Auhtor's Note:
InvictusValeyard: Ahhh, so the game begins
Indeed, it does.
I believe it's a matter of time until Johnny breaks a flowerpot, we just have to add some patience to the formula.
Stay safe and hydrated.
The day had finally come. Or should it be night? Since it took place well into the late evening, past a child's ideal bedtime.
Exiting the main building, I suppressed a shiver, the cool air of the sunless sky only affecting my furless self. Although the season has irrefutably changed into spring and was a month and some away from summer, I had no resistance against low temperatures beyond the clothes on my back.
I could have brought a jacket with me, in my backpack, but it'd take a third of the space and add weight. In other words, I was too lazy to plan ahead before the practical.
Rolling my shoulders, I welcomed the feral cold in spite of my body's reaction. Likely a result of living in an island in the northern hemisphere, the clutches of winter were persistent, the contrast between the zenith of our gaseous ball of plasma, which had a zero point zero repeating with a one at the end percent chance of discombobulating a fart, and either dawn or dusk were a sizable ten degrees celsius. The world called it something else, I simply kept to runes of my era.
It wouldn't be long until the end of the year, I noted, not the first nor the last.
Travelling along the curved path, I stuck my hands in my pockets, the suspenders tightly holding up my pants a pinkie above the waist. I'd gotten so used to the wear it was like a second skin, the slightly faded colors a result of the frequent abuse and wash.
I breathed the air, my lungs feigning a stab. It was just that cold without the grace of the sun, also, the proximity to the sea wasn't balling in my court.
Living within walking distance, I yearned for a day at the beach, building sand castles and diving into the waters, spying on the exotic fish- which would count as stalking considering all fish were sentient.
I wondered how that came to be. Was it the radiation dose on the day of our fiery demise? Evolution making a fool of god or vice-versa. Why would land animals mutate to a humanoid form while sea life gained speech, as barbaric as it was, and retained the exact form their ancestors possessed?
Either I wasn't gone for as long as I believed or…
„Of course," I mused, half a minute away from the male herbivore residence, „water…"
It was a shield for marine life, preserving them throughout the ages. That left a problem though; the tongue. What triggered the specific mutation into sentience? I wasn't knowledgeable enough to answer that and I didn't care beyond the tip of the iceberg.
Concluding my curiosities, I entered the lobby, greeting the housemother with a curt nod. Then, I finished at my room, making sure to lock it before preparing for the night.
It was a special night.
Not for me, I wouldn't lift a finger even if their lives depended on it. A little radical, but whatever.
Tonight… was the night of the play, the name still slipping between the folds of my brain.
After emptying my bag and sorting its volume with tomorrow's classes, I stripped myself to my birthday suit and went for a quick shower. Cold water was good for the soul blah blah blah, I didn't want to catch a cold, so hot water it was.
It was difficult to resist temptation, but I successfully cleansed my body in ten minutes, the mirror above the sink fogged and blurry.
Stepping out of the shower, I dried myself off on a laid tower, droplets of warm water slowly soaking below.
I hummed, a hairstyle for the occasion in mind.
While my hair was still wet, I slicked back all of it. The ends fell to the top of my shoulders, and on realistic inspection, I wasn't confident in my looks.
„Maybe… like this?" I tried a different form, combing my hair to the right.
„Nah… or…?" Another style, unfit again for my symmetrical face, especially that length behind.
„Damn…"
No matter what I did, the frozen waterfall of hair at the back of my neck made any sophistication fruitless. It just didn't click like two plastic bricks, lacking satisfaction and grip.
She wouldn't care…
Rolling my eyes, I gave up on presenting myself like a gentleman, opting for the old, reliable natural. As in, rigorously rub my head dry and roll the dice. This instance, it looked alright.
Hanging the towel, I returned to the bedroom, rummaging through the closet for a casual fit. The tuxedo was far too formal for the play, school drip was an option as boring as ever, the white…
„Nuh uh, hell no," I grimaced, moving the hung shirt and pants to the back where they shall wishfully never bask in the light of a lamp again.
Sportswear wasn't exactly matching to a public outing, so in the end, I wasn't left with a choice.
Sighing, I picked a clean…
No.
