Chapter two
(Sept 10th Wednesday)

It was the next day, and Grace had already found something to do. During gym a boy that she heard others call “Slice” quickly became an enemy. He was a grey hedgehog, scrawny, with no hair, and a… free-spirit. Grace was about to go attempt some volleyball-playing when Slice walked up… and let out the contents of what reminded her of Rynk’s portrait all over her, stomach down. Usually one would apologize, or just collapse. But he just laughed then ran off, as he began to feel another outburst of lunch food erupting.

Personally Grace wouldn’t have cared whether it was on purpose or not. He was going to get hurt. So after she finally recovered, had taken a very long shower, and borrowed a pair of clothing from her roommate Annie, the vixen decided to find his dorm and… remodel it.

Fifteen minutes later and she had gotten the room. A few minutes later, she was attempting to pick the locked door with a hair-pin, which was not working well.

She was getting a bit flustered, but her attitude sored notably when she saw Rynk walk down the hallway, towards her. Grace remembered how goodie-two-shoes Rynk was about the smoking, and she seriously doubted that the lynx-girl was going to give her a break about this. She quickly hid the pin and hoped for the best.

“Sup?” Rynk greeted perkily. Grace was partially confused by the cheerful attitude from the lynx-girl, especially considering their last encounter. She was about to greet her, but realizing that she was about to wave with the hand holding the pins, Grace quickly stiffened herself, which provoked the appropriate stare of suspicion from Rynk.

“Whatcha doing?” Rynk asked.

“I’m…” Grace’s face was almost flushed with embarrassment, but she managed to get out “I-I saw a bunch of smoke come under the door a bit a go… I w-wanted to see if something was wrong.”

“Really.” Rynk said in a very non-convinced tone as she got closer to the door. “Well it’s not gonna work.”

“Huh?”

“The lock-picking; the school doors don’t have those kinds of locks, they’re all electric and such. I tried it already with… something else.”

Grace was tempted to ask what the something else was, but more interested on getting inside the dorm. “So how do we get in?”

Rynk stepped back from the door, motioning Grace away for a few feet, then while front-sliding towards the door, she slammed her foot just below the handles, blasting the door open, yelling “Sparta!” as the door slammed to the side.

The vixen masked a chuckle at the direct approach. Obviously Rynk was not interested in subtlety. The large-eared-lynx stepped into the room, as did the vixen. As soon as their noses adjusted they had to yank themselves from the room, gasping for air.

“Wow…” Rynk gagged. “Okay, what’s in there?” She covered her mouth and stepped back in. Grace was somewhat hesitant but followed suit.

The entire room was reeking of the smell. It was almost drenched in whatever this liquid was. The beds were torn a bit, with pillows atop the floor, turned tables, and a passed-out Slice leaning against the wall.

“… Is he high?” Grace asked.

“Smells like it.” Rynk replied through her hand-muffle. Cautiously stepping over to the unconscious hedgehog, knocking on his forehead for a response. Slice groaned a bit, mumbling to himself as he roused. As soon as he saw the two he made kissing-lips, which were promptly sliced by Rynk’s claws.

Instead of screaming his head off, Slice let out a small and slow moan as he passed out a second time. His lip was gushing but he did not seem to react to that.

Grace cringed at the sight, and turned away.

Grace noticed a pack of cigarettes on the ground and picked it up. “Well looks like someone else likes breaking the rules.” She juggled the pack to her other hand. “What do we do with all of this? Leave?”

“We take it to the Principal.” Rynk replied. Grace groaned. She hated adults in general. Strike that, she hated people in general. Principals weren’t on her exception list, and Rynk was only barely on her tolerable list.

The two of them said nothing as they made their way to the Principal’s office. Upon entering the office, it took a mere thirty seconds to retell the events. The principal seemed a bit upset that Rynk kicked the door down, but did not interrupt the story.

“Hmm…” The Principal looked up from her computer desk to look at her informers. When she met eyes with Grace, both of them got a feeling of dread. The Principal was the lady who checked Grace in, and gave her the un-amused look. Grace had hopes that by being the Principal she would have to be nice… she was wrong.

“Grace… Renolds,” The Principal began with rolled eyes, “You will be receiving four demerits for breaking into a student’s dorm-room, and taking cigarettes. Rynk… Tropia…” She gave another rolling of the eyes. This confused Grace slightly. Why was she rolling about Rynk’s last name too? “You will receive four credits for this information. That is all.”

