Fox 7

Well tonight was definitely an interesting night. After the whole incident with the deranged Mermaid princess it was clear that she was telling the truth. There were glares thrown our way from various beings at different tables. The pizza was absolutely delicious but my night was kind of ruined at this point. It had been a long day of ups and downs and all I wanted to do at this point was go to sleep again.

"So have you guys had a chance to look over your schedules for tomorrow?" Alex questioned.

"No, we pretty much figured out the room and passed out." Alistair explained.

"Well when you figure out your schedules let me know what they are so that I can see if we have some of the same classes." He replied as we all began to get up from our seats to throw out our trash. I bent down and collected Levi's plate from the floor and he looked up at me expectantly as he shifted to his smaller form.

'Carry me?' He whined softly.

"Sure." I shrugged my shoulders as I tossed our trash out and placed the dirty plates on a tray filled with other plates and cups. Levi followed behind us until we were done putting our things away and as soon as I turned around he jumped into my arms.

He buried himself deep into the crook of my arm as we left the cafeteria. I noticed Alex gave Vivian a curt nod which she returned as we walked through the door. Their relationship sure was a weird one.

"Make sure you guys really get some rest. The classes aren't that big so it's noticeable when students walk in late." Alex informed us.

'I can sleep in...' Levi taunted.

'Don't think that I won't drop you.' I threatened.

"The beauty of going to a magical school is that most of our classes are of the magical background. There is only one or two hours a day set specifically to your home realm learning. In your case there's only an hour or two set aside for Earth studies and it's usually after lunch."

"So Levi won't be sleeping in?" I questioned.

"Um...No?" Alex answered completely oblivious to Levi and I's conversation.

Levi made sort of a whining sound that was clearly disapproval at finding out that he wouldn't be sleeping in anymore.

Reaching up I scratched my nails in between his ears and his whining stopped immediately followed by a low almost purring sound that showed his gratitude. He curled into my body even more as we walked back to the room. Alistair and Alex kept talking, mostly about things that made no sense to me.

"Well this is you. It was nice meeting the two of you and I'm sure we'll be sharing some classes together." Alex said his good nights as he left us at our door.

"See you tomorrow." Alistair called as Alex walked back down the hall. "Well let's go find out what are schedule is for tomorrow."

Alistair opened the door and the three of us entered the room. Levi jumped out my arms as soon as we were in the room and scurried down the hall into one of the rooms as Alistair and I followed behind him. Seconds later Levi strolled out the room thankfully with some sweat pants on and our schedules in his hands.

"Who wakes up at seven in the morning?" He snapped.

"Us, I'm guessing." I replied with a smirk.

"I don't do mornings." He growled.

"You always wake up early to take me to school Levi." Alistair replied as he and I walked past Levi and went into the room we first ended up in.

"Yes, but not at seven." He whined throwing the paper down on the bed.

"Stop whining." I laughed. "I'm sure you'll get used to it Levi."

He groaned and flopped down on the bed right on top of our schedules. Alistair sighed and went to push him off the papers but could do nothing to move the larger boy. It was funny watching as he tried, with all his might, to push Levi over and Levi wouldn't even try to budge and inch.

"Move your fat butt." Alistair huffed.

"Fat?" Levi gasped but remained exactly where he was at.

"Yes! Now get up I need to send Alex our schedule." He grunted as he pushed at Levi once more. Finally Levi flipped over and the papers that were being held hostage were finally released. With a triumphant fist pump Alistair snatched the paper before snatching up the phone he used earlier to contact Alex. He sent our schedule to Alex before tossing the phone to the side.

"Alright, now that that's done how about we get some sleep?" Alistair questioned as he stretched and yawned.

"So whose room is this?" I questioned.

"It can be yours I guess." Alistair replied as he got up from the bed.

"Can I stay?" Levi pouted causing my cheeks to burn instantly. The sight of the bare chested man that lay on the bed before me sent my heartbeat sky rocketing. There was no way that he could really expect me to say yes to that. There's no way I'd be able to get any sleep at all. Alistair sensing my panic answered for me.