In order to conquer myself, I had to face my demons.
Determined, I grabbed the pale clothes, repeating my motto as I shoved each limb through the correct hole.
Straightening the fabric, I forgot just how comfortable they were, cotton or linen, it was really nice. After adjusting the ends of the sleeves, I grabbed a pale yellow jacket, the number of a baseball team on the back in bold purple font. It was the closest matching article to combat the cold, the green jacket of the academy would pair like cereal and ketchup.
I scratched my head, sitting in a wooden chair while tying the shoelaces of the PE sneakers. Since I never went to any fancy places, I didn't have the wide selection a normal household would have, slightly comedic in retrospect.
Nothing a message to Miya won't fix.
Once the shoes were secured onto my feet, I typed out a text requesting a few, like five, more fits that screamed the word casual and a classic suit, no tie though! I couldn't be bothered with the tech support people tutorials.
Yes, they existed even in this world.
The message received, I slid the phone into my right pocket before moving to the table and activating the laptop.
Before I could go, I had something important to deal with.
The loading process took a whole five minutes, but those five minutes felt triple their worth. All systems operational, I opened the Zmail extension, typing out the engraved burner account that consistently arose negativity within me.
Sticking my tongue out, I dragged the window to the right half of the screen, diving into file-ception. When the correct folder was found, I dragged it to the open tab, a total of two hundred kilobytes of bullshit in literary form.
It was this week's project, project being a loose term. I could never decipher the intention behind every single work she forced upon me. For example, the present file was about the logistics of minerals going in and out of the country. The previous one was about analyzing the 'usual suspects' in a minor offence that happened a decade ago. A few more ago was this whole cooking recipe; I had to literally send a selfie of myself presenting the dish!
It came out alright, edible and a touch spicy, but my point stands!
The predatory zebra kept throwing me off a logical explanation for our murky entanglement, this… long term affair of hers. Hadn't she promised to visit weekly? And in practice it was four? When I totally forgot about the sixth project and missed the deadline, she generously forgave my misdeed and requested a more thorough thesis.
The fact I couldn't make sense of the machinations behind those blinding glasses frightened me to no end. She was, undoubtedly, the most dangerous individual I had ever met. But I couldn't pinpoint the true reason. She was a herbivore, an equine, but a herbivore nevertheless. Political influence be damned, it meant nothing in a confrontational fight.
„Ah," I scolded myself, clicking the mouse to send the Zmail.
It was a special night, I shouldn't distract myself with the woes of future-me. Present-me had a promise to fulfill.
Shutting the laptop, I stood, pushing the chair into the desk. Before leaving my room, I scanned my surroundings for imperfections. The bed was smoothed, dirty laundry was in the basket, the bag was prepared for the next day, blinds were down as always, the key…
It's never a hassle to count heads on a road trip.
Swiftly finding the key on the drawer near my bed, I held it between an index and thumb. Then, I remembered I had a cologne Miya had gifted me at the end of winter. It wouldn't hurt to go above…
But Juno once said…
'You don't smell bad at all! It's actually… quite nice~'
Right after gym class.
I was so fortunate to have such an honest female friend.
Patting myself down just because, I left my room, the key resting in the left pocket until the inevitable return later tonight.
On my way out, no male soul greeted or disdained me in the lounge, the housemother acknowledging my existence with a subtle nod of her own and wise, tired eyes. Which was perfectly fine, the purpose for the event was to please, not flex. I wouldn't lie I was slick in white, like that one movie where Mr. Freeman played god, good movie.
Exiting the dormitory, I was hit with a gust of wind, fortunately mitigated by the extra layer. Within the half hour I prettied myself like a Ken doll, I literally felt the drop of two whole degrees. The difference was apparent with the harsher winds.
I clenched my jaw shut to prevent the clattering of teeth, the urge migrating to a jittering left thigh. I ignored it to the best of my abilities and proceeded.
If memory served me right, the auditorium where the play would take place was…
The very same one from the start.
I hummed intrinsically.
A full circle would be made tonight, ha! Though it wasn't the end of my school years, this was just the start! A third hadn't gone by yet and here I was contemplating, hesitating to go through with it.
