Explorations

Trent returned home after being gone for an entire week. He dropped his bag on the floor just in front of the doorway and flipped on the light switch. Everything looked almost as exactly as he left it. He noticed the lack of Gaius’ things, which before had been somewhat haphazardly strewn about the condo. He took a deep breath. The house smelled like apples and cinnamon from the air freshener one of his students had gifted him last Mewmas. It was a comforting scent. It smelled like home.

The empty and depressing condo was still an improvement to the hospital he’d been going in an out of for the past week. Medical detox had been required to cleanse his body of the poisons he’d been determinedly pumping into it daily for years. He didn’t exactly feel better. Being sober was an odd sensation. And he felt weak for what he’d put his body through. The withdrawal had very nearly killed him. But it was worth it, he reminded himself. He couldn’t continue living like he had been. She wouldn’t have wanted that.

Out of habit, he went over to the fridge and opened the door, pressing his forehead against the cold surface inside as he looked down at the cans. Normally his fridge was filled with beer or other drinks. Not anymore. He’d tossed all of that. That very night after he’d broken up with Gaius in a drunken rage, he’d tossed everything. His alcohol, his glasses. He’d cut ties with all his partying friends. Just cold quit everything. It had been pretty therapeutic to throw it all in the dumpster and walk away, physically walk away, which only helped him to do the same mentally.

But he was still used to coming home and having something cold to drink. So now the fridge was stocked with energy drinks and vitamin waters. He grabbed one of the energy drinks, a yellow one, and shut the fridge. They were not the healthiest thing but the rush he got from drinking them was entirely different from the downing and subduing effect of the alcohol. Different was good, in this case.

Trent downed half the monster and then threw his keys down on the table. There was a note there and the spare key to his condo. Gaius’. He’d stopped by while Trent had been gone, taken his stuff, and returned the key. Trent crumpled the note and threw it in the trash. Then he picked up his phone and called his sponsor. He’d finished another monster and was onto water by the time he got off the phone with him.

Don’t make any major life decisions right now, his sponsor had reminded him. Take the time to heal and move forward with your life. Focus on one thing. Take it slow and easy.

But Trent didn’t do things slow and easy. He wasn’t that kind of creature. He went all out. And now that he’d committed to making a change, he was going to make that change. All the way. As far as it took him. He sat there in the dark, finishing his water, and then he got up went into the closed off room of the condo.

Ansley’s room. It still looked exactly the same as it had the day she’d died. He’d never been able to bring himself to go in there after he lost her to that idiot of a human, just the once, right after the funeral. Right before he’d taken his very first life.

Going in there now hurt. Her plushies were still stacked on her bed, decorating the pink and purple comforter. There was the little frog he’d won her at the summer festival. The pictures on her bookshelves were dusty. His eyes lingered on one of her as a toddler, the first time he’d taken her for ice cream. She’d gotten it all over her face. She was laughing as he’d taken the picture. The books she’d been reading were still on her nightstand. And the little bag of things she’d decided not to take with her when she’d gotten her Tamer was still laying beside her bed.

He stood there in the middle of it all, just taking in it, letting memory after memory surface. He wept until he felt weak and empty, until he felt his hands shake out of need of the very thing he’d just discarded from his life. He left the room, went into the kitchen, passed the fridge and grabbed the cardboard boxes he used for student and program events. He took them all into her room and started to carefully sort her things.

One box was for her very personal things, like her pictures and diaries. Those would go to the memory box by her grave. Most of the other boxes were for the other things in her room, to be donated to little girls and little fiends who needed them more than he did. And the last box was just a small one, filled with the pictures of her and few mementos he wasn’t ready to part with. He put that one in the kitchen and the others by the door.

The room was completely empty. It reminded him how empty his life had become in the years since she had passed. It was two in the morning now. He should have been sleeping but he didn’t feel the need. Not yet. He wasn’t done. He had to keep going. He shut the door on that room for the last time and went to his laptop, flopping down onto the couch with it. The program that he worked for gave him a ton of connections with all sorts of people. He found the realtor, wrote them a short email about needing to sell his condo quickly, sent it, and closed the laptop. Then he spent the next two hours browsing for a new place to live. He found what looked like the right place, made arrangements to visit it the next day, and turned off the laptop.

Trent sat in the dark for another few minutes. Then he picked up the phone and texted his sponsor. “I know you said not to make any big changes but…I didn’t listen. I’m not sorry.”

