Pellicius High School, 4200 Hanso Lane

[Oceanic815]

>: query
| SUBJECT OF QUERY?
>: pellicius high school
| ACCESSING O’BROKTA RECORDS
| . . .
| . . .
| INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SUCCESSFUL
>: display general
|     Pellicius High School
|     4200 Hanso Lane, Saturn, XA
|     Faculty: 173
|     Student Body: 1534
|     Administrator: Roger D. Cox
|     Class D School
>: display demograhpics
| INVALID COMMAND
>: display demographics
|     Student Body:
|     73% canine; 9% feline; 5% avian; 5% reptilian; 4% amphibian; 4% other
|     Faculty:
|     82% canine; 10% reptilian; 5% amphibian; 3% other
| DISPLAY FURTHER DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN?
>: n
>: display number of entrances
| BUILDING HAS 32 ENTRANCE/EXITS
>: end session
| SESSION ENDED
>: erase history
| HISTORY ERASED
>:

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DAY 1: MONDAY, 17 AUGUST 2015

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        “. . . your own kind of music!  Sing your own special song!  Make your own kind of music!  Even if nobody else sings along!”

        Mark rolled over in bed, distantly recognizing his phone going off, the upbeat song blaring from it puncturing the humid fog of his previous sleep in a manner that was supremely confusing.

        Don’t get him wrong, it’s not as if he disliked Mama Cass.  The song arrived to him like a familiar friend – welcome, something he enjoyed hearing, something that made him smile.  Still, he was too damn tired for this right now.

        Rolling out of his bed, he crossed over to the phone, plugged in and lying on the floor.  Ah yes, his special awake alarm – math problems.  Mark was, well, irresponsible.  Irresponsible with sleep, that is.  He only ever got enough on nights when there was no obligation the next day to give him reason to get up early, leaving him to sleep in until noon or later.  Despite this, he often stayed up well into the hours of the early morning regardless of what day it was – and regardless of what he had scheduled the next day.  And last night had been no exception.

        For these reasons, Mark lived in a regretful state of perpetual sleepiness.  It didn’t dominate his life . . . but it was certainly something big for him.  Long story short, because of his usual lack of sleep, alarms very often failed to wake him unless they required him to do math problems.  Or, rather, he would turn regular alarms off in his sleep if all they required was him swiping his finger on the screen.

        The second of two math problems finally completed, Mark stretched and yawned before pulling off his clothes, shirt, pajama pants, underwear, and socks, all going into his hamper.  Crossing quickly from his room to his bathroom, he turned on his shower, climbing in.

        Today ought to be . . . interesting, to say the least.  He and his family had only moved here to the other side of the country a month ago, and adjustment had been harder than he’d care to admit.  Such hot weather!  At least they’d gotten a house with a pool.

        As with most neighborhoods, the folks living in the other houses generally kept to themselves, and his family had done the same.  So he’d not really had the opportunity to meet new creatures, despite being generally curious about the area and a good deal lonely.  Skype chats with old friends thousands of miles away were only so interactive.

        Yet wishes do come true.  The first day of Junior year at a new school awaited him, and he was certain that he’d be introduced to all the creatures his little otter heart could handle.  He wasn’t all that nervous, per say, but still a little.  One tends to be when they’re afraid the façade they live under is a bit too flimsy . . .

        Running his hands down his furred body to rid it of the last of the soapy wash, he reluctantly turned off the water before stepping out.  Drying off, combing fur, getting dressed, brushing teeth, putting on deodorant, styling hair, grabbing an inadequate breakfast, all passed quickly.  He said goodbye to his Dad, already awake and working from the couch, before he grabbed his car keys off the peg next to the door, backpack – containing only his computer, a book, and assorted pens and pencils – slung over his shoulder, and left the door.


* * *

        Pellicius High School, 4200 Hanso Lane.  Arriving at the place, a basic brick construction, Mark stepped out of the car.  Shit, he was starting to get a little more nervous.  Calming himself as he stepped away from the car and locked the door, Mark attempted not to look any bit nervous and instead walked – fairly normally, he might add, if he were to compliment himself – towards the school, tail swinging slightly behind him.

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        Yet again a typical first day of school.

        But today was only somewhat that – typical.  Ave shut down his parked car, the brick box of Pellicius High School surrounded by other students flocking into it visible through the windshield.  Beside him, Cryst, his younger brother, held his backpack as he tried not to look wide-eyed at the structure before him.

        He was failing.

        Cryst was, although Ave would never say this, his favorite brother.  Their pack was very large, something that made Ave proud to no end.  It also meant, though, that he had enough siblings, both from his litter and the others, to make the choosing of favorites a natural thing.  Interaction with so many different brother and sister pups created a little community that their family lived in, and the siblings banded together, if only in minor ways.