„A promise is a promise," I vocalized, like many times before, a safe space in linguistic solitude.
There were times where animals annoyed me. No hands were ever raised after the intimate experience with the glassed zebra, but it didn't eradicate the voices in my head. It wasn't that funny on second thought, I didn't need to worry Miya.
Slap a hoe, punch a mutt, maybe a roundhouse kick to the shin of a pompous giraffe. That guy was a piece of work, acting all high and mighty and getting flustered when his girl was ogling me. It wasn't my fault the animal kingdom couldn't handle the Johnny Style.
„Hehehe… heh…" I bit the bottom lip, my gaze falling to the paved path.
Looking back on the certain way a few individuals behaved made me uneasy. I wasn't sure of the reason for the blend. No insults were hurled at me, no claws or teeth bared, but…
A spyglass, stalking, lurking, examining.
I shook my head, clearing that silly nogging of mine of paranoia. I wasn't the main character, everyone had their own little story. Get it once and right, Johnny boy; tonight you have fun, to hell with the troubles of the real world. For the real main character was…
„Juno…" I breathed out, spotting the figure of my favorite canid near the entrance to the main building.
Off to the side of the stairs, she was constantly checking her wrist, most likely a watch. She was exactly how I wanted to present myself; casual! A beige sweater, navy jeans, the black shoes which belonged to the uniform, I could tell when I was closer.
By then, she spotted me. A moth to a flame, I was.
"Johnny-kun!" She waved excitedly.
I returned the friendly gesture lazily, "Evening, Juno."
"Hey, isn't that…" She pointed out my outfit, to which I confirmed her suspicions.
"Yes, yes it is."
"..."
"If it's bad, you can tell me," I won't hate you, never.
"N-no," she withheld a giggle, "it's just… outlandish."
I scoffed, "How so?"
Sticking to my right side, we climbed the stairs, a wave of students approaching from behind.
"You look like you just got out of the hospital! Though I will say it gives you this clean look," she elaborated, gently grasping the sleeve underneath the jacket, "good quality, too."
"Thanks, you don't look too shabby either."
Her eyes widened, "Shabby?! How dare you!" She lightly jabbed my bicep, the toothy grin as natural as the untainted night sky, without light polluting our window to the cosmos.
"What? I mean, it's alright."
"...Now you're just messing with me," she smirked, her hand sneaking to grasp mine. A good idea considering the entourage of students around us, so we aren't separated.
"You know me too well…" Moving on, I changed the topic, "So, what's this play about?"
She perked up, "Okay, so…" She began, but we were already in the auditorium, it was difficult to discern her voice over the, surprisingly, relatively quiet crowd.
"Where should we sit?" I asked, her taking the lead as usual.
She leaned closer, "I have just the spot! It's the perfect view!"
I followed her up the stairs, personally avoiding contact with the safety railing because who knew how many unwashed hands touched that.
Glancing behind, I estimated the remaining seats to be close to half, as students were still piling in by the bunch. When I turned to Juno, she was moving between one of the higher rows where not many had occupied the available spots.
From our position, the view was quite nice albeit quiet. If everyone just shuts their maws, we could hear the actors when they did their thing on stage.
However, I then saw her choice in another, private light; it was further from the normies, assuming they wanted to observe the drama queens better. Though I wouldn't consider them popular, except…
Now, it made sense.
Juno abruptly stopped, plopping down in the center of the row. Having avoided colliding into her backside, I copied her, adjusting my jacket.
"Well? What do you think?"
I coughed to the side, "I can see everything from up here, and… it's great," I kept the second reason to myself, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I'm glad," she relaxed into the chair, smiling dreamily.
"When is it starting?"
Taking a quick peek at her watch, a real nice piece of art if I may add, she replied, "Fifteen minutes, just in time."
"Cool, cool…" I nodded, admiring that adorable expression from my peripheral vision.
I was about to ask her again about the content of the play but decided against it. Might as well go in blind, perhaps I will be amused and actually enjoy it!
But he was in it, most likely the main actor.
It didn't hold much weight, all of this was for her, after all.
Truly, it was only for her.