Lunch time at Unity Prep.

It was Sirius’ favorite time of the day. Food time. He had a large burger smothered in cheese and bacon. Not the least bit healthy but what did he care? He could burn it off so fast. And he’d behaved with his sides, some vegetables and fruit to balance it out.

Vale was the first to join him. He too had opted for the burger but his was much neater looking, which more veggies on it than bacon. “There you are! I have been waiting all day to talk to you.”

“About what?” Sirius asked, curious. Vale was entirely unpredictable with what he found interesting and important. Thankfully their interests matched in almost everything. If it wasn’t about fashion or music, they likely weren’t talking about it.

“Did you see Miss Hart’s scarf and dress combination today? She was killing it,” Vale said excitedly.

“Yes! You noticed too? I don’t think I even heard a word she said in class,” Sirius agreed.

“Oh boy,” Gaius said as he and Trent joined the two students at the table. “I can’t believe that any outfit can be so distracting that you didn’t absorb any of your lesson today.”

Sirius and Vale just stared at Gaius. “Clearly you did not see her today.”

“Or you’re blind,” Vale said. “That’s the only other excuse. Have you gone blind?”

“No,” Gaius said, both amused and insulted at the same time.

The boys dismissed their tutor for being fail at fashion and just not getting how important those details were. “She’s giving Mr. Locke a run for his money today on being the best dressed teacher in the school.”

“Oh that is saying something,” Vale agreed with Sirius.

“He wears a suit and tie…” Trent said, fully with Gaius when it came to not getting why the boys were so into clothes of all things.

“Yes, but it’s the way he wears it that counts,” Sirius said.

“And the way he wears it should be illegal,” Vale continued. “He is by far the hottest man on campus.”

Trent looked at Gaius. “My brain is already going numb.”

“It’s okay. You’ll live,” Gaius said and pat his hand before focusing on his food.

Sirius laughed. He didn’t care that their mentors didn’t get it. They didn’t have to. He had Vale to talk to about this stuff. Someone had to understand how his mind worked. He glanced across the cafeteria, looking for Ms. Hart. Maybe he could point her out and they’d understand just a little bit. If that was possible. But he didn’t see her. He saw another teacher instead. “Stone cold bitch alert,” he loud whispered to the table.

“Hey, don’t call a teacher that,” Gaius protested automatically while Trent and Vale both looked up to see who Sirius was talking about.

Vale groaned. “Why is she in here?!” he gasped and sunk down in his chair.

“She’s probably come in to get food like everyone else,” Gaius said, being the logical one.

Trent subtly moved his chair to block Vale from Ms. Reed’s view. “Just keep your head down. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”

Vale groaned but stayed quiet.

“And….you’re good.”

“She didn’t even get food and her daughter is away at a meet today,” Sirius said with a sneer. “The hell?”

“She’s out to get me. I swear,” Vale said as he sat up and viciously bit into his burger.

“No teacher here has it out for their students,” Gaius said, though he didn’t sound as sure as usual.

“No, I’m with him,” Trent said. “She definitely doesn’t like you.”

“She wants me to make Five Alarm Chili for my next test,” Vale complained. “What the hell even is that?”

Gaius visibly winced.

“What?” Vale asked, alarmed by that reaction.

“Well it’s chili. Meat, beans, tomato and peppers. But that particular one…well most versions sacrifice flavor for vicious, blistering heat,” Gaius explained.

“Oh no…” Vale whined. “I can’t do that. I’m just going to drop out. That’s my only option.”

“Well, you could try transferring out of the class to a different one,” Sirius said, not so willing to lose one of his best friends that quickly.

“I tried! She said she’d only approve a transfer if the class was hot yoga,” Vale continued unhappily.

“Ah…” Gaius wasn’t sure what to do about that. “We could perhaps appeal to the Headmaster…”

“Or we could just kill her and hide the body,” Trent suggested. “Problem solved.”

“Oh I like that option,” Vale said, perking up.

“I know people who can get that done,” Sirius added, completely serious about that.

“Uh…whoa. No. We are not assassinating a teacher,” Gaius hissed.

“You don’t have to. I can do it,” Trent continued. “I’m a sneaky shit. No one would even know.”

“I would know,” Gaius said, unsure if they were being serious about this or not. He was not comfortable with it even in joking.