        Cryst was Ave’s favorite because he was honest.  There were no two ways about it.  Cryst, as the expression goes, showed his teeth in the daylight.  It wasn’t as if their packmates were master deceivers, or anything like that, but still, Cryst was definitely the most honest among them.  The rest of them stuck to their principles of family and pack like glue – but beyond just those, Cryst was genuinely good, and lived honor in every moment of his life to both family and non-family.  Ave even might say he looked up to him, in some ways.

        And so, today became not a typical day.  For it was Cryst’s first day of High School – honest, innocent, Cryst.  Of course, the younger wolf would have gained experience with dumb kids in Middle School.

        But Ave worried for him nonetheless.

        “Well, are you ready, Crys?

        Cryst turned to him, putting on a smile that was mostly sincere.  “Yeah.  I think so.”

        Ave reached over and punched him in the arm.  “You’re gonna do fine.  Let’s go.”

        Stepping out, Ave was immediately found the smells of dozens of different animals on the air.  Some were familiar – even to the point of recognizing the specific individual they came from – but others were more vague.  And others, still, came from clearly other non-canine species.

        Ave’s ears flattened at this.  He, like many in the school, hated the recent push towards species integration.  Canines belonged with canines.  Scalies with scales.  Birds with birds.  Etc.  What was so difficult or wrong about that?

        Eyes searching out the smells, he easily spotted several of them.  A scalie of some kind held a laptop bag close to its side as it walked to the school, he thought he could see a feline thing . . . and even there, an otter Ave had never seen was walking in swinging his tail like he owned the friggin’ place.

        Next to him, Cryst had apparently failed to notice the newfound “diversity”.  Cryst himself was pretty soft on the whole thing, one of his only character flaws.  Instead, he held his phone, setting it to vibrate.
     
        Ave’s ears rising again, he rolled his eyes at his brother's incessant need to follow the rules before turning around to walk in.  Calling at his brother over his shoulder, Ave began to prepare himself for the day that was yet to come and tried not to breathe in otter stench.

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        The dull roar of the school lobby approached Samantha Dancyon’s perked ears in a manner most unpleasant.  For the dull roar was hardly dull at all, but rather quite loud - whoops and barks and guffaws floated on the air as the students, largely unchecked, greeted each other after the short summer.

        Feeling the eyes of multiple students on her body – likely on multiple places on her body – Samantha strode quickly through, dressed in a conservative suit, briefcase at her side.  If she were to be frank, she hated this job.  It was easy to remember a time when she was a young, short-clawed college student, unable to see the world past her own snout, so blinded by idealism was she.  Back then, teaching was a job that meant everything from enlightening the youngest of pups to expanding the minds of those adults about to enter the real world.  She imagined herself, entering work each day with a meticulously prepared lesson for each and every class.  The students were constantly inquisitive, the faculty kind and inclusive, the job rewarding despite its admittedly low salary.

        To be fair, she hadn’t been quite that foolish.  She’d remembered High School, what it was like and how the students truly were – filled with unnecessary drama and angst. Still, she’d hoped that she could lead classes that would inspire students like her old teachers couldn’t.  Now, she knew the full truth, though.  More students at this school valued her for her body than for her mind as their eyes snaked their way all over her curves – or at least what little showed through in the suits she wore.  She struggled daily to hold their attention off herself and on the lesson plan, or even hold their attention to the present at all.

        The student and faculty body, composed vastly of canines (including herself) was split harshly along different cliques, the fights amongst these different groups even pettier than their existence in the first place.  Popularity contests, irrelevant disputes, hatred towards those with intelligence and others existed alongside such larger offenses as sexism, religious prejudice, transphobia, and homophobia.  Not to mention the speciesism – and good God, was it rampant.  Living on the opposite side of the country, she’d known before moving here to teach that it existed, but she’d never imagined the magnitude towards which canines could expel any and all regard for other species of animal or otherwise.  They daily assaulted – not just verbally, but even physically! – those whom could not count themselves as a canine of some sort.  And it was even worse for the mixed-bree- . . . Er, excuse her.  That wasn’t the proper term, she had to remind herself.  It was even worse for the hybrids.  They treated them like absolute dirt.

        Finally stepping into her classroom, where several students already waited for the short 15 minutes of “homeroom”, she tiredly set down her briefcase, greeting several of them when they said hello to her – “Yes, I’m fine, how are you?” and “My summer was fine, thank you for asking”.  Yet again feeling eyes on her as she sat down behind her desk, Samantha turned around to see Ave, a young purple wolf in his Junior year, sitting there, an absolutely disgustingly rabid grin on his face as he, without any attempt of subtlety or regret, checked her out.  Finding her looking at him, he winked.

        She wanted to kill him.  She wanted to rip him apart and tear that smile and his face off so that they would no longer sit upon his disgustingly twisted brain – for all the injustices committed at this school, he was simultaneously one of the worst, and one of the smartest offenders.

