Fox 22

Instead of staying in we decided to clear our minds and get something to eat. Remembering this amazing pizza place down the street I gathered the three of us up and led us to get some food. I was extremely worried that Cano would draw attention, not to much from the people from my town but more so the Council of Mages.

They were already here once. I didn't want them showing back up and discovering that we were harboring a magical fugitive but Cano seemed pretty calm about the whole situation. He was simply strolling besides us as we walked through the light snow flurries.

"I'm sorry but am I the only one that's concerned that you'll get caught out here with us?" Levi questioned, ever the mouthpiece for us.

"There are still a select few of people that we trust to help us out. They've managed to retrieve a few magical tokens that have concealed Merula and I from them. As soon as my love gives them the slip she will be back by my side. We expected for it all to be done before we got here but it seems like some of the things were a little harder to find." He explained.

With that explanation tucked away we rounded the corner and I spotted the Pizzeria about another couple feet down. I got excited because as good as the food back at Rhyeal was nothing compared to cooking you grew up with. There was always something just, calming about eating your favorite meal in your favorite place.

Before everything had begun to change this was the place where I would come and hang with my friends. Everyone would come here after school, buy a slice and just hang out. During the breaks everyone would come here and spend almost all day just relaxing.

"So have you been to our realm before?" I questioned Cano.

"Many of times but none too recently. I visited this town specifically when you were growing up. I came to see you and make sure you were fine growing up. The last time I came here was when you were eleven. You seemed so happy at school, we thought that we had made the right choice." He explained.

"I was happy until I changed into a familiar overnight. I didn't know what was happening and all of a sudden my eyes changed color, my hair changed color and the attitude of other to me changed as well. Everything was different." I explained.

After saying that I realized that this was the first time that I was outside in my hometown without my contacts in. My eyes were a bright gold just like Levi's and something in me was proud about that.

"Alright, we're here." I announced as I led us up to a worn building with a neon light in the front window that said open. Before I even walked in I could hear all the chatter of everyone inside, enjoying their own school break. My hand hesitated at the door, trying to decide whether or not I really wanted to go in.

"We don't have to do it if you don't want to." Alistair whispered.

"No, I need to do this." I answered as I pulled the door open. As soon as I stepped foot inside the noise died down as everyone took in the newcomers. Quickly I scanned the place, noticing a few familiar faces and instantly dreading my decision to come in here.

It was almost as if I had never left. They glared at me as if I was some sort of outcast and my heart kind of dropped being here again. I forgot the feeling I had every day while I lived here and just staring here brought it right back.

'Just remember everything we've been through the last couple of weeks. You're not alone anymore Tae. You have us.' Levi reminded me and he was right. I wasn't alone anymore, roaming the halls of my school. I was out with my friends and family getting something to eat and there was nothing anyone could do to hurt me.

"Well look who it is." A voice sneered.

I stand corrected.

Turning to the side I locked eyes with none other than Ryan. He stood there with his little group of friends that always backed him up. He walked closer to me until he was almost a foot away but I held my ground, no longer afraid of what he could do.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Did I say you could talk to me?" He snapped.

"Um...Kind of? You came up and started speaking to me. I just assumed that was an open invitation." I replied with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Well it wasn't freak. Who said you could come back here?" He questioned nastily.

"Um...the government. You know...Free country and all." I answered, earning me a few snickers from my former classmates. He didn't like that too well.

"Well you're not allowed here. Just take your little freak circus and leave. We don't need any faggots here disturbing out peaceful evening." He sneered.

If he had been speaking to an earlier version of me I might have caved. I might have hung my head and walked away just to keep the peace. But I had been through so much in the last couple of weeks and his incessant barking was starting to become annoying.

"I'm just here for some pizza." I sighed as I tried to side step him and his cronies.

"Well you can't get it here. Go somewhere else." He shrugged his shoulders with a smirk on his lips. My eyebrows scrunched up as I looked around the room at all the people there. None of them even batted an eyelash at this display in front of them. No one tried to step in, no one tried to even say something to them.