“No good. Gaius would rat us out,” Vale said unhappily. “And here I thought you cared about your students.”

Gaius chose to ignore the teasing and just eat his food.

“Heartless,” Sirius said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, that’s me all right,” Gaius said. They all knew it was the furthest thing from the truth.

“Enough of that then,” Trent said. “You two have more important things to worry about than just simple tests.”

“That are going to kill me,” Vale grumbled.

“Oh you know, one of my dad’s is pretty awesome at cooking. He could totally help you nail this one,” Sirius said.

“Are you talking about the fire dragon? Because if you are, hard pass,” Vale said. “Thanks though.”

Trent waited. And then he continued. “I was going to say the dance that’s coming up next month.”

“We have dances?” Sirius asked.

“No!” Vale gasped. “The one that’s…uh…I don’t remember what they’re called. But they’re awful.”

“Huh?” Sirius asked.

“You mean where the girls ask out the guys?” Gaius asked.

“Yes!” Vale said. “I swear if Ms. Reed’s daughter asks me out again and I have to tell her no again in front of the whole school…she will straight up murder me.”

“Heather is in one of my classes,” Trent said. “I’ll listen in and see who she’s intending to ask. At least you’ll be forewarned that way.”

“Do we really have to go to this thing?” Sirius asked, not so enthusiastic.

“Are you really trying to avoid a party?” Vale asked with a gasp. Even Gaius and Trent both paused in their eating to stare at the boy.

“Maybe….” Sirius felt super uncomfortable with them all staring. “I mean, if I’m busy with work I might not be able to go. If it’s on a concert night.”

“I’ll get the details for you tomorrow,” Trent said.

“Thanks,” Sirius said. But then both he and Vale went quiet, just staring across the cafeteria.

“Are they broken?” Trent asked hesitantly, confused over the sudden silence and intense stares.

“No. Look,” Gaius said and gestured to the other side of the room where Ms. Hart had just entered.

“Oh no…” Now Trent was the one groaning because the moment the boys got over their silence, they immediately went into a detailed analysis of her outfit. “And that’s my cue. See you two at dance tonight. And please try to focus on more than just the outfits. Please,” he semi begged.

“Yeah, good luck with that one,” Gaius said and laughed, waving goodbye.

“No promises!” the boys shouted after Trent.

Gaius knocked on the door of Trent’s condo. He shifted his weight, moving the heavy cardboard box on his hip. It was filled with years of stuff accumulated at his place from his relationship with Trent. But that was over now and it was time to return the stuff.

Trent opened the door, a black and purple can in his hand. Gaius automatically assumed that it was a beer until he realized it was the wrong color. Monster. An energy drink. That was different for Trent. He was so surprised to see him without alcohol in his hand that he couldn’t speak for a moment.

“Hey…” Trent said, looking both surprised and a little awkward over the growing silence. He glanced down at the box on Gaius’ hip. “That my stuff?”

“Hey! Yes,” Gaius said, finding his voice and hurriedly giving it over to Trent. It was pretty heavy and he wasn’t as strong as the liepard. He hadn’t meant to follow Trent into the apartment but he did so anyway out of habit. Just like he scanned the room to see what drinks were out and glanced for bottles in the trash. There was nothing there. “This place is clean…”

“Well I wasn’t kidding when I told you I quit,” Trent said and placed the box on the table, pushing aside some folders with the program’s logo on them.

“I didn’t think you were but I didn’t expect you to go cold turkey,” Gaius admitted. “I mean, withdrawals aren’t anything to mess with.”

“I know,” Trent said. “I’m taking this week off. Hanging out with Sherry’s niece.”

“The nurse?” Gaius asked, struggling to remember her.

“Yeah, that one. I have been a high functioning alcohol for three years straight. I’m pretty sure the collective hangover is going to fuck with me pretty hard, if not outright kill me, so I might as well be around someone with medical experience just in case,” Trent said with a shrug.

“I’m sorry…” Gaius said. “I would offer to be there but-“

Trent held up his hand to interrupt Gaius as politely as he could manage. “I don’t want you there. You’ve been around my shit enough. This is something I gotta do. And it’s long overdue. That’s not on you.”

Gaius frowned. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well I do,” Trent said. “I know what I said to you the other night wasn’t very nice. But it was the truth. You stuck by me after with happened to Ansley, and I appreciate that, but what I did and how I fell, that’s on me. That was never on you.”

