete' stop. Passes must be scanned before entering. Please mind your tails, the doors close faster than they appear to. Mind the gap between the station and the train." It says in English, then french I think. Said digital sound though makes it a pain to make out the words though.

Without any prompting from anyone, everyone on the platform forms a loose but obvious line in front of the entry door, not minding the humans and Bio-Morphs exiting on the other half of the platform. Christine wordlessly falls right behind me in the line.

Being in the back third of the line, yet not last means that once it comes my turn, and Christine's. All we have to do is wave our transit cards over the reader and step over the eighth of an inch gap between the train and the station.

The last person to board is the house-cat Bio-morph, and we watch standing in the isle as he yanks his tail into the train with his hand to avoid the train door closing on it. The message wasn't kidding! I have to wonder why have they not been fitted with elevator like safety systems or have faced lawsuits.

Still, even with that in place I bet it would hurt a lot to have the doors close on my tail. Just the thought of it makes me wince.

We're not the only ones forced to stand during the ride, yet what draws my attention are the few times guy's give up their seats for the human women. No one seems to be doing it for my sister and I.

Some odd emotions well up inside me upon noticing this, my tail lashes about a few times while I let my ears fold partly back, I feel, jealous?

Why do I feel this? Why should I feel this? I'm tired of sitting so why?

I mean I know from a glance I'm better looking, possibly that's part of it? Logically I assume a possible reason why, but on the other paw I don't want to make assumptions. We're bio-morphs, not human.

They could be speciest? Is that a word now? We're not exactly a different 'race' of humans, that implies we can interbreed. I feel a tap on my shoulder, bringing me back to reality.

Christine points my attention to the overhead sign showing we're reaching our destination. At least the people in the train car make way for us to walk to the door as we come to a slow stop. Wincing again as the same warnings sound while we disembark, head off the platform, and cross the street into 'fur town' proper.

Having grown up in a center, the sights and sounds of a proper, middle class looking neighborhood is still novel to me even after a month living here. Houses with clean yards free of trash, kids, or should I say kits or pups maybe? Playing in them, some adults outside too keeping an eye on the little ones, or doing chores.

We wave a friendly wave a few times in return to adults who do so to us while we cross their property. Crossing another street, Christine moves to walk beside me.

'I have to wonder, how many of them are converts and how many are naturals.' Tilting my head a bit in her direction I match her lower voice.

'All of the kids I would hazard a guess, the adults, who knows? No one knows how long that damn Chinese company kept 'us' a secret before revealing Eve to the world, other than long enough to have enough to fill all those initial rush of orders. If I'd had to bet, every adult is a convert, all the kids are natural's. The ones in our school seem to be the oldest naturals I've seen.' She nods slowly and glances about as we continue to walk.

Watching the kids though, playing, chasing each other, and all around rough housing does do something I've only felt one other time. An instinctual pull, and sense of interest. Last time was when I had a free moment in my lessons, and I was allowed to some time to myself. With nothing else to do I just looked out my window and watched the neighborhood kids play.

'Their cute aren't they?' Glancing over to Christine I give a small nod. Yes they are, I'm secure enough in my new self to admit that.

'A cross between a baby and puppy or kitten. Makes me wonder what yours would look like if well you and Patrick could.' That feeling returns with a vengeance along with embarrassment, folding my ears to hide my blush I look back at Christine as we approach our home.

'Even if I wanted one, even if it was possible. Patrick and I can't even try for another two years.' I realize what I've said as soon as I've said it and Christine grins widely.

Sighing I groan inwardly as we head for the stairs to the front door. She's going to tease me about it, considering how I've shunned most 'girlish' things. Baby fawning is pretty much stereotypical girly behavior.

Fishing out my keys from the backpack, I unlock the door and head in. Switching out the school shoes for indoor ones before going any further inside. Christine closes the door behind her after she enters, patiently waiting for me to finish switching footwear.

'Between your shoe obsession and what you just said, mom and I will make a proper girl out of you yet!' Christine giggles while I point a finger at her. Making sure all the rest of my body language tells her I'm playing around.

'You know full well why I can't stand being barefoot.' A winter of walking on rough pavement and metal grating, the pain of each step at doing so, feeling your body warmth being sapped through those two points of contact.

Not to mention the full on numbness I went through when I got those computer parts in my escape attempt. I never want to feel all that again.

Christine shrugs while still having a smile on her face, I know she understands, still, we head upstairs and to my room because since I'm home there's one thing I can't wait to do. Get out of this infernal dress that is the schoo uniform! So I practically tear it off once in my room. Glancing over I see Christine slip away and to her room.

A moment later she's back but in normal clothes and not the school uniform, that mischievous look still on her face.

'Christine, sis, don't tell me you're planning on telling Patrick or mom about what I said?' She shakes her head and walks over, because I had to take my shoes off to get everything off I'm only in my underwear right now. Hearing her walk up behind me as I turn around to pick up the normal clothes after tossing today's uniform into the hamper.

A hand bolts between my legs surprising me, what's she doing? Only to see her grab one of my shoes and bolt for the door.

'HEY!' I can get clothed later. First things first, gotta get my shoe back. Dropping the idea of reclothing myself for the moment I pivot and chase after Christine.

Out into the hall we go, I'm about to grab her by the shoulder, but she jams the shoe into her mouth, eww, and drops to all fours. The burst of speed the two extra limbs gives her allows her get to her room before me. Forcing me to drop to all fours to have to catch up, it should feel unnatural, but it seems to feel fine to me.

Christine bolts for the area behind her bed with me almost literally on her tail, not wasting any time I leap onto it, aiming to make up the ground lost in the chase.

The second my feet touch the bed Christine turns on a dime and bolts out the way she came, I have to retrace my steps or lose 'more' ground to her, damn she's fast. Has she run like this before? She's more nimble than me, that I'll admit.

'Get back here!' Yelling and following her out of her room, mere inches from her tail no less. Down the hallway we go and then down the stairs before I realize it. A part of me was wondering how to descend them on all fours, seems I already knew how without thinking.

Now on the ground-floor Christine makes a break for the living room.

We end up chasing each other around the couch several times, as soon as I would gain ground to catch Christine. She'd hop onto the couch and over to the other side, I have to do the same when I'm losing ground. We're both panting and giggling at this by the time Christine breaks off and bolts for the main hallway, most likely to head upstairs again.

Now a few feet behind, I dash after her, lost in this is the sound of the front door opening. Christine skids on the floor as she changes direction before bolting to and up the stairs with practiced ease.

I'm not so lucky, as I skid I see Patrick walking into the main downstairs hallway wondering what the noise is. I'm barefoot, the tile is slippery to my hands and feet, and I'm only in my underwear. Unable to stop I slam right into him, sending him to the floor with me on top of him as I deeply pant to catch my breath.