For truth is always strange; stranger than fiction

[saph]

Saphyre thought carefully about how to answer his question and she took them one at a time switching back to her own project for class and glancing over to see if she had fixed her error the first time.

"What I did with the beast is something that not everyone can do and its not like chi or energy its littlerally a part of the beast with other lycanthropes if your strong enough you can rub fur with another. it doesn't really go outside your body unless your shifting or if you have the ability to call to another beast. Which you can be stronger metaphysically speaking as a lycanthrope then you can be as a human. This means many areas though and more then just one conversation can answer."

She moved on to the second question and considered. "They don't hunt us. BUt we are definately lower on teh food chain then they are. There 2 or 3 lions there is a who cackle of teh hyenas there are a few more foxes in the city. the rats we dont really see much of. theres a handful of wolves. and a couple of snakes. Anything else i don't know unless you count the vampires they out number us all. But we don't hunt each other some clans are ok with interspecies dating because it means if something happens during sex they wont infect someone by accident. Dating with whatever strain you have tobegin with is a little difficult."

Social rules she thought about that. "No fights out in the open dont shift infront of mundanes. Do your best not to get caught by the law. The basic series of keeping it to yourself unless you want to be open about it. And then you run the risk of when you get hurt we heal a little quicker and that can alarm people because the virus can transfer through blood very much like hiv. but we can go into more detail about that another time because i think that is stuff you may already practice."

She looked around and noticed some new students venturing into the area and she turned her laptop to show him what she was working on. "I multitask so i was writing this program for glass thats due friday. And yeah I am in some computer courses. I don't know what I want to major in so last semester i took all of my sciences and this semester I am taking business and computers. But I was also looking for new music for work I start a new act next week and I need new music for it."

Her classes really weren't hard it was just all about time management and she did pretty well with it school by day and alternating nights between work play and homework.

[kusaji]

His eyes darted around as he moved his chair around to face her computer and her as well, on comers would only see them as helping one another on homework or a project. He’d let a breath in hale and exhale feeling the spring air circulate around him as well picking up her scent even better than before when it was but a mere whisper on the wind.

“I see then, maybe we should study together more than seeing as I am now around and have no study partner for the subject, it’d be nice to have some help in catching up to things I don’t exactly understand[/b]”

He’d say to her letting his eyes scan over the coding of her project and shook his head some letting his fingers move hers, and then bring and run the program to see what its process was and if it was running correctly a soft sigh in his breath as he opened the document, then erased half a paragraph of coding and then looked at her.

“watch your coding isn’t wrong, the teacher is he’s having you add in a data alpha rhythm, when the simple coding in a param space should work.[/b]”

His fingers glided over the keys showing her how the code is typed and not really explaining it however, he guessed she knew some programming so from looking at it alone should show her what the coding meant and how it was parsed and also how the coding ran perfectly inline to the rest of the code before launching the program, running it faster now and perfect.

“I see so there are others that play with animals, and never really met anyone who likes the night only, sounds interesting little place I have found to be my now home. As far as the dating scene what can well say someone who loves foxes date then, if we other fox lovers don’t exactly get along all the time.[/b]”

His mind however strayed to Bernie, he wanted to date her what if they couldn’t, a fear set in somewhat he’d hope hyenas and foxes could date. He’d breath a bit more erratic to the thought of not being compatible to her. He’d close his eyes however and then let the breath he exhaled to calm his nerves.

[saph]

Saphyre stared as he just fixed the problem for her and she looked at him.

"You needing a study partner I don't believe. I on the other hand know that one could be useful. I'll bet that you know all of this already and are simply either giving yourself something to do or getting certs for america. You just did in less than two minutes what I have been sitting here trying to do for the last half hour. But I will take you up on that study partner thing. Maybe I can stream line my time management that way too."

She voiced her thought out loud by accident. "And so you know its hard not to give you a hug at the moment for doing that."

She wasn't sure she understood what he was saying fully about the dating thing about interspecies. "Well for most its not exactly a problem dating they just might see us as available food on occasion. and if anything they are more accepting. Some wont date outside of their kind but some have no Issues. The hyena's i know some who have had dates with wolves and humans.." Her voice was softer since they now sat virtually shoulder to shoulder her voice was almost below a whisper no one else would actually hear her except him.

"The night children if you seek to avoid don't go to the excalibur club. Thats there. and you might not want to go to where i work either. however seeing as where you come from you wouldn't want to go there anyway..." She didn't blush she wasn't ashamed but she knew strip clubs weren't fly in japan like they were here. Japan had alot of respect for women in general sometimes.

