Young Loves Demise: Chapter 2
#2 of Young Loves Demise
A/N: Okay, this one is taking me longer than I would have liked, seeing as there was one part I had to re-write from scratch and, well, I am very easily distracted... work, video games, forums, shiney things...
Oh, and as soon as I am done with this chapter, I wouldn't mind finding someone whom could do a quick once-through to check for grammar and spelling errors. In the meantime, because I really just want to post SOMETHING, here's the first half of Chapter 2!!
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Young Loves Demise
chapter 2
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November 17, 3506
Littleton, Idihao
Neo Terra
Two years had passed since my punk-husky-savior adopted me and I had been living under the roof of his ransacked house
since. Questions such as how old I was and who were my parents escaped me, as I had only known them as mom and dad; there was a birthday at some point, but I really couldn't remember. In any case, it took the death of my parents to shake me out of my false comfort and open my eyes to the world not shrouded by the happiness bestowed upon every second I was alive. As it was I learned how to live life at age four, or that was how old Xebas had said I looked.
I guess that made me six years old, give or take a few months. While living with Xebas I learned not to let it bother me too much. Making the best of life was the only way to keep living, or at least that is what he had told me. Really, I didn't have a choice but to believe him as he was my only family; Not a father or a mother, maybe brother was the role he fit into the best.
Started school two months prior my new birthday, and I was still excited I was going. For the most part. There is definitely a love/hate relationship with school since I wanted to go really badly, but at the same time I couldn't wait for the week to end. I think it may be that way with other kids as well. Although, at times I got the feeling that most of the other kids never wanted to be there. The one truly happy thing I can recall clearly about school was the day I met Long.
The day I talk about was a Friday, so I was really excited since it was my favorite day of the week. Going to school for the day, which I liked, and then right after was the weekend, which was when I spent the most time with Xebas. I never really spent as much time with Xebas as I would like since I was going to school during the week. We would do lots of things together like go out to the mall, work on our house, and even catch a fight or two on the TV. Good times I say, good times.
My day started off at 5:45am, like usual. The small alarm clock I slept with in my hammock went off, muffled by the sheets as to not wake Xebas just yet. He slept on the mattress situated on the floor in the opposite corner of the room. I hit the snooze button on the alarm clock to shut it up, and then sat upright in the hammock. Letting my legs dangle off the side, yawning, and rubbing the sleep and the small amount of crust my eyes, I then fixed the alarm to not go off again.
Hopping up and off the hammock, I took a few moments to start my morning stretches which generally wake me up completely. Xebas suggested that I keep stretching in the morning, keeps me fit and flexible. The first goal of mine was to be able to do the splits, which I was almost there. Fully awake after my stretches, I made my trip to the shower.
Xebas had to show me how to work the shower saying that we could not take them together. I use to only take baths with my mother, so showering by myself was a big change for me. I was use to it by the time I was going to school, but the first day of hitting the shower on my own was mildly embarrassing. Not knowing that we only had limited hot water, I took a thirty-minute shower. Laughing was my first reaction when Xebas was blasted with cold water. Guilt soon replaced that feeling that caused me to laugh as he lectured me about the shower. He made it up to me by laughing a bit and giving me a hug. I was surprised at how patient he was, especially since he was only a teenager himself.
Getting out of the shower, I grabbed two towels off the towel-rack and started to dry off most my fur. Sitting down and picking up a comb I was reminded as to why I hated this time of year. Fur on some anthros grows out a bit during the cold times and I was no exception. The summer was the greatest time for my fur since it was short enough to make it easy to brush and dry off. Unfortunately, during the winter it grew out and I dreaded spring when I started to shed. After I finished combing my fur I headed back into the bedroom and tossed the towels into a pile of other used ones. 'Laundry on Sunday' I reminded myself.
The various piles of clothing were starting to get a bit high. Xebas and I had an odd system. We mixed our laundry together for ease of simply getting things washed. Because of the poor conditions we lived in and seeing as both of us were busy most of the time, Xebas nearly all the time, we didn't have any dressers. In light of this we kept our clothes next to where we slept in neat piles. Well, at least mine were neat. Don't know how Xebas could have found anything he wanted since his clothes got scattered the day after we folded them.