        However, she took no immediate action.  The Principal only gave a damn about animals like Ave and their prejudice when the state required it, and even then, Ave’s smarts meant that he got away with everything.  Still, she didn’t know how much longer she could put up with him before she, at least, decked him in the face.

        . . .

        What had she become?  She felt hatred towards a student of hers.  Hatred.  College hadn’t prepared her for this, for being in this situation.  And the worst part of it all – there was nothing she could actually do about it – about him, about his clique, about their wretched prejudices.  Living in a town that was indifferent, working under a Principal that shared in the prejudice, operating amongst students who were despicable animals – all of it left her no option for change.  She was powerless to affect the situations in which she stood, for if she tried, she’d surely only find herself hurt, fired, or worse.

        Yes, the small changes, those that were minute and went unnoticed, she reminded herself, those were the important ones.

        Turning back to her filing cabinet to pull out the attendance sheet for this semester’s homeroom, she ran a paw between her ears as she sighed slightly.  If getting through it all was her only true option, then get through it all she would.
 

[Ræfóa Aldrnari]

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" Marcus' alarm clock sounded, dragging him out of his sleep. His ears twitching towards the noise, he slowly opened his heavy eyes, staring at the time. Why do I have to wake up this way?, he thought, as he slowly moved his covers away from his body, still laying in his bed for a couple of seconds. With all of his might, he weakly swung his legs over the edge, placing the on the cold bedroom floor. Due to his sudden rising, his head got really heavy and dizzy. Placing his right paw on his aching forehead, he shut close his eyes, grinding his teeth. God, I hate headrushes, he thought, waiting for it to be over.
As his head slowly got better, he opened his eyes again, rising up to a standing position, stretching out his arms and tail, standing up on his toes. He let his arms dangle down next to his torso, as he reached for his dark-blue skinny jeans, that was flung over his desk chair the night before. He slowly pulled them up his legs, whereafter he tightened the belt buckle to prevent them from falling down. That belt... he had worn it since his pants got pulled down in front of the whole class in his former school. That moment... he shook his head, as he tried to think of other things, trying not to be too nervous about the new school year. He pulled off his t-shirt, and put on a plain, light grey one, he simply found in his dresser. A week-old flannel was hanging over his door. This'll do, he thought, as he put it on.
He moved out of the bedroom, walking down the stairs, step after step, into the bathroom. He turned on the light, and sighed at his hair being all messed up, due to the sleep. He slowly combed it, as well as his cheeks to make them look remotely nice. Moving out of the bedroom, into the kitchen, he ate a quick breakfast, which was simply a piece of toast with ham. Feeling a little more refreshed, after staring into the air for a few seconds, he moved into the bathroom again, quickly brushing his teeth. He grabbed his school bag, going out of the house, locking it after him, since both of his parents had already gone to work.
Since he didn't live too far away from the school, he would just walk down there. Moving down the street, he noticed all of the other people his age driving towards the school. This is so embarrassing, he thought, as he felt like he was the only one without a drivers license. As he finally reached the school, he stood outside on the street for a couple of seconds, feeling kinda nervous. You can do this, he thought, as he finally took the first couple of steps towards the building, looking around at the other students, before heading inside the noisy school lobby. Giving a little sigh, he looked around the room, searching for a map over the building to find his first class.

[anonsucks117]

The alarm beeped. Guage opened his eyes slowly and sighed. He geard his dad snoring in the living room and slammed his paw down on the snooze. Best not wake him. When his dad worked nights anyone in the house that woke him suffered dearly. He tried to blink away the sleep from his eyes but his older brothers dragging a friend into the house at 1 in the morning had not been a pleasent surprise. At all. "Rival pack jumped him on his way home. He needs a place ro lay low for a bit while we figure out if his legs are broken."  his brother jackie had explained to a basically sleep walking Gauge. A howl came from their bed room. "You bet they are." his other brother miles called. "Stupid upity..theyll pay." Jackie growled. Before turning back to Gauge. "Go back to sleep little bro. You got school tomorrow. Dad says your smart as a whip. That youll go places..rest up. We'll deal with this." he grinned as Guage had nodded and shut his door and flopped back into bed. As Guage grabbed his book bag and beat to death phone, he sniffed the air. No scent of his brothers..just his dad and stale booze. He wiggled his nose in disgust. Hed never gotten used to that stench. He pulled on a shirt and hoodie before grabbing his keys and pulling on his pants and shoes. Before creeping into the living room and slipping into the kitchen to grab a day old breakfast burrito before slipping out the back door and locking it. His racing motorcycle sat next to his dads old black truck. His summer had been devoted to getting this bike 2 jobs and side work here and there to pay the "summer housing tax" his dad had happily applied as soon as he saw Gauges first paycheck. But it had finally been his and he never went a day without loving it. The well taken care of and lovingly tuned engine purred as he ignited it and he reved the engine before peeling out leabeing angry yells from his woken father in his wake. Soon he was in the school parking lot. Others were arriving and he sat and lit a smoke watching them as he puffed away. New species were becoming more and more prevalent to his dads displeasure. Guahe cpuld care less. If his dad hated them they couldn't be all that bad. A small group approached him. By the way others gave them a wide berth, whispered and scurried past Gauge knew they were his friends. Younger brothers of his brothers pack mates. His home pack was small..dad never really had interest in a large one so his pack had merged with other small packs in the neighborhood to form a large one for the protection of them all. Sadly they werent the only ones who thought of this..and they had ro defend their territory from other neighborhood packs frequently. "Sup Gauge. Hows it going?" the largest wolf, black as pitch and wide enough to give any enemy a second thought. "Going good Sam. Going good."  Gauge responded with a wry grin handing him a smoke as they sat outside. "Me and the boys are getting ready to head out back to the territory. Help my big bro with some disputes. You in?" he asked. "Nah. My bros want me in school. They said theres plenty of time to get into the pack after im done with school." Sam nodded. A younger one never disobeyed an elder in the pack. Ever. "Suit yourself. Alright guys lets go." he moved off as a couple waved and greeted Gauge. He watched them go with a sigh and slowly made his way into the school with the other students. Finally feeling safe.

