*not really
>”RISE AND SHINE, KIDDO!”
>You wake with a start, bolting upright only to be blinded by the morning sun burning through your drawn blinds.
>Groaning unintelligibly, you rise up and blearily rub your eyes.
>”Good mo~rning, sunshine.” Your aunt croons, standing smugly next to the window.
>You grunt in response, stumbling to the restroom.
>The fluorescent light flickers on, faintly humming.
>You catch sight of yourself in the mirror.
>A patchy haircut from the stitches, and your bloodshot right eye surrounded by a large but fading ringer 
>You look like shit, no surprises there.
>You shift your attention to the icing on the cake- the gauze on your throat.
>Peeling off the tape that keeps it in place, you gently prod the broken lines of suture dotting your throat.
>It had been two weeks since the crash, and only a couple days since the funeral.
>You felt no different, just numb- you hadn't even cried yet.
>Your aunt said it was shock, that the grief would come with time.
---
>Finished with your grooming, you pop a motrin and make your way downstairs towards the smell of breakfast.
>Your aunt, a tall hyenamorph, cheerfully waves at you, gesturing for you to have a seat at the table.
>You raise an eyebrow at her choice of attire, running shorts and a sports bra covered by an apron emblazoned with ‘GRILL GIRL’.
>”Shut up, I just finished a run.” She laughs.
>”How’s the throat this morning?” She asks, gesturing with her spatula.
>You pull a pen and notepad out of your back pocket.
>’Feels the same. Painful.’ You write, turning the pad her way.
>”Mmm. Still can’t speak?”
>You shake your head- she already knew the answer to that.
>The hospital doctors said there was no way to tell if you’d regain your voice- only time and physical therapy would tell.
>”Are you really sure you want to start school today?” She continues, stirring the contents of the skillet.
>”Given what you’ve been through..” She trails off, uncomfortable.
>’I’m sure, I need something to keep me busy.’ You scribble. 
>”Alright then- let me know if you change your mind, though.” She winks. 
>A comfortable silence follows, filled only by your aunt’s humming and the clatter of cookware
>”Better prepare yourself for this omelette, kiddo. This is my best one yet. BOOM!” She chucks the dish towards you like a frisbee, it slides down the table and comes to a rest just in front of you. A cheerful ketchup face has been drawn on it. 
>’Work of art, Aunty. I almost feel bad about eating it.’
>She snorts, rolling her eyes.
>”Don’t sweat it, there’s more where that came from.”
---
>Meal finished, you place your hands behind you and pop your vertebrae, grunting in satisfaction
>You give your grimacing aunt a big thumbs up
>”Glad you liked it! Ugh, it weirds me out when you pop your back like that..” She complains, which makes you shrug
>”Want a ride to school?” She asks, after taking a long draw from her ‘BIG HUG MUG’ 
>You nod affirmatively, and scribble onto your notepad
>’Yeah. Gotta get ready real quick, how about five minutes from now?’
>”Sounds good, give me a shou-” She quickly notices her faux pas, and corrects herself
>”Sorry, come find me when you’re ready.”
>’Don’t sweat it’ You smile. 
>You place your dishes in the sink and make your way back upstairs, towards your backpack to make a quick inventory of its contents
>Motrin
>Check
>Pens, paper
>Check, check
>Crumpled assignments from the past three years
>Check
>A film canister full of weed
>What’s that doing here?
>You tuck it into a pair of socks in your drawer, back where it belongs
>You’re ready
>Pulling on a zippered sweater, you pull it all the way up in order to cover the gauze- it’s a shame you can’t do much about the face, but nothing short of a Halloween mask would help
---
>You both make your way towards her car, which chirps as she unlocks it
>Hopping in the passenger seat, you immediately sink into the plush leather 
>Man, your aunt’s car is great
>The keys jangle as she sticks them into the ignition and starts the engine
>You’re immediately assaulted by a shrill wall of sound
>GETSOFUCKINDARKINHERE
>You both jump out of your seats, your aunt actually strikes her head on the roof due to her height
>COMECOMEFUCKAPARTINHERE
>AHHHHHHHHH
>DIEINTHEPROCESS
>She fumbles with the stereo while you cover your ears, grimacing
>YOOUUUUUUU
>DIEINTHEPROCESS
>”Oh fuck, sorrysorrysorrysorry-”
>KETTLEDRUMROLLHARDSHI-
>You hit the power button, abruptly turning it off
>Your ears are ringing, and you realize you’re trembling a little 
>Bringing a shaking hand up with your notebook, you turn it towards her
>’How about I pick the music?’