"Levi, I think it's best if we give Tae some space. He's still new to all this and everything has happened to him today. We'll take the room down the hall and if you need us you're always welcomed to come and visit."

"Wait. You're going to be sharing a room?" I questioned shocked.

"Ever since I bonded with Levi it's more comfortable sleeping close together. Usually he'll just sleep in his fox form curled up on the foot of the bed or besides me."

"Oh." Was my intelligent reply.

Although that was all I said I knew that one day that would be something I wanted. Something about sleeping besides Alistair and Levi earlier was...nice. My mind was blank and I felt at peace just lying there. Although I was sure that sleeping with them would give me the best night's sleep I've ever had I knew that it was too early in our relationship for this.

"Well goodnight." Levi called as he jumped up out of the bed and grabbed Alistair's hand pulling him from the room. I called out a halfhearted goodnight before I stripped off my shirt and pants and climbed underneath the covers. Tomorrow would be our first day of classes and on some level I was excited but I knew that regardless of my excitement it would be long day.

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"Alright class we have three new students today and I would like you to greet them and help them out when needed. Could you introduce yourselves please?" Our teacher announced as the three of us stood in the front of the room anxiously. Well Alistair and I were anxious while Levi stood there in his completely tailored uniform looking sexy as sin with a smirk on his face.

Our teacher, Mr. Corin, stood tall with bright almost luminescent green eyes that hid behind thin rimmed glasses. He had curly black hair which he had pushed out of his face twice. A rugged yet manicured beard brought the whole look together. It was clear that he was gorgeous and I'm sure he knew it but he wasn't cocky about it.

"My name's Levi." Levi spoke up first completely confident and dare I say, a little arrogant. I watched as some of the girls swooned and giggled as he flipped his bright red hair out his face and hooked his thumbs into his front pants pockets.

"Tae." I introduced myself because I knew that Alistair wouldn't do it next. I looked up through my black hair momentarily at the class and saw that I had caught some of our class mate's attention. Since this was still our first day I had put my contacts back in and tried to look as normal as possible forgetting that normal here was abnormal back home.

"Alistair." He squeaked as he took a step closer to Levi who draped one arm around Alistair pulling him into his side.

"Alright, you and your familiars may take a seat in the back."

Alistair rushed to the back of the room quickly thankful to be out of the limelight. I followed behind him quickly but Levi soaked up all of the attention as he slowed strolled behind the two of us to the back of the room where an empty table sat for us.

Alistair reached up and snagged the hem of Levi's sleeve and pulled him down into the seat next to him. Our teacher cleared his throat trying to get our classmates to once again focus on him. There were a few students who kept stealing glances our way but for the most part everyone else turned to see what the teacher was going to say.

"Alright since we have new students I'm going to explain how this class works. Your familiars will shift into their alternate forms and then we will practice simple spells, commands, and shifts. There is a large room through that door..." He pointed to a large door behind us. "...where the familiars can shift in privacy and put there things in lockers. The lockers are charmed and will only open for the familiars and mage that it belongs to." He explained.

'It's only my second time shifting. I don't know if I want to shift again so soon.' I expressed my fears to Alistair and Levi and to shock and horror Levi's hand shot up immediately.

"Yes Levi." The teacher acknowledged him.

"Tae has only shifted once before and it was extremely painful for him. Is there any way he can sit this out?" He questioned.

"Unfortunately the whole point of this class is to practice with your familiars in their shifted forms so that the mages grow closer to the familiars in their alternate forms. It's to build the bond between mage and magical being." He explained. "I can bring one of my familiars in to help him shift in a less painful manner but either way he's got to shift."

Levi turned to look at me to see if that was okay. I knew that if I told him I couldn't do it he would find a way for me to get out of it but I didn't want to cause any problems on our first day so I gave him a little nod and he sighed knowing that I wasn't ready but nodded back anyways.

"Alright." Levi replied and that was the end of the conversation as the teacher sent us off to go shift.