[kusaji]

A light chuckle fell on his chest as he looked at Saphyre and her seemingly impressed view of his skills caused the gentle chuckle to rise from his form as he lowered his head some and moved his laptop for her to see exactly how advanced his programming was as he seemed to have the entire years work done for all of his computer courses.

“Computers are my hobby, this is just refresher course for me. I was thinking, I help you in computers and you help me in things I don’t quite understand about other subjects.[/b]”

He’d ask her as his cheeks blushed listening to her next statement would cause him to cough a bit as he was drinking on his water. His head shook some as his eyes met hers, she wanted to hug him how interesting he began to ponder and then let a smile fall upon his lips

“I.. I don’t think a hug is a bad thing… but it was easy to me, so really a hug isn’t that deserved. Well then I can only hope Bernie won’t want to eat me then. [/b]”

He’d chuckle at her with a soft low undertone of voice, a whisper between the two as he could feel it coming close, he knew soon his beast would win again, but this time he wouldn’t fight it, this time he planned on just letting it happen, as he looked up into the sky in thought of it. Her words snapped him from his thoughts and he shook his head raising a arm to the back of his neck, as he listened to places not to go. He’d probably venture to the Excalibur, as he was curious as to things what new things, he’d never met anything like another shifter or the undead, and he figured what’s the worst that could happen.

“Not where you work? Why not… it can’t be that bad where you work could it? i mean how bad if someone like you choose to work there[/b]”

of course not knowing it was a strip club. He’d not go for multiple reasons if he knew one was Bernie, and the others were just it was looked bad as a social structure and his culture didn’t like them to much, and the ones that did exist were home of pedophiles and 10 year old strippers, so he steered clear of those places always.

[saph]

Saphyre shook her head. She was no all that surprised. tech in japan was much more advanced half the time then it was in the states se sighed and looked at him.

"You should probably be teaching the classes not 'learning' from them. Hobby or not i think you know mor ethen half the teachers considering you have a computer built for it."

She saw the blush and smiled. He was around her age possibly a yr younger. She shook her head briefly. "Nah likely Bernie wont eat you. Glad to know you have already met someone. I am guessing she might be one of the Hyena's since you said something about them."

She shrugged about the hug. "I will settle for telling you thank you and, giving you my address so that when the moon comes I can take you out to a safe place. My place but a safe one none the less. The mundies don't know baout it and so they wont try hunting us."

She thought about how to answer where she worked. toying with the flatend toe of her split soled shooes against the ground wroking her ankles a little.

"Well honestly It is more me thumbing my nose at my family. Like you I come from money, only where yours is business based mine is family traditions gymnastics dancing and all around acrobatics and arial work that would be done in a circus or something. Instead I had my pick of what ever college and I have left my trust fund alone. "

She sighed slightly.

"Don't get me wrong I love my family. They have just used me all my life. And so I now use the skills that I had about 8 different coaches for to entertain men and women. I get paid in tips usually but i get a cut of the door price as well. I change into a hybrid form of my beast and human on a stage with and without clothes. I am not ashamed it was the easiest job to get especially since its a vamp owned place and they were looking for shifters to work there."


She paused for a moment. "I just rather not leave a bad impression on you culturally because I remember the Juice bars where you just talk to girls and buy them drinks. Here men throw money at a stage for a girl to take her clothes off. I never set foot on a stage Everything I do is an Airial show. "

She waited calmly for his reaction. She always had the week befor ethe full moon off.

[kusaji]

Shrugged some at her words listening to each of them as he sat on the student chairs outside the café and took the water to his lips and took a drink of the clear liquid twisting the cap and putting the cold water back down on the table

“I suppose I could but I don’t want to, plus only reason I am taking these is to see if the teaching here is different than Japans teachings, and my computer is only about as hi tech as they come I suppose.[/b]”

As to her second words his head would only nod showing her the answer as the black locks of his hair fall around his cheeks being in somewhat of a mess after the small but excited movement of his body, he’d let a sigh of relief as well when he heard she’d probably not eat him.

“Yea, she is a hyena… and I like her a lot… even if I have only known her for a day, well now two.[/b]”

his arms leapt around her in a gentle hug instead being a bit forward and then squeezed gently as he let her go almost as quickly. He’d listen to her proposition and nodded, as he definitely don’t know the place and waking up random and naked, doesn’t sound appealing at all to him, plus what if Bernie seen him all naked. A bright blush came to his cheek as he thought about it and then shook his head free of the idea of Bernie seeing him in such a state.

“A safe spot would definitely be a good idea, seeing as I don’t know this place my family would freak if I was in the news paper being fully naked or something.[/b]”

Her place and type of work was explained to him and he’d blush thinking about such state of her being naked in front of others, He’d not mind it however as he seen her as a cool person and didn’t judge her because of her career choices.

