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Chapter 1:

Gib:

(Mon)17/11/2008 5:46am

I didn't know weather I should be excited or royally pissed.

Two months, I was Two months away from from being done with High-school, tomorrow would have been my last exam and I could have been done with the bloody lot. This time Thursday I could be looking at the University of Tasmania's courses and looking at signing up for next year. But no.. I had to go and open my big mouth. The scene still haunts me...

(Sat)12/9/2008 9:12pm

... "Wait, are you saying what I think your saying?"

'oh, crap' I thought 'I knew I was avoiding the locker rooms for a reason, why couldn't I just say that the atmosphere made me uncomfortable... that wouldn't have been lying... why did I have to get into details?'

The Rhino in front of me was glaring at me now, his eyes demanding a answer, and I couldn't provide one.

" I think you should go Gib..."

I couldn't agree more. I grabbed the rest of my cricket gear and practically ran out to the parking lot.

_ ********** _

What followed after that was only what I could describe as a 'stereotypical shit-storm of comedy'. By the Monday, the entire school's Indoor Cricket team knew, by the Tuesday the entire school knew (why does this matter? Like I said earlier 'stereotypical reasons', I was going to a all boy's private Catholic school... you do the math), by the Wednesday, work knew, by the Thursday, I found out that I didn't have any shifts at work for at least the next month and they had indefinitely removed me from the rosters (the boss's son went to the same school), by the Friday, I'd had enough of the jibes and the derogatory comments coming not only from the students but the teachers of the school, that by lunch I went into the front office withdrew my name from the school rosters and went home.

The only good thing to come out of the week, was that mum was on long service leave from work and was taking a trip overseas to visit relatives for three months (only one had passed by this stage), and on my eighteenth birthday I was encouraged to become legally independent, (I just happened to still live with my mother until I finished high-school as most furs still do), so at this point there was nothing that the school could do to stop me from leaving or even notify my mother as to what happened... this was the biggest blessing of the year... well third biggest blessing. What was to be the tied biggest blessing happened to ring on the same Friday that I left my old school for good.

Dad.

Mum and dad split up before I was born, and (as what happens in most cases) Mum was given full custody, until I was deemed old enough to make up my mind as to what I wanted to do about the situation. When I was thirteen I asked mum if I could at least meet my farther, she didn't like the idea but was given no choice in the end (I wont go into the details), so Dad came down to Hobart for a couple of weeks, and well... we really hit it off. He was so apologetic for not being able to see me before hand, was so honest about the situation as to why they split and so scared that I would hate him I was actually really taken back, I had never met another adult fur that acted this way before (all of mum's side of the family were assertive, successful and relativity dominant individuals). The only time I had even herd the word 'sorry' before was when it was coming out of my own muzzle. After that time I would occasionally visit Dad during school holidays, I don't really know how or why, but I started to consider him to be my main parent (please don't get the wrong idea I still love mum, but dad and I have something different... a understanding).

I told dad what happened through the week, I obviously wasn't explaining my situation very well however because at the end of the fifteen minutes of blabbing and sobbing, he was still confused as to what exactly happened.

"I still don't really get it Gib... all of this hassle with school and work, because your team-mate asked you to leave the locker-room?" he started to get curious, "Now, I'm not accusing you of anything son, but is there something your not telling me?".

I started to stammer...

I've keep this secret of mine since before I even met dad, no one had ever, ever, known what I was about to tell my father... the secret that was now common knowledge... not because I was ashamed, but because I knew how all the other furs that knew me would react... Being exactly how they had reacted. This wouldn't have been a problem if I was a solitary fur but I wasn't, I'm a very social fur I crave companionship, I... I liked making people happy and that's not a easy thing to do for me while I'm ridiculed (I honestly felt the disappoint from my 'friends' to be far worse).

"...son?"

I jumped, not realising that I had gotten distracted. 'great' I thought 'now he knows something is up... well, it's not like that wasn't obvious already...well what do I have to lose exactly? Half of Hobart bloody well knows now and when mum gets back she will know, God knows that life will only get worse from there...'

"Dad... that situation in the locker-room... well, the guy found out that..." I stammered more... hell I've never even said the words out loud before, "I... I think I'm gay"

Silence.... defining silence, until that moment I never understood what the saying meant, but boy didn't I know now! I couldn't hear anything, from the quiet piano music playing in the background to the roaring Honda CBR that speed past the house. The only thing that I could hear was the soft breathing on the other end of the phone when...