[Tempest (Red Panda)]

Tempest watched her alarm's hand click until her alarm went off and smiled as she turned it off. She had always woken up before her alarm on the first day of school, whether it was nerves or excitement that woke her up so early she knew not, but was already dressed and had already eaten. She went back down the hallway to the bathroom to brush her teeth and make sure she looked ok. She was wearing a black t-shirt under a red flannel and faded red pants. She smiled and went into her little brothers room where he lay sleeping. She kissed the top of his light blue head and whispered "Later buddy." She shut his door softly and grabbed her bag off of the kitchen table. She shut off all the lights and called out a goodbye down the basement stairs to her mother, whose muffled yell was heard a second later. She giggled and put a black beanie on and walked outside. She lived about 5 blocks from the school and the fresh morning air felt nice as it seeped into her fur. She started walking and put in her earbuds, listening to some early 2000's Rock and humming along with it as she made her way towards the school.
     As she was walking she went through the previous night, checking off what she definitely did or didn't put into her bag. Notebooks, pens, her sketchbook, her pencils and an eraser. Check. Money..? She stopped and realized it was on the table, she cussed under her breath and shook her head. She was already on the schools block and decided she'll just eat when she got home. Her phone changed to Angel by Shaggy and she couldn't help but smile. Tempest pulled an earbud out and sang along softly, making sure she wasn't singing too loud. Upon entering the school she made her way into the office and asked for her schedule. As she waited she looked around and smiled at some new kids she hadn't recognized. She took her schedule and smiled, seeing she had Choir first. Greeting the choir teacher as she entered, she took a seat.

[anonsucks117]

Guage made his way into the school. He spotted Ave heading in and made a sound like a groan and a growl. He and Ave..there was mild dislike and hatred. But this was more annoyance mixed with what he admitted was jealious. Ave had alot of what every wolf wants. And he didnt. And Ave let him know it frequently. He sighed and had to walk under the principles dissapproving gaze. The big mastiff seemed to be screaming with a silent glare. They..didnt get along either. The gambling ring in gym. The soccer teams ball being knifed. The cigarette cartons and alcohol he sold to minors, and the numerious fights. Oh the very abundant fights. His look seemed to say "just give me a reason. Ill get you." he grinned and walked into the office and grabbed his schedule. A red panda had scurried past. "Hm? Shes tiny.." guage mused as he watched her leave. "Cute though."    then with schdule in paw he headed to homeroom taking his normal spot in very back. Ave was grinning like a fool at thier teacher. What was her name? He suddenly realised he didnt have a clue. With most people reffering to her with nicknames..each lewder than the next. He sighed and pulled up his hood as was custom and closed his eyes. He thought he heard something but no teacher had disruppted him sleeping in class since..ever..

[Ræfóa Aldrnari]

Having found the office on the map, Marcus went into it, to get his schedual. Another wolf was standing in there, getting his, as a red panda scurried past him out of the office, which made him quickly move to the side due to reflexes. As he got his schedual, he looked down at it. Making his way out of the office, he spotted the red panda again walking around the corner. She seems... cute. Whatever..., he thought, as he knew that, due to his shyness, he'd probably never have a chance with anyone here. He walked through the noisy hallways, making his way to Homeroom. Upon entering, he first poked his head in, making sure it was the right room to be in, before settling down at the back.