>The rest of the ride passes without incident, and you’ve arrived at the school before you know it
>IDA CON SNOCK HIGH SCHOOL looms before you, in all of its unimposing glory
>”I’ll come in with you, make sure everything’s square with the administration.”
---
>In the front office, you zone out while your aunt speaks to the woman on duty
>”....ames? Earth to James, you there?” You aunt flicks your forehead, which breaks you out of your stupor
>The woman your aunt was speaking to- a small mouse of a woman (literally)- offers you her paw, which you promptly shake
>”Hi James.” She beams. “I’m Candice, I’ll be showing you around!” 
>Your aunt taps your shoulder
>”Best of luck, kiddo. I’m off to work.” She smiles, pulling you in close for a hug. “Word to the wise- you see any hyena girls, steer clear. They’re mean!” She cackles, tousling your hair
>She waves goodbye, leaving you with the bubbly Candice
>”I was excited when I heard we were getting another human student! This is a predominantly anthro community- as you’re probably aware, it was a sanctuary city for refugees fleeing the Tanzanian conflict, so we’ve got a lot of Hyena students. Um..” She twiddles her thumbs, looking pensive
>”The males are generally very sweet, but be careful around the females- they can be, how do I say it- they can be testy sometimes. If you ever feel like you’re in danger, find a faculty member immediately.”
>’DANGER?’ You scribble down
>She must notice your concern, which causes her to frantically backpedal
>”You’ll be fine, don’t worry! We haven’t had a serious incident in two years!” She smiles proudly, pushing her glasses back onto the bridge of her long nose
>”Don’t be provocative, and you’ll be A-OK!”
>’Is it too late to go back home?’ You hold the notebook up while frowning, slowly backing up towards the door
>”Heehee, you’re funny!” She giggles, grabbing your wrist in an iron grip
>”I’ll give you the tour first!”
>You’re trapped
---
>Candice gives you the grand tour of the school, tail swishing behind her as she points out the various facilities
>The school is even more unimpressive on the inside
>You finally arrive at your classroom
>”Class has already started, but since you’re new it’s no problem. The majority of your core classes are going to be with your homeroom teacher, except for your electives. I’ve put you down for art and music appreciation- you’ll be able to choose new ones in the spring. Any questions?”
>You think for a moment, and jot something down
>’Why not different teachers for the core classes?’
>”Ah, that.. We’ve, uh, had some difficulty getting new staff for the past few years.” She laughs, obviously nervous
>’By any chance, would it be the past TWO years?’
>She freezes
>”......no.”
>Before you can write anything else, her tail snakes past you and opens the door
>She practically shoves you inside, following closely behind- it seems you’ve interrupted the professor halfway through a lecture, the entire classroom’s eyes are on you
>Candice scurries over to the teacher and whispers into his ear, presumably explaining your circumstances
>You catch the phrases “flight risk” and “keep an eye on”
>A majority of the other students are Hyena, the rest are various anthromorph species
>Not one other human is present in the class
>Candice takes her leave, after trying (and failing) to give you a reassuring pat on the back
>Your teacher, a portly male walrus, approaches
>He squints at you and offers a hand, which you shake
>”Nice to meet you, James. I’m Mr. Hudson.” He drawls, lazily
>”Class, this is James- our new transfer student. Due to some injuries he can’t currently speak, so do try to be considerate.”
>You pop off a lazy salute to the class, and make your way towards the sole unoccupied seat in the classroom, putting you smack dab in the center of hyena territory
>Amusingly, all the female hyenas are on one side while the rest of the class (including the male hyenas) are on the other- there’s even a noticeable gap between the desks of each side
>Your aunt said to steer clear of them, but they couldn’t be that bad, right?