Grace did not even want to waste her breath trying to defend herself. She was about to turn around and leave, when Rynk said, “Wait a second! Don’t punish Grace! She was helping too!”

Grace was a bit surprised, but quickly got excited in hope that Rynk would succeed. “She broke into the room, which is against the school-rules, and she took illegal items.”

“No she didn’t.” Rynk defended a second time. “I’m the one who broke in.”

“Yes but-“

“And I cut Slice’s lip to boot!” Rynk was very proud of this particular part of the story.

Grace and the Principal were vexed. The Principal quickly regained herself though and replied “V-very well. Um… Grace, you are free to go. And Rynk… you will be given a warning as you are a new student.”

“Thanks but don’t you think Grace deserves a reward?” Rynk urged. Grace was already startled as to Rynk helping her in the first place. She was startled again when she made herself look bad purposely. And now Rynk was trying to get her a reward?

“… Fine! Grace you receive a credit!” The miffed and puzzled Principal returned to her computer, then Rynk and Grace walked out.

Grace took at least five minutes of aimless walking before asking “W-why did you do that?”

Rynk turned to her and said obliviously “Was I not supposed to? I told you we were gonna tell her… didn’t I?”

“No I mean why did you do that to yourself? Then get me the credit, and- and-… do you want a favor or something?”

Rynk kept a flat tone. “I wanted to start over. And I might as well try to get one with someone who can sympathize.” and skipped off.

Grace was extremely puzzled. Even more than before. What did Rynk mean? She wanted to say “WAIT!” but Rynk was about to turn a corner. Before Rynk did though, she noticed something though on Rynk’s ankle. It was a small bandana; tied like a anklet, with blood stains all over.

Outside The Academy

Silver eyes observed the large building with wonder and fascination, its gaze particularly studying the bold letters placed upon the wall. An aardwolf, who is the owner of the curious eyes, scanned the words and mumbled them under his breath.

“Mobius Academy” he read, and the teen slightly approved of it.

Ever since the approval of coming to this school had reached his county home, the new student immediately packed and took a lengthy trip over to the campus. He was slightly surprised by the news, though, since he believed the history of schools he has departed to dreadfully gave him a reputation. He was possibly known as a rebel, and to be honest, he actually enjoyed this title.

Glimpsing around, he spotted other pupils hopping off buses and embracing parents and guardians. He merely scoffed at this sight, slightly irritated by the happy atmosphere that surrounded him. One thing people should know about this juvenile delinquent is that he absolutely despises affection or anything of some sort. Possibly the childhood he had developed this pet-peeve, but the teenager hates the remembrance of it.

Shaking his head, he snapped out of his depressing thoughts and averted his gaze back to the doors. He has no choice but to enter, since his sign-up sheet was already filled out and surprisingly approved.

A slight frown was upon his thin lips, his mind trying to comprehend everything that will happen when he steps inside. He already knew the consequences of a school, such as grumpy teachers, immature and crude students, and so on. He cringed as he thoroughly memorized the list of dreadful things he had to go through; the years of experience in school gave him plenty to remember.

The Mobian slung the bulky bag over his shoulder, and casually walked up the concrete stairs, surrounded by a few other fellow classmates, who didn’t really care as they shoved him to the side. Well, he was right about the immature and ignorant students thought.

As he was continuously pushed off by impatient teens and seemed to fall to the back of the crowd, a thought burned in the back of his mind: “Why would any idiot want to anxiously rush inside a school?”

Raw thoughts circled his head, but his expression was unchangeable. He looked quite formal in his milky-colored suit, which he had no idea why he was wearing it in this occasion, and the posture he walked with showed determination. Even if he looked courageous, an uneasy frown was plastered upon his white muzzle.

Nervousness was thoroughly the feeling he had at this moment, but he couldn’t bear on showing it in a place full of judgmental strangers.

As he walked through the glass doors in utter silence, those mysterious eyes he had scanned the lobby, seeming to search for a specific sign that could lead him somewhere. The students, who gave the area a variety of color, didn’t exactly help him.

“Perfect,” he growled in a harsh tone, walking aimlessly with no slight clue on what he was supposed to be doing.

