For truth is always strange; stranger than fiction

[saph]

Saphyre sat with her lap top she was camped at the outdoor cafe' on campus two hours until her next class and she was studing. She had alot on her plate she had however managed to maintain her a b average so far. Last semester she had taken sciences and teh last of her remedial courses this semester she was taking computer courses. virtually everything from progaming to graphic design. It wasn't all that hard. She was smart and knew enough already to understand the classes.

She however wasn't certain she could handle all the looks she kept getting from some of her class mates. which was why she was here and not in the lab doing this. She worked her way through her lunch of a chicken salad and lemonade. As she worked on the code that was due at the end of the week she was almost finished.

Her brother had made sure she had the computer she would need. Had even sat with her teaching her how to use it with the linux system. The laptop was a little unique but nothing to terribly so. Onyx in jest had the case done in a silvery blue there were however in shadows of black across the case what could only look like a girl but a fox in different dance forms with the fluffy tail and sharp pointed large ears. Revealing the angles and curves of the womans body. She had found out later that he had taken the picture from her dancing. When she would be in her inbetween form.

She sighed tapping away on the computer a set of ear buds disappeared into her ears from the laptop. She was finding new music for work. It was time to change her routine. No more on the ring she was now switching to the silken fabric another one she loved. She was the only acrobat currently but some of the other girls had started taking classes. She didn't have the room mates anymore it was time to find new ones.

She shook her head and rubbed her face it was always something she thought. As she caught an error and went to rewrite.

[kusaji]

The second day of being in America seemed to be as long as the first, wanting to hurry with class and go meet Bernie somewhere or take her out to do something. Daylight had merely begun and it was his morning class. A course in general programming he’d need to recertify to be caught up to date on all his certificates. He’d walk from the class and towards the student hall not wanting to be in lab as his computer was much faster and he could program quicker upon it. Walking into the student outdoor cafe, he’d grab a water bottle from the cooler and go to a table that seemed off by itself the class was already over and he’d just want to get his homework done. He’d set down the yellow canvas tied back pack and unloaded his laptop sitting it on the table in front of him. He’d start up his laptop as he enjoyed the day. Within a blowing breeze however a distinct smell fled across his senses, something familiar and scented the same as him made his nose twitch almost in reaction to the smell, he was sure it wasn’t him however smelling very close to his inner scent. His beast leapt for joy banging against its inner cage, he could feel the wild romping of it trying to get out, and his eyes twinkled in feral response to this simple reaction.

“c... calm down… now… you don’t control me… I will control you however.[/b]”

Whispering over and over to himself as his eyes closed, if anyone looked at him, he’d be seen as a semi shaking presences as if the wind had caught a chill up his spine and then resting again when his eyes closed a strong aura reached out the feeling of energies ebbed around him, life force, chi whatever one wanted to call it seemed to slip stream about his form, something was close but what most would feel their presences gently touched by a charge of static electricity, however he’d open his eyes something indeed held his same signature, the same elevations and everything. His eyes immediately searched around him catching the glimpse of a girl with a laptop. His hands sliding over his opened hoody top as he leaned back in the seat letting the black Etnies rest on the rim of the table and tilt his chair back. The black with yellow hood flew back some showing off the white wife beater top he had. His necklaces strayed to the side leaning looking at her.

“Konichi… umm hello[/b]”

immediately even from the distance she heard the thick Japanese accent to the hello not pronouncing the L’s as L’s but R’s instead and yet he’d been intrigued of the life force surrounding the female. He’d take out his phone trying to be inconspicuous or stalker like and texted Bernie.

“Where should I meet you[/b][/u]”

was the simple text sent to Bernie

[saph]

Head phones still in place she was dressed in a series of silver and blues. To be cute she had worn a pair of barrets that looked like ears. An internal joke with her little sister. They were silver and blue. She wore a half crop hoody much like dancers wore and then a camisole beneath it. The hoodie was a light blue. the tank top more of a silvery blue. and then she had on jeans and the split soled shoes she wore for dancing.

Still having the head phones in she had glanced up breifly when the boy in yellow came out but went back to what she was doing easily enough. head phones in she barely heard him when he seemed to be speaking to someone and then the wind shifted again and she caught it. She stopped typing and straightened her shoulders.

She reached up brown almost black hair falling in wavy curls down her back the barrets kept her bangs out of he face and look appropriate they however looked simular to the ones in the siloette on her lap top. She turned and looked at the boy. Japenese she thought his face wasn't round enough for chinese. But he was fox...

"Are you talking to me? " Her voice was sweet. Even though she spoke a little louder so that she could talk across another table to him. She didn't get up yet she was already laid out on her table and knowing it would be easier for him to move then her.

