Creature Changers
I have such a lot of reviewers this time round. Love you, readers, keep commenting so I can improve too!
Also… MY COMPUTER IS BACK! WAHAHAHAHAHHA!... I managed to keep a great deal of my data, but several folders and all my programs are gone, so I have to find sometime to redownload stuff. As well as BACK UP ALL MY FILES. XX
Now, you might think 'Valeshipping!' after reading this chapter, but then you'd be WRONG. I'm still not sure what to do, and the so-called 'hints' in this chapter are just added because it went that way when I was writing. I'm letting the story flow on its own.
Disclaimer: Dis disclaimer same as de previous. Don't diss dose disclaimers.
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crazy-but-fun: Thank you! ...Must keep going...
Kodoku: ACJC is the shortened name for Anglo Chinese Junior College, the school that put up a production of Camelot. I thought I mentioned it somewhere before... Seems I haven't. Yes, the disclaimer is way too random to be funny. I hope your computer will be out of 'MIA' mode soon. Thank you for all your support! P.S I say eh all the time and I'm not Canadian, rather I take my ehs from the Japanese. Nice to see that people all over the world like my fic!
raitei: Poor poor Felix. But he's probably used to it. Why can't Agatio be a History teacher? In my opinion he's okay at that. He got students to torture! ...Ahem. Anyway, yeah, woe betide those who don't do his homework. Now, do you think Garet will do it? No, you're not weird. I think changers and dragons are cute too. But who knows what they might look like in real life? You have to think on that, really. The others are coming up okay, though one is amazingly unpredictable and not really a creature, so I don't know what possessed me to do it. Thank you for your support!
savinglifelessness: Yeah, poor Isaac. (pats) Isaac was from Vale in this story, but he moved. Thank you for the review!
Princess Viv: Wait a minute. You like cliffhangers? But others don't… Man, it's a difficult world. I sort of see Jenna as the explosive sort, though she really does care deeply. Which was why I made her yell at Felix. Wonder if that was IC? I also had the idea of not choosing. Like… Just before Isaac chooses, I end the story, and let the readers draw their own conclusion. But that would be evil, not to mention people would hate me for it. Or maybe I'll do alternate endings, one for Valeshipping and one for Mudshipping, and the readers can read whichever they like. That idea only just popped into my head; forgive me if it's dumb. But hey, it's a solution. I never knew you played the piano! What grade?
lunarwolvesshadow: Thank you for both reviews! Isaac is cool all right. Being the main character I have to let him be a good one, no? You seem to like laughing at Felix and Jenna. (senses evil)
hj: A Valeshipping vote! You know, it'd work better if you gave a REASON as to why Isaac/Jenna, no?
SpasticDjinn: I used to watch Fruits Basket, but I went off it after I decided it was too stupid, sorry. The characters were just too fake, their personalities didn't make sense at all. Especially Tohru. And well… The Furuba characters don't fight. And they have no school. And I'd like to think that Isaac and the others actually have decent and believable personalities. If you like Furuba, sorry. It's not my cup of tea, but I respect your liking.
Shiny Milotic: Yes, my War of the Elements and Legend of the Stars have lighthouseshipping. Actually I can't see Jenna as a wyvern, because in old legends wyverns are mostly sly and thieving, and are known to invade the territories of others if their own is unusable. So I have Jenna as a XXXXXXX. Why has no one asked about Sheba and Ivan, yet everyone wants to know what Jenna is?
hope: Ehhh? I didn't review your review? I'm sorry! (bows) Yes, I know I should 'chill' but I have so much to do… I'm playing FF8 again you see. And Super Smash Bros Melee with my brother. And I have this fic, and I have school work, and I have to update my computer…
a MErcury adept: Yes the others will show up. Complain? What does Isaac have to complain about? He's too nice to really complain by the way. He's the type to keep everything in.
Ponie: That's all right. I use the review count as a 'people who enter and read' count. Because hit count can mean people who click and don't read. So if you read, just post a "I read", is that okay?
…Look at my responses. I talk too much.
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Chapter 7: Training Those Toughies
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"Good morning, class!"
"Good morning, Miss Malvonite!" 9A chanted obediently. The classroom was arranged in rows of two, and was squeaky clean. No posters, no message boards, no graffiti. It looked pretty much like a hospital room with tables and chairs and a white board.