I took a peak at Xebas while getting dressed, and couldn't help but smile. He was lying face down, spread-eagle, one leg hanging off the side of the bed, pillow muffling his loud snoring. Laughing as I was I doubt that thunder could have woke him up. I mean, he even slept through an earthquake at one point. Rubbing my snout a little I turned away from Xebas.
Three neat piles of clothes lined one of the walls under my hammock. I picked up a pair of white khaki pants and slipped them on. I then picked up a light-gray short-sleeved button down shirt and slipped that on as well. Xebas bought this shirt for me saying I would look good in it. I really liked the logo as well. It had a silhouette of a wicked-looking wolf head facing to the right, with the words 'you won't drag me down' underneath. The third pile of clothing was just socks so I picked up a pair and slipped them on. I finished buttoning up my shirt and headed back to the bathroom and picked up the brush again, simply using it to comb out my head-fur.
For some odd reason, some anthros have head-fur that grows out longer than the rest of their fur, almost like it was hair but it usually stays the same color. Unless someone dyes his or her hair which is not uncommon. I combed my head-fur, splitting it down the middle. 'Haircut', another needed reminder.
Whenever my hair reached down past my eyes was usually the time in which I would decide I needed a haircut. During the winter and during the spring was when I would get my haircut. Setting the comb down, I finally headed out to the kitchen to start scrounging for some food. Not an uncommon kitchen, sink against one wall, counter against another, pantry at the end of the counter. The pantry is where I headed to first. When I opened it I found it pretty bare except for a box of breakfast bars and a jar of peanut butter. 'Gotta go shopping!'
I opened the fridge, which was on the opposite wall of the pantry, next to the oven and stove. I saw a carton of milk, mustard, and the T.V. remote. Xebas must have been up late the previous night. He always left the remote in the oddest places when he was drunk. I grabbed the remote and tossed it onto the couch in the living room, which was connected to the kitchen. Heck, there was almost no distinction between kitchen and living room except the carpet. Snagged the milk, setting it on the counter; I got a glass and poured. My eye twitched a bit as I watched a lumpy paste with a foul stench fill the once decently clean and empty cup. I closed the carton, tossed it in the garbage, and washed out the cup. 'Fine, I don't need milk this morning.' I thought to myself,'but we REALLY gotta go shopping!
Unwrapping the cereal bar was a bit difficult, as they all were. It distracted me for a little bit until I opened it and took the first bite. Finally, I had something which stopped my stomach from turning inside out with hunger. For some reason I was always very hungry in the morning. Taking a quick glance at the clock told me that I needed to step on it or else I was going to be late. I finished off the cereal bar as I ran to our room to snag my watch. Looking over at Xebas for a split second I smiled at the fact he did not move an inch so far and then I dashed out of the room.
A small but tight hallway that started at the side of the kitchen lead to the front door where my shoes had awaited me along with my backpack. Once overly large shoes, they now fit me perfectly since I had grown. They represented the last of my old memories, the last gift from my parents. I already swore I would wear them until they become too small for me. Right after I tied my laces, I strapped my watch onto my wrist. It was a decent sports watch, nothing special about it except it was the first thing Xebas bought for me.
Picking up my backpack, I finally opened the door and started on my way to school. As I stepped outside, I locked the inside of the door and closed it, turning the knob a little to make sure it was secure.
Crisp morning air filled my lungs and chilled me a little bit, making some of my face fur stand on end. I swiveled my ears a little, to keep blood running through them before pressing them down flat against my head. I really didn't like cold mornings, they made my ears freeze a bit, and the chill also messed up my fur at times.
I looked up into the sky as I stepped out onto the dead lawn, closing my eyes and letting the bright sun beat down on me soaking in as much of the wonderful warmth as I could. A quick stretch later I was looking down at my watch.7:00... damn-it, I gotta hurry.
The problem was the school I went to was two hours away and started at 8:00 sharp. I say two hours, meaning two hours on foot going through a winding road. A quick look around at my neighbors' houses and I saw a flower delivery van parked outside of Mrs. Janes house.
Odd, I thought she was a widow...