He was new but not.

[kusaji]

A simple nod would come from his form as his foot almost screeched off the glass top. He’d pick his laptop and his yellow backpack as well. He’d almost take it as an invitation to come to her and sit there. He’d also able to feel the chi around her and him. His beast however grew more and more impatient, yet his years of meditation could trap the beast for a little while at least. His breath slowed again as he regained his body even under the circumstances his hand sat down the silver laptop with holographic fox head pictures printed on it seeming to glimmer different colors from the suns reflective rays upon the graphic. The laptop was completely over done, but looked to be the same as any other at least from the cases outlook. He’d put his thumb on the print scanner to allow him access into the computers deeper files, and also started up his data bases and coding sources all in small windowed boxes. His eyes looked at the girl to see if she’d take out the earphones as he studied her in curiosity having for a first time coming close to someone matching the same signatures as his own. This would be the second with a beast he’s ever ran into, in Japan there were none with the lycanthrope disease yet this place seemed to run amuck with them.

“hai, errm yes I was.. I am Yoshida Kusaji.. or Kusa[/b]”

He’d tell her with a slight introduction of himself to her this simply intrigued him. He’d set out his I Phone and let it sit beside his comp waiting on Bernie’s response to his text. As he was determined what indeed was so familiar about the female in front of him, staring her in the eyes from the top of his keyboard.

[saph]

Saphyre had the eyes of her beast they were silvery gray and her eyes lashes were dark fringe aroudn them the small amount of make up she wore which was simply a light touch of eye shadow across the lids. brought out the silver tones in her eyes. She had taken out her ear phones before he cam over to her table she smiled though. She tapped a single key on her laptop which switched from her project to the listing of searches for music. SHe was test listening to several different things so far nothing had hit for a good song for the new act.

"I am Saphyre Silva. Its nice to meet you Kusa. If you Like you can Call me Saph." Yes the scent was him and he seemed to of been drawn to her she could almost see him wanting to ask questions.

She jumped ahead and put it out the looking from his laptop case to her own. "I am thinking we share a common interest in foxes... or... at least an ancestry..."

Saphyre felt the turmoil of the other beast. She reached out with that other self seeking to lend a calming hand to a beast if she was right had never encountered another like itself. Nothing but a soothing feeling flowed.

[kusaji]

The feeling of his beast seamed to quiet down, as he felt a calming aura sooth his form, not understanding the feeling caused his brow to quirk upwards looking into the eyes of the female who indeed introduced herself as a jeweled name. He’d memorize it as soon as she spoke it. His body then froze to her next question as he drew in his lip ring and chewed gently on the metal thinking of how to answer the question correctly.

“I would say we share a similar ancestry to them as well feel their closer to being what lies deep beneath our souls[/b]”

He’d answer her clearly as his beast seamed to lie still for the moment. He’d never met another fox, and well beside Bernie this would be the only second human with this type of aura. His mind seemed to spark mild interest wondering what she did. He didn’t feel an intrusion to his chi or any aura around him, no it was more a link as if his beast was spoken to and it obeyed.

“How’d you do that?...it’s never quieted when I tell it to[/b]”

Looking at her with a puzzled look upon his face his mind was spinning quicker with only a feeling of a thousand questions all boiling into one. He only hoped his accent didn’t mess up his words to much sighing if it did. He’d look at her with soft eyes that took a golden hue around them in the sunlight.

[saph]

She smiled she was right his reaction of proof enough of that. She smiled her eyes never changed but they were reflective to the light they didn't absorb it like normal humans. Her eyes were the one thing she could never change.

"Well I confirmed something. You have never been around another of your own kind. And what did I do. Well its the touch of one beast to another. Physcial contact helps more but sometimes I can reach out with just my beast without physical not all the time yet though. I am still learning. But once you come to terms and accept it as part of yourself it will normally settle easier when you need it to. But Heightened emotional states frequently can cause it to be on edge."

She was actually able to understand him fairly easily. She looked around noticing that the area was blessedly clear of eaves droppers she lowered her voice. Speaking softly to him. "I am going to guess your from Japan. Its the only place I have been that people dress the way you do. And have that accent. I know you weren't born like I was with it. So when were you attacked?"

She looked at him and there was a slightly worried look in her eyes. Obviously he hadn't really been around someone who could hold him and help him through those first changes and she didn't know what those were like. At least not for someone who wasn't born with it. She remembered watching her brothers through their first changes it varried for them both usually around 15 or 16 on them.

