Full Moon High


Chapter 9: Make an Important Choice; Great Responsibility pt.1


School Gymnasium

In the empty gymnasium, Sarah was practicing all on her own at the moment. Dressed in a pink and white gymnastics uniform and wearing sole less slippers, while using a ribbon in her performance, was none other than Sarah Pattrel as she was performing on the halfway round. And then finally, after a few ballerina-like gymnastic moves with the ribbon, she ended it with a graceful stylized pose, kneeling on the ground with an elegance befitting of a Swan or Albatross.

She stopped, as she let all the air in and out of her lungs, allowing her chest to rise up and down as her back was arched, and she sat on the ground, with her right leg all the way back and her left leg tucked in a perfect split, and her arms back. She then broke her stance, and sat Indian style.

She was brooding over Ashley's actions that day, and huffed, "What does she think she's doing? Sitting with Talbot, Argent, and even Corvis at lunch today? She didn't even go in the pool with practice today, and even weirder still, she talks to Talbot but she doesn't talk to us? What's going on with her?" she huffed, as she crossed her arms, and thought aloud, "Just who does she think she is? Hanging around nerds like Talbot, Argent, and even Corvis?" but then she sighed, as she looked calm and exhausted, "Then again… Thomas isn't that different when it comes to status…"

She had remembered when she and Thomas had first met that freshman year in high school. He was working at a car wash, earning his own money, and he was using a high pressure water nozzle, spraying the car. Unfortunately for him, it was Sarah's private car, and she had her backseat window open… where she was sitting at. The driver was purchasing bottled water at the convenient store of the car wash, and was walking out, as he shouted for Miss Sarah to roll up her window. Unfortunately it was too late, as he didn't notice the open window… and soaked Sarah straight on.

She chuckled, as she remembered on how fuming mad she was, and saw Tom on his knees, begging her forgiveness. She huffed, saying she was gonna sue the pants off of him. But at that time, a little boy popped up, asking why his big brother was pretending to be a footstool in front of a water fairy. Tom paled at that, thinking Sarah was gonna throttle him right then and there. But all Sarah seem to do was laugh hysterically; so hard she fell to her knees, holding her sides as she couldn't stop laughing at all that.

It was only after she stopped, she decided to give him a warning, seeing as how she had nearly passed out from all the laughing. She smiled at that memory, thinking, "It was really sweet of his brother to call me a water fairy."


Young Lady, I want 100 percent on all your grades next time.

Unless you're top of your class, you're not somebody. You're less than nobody.

If you're fine with just having 95 percent, than what do I expect from a loser like my own daughter!


Sarah flinched, hating the words that her own mother, a perfectionist, had forced on to her. Not even once in her childhood had her mother given her a word other than pushing her to strive for perfection. That was why she had gotten into gymnastics, as well as the cheerleader squad, and pushed herself for good grades. It was all a ruse pushed on to her by her mother; molding her into the perfect daughter in brains and physicality. However, she didn't continue to be in gymnastics because of her mother. She continued because once she was there, pushing herself in all the music and her performance, flips and swings on the bar and beams, she felt free like a bird. It was her way to escape the grasp that was her mother. But Tom was also her escape as well; he never berated her, never pushed her or made her feel guilty when she didn't do a hundred. He made her feel… like a normal girl.

She stood back up, but the stopped, as she sniffed her arm, and shook with a little disgust, "I think a normal girl needs a good cleansing."


Elsewhere

Back at Boo N' Nobles

The halls, walls, and shelves in the library were filled with books and books that went on for what felt like miles. Swamps, cascades, gardens of books; it would be a book reader's paradise. However, all the books were solely based on the Occult and Horror fiction, which for any occult nut, it was considered a paradise of Encarta Knowledge of the Realm of the Supernatural. And currently it was empty at the moment, say for Peter, Mikey, and even Kylie, who didn't look at all amused at the two boys. For all the while they were sitting at a library table, the two had told her about why Mikey said that Peter was a werewolf. The Spring Break incident, his grandfather's lycanthropic origin, Roland and his gang getting messed up. It wasn't every day that a cosplay Goth punk girl was told that one of her classmates in her high school was a legendary monster of myth. Calmly, she seemed to deny any chance of believing their story.