>You’re about to sit down when a gleam catches your eye- there’s a thumbtack upright in the middle of your seat
>Seriously?
>The girl sitting next to you takes a swig of her drink before placing it back down on the desk, trying to appear nonchalant as she watches you intently from the corner of her eye- you’re pretty sure they’re all watching
>You lean over and flick the thumbtack, admiring it as it sails through the air in a beautiful arc before finally landing in her energy drink with a faint ‘plop’
>Jesus
>What were the odds of that?
>The corners of your mouth twitch as she gnashes her teeth, obviously furious
>Your neighbours erupt into laughter at the expense of their friend- a few even clap you on the back
>Mr. Hudson restarts the lecture, pointedly ignoring their raucous laughter
>The lecture turns out to be pretty basic stuff, so you spend the remainder of the period speaking with the girls
>They’re surprisingly cool, if a little mischievous
>You learn the names of some of your immediate neighbours
>Saoirse sits to your immediate right, a tall (even for hyenas) and reserved girl with mangled ears and a latticework of scars on her muzzle- she’s been asleep since you arrived
>She’s wearing gym shorts and a sports bra loosely covered by an open sided sleeveless shirt, which reveals her lithe and wiry frame
>Nancy sits to your left, who you flicked the thumbtack towards- she’s still seething
>Probably best to avoid her
>Annika and Charlie, twins, sit behind and in front of you, respectively
>They’re both kitted out in road leathers and denim, like extras straight out of Mad Max
>They say the look is called ‘crust punk’, whatever that is
>You’ve caught Annika sniffing your scalp several times now, while Charlie has had her tail wrapped around your leg for the past hour
>The lunch bell rings, saving you from the two curious hyenas’ uncomfortable advances 
>As you’re headed to the door, Mr. Hudson stops you
>”Hold up there, James. Stick around for a moment.”
>The remainder of the class files out, Nancy bumps into you as she walks past
>Saoirse is still asleep at her desk, lightly snoring
>Mr. Hudson rummages around his desk drawer, before coming up with a small stack of papers
>”These are the assignments that you’ve missed so far. I’ve also written down all the material that you’ll need to cover in order to catch up. Has Candice already brought you to the library to get your textbooks?”
>You nod affirmatively, taking the stack and placing it inside your backpack
>”Good. Ah- one last thing. I’m pleased to see you’re getting on well with the hyenas- just, do be careful, alright?”
>You nod your head, quizzically
>”Excellent.” He pats you on the back. “Now go get lunch.”
---
>You’re currently on your back in what looks to be a training room
>Padded mats cover a majority of the floorspace, and several punching bags hang from the ceiling
>Nancy is straddling you while another hyena has your arms pinned above your head
>You’d been headed to the lunchroom when the door flung open and you were yanked in
>Nancy grinds against your stomach as a long strand of slaver falls from her open jaws and connects with your cheek
>She muzzle sports a look halfway between fury and arousal
>You struggle ineffectively, which only causes Nancy to tap her claw against your cheek, startlingly close to your eye- message received, you stop
>The other hyena brings your pinned hand up her skirt, using it to cup her groin through the fabric of her panties
>She shifts against your hand, the heat radiating off of her almost scalding you
>Nancy slowly leans down, until you’re face to muzzle
>She abruptly twists your broken nose, causing you to moan in agony- the pain shoots through in sharp waves, making you go dizzy
>”Shut him up.” Nancy snaps
>The other girl leans down on your upper body for support while she shifts around behind you
>She produces a sodden pair of panties, which you try and shift away from
>Nancy taps your cheek again with a claw, this time digging in a little
>Reluctantly, you open your mouth while she stuffs it inside- you almost retch from the sharp taste
>Nancy sizes you up, hooking a claw through your jacket’s zipper
>”Mm, you look nice and-”
>The door abruptly opens, revealing a yawning Saoirse holding a lunch tray
>The lithe hyena stops in her tracks, frowning at the three of you, before setting down her lunch by the door and removing her shoes
>Her frown deepens as she approaches
>”Are you three seriously wearing shoes on my mats?”