"We will be continuing on the study of literary devices. Who can tell me the ones you have already learnt?"
"Alliteration, personification and similes," Rachel piped up confidently with her hand waving in the air.
"That's right. This term, we will be working on metaphors," Miss Malvonite wrote the word 'metaphor' on the board in big blue letters with a neat, well controlled hand. The letters looked as if it was printed.
Isaac sighed. VEES had already taught them metaphors. They didn't have Changing, so their syllables were faster.
The difference made him think about the incident the previous day. Recalling the frightened face of the girl and her mother, he felt upset. He had only tried to help. Would it have been better if he had not transformed?
No. Isaac had enough common sense in him to know that, regardless of courage, charging headlong at a big Alsatian would only get him bitten. Three tall owners would also be against him.
"Mr Gaia! Since I see you daydreaming, I presume you already know what metaphors are," Miss Malvonite said with a smile, whereas her voice had an icy tone to it.
Isaac stood up. "Metophors are like similes, comparing something to another but without the use of words like 'as' and 'like'."
"…Sit down. Even if you know what metaphors are, it would do you good to still pay attention and revise what you have learnt," Miss Malvonite said quietly. So he's the new student… from the other school.
Isaac sat down. He could hear the other students giggling at him, and knew that he was not starting well. Garet looked at him sympathetically.
"Bad luck, man."
"Mr Mars, do you also know what metaphors are?"
"No, Miss Malvonite! I'm paying attention!"
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"I am Royce Alentia, your Design and Technology teacher. This term we will be doing woodwork."
Isaac observed the teacher quietly. He looked rather young, with the exception of greyish blue hair. His skin was pale, but at a second glance it looked nearly grey-blue as well. His eyes were brown, contrasting sharply with the rest of his body. Isaac wondered if he, like Agatio, had been nearly trapped in creature form.
"We will be working with soft wood, and you will be allowed to use the tools from this workshop. If anyone has a beaver animal, you are welcome to use it too. Your practical task will be to make a pencil holder with a figurine of a creature. It can either be your creature, or a random other," Mr Alentia continued.
Excited murmurs burst out as usual. Isaac felt relieved that Mr Alentia had mentioned a 'random other'. A dragon would be acceptable as a random other. As Mr Alentia gave out pieces of wood to work with, he winked at Garet and spoke in a low voice.
"You can have your mythical, but don't put your own face on it."
"He knows?" Isaac asked in amazement.
"Uh huh. Some of the teachers do, you see," Garet replied in a low voice. Isaac stared at his piece of wood, when another thought struck him.
"He said don't put your face on it. What do you transform into?" Isaac asked.
To his surprise, Garet turned away.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm not sure what you call it... You'll see," was the strange answer.
Isaac knew he couldn't probe. If he wants to tell me, he will. I have no reason to force him to say what he does not want to. But that did not stop him from being curious.
As he began marking out the shape of a dragon on his piece of wood, he had to constantly stop himself from trying to peep at what Garet was drawing. Engrossed in trying to concentrate on his wood, he did not notice Mr Alentia until he was directly behind him.
"Interesting," he said. Isaac jumped. "It looks like a dragon to me."
His brown eyes eyed Isaac. He smiled. "Never mind."
He then went over to Garet. Isaac was pretty sure that Mr Alentia wanted to know if he, like Garet, had a mythical creature.
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Isaac opened his locker and carefully arranged his books inside. As usual, Garet just threw everything in before he rummaged for the books he needed. "What do we have after break?"
"Changing and English," Garet answered. "Hope Kraden doesn't give me theory today. I don't want theory today."
"What kind of theory is there for Changing?" Isaac asked.
"Um, like your lesson yesterday?" Garet slammed his locker. "Like how many points of energy should always be conserved and so on, the calculation of energy point per second thing... Pretty much a mixture of stuff."
"Is it complicated?" Isaac asked, picking up his bag.
"Nope. Actually yes, but I rarely care. I pass my practical by sensing with my body, rather than calculating."
Isaac grinned. He looked at his indigo digital watch. "We still have about half an hour of break. What should we do?"
"Hm... What time is it now?"
