Everybody nodded. Even me.
"Magic, supernatural powers… I urge you to use them with discretion. There isn't a ban, but this might lead to someone discovering your nature as all powers and magics have a certain flavor. Be careful. And be careful who you trust." He gave the audience a smile that seemed to land on me.
"There is one last thing I wish to discuss. Once you have guessed, be it correct or incorrect, as to a fellow student's nature, a gag spell shall be immediately placed upon you as soon as the slip touches the box. You will not be able to share your guess with any of the other students. Any attempt at doing so, will trigger the spell. The results will vary from species to species, but they are all unpleasant. I suggest you heed my warning and maintain your silence. There will be one or two of you who will doubt my sincerity. Let me offer you my condolences now, as I might not be able to keep a straight face after the spell has gone into effect."
I clapped, ignoring the fact that I was the only one. Uncle Tatsuo gave me a small bow.
"Now, you will be shown to your rooms. All of our dorms are co-educational. Trysts, relationships, and whatnot are not forbidden. We will leave you to your best judgement. If you do not like your rooming assignment, I suggest you get over it quickly. There will be no changes made. I will see all of you for lunch. Enjoy your time at Aesir Academy. I'm sure, years from now when you are quite old and feeble, should you age, you will look back on these years with utter distaste and disdain. Our job is to teach you. Not entertain you," he said and strode from the stage. An angry looking woman strode forward to take up his place.
"I am Assistant Headmistress Lateran. First Years will follow me. Second Years will follow Dean Cobb." She pointed to the gentleman at the end of the stage, he motioned to the floor below him. "And Third years will follow Coach Genevieve," she said and pointed to the opposite end of the stage. "First years gather outside the great hall. I shall join you momentarily.
Chapter 4
"Let us go," Hiroki said almost worriedly.
Standing up, I waited for everyone else in our row to filter out the other end. I could almost feel the heat of anger from behind us as Jacque and his cohorts followed us out.
Kitsune, by nature, were not large, and I had no trouble sneaking my way through the crowd that had gathered outside the double doors where we were to wait for the Assistant Headmistress. Leaning against the wall, I made myself unobtrusively seem even shorter, hiding from the much taller trio and feigning disinterest in everyone and everything around me.
"You went too far, Kaede-chan."
"I know. He was just such a jerk I couldn't help myself."
"He is also three times your size and you do not know what his nature is. You might have made an unnecessarily formidable enemy."
"I know. I'll ignore him from now on."
"If you can."
"I will."
Hiroki nodded, satisfied for the moment. There was a blustering by the door as Lateran gathered everyone behind her as she wove through the throng of people.
"Follow me, people. We will get you to your dormitories. There, the floor residents will have your room assignments. I just want to reiterate what the Headmaster said, there will be no switching of rooms. Get to know your roommate before you judge them. Also, something he left out. You may not guess as to your roommate's nature. Everyone needs a place to unwind, and your rooms are a safe haven. The gag spell he did mention also includes tattling on your roomie, so to speak. So, mum's the word. Also, should you run into anyone you might have met before you entered Aesir Academy…you will find the results of trying to guess their nature the same. When you stepped upon the platform outside the school, the spell went into effect. It knows who you know."
There was another groan that rose up from the ranks of the first-year students. They must have spotted easy prey and then had it yanked from their maws. I chuckled softly to myself.
She led the way out of the building, pointing at various things as we passed. I didn't pay attention because Hiroki ate that shit up like sushi. By the time we reached the dorms, he'd probably be able to draw me a detailed map of the entire campus.
It took almost thirty minutes to reach the dorm building. It was like being on a guided tour of Hollywood. Every piece of broken stone, statue, and building had a long history at Aesir Academy, and she knew it all. She also felt the need to share it with everyone around her and then ask questions after. Luckily, I was too short to get called on.