She shook her head, as she calmly asked, "Look, I know I'm a big monster and anime fan, but do you really think I'm gullible enough to believe this?"

Peter shrugged, "Honestly. I thought you'd believe this story altogether."

"And yet, instead of going on a bloody rampage, like they do in the movies, you raid the fridge on your first Full Moon. Instead of going out mauling a deer or a villager or two," Kylie seemed to pout, not buying this. And then pointed out, "Hmmm. And even so, as a werewolf, you beat up Roland and his gang. That's what you do with your lycan powers?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I disappoint you?" Peter sarcastically pointed out. "I changed into a werewolf, and then beat up Roland's gang in order to prevent him from nearly killing Ashley Norwest, whom is actually a nice person, once you get to know her. In all that, I managed not to go postal on anyone, and you're disappointed. I'm sorry about that."

Mikey shook his head, as he looked to Peter, "I don't think she believes us."

Peter nodded at that, as the two looked to her. Finally, she sighed, as she replied, "Okay then… transform."

The two blinked at that, as they looked to each other, as Peter nervously declined on that idea, "Um, here now? Ah, so. Sorry, but I don't think that's a good idea."

"Because you're not a werewolf?" Kylie interrogated.

Peter looked away, blushing a little out of embarrassment, as he looked away. This got Kylie curious on this point, as she looked to Mikey and asked him, "Why's he embarrassed?"

"It's not that he's not a werewolf, Kylie," Mikey explained, as he tried not to poke fun out of Peter. "It's just that when he changes, his mass and size increase due to his lycan form. I mean he's not heavily muscled when he does change, and he's not nine feet in height, but whenever he does change, his clothes all get torn to shreds."

Kylie blinked at this, as she shrugged, "So what? I've seen teenage boy playgirl vid clips on the web. I'm not embarrassed or flustered with human anatomy. I even sleep in the nude on occasion." And then blushed as she looked away, hiding her face with her hair, "When I fantasize about you, Mikey."

Mikey went crimson under his hair, as he gulped, and changed the subject, "W-Well, either way, Peter doesn't have a change of clothes. So it'd be pretty embarrassing if he had to run out of here in nothing but his birthday suit and his backpack."

"Hold on," Kylie ran out, as she exited the room, "I have something that might help."

The two looked to each other, wondering what the heck she had planned, and then she ran back in. she walked over to Peter, and held in front of him a pair of spandex boxer shorts, black of course. "Here you are."

Peter took them, and looked at the underwear confusingly, as he looked to Kylie, "Spandex?"

"It stretches," she explained.

Peter pulled at them, as he noticed their elasticity, "Okay… but ah, why do you have a pair of boy's underwear?"

Kylie shrugged, "I was planning to use them in a cosplay outfit I was making."

Peter got up, as he walked out of there, "Give me a minute to change, and I'll be right back."

Once he had come back, all he was wearing was the spandex underwear, which Kylie was admiring his physique. "Hmmmm. Easy on the eyes, I see. Turn around, let me see the back."

"Okay, time to transform, and get this over with," Peter said, as he took a deep breath, relaxing himself. Kylie still didn't seem to believe in this, but Mikey was on edge as he was waiting for the moment.

Then finally, Peter hunched over, as his nails started to grow and go black. Then finally, he snarled as his eyes turned yellow, and his full transformation took into effect, as an excited Mikey and a stunned Kylie looked at this sight. He fully transformed, as he stood in front of them, wolf-like features, tail, hind feet, and furred body all in face. He looked at the two, taking a huge huff of air, as he stared at them, and smirked, "Eh? What do you think?"

At that moment, a stifling Mikey was holding back his excited chuckle, while Kylie blinked with complete assurance at what she was seeing was true. She slowly stood up, and slowly walked towards him, and once she was close enough, she circled him, to examine him. The moment and action made Peter feel like he was suddenly becoming eye candy to the girl. Finally, she stopped in front of him, as her smile widened.