“I know how you feel about the family thing, however I couldn’t dare dream of embarrassing them at all, disgracing my family name is something I just can’t do… nor really would want to, even if they are ashamed of what I am now… But why, your beautiful and smart,why degrade yourself for men.. or women even that matter? Even if its as you say a pure aerial show.[/b]”

[saph]

Saphyre smiled she picked up her salad and taking a few bites as she listened to him she had just set it down When he started talking baout Bernie.

"Well you never know who you'll meet in the states"

She smiled and then she was caught of gaurd when he gave her a hug she returned it just as quick she was never one to be overly stunned by the actions of people... Well Relam didn't count as people she thought. He was his own catagorey in the semantics of everything that happened. She laughed softly.

"No worries I have a place. I am sure we will be alright there. No one has bothered me yet. And yeah thats why I always have a bag of spare clothes about even if they are trash clothes that i dont care about. I love and loathe shopping and well buying something new all the time just isn't worth it."

She sat back in her chair and considered how to respond to the mixed question and lack of understanding. WHy did she do it. That was the down to earth question. it wasn't just her family. She had been born a fox essentially she didn't care about nudity it was just a body. Most of the lycanthropes she knew were like that except some of the younger ones. She sipped on her lemonade as she thought staring at the computer screen.

Finally she set her drink back down away from her computer and his.

"Alright I am not sure I can explain in a way you can understand. Where I work its not degrading. Its not a normal strip club we actually have acts most everyone there is either vampire or a shifter of some flavor. So its not degrading, At leats not in the way you would think. I don't actually strip. I wear what equates to a skimpy swimsuit. And I might wear something over it if I am doing a burlesqe type show at the time. But I can't strip when doing the aerial acrobatics. So I don't, but I do change."

She considered a different approach. And sitting forward.

"Most of teh lycanthropes I know don't see the body in a sexual nature. We use it as one at times but our first thought isn't a naked body means sex. To us its your skin. Its what is inside that matters. clothes are ratehr confining. I love them they are a great way to accent your mood for the day but I secretly hate them for the same reason they dont allow as free movement as without does. At work yes some of the people treat it as sex appeal. Me its more of oh you don't have on clothes and shrug it off. So for me its not degrading because I see it very differently."

She paused taking a breath and letting it out. "So I like performing either nude or mostly so. My family doesn't see it as an embarassment. They were surprised. But my mum laughs about it my Father just has some different pictures for his add campaigns for the cars he sells. They know dancing is something I love and chicago doesn't offer much. we don't have a perm circus here like they do in st louis so we have an adult entertainment which allows for nudity and an actually good show. We all have rehersals and there are real stages and there are some humans who work there as just the basic stripper they fill in inbetween the different shows. So in reality I am not degrading myself. I am doing something I love doing. An audiance is an audiance. Yeah I am pretty and smart. I am also independant of my family. Mainly because I wanted to be. And this was a way to seek that independance. The boss is the master of teh city she's nice but creepy. She is very big on not letting in riff raff its a paid membership unless there are special events and then some of those are by invitation only."

She thought about what she had said. To her a body was a body it didn't matter if it was shown off or not covered or whatever it was a body. a series of curves and lines that was just a part of you.

[kusaji]

“I guess that is true, we never know who we will meet I thought well, until I met you and Bernie that I was the only one that had developed this mutation of blood. It was nowhere on the net except legends and myth, but here you are and well here I am.[/b]”

Watching her eat, he didn’t as he was not trying and spoil his and Bernie’s date later on in the evening. He’d watch her with mild amusement as she was in what seemed to be a thought. Hearing then her chuckle raise from her once quiet form caused his brow to arch some wondering what was happening in her mind, or what she had thought of, and as quickly shook it away to listen to her words missing the first few as he was in thought.

“Then maybe you can email me or text me the directions or if your phone can GPS the coordinates to me I will most likely show up around dusk, till then I’ll probably be locked in meditation or something I am sure of. I love shopping but I hate ruining my cloths usually when my beast plays I only end up ruining a pair of boxers or something.[/b]”

He’d chuckle at her, now thinking a complete stranger would see him in his boxers and a blush highlighted his cheeks to a light crimson color and caused him to cough just slightly and grab his water to twist the cap off and take a drink of the clear liquid to calm his dry throat almost at the same time she took a drink of her own and sat it down, he’d twist on the cap and hold it in his hands, her next string of words would catch his attention better.