[Yuro]

Her mother shook her shoulders to wake up her sleeping daughter, Yuro. She slowly opened her eyes half way, batting her tail in irritation against the edge of the bed. " Wake up dear, it's time for school", her mother says in a sweet cheerful tone. Yuro wasn't much of a morning person. She growled and sat up, rubbing her eyes drowsily. Her mother chirpoed happily as she walk out of Yuro's room, closing the door behind her. Yuro groaned and stood up from her bed. Going to her dresser and pulling out a white tank top and a strawberry pink skirt. She steps over to her closet and grabs her black leather jacket. Slipping them all on and heads to the bathroom. She brushes her sergal fur around her head and neck.  She grabs her toothbrush and toothpaste and starts brushing her teeth. Then spat in the sink and wiped her mouth. After she was done, she went downstairs and saw the breakfast sitting on the table. Crispy bacon, seasoned scrambled eggs and two slices of toast with butter slabbed onto it. Her mother was the only family she got. Her father died in a war when she was a young baby sergal. After that happened the connections with the rest of her family were cut off. Leaving her mother to everything. Sometimes Yuro wonders how she does it. But Yuro sat down and began to eat. Not making a word. Her mother finally turned her head and said,"you better hurry, you're gunna be late!" Yuro was shocked as she looked at the clock. Having one toast left. She slipped it into her mouth and picked up her black bag filled with her school supplies, and ran out the door. Slamming the door behind her. She ran as fast she could as she ate her toast to nothing. Then she finally arrived at the school doors. She panted as she opened them. Knowing where homeroom is from the night before. Her mom handing her schedule to her. How'd she get that? She wondered. But she shrugged it off. She walked into her half filled busy classroom and sat down at a random empty seat. Taking a breather and lying her head on her arms

[Rocket]

Rocket was sitting up on his bed, one headphone in his ear playing some convoluted concerto while he stared at his laptop, the bright reflection of the screen visible in the lenses of his slim glasses. He looked down at the corner of his screen: it was time to get ready. Had he stayed up all night again? It was hardly surprising. Chronic insomnia doesn't recognize the necessity of being well-rested for school. He hardly minded though. It was a great excuse to consume copious amounts of coffee, which he enjoyed thoroughly.


He shut his laptop, set it aside, and swiveled his body so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. His boots were directly in front of him, and he was already fully dressed, as he had taken a shower the night prior and didn't trust himself to dress properly in the morning. After tieing his shoes, he disconnected his phone from the charger, disengaging the alarm that would've gone off in just one more minute, and checked to make sure he had his wallet and key ring, which he affixed to one of the belt loops on his cargo pants. He proceeded to walk to his closet, grabbing the protective vest that would save his skin if he were to fall off his bike, then layered his double-breasted coat over it. Lastly, he tied his bandana and tied it around his neck, turning the light off in his room and quickly trotting down the stairs to the kitchen.


The house was quiet. Both of his parents had long since left for work, and his older brother had already moved out. Basking in the silence, he made himself scrambled eggs on toast and consumed a full 4 cups of coffee. Now he felt ready to start the day. His first day at school? A day was a day to him.


Grabbing his black messenger bag, he threw it over his shoulder and walked out into the garage, running his paw over the glossy surface of his red and silver street bike. A year of being dreadfully stingy had rewarded him with his cherished, efficient transportation, and he took great pride in making sure that it was in admirable shape. He put on his helmet: a 3/4 modular type with only his snout sticking out; a tinted visor was affixed to it. He opened the garage and pulled out onto the street, beginning the short ride to school.


From first, to second, to third gear, he weaved around cars, inciting some glares from other drivers as he passed precariously close to them. He could see others walking towards his destination--Pellicius High--which he attended for the previous two years. Turning his head, he noticed a gray and green wolf walking, and time slowed momentarily. He had a flashback of the altercation he had with a pack of wolves his first year, and he gritted his teeth as he heard himself yelp, but he shut out the thought, pulling on the throttle so his front wheel lifted slightly before he reached the student parking lot.


Approaching the area designated for motorcycles and scooters, he rolled by a few wolves puffing on some cigarettes, he avoided turning his head so it didn't seem like he was looking at them. After he parked his bike, he walked past them, refraining from removing his helmet until he was near the main entrance to the school.


Rocket knew exactly where he needed to go, pulling up his schedule on his smart-phone and making a bee-line for homeroom. Once inside, he found the most secluded seat available, setting his messenger bag and helmet next to his desk before pulling out an anthology of Jack London's works, opening to a bookmarked page. At that point he shut everything else out: the chatter, the rustling, the squeals of enjoyment from reunited peers. To him, he was just picking up where he left off last year. 

[Oceanic815]

        Wow.  There were . . . there were a lot of students at Pellicius High.