And then she finally spoke up, with an amazed laugh, as she cupped her mouth, "Haha! Oh my God!"

"I know, right?" Mikey nodded, as he stood up, as Peter smirked at all this.

But then he stopped for a second, "Oh! Hold on."

The two blinked at that, as he tried to adjust his rear end on for some odd reason. Kylie asked, "What's wrong?"

"No, hold on," Peter reassured them, as he reached behind, and then did a quick pull on both ends, tearing at something. Once that happened, his huge fluffy tail popped out. Once that happened, he sighed in relief, as he breathed out, "Oh man, that feels tons of better."

Kylie had to get all giddy on that, as she stiffened a giggle or two, but Mikey had the most insane idea, "Whoa. I just had a crazy idea." He walked over to Peter, as he stated, "Pete. You could be a superhero with this, man."

Peter blinked at that, as he thought his friend had lost his mind, "What?"

Kylie agreed to that too, "Yeah, you could. You were able to take down Roland with no problems, why shouldn't you be?"

He was about to object to that, but then Peter remembered on that night saving Ashley from Roland and his gang. All his life, he watched as people got hurt from those who lost the value and respect over strength. Peter knew the value and the respect that came with it, but never had any strength to begin with. And the idea of being a werewolf superhero… that just seemed to spark something.

"Yeah," Peter softly said to them, as a smile spread across his face, "I could, couldn't I?"

It was at that moment, Kylie beamed with excitement, as she ran over to the werewolf boy iwht a measuring tape. "Alright then, if you're gonna be a superhero, you need the clothes to match it."

"But, all the stuff I usually wear just shreds up when I change," Peter explained, as Kylie began taking measurements, even in places that were a bit too embarrassing for him. "And I doubt anything I wear would fit me when I'm like this."

Kylie finished, as she began writing down the measurements, "Human form, please."

Peter blinked at this but sighed, as he willed his transformation back. And in a few moments, he was back to human form, a little sweaty and exhausted, but nevertheless, back to human. Kylie then began to measure his human body, as she explained, "It shouldn't be all that troubling: we'll just use spandex for everything. The clothes, the belts, even the footwear, which I'll have to make easy for your canine feet, since it needs to be free and easy on you." She then pulled back to write the measurements down, and smirked, "Done on measurements. Now time for the designing."

"You don't have to do the designing," Mikey insisted.

Kylie looked to the two boys, as Peter sat down, still in the spandex underwear, as she flaunted, "Who else can you find to do this? me, it's impossible; I'm way too busy, so better to ask me now before I become sane."

Peter blinked, "So you want to make this suit?"

"You guys are pushing way too hard, but I'll accept," Kylie replied, as she pulled out a sketchbook, and did various ideas. "For a werewolf, it'll be durable enough to cope with the changes. But it'll be simple, but bold. Plain, but furry dramatic."

Both Peter and Mikey looked to each other if they heard right, and then turned to her, as they asked, "Furry?"

"It's a joke, guys," Kylie stated. "But it will look dark and heroic, like Batman."

"Yeah, something classic, like Dino-Man," Mikey insisted, as he looked to Peter. "Man, he had an awesome look! The cape and the boots…"

"No, the boots wouldn't work," Peter stated. "My feet wouldn't be able to feel the ground; I'll lose balance, and I wouldn't…"

But at that cape comment, Kylie threw a wadded paper ball at Mikey's head. The boys looked to her in confusion, but she sternly scolded them both, "No! No capes!"

But Mikey pointed out, "But isn't that Peter's decision?"

But Peter shook his head and honestly stated, "I really don't want a cape. I mean, let's be honest: what the heck would I do with it? Werewolves can't fly."

"Well, neither does Batman or the Crimson Avenger," Mikey pointed out.

Peter frowned, "True, but Crimson Avenger had a duster overcoat."

"The point is: Capes cause problems," Kylie advised, as she suddenly became very series. "You guys know of Thunderhead? Tall, strong, had storm powers? Nice guy, good with kids, but a real player."

"From the comics? Yeah," Peter answered.