What was wrong with these people? Couldn't they see how ridiculous this was? Here was this guy and his friends picking a fight with an innocent group of people who simply wanted some pizza. Did no one see anything wrong with that?

'Do you want me to handle this?'  Cano questioned.

"Have I done something wrong? Something so wrong that I can't even grab a slice of pizza?" I questioned, completely ignoring Cano. Their unhealthy obsession with me was getting out of hand. They literally went out of their way to harass me when I was doing something so simple as getting food to eat.

"Your type don't have to do anything to be disgusting. You're an abomination." He sneered.

"And you're an idiot. Now can I go grab a slice of pizza?" I questioned, earning a few laughs from my former classmates. I walked forward, trying to push past him but he grabbed my arm tightly. My instincts kicked in and I wrapped my fingers around his wrist, pried his hand off of mine before twisting his arm behind his back.

I shoved him into his friends before baring my teeth and snarling at him. His friends caught him and as he righted himself he noticed the look plastered on my face and backed up a bit. Alistair placed his hand on my shoulder trying to calm me and it worked. With a deep breath I calmed myself and ignored the blank looks as I walked to the counter.

"I would like a half cheese, half pepperoni." I ordered.

"What's wrong with you? You're not normal!" He shouted from behind me as I reached into my pocket to grab the money. "You're eyes..."

Shit!

I had let my secret slip. They had seen my eyes and that wasn't the least of my problems. I had already forgotten to put in my contacts so my natural golden eyes were showing and then they just  saw my eyes glowing. There's no telling what else had shown just now.

"Do you have another ten?" I questioned Levi, ignoring the idiot behind me and trying to remain calm. Levi reached into his back pocket pulling out a couple of bills before handing them to me. I handed all of it over to the man behind the counter and told him to keep the change.

"Thirty minutes young man." The man grumbled before he walked back into the kitchen. With a sigh I turned around to face the crowd that was still standing around just watching us, waiting for something to happen.

Ryan and his friends just stood there watching us with narrowed eyes. I rolled mine once more ignoring them, turning back around to face my own group of friends. Cano's attention was focused solely on Ryan and his friends and I was about to say something about ignoring them when Ryan did something stupid.

He started talking again.

"I'm going to call the cops...or...or animal control because there's something not right about you! I always knew that you were a freak but now I can prove it! I have all these witnesses." He shouted.

"How did you put up with this for so long? I can't even bear to listen to him and it's only been a couple of minutes." Levi groaned.

"I honestly thought that keeping my head down and ignoring them were the best options. After leaving and coming back I don't know how I put up with it either. He's so annoying and these people are sheep." I sighed knowing full well that everyone could hear me.

Did I care? Not really. I had realized that I had so much more going on in my life to worry about than what small minded people thought in a small town. We would only be here long enough to celebrate with my parents, if they ever came home and then we were on to our next stop.

"I called my dad, he'll be here soon." One of Ryan's friends told him. His father worked in the police department and why high enough to make a difference and while I wasn't truly worried about him I didn't want to draw any real attention to ourselves.

"Should we just get out of here?" I questioned with a sigh.

"No."

Turning around I looked at Cano and groaned when I noticed the look in his eyes. He wasn't happy about what he was seeing. His eyes were narrowed as he glared at the four boys who were blocking our exit.

"Cano, it's not that serious. We'll grab the pizza and leave." I tried to barter.

"No. We came here to eat and this little boy won't stop us. I've seen him in your memories and I don't like the way he treated you." He turned to me, focusing his attention all on me now. "Why didn't you tell your parents about him?"

"They wouldn't have done anything about it. I'm sure they would agree with him that I was different from everyone else in town." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Different doesn't mean bad." Cano explained and I had to smile at his attempt at latent parenting.

Just as I opened my mouth to say something the bell atop the door sounded alerting the presence of someone new. My eyes wandered to the door spotting a large man dressed in an official officer's uniform accompanied by another man that I didn't recognize.

"Hey dad, these are the guys causing trouble." Ryan's friend spoke to the large man that walked in. The burly officer turned towards us, his face set into a deep grimace as he took in our appearance. We didn't look like a group of troublemakers, in fact we were standing away from everyone simply waiting for our food to arrive.