I couldn't care more than a moth's life for their silly play. Tradition was respectable and all and I appreciated talent when at its peak, but due to personal troubles and my experiences with the red deer, I was apathetic towards their reputation.
Plus, I will always be more popular by default. I wasn't even bragging!
And I had my own projects.
The journalism club was a steady progress that was near completion, a magnum opus of an article; the bombshell that was my recollection of the world wars. I couldn't wait to bask in the internet's reaction to our inglorious war crimes!
I shouldn't be proud of that, all that gaming must be affecting me like Mom used to say…
Before my mood crashed into the ground, I busied myself with my future in the music club.
Every month since the beginning of the year, I was required to present an original piece to the whole class, the grade corresponding to the quality, performance and the feels. All of that was my idea, by the way! I could have taken the main route but I needed, nay, was destined to revive music from my core memories.
They will never match the originals, but something was better than nothing.
So, obviously, I cherry-picked the melancholic ones. Something about falling in love, never being the same, the inevitable end…
Driving the dark clouds far, far away, the lights dimmed to nonexistence, few animals had found their places around us. The only beams of life shone upon the stage, the auditorium falling into disciplined silence as the curtains sluggishly parted.
Looking at Juno, she sat properly, neutrality plastered over her snout.
"Pst, Juno…"
She hummed.
"How long is the play?"
"An hour," she whispered back.
Resigning myself to my fate, I watched the play with minimal interest.
Although I didn't pay great attention to the details, I'd acknowledge the dedicated props and effects used throughout the events in the story about… a grim reaper and… romance? I couldn't really tell, too much Shakespearianism for my tooth. The transition between scenes and environments was seamless, the shift of focus handled by the spotlights immaculate.
However, there was one thing on my mind.
"Juno…"
"Yes?"
"How come you're not on stage?"
If Louis wasn't the leader of their club, I would've elected my floofy wolfie to be the star of the show. Her talent was undeniable and the charisma she carried herself with could take her to the moon and back. Any idiot knew she was a beloved figure on the stage. A genius at birth, some may say.
I was one of those people and, admittedly, the only one that ever told her that.
Seriously, who could hate such a lovable girl? If the president herself informed me she had committed a crime, I'd spit in her face and demand a bond of no more than a thousand yen.
She was… gorgeous.
I knew for certain whoever wronged her received a fair retribution and would so until their last day on this earth.
"Well…" she began, placing her delicate yet lethal hand upon the armrest between us, "I could have joined the actor team… the easy route for a high grade," her grip on the rounding decline was soft, her fierce claws barely pressing, "but I wanted to be with you, so I helped the other teams. It was a little tougher, but I don't regret a single second," she smiled, her eyes radiating a warmth unlike any other.
My heart beat, audible in a chamber of reflections. A heat crept onto my cheeks.
"Wow…" I sighed, "that's… thank you…"
But why? It was her own choice to mix up the orientation in the drama club, put in more elbow grease than mental gymnastics.
All… for me.
Me.
To spend a little more time with me.
In a play she practically begged me to come to.
The original plan months ago was to have a subathon and donate everything to an orphanage in the city for mixed species.
But this?
I placed my hand upon hers, sharing the armrest. Carefully twisting her arm eighty degrees, our fingers interlocked, an affirming squeeze confirming the wordless consent.
This feeling…
It was…
Nice.
Real nice.
The viewers can call me gay however they want, friendships are the best.
Basking in the fur kissing my skin, I embraced the internal turmoil, there wasn't logic behind emotion.
I was happy.
She was happy.
And that's all I needed.
For the remainder of the act, we enjoyed each other's company, never tiring of holding her hand. The pads on her palm were quite sensitive, so the trust expressed was also monumental in our bond. As were my visible veins, for nothing shielded the supply lines against a freak accident.
But enough of that, the play was about to end.
"Pff, really?" I said, albeit louder than a breeze.
"What? I think it's fitting."
Basically, the grim reaper and his lover died in each other's arms. That was it. That was the fucking end.
"Laaaaame~"
"Whatever you say, mister 'Blue Cuck'~"
"Oh, no no no, lady, don't bring my personas into this!"
Once the curtains closed, everyone clapped, so did I out of pure politeness.