"Well in issue 15, he beats the Perilous Pirate from blowing up the city, and saving another stereo-typical blonde bimbo of a reporter," Kylie stated, but then got serious. "… and then his cape got snagged on a missile fin. Just as it flew off into the ocean horizon."

Mikey objected, "Thunderhead wasn't the brightest bulb in the comic book world…"

"And then there's issue 23 of Strato-Girl," Kylie pointed out, while using her pencil as a proctor. "She saves the day, flies next to a jet to greet the citizens… and then her cape gets caught in a jet turbine. Leading to three issues of her rejuvenating and getting together with Jesse Johnson, her childhood crush/sidekick/future husband."

"Sounds like it was an okay ending to me," Peter joked.

Mikey nodded, but then continued to defend the cape issue, "Look, Kylie, I know where you're going with this, I do. But you can't just generalize about this stuff…"

"Metro-Man, express elevator! Dino-Man, snagged on takeoff from a rooftop! Meteor-Bro, caught in a rogue asteroid and spent spinning around like crazy. Silver Spectra, space ship wing! Takedown, sucked into a twister!" She stood up, and sternly looked to the two, and shouted, "NO CAPES!"

The two boys looked to each other, and gulped, as Kylie sat down and continued to draw. But then Peter got gutsy, and spoke up, "Um, maybe… a backpack?"

Kylie looked to him from the rim of her sketchbook, and calmly nodded, "That might actually work." She then returned to her beaming smile, "Oooh, I'm getting so many ideas on this." She then stopped sketching, as she raced to her storage bin. "I like to stash some of my stuff when it's a slow day like this one. I should be able to whip out some ideas and then we'll work with that."

Peter nodded, but then had to ask, "So… can I get back into my clothes? It's kind of cold here."


Girls Locker Room

Sarah had retreated to the showers, and was currently lathering herself up while the water was turned off. After a long and tenacious time at PE, Sarah was all cleaning up and changing for the day. She was currently drying off the water from her shower. She then opened her locker and prepared to get dressed.

She was about to pull her towel out and begin to undress. Unknown to her, a figure looked at her through the ceiling ventilation shaft. The figure's breathing was raspy but deep as whoever it was looked down at Sarah, with a mixture of desire and admiration. As soon as she got her clothing out of the locker, and was about to dress, she heard it.

ARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Sarah nearly jumped at the sound of what probably belonged to a large animal. Fearfully worried for her life, she called out, "Hello? Is anybody there?" Not getting an answer from anyone, and even though she was afraid, she slowly walked back towards the showers. As she got closer, all she could hear was the sound of all the showers running at once, and her own silent breathing as fear was creeping on at her. As she stepped into the open shower room, all she saw was the lights on, showers running to where anybody should have been. Unfortunately, she was the only one present there that day. Her heart was beating even faster seeing that no one was anywhere to be found.

She frantically looked around calling out, "Come on, if anybody's out there, come on out! This isn't funny!" She went in further as she hoped that whoever that it was, they would jump out and surprise her, but no such luck.

Suddenly, something whooshed past the entrance to the showers, disappearing as it reached the other end. Sarah clutched her towel tight around her as she turned around sharply, "Hey, come on. Seriously!" No one there as well as no reply from her friends. She started to whimper at this as her face showed a little fear from all this, "Okay… you win… I'm really scared now… so stop it, okay? I'm… I'm really scared…."

"Or not scared enough…"

Sarah nearly froze in place as her eyes went wide with fright from that strange eerie voice. From the sound and volume of it, Sarah could only guess that the voice came from right behind her. Frightened and not wanting to face this person or… thing, she stood straight as a board, not to turn around to see who it was, but then was grabbed from off the ground.

She was suspended in the air and was turned around, only to come face-to-face with a huge and furry canine-man beast… who was sticking to the walls in a crouched position on her feet. "Hello, Pattrel… " the monster spoke in a deep, mighty, and raspy echoed monster voice with a darkened tone "… we have to talk."

"Wh-Wh-Who are you?" Sarah asked, completely terrified beyond anything now.

The monster just smirked as his lips flexed, showing dangerously sharp teeth, "Oh, just someone going for a new look on life. Or rather, looking for someone to give a new look on life," then pulled her closer to his face, and then much to Sarah's terror, lunged at her, as he took a bite out of her shoulder.