Levi stood up and the two of us waited until the rest of the familiars walked through the door and proceeded to shift. The teacher called Levi and I over just as another man walked through the door. The new man seemed younger than our teacher but only by a couple of years maybe. His blonde hair was so light that it reminded me of lush warm cream and his blue eyes stood out behind the stray strands that fell into his face.

"This is my familiar Jason." He introduced the younger man. "Jason can you please help Tae shift? It's only his second time and I hear that it might be painful for him."

"Yes sir." He smiled shyly but walked over to the shifting room just as a few animals began to make their way out. I'm sure my eyes were wide as I watched as various wolves, cats, birds and even other foxes marched out the room. Levi being the overactive person he was practically skipped into the male shifting room and had no problem shedding his clothes in the middle of the room.

"I-I think that yo-you're supposed to change o-over there." Jason stuttered shocked by Levi's lack of moderation.

"Do I have to?" He whined just as he lowered his pants.

"You'll scar the children." Alistair called out from the room.

"Fine." He huffed and walked into one of the separate rooms to finish changing.

"Alright, so when you shift what you really want to do is make sure that you breathe. Just keep breathing. Deep breath in and deep breath out. Start doing that." Jason instructed as he demonstrated how to breathe. I took my cue from him and took a deep breath in and then released it. In then out. In. Out. In. Out.

"Now as you breathe deeply just relax and let your instincts take over. Your kitsune spirit will know what to do and you should be able to shift naturally."

I closed my eyes and continued to breathe deeply as he instructed. I tried to relax as much as possible and just like he said I could feel something take over. Unlike before I wasn't scared or frustrated. It was as if it was second nature to me as my bones snapped, resized and reformed as I shifted. My eyes opened and I was lower to the ground and my little black paws were visible.

The first thing I noticed was Levi sitting beside a larger cream colored fox with three tails that swished lazily behind him as he watched me. I was sure that it was Jason because his hair and eyes gave it away. Levi was up to no good as his eyes caught sight of Jason's tails and he tried to catch them. Jason ignored him as he stood up and walked besides me. He nudged me with his nuzzle urging me to get going.

I stood up and followed behind him as we walked out the room into the classroom filled with our peers. Alistair sat behind the desk waiting patiently for us and trying desperately not to make eye contact with anyone else.

"Levi and Tae if you don't mind I would like to inspect you as I have the other familiars." He spoke up as soon as we walked through the doors.

Levi relished the attention as he pranced in between the desks and the different familiars sitting there and made his way to the front. Jason had to keep nudging me to keep me going as I would stop each time someone would turn to look at me. My tails were tucked between my legs and my ears flattened on my head as I slowly made my way to the front.

"Is it alright if I pick up your familiar?" Mr. Corin asked Alistair.

"If it's alright with him then sure." Alistair shrugged.

"Class it's important to know that although the familiars are not property it shows respect if you don't just approach a familiar that is not your own or one that you don't know without first asking permission." He explained as he bent down to pick me up. I flinched away simply because I was nervous but the fluff of Jason's fur behind me stopped me.

'It's alright you're fine.' Alistair tried to soothe me.

'He's not going to be a threat.' Levi tried to reassure me.

"Easy..." Mr. Corin spoke lowly as he once again reached for me.

He hooked his hands beneath my front paws and lifted me up off the floor with my back paws dangling off the ground and in the air. My tails hung below me and I huffed in annoyance as he held me up. He turned me to the side once and then to the other side looking for something. He cradled me to his chest as he lifted up one tail and then the other.

There were whispers about me having two tails with me being a new familiar and all. They were speculating and making guesses as to what that meant but I doubt that they would be able to figure it out as not even the headmaster could tell why I had two tails.

"Extraordinary." Our teacher mused as he stared at me some more. As he inspected me some more I looked down at Levi who had clearly grown bored and was back to playing with Jason's tails. Jason, for the most part, ignored Levi as he swatted at each of the three tails.

"Alright Levi stop messing about..." Mr. Corin chided him as he set me back down on the floor. I scurried back a few steps until I was nestled into Jason's side. He didn't push me away and for that I was glad. His larger form shielded me from the prying eyes of the class.