"And this will be your home for the next year. Well, except when you go home for two weeks over the summer. When you come back, you will be taken to the second-year dorms. Welcome to Breckenridge Hall!"
She seemed kind of disappointed when nobody seemed to give a crap.
"Well, right this way," she said and opened the door.
The front room was gigantic. Couches, a fireplace, televisions, gaming consoles were set up everywhere into little alcoves. It wouldn't be a bad place to hang out. To the left, was a countered area with a matronly looking woman standing behind it.
"This is Helga Swenson, your dorm mother," Lateran said and turned the mic over to her. Except there was no mic and she just kind of pointed at the amused looking woman.
"Greetings, children," she said in a sing-song voice. I gave her a smile and a wave. It was never too early to start kissing ass. I wasn't sure what the rules were, but there was a damn good chance I was going to break them. It is always wise to butter your bread before it ends up in the frying pan.
"Well, I will leave you to get settled in your rooms. Classes will start tomorrow, so get plenty of rest. I'll see you in the morning," Headmistress Lateran said as she positively beamed at us.
"That woman needs to be medicated," I whispered to Hiroki, scowling at Lateran
"Oh, no I don't, Dear! I just love my job." She turned and looked right at me. "Did I mention I have excellent hearing? I must have forgotten that, which is strange because I have an impeccable memory. Especially for faces. I never forget them. Or names." Lateran narrowed her eyes at me, and her smile turned into a wolfish grin.
My ass was toast. No amount of butter was going to save it, either. "I said dedicated! Did you think I said medicated? Wow. That would have been rude! See you in the morning. Have a great day!"
"Oh, I will. Sleep well, Kaede."
Fuck. She knows my name. I grinned and waved.
"Guess I'm not the only one who thinks you're a pain in the ass."
I looked over my shoulder. Jacques and his buddies were standing behind me. My day just couldn't possibly get any better. "Oh, hey. No. Most people think I'm a pain in something. Asses. Necks. You name it. So…are the three of you rooming together? Who's on top? Which one gets to be the creamy center of the three musketeers bar? Which one–" Hiroki's hand completely covering my mouth kept me from talking. I licked his palm, but he was used to it.
"Forgive her. I forgot to administer her afternoon medications." Hiroki started to pull me away. Instead of fighting him, I went limp in his arms and let him drag me to safety. We called this maneuver Seventeen-D. It worked wonders, but was even more effective if I had the opportunity to put an Alka-Seltzer tablet in my mouth before he covered it. But that was Seventeen-E. They weren't armed, so that would have been overkill.
"Keep your pet on a leash," Jacques snarled.
"Oh, you are mistaken. I am her pet."
At least the other two were laughing. Jacques looked like he had an aneurysm in his immediate future. David even winked at me. I liked David. He didn't hate me.
He turned us around a group of people milling about waiting for their room numbers, and the tri-sexual trio was finally out of sight. I was half-relieved and half-disappointed. So many more jokes were milling about my little fox-brain to tease them with.
Hiroki removed his hand from my mouth, wiped my saliva off on the front of my T-shirt, and started laughing. "Creamy center of a three musketeers bar," he said between chuckles.
"Right? I had a million mor
e, but thanks for pulling my fat out of the fryer."
"I am less worried about those three than the headmistress."
"Headmistress." I laughed. "How do you think she earned that title?"
His eyes widened. "I am sure through hard work and perseverance. Dedication, and honesty."
"She's come back and is standing right behind me, isn't she?"
Hiroki nodded, not taking his eyes off Lateran.
"Seventeen-E?"
He shook his head. Time to go for the classic One-A. I popped out of existence, leaving Hiroki to deal with Lateran. I popped back into existence by the front door and quietly slipped outside. Leaning back against the entrance to Breckenridge Hall, I chuckled. As soon as the headmistress left, I would be free to go back inside, find my room, and hide under the bed like a smart little fox.