"Don't bring my final project into this, I want my flying colors, you know?"
"Juno, you have nothing to worry about, I bet you could get a round one hundred solo."
"Maybe~" She fanned herself, "Does that also count Seaspeak?"
"...You got me there, got me real good…"
"Hehehe~! I always win-"
"But you ain't got the tickle monster!" Yanking my right hand away, I wiggled my fingers against her sides, grinning mischievously.
In response, she gasped, her own hands flying towards me. One grabbed my right wrist, the other to my neck.
Silence.
Indomitable speechlessness.
She was restraining me.
And that grip was abnormally firm for someone of her stature.
Of course, animals were stronger, gender barely played a role outside the human species.
Struggling to swallow due to her grasp, I asked, "Could you let me go… please?"
Luckily, by the time she snapped out of it and released me, no one noticed a snippet of the incident.
"J-johnny! I-I'm so sorry, I-"
"It's okay, it was my fault for going for a sneak attack, I didn't know you'd react that way."
"No, it's not! I shouldn't have…" She gloomed, hiding her face from sight.
"Hey…" I soothed her shoulder, "you didn't mean it, right?"
She hesitantly nodded, still shying away from me.
"Then all's good! Water under the bridge and all that."
She finally dropped the shame, tomato cheeks sporting a trail of a singular tear.
"R-really?"
"Of course! And…" I lowered my tone, "it's no reason to cry. Come on, I'm fine, it was my fault, okay?"
She nodded slowly, but I knew better than the surface level.
"Hey…"
Sending out a daring hand, I held her left cheek with my right hand, drawing circles with my the thumb.
"If you really wanted to hurt me, you'd do it now, wouldn't you?
I'll say it for the last time, I forgive you, Junie.
Nothing will ever change that.
So, cheer up!"
I playfully ruffled her furry cheek, the fluffy patches sticking out at odd angles.
"J-johnny!" She swatted my hand away as I chuckled, "I worked hard on that, you jerk!"
I calmed down, capturing the armrest myself, "I love you too, Juno."
She went quiet after that, for minutes on end as many of the students left the auditorium. I was afraid I'd broken her code when her arm rushed to meet mine, securing my hand once again.
"You did that on purpose!"
"Mmmine now, my armrest."
"Oh, you…"
"Yes, me~"
"...Johnny, can I ask you something? A… favor?"
"Anything."
"You see…
There is a…
In fifteen minutes…
Ah, I'll just say it…
Could you please stay for the second play?"
"S… second?"
"Yes, if you want, you can use the restroom before they-"
"I never said I wanted to stay for more! Junoooo!"
"Sorryyyy, I kind of forgot…"
"Bullshit! Why didn't you tell me?"
"I did!"
"Yeah, okay, you probably snuck that into the verbal contract without me noticing!"
She grinned without an essence of regret.
"I don't need to go pissing, but I don't want to stay for the rerun of this, frankly, boring as fuck script."
"It's not boring at all! Everybody enjoyed it!"
"I'm not everybody, I'm Johnny," I partially joked.
"...So, does that mean-"
"No."
"Please?"
I went to stand up, but her arm didn't budge above mine.
"No," I reaffirmed, my will an impenetrable wall of steel.
"Pleeease?"
"No…"
I looked away, knowing what to expect thanks to previous experiences. With all the fluff and cuteness came a trump card, a secret ability that could crumble any defense I put up.
I couldn't let that happen. I had homework to do! Future me had become, well, me, right now. I couldn't bear another hour of the sleep-inducing act in spite of the unquestionable quality.
However, I made the crucial mistake of peeping her way, the puppy eyes tugging at a heart string.
"Juno…"
"Pleeeease?" She blinked, tears on the verge of spilling.
"Juno…" I pursed my lips closer to my nose, the fact she was holding onto my hand doing nothing to favor my side.
"If you don't stay, I'll retract my apology!"
How did that make any sense?!
Damn it…
I sighed, "Fine…"
"Yaaay~" She relented, freeing my mind from the prison of false guilt.
I'll remember that… and the warmth of our contact.
Resigning myself to a replay, I found solace in her presence. Although I really did not fancy theatrical entertainment in the flesh, I couldn't lie to myself and reject her affection.
