A/N: So everyone seems to be interested in my story so far? SWEET! I'm glad about that. :) Still not sure where this one is going to go…
England: Honestly, when do you ever?
Right, well, that's true. I've changed the title, just so you know, to "Tsuki no Waltz" based off of my favourite song and also because my favorite chapter will include something like that. Look up the song if you want! I'll incorporate it later.
But don't do it if you don't want spoilers. Seriously, I'd rather you not know until that chapter. ^-^; It makes it more magical that way.
Anyway, on with the story!
I felt extremely groggy when I awoke the next morning to my alarm going off. A frown dipped the corners of my lips. When had I actually set my alarm? I pushed the thought away and switched off my alarm. I sat up and blinked in surprise as I felt the blanket I was under slide down bare skin. Apparently I was shirtless, which wasn't a common occurrence. I didn't like sleeping with my shirt off. I then noticed that this blanket wasn't the comforter I usually slept with and that my bed was lacking its sheets.
And then like a jolt of lightning, I remembered last night. I scrambled for a moment and lifted my arm to my face. In place of the disgusting claw mark that oozed that black goo (what the devil was that last night?) was a pale scar the width of my previous wound. It was light enough for others to ignore it if seen, but dark enough that I knew I would notice it forevermore. It was not an experience one could forget easily, after all. I ran my finger down the length of it and shuddered half at the memory of the pain this had caused me and half at the dull pain I felt now from touching it. I was grateful though that my body felt lighter than usual. My sickness was gone and I felt younger than I had in a while. It was refreshing.
I went to go take a shower. Now that it had occurred to me, how had I gotten into my bed? And on top of that, covered up. Had the wolves taken me to my bed? No, that didn't seem logical. But then again, there wasn't anything logical about those wolves. My wound and sickness was healed by them. Although, I was annoyed that I had to go out and buy new sheets and a comforter.
"You seem to be in better health, no?" Francis pointed out to me as I rolled up the sleeves of my button-down shirt. This was considered casual to me so even on a Friday like this I wore such outfits. The weather had heated up during the day and so it was hot here in the portables with the windows open for a cross-breeze. Damn the school budget. Oh well. Save the planet and all that good love.
"I feel splendid." I agreed with him.
Francis walked over and sat on my desk in front of me. I frowned up at him as he leaned forward. "Would you be willing to go out tonight, then? It's Friday."
I sat back in my seat to gain some space between us and contemplated it. "I may take you up on that." My hand reached over to scratch my scar. It still hurt, but it was the kind that itched as well and just hurt more to scratch it. (You all know what I'm talking about, correct? Everyone has felt it!)
Francis noticed and grabbed my arm, startling me. He flipped it to fully expose the marred skin. "Mon dieu! What the 'ell 'appened to your arm?" He gasped.
I yanked my arm back. I didn't like him touching me so much. "I was attacked by an animal." I didn't specify the time. I didn't think I could make up and excuse as to why I have an aged scar could've appeared on my arm in two nights.
"By what?"
"I do not know. A cat perhaps."
"A cat could not make such large mark!"
I grew frustrated. "I don't know, Francis! A dog, then! I didn't see it!"
"Quite a large dog. Are you sure it wasn't perhaps a wolf?"
My blood went cold and I glowered at him. "There is no way it was a wolf." Even to me my voice sounded cold. Francis shrunk back a little. I tided up my papers some as a distraction. After a few moments of tense silence I decided to speak up and talk to somebody. I motioned him closer so as to not let the students entering the room overhear. "Would you believe me if I told you there is something supernatural happening in this town?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Coming from the man who claims to see unicorns."
I scowled at the jab. "They're real, damn it! But I mean that I was attacked by…something that must've poisoned me. Last night I could've died, but a pair of wolves came in and one did…something to my arm. Now I'm healed and my wound is healed as well." I stared at him seriously. "Francis, this scar was fresh only two nights ago."
Francis sat back with a frown, thinking about what I had said. Before he could express him opinion, however, a girl in the class squealed, "Mouse!" Some of the other kids still piling into the class looked around as the girl continued to scream. A few others joined in. Francis also jumped up onto his desk, not liking mice.
"Be quiet, all of you!" I shouted, highly irritated. The class quieted except for a couple of chuckles from the sadists. I turned to the first girl who squealed. 'Where's the mouse?" The girl pointed in the general direction and I spotted it. It was a small tan-furred mouse that stared at me with bright blue eyes. Was that a common hair-eye color combination? I reached over and held my hands out to the little creature. It sniffed my hand. I swear if it had bitten me, I would've thrown the rodent out the door, but luckily it didn't. The mouse crawled onto my palm and sat on its hind legs to stare at me. Somehow I got the impression that this wasn't normal behavior for mice, but I pushed the thought aside. I carried the little creature outside and placed it on the ground. We watched each other for two seconds before we went our separate ways.