The door opened against me and I immediately saw the flaw on my plan. Lateran couldn't exactly leave if I was blocking the door. I squeaked, ran around the stone column beside the entrance, and peeked around the corner. Luckily it wasn't her, it was David.
"Oh, it's you," I said and stood back up.
"You were expecting Rome?"
"Who's Rome?"
"My friend, whom you have been so elegantly tormenting since our arrival?"
"You mean Jacques?"
"Jacques?"
"Oh, that's what I've been calling him in my head."
"Are there many voices inside there?"
"It's like a choir sometimes, but as I harnessed my power for good, I learned to drown out the ones who tell me to do naughty things."
"I think they're still singing."
"Like canaries."
He laughed and leaned against the column. "I don't think I've ever met anybody like you."
"Well, I had a twin sister, but she's in prison so the odds of you meeting her are slim to none."
His eyes widened. "Truly?"
"Nah, but it sounded cool. So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?"
"Well, I was waiting for an opportune moment to introduce myself."
"You already did. You're David. Jacques' friend." I sat down on the concrete base of the column but gave up and stood again. David was too tall to sit and talk to. I was going to get a crick in my neck.
"You are very fidgety. Why do you call him Jacques?"
"Well, I didn't know his name was Rome and he kind of was acting like a Jacques Strahp."
"Jacque Strahp?"
"It's French for athletic supporter?"
"I'm confused…"
Cute but stupid. My favorite flavors. Like "Athletic supporter… I was calling him a jock strap."
"Ahh. I see."
"You know what those are, right? Under the butt nut huts?"
"Yes." He chuckled. "I am intimately familiar with their usage."
"Intimately?" I wiggled my eyebrows.
"Yes. I played sports in school."
"Oh. That's much less fun. You ever launch water balloons from them?"
He tilted his head, scrunched his eyes, and stared at me like I had lost my damn mind.
"Sorry. I'm not usually this hyper. In awkward situations, I tend to get a little…"
"Crazy?"
"I was going to go with distracted and whimsical, but I'm sure those are in the definition of crazy somewhere."
"You…"
"No. Not psycho. Just hyper."
"No. I was going to say you are very unique."
"Yerp."
"Yerp?" He scrunched his eyebrows, looking even cuter.
"Means yes."
"In which language?"
"Ermagerdian."
"Erma?"
"Gerdian."
"And this is the national language of?"
"Ermagerd. Its capital is Memeville."
"You are making all of this up." He was catching on and dazzled me with a quirky little smile. When I said dazzle, I meant, Daaaaamn he's cute.
"Yerp."
"Would you care to have dinner with me some time?"
"Won't your boyfriend get jealous?"
"We are not mutually exclusive," he said straight-faced.
"Woah. You guys really…" I made dirty gestures with my fingers.
"Nerp. Just wanted to see your reaction."
"Ermagerd! You speak Ermagerdian like a native!"
"Once you learn the phonetics, the rest comes naturally."
It was official. I was in love with David. He gets me. I should probably let his therapist know.
"I'd like that. Don't bring your friends. Wait… Are they brothers, because they look an awful lot alike."
"Twins in fact. Identical."
"Huh. I figured they just both belonged to the same fraternity. But then their names would have been Todd and Chad. What's the other one's name?"
"Remy."
"Rome and Remy? Really? Ridiculous." I fake scoffed.
"Do not let them hear you say that…"
"What? I'll piss them off? Been there, done that, got the tattoo."
"Dinner tonight?"
"Woah, Mr. Pushy. I already said yes, but don't you think we should wait at least twenty-four hours? Give a girl a chance to primp and preen."
"Tomorrow then?"
"It's a date. Cafeteria?"
"Since our restaurant selection is very limited, I think that is a wonderful idea. Pick you up at seven?"
I gave him an earnest smile. David of the dimples and sweet smile was okay in my book. Much better than the testosterone twins any day. "Perfect."
