A/N: Chapter 10! Wooooo I can't wait to write upcoming chapter of this story. It's gonna pick up soon, I promise :D.

OC's are opening up again! I need a few for the high school arc, which is coming in a few chapters.

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Enjoy the read! And drop a review with your thoughts!

No quote, sorry.

Nick and I parted ways to our sides of the classroom as we walked in. There was usually a couple of minutes before Ms. Greene would start the class, seeing as some students might enter late.

For the class however, this was a chance to talk about anything they wanted.

The first couple of weeks flew by. Ray and I became great friends, and we actually had plans to go to the new arcade opening tomorrow. I was looking forward to it, and then, Nick said he didn't want to go.

Nick seemed less interactive in general, now that he was back with his school friends.

It didn't bother me a whole lot, his friends seemed okay. I didn't want to be a tag-along or anything. We still hung out and stuff, but the whole dynamic we had going last summer just shifted a lot. It was just different.

I noticed Ray walk into the room with a wide grin on his face when he saw me. "What's up?"

"Nothing." I replied smiling too. "You did the math homework?"

His eye widened in shock. "Oh crap! I completely forgot. Did you do it?"

I dragged my paw down my face. "No… I didn't. I hoped you did so I could copy you."

He laughed. "You're supposed to be the smarter of the duo. You can't mess up now."

I shrugged. "I did literally every other assignment. I can miss one. You on the other hand are gonna get a nasty grade on your report card if you keep this up You rarely do homework."

He shrugged. "You don't need immaculate grades to be successful."

"Someone's using his word a day calendar. And grades do matter."

He waved his arm. "High school grades matter. Anyways… my dad said that I could go tomorrow! Is Nick coming too?"

I shook my head. "He's gonna hang out at Duke's house or something."

"Ah."

Ms. Greene closed the door, signifying class was starting. Those who weren't already sitting, sat down, and we all took out our notebook and pens.

"Before I start today's lesson, I got some flyers for the teams here. There's Football, Ultimate Frisbee, and Track."

I raised my hand. "Are there anymore teams?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "These are the only teams in season right now Ace."

My ears splayed as I realized that was kind of a dumb question.

I heard Ray chuckle. "She really hates you man."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care. I do all my work so she can't complain."

"Except math." Ray said quickly.

"Screw math."

We laughed a bit, and I reached out for the flyer as it was passed to me.

"Ace, join the Frisbee team with me."

Honestly, I wanted to say no. Mostly because I was sort of... scared, but I couldn't say no to Ray.

His grins were infectious. "I'll try it. No promises." I said.

He smiled even wider. "Awesome. We can practice during recess."

I looked back at the flyer. Apparently tryouts were next Tuesday after school.

…That couldn't work, I had to take the bus. On second thought how would I commit to a team without a ride? Mom couldn't pick us up from school, she was deep in the center of Zootopia while we headed home.

"Wait uh, I take the bus home Ray. How could I even go to tryouts?"

He waved his hand. "I'll drop ya off. My driver won't mind."

"Driver?"

"Yeah."

"You have a personal driver?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Does he call you sir? Or like, young master?"

Ray stifled a laugh. "He's one of my dad's helpers."

"Helper? Is that a fancy way of saying a Nanny?" He shot me a look. "It's not a nanny."

"Totally a nanny."

"He's not a nanny! He's uh, like a butler! Yeah, a butler."

I laughed a bit, not too loudly. "Good evening, young master Raymond."

"Shut up you dork."

We laughed a bit before getting back to copying what Ms. Greene was writing. It was something about a writer that used to live a long time ago.

As we copied the information I noticed the fox from the first day of school looking at me. She looked away quickly when I looked up, and my eyes trailed back slowly to the board.

Jade.

She was probably the first girl I had a crush on before. As much as I'd deny it if Ray, or Nick asked. She was never around long enough for me to talk to her though. I'd like to at least become friends with her.

"So uh, Ray. What do you want to be?" I said, placing my pen on my notebook.

"A member of the ZIA."

"ZIA?"

He nodded. "They control all the major crime that the ZPD can't. You know, white collar crimes. They can do anything from assassinations to espionage, could be anything from bodyguards to hit men. The get to use this awesome tech, and there's a school you have to invited to to get in."

I scratched my head. "White collar crime? You watch too many crime shows." I said chuckling. "But that does sound cool. I always wanted to be in the law field, but I can't see myself as a cop or lawyer."

"So join the ZIA."

"Do you even know how to get in?"

"Well, I uh... I'm not sure. But I'm gonna work there. All I gotta do is find out how."

I noticed Ms. Greene looking at us and I clamped my mouth shut, getting back to work.

The lunchroom buzzed with activity, the main topic being one, the arcade would be opened this weekend, and two, the team tryouts.

Ray bumped me with his arm as he grabbed his food. "Some grade A stuff here, eh?"

I looked at the, uh, substance that was on his plate. "Gross. Don't eat that. You can have half my sandwich."

"What is it?" He asked, casting everything except for a chocolate milk into the garbage.

It's strange how most of the school food ends up in the garbage. Why don't they just improve the recipe?

"It's PB and J." I said.

We sat on a table, not too far from the windows. I handed him half, and we ate in silence for a bit before Nick came to sit with us.

"Where's Duke and that other kid?" I asked as he sat down.

He shrugged. "I dunno. Think they're absent today."

The was a loud screech as the doors to the playground opened. As the first wave of students ran out to play, Nick, Ray, and I were still at the table.

"You guys wanna play Frisbee?"