"You are all mature young adults, are you not?" I scolded the students as I reentered the portable. "Act you age! It was only a mouse!" I turned to Francis. "And really, you're the worst of them! Grow a pair!"
"So cruel! You wound me, Arthur!" Francis faked being hurt. We were far used to each other's insults. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my supplies before leaving.
That night I did go out with Francis. I didn't feel like becoming smashed however. Having gained a new lease on life, I felt it against the point to drink alcohol. That didn't mean I didn't buy one bottle of scotch, though. Francis and I walked through the single park in the small town, a bottle of fine wine in his hands (he only drank fine wine, the prick) and scotch held in mine. The moon was full tonight.
"It is a lovely evening." I pointed out, catching myself as I stumbled. I wasn't drunk.
"Oui." Francis agreed. "It is only better with a handsome man on my arm." He winked flirtatiously at me.
I glared and let go of his arm. I don't recall grabbing it for support. "Shaddup, you bloo'y tossa!" I slurred. Okay, perhaps I was a little bit drunk. But just a smidge. I still felt a little flattered by his compliment though and so I didn't hit him. I spotted a bench and sat upon it. I needed to sober up a little.
Francis joined me. "So you really believe that there's something supernatural happening?"
I raised an eyebrow at the sudden question. He must've been thinking it over the whole day. "Without a doubt." I took a gulp of my scotch. A few meters away I noticed a band of cats appear one by one from the trees and up in the branches. They hopped down before their heads all turned towards me, which quickly unnerved me. How curious. And weird.
Francis didn't say any more and we both sat enjoying the night and the companionship. I may hate Francis, but he was tolerable at times. Specifically when we're both tipsy. It was a fine line though for I knew he would try to bend me over and fuck me as soon as I became drunk enough. I had to be careful around him.
My eyes focused on the cats once again as they made their way towards us. For a fleeting moment I wondered if they were going to attack us. One of the cats –it had pale yellow fur that was practically white with dark brown fur that poofed around its neck and its tail- hopped up onto my lap while purring. My heart melted a little. I had always had a soft spot for cats. I began to scratch behind the creature's ears and it kneaded my leg a little before curling up, apparently liking the treatment. The other cats lay down in front of my feet; the dark brown one rubbing a little against my leg. How cute.
"You seem to have a way with animals." Francis nodded to the cats before drinking his wine. I questioned how drunk he was. Another cat with a similar shade of fur as the one in my lap brushed against his legs before lying down next to the albino cat. A black one touched noses with the dark brown one as the latter one came near it.
"Not particularly." I did like animals, but I'd never had an occurrence such as this one happen to me. "Perhaps they're owned." I didn't think cats traveled in groups. The cat on my lap yowled a little (it was a little chubby, now that I think about it) and stretched before lazily turning its head to look at the other cats. The albino one yowled back, gazing at it. I ran my hand down the first cat's back and its purr became louder. It shut its blue eyes.
Suddenly every cat's ears shot up and they all sat up and gazed in the direction of the bushes. "What's gotten into them?" Francis asked.
"I haven't a clue." I answered. A collective hiss rose from all five cats; their fur rising on end. I felt my own fine hairs on my arms and neck raise. Something wasn't right. Then I saw it: a black beast the size of a dog. It had no form, I realized, but now I wonder if it perhaps was my drunkenness that adhered to that. It had no eyes. Francis and I both gasped and in a flash all five cats ran and pounced onto the creature before they started tearing at it. I watched, horrified as Francis –the little coward he was (and possibly because of his drunkenness) - made a run for it.
The creature took off towards the streets and all of the cats ran after it. It didn't take long before they had all disappeared. I was frozen stiff. What the hell had I just witnessed? So it wasn't just the wolves attacking those things. Cats were doing it too. Did all animals instinctively attack creatures such as the one I had just seen? But no, that wouldn't explain how the wolf had healed me. Confused, I walked away from the park. I suddenly remembered that I had to go buy a comforter and sheets.
Have I ever mentioned exactly how small how town was? Well, it wasn't that tiny compared to some towns, but it was still fairly small. Unfortunately, it also had a fairly large crime rate. It was a very dangerous town for one to adventure into the main part of town at night without some kind of weapon. And for me, I didn't carry any kind of weapon. Usually I would've just driven to the store, but being a little more inebriated than necessary, I wasn't exactly thinking straight. But even so I made it to the store and bought my items.