        Mark delicately skirted his way through the noisy, noisy school lobby, sidestepping around various students and other groups, attempting not to step on anybody's toes, tails, stuff, or anything really.  Mark would describe himself as outgoing - as would those who knew him, he was sure.  He enjoyed talking to people, interacting with people, liked getting together with large groups of friends - oh, he absolutely cherished the experience of seeing a movie with a reactive audience.  All that being said, he wasn't really the type to be very confident in such a setting as this.  Beyond just being unwilling to introduce himself to new people, Mark also wanted to avoid drawing too much attention until he felt more comfortable in such a setting.

        Lost in his thoughts about not drawing attention to himself, Mark accidentally stepped fully on the paw of a fox who was wearing no shoes.  Turning on him, the fox looked a little pissed as he whirled around - and looked positively infuriated as he came face to face with Mark.

        "Hey, watch it, Otter!" he yelled, towering over Mark.  Numerous people from all around turned to observe, those in the group the fox had been talking to turning around to look - and they looked pissed at him too.  All he'd done was step on a paw!  Others from around watched him, and in some of their faces, he saw . . . pity?

        Putting up his paws in front of him, Mark backed away, murmuring a "sorry" before pushing his way into the crowd, his head down.  Dammit, that was embarrassing, the kind of embarrassing stuff he wanted so badly to avoid.  But still . . . it had been scary too.  Something about them had seemed more than pissed, it had seemed downright threatening.

        Attempting with only a modicum of success to push the thought out of his mind, Mark turned back around and found himself near the main office.  Seeing a paper taped next to the entranceway that said "Schedules here", Mark entered.  The surprisingly spacious office was filled with students at a long main counter sifting through trays that were labelled according to the alphabet, a tray for each letter.  Behind the counter, various canine office personnel either barked at (hah, barked, he was so funny!) or helped students, urging them to move along after finding their schedules.

        Taking an educated guess, Mark walked up to the tray for "S", and sure enough, the schedule for one "Mark Samuels" was on the top of the pile.  He realized, with a bit of a start, that he'd no idea how they organized their school days here.  Back on the other side of the country, they'd gone on an 8-block schedule - looking down at the paper in his paws, he saw that this school ran on a 4 block schedule, with something called "Homeroom" at the start of the day, and lunch between blocks 3 and 4.  He remembered now that he'd only filled out for 4 classes.  Duh.

        But Homeroom?  What the heck was that?  Stepping up to the main counter, he quickly caught the attention of an elderly german shepherd with the name "Ms. Queen" on a plaque in front of her.  "Excuse me, Ma'am?" he asked.  She turned to look at him, inquisitive eyes indicating that she was ready for his question.  "Sorry to, um, be a bother, but what's homeroom?  Is it another class?"

        Behind her glasses, her eyes spoke to him, saying "Is this kid for real?"  But she still spoke kindly to his question.

        "No hon, that's the block before your first class, you know?"

        "No, sorry," he said, embarrassed all over again.  "I just moved here, our school didn't have one of those."

        Apparently sensing his embarrassment, she smiled just a little "Well don't worry, it's fine.  It's just a brief 20 minutes for the morning announcements and for students to get ready".

        "Ah, okay," he responded.  "I have the same teacher for Homeroom and first block, is that how it always is?" he asked, still, admittedly, confused.

        A line had started to form behind him and she was looking less patient now.  "Is your first block band or choir?  Those students have the same homeroom classroom as their firs block" she informed him, claw tapping on the counter now.

        "No ma'am, it's English.  With Ms . . . Dancyon?"  He wanted out.  But he didn't want to be rude.  But he was already being rude?  Man, this was not how he wanted this day to be going.

        "Oh yes, she has the same homeroom as her first block.  Anything else?"

        Sweet freedom, we meet again.  "No ma'am, thank you" he spoke quickly, immediately ducking out and away from her impatient gaze.  Leaving the other side of the office under the (disapproving?) gaze of a burly Mastiff, Mark left the school lobby, just a little more careful this time, and began navigating the halls.  His schedule placed his first block in room . . . 1138.  He was passing room 1138.

        Immediately slowing and turning, Mark backtracked and ducked his head into the room.  Sitting behind a desk at the back of the room was a very tired-looking white wolf who he could only presume was Ms. Dancyon.  The room was filled with a smattering of species, most of them muscled male canines.  A purple wolf checking his phone looked up at Mark and gave no indication of emotion - except for lowering his ears as he went to look at his phone again.

        What did that mean?  What was he supposed to take away from that?  What was-

        Mark cut himself off prematurely.  He was freaking out way too much this morning.  Had Ms. Queen really been annoyed, or had he imagined that?  But how pissed had that fox and his friends been, really?  Breathing in as he walked in, Mark once again attempted to shove these thoughts out of his mind.  He looked down at himself - blue jeans, red polo shirt?  He looked nice.  He was going to be fine.  Smoothing down his shirt as he slung his backpack off his back and down to his hand, Mark took one of the only remaining seats next to a black hooded figure - who seemed to stir at the noise of his arrival.  Mark hoped he hadn't woken him up.