“I still feel like if I had stopped you from killing that boy that night I could have changed how things ended up for you,” Gaius said.

“Yeah well we’re never going to know,” Trent said. “So stop worrying about it. I’m done. Burying it. For good this time.”

“I really hope so,” Gaius said. “We might not be a thing anymore but we’ve been friends as long as I can remember and that’s not going to just go away. Plus I kind of understand a little better now why you went the way you did.”

Trent didn’t really understand that concept. “Oh?”

But Gaius just shook his head. “Um, I know you’re going to be out of it for the next week but if you need anything just let me know, okay. I can’t really get away much right now. Ah, and I need to give you my new address.”

“You’re moving?” Trent asked, surprised. “You’re not leaving Nox alone there are you?”

“Would that be awful of me to move out from living with my brother?” Gaius asked, attempting some humor but failing. He wasn’t feeling very happy lately. Not enough to manage humor.

“Yeah. His boyfriend is a piece of shit,” Trent said. “I mean, that shouldn’t stop you from doing your own thing if you want. But if Nox needs a place, he can use mine. I won’t be here for a week but I’m close with the neighbors. I can have them look out for them. They won’t tolerate that guy around here.”

“That’s nice,” Gaius said. “Thank you. But we’re actually moving out together. He’s not with Y anymore.”

“Well that’s something good at least,” Trent said and ran his hands through his violet hair. “How’d that go?”

“Not great,” Gaius admitted. “I was with one of Sirius’ dads, just going to check on him and caught Y in the middle of fucking him up. The guy scared him off, beat the shit into him later. We’re actually moving in with them. For now at least. Until Nox is okay.”

“Fuck,” Trent cursed. “Is he going to be okay?” He looked visibly agitated. “I should have kicked that guy’s ass that day in the park.”

“I don’t know how well that would have ended up,” Gaius admitted. He remembered that day. He had wished later he hadn’t stopped Trent from doing something. But now he knew more. “Apparently Y’s some big bad. So…” He shifted uncomfortably. “Nox is better…Mireya’s looking after him.”

Trent nodded. “She’ll be good for him. She knows her stuff.” He approved.

“Yeah…”

“You okay?” Trent asked, looking at Gaius.

The fox boy just shrugged. “I don’t know. I keep thinking about how easily I could have lost him. I feel so stupid, not realizing how bad it really was with him and Y.”

“Yeah…I know that feeling,” Trent said.

Gaius looked up. “I know. I think I understand you a little better now.”

“Wish you didn’t,” Trent said.

“Me too.”

“I know I’m not the best person to talk to as far as advice for getting through this stuff but, in a week, if you need someone to just vent to or whatever, I’ll be around.”

“Thanks, Trent. I might take you up on that,” Gaius said. “I should get back to Nox. Text me when you get better,” he said.

“You got it.”

“Trent!” Gaius and Vale burst into the liepard’s office at school. “We need you. Like right now. Don’t be busy.”

“Uh…Not busy. But I am concerned,” Trent said from where he was sitting behind his desk, his yellow streaked bang partially covering his face as he looked up from paperwork. “Are you sure it’s not Gaius that you need? Because I am not doing your schoolwork for you…” Those two teens were always with Gaius for tutoring or, well, pretty much everything. Trent helped them out too but they’d never needed him before.

“Yeah, he told us to see you,” Sirius admitted. They had very predictably gone to see Gaius first. And then they'd been rejected and redirected to Trent. “Teachers gave us this. What does it mean?” He handed over a paper.

Trent took the paper and scanned it quickly. “It means the school wants you to sign up for an extra curricular.”

“But we already do that,” Gaius said. “I have my job. My designing, sewing, and stage work. I do a lot of shit.”

“And I assist him and model,” Vale added.

“Right, which is all well and good,” Trent said. “But that’s more…creative. Art. They want something physically stimulating.”

The boys looked at him with blank expressions on their faces.

“I know you two have your passions but sitting behind a sewing machine and bent over a sketch book isn’t exactly being an active teen,” Trent said.

“So…you’re talking…sports?” Gaius asked, making a face.

“No!” Vale gasped. “I am too pretty for sports!”

Trent put his hand over his face for a second and just tried not to laugh. Or cry. He wasn’t sure which would be more appropriate with these two spazzes. “You don’t necessarily have to do sports. Other than your modeling and designing, what are you guys into?”