>”S-sorry, Saoirse. How about I let you in on this?” She offers, sheepishly
>Saoirse rubs her muzzle appreciatively, looking you up and down
>”No thanks.” She states, driving a knee into the face of the hyena behind you
>Taking advantage of your freed arms, you buck your hips up and to the side while pushing against Nancy’s hips, causing her to tumble off of you
>You gain your feet immediately, while Nancy is still on her hands and knees
>You sprawl atop her back to keep her pinned 
>Spinning in place, you’re now directly atop her, hooking your legs around hers and clasping your hands around her torso seatbelt-style
>Back mount scores you four points- you suppress a manic laugh from the sheer absurdity of the thought 
>You hug her frame, and use one of your free hands to grip her chin and push it out
>She panics and drives the two of you to your side- you maintain your position on her back
>Holding her chin in place, your other free arm snakes around her neck until the pit of your elbow is flush with her throat
>She thrashes frantically as you lock the choke up and squeeze, driving your elbows towards each other
>The thrashing ceases after roughly six seconds, you immediately release and she sags to the floor, unconscious
>Cunt
>You pluck the pair of panties from your mouth and place it in Nancy’s, instead
>Sparing a glance towards Saoirse, you realize she’s beaming at you
>She’s currently seated on your other (currently moaning) assailant, keeping her pinned to the mat
>Nancy’s still out cold- you could raise her legs to help the blood flow normalize, but you’re not feeling very generous at the moment
>Raising a hand up, you realize you’re shaking from the adrenaline
>”Jitters, huh?” Saoirse pipes up
>You make your way to the door, where your backpack was thrown
>Notebook retrieved, you leave your shoes outside the mats (you hear Saoirse grumble appreciatively) and have a seat on Nancy’s back- you grin slightly, hearing the ‘whoof’ of air being pushed out of her lungs 
>Saoirse watches curiously as you hastily scribble in the notebook
>’Thanks for the save. Writing because of injury, can’t speak.’
>”No shit? That blows. And no problem, I always come here during lunch period. What’d you do to piss Nancy off so much?”
>’Embarrassed her in class. Prank of hers backfired.’
>”No wonder she jumped you! Serves her right, though.” Saoirse cackles
>”We in the same class, I take it?”
>’Yeah, you were asleep when I came in’
>Nancy stirs beneath you, her groans muffled through the sodden panties
>You shift so you’re straddling her back once again, reaching for an arm to pin behind her like a chicken wing
>You lock the submission up, leaving just a little wiggle room so it’s mildly uncomfortable 
>She starts bucking underneath you, which prompts you to push her elbow slightly towards her head- she gasps in pain, and stops
>”What the fuck!” She shouts, spitting out the pair of panties
>”Better stay put, Nance.” Saoirse warns. 
>You balance the notebook on Nancy’s back, writing with your non-dominant hand
>The result is atrocious, but thankfully legible- you turn the notebook towards Saoirse with your free hand
>’tell her to back off’
>She squints at it for a moment
>”He says to go fuck off. Says he won’t be as gentle next time.” Not quite what you requested, but good enough.
>”Consider it a favor to me.” She adds, smiling with bared teeth. 
>Nancy nods frantically, shooting you a worried look
>”Cool. Now get the fuck out of here. Take your friend here with you.” She slaps the other girl's bare ass, which makes her yelp.
>The two of them shuffle out, the second girl pausing to sheepishly pick up her panties
>Saoirse glances at the emissions splattered on the mats with a look of profound distaste
>’Need a hand cleaning the mats?’
---
>The two of you are seated on the mats, eating lunch
>Saoirse was kind enough to share hers with you
>You write something down while munching on a fry
>’Nancy- such a plain name for a huge cunt’
>”Right?” She giggles
>”We’re not all like that. I promise.” She says quietly. 
>She suddenly leans in and sniffs you, frowning
>”Hold on.” She walks over to a duffel bag in the corner and rummages through it
>”Here.” She says, shoving a box of wet wipes towards you
>”Unless you want to walk around school reeking of horny hyena, you need to wipe yourself down- thoroughly.”
>You scrub every patch of exposed skin down with the wipes- once finished, she leans in to sniff you again
>”Good enough.”