The group of Mobians decreased in size as people of all colors and species strolled to their own direction, and that left bewildered amateurs in the area. Including the aardwolf. He wasn’t having much luck as he studied the crumbled paper that was given to him a day before; it consisted of his schedule, and his name was neatly printed on the top: Dante

He sighed in relief, knowing that his full name wasn't on the paper. There was even additional information on his room dorm number, and who would be staying with him in the room.

He muttered under his breath, still not able to comprehend most of the jumbled mess, which was actually quite organized in reality.

Unable to deal with unimportant subjects he didn’t care for, he crushed the paper once more in an irregular ball. Stuffing the document in his pocket, he wandered off to the path of his dorm, hoping it actually was the path.

But before maneuvering out of the crowd of obnoxious animals, a flash of brown caught his eyes. Dante’s gaze averted to the color for a more detailed look, and a stunned expression was soon readable on his face.

“…Grace?” he questioned to himself in a whisper.

To his surprised, this girl he spotted was lazily resting upon the cream-colored wall, her blue eyes staring up at the ceiling in thought. The teen seemed to be lost in thought, thinking about something or someone. She seemed ordinary and looked absolutely tired, and she wasn’t the most beautiful thing he ever laid eyes on, it actually wasn‘t her appearance that surprised him at all. It was just…her.

Or to be specific, his childhood friend.

He could easily recognize that shade of brown her fur obtained, and those blue orbs that glowed with intensity. She even kept that old scarf of hers, which was far too big a few years ago, but now, it tightened around her neck in perfection.

After a moment of just observing the new features she obtained over the years, Dante noticed that she was actually looking right at him now. To be honest, it was more like glaring.

“I would really appreciate it if you stop staring,” the words rolled off her lips in an angered tone, and Dante’s trance immediately shattered.

There was a thick tension that hung over the two as they had some staring war, but Dante’s gaze was filled with fear. The consequences of upsetting the fox was something he had learned far back, and he still remembered that fatal day.

“Sorry," Dante grimaced. "You just…looked familiar,” he managed to croak out, and the fox simply raised her brow.

She didn‘t seemed impressed with his answer, and as she spoke, the same annoyed tone was evident. “Who do I remind you of?” she asked, keeping her lethal glare on him.

Dante scratched his head nervously, glancing off. “Just a childhood friend.”

The brown fox softened her expression a bit, seeming to slightly understand, tilting her head to the side lightly. She seemed to study him, narrowing her eyes. After a moment of silence, those blue ovals of hers widen.

The aardwolf smiled, seeming to be pleased that she recognized him, but the fox kept her shocked look, and slightly cowered.

She remembered, but her reaction wasn’t what Dante planned.

Instead of having a friendly hug in the middle of the lobby, she awkwardly started grinding her teeth and stepping off the wall.

“Listen, Dante…” she trailed off a bit, trying to get used to name that came from her mouth, “…I think I need to go.”

Dante’s smile faded slightly. “But…” He didn’t continue his sentence, knowing that Grace wouldn’t change her mind. She was stubborn back then, and she probably was now.

“I know, this isn’t the best reunion ever, but can we talk later?” Her eyes glanced around, but they never landed on him. “Just not…here. Alright?”

Dante noticed how uncomfortable she was, and he slightly understood why she didn’t want to be seen with him. He had a few embarrassing issues here and there, and she simply did not want to deal with that in the first day of school. He guessed that she didn’t believed he had changed over time.

“Alright,” Dante said in a whisper, his lips curving down, and his ears lowering.

She seemed to notice his expression, and sighed in a sad tone. “I’m sorry.”

Before he could really do anything else, the teenage fox wandered off to one of the hallways, too afraid to stay longer or even look back. He should have expected that, Grace wasn’t always a compassionate or sympathetic girl.

He couldn’t blame her actions, since he was partly unimpressed with himself. So much problems seemed to linger on him. Especially a certain disorder he had.

But that was another story.

Dante just wished for the good old days, back at his county home. Back where children weren’t as judgmental, and could accept almost anyone.

But instead, he got welcomed in some Academy of freaks. Which is what he called the strange classmates around him, but he had to admit, he was a freak himself.

Knowing he wasn’t going to run into anyone else he knew, he headed back to the direction that he believed where his dorm was. It was the first day of school for him, and he already managed to get lost, due to him trusting his instincts instead of the paper of information in his pocket.

Dante still wonders how he got accepted here.