Sirius and Vale thought about that for a long, few moments. Then they both brightened up and looked at each other. “Partying!” they exclaimed at the same time. “Does that count?” Vale asked.

“No,” Trent said and did laugh then. “But I can work with partying. Modern dance,” he announced. “What do you think?”

“Dance?” Sirius asked. “I don’t know…”

“Dance would be good for you and you can apply the knowledge at parties,” Trent said. “As for you, modeling is knowing your body and your angles. Dance can help you with that,” he said to Vale.

“Sold!” Vale exclaimed. He looked at Sirius.

“Well…I mean a lot of my band families dance…” Sirius said as he thought it over. “So I guess if they can do it, I can too…”

“There you go,” Trent said, pleased he’d actually gotten somewhere with them. “I’ll get you the necessary papers to fill out and you can start tomorrow.”

- - -

Dance class was over and Gaius felt like he was just going to die. “Holy shit,” he said to Vale. “I have a new respect for my bandies. How in the hell do they do this and sing at the same time? Fuck. I can’t breathe.” He slid dramatically to the floor and just lay there, trying to catch his breath.

“I got nothing,” Vale said. He was in better condition than Gaius but only just a little bit.

Trent bent over the teen and just stared at him. “Are you serious right now?” he asked with a hint of humor in his voice. “That was easy. It’s not like this is your first class. It’s been three weeks. Come on, kid.”

“No,” Sirius said and shook his head. “Leave me to die, Trent. I can’t go on. This is so hard.”

“Shower before you keel over then, yeah? No one wants to deal with the smell,” Trent said.

“Oh you’re such a bitch,” Sirius said but didn’t get up.

“He’s not wrong. We really should shower,” Vale commented. “Ooo! And then we can get milkshakes!” The ice fox was suddenly very excited again. He’d found his energy once more.

“Oh milkshakes,” Sirius said. “Yesssss. We need to do this.” Suddenly he had energy again as well. He didn’t even care that Trent was shaking his head at them as they sped off to get clean and changed into clothes that weren’t tight fitting or soaked through from sweat.

“Ah, I’m going to need an ice bath tonight,” Sirius complained once he was clean and dressed.

“I won’t,” Vale said smugly.

“You suck,” Sirius said. “I should just lay you on my legs.”

“No, your legs are so skinny,” Vale said and made a face. “Don’t do that to me.”

“I’m gonna. It’s happening,” Sirius said. But it wasn’t. He wasn’t that cruel. He got outside of the dance studio and just bent over. “Ahhh, no. I can’t walk. Why aren’t you big enough to be ridden yet?”

Vale snorted. “Please, I am not carrying you.”

“Vale,” Sirius complained.

“Fine. I would a little bit. But I can’t yet, okay? So you’re just going to have to tough it out.”

“I don’t wanna,” Sirius whined. But he was just being dramatic. He pushed off the wall that he was leaning against and started walking to the ice cream parlor. “How does that even work? Do you just wake up and decide you’re going to change?”

“Dunno,” Vale replied. “Parents never got to that talk before they disappeared. Guess I’ll figure it out when I feel like it. Which, I’m going to be honest, is not in this moment. I just want some ice cold chocolate goodness.”

Sirius chuckled. “Yeah. Where does Trent get all this energy? He does this stuff all week. Multiple times a day. How?!”

“Well cats are naturally very athletic,” Vale said. “So…he’s just got the advantage of being born that way.”

“Humans suck,” Sirius decided. “We don’t have a natural advantage over anything.”

“You do have hands though,” Vale said and wiggled his. “Those are pretty awesome.”

“Yeah…that’s true,” Sirius agreed and looked at his hands. “Hey my dads are going to be out tonight. Want to come over and hang out? The house will be totally boring otherwise.”

“Sure. Let’s just not play DDR this time, okay?” Vale begged. “Because I literally can’t.”

“No. For sure, we are so not doing that,” Sirius said. “Actually, I needed to borrow you anyway for some photos of my new designs. V has actually shown some interest in my work and if I can get a spread with them…oh that would be amazing for my career.”

“V?! No fucking way,” Vale exclaimed. “Sirius! That’s so awesome! If you get in there then you’re pretty much….it! Your brand will explode.”

“I know! Which is why I need you,” Sirius said.