>”Alright. Finishing touch. Hold still.” She produces a can of MUSK-B-GONE (XTREME PROTECTION) out of her duffle, and liberally sprays your clothes. The scent is milder than you expected, a faint vanilla- you’re fairly sure your aunt uses the same brand.
>”Did I ever get your name? There was a lot going on.” She laughs.
>’James. You’re Saoirse.’
>”The one and only- good to meetcha, James! Though, not the best of circumstances to meet under....” 
>You shrug and offer her your hand, which she shakes, grinning
>The two of you spend the next half hour talking
>Turns out she’s in charge of running the school’s Muay Thai club. Evidently, the school will approve just about any program in order to keep the hyenas occupied. She explains that it’s grown quite popular as an outlet for stress. The students pooled their cash together to furnish the room, which explained how anal she was about the mats
>She asks you numerous questions about the techniques you used, gushing about how efficient you seemed
>You tell her about your grappling experience- a purple belt in jiu jitsu and a modest amount of wrestling 
>Saoirse twirls some fur on her forearm, looking pensive
>”Would you consider joining? I wouldn’t mind showing you some striking stuff if you teach me to grapple.. I want to be more rounded as a fighter.”
>She nervously watches as you jot down your answer
>’I’m game’
>Saoirse beams at you
>”That’s great! We meet up after class just about every weekday.”
>The warning bell rings, signaling the end of lunch period
>You stand up, dusting off your knees
>Saoirse follows suit, looking around wistfully
>”I guess I should start locking this room when it’s not in use..”
>Approaching her, you’re suddenly unsure of your next course of action
>”What’s up?” She asks, looking down at you
>You pull Saoirse in for a hug, your head level with her clavicle, brushing against the fur poking out of her shirt’s opening. Her scent draws you in, a stuffy and wild fragrance. It’s strong, but not unpleasant. 
>The contact makes her freeze in place- she reaches up to stiltedly pat your head, apparently unsure of what to do
>You finally separate from her- she’s still frozen, arms awkwardly positioned at her sides
>”Uh- are all humans so touchy-feely?” She jokes, scratching behind her ear. 
>You smile, it seems you’ve embarrassed her
>She waits patiently as you write on your notepad
>’I just wanted to thank you again for helping me out. It really means a lot.”
>”No prob. If there’s one thing I hate more than shoes on mats, it’s rapists.”
>’kind of a large leap there’
>Saoirse winks
>”Come see me if they give you any more trouble. Seeing you in action, though, you shouldn’t have any problems if it’s just one-on-one. Watching you choke out Nancy made my whole fucking year!” She slaps her knee, laughing
>’I’ll be honest, it felt pretty fucking good. Almost cathartic.’
>The second warning bell rings, not much longer until class starts back
>”Hehe, no doubt. Got your stuff? Let’s head out. I may be a lousy student, but I'm no truant.”
>”Actually- wait.” She claps a hand down on your shoulder, spinning you around
>She snuffs your face and then your neck, her cold, wet nose brushing against your throat- you shiver involuntarily
>She then smells her shirt
>You tilt your head, questioning
>”Goddamnit, now we smell like each other.” She snaps, startling you. 
>”Stay still- and no more hugs!” Saoirse prods your chest.
>”Damn cuddly humans… All that work undone..” She grumbles, digging through her bag again. 
>”Arms out, spin around slow.”
>You oblige her as she reapplies the spray
>She produces a different can from her duffel, this one a canister of MUSK MASKER
>”Can’t be smelling like the same spray, now, can we?” She explains.
---
>”Jaaaaaames.. Why didn’t you eat lunch with us? Do you hate us that much?” Annika whines from behind you as you take your seat. Nancy is notably absent from her desk.
>Charlie chokes out a sob, feigning heartbreak as she collapses onto her desk, limbs spreadeagled
>She winks at you
>You turn your torso to face Annika, trying your best to keep your legs facing forward
>She flinches as your spine makes a disconcerting noise- you release a sigh, the stretch feels orgasmic on your stiff back
>You scribble onto your notepad, noting their horrified faces
>’No’
>”Jesus christ!” Charlie shouts
>”What are ya, a gymnast?” Annika cackles into her hand.