Back then, in my day, I had never imagined even hugging a girl in high school.
That was why I valued her so much. One of the few real ones out there. Someone I could draw comfort and give back. A fair trade.
During the break, my opinion shifted to her camp, intrusive thoughts supporting her cause. Indeed, if she was by my side, it wouldn't be so bad. Heck, I could even take a nap but that might anger her…
Regardless of my paper mache plans, once the audience returned to their seats, the show began anew.
As mentioned countless times, it was unremarkable to me story-wise. The worthy mentions of the play were the rotation of actors, the main character changed in stature; now a carnivore. The girl was still a zebra, how ironic. Not because of their contradictory alignments in the natural order, I couldn't give more than two dimes who loved who as long as I wasn't involved. The goons were also different, I believed.
Above all, my sixth sense was tickling my appendix.
At some point, around the twenty minute mark, I suspected as though someone was staring at me. At first, I thought it was Juno, but she was too engrossed in the entertainment and our contact to be the culprit.
A pair of piercing, envious eyes, boring into my soul, judgmental without a certificate of law.
Yet, no matter where I looked, I couldn't find it, so I chucked it up to sleep deprivation. At the forty minute mark, the sensation disappeared, reinforcing my theory.
Truly, a strange and memorable night.
Towards the end of the play, one of the antagonistic schmucks hugged the main character and they just sort of stood there for a minute until said bad guy fell over. There was a commotion in the first rows but out of the dark who else but the red deer came to improvise and save the day.
None of it made sense. The plot had gone down the drain, Louis popped out of the metaphorical sewage like that one character from a game about the Japanese mafia, and everyone just accepted that as that!
Sitting so far from the stage combined with the cheers of the crowd, I never confirmed what had gone down amongst the drama queens.
After tonight, drama queens fit them like a custom-tailored glove.
Once the curtain shut at long last, the students began filing out in an orderly fashion; from bottom to top row.
"Well, that was something," I commented, stretching my limbs with a yawn.
"Yeah…" She reluctantly released my hand, her gaze distant.
Sniffing, I observed the third row depart, striking the anvil while still hot, "Are you satisfied?"
"Very," she replied instantly, a humble smile punctuating her truth.
"See you tomorrow in class?"
She simply nodded, her mind on something else.
As the sixth row left, I asked her, "You okay?"
Another nod.
"Well, I have to go and rest well, got a PE test tomorrow."
"..."
"Are you coming with or…?"
"No…" she replied, in another whole world of her own.
I patted her shoulder, "Good night, Juno."
As I walked away somewhat perplexed but trusting, I heard her, "Good night, Johnny…"
Putting concern aside, I noted with a bright market to check on her first thing in the morning. I respected her personal space when it came to it, but I was also a friend. So, if something bothered her, I'd lend an ear.
After expertly snaking through the maze of corridors and junctions, I exited the main building, already dialing one of three starred numbers.
Riiing…
Riii-
"Hello? Johnny?"
"Evening, Miya. How are you doing?"
"Good. Did something happen? It's very late."
I suppressed a chuckle, "Miya, you're not my mom, I can stay up late if I want… I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
"No, no. Work, that's all. Got a lot on my mind recently…"
"Well, I just wanted to call, tell you a bit about my evening, hear from you…"
Thus, I informed her of the huge deal that was the play, omitting the dull details and that bizarre feeling during the second re-enactment. On her side, her day was as monotonous as a well-oiled machine.
"I'm really sorry I couldn't come last weekend, I'll try to do so the next one."
That wasn't the one in a few days. It was, as she said, next week.
"I understand, work is very important."
"No, you matter more, Johnny. Never think otherwise."
"Alright," I humored her, "I'm almost at my dorm, we'll chat another day, right?"
"Of course."
"Good night…" I made sure no one was around, my proximity to the bushes notable, "Aunty~"
She sighed quietly, "Rest well, Johnathan… my little chick…~"
Then, the call ended, my mind wandering away from her hushed last words, whatever they were.
Probably not as important as her work.
Before returning to my room, I could've sworn I heard a twig snap, shrugging it off to my exhausted psyche.