She tried to scream, but her throat was seized up with fear and shock, as her screams were only muffled, and her body shook. Once the beast was done, he let her body drop to the ground, as her towel was undone but blanketed her body. She lay on the floor in shock, slightly gasping and twitching from the shock.

The beast licked its blood-soaked lips, as it looked down upon her body, "A gift for one with such determination and dedicated devotion as you. Welcome to the Darkness, Sarah Pattrel…"

And then like a puff of smoke, the beast disappeared.


Later On

Back at Boo N' Nobles

It had been a while since Kylie had begun stitching and sewing Peter's new uniform. They had gone through a ton of ideas, in which Peter was the model for all. So far, most of the ideas had not been as bold and daring as Mikey had stated, which was getting on the boy's nerves enough to transform, even when he wore the uniforms and gear. Though if he had, luckily all the outfits were made of spandex; uniform, belts, gloves and footwear. Apparently, like the under armor, the spandex idea was brilliant. When Peter transformed to see what it looked like in Lycan form, the clothes stretched along with him, making it manageable for it not to be torn. So far every outfit held together, but none of them seemed to be good enough for him to use on the field.

At the moment, Mikey was leaning on his chair on the rim of the table, making sure he wouldn't fall down. And Kylie was sitting next to Mikey, who didn't seem to mind. They both woke up rather shakingly, as Peter's voice spoke up, "Okay, guys. This is the last one."

Mikey stretched out, yawning, "Finally. Let's see what you got."

Peter walked out, to show the others what the final outfit was. And immediately, Mikey and Kylie went wide eye, as Corvin smirked in agreement, "Wolfie, we just hit the jackpot!"

"I agree," Kylie nodded. "This is a winner!"

Peter stood before them, as he smirked at the outfit he was sporting on. He was wearing a steel gray spandex wetsuit of sorts, with a zipper from the neck to the bellybutton, short sleeves ending above the elbows, and the legs ending above the knees, iwht a black stripe going down the sides, from the end of the knees to the armpits. On the sleeves and knee ends were black spandex bands with yellow buckles. Around his waist was a black utility belt with pouches around it, and a yellow belt buckle. On his hands were black fingerless gloves made of spandex as well, with yellow buckles on the back of the wrists. And on his feet were black spandex sock-like footwear with no heel or toes, allowing the bare heel and toes free of movement and friction, with the footwear ending halfway the grieve, with a black spandex belt on the top, fastened with a yellow buckle. And strapped behind him was his black backpack, holding his clothing inside.

Peter flexed himself about, making sure he had free-range movement, and smirked. "Simple, stretchable, and feels good," Peter commented. "Let's see if it can handle the other me."

In a split second, Peter started his change from teenage boy to teenage wolf-boy. Once he was done, his suit stretched to fit his body, and immediately showed off his muscled body, as his pecs showed on his wetsuit.

Kylie was nearly drooling, as she joked, "Waiter, give me a side of beef with this order."

Both Mikey and Peter groaned on that, but Mikey recovered, as he stated, "Alright, now let's come up with a name. um, Wolf-Man."

"I think that's been used," Peter stated.

"Okay then, how about Full Moon Knight," Mikey suggested again.

Kylie shook her head, "Nah, how about Knight Wolf?" The two boys were silent on that, as they looked at her questionably, "Yeah, that stinks."

Mikey looked to Peter, and asked, "C'mon, Peter. You must have some idea. What would you call yourself?"

Peter crossed his arms, as he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, looking away in thought. He tapped his clawed toes on the deck of the floor, as they all tried to think of a name together. But then he remembered last night, when he had saved Ashley, and gave her that name. He looked to the two, and half-smirked, "How about Alpha?"

The two looked to him, and Kylie asked, "Alpha? Like in the Alpha Male of a pack?"

Peter shook his head, as he stated, "No, just Alpha. Like a code name."

Mikey nodded, "Well, generally I like it."


Next Chapter: Make an Important Choice; Great Responsibility pt.2