Nomi Norisu: Here I am, new chapter! And thanks, too. Sorry it's been awhile.
The Phoenix: Thanks so much! I will keep on writing, besides encouraging others. :-D
Elcall: It's cool, you can do a suggestion or element thing after this chapter. Jenna's not exactly afraid of snow, per-say. You'll see soon. And thanks about the poem! I feel like it was ages ago when I wrote it.
Endeavor4ever: Naw, she didn't create the snow. You'll see soon. It's basically the last snowfall of the year before spring.
AnakinRulz13: I have updated again. Sorry that it took me a lifetime and them some. XD :-P
Chapter 11: . . . Are Family, Too
Rachel, sometimes better known as Clarinet Girl, yelped as a blur of green and brown shot past her, skidding here and there before finally turning down a hallway and swerving out of sight. She was further confused when Julian, Theresa, Howard, and Randy came loping that way, calling out a name that people now knew well.
"Yo, Jenna, where'd ya' go?" Howard shouted, his voice echoing in the empty school. In the short time they'd been walking through the halls, he'd already grown hungry; he just wanted to find Jenna and get out of there.
"I think I saw her go down that hall." Rachel told them, pointing.
The other four teens called thanks while they made their way down. Within minutes, their voices had faded into the background, just heard. What Rachel could hear better, however, was stifled sobs and small, mournful whimpering noises. Frowning, the cheerful girl walked down a few halls to the library nearby.
Jenna was curled up in a small ball outside the Library doors, which were already locked for the day. Rachel looked at the crying girl, barely able to connect her to the brave freshman who successfully defeated one of the biggest bullies at the high school. She walked next to her and sat down. Jenna peeked up after a moment.
"R-Rachel?" she asked in a half-sobbing, half whisper.
Rachel nodded a little. "You okay, Fern?" Rachel returned. One reason why Rachel respected Jenna was the fact that she actually remembered her name, instead of calling her "Clarinet girl".
"N-no . . ." she replied. she sniffled and rubbed at her eyes, hood pulled up so as to hide her face.
"What's the matter?" Rachel asked softly, opting to put an arm around the other girls shoulders.
Jenna glanced up at her, then down at her shoes. "It's snowing . . .brought up . . . not so good memories. . . ." she got out, starting to cry harder. " . . . worst part is . . . .I lost the picture!" at this, Jenna loses control, curling into a tiny ball and sobbing.
In this moment, Randy, Theresa, Howard, and Julian appear around the corner. "Jenna!" Randy calls, before quickly noticing the green Stank magic starting to swirl around her.
"Oh, juice," he mutters, as Rachel leaps to her feet and backs up next to the others, Jenna already growing and transforming.
A giant, fiery orange fox, her tail engulfed in actual flames. Orange bangs covered her eyes, but there were scars on her face and muzzle; bald, pink lines replacing short fur. Her sleeves ripped, revealing several scars on her shoulders, most dangerously close to her neck, as well as several on her lower back and stomach, most running underneath the clothing. Standing on all fours, her muzzle would be about at Randy's eye-level, more or less.
One of her backpack straps tore, hanging loosely on her shoulders, her hood fell back from her flicking ears, and her pants ripped up to the knees, which now appeared backwards. It happened so quickly that none were quite sure that they were actually looking at Jenna. All of those scars . . . .
She growled, ears flattening, crouching low as if to pounce. They were blocking the only way out, and she didn't intend to get trapped. Randy had to get the others out of here.
"Let's go!" Theresa shouts, turning to run. Howard was quick to follow her, as well as Rachel and Julian. Randy glanced back, following more slowly. He made sure the others were gone before pulling open and hiding in a locker, pulling on the mask before leaping out again.
By this time, stank'd-Jenna had wandered slowly out of the hall, nose to the ground and apparently tracking something down. The building, having been locked up by now, was almost like a prison; they were trapped inside with a monster and were unsure if the Ninja was even around after school.
He jumped in front of her, hands held out. "Jenna, stop!" he shouted.
She flinched and growled, ears laid back and teeth bared.
He moved forward slowly. She backed away. He glanced quickly over her attire, and there was nothing stank'd, far as he could see. Nothing at all. "What the juice? What's been stank'd?" he muttered, trying to work his way to the side.
She suddenly snarled and lunged, tail moving as if to smack him, alit with flames. Randy dodged with a yelp, jumping up with his sword held out defensively.
"Jenna, calm down, please!" at the sword, she cringed, growling before turning tail and racing away. Randy groaned and chased after her, but quickly lost the trail. Before, small scorch marks had be left on the cieling or walls, presumably from her tail, were now long gone.
As the Ninja continued searching, the others were trying to figure out what to do. Theresa and Howard had become separated from Rachel and Julian, and none were sure yet what had happened to Jenna, nor where the Ninja was.
Well, not quite. Julian had dragged Rachel into the gym, then the boys locker room when they realized the monster was getting closer. Pretty soon, they were basically trapped as Jenna grew nearer and nearer. Before, abruptly, she stopped approaching. Merely looked at them from beneath her long bangs, , nostrils flaring to scent the air.