No time to stop and think about it, gotta get going. I shrugged a bit and leaned forward. From the slits in the back of my shirt spat a startling spray of blood. That blood itself quickly congealed and eventually took the shape of bones, then flesh, then feathers. A quick downward thrust of my blood-wings sent a blast of air towards the house. It should have taken about an hour to travel by air to school. It took a few moments to pick up speed, but with a swift kick I was airborne heading in the direction of school.
Imagine the face Xebas made when he found out I could fly. It was the third month of my life with him. I was out on the grass playing around with a soccer ball. I still felt kind of lonely since we only had older neighbors, no children of grandchildren to speak of. At least the coupld across the street were foxes. Anyway, while I was messing around with the ball, I didn't see a car that was speeding through the streets. Accidentally I kick the ball out into the middle of the road.
Most people instantly automatically think of a cliché scene... I run for the ball, horn honks, I lift myself into the air and into the warm embrace of safety. Hardly! What happened was, I did run into the street to get my ball. The car screeched around the corner and that is when I looked up to see it heading my way. Frozen with fear was one of my problems. Another problem was the fact that it took me a few moments to form my wings, even more time just to get airborn.
Mere moments away from death I had felt a sudden jolt and thought for sure that the car had really hit me. With only the shock of being hit running through my system, it took me a moment to notice that I was not in any pain. In fact, I felt quite comfortable. Opening my eyes I found Xebas standing right there holding me close and scratching my ears lightly.
I was really amazed at this. Xebas saved me when I was only a split second away from death. That was when I found out that he was blessed with short-distance and very limited teleportation. We shared a special moment in the backyard later, after Xebas shouted down the driver. Taking the soccer ball out of the gutter we headed to the backyard to pass it around a bit. The backyard was pretty much the same as the front yard except that part of it had re-planted grass, which we took turns hosing down every day.
It turned out to be a fun afternoon. Xebas showed off by kicking the ball and 'porting to where the ball was heading, kicking it again and again, lather, rinse and repeat. At this point in time he was barely able to catch up to the ball. It was neat and stuff. For a few minutes we played a little one-on-one soccer, my goal being the green grass and his goal being the small concrete patio. At some point, he accidentally kicked the ball into the neighbors oak tree where it became stuck. Xebas was disheartened, not able to 'port into such a small space, lest he wind up with a branch in his head. I didn't want to see him like that so I gave him a pat on the back saying 'don't worry, I'll go get it.' He nodded, thinking I was going to go around and ask the neighbor again if I could fetch it.
Instead, I walked up to the unpainted fence, and closed my eyes, bent forward and concentrated on forming my wings. Once formed, I strained myself a little bit to get off the ground, but it was worth it. After snatching the soccer ball out of the branches I brought it back over to Xebas, landing right in front of him. I gave him a quizzical look, for he stood looking agape at me. 'Xebas, what's wrong?' I asked, and he responded 'I can't believe it, a blood-kitsune! I thought you were just a regular kit, but a BLOOD-kitsune? Hey bud, you better keep working on flying, it'll save your life someday,' He responded the last with his usual cocky smile and a wink. Giggles from little ole' me filled the air a bit, then outright laughter when Xebas playfully tackled and started to tickle me. Good times.
Well, forward in time again, I was enjoying my ability greatly at the moment, made getting to places a lot easier such as getting to school in only an hour. Sometimes I wished I could fly all the time. I always got such a rush when flying. As always, I was simply enjoying the wind blowing through my fur, the dizzying height, and the shear speed that I gained through practice. At that moment I felt like going fast, so I did. I folded my wings back and fell into a dive, dropping quite a distance before splaying out my wings again and adjusting them just so, letting my body level out and pick up a tremendous burst of speed which left my eyes stinging with tears.
Forty-five minutes later I landed just down the street from the school in a small park, someplace no one could see this early in the morning. Then I let my wings liquify and absorb back into my back, the blood thrashing like frantic tentrils before rejoining my body.