"11.10."
"All right. Felix is having Changing now. Let's go watch him!" Garet said enthusiastically. "Race you to the hall!"
He dashed off. Isaac raced after him, protesting.
"If Felix is working, we shouldn't disturb him!"
"Naw, he'll perform even better if we're there! He'll want to show off!" Garet said at once.
Somehow Isaac did not think Felix liked to 'show off'. They reached the hall and Garet knocked.
"Creature creature," Kraden's voice came out.
"Changer changer," Isaac and Garet whispered simultaneously. The door opened and Kraden poked his head out.
"Garet! Felix is having lessons," he hissed.
"Isaac is here too!" Garet protested loudly.
"I know you put him up to it. Forget it. Come in."
Chuckling, Isaac entered. Grumbling, Garet followed. (A/N: Poor, poor Garet. I didn't mean it.)
They saw Felix in his nice, big centaur form, running his hand lightly over a large boulder the size of a large television. He looked up.
"Oh. It's you guys."
"What are you doing?" Isaac asked interestedly.
"Strength training," Kraden closed and locked the hall door. "Now, you two keep out of the way!"
He shrunk into his snapping turtle. Moving to the boulder, he placed one forefoot underneath the boulder. Felix took several large steps back and crouched slightly.
Without warning, Kraden pitched the large boulder forward. Felix reared up on his hind legs, a fierce determination flashing in his dark eyes.
Fascinated, the other two watched in awe as one hoof hit the boulder. It shattered into tiny pieces. Immediately, another boulder came flying. Felix raced swiftly to the other end and attacked the boulder. This time, it broke into bigger blocks.
Kraden changed back and shook his head. "No, Felix. Concentrate. You got it right the first time, but then you lose your concentration on the second. You need to focus your COA on the direct MP of the boulder."
Felix nodded. Isaac looked blank.
"What was that?"
"Uh, changing terms. Like in science, you have photosynthesis and DNA? And in Maths, we have algebra and alternate angles?" Garet sounded bored. "You know, the usual. Theory."
"So that's what we learn in theory?" Isaac hadn't really known what to expect other than the points of energy that Kraden had explained.
"Take a rest, Felix. Then we'll have one last shot for today. Okay?" Kraden said. Felix nodded and changed back.
"That was great!" Garet yelled, jumping up. "I can't shatter boulders like that if I tried."
"Of course." Felix pretended to look modest. Garet stopped jumping and scowled.
"Oh, I hate it when you say stuff like that. We all know you're good, but let me tell you, in a few years time I'll be better than you!" he said firmly.
"And in that few years I would improve too. Garet, there's a gap of a year between us. Not to mention the fact that you hate working."
"I do not. I work when it comes to Changing," Garet argued.
"Then how about just saying that Felix is good?" Kraden suggested. "He can understand things easily and really seems to have a thing for Changing."
Isaac could see the pride shining in Kraden's old, dull eyes. (A/N: Irony here... Kraden's eyes can't shine actually.)
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Felix is your star pupil, the orange of your eye..." Garet droned.
"Apple. I personally dislike oranges," Kraden interrupted. "And teachers do not have favourites. And there'll always be newer students who can become better."
Felix turned to stare at his teacher. "And that would be?"
"Oh, I don't think you know him yet," Kraden said, smiling mysteriously. "He's in the 7th grade. Has a mythical too. And he's pretty talented like you."
"Indeed."
"Felix is jealous! Felix is jealous!" Garet chanted irritatingly. Felix snapped his head round to glare at Garet, whipping Kraden with his ponytail in the process. (A/N: Anyone who's experienced a long haired person who turns his or her head VERY fast will tell you that it hurts. I myself use my hair as a weapon)
"I. Am. Not."
"Felix is jealous, Felix is... OWOWOWOWOWOWW!"
Isaac couldn't keep it in anymore. He laughed. Felix had changed and pinned Garet to the wall with both amazingly strengthened arms.
"That's quite enough, Felix," Kraden said, looking amused. Isaac knew that if he could, he would have roared too. "Let us get back to our lesson."
Felix allowed Garet to move. The latter collapsed on the floor with another ow.
"Felix?"
"Hm?"
"Are you really jealous?"