I was on my way home and things were going wall. It was around this time that I honestly should have expected something to go wrong and also I should've been more on guard. As it was, it was a matter of time as I ended up held at gunpoint in an alleyway by a crook. Needless to say I sobered up quite quickly.
"Give us all of your money." He said. I glared and kept my back to the wall, cursing my stupidity. I knew better than to walk around at night and yet I had done it anyhow.
"I don't have any." I told him.
"Don't play funny with me, British-guy! You wouldn't have been able to buy that shit if you didn't!" The man said. Damn. I really didn't want to hand over my paycheck to him. I needed that to support myself and my brother. I couldn't just hand it over. But I didn't have much of a choice. I wasn't strong enough to fight him on my own without some type of weapon.
It seemed as if I had delayed too long. "The money!" The man yelled and pointed the gun at me. I flinched, prepared to be attacked, but it never came. A loud howl made us all jump. I looked up and saw at the top of the building the same wolf that had healed me. A rush of unexplainable relief rushed through me at the sight. "It's a fucking wolf!" My assaulter said, instead aiming the gun at the creature.
The wolf growled and lunged at the man. In mid-air, to my complete and utter disbelief (really, was I more inebriated than I had previously thought?), the wolf suddenly morphed into the form of a golden lion. It tackled the man to the ground and a fight ensued. I heard a gunshot and dropped to the ground in fear. My heart was pounding like crazy.
The next moment I felt a pair of teeth clamp onto the back of my shirt (holy hell, I think I had a heart attack) and I was thrown into the air. I screamed, unable to hold it in and then I landed on something furry. I clamped onto that fur for dear life, afraid to let go. I was on the lion. The creature jumped up and onto the top of the building. I felt like screaming again, but instead I buried my head in its fur (it was quite soft, now that I think about it) as the beast took off across the town. I gripped the creature with my legs and arms as it hopped from building to building at speeds I wish it didn't run.
After a few heart-pounding moments, I glanced up in curiosity. The town flew out from under our feet. I watched the lion's paws pound against the rooftops. Then the lion landed back on the ground, right at the entrance of the forest. But the lion pitched forward suddenly and I was thrown from its back and sent tumbling. I landed hard on the ground, but I was generally uninjured and thankful to be alive. Not many people could say they rode a wild lion and lived. And thinking of the lion, I looked around to see where it was.
Instead of spotting a lion, however, my eyes landed on a very human, very naked, boy. My face lit up red at the sight, but even more so as I recognized who it was. Alfred groaned and climbed to his hands and knees. But his right arm collapsed underneath of him and he fell over with a cry and a loud, "Fuck!" He glared at his arm and began licking it, growling in annoyance. I snapped out of my stupor as I noticed that his arm was bleeding.
"Jones!" I screeched. He lifted his head, surprised, and looked at me with bright blue eyes. He grinned sheepishly.
"Hey there, Mr. K!" He rubbed the back of his head with his uninjured hand.
"Wha-How-where…It's 'Mr. Kirkland'." I finished pathetically, unable to form a proper sentence. He rolled his eyes.
"Jeez, can't you give me a break?"
"How the devil did you get here? And where is the lion? And bloody hell boy, why are you naked!" I finally managed to form a couple of questions in my baffled mind.
Alfred looked down at himself in surprise and let out a groan. "Fuuuck!" He growled and flopped backwards onto the grass. I didn't understand. Did he not know he was naked? I forced my eyes to stay on his face despite that he was completely exposing himself to my vision. His body was quite a bit better looking than I had imagined.
…Not that I imagined my students naked or anything.
Don't give me that look. I don't!
I pushed the thought aside of Alfred's body and my eyes drifted to his bloody arm. "Your arm!" I gasped and scrambled to my feet to get near him. He watched me as I ripped off my shirt and wrapped it tightly around his wound. It appeared to be a bullet wound, from the size and shape of it. That answered one of my questions. "We need to get you to the hospital right now." I said as I tied off the shirt tightly. At least that would stem the bleeding for now.
Alfred pushed away my hands that were trying to drag him to his feet. "No way! I'll be fine!"
"Mr. Jones, you are not fine! You are gushing blood! And on top of it, you're naked! Where the hell are your clothes?" I demanded, looking around.
"They're somewhere in the forest. I don't know where." He commented as if it was the most common thing in the world. I glared at him. "Look, my name is Alfred so stop calling me by my last name."
"Jones-"
"Alfred." He stressed. What an obnoxious boy.
"Whatever! Alfred, then! I'm taking you to the hospital!"