>’kinda?’
>Annika pauses for several moments, a look of deep thought crossing her muzzle
>You look at her, questioning
>”Oh, sorry. I was just imagining you in a leotard.”
>You snort
>’Should I be feeling objectified, here?’
>”Most definitely!” “For sure!” They both respond in unison
>’At least you’re upfront about it’ you wink
——
>The bell chimes at the end of your final period, signaling the end of the school day.
>After exchanging contact information with your newfound friends, you make your way to the student pickup lot.
>”James!” A voice calls to you through the press of students.
>It’s Saoirse, who’s doing her best to weave through the thick crowd
>”Hehe. For a shrimp, you sure walk fast. You not riding the bus?”
>’Nah, my aunt insists on driving me everywhere. She’s been like that since-’ 
>You falter for a moment, frowning at the paper. 
>Saoirse glances over and makes a soft ‘ah’.
>”No need to explain.” 
>She claps you on the back. 
>”That was Jiu Jitsu earlier, right? How long have you been doing it?” 
>You smile, grateful for her tactful change of topic 
>’Most of my life. My dad was big into it, part of what got me interested initially was from watching him compete at tournaments when I was little’
>”You come by it honest, then. Does he still compete?” 
>You pause, taking a careful moment to write down your response
>’not anymore, no’
>”How come?”
>The look on your face must clue her in, as she immediately looks like she’s been struck 
>”I- I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that- fuck.”
>’it’s not your fault, it’s not exactly something that I’ve been advertising’ 
>You draw a t-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘DEAD DAD’ to illustrate your point
>Sparing a glance at your watch, you frown- your aunt’s late, which almost never happens
>You gesture to Saoirse to stay put while you call your aunt
>She picks up at the third ring, the sound of her car’s engine evident 
>”James, that you?” You aunt asks, louder than necessary. She must have you on bluetooth through her stereo. 
>You blow an affirmative raspberry, which gets a giggle out of her. 
>”Sorry kiddo, I’m stuck in some terrible traffic. It’s looking like it’ll be another twenty minutes before I get there.”
>Saoirse taps your shoulder, mouthing ‘need a ride?’
>Nodding, you gesture to your phone and hand it to Saoirse
>She fumbles with the phone while you look on amusedly, she looks panic stricken 
>”Uh, hi... This is Saoirse, I’m a classmate of James’. I don’t mind giving him a ride home, if you’re fine with that..”
>”Mhm. Yes ma’am. A Ford. Uh... Yes, it’s got doors and airbags. Yes ma’am, absolutely.”
>She hands the phone back to you, your aunt is currently cackling like mad
>”Hehehe, you’ve been busy kiddo! Don’t let me stop you!”
>”She sounds really cute, by the way..” She whispers. “I’ll see you at the house, love ya!”
>Saoirse grins at you as you pocket your phone
>”Your aunt is a character, she made me promise that I’d make sure you buckle up.”
——-
>The two of you load into her car, an old Bronco, and toss your bags in the back
>The Bronco has that distinct (but not unpleasant) smell of an older vehicle 
>You pull up your phone’s GPS and set it up to direct you home
>”Oh nice, that’s not too far from me, actually.” Saoirse says, glancing at the map. 
>”Right then. You know what to do.” She gestures to the seatbelt.
>Rolling your eyes, you oblige her
>The rest of the ride passes without incident, mostly in comfortable silence. You can’t afford to distract her with a notepad while she’s driving. 
>As you roll to a stop in front of your house, you try the door only to find that the handle is seized
>”Oh! My bad, forgot to mention that the door is busted. It can only be opened from the outside. Hold on a sec!”
>She hops out and darts around the front of the car, opening your door with a flourish 
>”Your abode awaits, good sir.” 
>’Thanks again for the lift, I appreciate it!’
>”Any time. See you tomorrow?’
>You nod and say your goodbyes before finally heading to the house 
>It seems you’ve beaten your aunt back home
——-
>”Got a sec, James?” Your aunt calls.