[kusaji]

He’d nod his head looking in her eyes as she was straight forwards with her questions his own mind thought for the answers to what she wanted to know, He fought the hidden beast inside because his family told him it was evil not that it was a good thing that the lord kitsune cursed him because of his past. He however believed it as a gift and wanted to welcome the animal as a part of him. He’d look again at saphyre.

“Yea I was born in Japan… Nagasaki to be exact and no, only you as far as a fox goes. And you’re the second of this gift I have ever met, Bernie being the first.[/b]”

He’d look at her with a gentle sigh. So she calmed him by reaching out with her beast, he’d wonder how he could do that? His mind reeled into action as he thought of this, what was that like, how did one do it… was it like reaching out with his chi? After all his beast is a part of him, so its energy was It to able to be manipulated and used as a force? This was all a new idea to him. Her next questions had him thinking a bit.

“I believe I was infected at the age of 10, however my first wasn’t until I was 16… though I just remember the pain of it.. and then waking up in a rice field not far from home… naked[/b]”

He’d chuckle as he remembered the day of his waking up and then his face grew sad as his parents really never looked at him the same again. He seemed to be a well guarded secret in the family and even then he suspected that was truly why he was sent here to America, so they no longer had to hide him.

[saph]

She smiled sadly hearing his answers. She had a few friends when she grew up that were outcasts family wise from Japan. She knew how honor bound and private they could be there.

"I apologize for the situation that caused that first change. But I will tell you in many ways when groups of the same breed gather they become like a unit a family and develope their own traditions from diners together to movie night. And their own families within the whole. Here in the states though we are secretive about it because of those who would be prejudice against us. We are still ourselves. Some hide it some don't. Alot of people are like us. Not foxes. but there are hyenas rats lions bears tigers wolves even snakes. I know there is a swan somewhere. Being that which we are is as diverse as there are species. Foxes however are rare. and it is rare that they are infected conversions."

She contemplated him. Thinking carefully of how she would say what she would say next.

"Not everyone, even those born survive their first change. I have an uncle who never survived his first change it killed him. You were very lucky for surviving the last 3 years alone. Especially in the climate you were in. But now that your here there are many things for you to learn. One of which is making peace with yourself. Your not in Japan now so its ok to let that part of yourself out when it feels the moons call. You don't have to fight it any more."

She smiled. And then she laughed at herself a sound that was soft, but light, realizing she sounded very much like her mother. "Please forgive my laughter it is not at you it is at myself I just realized I almost qouted verbatum one of my mother's lectures to another. He was a born that was lost in the system of foster care and ran away with his first change and somehow my Father found him we gave him shelter. And taught him. I was laughing because I realized I sounded just like her for a minute."

She smiled and the smile was echoed within her silvery gray eyes. "Well for starters welcome to the states. And feel free to ask me anything."

[kusaji]

The unnatural way of it all seemed to calm his nerves, as he was always looking around for bystanders. He’d still not be totally used to talking about this kind of stuff without code or even in public. His hands filtered through the keys on the keyboard at a decent speed still his eyes upon hers not moving from them. His breath slowly went down in intensity and his heartbeat went down as well as he let the feeling as if he has been un hole for a long time. Her words seemed sad to him and it caused him to stop typing and let his body slink back and half close the laptops screen so he could intake a breath.

“There’s no reason to be sorry about, in fact I see it as a gift really, I even though fight to control it inside me and not let it out, I accepted it as part of who I was.[/b]”

The words next that fell upon his ears almost worried him he never thought he would die from the beast that hidden deep in him. But he seemed more interested into this whole beast interaction was it a energy could h manipulate it as it used him to travel into this world? He’d lower down as to almost whisper to her.

“So when you touched your beast to mine.. what is that… it didn’t feel like a chi exchange, nor a touch of auras… is it like… a energy? Or is it just a calling… if so what’s the training for it?[/b]”

His voice held a excitement to it as he wanted to learn the simple function of his beasts power, if it was a truly a gift as he seen it, only accepting the animal and learning all it had to entail would have to be understood from his own perspective. From her words alone it seemed ok to accept the animal his mind easily made up, from this day on he decided to never fight it.

“Thank you for your welcome here, and these other shifters… how many are there… do any of them hunt us… or do we hunt them… what’s the social rules to this whole thing? I mean well what’s at the top of the proverbial food chain I guess would be the correct question.[/b]”

His body settled again and opened the case lid and then began typing against he finished the lesson quickly and began running it easily on his computer.

“So I see you have a laptop, are you in a computer course or something? I can tell its not just a normal student laptop just by simple knowledge of computers.[/b]

His overlooking at his programming seemed to be perfect as he saved the project and then yawned slightly hoping the classes would be harder than this n later to come.