"Are you sure?" He questioned, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Definitely. They came in and started harassing all of us and we hadn't done anything." The growl that slipped past Levi's lips was lethal and I caught the movement of Cano just in time to stop him. I hadn't forgotten that he was still a dangerous being although he seemed very well balanced.

"Sir, I assure you that we did no such thing. We just came in to get a pizza and as soon as we stepped in your son and a few of his friends began to harass us. All I want is to get my pizza and leave." I explained.

"Alright then, let's go." He motioned for us to leave and I rolled my eyes, reached back and grabbed the pizza that we had paid for and began to walk out. I knew that it was killing Levi and Cano to have to walk away from a fight. Especially one that we would have won.

As we walked past Ryan and his friends, each sporting smug grins one of his friends stuck out his foot and tripped up Alistair. He fell forward before any of us could catch him and hit the floor with a loud thud.

"You should be more careful." Ryan sneered and that was the final straw for everyone. My head snapped up to him and my eyes narrowed as I glared at him. The big, burly police officer was forgotten as I put all my attention on Ryan and his cronies.

"I would have let it all go. I would have left and acted like none of this happened but you just had to hurt him. Well no one can say I didn't try." I snarled as I sprung forward, faster than they could see and attacked him. My hand was wrapped around his neck before he could even blink and Levi had already taken on the other two guys with him.

Cano blocked the way of the police officer without revealing what he was. I cocked back my fist and let it go to connect with Ryan's jaw and I have to say it felt amazing. All the pent of anger from years of his bullying and harassment came out in that, and the following punches. The rest of the world around me was blocked out as I landed blow after blow.

That is until I felt an arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me back and away from Ryan. I looked back and noticed that the officer had gotten away from Cano who was trying to detain a guy about my age without using too much violence.

"Get off of him otherwise I'll have to arrest you." The man shouted but I wasn't in the mood to be compliant. Especially when Ryan lifted his knee and connected with my stomach. I turned my attention back to him and felt my control over my kitsune slipping.

"Alright, I think that's enough." A very familiar voice sounded around us, calming the entire situation almost immediately. "Sir, if you could release my son I would be eternally grateful."

Turning around I spotted Merula standing, cloaked in her all black ensemble, in the doorway watching the entire situation unfold. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest as she stared at the man holding me.

"Who are you?" The officer questioned.

"Well I thought that was obvious." Merula sighed as she waved her hand broadly. Everyone seemed to freeze in their spot except for the four of us. "Cano I would have thought that you would have handled this better."

"I tried but you know I haven't had a lot of interaction with humans. It's been a while for me darling." He sighed as he rubbed his neck while looking at her. "I told you not to leave me with the children."

"Well I suppose I shouldn't have left you four alone without supervision. That was my fault. Unfortunately we can't stay here. Grab the pizza and let's leave. We'll have to head to our next destination since I've used a lot of my magic to freeze everyone. The council is bound to be on their way here as we speak."

She seemed so calm about it as if she was talking about the weather and I was having an internal panic attack thinking about the Council finding out about them being here with us. What would they do if they knew that we were technically harboring magical fugitives. This could not possibly end well for any of us.

We would have to figure something out until we could make it back to the Academy. Hopefully they wouldn't suspect that we had anything to do with it. We could play it off as us being attacked or something if asked.

"What did you do to them?" I questioned.

"Well I simply froze them and once we leave the last thirty minutes of their memory will be lost." She explained.

"Is that safe?" Levi questioned.

"Safe enough..." She shrugged and I'm not sure how comforting that actually was.

Our best option was to leave immediately and I was almost ashamed to say that I was fine with leaving my home although we had only been here for a couple of hours. My parents would be fine without me this year for Christmas and if anything I could always come back to visit them on the way back.

I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Maybe by then we would have things resolved and cleared up enough to avoid the Council of Mages. We planned to go to Levi's home next and I had to admit that I was excited to meet the people that had birthed one amazing man.

"Now! Where are we headed next?" Merula clapped her hands together excitedly.

***********************************************************************************************

Ummmmm......What do you think?

Vote and Comment.