A short walk later, I joined the group of kids huddled right outside the door of our class. Like usual, the others all stood, but I sat down against the wall, much to their chagrin, and quietly I took in their aprehensive stares. It was not a big school. All the buildings were only one story high. The grades ran from kindergarten through sixth grade, three classes per grade. Since I had just turned six not too long ago, they stuck me into first grade. The teacher seemed a little different then all the other teachers I had seen walking around campus, yet I couldn't quite put my finger on how. She looked like a human teacher. Nothing special about her really.
This brought me to another thought, which was the question of why. Why did the other kids look at me like that? Other than my tails, which I have two, I really didn't see anything special about me. Pretty sure that my tails were not the problem though, since the kids seemed to give me the worst looks when I was answering a question or asking one myself during class, and when I turned my work in early.Some kids started to outright avoid me. This did not make me feel any different considering no one really talked to me anyway unless they were making a snide comment. Those comments were the things that really hurt my feelings but like every other sane kid I kept it to myself. Just by watching, I learned that all kids must pick up this habit, since the really emotional kids were given even less respect than I.
The ring of the bell started an odd swarm of tiny moving bodies and loud, shrill cries of disdain, each going directly to one classroom or another. Suddenly the small group became a big group, all yelling and talking loudly, guys screaming like girls, girls growling like guys and vice versa. I was the only student not to join in. No one asked me to and thus far no one tried honestly to befriend me. Some tried to become my friend saying it would be cool to hang out with an anthro. Two days later, they started to spit at me saying "all anthros suck!"
Well, in harsh times hopefully they would become decent people, come third or even second grade. The teacher was five minutes late. I noted while looking at my watch, as usual.
"Hang on kids, hang on! I'll be with you in just a second!" said the teacher as she ran up to the door and fumbled with her keys. When the door was opened, the kids pushed their way into the hallway that led to all the other classrooms. Luckily we were all in the same class which was right next to the door outside. It did not take long to get the kids seated in their miniature desks. I hissed a little when several of the kids flicked my ears when we were walking in.
It had been the same routine since day one. Come into the classroom and take my seat in the front of the class. I didn't choose that seat, but I sure regret having it assigned to me. The kids behind me never stopped pestering me. They were always flicking my ears and throwing things at me whenever I answered or asked a question. Same old nonsense day in and day out.
Great...
Our first two subjects that always started off the day were Social Studies and Writing. I never really liked those two although I was very good at writing. A few questions asked, a few answered, and the more my ears became sore. Another strange thing I highly disliked was the fact that the teacher would intentionally pick me, even though I did not raise my hand. No matter how many other students had their hands raised high, bouncing up and down and making primate mating calls, I was eventually picked to answer. I'm certain the teacher enjoyed to watch me suffer.
During the writing portion of our class we had to write out our F's several times, giving the teacher a small break. As usual, I finished ahead of the class with fairly neat writing. Xebas had helped me start writing early on before I started school, teaching me himself. I am really thankful he had. He said I was a natural, that he could picture me as a great writer later on in my life. Always embarrassed me, saying stuff like that. Setting my pencil down, I simply looked around at the walls and the various posters placed up. When scanning near the windows, I noticed the teacher had stepped outside to talk to the principal. Interesting story, the last time I saw her was when Xebas tried to sign me up for school.
Three Months Prior
A brass and faux wooden plaque stared down at me menacingly. 'Principal Janel M. LeBauns' was etched into the grain in bold white letters. While sitting in the chair of a stuffy office, my eyes were able to just barely look across the top of the desk, which was riddled with papers, files and an obsidian paperweight.
Behind the expanse of heavy oak sat a human female, whose once beautiful looks had been aged from years of stress, and I suspected coffin nails and fire water. A stern look naked both myself and Xebas, whom sat next to me in another chair. He looked as nervous as I felt.
"Young man, you have exactly five minutes to explain yourself before I call the authorities." To which the multi-colored husky, comically dressed in a suit-and-tie, simply gulped to try and cure his suddenly dry mouth. At least he had removed his facial piercings for this moment.
"Well, ya see," He began after a small moments hesitation, "Kenneth, I found him kinda roughed up on the sidewalk near my house. I was walking home from work, and I jez saw him there. He told me his folks were killed, and that others were after him. So I took him home. I didn't really know what to do. So, I kinda jez let him stay with me..." he tailed off, not sounding too confident at all. It didn't help that while he talked, the woman continued to glare at him.