"Like this?" Alfred motioned to us. "What would people think?" I flushed as I understood what he was thinking. A naked teenage boy with a bullet in his arm and a shirtless adult. Bloody hell, I would lose my job in a heartbeat. I cursed under my breath. "Look just chill out, Mr. Kirkland, dude." Alfred told me. "I'll be fine. Just give me a few moments."
I glared at him but I gave up. Apparently we weren't going anywhere fast. So I sat and crossed my arms. I needed to find out the truth, and it wasn't hard to figure out. I am a genius after all. Here Alfred is, naked, and with a bullet wound in his arm. The lion I was riding on rescued me, but it must have been shot in the arm. The wolf transformed –somehow- into the lion. "You're the wolf that healed me." I stated.
He blinked at me and opened his mouth before closing it again. "You…you knew?"
"No, I only just figured it out." I told him. "Explain it to me right now." Alfred scratched the back of his head and avoided my gaze. Wolf howls distracted us and Alfred's head turned to the sound. I looked around. How did he know which direction it had come from? It sounded like we were surrounded. Alfred raised his hands to cup his mouth –he winced a little at the movement- and howled back. It was the same exact howl that the wolf I had met two nights ago had made. My answer was confirmed.
Within a few moments I heard movement in the trees and from it bounded four other wolves –one tan, one black, one brown, and the last silver. They all landed lightly and approached us. I stared at them with wide eyes. These were the wolves that had killed the creature that had attacked me. The wolves' eyes flicked between Alfred and me before they dashed into the forest. Seconds later Matthew, Kiku, Nicole, and Gilbert appeared with ranging emotions on their faces. Matthew and Nicole looked upset and exasperated. Kiku looked apprehensive and wary. Gilbert appeared furious. Needless to say, I was questioning my sanity by this point. Seeing your students transform from being animals into humans did that to a person.
"Hi guys." Alfred greeted casually.
"You arschloch!" Gilbert shouted. Alfred and I winced. "What the fuck have you done?"
"Alfred, what's going on here?" Matthew demanded.
"You fucked up big time, Al." Nicole said with a glare.
"What has happened to you two?" Kiku questioned.
"Hey, it was an accident!" Alfred defended himself. "I didn't mean to transform in front of him!"
"Then why the fuck are you?" Gilbert growled. Alfred growled back. He looked like an animal at that point.
"Because my arm!" Alfred pointed to his crude bandage.
"What happened to you?" Nicole asked, rushing to his side to examine the wound. Kiku joined her.
"I was shot saving our teacher!" He told them.
Matthew sighed. "And now you've exposed us, Al." I was beginning to develop a headache.
"Why the hell aren't you on my side? I was just being a hero!"
"But you still shouldn't have gotten shot." Kiku said, undoing the bandage over the wound to look at it.
"It's not like I wanted to!"
"What kind of fucking leader are you?" Gilbert yelled.
"Are you challenging me?" Alfred growled.
"Maybe I am, since you can't even keep a secret!"
"Guys, stop!" Matthew jumped between the two snarling teens.
"Now's not the time!" Nicole agreed.
"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" I shouted and everyone jumped and looked at me with wide eyes. I was confused and thus I was seething. "Someone explain. Now. Kiku." I turned to him. I knew he would explain the best.
"Hey, I'm the leader!" Alfred protested.
"I couldn't give to flying fucks if you were the bloody queen of England right now." I hissed at him. "I want answers." Alfred backed down. I suppose I still had some command seeing as I was the teacher. I turned to Kiku and waited.
Kiku cleared his throat a little. "A…ano." He murmured. "I'm very sorry about all of this, Kirkland-sensei." He began with an apology. "You see, we're not normal humans."
"I understand that. You are shape-shifters, are you not?" I asked, calming myself some. I didn't like yelling at Kiku.
"Yes, I suppose you would call us that. We don't really have a name for ourselves, after all." Kiku nodded. "We're what you may also call…um…" He looked at his friends for help.
Nicole folded her arms and tilted her head in thought. "We're kind of, what you would call, aliens."
I didn't believe them. "Aliens." I stated.
"It's true!" Alfred said, pushing past his friends. "We've come from another world!"
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "No, I won't believe that. Shape-shifters, yes. That's what I'll think of you as."
"So you believe in shape-shifters but not aliens?" Gilbert questioned.
I glared. "For my sanity's sake, yes. But how?"
"We're just born this way." Matthew said with a shrug and a sheepish smile.
"And Alfred was the one who healed my arm, correct?" I asked, showing them my arm. Nicole came forward and grabbed my arm, bringing it to her nose to sniff it. I gave her a baffled look.
"Yes, and he did a good job of it too." She pulled away. Alfred stood up behind her looking proud. I suddenly remembered the bareness of my student and I flushed before covering my eyes.