"Huh... that's funny, I was pretty sure that you were from the first time I met you... and you only think your gay?".

I could hear, actually hear, the smile in his voice, I felt blood rush to my cheeks. 'What the hell, I don't even get embarrassed when mum brings out the naked baby photos to show the family, so what was this reaction about?'

"Ok, fine, I know I'm gay alright?" the embarrassment clear in my voice. Dad caught on to it too, getting serious again.

"Gib, I hope that I don't have to explain to you that it isn't something to be asham-"

I cut him off before he could descend into the birds and bees dread.

"No dad, you don't, so please kill that thought before it gets big enough to swallow big-foot,-" Terrible joke, but at least dad was nice enough to snicker at my attempted humour, "-it's just, well... I've never actually said those word before, and..."

"You were afraid that I would take it badly?" he sounded a little sad at the thought. I felt sorry immediately.

"Yeah, sorry dad, I didn't want to feel that way, but all my other fears to do with the matter have come to pass, it was just a little too much to hope for that you would take it as well as you have..."

"It's ok, son, I understand... wait, does that mean that Sasha knows?"

He tried to sound neutral about the question but I could feel the unease in his voice. 'I better clear this up now.'

"No, mum doesn't know, she is still in New Zealand visiting family, which brings me to my next problem... I...I don't want her to know, I've been slowly testing the waters over the past three years or so, and I can say with about a ninety percent certainty that it will end badly."

Dad was very quiet for a while when he spoke it was the saddest I'd herd him since the day we first met.

"I'm questing the wisdom of what I'm about to say Gib, so please remember that no matter what I say that this is only one side of the story and that she is your mother, and she will always love you."

I rolled my eyes, 'Well... that's a encouraging way to start the line of conversation.'

"That being said, unless she has changed drastically over the last eighteen years, it's probably best not to tell her. Do you remember why we broke up?"

All too well dad.

"Yeah, you said that it was due to her giving aunty Liz a hard time and as a result you both found that you had moral differences that you couldn't get past... but what does that have to do with...." realisation finally dawned on me. "... aunty Kat?"

Liz was David's (dad's) sister, we met a couple of times when I stayed at dad's for Christmas, the first and last times I also met a very nice Kangaroo introduced to me as 'aunty Kat' I just kind of dismissed the the thought until now.

Dad's mood seemed to lighten. "Yep, I wondering if you put it together or not, our breading may be quite diverse, but there ant' no Roo in our genes son!"

I chuckled as dad laid on a heavy Australian accent for the last part of the comment.

"Actually, it's coming up to their twenty year anniversary and they were planing to come down from Brisbane for it, I mean sure it isn't tectonically a marriage (as much as all the family conceders it to be), but still it's awesome that they are still together. I was actually wondering if you wanted to come up to stay for a while, I know that they would love to see you again... all of the family would!"

That thought put a small smile on my muzzle, I would love to see my other half of the family again, I just got through that thought when another came to mind... 'no, I couldn't ask that, that wouldn't be fair to dad.'

I was at a impasse, I knew that life was going to start to get difficult for me if I stayed here especially in two months when mum got back home and starts with the questions as to why I left my old school, even if I joined a different school to finish I'd still be here until March when university started, and said Uni was just down the road. Even if I decided to live on campus it wouldn't be unlike her to show up every second day to 'check up' on me. That and the torment from the students from my old school would continue to follow me there (as about seventy percent of the students from the school would get into the university each year). I just don't think that I would be able to put up with that type of crap indefinitely...

"Gib?"

I jumped for the second time... 'that's right I'm having a conversation here, and not with myself...'

"Ah, sorry dad got a bit distracted, actually I wanted to ask you something". 'Wait!, what? no, no you don't you silly lizard, say something befor-'

"yeah, what's on your mind bud?"

Shit..

"Sorry it's nothing, I'd really like to come up, what's the date of the anniversary?". I hoped that the sentence would distract him enough to forget the previous slip up. Dad it seems, was having none of it.

"Later, now ask what you were going to ask."

I contemplated saying that it was a stupid question and not to worry about it, but at this stage I knew dad would see right through it. My inner self jeered, 'Well you wanted to ask, now why don't you?'