>Peeling yourself off of the couch, you head to the kitchen 
>Your aunt is seated at the table with a large book resting in front of her
>It’s on American Sign Language
>”I’ve been thinking about this for a while. You don’t want an electrolarynx, and I think this is the next best thing. We could both learn it together, it may take a while for your voice to come back.” She says, drumming the book’s cover with her claws. 
>You sigh
>’Alright. I'll look into it, aunty.’
>”Attaboy. It seems kind of fun, honestly. I’ve been reading it. Here. Know what this sign means?”
>Her hands form an unfamiliar sign 
>'nope, blow my mind’
>That's 'moon’
>'Very cool. You know, I think I know some sign too. Want to see?’ She perks up at that
>”Yeah!”
>You obscure your right hand with the left, slowly raising it to reveal... a middle finger
>She barks out a laugh
>”You little shit!”
>She kicks her chair back and lunges toward you, which you narrowly evade
>She couldn’t be-
>You dart around the couch in the living room to create some space, but she vaults right over it 
>”Just give up, kiddo.” She cackles. “It’ll be less painful that way!”
>She clears the distance between you in an instant, picking you up and flinging you onto the couch
>No amount of grappling experience could have prepared you for the coming onslaught 
>You’re promptly pinned and she immediately begins assaulting you with a barrage of tickles
>You try and wiggle away, which only serves to intensify the tickle hell 
>She even ignores your attempts to tap out, only stopping when you’re clearly exhausted and gasping for air
>”I'm a black belt in tickle-jitsu, kid. Your actions have consequences, remember that.” She winks. 
>”I used to chase you around like that when you were younger, you know- you loved it.”
>You fish a spare notepad out of a back pocket after catching your breath
>'i remember’ you smile
>”So.” She starts, plopping down beside you. “Tell me about this girl you met..”
>’Not much to tell, honestly’
>’She’s a classmate’
>”’Not much to tell’, eh? Is that why you’re sporting some scent blocker? The nose knows.”
>...you look away, your face beginning to flush. Your aunt looks downright predatory now.
>”C’mon you punk, spill it!” She playfully punches your arm for emphasis. 
>’It’s kind of an involved story..’
>She gestures for you to get on with it, and you sigh.
>You proceed to tell her the events of your day, glossing over the attempted rape. 
>”So you choked a bitch out, and made a friend. I’m proud of you kiddo.” She beams.
>”What? You look shocked for some reason.”
>’I thought you’d be angry’ You shrug.
>”For defending yourself??” She cackles. “Never. Here’s a little secret, coming from an alumni of that school- the administration expects fights, and so long as they don’t get out of hand they usually turn a blind eye to it.”
>’you think Nancy is going to cause any more trouble?’
>”Doubt it,” she scoffs. When you press her for an answer she just shrugs, citing her ‘womanly intuition’. 
——-
Chapter 2

>”Now class,” Mr. Hudson begins, “would anybody care to tell me what nation was involved in the Tanzanian Conflict?”
>Crickets
>”Anybody at all. Don’t all raise your hands at once.” He deadpans. 
>You absentmindedly scratch your nose, which gathers the teacher’s attention.
>”Fantastic, thank you for volunteering, James. Just come on up and write the answer on the board for me.”
>The twins snigger
>Charlie sticks a leg out as you walk past, which you grace with a short, vicious kick
>The leg shortly withdraws, you wink at her as you trudge past
>You approach the board with confidence, and select an orange scented dry-erase marker
>With great deliberation, you scrawl the words ‘I HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA’
>Mr. Hudson sighs as the class erupts into laughter.
>”Your candor is impressive, James- your answer is utterly wrong, however.”
>He continues as you make your way back to your seat, pushing Charlie’s bulk out of the way as she leans across the aisle with her entire torso
>”The correct answer is, huge surprise: Tanzania. The conflict began when the fascist regime rose to power, and started systematically oppressing the spotted hyena people, which prompted a huge migration from the country. As you know, some went to the States to select sanctuary cities, such as our own...”
>The lunch bell rings, miraculously cutting the professor short
>”Off to lunch, we’ll continue where we left off once you get back.“
- - -
>”Monkey-boy, still planning on staying for Muay Thai?”