"Good lord, Alfred! Put some clothes on, boy!"
"What? But I don't have any!" Alfred objected.
"Here, Al. You can take my underwear." I heard Matthew say. There was a shuffling and I cautiously removed my hands to see Alfred pull a pair of boxers straight on his hips. Matthew was putting his pants back on.
"Thanks, bro." Alfred grinned at him. He turned to me. "Better?"
"Much, thank you." I said dryly. "Did you just change in front of Nicole?" I questioned, not bothering to use their last names any longer. We weren't in school after all.
"I'm used to it; don't worry." Nicole grinned. I stared at her.
"You let these boys dress in front of you?"
"Yes."
"Unlike humans," Kiku explained for me, seeing my horrified look, "we do not mind nudity. It is actually more common for us to be nude than clothed, you see." I looked from one person to the next, not comprehending. Four boys and one girl. The five of them went naked all of the time. Was there some type of reverse-harem going on here? Oh lord, I couldn't think straight. I couldn't wrap my mind around these students.
I collapsed onto the ground. All of my students rushed over. "Are you okay?" They asked, looking worried.
I placed my head in my hands. It was pounding. "I'm done. I can't take any more of this."
"He's having a little bit of culture shock." Kiku told his friends.
"We should take him home." Gilbert said. There was a general consensus among the group.
"Mr. Kirkland, please climb on." Nicole said. I looked up to see a white horse with a silver mane standing in front of me. Around its hooves were some clothes. I felt a little sick.
"Is that Gilbert?" I asked softly. The horse nodded its head.
"Yes, he's going to take you home." Matthew told me with a soft smile. Beside him Alfred was pouting.
"I would do it, but I can't transform with my arm like this." He informed me. I looked at him.
"Wait, what are you going to do about your wound?"
"It'll heal in a day or so." Kiku said. "We heal quickly." I still had so many questions for them. What else could they do? What were those creatures that I saw? How was I healed? From what was I healed? But I felt that I couldn't process any more information right now. Gilbert stomped his hoof and shook his head, appearing impatient.
"Don't be rude, Gilbert." Matthew scolded, apparently understanding him. He turned to me. "Can you ride bareback?"
"I'm not riding my student." I stated, standing. "I'll walk home." Gilbert transformed back so swiftly I had no time to prepare for his exposure. I gasped and covered my eyes, embarrassed. I could not be allowed to look at my students naked! What kind of teacher would I be, then?
"Ha! Prude." Gilbert laughed. "Oh well, I don't care if I give him a ride or not."
"Put some clothes on!" I told him.
"Make me." Still as rude outside the classroom as in. Insolent twerp.
"Whatever! I'm walking home. I do not live far from here anyhow!" I said and uncovered my eyes to start walking. It really wasn't all that far now that I recognized my surroundings. It was maybe a fifteen minute walk. I could make that. Besides, I wasn't quite exhausted physically as I was mentally. It must be nearly midnight by now. It sure felt late.
"We'll walk with you!" Alfred said and rushed to catch up. The others ran a little ahead of us, though and walked together. I raised an eyebrow at that and then scowled, annoyed.
"I don't need you walking with me." I told him.
"It's for protection purposes!" Alfred assured me with one of his grins.
"I'm sure that I won't get mugged near the forest. People are afraid of the wolves." I eyed him. He laughed.
"That's true, but I meant against the Shadows!" I questioned what they were. "They're those black creatures that you saw and that attacked you."
I held my head. So that's what had attacked me. "Don't tell me any more. I can't process so much at once."
Alfred laughed again. "Yeah, I bet it's a lot to take in!" We didn't talk any longer until we reached the backdoor of my house. I turned to face my students.
"I'll see you all on Monday, I suppose?" I asked.
"Of course!" Alfred said.
"We're not going to skip just because you know!" Nicole agreed.
"But don't tell anybody about us." Gilbert said.
"Yeah, we're a bit of a secret." Matthew agreed.
"Understandable. Well, good night, then." They waved and ran off into the forest. I watched them disappear into the growth before I entered my house and went upstairs to change. It was only as I was nearly asleep did I remember that I had left my newly-bought comforter and sheets in that alleyway. Fuck.
A/N: I'm not sure how long this story will be…
But yeah, sorry if anybody thought they were werewolves. They're better than that! :D But they'll be wolves for the majority of their transformations (sue me; I have a thing for wolves. Hence the username).
I won't be able to update on Wednesdays, so sorry about that. I would've updated yesterday but yeah, I couldn't because of the dragon that lives in my house. Wednesdays suck.
Review please!