After a long minute of this, they both wondered if she was possibly blind as a monster, and had to scent everything out and now couldn't pinpoint their location in such a small space. Before they could move to try and slip away, Jenna took another step forward and laid on her stomach, head on her paws, watching them. Her tail stilled and all the flames went out, and it curled around her haunches.
After several long moments, Rachel slowly edged closer. "Jenna?" she asked, resisting the urge to flinch when the giant fox lifted it's head, snuffing the air.
"rAcHeL . . ?" the thing grunted, voice warped, but definitely Jenna's.
"Jenna, what's wrong?" she tries. While it may not be known why people turn into monsters, it happened often enough to know that the stank'd person needed to be calmed down.
Jenna whimpered, laying head on paws once more, tears cascading down either side of her muzzle.
Julian slowly edged closer, having been peeking out from behind some lockers. "J-jenna?" he asks, slowly edging closer. "Wh-what's wrong? W-was it the snow?" he asks, staring at the multiple scars, easily seen through the thin fur. Heck, the only long fur was on her tail and her bangs.
Jenna lifted her head slightly, then dropped it on her paws again. A sort of nod. Then again, maybe not. "sNoW . . . pAiN, lOsS, mAnY tHiNgS . . .lOnG aGo, NoT sO lOnG gO . . . " she grunts out in the monster language, just discernible into words.
Both were quiet a long moment, then Julian couldn't help it. "Does it . . . does it have anything to do with that poem you showed us earlier today? Or your . . ." here he gulped. "Or your scars?" he finishes.
She appears to wince, glancing towards them before bodily shifting her head away, laying her tail over her face. Soft sobs shake her shoulders. Rachel, ever the kind spirit, steps closer, laying a light hand on her shoulder. A hitching of breath and slow movement back reveals damp furry cheeks and messy bangs.
" . . .bLoOd, PaIn, KnIvEs, ScArS . . .lOnG gO . . ." she replies, slowly, as if it is difficult to get the words out. " . . .dEeP sNoW, iCy RoAdS, cAr CrAsH . . ." here she ducks her head, hiding it again.
Rachel and Julian are silent. They share horrified glances. Obviously, they didn't have the full story . . . but even these small pieces of the puzzle revealed a lot and explained a lot. Jenna wasn't quite done.
" . . .pArEnTs . . .GoNe . . ." she chokes out, sobbing growing harder. ". . .oNlY pIcTuRe, LoSt . . .OnLy PiCtUrE oF fAmIlY . . . lOsT . . ." she wipes at her muzzle with a paw, wiping at the tears.
Julian edges closer, gently resting a hand on her arm. She looks up at him. She could easily hurt both of them. Both teens are aware of this. But she has made no move to do so, and so far, she seems to be in much better control than other monsters, who seem to completely lose themselves and focus on only one thing. Scarcely can they make understandable speech, and neither has ever heard of a time that they held a conversation, even if the sentences aren't exactly complete ones.
But what can they say to this?
"Stand back!" Jenna leaps to her feet just as Julian and Rachel back up. The Ninja has arrived, sword drawn, ready to fight.
"Ninja, wait!" Rachel shouts, going to move between him and Jenna, who's snarling by now, staring at the sword blade.
Julian follows up, standing next to Rachel. "Yes, do halt this attack! She has done nothing to harm us!"
The Ninja just glances from one to the other, not loosening his posture. "Please, stand aside," he asks, raising the sword higher. "I gotta find a way to de'stank this student here." he finishes, looking up.
Jenna's pupils contract. To her, this other person is about to attack her family. With a growl, she suddenly lunges, grabbing the Ninja by the sword arm. He cries out in surprise, as do Julian and Rachel, whom she had leapt over. Her teeth dig in deep, almost breaking through the suit. With a snarl, she shakes him hard before throwing him across the room with a flick of her head and loosening of her jaws.
Shaking her head and turning towards the other two, who stand/kneel frozen, she barks out, "rUn!?"
It's quickly clear that she merely saw the other as a threat. Julians' eyes widen. He looks down at the Ninja's sword. "Knives . . . Rachel, she said something about knives!" he exclaims in realization. Rachels' eyes widen, too.
"Jenna, he doesn't want to hurt you! Come on!" the peppy girl tries. Jenna almost immediately turns, nudging the two forward until they're by the sinks. By now, the Ninja has recovered, and races forward with a shout, holding his sword high.
Julian darts in the way with a shoiut of "No!" only to cry out and back away, dropping to his knees. The Ninja stares, mouth hanging open in shock. Jenna almost immediately screams, as if she's the one in pain, and lunges, biting hard onto the Ninja around his middle, shook him until his teeth rattled and then some, then flung him away. He smashed into a locker and slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Breathing hard, she turned swiftly, whining. Her tail thwacked into the soap dispenser. The ground opened beneath their feet; they plunged downwards with shocked cries.
Down into the Old Gym.
So sorry I've been gone so long! Stuff grew crazy, besides the fact that I hit serious writers block. I've found a way through, though. THIS STORY WILL GO ON!