Isaac burst into uncontrollable laughter again as Kraden received a rain of rocks.
"Enough! Enough! The bell is going to ring soon! This lesson is over!" Kraden gasped, shielding himself with both hands. Felix scowled and changed back.
"We'll continue the lesson tomorrow."
He stomped out of the hall. Isaac and Garet stared at the closed door, then started chuckling again. Kraden smiled wryly.
"All right. It's your lesson now. Garet, meditation."
Garet nodded and sat down, still snorting.
"Meditation means, no laughing," Kraden pointed out sternly. He turned to Isaac, then frowned slightly. Lowering his voice, he beckoned to a corner. "I need to speak with you."
Baffled, Isaac followed him into a corner. Kraden stared at his student seriously for a while.
"What's wrong?" Isaac asked nervously.
"I've heard about a certain street fight yersterday," Kraden finally spoke. "A dog was seen fighting with a dragon."
Isaac froze. "Um... I was... trying to help?" he said. Kraden sighed.
"I don't doubt it. But I can't say the same for Mrs Oleander, Kelly Oleander and three young boys from the house of Andrews."
"But... I was trying to help that little girl!"
"Kelly Oleander saw you as a scary monster, not a rescuer. Now, please don't get worked up. Listen to me," Kraden said carefully. "Whatever your intentions, what the Andrewses saw was a 'weird demon' attacking their dog and nearly going after them."
"I did not..."
"What the Oleanders saw was a 'big monster' coming out of nowhere, then admitting he was a changer. A... 'terrible freak'."
Isaac fell silent. He had known that the lady was a changer hater as soon as she had yelled.
"They complained. The headmaster got to hear about it, and told me to warn you. Listen carefully, Isaac. On no account are you to change in public at all, even if it is to help someone. Humans just don't appreciate our abilities. They think of us as... mutants. Monsters. Devils. Do you remember what I said on the first day of school? Using changing abilities against a normal human is the worst thing someone can do. It's like attacking a defenceless person."
"... I guess... I never thought of it that way," Isaac said slowly. He sighed. "I'm sorry."
"As long as you understand, it's fine. So, no changing outside school unless absolutely, and I mean absolutely, neccessary. Okay?"
"Not even at home?" Isaac thought guiltily of the firewood he had 'chopped' easily, sitting in the woodbox.
Kraden considered for a while. "Well, if your parents don't mind. And you must be careful to keep out of the neighbours' sights."
"Okay."
"Now, please start your meditation."
Obediently, Isaac sat down to meditate. But he could not focus on keeping his mind blank. Kraden's words kept flooding back to him.
'Humans don't appreciate our abilities.' Keep the mind blank... blank! 'They think of us as mutants. Monsters. Devils. Just concentrate!
CRASH! Concentrate! Thud! Blank... blank...! BISH! Focus! Monsters...
Disturbed, Isaac opened his eyes.
A large, cat like creature the size of a lion with large golden wings sat in front of Kraden the same way a dog would. Kraden frowned.
"Isaac, you shouldn't lose concentration," he reprimanded. The giant cat turned. Isaac gasped and fell backwards in surprise. In place of its head was a very familiar face.
"Is that a... a... A...!"
Garet stared, then scowled. "Don't make fun of it," he warned. "I know sphinxes are supposed to be female. Can I help it?"
Isaac continued staring. Felix looked majestic with a centaur body. But Garet, sitting on the ground like a dog with a cat's body and feathery wings, struck him as strange. The words 'odd' and 'weird' kept swimming through his mind.
Golden fur covered the scowling sphinx. The hairs on the tail were thinner and shorter, however, and Isaac was startled to see a small flame burning at the tip. Large wings sprouted from each shoulder tip, each feather a pale gold. Garet's bright red hair contrasted sharply with the lighter colours of the rest of his fur.
Somehow, after a second look, Isaac didn't think that Garet's creature was a sphinx.
"But... you don't really look like a sphinx."
"Well, like you've probably noticed, like Garet said, all known sphinxes are female. So maybe the differences are how you tell male and female sphinxes apart," Kraden said lightly. "We may never know."
"Are you laughing?" Garet asked, still frowning.
"Why should I be?" Isaac said innocently. He knew that he wanted to laugh; Garet with a cat's body still looked funny.