“Cute isn’t exactly high fashion,” Vale said hesitantly. “You’d probably be better off using Top if he’d be willing. He has more the look for it than I currently do.”

“I see your point but at the same time, you could be in V. Tell me that you wouldn’t literally kill someone for that chance?” Sirius said. “Because you so would.”

“Yeah I would!” Vale said. “Well, maybe not literally. That’s so gross. But I’d think about it. Which sort of counts. Or something. I don’t know, Sirius. I don’t want to be the reason you don’t get in. I don’t mind doing it for your site, or others, you know? But this is V. This is as big as it gets. You could become the next big thing, the youngest, hottest designer in the kingdoms! I can’t blow that for you.”

“Okay, how about this? I do pics with you and Top, if he’s cool with it. Or Eden if he isn't since his look is pretty unique for a human. And then I can send them both and let them decide what they like and what they don’t,” Sirius said.

“Maybe…I’ll think about it,” Vale said. “I mean, obviously I’ll model for you. Just please, please have someone back up. Until I mature I just won’t be high fashion.” He sounded so unhappy about that too.

“You’ll get there,” Sirius said. “We can figure it out. I’ll ask…um…Shit. Do we know anyone that’s Matured?”

“Your dads?” Vale suggested.

“Nah, I think they were just born adults,” Sirius said. “Gaius hasn’t though he might know how it works since you’re the same. Ish. Nox…has to do with the time of day which doesn’t apply to you. Same with Dusk. Grim hasn't Matured. Gaius’ mom?”

“We don’t really know her…” Vale said. “That might be weird.”

“Yeah, true. Huh…” Sirius said. “Oh! Trent! He might be able to tell you. He’s Matured.”

“Ooo…yes!” Vale stopped and looked back at the studio. “I don’t know that I can make it back and get ice cream after. My legs don’t like me that much.”

“I am not carrying you,” Sirius said. “Even if you weigh like nothing. You are seriously all fluff. But uh, we can text him.”

“Yes. Text him. Good. My fingers still work,” Vale said.

"Milkshakes first," Gaius decided. "Then we pick his brain."

"Oh that's such a gross image," Vale said and laughed. "But let's do it! For V!"

Vale walked through the door of the small apartment he shared with is “Aunt”. She was sitting in her armchair with her usual cup of a tea and the book of the month for her book club. She only glanced up when he walked in the door and then went back to her book. Vale said hi and threw his bag onto his bed. “I’m back,” he announced though at this point it wasn’t really necessary.

“You’re late,” his aunt said, continuing to read.

“Yeah, sorry,” Vale said. “Dance ran late. Mostly because we were goofing off.” They tried. They really did. “We’re actually getting pretty good now. I think Trent only growled at us three times.” He was trying to make light conversation but he could tell that his aunt wasn’t feeling it. She kept right on frowning at him. “Something up?”

“I got a call from this school of yours about your grades,” she said, her lips pursed. “I am not paying for this experiment of yours so that you can slack off and fail your classes.”

“Class,” Vale corrected her. “It’s just the one class. Cooking. The teacher has it out for me and won’t approve a transfer to a more appropriate class. What do I even need to know how to cook for? They have these magical people who cook for you if you give them money. And if I get a tamer then they’ll be cooking for me. So it’s not a big deal. Really.”

“Uh huh,” his aunt said, not sounding convinced. “Take care of it.”

Vale looked down at his bandaged fingers and wrists, protecting the burns he received in class. “Right,” he said and just went to his room. He shut the door behind him silently and just flopped down on his bed. He looked at his phone. I should have just gone to that party tonight. But he hadn’t. He’d been feeling off lately and hadn’t wanted to be a drag.

It was just frustrating. He really liked who he was but he kept on struggling with things about himself that he couldn’t control just yet. He was cute and he used that to his advantage like a pro but cute was limiting and it wasn’t all he aspired to be. He was a little powerhouse of ice, spiritual ice even, and yet he couldn’t even handle a teacher out to get him in a stupid cooking class. He wasn’t powerful enough to protect his friends or himself from the stupidest little things.

And he just didn’t want to be himself anymore. He wanted to be different. To be better. A different version of himself. But the only way to get there was to mature. And that idea was more than a little scary. Maturing wasn’t any small thing and he couldn’t go back if he didn’t like it. But the more he lay there and thought about it the more he realized that he didn’t think he’d want to go back.