After the teacher inspected Levi as he had me he set my companion down and instructed us to go back to our seats to which I happily obliged. Jason took up his position besides Mr. Corin who whistled loudly to catch the attention of our now rowdy classmates.

"Today we're going to be learning about strengthening your bonds with your familiars. This is an introductory class so all of you are beginners. There is no need for any of you to be nervous or embarrassed." He explained. "I'm going to give the mages a slip of paper with an instruction for each of your familiars on it. Without saying a word or showing the papers to your familiars I want you to communicate what it says on the paper. Please come up and get your papers."

Alistair stood up and walked to the front of the class and took the two slips of paper handed to him. I didn't understand the activity because Levi and I had already mastered the skill to communicate mentally. I guess it wasn't a trait that all familiars and their mages had from the start.

'So what does the paper say?' Levi questioned.

'For you Levi it says to sit up on top of the desk and yip four times.' Alistair instructed.

'That sounds fun.' Levi yipped as he jumped up on top of the desk and yipped loudly drawing the attention of some of our neighboring classmates.

'And for you...You're probably not going to like this one.' Alistair laughed before he read my task off the paper.

'Are you sure?' I questioned nervously.

'I don't like that one.' Levi huffed.

'Yeah, I'd show it to you so that you'd know that I wasn't lying but that's against the rules.' He replied shrugging.

With a soft huff I slowly made my way back up to the front of the room trying not to draw attention to myself as I went. Jason was still sitting in front of the desk besides Mr. Corin who simply looked down at me when I stopped in front of the two of them.

I lifted up my paw and lightly scratched at Jason's front paw trying to convey to him what I wanted him to do. He was much larger than me in this form and it was hard to get him to do what I wanted. He cocked his head to the side and simply stared down at me. I jumped up on my hind legs and leaned my front paws on him propping myself up.

Staring up at him with wide eyes I waited until he leant down a little bit more and then without warning my tongue darted out of my muzzle and ran along his. He jumped back in surprise as Mr. Corin laughed loudly at the look on Jason's face. If I didn't know any better I'd swear his cheeks were turning red.

"Sorry Jason, I couldn't help it." Mr. Corin laughed as Jason grunted.

'You really kissed him?' Levi questioned stunned.

'Kiss?' I questioned him.

'Well that's what happens when you, as a fox, lick another fox's muzzle.' Alistair explained.

'Are you serious?' I squeaked.

'Yup, you just kissed Jason in front of the entire class.' Alistair laughed.

'What kind of teacher makes his students do that kind of thing?'

'Ours I guess.' Levi mused.

"Well it seems as if you three have gotten this whole mental communication down as you're the only ones who have finished your assignment so far. If I may ask, how long have you three been bonded before joining our academy?" Mr. Corin asked.

"Levi and I have been bonded for about a year and Tae just joined us yesterday." Alistair explained.

"Ye-Yesterday?" He stuttered staring down at me and then back up at Alistair and Levi.

"Yes sir." Alistair replied.

"Well it seems as if I'm going to have to have a talk with the Headmaster about you three. You're quite advanced considering the amount of time you've actually been bonded together." He replied thoughtfully.

Jason picked up his larger paw and nudged my smaller form a couple of inches away from him. I swatted at his paw before moving back to where I was before. Just because I had to kiss him doesn't mean he could just man handle me.

"Jason play nice." Mr. Corin warned just as Jason was getting ready to do it again. He huffed and dropped his paw on the ground.

'I wanna play.' Levi whined as he started to get antsy again.

'Relax Levi before we get in trouble.' Alistair warned him calming him down.

"For the rest of the class you three can try and strengthen your mental bond. Do you know how to put up mental barriers?" He questioned.

"Levi and I can but I'm sure that Tae can't yet." Alistair answered.

"Well you can work on that while I send Jason to the Headmaster's office to see what he would like to do about you three." He replied looking down at Jason to make sure he understood what he wanted him to do. My new friend nodded his head once before taking off out the classroom door and down the hall.

"It seems as if you three are just full of surprises. I wonder what other secret skills you guys are hiding." He smiled as he walked off to go help another group of students who looked in dire need of help.

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