“I see so it is actually just a skill show, that actually sounds ore theatrical arts, I might actually enjoy that really, I do like the theater even if it is a bit risqué or avant-garde, it is sometimes fun to watch it all be played out. Maybe Bernie would enjoy watching it too; I wonder how to ever get in or be invited.[/b]”

His mind paused a bit in thought as he canted his head some to her next thoughts, as to how lycans seemed to view their flesh as only that. He’d shake his head some and took in a full breath and begun sharing his own views upon it.

“I believe the body is art expressed to the eyes, much like a painting would but in its own way much more. I don’t think though everyone should see it, and should only be shared between special people or covered up. You see it as just differently then that’s your right as its your body, and the way you explain it then it is just dramatic art or expressional art, But they make you shift.. don’t you feel a spectacle… like a animal put on display when you show off your shifting? Though I guess if everyone’s a shifter that’s there then really it’s just showing off our species and our beauty in a whole as wild animals. But one question, you said you can shift without it being a full moon… how?... I don’t remember ever really having a shift outside of the moon cycle.[/b]”

Obviously he had a lot to learn still about his beast, he could control it usually just with a suppression of his chi to do so, but his shifts usually were much violent. He began to wonder if he just let his animal play could he shift at will as well.

[saph]

"First you just have to know where to look on the nets to find teh information its there just well camoflauged. But there is more then just Bernie you or I and I am sure the more time you spend the more people you will meet."

Directions or gps to the spot. well she didn't have those she thought for a minute and pulled out a memo pad and a pen from her bag.

"How bout i give you my address. I live on the northside. I have a condo, so its not all that difficult to find really. But once there I can take you to the spot and that way i can ride herd on you while shifted and you dont have to worry about anything that happens during because from what you have said so far you don't remember what happens after you chnage."

She scribbled down the address in question her hand writing was very neat even for a quick scribble of the address. She put her name and phone number with it and her email address with it.

"Well I can only get you a set of ticket if your both over 18. However I am not sure if Bernie would like it because as I said some aspects are show some are blatant sex appeal. I will also have to eventually introduce you to Simon. You might like him."

" Its fairly easy really. most new shifters have issues with their emotions. Because they have a harder time of always being in control of them. But after a while once you gain control over things like anger and sorrow they dont trigger the beasts rising. BUt you learn how to shift on call in times of danger or when you need to. Its like holding a spring depressed if you let it go suddenly its violent and it can hurt. But if you let it just ease out like you step into a swiming pool it flows naturally fur replacing flesh a little of the goo spreads about but its not that bad. Doesn't hurt nearly as much."

"As for being a spectical. Either way it is still me either watching the performance for what it is or watching the fox do it. Either way it is performance. and I don't feel like a freak for once for being myself. Yeah you get the crazys at times but in general its not that bad. Yeah I know but either way I still get to perform. And I am not having to go to a circus to do so."

She tore the paper off from the small pad and handed it to him. "Besides if you cant be yourself entirely why do it?"

[kusaji]

“Well maybe it’s just because I didn’t know what I was looking for, but trust me no cases were even in medical records within japans medic labs, no testing on lycans, no showing of it even in black op’s within japans intelligence agencies, nothing… hell, even the furry nation had no clue about this stuff[/b]”

He’d blush realizing he spoke on the fact of looking up anything in such nature. He’d sigh however as he slumped in the chair stretching his back and resting his elbows on his thighs. He’d let a soft nod course up and down as his fingers moved through his hair and put the locks behind his ears.

“That sounds, good as yea I would not want to embarrass myself or my family by being in the papers or something. Your address would prove to be very helpful as I don’t know where you live at all. Do you ever get to a point, that you do remember what happens in that state?[/b]”

Straightening up from his slumped position, he’d watch as the pen passed over the paper, gliding effortlessly leaving behind the information she wanted him to have. Her next words seemed to cause a lift of his brow, and then a subtle nod.

“Your probably right then, plus she’s not 18 guess, I’ll have to take her to a real theater then. And Simon, who is that?[/b]”

He’d listen to her explanation of the shift and a way to just let it happen rather than fight the change, as if he just let the energy exchange happen with a natural flow. He’d never really tried that at all really, it was always a uphill battle for his beast to get through.

“I see, so basically don’t fight it and let it happen I know when it is about to happen, as well my chi goes ballistic and I fight to control it, my mind state changes as well, before it’s about to happen, usually I meditate in a deep trance, before so I can try and control the way it happens, but it never really works at all. I get what you mean about performing, I mean as I said performing an art is never bad at all, it’s actually fun to watch, the way bodies move, and expressing feelings through the way they move. and well, I believe a circus would be worse… for us…[/b]”

He’d take the piece of paper and smiles at her folding it and putting it in his pocket and looked at her with a soft nod

“Thank you.[/b]”