"Why didn't you call the police, at least?" She asked, no emotion in her voice, nothing at all marking her poker face. Xebas just looked down at his hands in his lap, and mummbled a bit.
"Speak up," came a commanding voice from behind us. I turned my head to see the human male vice, a man whom looked ex-military for a long time, belly pudging out but still held himself authoritatively. While standing with his back to the door, there was no way we could simply run if things got out of control, like we had planned.
"Uh? Er," Xebas had jumped at the mans voice, startled, "well, I just thought that, since the police were after him already they'd put out information on the T.V., like they usually do. Then I could just, I dunno, find out where his family lived or soemthing, and jez drop him off."
"That doesn't answer my question. Why didn't you contact the authorities?" She asked again. Xebas squirmed in his seat. "Because, well, I'm an anthro. And a punk. They'd kick the crap outah me before they lock me up, and then they'd press so many charges that I'd be stuck there for life. They'd smacked me around before for even less, and I don't wanna go to prison," The husky spoke very softly, keeping his eyes glued to his hands.
"You've been to jail before?" She asked.
"Yeah, for three days. Right when I was going home from work they pulled me over. Accused me of being high off meth, though I wasn't and never touched the stuff before in my life. Seen what it does, don't wanna try it. They kept me for three days after they managed to 'loose' my test results." And right as he said that, the vice landed his hands heavily on the back of Xebas chair, startling us both and drawing our full attention.
"Don't you dare lie! Those officers are good men who-"
"Steven! That's enough!" Said the principal. Steven glared hard at Xebas, and pulled himself away. Mrs. LeBauns rubbed her eyes a bit in frustration. "Okay, so after failing to contact authorities immediately you then harbor this child in your home waiting for a story to pop up on the news?"
"Er, yeah?"
"But, seeing as you are here now, I take it nothing showed up,"
"Yeah, nobody covered it,"
"So you took it upon yourself to informally and illegally adopt Kenneth?" Xebas hesitated a moment.
"Well, yeah, I guess. He didn't have anywhere to go, nobody to take care of him."
"Xebas, that's not how the world works. You can't just pick up a kid off the street and adopt him as your own." She said matter-of-factly. Xebas' ears drooped lower than before, making him look miserable. My ears had been pinned to the back of my skull since I walked into the office. Xebas mummbled again.
"Speak up, boy!" Stevens said firmly. Suddenly Xebas sprang to his feet and slammed his fists into the desk. I had sunken back into my chair as far as I could go. I was happy that there was an opening in the back that my tails could fit through, otherwise it would have gotten quite uncomfortable.
"You don't understand!" he yelled. "We're Anthros, damnit! Second-class citizens with almost no rights, forced into ghettos where we gotta fear both police and ourselves! Do you think for one second that anybody really gives a damn about us? We've had to fight tooth-and-claw to get where we are and still you humans lynch us, burn us, MURDER us just because we looked at someone funny! See how Kenneths parnet's deaths, gunned-down in plain sight, never even made the last page of the papers? Humans don't care about our lives, don't treat us as breathing, sentient beings who breathe the same air, who have fought in the same wars at your sides! Yet two outright MURDERS don't even make the damn news!
"Know what's gonna happen to us if we are found out? I go to prison for fifty-plus years before they line me up in front of a bunch of guns! Kenneth will be sent to an orphanage where rape and beatings are as common as the flu, and that's if he's LUCKY! Otherwise he's on the streets, which is much more likely, and either turned into a theif, a prostitute, or picked up by those crazy-ass renegade scientists! The second you hand us over to the police, you've just signed out death-warrants!"
Despite the fact that Xebas was yelling, snarling and panting, tail twitching like crazy, tears were streaming down his face. Tears of anger, frustration, and pain.
The vice waited for the diatribe to end, before grabbing Xebas by the shoulders and forcing him, roughly, to be seated. Steven stayed there, holding Xebas in place while the principal stared unnamused at Xebas, almost bored. Then, with a sigh, she stood up and walked over to a window off to the side, staring outside.