As a vulpix he was limited. But as a ninetales? What couldn’t he do? He could control people’s minds. Each of his tails would gift him with a different ability. And he curse those who dared to mistreat, including that bitch of a teacher who had it out for him. He could so easily make all his problems disappear. And his career as a model would likely take off even more because the Maturation would show not just in his fiend form but in his human form as well. He’d seen how much Trent had changed when he’d Matured. The guy was proof that Evolution was definitely sexier, for the mammal fiends anyway.

Vale’s mind was made up. In that moment he made the decision. He was not going to be small, cute and helpless anymore. He was not going to rely on anyone to help him. He was going to take charge of himself. He was going to get out of this house, be independent, and rock his life just like his parents would have wanted.

Vale sat up suddenly on the bed and grabbed his bag. He opened it and reached inside, taking out a solid black box. He tossed the lid off the box and looked at the shining ice crystal within. Where he came from in Alola, his kind were considered sacred protectors. There was a ritual for their Maturation using the crystal. But he wasn’t in Alola and he didn’t know the ritual. Those were minor details. He really needed was the crystal.

He took it out of the box and held it in the palm of his hands. It glittered so prettily in the light streaming through the window. He closed his hands around it and shut his eyes, just concentrating on the energy he felt coming from the crystal. To anyone else it would be cold but it didn’t bother him at all. That feeling of power was so obvious to him. He wondered if his aunt could sense what he was doing. He decided he didn’t care.

Vale focused on the power in the crystal. It felt it pulse in response to his desire. That power reached out of the crystal and started to enfold his body. He felt no doubts, no twinge of fear, nothing but the rush of excitement as his body started to glow. The power completely enveloped him and then seeped inside of him.

The change was over so quickly it left his head spinning. He felt larger, bigger than himself, more in tune with the world around him. He felt amazing. And he didn’t feel helpless anymore. He opened his eyes. The crystal was gone. He focused on his palm and formed a perfect replica out of ice. And then he smiled. Today he was different.

Tomorrow his world would be.

Sirius looked at his new school. It certainly didn’t look like any school that he was used to. Unity Prep was a special kind of school. Not only did Tamers attend the school but so did the rare fiends with the ability to speak to humans or transform into human form. It didn’t look like a typical school either and there was so much magic in it to protect from all the different fiend abilities.

He stood there and looked down at the new books in his arms. The classes were anything but normal. They did have normal subjects like at his old school but they also had other stuff that mostly focused on taming, especially if you had a focus like Sirius did. Sadly, his focus was Light, not in the fairy sense, but in the flashy sense. Which he loved but was not the most common thing people went into.

Sirius was not the kind of kid that worried too much about his grades. He passed his classes and that’s as far as his interest went. As long as he was doing well he didn’t much care. Taming was a whole different thing. He took an interest in that as much as he did his fashion work. He loved to make a spectacle and that meant he was usually pretty popular too. Sirius was the boy who made parties pop. But a new school meant he had to make new friends. He was a no name.

Or so he thought.

Sirius had never transferred schools. He forgot that the new kid was always the talk of the school.

Always.


For Brittlynn, a new kid at the school was the worst thing possible. She came from a very prestigious family and was essentially the queen bee of the school. Her extremely rich father was the principal of the school. He had several children of which she was the youngest. She had a lot of pressure on her shoulders to live up to the accomplishments and examples previously set by her siblings. This had turned what could have been a sweet hearted girl into a total bully. Her parents were totally harsh when it came to not only her grades but social standings.

Brittlynn ruled the school and didn’t just let anyone close. And it was easy to rule when the school was so divided. You were either in the In Crowd or you were in the Out Crowd.

The moment she learned about the new kid, she sought him out with her group of closest followers/friends. She watched him enter the school from afar. He was super early so there really weren’t very many people around just yet. Brittlynn frowned. The new kid was actually attractive. Yes, glasses looked kind of dorky but not on this boy. He could even be considered hot. Not the hottest in the school but close enough to upset the balance. He could get into the In Crowd from his looks alone.

She really couldn’t have that. No one was going to upset the balance and threaten her standing. That was unacceptable.


Sirius looked down at his class schedule. The map was pretty detailed. He couldn’t get lost. He just needed to know where he was going. He looked up just in time to stop himself from running into a very attractive girl. Sirius let out a little breath. It would not have been a good start to accidentally mow down some girl because he was walking and reading at the same time. “Ha, sorry,” he said with a smile.