"Because everyone thinks sphinxes should be female."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with a male one," Isaac said truthfully. Garet grinned.
"Exactly! People are weeeeiiirrd."
"Well, since you've lost concentration, we might as well start practical. Garet, you rest for a while. I want you to break those rocks as soon as possible. Isaac, today's training will be on your reflexes," Kraden said.
His students nodded.
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Isaac wiped a smear of blue paint off his snout, panting slightly.
"Let's try again," Kraden said, smiling encouragingly. He picked up two small, palm-sized bags. Isaac nodded and turned around. Kraden lifted one bag in each hand.
Without warning, he threw one bag forward with his left hand. As the bag neared its target, Isaac whipped his tail forward, knocking the bag to the side. A second bag flew forward from Kraden's right hand. Isaac whirled round and swiped at it. His claws sliced through the bag, and bright blue paint spilled out, giving his silvery claws a second colour.
Kraden laughed. "That's another thing about paint bags. Don't burst them. If I had thrown a poison bag, you'd have caused yourself trouble."
Isaac nodded, pulling the spoilt bag from his claws.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Creature creature!" Kraden called.
"Changer changer!"
Isaac recognised the voice. He lifted a claw and pushed the already unlocked door open. Jenna entered, then fell back.
"Whoa whoa!"
"Don't worry, Jenna. That's only Isaac."
Jenna entered and closed the doors, wide eyed.
"You really ARE a dragon!"
"Duh. What'd you expect, a komodo dragon?" Garet joked. He turned and continued his own work. Kraden had also told him to break rocks. Unlike Felix's, his were unanimated and much smaller.
"Well, Jenna, your lesson for today will be theory. So sit down like a good girl and read your textbook from page 15 to 20," Kraden instructed. He knew that Jenna didn't like being treated like a little girl, but no one could resist making her furious. It was just too easy to tease her.
Jenna pouted, then sat down obediently, muttering curses.
Isaac smiled to himself. As he watched Jenna flipping through the textbook, he wondered what was written in it. He had never opened the book before, and Kraden had never told them to bring it.
The next thing he knew, he sensed something rushing at him from behind. Instinctively, he turned and swiped at his target. Again, the paint bag broke, scattering paint over his face.
The others laughed.
"Looks like you haven't learnt your lesson," Kraden looked and sounded amused. Isaac scowled, then shook his head with a sigh. "Right, you take a rest for a while. I'll see to Garet."
Nodding, Isaac changed back. To his chagrin, some of the paint that he hadn't been able to get rid of were still on him, stuck to his clothes. And his face was still dripping.
"Bother..."
Jenna took out a piece of tissue and wiped his face clean, chuckling. "That's why everyone keeps a set of spare clothes in the locker. In case their Changing teacher decided to torture them that day." Her eyes sparkled with humour.
Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Garet doesn't."
"That's because he's Garet," Jenna replied at once. Then she laughed again, pulling out a pack of tissues from her bag. She handed it to Isaac.
"I should've known." She has very nice laughter. Warm and... sincere. It's been a long time since I heard something like that. As Isaac took the tissue with a nod of thanks, his fingers brushed lightly against hers. He felt butterflies in his stomach that he didn't think had anything to do with nerves.
Jenna grinned and took up her book again. Just then, there was a loud, sharp knock on the door. Kraden looked up, a frown creasing his forehead.
"There shouldn't be any other students at this time," he said quietly. Then he raised his voice. "Who's there?"
"Master Kraden! Are you there?" A worried voice came through the doors. It sounded desperate.
"Sophie Apolls?" Kraden nodded at Garet. He changed back immediately. The vice principal opened the door. A woman entered, panting. She had strawberry blond hair and bright green eyes.
"Master Kraden! It's an emergency! One of my students! She... she just... she needs help!"
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Well. It's as close to a cliffhanger as I can leave it. Though it seems to be Valeshipping, like mentioned above, it's not. At least, I haven't decided.
So, hope you've enjoyed this chapter too!
Another note: 1136 hits!... I wonder how many of them actually came in to read? Oh well... It's still a piece of good news to cheer me on! Keep reading, and I'll be motivated to keep updating!
Cheers!
Daidairo