        Looking around at the other animals, Mark thought about making conversation with somebody.  He could.  But he could also, well, not.  Like he'd said, he was outgoing, but not in this new and overwhelming an environment.  Sliding his backpack underneath the desk, Mark took a cue from the purple wolf and pulled out his own phone, checking the news app, hoping that somebody might talk to him so he could have conversation that he himself hadn't initiated.

[Yuro]

Yuro yawned quietly. Not noticing the flock of other students around her. Her long tail layed on the ground next to her chair. She sighed and looked at the different species around her. She start to feel like she was too different from the other, maybe she won't make any friends, after all she was the one of her species here . Even if she wanted to make friends, she's too shy to do it. Her cheeks flushed up with a dark pink and she pulled up her hoodie. Thinking why she came here. Then suddenly, her tail got stepped on and she heard a loud thump. "Ack!" exclaims a cat girl who fallen onto the ground. "oh my god! I'm sorry! Did my tail get in your way? I'm dearl-" yuro was suddenly interrupted by the angry feline,"save it freak!" the cat got up, patting off her knees. Then pointing to Yuro's tail,"keep your freaking tail tucked away!" she stomps off angrily after. Yuro, all embarrassed and depressed now, slides her tail under her chair. Folding her arms on her desk  and hiding her face within them.

[Ræfóa Aldrnari]

Having sat down at the back of the room, Marcus put his bag next to his table, looking a bit around at the other students to find out what you actually did in a... homeroom, was it. Some was reading, some was talking, and some was just browsing their phones. Feeling a bit divided on what he could do, he searched a bit through his bag to find... something to do.I guess, this is a neat way to start the day, he thought, as he was used to just start out with the first lesson. As he was about to just pull up his phone, he noticed an otter, looking almost as... confused, as himself? He looked at him for a little bit, before realizing it, and pulled out his phone, looking down at it, to avoid just starring at him. He had heard about the problems between canines and other species here, and he didn't want to make the otter uncomfortable.
As the otter sat down a few tables away from him, he felt the need to go over and speak to him. Why not? He seems nice... but maybe he isn't... Oh, come on, you have to get out of your shell... but maybe.... This was the struggle that ususally went through his head, when he met new people. Due to him being bullied at his former school, confidence was certainly not a thing, he had a lot of. He sat for a few more moments, starring at his phone, but not paying attention to what was going on, on it at all, as he kept on struggling with his thoughts.
Screw it!, he thought, as he finally stood up, turning towards where the otter was sitting. Ok, that's the first step... now the second..., he thought, as he slowly began to approach him. He stopped up in front of him, hesitantly letting out "Hey... uhh... I'm Marcus... it seems like we're sharing... homeroom, is it?", with an easily noticeable northern european accent, feeling awkward about his ignorance about what homeroom was.

[anonsucks117]

The noise was another student sitting down. He sighed inwardly. Now he was awake and hed have to harrass the poor new kid. He wasnt even a canine so now hed doubly have to. Out wardly he sat up and pulled off his hood. "Hey. Why dont you try being a little quieter eh? Im try ing to sleep. If it happens again we'll settle up after school and unless a brick loged into your head would be positive for you id suggest shuting the hell up and being a ghost when im around. You dig homie?" he growled and smacked the phone out of marks hand. "Looks like you dropped something bro. Better pick it up."  he then pulled his hood back on and closed his eyes. He hated doing that but it was the only way to warn others to stay away. And if his rep was as good as last year no one that didnt need booze, smokes, or someone beat down would mess with him..thats what his brothers had always taught him..and hed always been safe..but damn did it have to be so lonly..

[Rocket]

Thud. Rocket's book had closed and was now sitting on his desk. Normally, an altercation like this was relatively normal, and he would've kept reading, but the spite in the wolf's actions resonated with him. His torn ear twitched as he stood up and approached the otter and the wolf as a familiar gray and green wolf looked on.
"Am I the only one who thinks that might've been an overreaction?" he inquired openly, looking at each one of them. "Now, I'm going to assume that your bitterness is either from a hard-earned hangover or some bigotry over the fact that this fellow isn't a canine.," he addressed Gauge. "Now, I don't usually butt into others' business, especially when it's the business of an intimidating canine... but don't you think it's too earl in the school year to be making enemies? Especially for no good reason?"
He sighed. "I know who you are, Gauge. Most everybody at this school does. This otter would've been tipped off within a couple days to stay away from you, if the hoodie and the attitude weren't enough."
Awaiting his response, he tried not to betray the worry that began to burden him that he might've not only made just one wolf mad at him, but an entire pack containing even more burly, and even less sensible individuals.