"It's silly but I was wondering if you minded, if I stayed with you for a while... I, look don't worry about it, I already know that I would have to completely redo year twelve again since the school systems don't match up between Victoria and Tasmania so if that were to happen you'd be stuck with me until about February, March the year after next, so-"

"Gib -"

Damn I was rambling again.

"- I'm a bit disappointed son"

'Not a new feeling dad..'

"I'm disappointed that you feel the need to ask, let alone you think that it's a silly question. You obviously know the consequences of what will happen in the way of your education, and your mother wont stop trying to get in contact with you until you give her a good answer as to why you left. That said, your a independent adult now, and there is always a room and bed here for you. Basically if you want it, come and bloody get it" he ended with a laugh...

(Mon)17/11/2008 6:22am

"...Now as you already know, the gender of the child plays a pivotal role in determining the dominant species gene, for example, conceder the mother's dominant gene to be Canine, and the father's to be Avian, if the child happens to be male then the child's dominant gene will be Avian and the recessive will be Canine, vice versa if the child happens to be female. Now consider that this child (when matured) has a pup/chic with a Canine, if the first child was male there is a fifty present chance that his child will be Avian dominant-Canine recessive and a fifty percent chance that it will be completely pure Canine, if the first child was female however the new child has over a ninety-nine percent chance to have Canine as its dominant gene, but it isn't impossible for the recessive Avian gene to continue down through the generation's..."

"Damn, I know that most of the theories being mentioned are relativity basic, but this is really interesting stuff... Wait... who am I talking to?"

I couldn't help laughing at myself,as I was sitting in my car, waiting for the 'Spirit of Tasmania' to finish it's docking procedures, so I could make the last stretch to dad's place. I was listening to a CD containing study material for one of the new classes that I would be taking at my new school, Sociology, Psychology and the Diversity of Species Study, 'PDSSS' for code (I guess that 'SPD double S' sounded too much like a medical condition, or STI, 'use a condom kids!' blah!),

"This obviously doesn't include situations where one of the species gene isn't compatible to take on either the dominant or recessive 'roles' so to speak. A good example of this is the Dragon gene, while it is very possible to have a Dragon Hybrid, studies have shown that when the child is meant to have a recessive Dragon gene, said gene is not present in the DNA structure, rather the recessive gene of the parent that provided the child's dominant gene also provided the recessive. Even this isn't a hundred percent certain, there are several cases where both parents are Canine (which is supposed to be able to take on either role), and the child's dominant gene turns out to be same gender parent's recessive gene while the Canine gene takes on the recessive role, which helps explain how it's possible to get a four foot Polar-bear or a eight foot Chiwawa (though this isn't particularly relevant to this particular lesson, or subject for that matter)..."

"Ah. Finally!" I exclaimed as the door started to lower allowing the cars packed into the ship to start filing out.

I'd been thinking over the conversation I had with dad on that day, as well as what happened since. As I wasn't enrolled in any school for the next two months, dad and I thought it would be a good idea to get a temporary job to help fund the move, and to make sure that I would have every thing I needed to start my new life in Melbourne. It took two weeks of searching but I finally found a temporary job at the state library of Tasmania (they needed help separating the Junior Non-Fiction from the General Non-Fiction to a new section of the library, it was good pay for a temp position too!).

As a added bonus, I was able to set some time aside to do some studying the Victorian state education system along with the city of Melbourne itself. Through doing this I was able to pick out a good public high-school, find out that although the schooling system's didn't exactly match up, there was very little that I had to catch up on in the was of studying, (PDSSS isn't a compulsory subject in Tas' [actually, no subject is] but that and English are both necessary to pass year twelve in Victoria, this being the reason that I got the CD I'm currently listening to) and I also learnt more about Melbourne in general and where it was that I could continue perusing my hobbies and possible job opportunities for future reference.

All the while David was (though I begged him not to go out of his way to do so), busy arranging the house, and making sure that anything that I could not bring with me would be provided when I got there.

"...This leads us into the central theme of this lesson, the existence of hybrids. While it is true that the dominant gene sets up what the species of the individual is, it is becoming more and more common for the recessive gene to become more physically and psychologically pronounced in the individual, I'll draw back on the for-mentioned Dragon hybrid, while it's the case that the Dragon species will always be the dominant gene in the individual, it is becoming more common for the recessive gene to also have an affect on the physical appearance, for example normally it would be impossible for a Dragon to be able to grow hair or fur, however if the opposite gendered parent happened to be a spices that could grow hair or fur it is actually very likely for this particular Dragon to also be able to grow fur or hair on his/her own..."