The girl blinked as if startled. Then she dumped her warm coffee all down his front. “Think nothing of it,” she said with an overly sweet smile and walked away while he was still staring at her in shock.

His brand new outfit was completely covered in coffee. His schedule was dripping wet and unreadable. “What…” He couldn’t believe that had just happened. Good thing he’d noticed his class number. He could see behind him that more students were arriving. He bolted, slipping in the coffee but recovering in time. He kept running and made it into the classroom before even the teacher.

There was one other student there so early. They stared at him and then stared even more at his appearance, the coffee staining his shirt and dripping from his books.

Great…This day is going to suck.

The student in the classroom with him had brown hair that faded to red. He was a super cutie, dressed nicely. He was sitting on his desk and just staring at Sirius. And then he started to laugh. “New kid?” he asked, suddenly smirking.

“Yeah…” Sirius said and set his books down on the nearest desk. He looked around for a paper towel or something to wipe the coffee off.

“Thought so. I’m going to guess since you’re not carrying a coffee cup that you ran into Brittlynn. Lucky you. I’m Gaius,” he said. “I’d offer you my hand but…You’re kind of sticky. I don’t do sticky.”

“I don’t blame you,” Sirius said. He looked down at his outfit again and sighed.

“Yeah…you’re a mess,” Gaius said and laughed. “Sorry. But uh…you know what? Here,” he said and pulled off his shirt. “Let’s just get that off you and you can wear my sweater. No one will even know. Though you are going to smell like coffee…” He sniffed. “Ooo, pumpkin. I love pumpkin…”

“Wait, you’re just giving me your shirt? Why?” Sirius asked. He was not a trusting person. And after what had just happened, he didn’t want to fall for another prank or whatever that had been.

“Yeah…Don’t you want it? I mean, you can walk around covered in coffee all day if you want but…I wouldn’t…”

“Okay,” Sirius said and took the shirt. “Thanks.” He took his shirt off and dropped it on top of his books. He found the towels in the room and wiped himself off. “Please tell me you’re not staring,” Sirius said.

Gaius just chuckled. “Should I not? You’re hotter than most of the guys here. Not as hot as my boyfriend but…hot enough.”

“Boyfriend…?” Sirius asked.

“Yeah,” Gaius said and then looked a little defensive. “Problem?”

“No! Really not,” Sirius said. “You’re just…I think it’s awesome.”

“Okay,” Gaius said and seemed pleased with that answer. He pulled the shirt over Sirius’ head. “Oh yeah. My clothes look good on you.”

“Don’t you need a shirt though?” Sirius asked.

“Yeah…no,” Gaius said and poofed into an adorable fox. A vulpix, actually. His six tails moved in the cutest fashion.

“Awww,” Sirius said, despite himself. “You’re adorable.”

“I know,” Gaius said. He jumped up on the desk and started to lick the coffee off the books. He really did love pumpkin. “Stick with me today. I’ll make sure you don’t suffer any social ruining accidents. Well, again. You’re safe with me.”

“Why are you helping me?” Sirius asked. “Not that I don’t appreciate it but…”

“Honestly? I just really don’t like Brittlynn…” Gaius said. “And you’re a hot new kid. You’re going to rock this school if you’ve got anything special about you. Which you do. Some of us web searched you when we learned your name. You’re not a wallflower.”

“Ha, that I’m not,” Sirius said. He couldn’t fake that. “I take it you’re not either. You do have good taste in personal style…” He loved the shirt. Just loved it.

“I get by,” Gaius said and shrugged. “It’s not hard to be popular and well loved when you’re adorable.”

“You are that…I really want to pet you…Is that rude?”

“I don’t usually allow it from strangers but…I’ve decided we’ll be friends. So no. It’s not weird. And you may.”

Sirius did. He also stuck close to Gaius for the rest of the day and learned all sorts of things that couldn’t be found in his books. He managed to navigate the day, make new friends, and avoid the girl who had dropped coffee on him.

Well, avoid wasn’t the right word for it. He managed to avoid any issues with her thanks to Gaius. Being adorable and popular actually did have perks. It meant that every time Brittlynn tried something on Sirius, Gaius turned it around with his innocence. By the end of the day, a lot of the school loved Sirius and were pretty annoyed at Britt.

So all in all, his first day at school ended much better than it had begun.