[anonsucks117]

Great. Rocket. As if this day wasnt a drag enough another inward slump and sigh. And yet another neck fur raising and teeth peeking out of his snout as he growled. "Just gave him some early tutoring. I dont think our little private lesson was any of your business rocket. Or did you forget the last time you butted in." he smirked showing some wicked teeth filed to extreme points. Most pack members in his neighborhood did this to symbolize how ready to fight they were. He actually did feel guilty about that little incident though. Rocket had butted into sams buissness and sam and his pals hadnt liked that one bit...rocket was tough but four preditory wolves wouldve been hard for anyone to handle. "So you mind leaving home dog. Id hate to have to make another visit." he was sitting up and alert now. Ready for anything. His claws ready to dig into flesh. Please back down man..please back down. He thought but his face was a stone mask of indifference.

[Heartstrings]

     His broad, leathery wings pulsating to slow his fall, Kamren's Uggs landed gently onto the pavement beneath him. He relaxed his shoulders, his wings burning slightly from the exercise. He sighed. Welp, this is it, he thought. Kamren reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, clicking the "Home" button to check the date one more time. MONDAY AUG 17 2015 was, of course, displayed on the screen, just like it had been 10 minutes ago right before he'd left his house. And 10 minutes before that when he'd been eating breakfast. And 40 minutes before that when he'd checked it after waking up. Because, despite all the signs telling him otherwise, it would simply make sense that Kamren Heartstrings would show up to his first day of school on the wrong day.

     That was obviously not the case though. The young dragon was finally reassured by the hordes of students surrounding the brick building that this was, in fact, the first day of school. He slipped his phone back in his pocket, adjusted his navy blue backpack, and headed toward the front entrance, taking everything in. Just like the rest of town, the demographic of Pellicius High School was predominantly canine, which Kamren noticed immediately. Like, definitely more than half of the students and faculty he passed by were wolves, foxes, dogs, or the like. Already he was being met by some odd, even spiteful, gazes as he approached the main doors. He couldn't shake the feeling that there were comments being tossed between friends and cliques as he walked by - perhaps about his appearance, or that he was a dragon, or maybe about the fact that he'd just flown himself to school and that was weird or something.

     As he entered the building, he looked around at all the students. Just like outside, there wasn't another dragon in sight. Kamren gulped, his stomach a little queasy of anxiety. He couldn't possibly be the only dragon at this school! But then when he thought about it, he hadn't seen a single dragon in town over the past couple weeks he'd lived here. Oh boy. Then I really could be the only one.

     He tried not to think about that. There about 10 minutes before the first class - homeroom - started, so the dragon silently shuffled over to a long counter in the main office to locate his class schedule. After slipping through a handful of students, he found what he was looking for in a tray labeled 'H', and he was on his merry way. Having been given a brief tour a couple weeks prior when he'd registered for this new school, Kamren didn't have much difficulty finding his homeroom class, Room 1138.

     Kamren found an empty seat - there weren't too many left - and sat down, his wings pressed uncomfortably against the wooden chair. "Not very dragon-friendly seating, is it..." he muttered under his breath, slightly hoping no one would hear his lame quip. He dropped his backpack under his seat and got a better look at his class schedule. He wasn't exactly sure what "Homeroom" was all about - his previous school didn't really have anything like it. And also unlike his old school, he only had four classes instead of six. Not that it's a bad thing, he thought. If anything, this year would be a breeze and a 4.0 was in his reach.

     He checked his phone. About 5 more minutes before the start of his first class. At a new school. In a new town. Albeit a pretty prejudiced town, he mused. The last thing he wanted was to become someone's enemy purely based on the fact that he wasn't a canine.

     You know what, he thought. Screw it. That shouldn't stop you from being yourself. And it definitely shouldn't stop you from kicking ass this year. This is your chance to have a fresh start. Make new friends! What was the worst that could happen?

     The dragon smiled, actually somewhat excited to get started. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a fresh notebook, opened it up to its first page, pen ready to go. He wasn't going to let anything stop him from having a great senior year.

     On second thought. His ears twitched, picking up a moderate disturbance in the seats just behind him. Followed by a cell phone flying out of a paw and landing on the floor next to his desk. Peering over, it seemed that a couple of the kids were getting into it a bit. A gray fox and a disgruntled white wolf. Who had somehow been disheveled by the otter sitting next to him. It's day one. Class hasn't even started yet, and drama already... Kamren sighed. It was probably a good idea to avoid the hooded wolf if he could. He immediately thought about moving to another seat, lest he become involved somehow.


     Or... He could be the bigger person and attempt to diffuse the situation. Diplomacy before violence had always been Kamren's strong suit, or at least that's what he'd always told himself. Part of him just didn't, in general, favor being around negative, threatening situations.

     The dragon turned around in his seat, a warm smile greeting the three: otter, wolf, and fox. "Hey, you guys! I really wasn't trying to eavesdrop I swear, but um... You know." He reached down to the floor to pick up the dropped cell phone, passing it to the otter. "Here you go," he addressed the otter warmly. "Is... is everything okay, you guys?"