I took a look in the rear view mirror and gave a small snort of amusement, 'Your preaching to the converted doc'. It seemed that my very existence was proving the point of the speaker, and took it to a new extreme.

"... this hybridisation doesn't just stop at the physical though, it also contributes to the way the individual thinks as well, which also helps us explain why, some of the aspects of what we consider to be 'feral thinking', has either started to be or has been, completely 'bred out', but this psychological aspect of hybridisation is the topic for the next lesson..."

'Good' I thought. 'As interesting as that topic is, I'm a little more interested about my own physical situation at the moment' and as if the doctor on the CD could hear my thoughts...

"...what still has got the sociological and biological community baffled (on some level) however, is how the existence of the 'melded recessive gene' (or MRG for short), came to be. The MRG was only discovered during a well known police investigation, officers collected a DNA sample of an individual (and later found guilty, due to this discovery) that possessed said MRG. Upon further studies it was found that whenever two parents possess the exact same dominant gene, (for example not only the parents need to be, say Canine dominant but Husky dominant as well) there is approximately a three percent chance that the two recessive genes will 'try for the remaining spot' so to speak (in doing so, overpowering the attempts of the opposite gender parent's dominant gene), and in the possess will undergo a type of heated fusion and create a new recessive gene, the 'MRG'. Interestingly enough, this seems to be one of the few cases where the R34 species category (Remembering that the R34 category is to the Khajiit, Veemon and Yoshi as C_anid _is to Husky, Jackal and Fox), 'follows the rules'. There are approximately one and a half thousand cases in Australia alone, of a individual of the R34 category also having a MRG, which is the same average as the other categories..."

'Well, that explains quite a bit.' I turned off the CD, promising my self to continue the lesson later on tonight. 'Well it is pretty obvious that I have the Yoshi dominant gene, but this explains why I still look like both mum and dad's recessive parts too, I mean honestly, how else could I have the traits of both, Argonian and Otter? The only thing that those two have in common is the natural love of water... there ain't no fur on a Argonian, nor horns or leaf hair on a Otter... well.. except for other hybrids obviously.'

I was so engrossed with my thoughts that I missed the last turn to Dad's house.

"bah!"

I sighed, made a U-turn then made the correct turn down the street I missed. The area that dad lived could only be described as stereotypical beach front Australia. I mean, this is meant to be a suburb of the second largest city in Australia, but after passing the 'Koonya General store', one could be forgiven for thinking that they would be lucky to see another soul for another ten kilometres. I guess that was what kind of attracted dad to the place, being only about an hour out of the 'CBD' but having that constant 'relaxed atmosphere'... I think I could really get used to it.

I turned my car up the sandy gravel driveway at the end of Forrest Ave and John Bertram Drive to the familiar tree surrounded block of land that my dad purchased back when we first met. It only took him about nine months to clear out the necessary trees, prepare the land, set up the foundations and build a relatively inexpensive modern three bedroom house. I remember being blown away with what he had been able to accomplish (mostly on his own) in that time, and through such a feat teaching me one of my most cherished lessons of my childhood, "...very few feelings compare to the feeling of accomplishment of seeing something through..."

I parked my car next to dad's black Ford Laser Ute, and sat back in the seat looking over dad's house. '...home', A small smile played over my muzzle, 'I'm home!'. I gave my watch a quick glance '7:50... meh, it's still early, I'll worry about unpacking later'. I hopped out of the car and quickly made my way to the front door of the house. I contemplated knocking, but I thought that dad could still be sleeping as he decided to take the week off to help me get settled. 'the joys of working for your self, eh dad?'.

David is an Architect and is also qualified to do pretty much anything along the lines of construction, from the general building to plastering, to tiling, to any electricity and plumbing work required, so it was always easy for him to find work, but it could also be tiring for him, which was why he decided to work for himself so whenever he felt he was getting overwhelmed he could take the time off and return better then ever.

I tried to front door and it was unlocked, I tentatively walked in trying not to make too much noise, that was of course until I smelt the coffee.

"Mmm... coffee...", I growled as I practically drooled my way into the kitchen.