I hadn't felt like going out today, but I didn't have anything better to do in particular.

I shrugged, my eyes falling onto Nick. "I don't care, it's up to Nick."

"I'd rather not, my arms a little sore. You guys can go though."

I frowned at the lie. If he didn't want to play, he could've just said no. I gave him a look that said 'You're lying," and he responded with the driest look I'd ever seen.

"Okay, let's go then Ray."

I ran as I watched the bright green disc ascend toward the ground. Jumping, I caught it with my right paw, landing I the ground.

Ray waved his arms in the distance, and I threw it back toward him.

The wind, however decided that I couldn't have just a normal game.

No.

That was too much to ask.

The disc flew through the air curving right toward a group of kids talking by the benches. It hit a panther in the back of his head, with a clonk, and the playground went silent. He turned around slowly and looked around before his eyes settled on Ray. His muzzle curved into a deep scowl as he walked toward the Lynx.

I quickly ran over, as a crowd formed around the two to see the panther flick Ray's trademark visor off his head.

"Thought that was funny huh?"

Before it could escalate further, I pushed through the crowd waving my hands wildly.

"It was me. Not him. It was totally an accident, alright?" I gestured to the field. "I threw from over there and the wind curved it toward you. That's all."

"Really?" He asked.

"Yes."

The scowl on his face curved into a small smile. "Oh good. It was just a misunderstanding."

"For a second there I thought you were-"

A loud 'oooh' erupted from the small crowd, and I stumbled back holding my nose. My eyes started watering, and my nose throbbed in pain.

Ray yelled, and tried to jump at the panther, only to be shoved back by one of the panther's friends.

The panther smiled when I looked up to him, and without thinking, I swung at him, claws out, raking across his muzzle.

He growled and jabbed his fist toward me.

My mind jumped into overdrive as I relieved the fight that happened years ago. The fight that made me feel the lowest I'd ever been. I watched as his fist came closer to me and I realized something.

The movements were painfully similar, and… slow.

Almost like I could see it coming.

I ducked under his arm, and took a step or two back, and took on a fighting stance. My left shoulder was facing him, and my paws were balled into fists.

If anyone was saying anything, I couldn't hear them. The only thing I heard was my own heartbeat and breaths.

My heart jumped when he swung again, and just like last time, his movement was… slow.

I ducked again, and hit the panther under his jaw, and he stepped back and swung at me. I curled my arm toward my shoulder, and took the punch on it. I hit him three times, two lefts and a right in to face. He stumbled back, blood leaking from his lip. He wiped his muzzle groggily, and ran at me, fangs bared.

I smiled, as I easily jumped out the way, sending him headfirst into the gate behind me.

He stood up again, and that's when a large wolf grabbed him, and held him down, as another animal grabbed me, harshly shoving me away.

"Principal! NOW!"

The cold tile in the building made me jump a bit as we walked in.

The animal behind me flicked my ear. "Stop that."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I can't help it, it's cold."

At the end of the corridor was a single door. The door opened widely, and I was met face to face with… a ferret.

The principal was a ferret? Figured he'd be a lion or something…just a bigger animal in general. Ferrets weren't the most imposing of animals after all.

"He smiled warmly, as I walked in and nodded. "Thank you. I'll speak to him alone now."

As the door closed, I felt my cheeks and ears heat up in embarrassment. Here I was, roughly a month into a new school, and I fought someone.

"Sit down. Stop fiddling your thumbs, it's annoying." His voice was oddly deep, but it wasn't scary sounding. It sounded almost, kind.

I nodded and sat in the chair, covering my hands with my tail, staring at it.

"Welcome to my office Ace! I'm principal Gibbs."

I jumped and looked up at him, and he was grinning. "That fight isn't why you're here by the way. I've had my eye on you ever since you came into the school. More so when you took the preliminary exam."

He jumped onto his desk and walked around it, before sitting on the edge directly across from me. "You sir, achieved a cumulative score of 30 out of 30! Only seven other furs in the country have done that!" He paused. "Well, if we're only counting this 3rd grade generation. Twenty years ago, there was this crazy- wait, I'm getting sidetracked. Anyways, I just wanted to get to know you, as I've already met the other two who did alarmingly well on the exams. It makes me proud knowing such promise is here in my school."

"Who else did good?" I asked.

The ferret waved his finger. "I can't tell you. Also, you can't tell anyone about your score, er, I'd prefer if you didn't. The test scores are usually left unreleased anyway. Just keep up the hard work."

He got up and walked over to the computer on his desk, and with a bit of force, swiveled it around. The screen revealed several camera feeds, one of which was the playground.

"I'm not the head of security here, but I still like to watch my students now and then. I know what you did was in self defense, so I'll let it slide this time."

I let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Are you okay though? You seem fine, but if you want to go to the nurse that's fine too."

I shook my head. "I'm ok."

"Well, that's it for now. See ya around."

With that I was escorted out the principal's office, and into class.

"Hey."

Ray waved as I sat down, and looked back at his desk. "Sorry for getting you into that. I swear, I would've jumped in to help, but I got held up."

I laughed a bit. "It's not your fault. If anything the world is to blame for blowing the frisbee toward him in the first place."

He nodded weakly, and I smiled. "It's fine, really. I can hold my own."

Ray looked back and smiled. "Next time, I'll have your back. For sure."

I smiled back at him, and with that we got back to work.

Well, Ray got back to work, and I had to ignore the murmuring that was likely about my fight.

Well, I wanted it to be different this time around right?