Chapter Six- Fatherly Influence

Chazz glared at Jaden at breakfast the next morning, a mild burn on one cheek. Jaden ignored him, unconcerned. He was still convinced that he had been right in retaliating against Chazz for the tripwire; even some Slifers agreed. Apparently, Chazz hand told a few and the story had spread. Most felt Chazz had no right to set the trap for really Jaden didn't deserve it. A few felt Jaden was right to get even but others felt Jaden should have let it go, Syrus among them. Jaden was thinking on other matters: His magic. It was definitely stronger than before. He no longer got dizzy or tired whenever he used it.

He began thinking of what he would desire to do with it. The first thing was him taking another form. The idea of changing himself into a full fox was an exciting one. He had no doubt that he would be able to change back to half-fox. He began practicing small changes throughout the school day. He made his nails grow into claws and then back to normal. He formed his hands to paws and back again. When he took a bathroom break, he played with growing a muzzle and a furry face. He was pleased with the results and not feeling weaker at all. He grew longer nails for part of dinner and shrank before the end.

His magic uses hardly went unnoticed by his friends. "Jaden, what are you doing with your magic?" Syrus asked.

"I thought that if I can change food into other food, maybe I can change forms. I've been practicing all day and I think I'm ready to try to change into full fox form and walk around a bit that way."

"Really?" Syrus' eyes were round. "Wow. That sounds impressive.

"Yeah, it does."

"You think you could change others too?"

"I'm sure I could. Why?"

"Well," Syrus said slowly. "I think it would be fun to be, say, a fox for a little bit."

Jaden grinned. "Sy, I would love to have some company."

"So…you'll do it?"

"Yeah, I will. Here goes." He focused his magic on Syrus and his best friend instantly turned into a fox before he too took fox form.

Syrus turned in a circle to see himself. He was lean with red fur and four dark red paws. A bushy tail was behind him and he crossed his eyes to see a white muzzle with whiskers. He swiped a paw over his head to feel a pair of ears. "Wow, I'm really a fox," he said. "Hey, I can talk!"

Jaden laughed. "We only look like foxes, Sy. You're still human and I'm still half-fox."

Hassleberry got up, opened the door, and waved a hand at it. "Well, head out there and have fun. I'm going to turn in early."

"Sure," Jaden said. "Go ahead and close the door behind us. I'll change us back so we can get in." Jaden led the way out with Syrus following, the door closing behind them.

Syrus followed Jaden down the stairs, noticing that the darkness wasn't so dark. His nose twitched at the smells and his ears turned to pick up tiny sounds he wouldn't have heard before. Everything was clearer and sharper than before. I feel so alive and connected to the world than before. It's amazing.

"Sy?"

Syrus blinked before looking at Jaden, who had tilted his head. "Sorry. It's just with these sharper senses, I feel like I've been living with a bag over my head."

"Yeah. I know what you mean." Jaden and Syrus moved into the forest's shadows before adding, "How about a race? I wanna see how fast we can go and to really move around."

"Okay, you're on." Syrus crouched beside Jaden. "Ready? Go!" Syrus sprinted off, impressed that he adapted to four legs so quickly. Maybe it's Ja's magic. I mean, he can do anything he wants with it. He saw red beside him and move past. He saw Jaden run past him and around a bend. He turned the bend too and saw no sign of Jaden. "Ja?" he called, but got no answer. "Jaden!"

Jaden happily let Syrus take a lead in the race, both were the same size as foxes. He was a bit more interested in the smells of the forest. So many smells: Flowers, trees, grass, animals…

Wait. His nose twitched as the scent of fox aside from Syrus floated up to him. Curious, he increased his pace and followed it, his race with Syrus forgotten. He sped ahead, dashing through a few bushes before leaping down an obvious fox hole near the roots of an old tree from which the scent was coming. He walked through the tunnel and came out into a small nest room and in that room was a very familiar fox. "Dad?" he asked. "I thought you were gone."

"I was, but I thought I'd come back and ask how you've been doing these last few days."

"Oh, quite well. I grew a tail yesterday and my magic's gotten stronger."

"Played any tricks yet?"

"Yeah, two. I short-sheeted a roommate's bed. Yesterday, a classmate made me fall down the stairs by a tripwire. I got back at him by making his soup explode in his face and leave a mild burn on his cheek."

The fox heard the glee in Jaden's voice at the second prank and was pleased. It seemed Jaden was starting to be mean. "Did you enjoy that trick?"

"Yes. Some feel I didn't have to get back at him like that, but I disagree."

Excellent. He doesn't regret his actions. I can take that feeling and use my magic to increase it so that he will be dark, mean, and evil. It will be an instant change in his behavior but that doesn't matter and Jaden won't think anything of it.

He put a paw over Jaden's heart and poured enough power to increase Jaden's small mean feeling as he said, "Of course you disagree. You are half trickster fox. The trick you played on Chazz is natural for us. Embrace your fox nature, Jaden. That is who you are."

Jaden's eyes darkened slightly. "You're right, Dad. That trick is who I am. I will keep playing tricks like that."

"I'm proud to hear that. Now, I sense your friend is looking for you. Go to him and act like you used to be for now."

"Okay. Bye, Dad." Jaden went back the way he came, aware that his did hadn't seemed surprised at seeing Jaden as a full fox. Well, he was able to be human so, as his son, it follows that I could be a fox. He climbed out of the hole and used his nose to track down Syrus. He soon found him, the fox calling desperately, "Jaden, where are you?"

"Right here, Sy," Jaden said, coming up behind him.

Syrus spun around. "Oh, Ja. I was worried about you."

"Sorry. I smelled another fox and was so curious about it, I forgot about our race and followed it. Turns out it was my dad, checking up on me."

"So, he's gone again?"

"Yeah, but he's proud of me and what happened since we last talked." Jaden then yawned and stretched his forelegs. "Boy, I'm beat. Let's get out of here, change back, and get some sleep."

Syrus yawned too. "Yeah, let's go," he agreed sleepily as he followed his friend, not seeing the wicked grin on Jaden's muzzle.

Jaden felt as if his eyes had truly been opened to his true nature this night. He was a trickster who plays whatever tricks he desired, most of which would be mean. He saw the truth now. Tricksters tended to be petty, vindictive, and evil and as he was half-trickster, he needed to be mean and evil as well.

Jaden and Syrus reached the forest's edge, the former changed both of them back to normal, and headed up to bed. Jaden laid in bed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep while imagining and planning all manner of mean tricks he could play.