"Well then, It's good to see you to Gib"

I spun around to see a smirking, six foot two, well-built, shirtless, furred brown and white Yoshi-Otter, doing the whole 'holding a mug of Coffee in one hand and the local newspaper under the same arm "because I'm a working class dad"' thing, he was clearly amused to my reaction as I entered the house.

"Dad!", I ran up to dad and gave him the biggest hug I could manage, while being careful not to spill his coffee.

"hey there kiddo-" dad was happy to return the gesture.

I took the time to fully enjoy the warm, fuzzy and furry moment... (What?, he's my dad, and I... kinda... like my hugs...).

Dad pulled back to get a good look at me. "-it's good to see that your keeping your self healthy. Why don't you grab a cuppa' and join me out the front for a chat?".

All too happy to comply, I turned back around to start the great and ancient art of coffee creation. It wasn't long before I joined my dad out the front and we started talking about my trip to Melbourne, how work was going for dad and our plans for the next week or so. It was about this time that I noticed something strange, sitting on the small table next to our chairs was a small ash tray with a couple of (what looked like) recent cigarette butts in it. It was strange because none of our family has ever smoked, and dad rarely had visitors to my knowledge. I questioned dad about about it, when I did, his initial reaction was what seemed to be sadness, but he seemed to recover quickly.

"Ahh, they're not mine, they're the remains of a good friend of mine. Actually that reminds me, do you have space in your car for a passenger at the moment? If so I'd like to ask a favour."

Dad looked a little... funny (for lack of better word), but I was starting to get curious as to where this conversation was going, so I decided to play along for the moment.

"Umm. Yeah, for one. The back is completely packed, but there is only a small box on the floor in the front seat, why?, am I about to have a passenger?"

Dad smiled, "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind. I promised this friend-" (dad motioned back towards the ash tray) "-a favour, I should actually be heading over there now. I was going to bring him back here but I need all the space in the Ute at the same time, if you came along it would save me a trip... well that, and I'd really like you to meet him... He's actually the guy that pretty much convinced me to go down to Hobart to meet you for the first time".

'Well now, this sounds interesting, why would he need dads help? And why doesn't he have his own from of transportation'

"Sure, I was only planing on unpacking, and lounging around today anyway. So when do we leave?"

Dad looked down to his still bare torso and smirked. "Well, I suppose I should get a shirt on first, did you want breakfast before we leave?-"

I shook my head, I managed to grab a bite before I left the ship I'd be good until about one this afternoon.

"-Then we should probably get going now, we have a few deadlines to meet."

With that dad raced back inside grabbed his shirt and keys and locked the place up just as I finished the remains of my coffee.

"It's only a short drive, but I wont be coming straight back here, so you might want to remember the route..." dad said while packing a ramp into the Ute.

"Umm... If I get lost, can't I just ask your friend the way back, if he has been here before?... that and I have a GPS dad, how do you think I got through Melbourne?"

Dad shock his head and chuckled, "Now there is a thought...it's still probably easier to follow me there... well, see you there!" dad shouted out of the car as he was reversing out of the driveway. 'well I better make a move before he gets to far ahead'

We arrived not ten minutes later to a...'Well, I suppose its a house...'. The small house only really had four points of interest, the knee high grass surrounding the place (minus the concrete path leading to the house), A boarded up window (which I found out later was dad's handy work), a small rusty set of table and chairs on the front porch, and a wheelchair access ramp leading to the front door. I got out of my car and stood at the pathway leading to the place when dad came to stand next to me.

"He says that he will get around to doing the lawn sometime over the next two weeks, but frankly I'll be surprised if he gets the time, I'd be happier if he didn't bother...".

'Now I'm really confused... how the hell can this guy do the lawn if he is handicapped to the level of needing a ramp to get into his house... wait!, you can only access our house via stairs yet he obviously visits dad a bit... I must be missing something here...'

Dad was oblivious to my inner monologue as we were walking to the house stopped me before he knocked on the door.

"Oh, a small piece of advice... if you two get to talking. stay honest, if you don't want to say something-" dad paused as he knocked on the door "-just say so... I think you will catch on to why when you meet him".

'Way not to make me feel nervous dad, thanks...'

The door opened, and we were greeted by a relieved yet timid growl.

"Good timing Dave... Ahh, you must be Gib, please come in"

I couldn't help it, my eyes widened. I don't know what exactly I was expecting to greet me, but this definitely wasn't on the list.