>Saoirse’s coarse voices calls out from behind you as you head towards the cafeteria
>You idly scratch your nose and yawn deeply
>”Hey.” She flicks the back of your head.
>Turning around, you feign surprise upon seeing her.
>”Don’t ignore me,” she huffs. “Are you still planning on coming to the club today?” 
>’hey what’s your phone #, saoirse?’
>”Don’t dodge the question!”
>You beam at her
>She sighs and dutifully writes it down for you, which you enter into your phone. 
>’Well met, wolf-girl. I’m game, is it right after last period? Also I kinda realized that messaging you is a lot easier than writing.”
>”I’m not a wolf, but I see what you’re getting at here. Yep right after.”
>’I’ll be there. Might sit out for any sparring, I’m still in pretty rough shape from the accident.’
>”No worries about that, I was actually hoping you could show us some grappling..”
>’I’d like that a lot’
—
>After class you get changed into your rashguard and head towards the clubroom
>A dozen muzzles turn toward you as you enter, all of them attached to hyenas
>Carefully slipping out of your sandals, you trod out onto the mats
>Saoirse greets you with a smirk and introduces you to the large group
>”This here’s James, he choked out Nancy the other day. He’s going to be teaching us some grappling, so treat him nicely ladies.”
>You’re greeted by the crowd with enthusiasm, some staggering you with a clap on the back (it seems Nancy was not well liked) and others curiously sniffing the nape of your neck.
>Used to the behavior through your aunt, you take it in stride as Saoirse grimaces apologetically 
>Waving Saoirse over you have her lie down and gesture for everyone to sit
>Through a combination of pantomiming and writing, you attempt to explain the basic positions and fundamental concepts of jiu jitsu
>Luckily everyone seems to comprehend your pitiful explanations, you have the group start drilling some beginner level sweeps and submissions 
>Walking the mats, you correct any mistakes you see, positioning them with your hands to guide them
>An hour of drilling passes, and it seems they’re all somewhat competent at what you demonstrated
>With Saoirse’s assistance you tell the group what’s next, positional sparring
>Everyone partners up and grapples for real from the position they learned, when one of them gets swept or submitted they reset and start back over
>A timer is set to two minutes, once it rings they switch places
>You phone dings, signaling the start of the round
>Plopping to the ground, you spread your arms wide and pat the spot in front of you
>A huge hyena approaches you and kneels, she’s likely got seventy pounds and a foot on you 
>”I’m Sarah. Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle with you.” She grins, which you happily return. 
>You pull her into your guard and slap and bump fists, signaling the start of the roll
>She immediately begins working the escape you showed earlier, pouring all of her strength into it
>As she breaks your guard you transition perfectly into the sweep you’d demonstrated earlier, effortlessly knocking her over and taking mount
>You reset and sit back down as the bewildered girl gets up
>Round two goes much the same way, ending with you trapping her in a leg assisted choke, her head and arm trapped between your triangled legs
>Sarah tries her best to escape, using her considerable strength to stand up, she lifts you up from the mats
>You shut that down by hooking an arm around her leg, causing her to collapse back down 
>The choke tightens as you squeeze your thighs together, constricting the carotids in her neck
>Begrudgingly, she taps, causing the room to break into applause
>Another hyena approaches and asks to work in, which you happily accept
>Sarah slinks off dejectedly to find another partner, who gives her a reassuring pat on the back
>You’re still in top form, it feels good
>The mats are your domain, and you, its ruler- any usurpers will be dealt with accordingly 
>You smash your way through the entire group, each hyena eventually approaching and challenging you
>All that remains is Saoirse, who you eyeball from across the room
>After sipping some water, you skip over to her
>”I never would have guessed, but you’re a little demon, aren’t you?” She says, impressed. 
>It’s probably the only thing you excel at, truth be told 
>The rest of the group watches attentively as the two of you prepare for your showdown, Sarah starts playing some suitable final boss music from her phone 
>With a slap and a bump you begin
>Popping your hips, you break her posture and pull her down into you, her furry ear tickling your nose
>She smells musky, like sweat and exertion
>With a snarl she pushes against you, working her way back up to regain her posture