He held out his hand for a shake. I took it and gasped at the heat coming from it. "You okay? Running a fever? Or do I just make you hot?"
He pulled his hand from my grip and gave me a worried look.
"If you think I give two rats' asses about extra credit and am trying to figure out what you are, you are sorely mistaken."
His eyes narrowed for a moment, but he must have trusted his gut instinct and the curvy smile returned to his lips. The fool! Bwahahaha. Just kidding, I really don't care. Besides, I'd take that smile over extra credit any day.
"I am just very warm."
"Can I borrow you when it starts snowing?"
"Cuddle buddy?"
"I was thinking area rug, but sure. Cuddle buddies work, too."
"So strange and yet so interesting."
"That's me."
"We should probably find out where our rooms are, no?" He motioned toward the door.
"Uh… Yeah. Could you let me know if the coast is clear?"
"Rome and Remy are probably already in their rooms."
"I'm more worried about Headmistress Morticia."
"Lateran?"
"Her, too."
Chapter 5
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," Hiroki answered, seemingly as shocked as I was.
"I mean, I understand the whole co-ed dorm idea. We're all mostly grown-ups here, but they put us in the same room?"
"Hai."
"Did you use your magic on that nice lady who looks like somebody's granny?"
"No."
"Did you give her exorbitant amounts of money?"
"No."
"Sweet. You saved me the trouble then. I really didn't want to get stuck bunking with somebody named Karen."
"I suspect your uncle had much to do with it," he said as we headed up the wooden staircase to the second floor of Breckenridge Hall. "I am your attendant. He probably put us together for your safety. Or that of your roommate."
"Hmmm. Yeah. That I can believe. We're on the second floor. People have a tendency to jump from high places when forced to spend large amounts of time with me."
"I have yet to jump."
"That's cuz you're my widdle Roki." I pinched his cheek.
"A shame they do not have a third floor. The end might come quicker."
"Har har. What's our room number?"
"201."
"Look at that. First one. That will be handy for quick getaways." I paused a moment to commit the s
tair landing to memory. I couldn't pop to someplace I hadn't been or couldn't see, but if I memorized it, I could get from my room to the stairs in literally the blink of an eye, but only if I was close enough. I could probably make it to the stairs from my room without looking, but any farther was pushing it.
Hiroki sighed and grabbed my arm before I could turn the key to our new love-nest. "Kaede-sama… May I urge caution? You are already treading upon a barely frozen body of water. Especially with the headmistress, who's berating skills rival that of your mother's, for your information. Thank you for leaving me with that. But, please, let us just get through our time here with a minimal of…trouble?"
"What fun would that be? Plus, you keep using this caution word like I know what it means. Hiroki! Relax! This is like college without frat houses, beer bongs, and grades! Pass or fail buddy. There is no honor roll or GPAs to worry about."
"You did not even finish high school. You were expelled, remember?"
"I'm telling you that fire was not my fault. The chemistry teacher hated me and left the propane valve open on purpose. I was framed…framed I tell you!"
"I was there when you turned the knob."
"Oh yeah. Well, I didn't put the lit Bunsen burner in the room."
"Yes, you did."
"I thought that was you?"
"No. You asked me to hand it to you. I should have said no."
"See? I knew it was your fault."
He sighed again. He made that noise a lot. If he kept losing air like that, I was going to have to keep a can of fix-a-flat and an air compressor around for emergencies. Nobody wanted a flat Hiroki.
I turned the key in the knob and opened the door to our new home. And was utterly disappointed. Seriously. There were two beds, two dressers, two desks and chairs, and nothing else. I mean, it was pretty, completely made of wood, and seriously depressing. The utter lack of entertainment was appalling. How was a girl supposed to live without a television? Or even a mini-fridge? "Wait a minute… Where the fuck am I supposed to keep my alcohol?"
A Tail of Woah: A Reverse Harem Academy Tail (The Fox and the Hounds Book 1) Page 4