"Yes, an education for your charge while you take care of your affairs. And it's free, with plenty of programs to assist the lower-income family units. Sounds like a wonderful prospect." Mrs. LeBaun stated after a moment of silence.
"Er... yeah, about that-"
"You are not family," She interjected quickly, obvioucly having no patience with Xebas. "You found young Kenneth on the streets, and instead of taking him to the police and have them locate his family or place him into foster care, you covet him in your unsatisfactory living conditions and income. By all rights I should have the authorities come here this instant."
Xebas and I both felt pangs of panic.
"I... understand how this looks. But the situation is a bit more complicated as well. Kenneth is not just another fox. Kenneth is a kitsune. A blood kitsune," To which the woman turned to face us, her expression becoming intrigued, "Look, I went through several orphanages myself while growing up. I understand exactly how the system works." The young husky went on, taking some confidence from the change in expression from the woman. "If he wasn't permanently damaged, he'd be dead. Even a foster home would have its problems, what with kids coming from gangs and abusive parents and whatnot surrounding him. That's just the homes which are strictly anthro, so it is safe to assume he wouldn't last five hours in human-anthro mix housing."
Mrs. LeBauns nodded and turned back to the window, becoming contemplative in light of this new situation."If you are not the legal guardian of the child, my hands are tied. I would need to call child services, and I would need to press charges against you for child abduction." Kenneth looked down at his feet, dejected. I reached over and took hold of his hand. He squeezed mine back.
"However, that's if you are not the legal guardian of the child." Both Xebas and I looked up at the woman, who was still looking out the window. She didn't move an inch from her pose. What was that? What was her game?
"Er, pardon?" Xebas asked.
"Paperwork tends to go through buracracies slowly, as they check and double-check the words, approve, dissaprove, revise, and put on hold certain papers so inconveniently. Isn't that right, Steven?" She asked the vice, who finally let off of the husky. He walked around in front of us and sat on the corner of the desk, arms crossing and eyeballing us critically.
"Perhaps. It happens from time-to time here, what with so much work I know I have to go through,"
"Indeed." The woman turned away from the window, and went back to set herself down in her chair. She then looked Xebas dead in the eye. "I'm assuming that you already put the adoption papers through, say, the Calle Valdes Child Adoption Agency of Idihao." Xebas, for his part, was at least intelligent enough to understand, it seemed.
"Yes ma'am!" he stated enthusiastically. My twin tails began to wag a bit, my ears no longer plastered to the back of my head.
"Poor choice in places to go if you wanted a speedy proccess. Use to work there myself, so I am well aware of how they handle the adoption proccess. I'll see if I can contact a friend there and see if your name can get to the top of the queu." There was a faint quirk at the side of her mouth, her composure was almost compromised. I had felt Xebas' grin from where I sat, and I had felt it similarly pulling heavily on my cheeks.
"I would most definitely appreciate any help to make this adoption official. Just one question, though, and I'm not complaining or nothing, just curious. Why?" The question, though vague in asking, was clear enough to understand.
"Mr. Xebas, I have been a teacher for a long time, and have been a principal for about as long. I've watched the world change, I've gained and lost many friends, and I've come to an understanding in how this world works." She paused for a moment, looked over to me and smiled.
When she smiled, it was like a whole new person replaced the scarey old lady. She was like a grandmother whom snuck you candies, gave you plenty of hugs and let you stay up late.
Far too-soon that smiled dropped, and she looked over to Xebas.
"Were you aware that this school has been an all-human school?" Xebas, blushing deeply, nodded. "Oh? Well, it's been that was for a long, long time. It's tradition, one that this school held proudly for over sixty years. However-" She said quickly, just when both of us were starting to sour.
"-However, it has been a long and hard battle, with new and uncanny alliances agaisnt older organizations. It began with a few high schools somewhere out east. Now, this new doctrine is fast-spreading with popularity, and I guess it is time to change tradition."
We both stared wildly at her, startled.
"Yes, I read the newspapers today, son. I will not dissapoint. I mean, what kind of person would I be if I start a human-anthro organization, win a few vicious legal battles and suddenly decide to stick with what's traditional?"
Other half of story will arrive soon...