"I suppose it's fair to say this all started - really started - when the trains arrived that day, bringing those people in from the world...or worlds...over. Who could've ever seen it coming...?"

The rolling of the wheels on the tracks slowed, and eventually ceased as the trains reached the Academy Town of Trebon. The trains, made large to accommodate a variety of the Beastmen who had in recent years followed the inexplicable "Convergence" in joining the Earth, as well as a large amount of the world they previously called home.

Extending over the skyline of the town was a truly massive tree, limbs curling and supporting the structure of a school that seemed in places to be built out of the golden bark of the tree. It was a massive and regal thing that in spite of this was merely a seedling of the distant world tree that the Beastmen would've known.

A single long road led down the path through the town all the way to a curving, elevated road leading to the structure in the tree. The road simply levitated on air, a feat of magic achieved by some means - perhaps thanks to the two mystical figures presently leading Braveheart Academy.

Along the path to the Great Tree, a number of lamp posts lined the long road. On every odd post, a raven-like statue was mounted just below the lamp. They seemed to glance down and observe everything in a truly unusual manner, as if all looked outward, but sent what they saw a singular place.

From these avian structures came a voice - as if they also functioned akin to a loudspeaker, "Welcome, students, to Braveheart Academy. The long trip on the train must have been...unusual, for a great many of you. Let me welcome you to Braveheart Academy. A place of learning about this new world. A place for defending your fellows and ensuring peace in this time of chaos."

"My name is Sir Gideon Glory, one of your Academy Headmasters. And I am happy to have you here. Should my fellow Headmaster wish it so, she may now give you a message as well."

And with that, the message transmitted through the ravens ceased for now.

Some more attuned with magic might've heard of the elusive Gideon Glory - rumored to be an ancient mage indeed, possibly even the same man as the legendary alchemist Comte de Saint Germain. But all those arriving would now know him as one of the Academy Headmasters.

The path to the Academy was a long, winding one at any rate.

It would take the students past a number of little, charming areas. One was a district of eateries, most if not all of them accommodating Beastfolk. Another was a marketplace - thriving and bustling with activity. In and amongst the marketplace were a number of quirky street performers ekeing out their existence.

Those passing by the marketplace would see a decorated, dancing mime-like figure conducting a series of physical comedic stunts, right in the middle of one stall after the other.

Quite an introduction to this sort of life, eh?

Hananaibira

The train was far too big.

Hananaibira, the finest shinobi of Shironohara, had spent most of the train ride on edge, ready to pounce with his tachi at any second. The train had been built for giants. Plus it was crowded. Far too big. Far too many people.

Getting off was a relief. The kuroneko dashed off the train, weaving between people's legs. None of them spared him a second glance. Most couldn't even see him. They were all too tall.

As he walked down the pathway, hoping to reach the school without getting trampled, Hana's hand absently twisted the bone bracelet on his wrist. It was a gift from the yogen-sha, a talisman to ward off evil spirits. It grounded him, somewhat.

At the very least, it was keeping him from freaking out in front of everyone.

Wildflower

Unlike her fellow student, Wildflower stood out among the crowd, even to those few who were familiar with skunkfolk. At 6 feet tall, broad, and muscular, the huntress was large even by human standards. By skunkfolk standards, she was a downright Goliath.

Despite her intimidating stature, however, Wildflower was ill at ease. Starting with that bizarre train thing that had taken her here at unimaginable speeds, she was surrounded by sights, sounds, and smells that were completely new to the insular forest-dweller. She tugged awkwardly at the clothing the school had forced her to wear. She had ended up discarding most of the package she had been sent, taking only the most unobtrusive garments: an upper garment that had been labeled as a "sports bra" and a "skirt" which she'd used her claws to cut the rear half off of, freeing up her natural defenses.

So overwhelmed was she taking in all these sounds and smells, in fact, that she found herself nearly tripping over her diminutive kuroneko classmate.

Noa Takenaka

Noa had been curled up quite comfortably in her seat on the train for the duration of the ride, only waking up and stretching once it stopped at the station as she then grabbed her luggage and trudged out onto the platform. She stood to one side to let the other passengers get off, yawning widely as her ears flicked atop her head and she craned her neck back to look at the colossal tree that signified the Academy's location.

"Awww... we're gonna have to walk...? I've been asleep..." she complained, huffing as she adjusted the straps of her bag and began to lazily saunter down the path in a sleepy fashion. Her pace was interrupted on occasion by yawning and accidentally bumping into people along the way, prompting mumbled apologies from her as she did her best to pick up the pace. Her eyes only widened at the sight of another catfolk, but she sighed in relief when they ignored her in favour of going on ahead.

"Ichi, ni, san, shi. Ichi, ni, san, shi..." she huffed as she counted, her steps becoming heavier as her tail unwound from around her waist to help her balance. "This is boring...! Gah... if I don't look it won't feel as far..."

Actually, it was probably because she was staring at the ground in a tortoise-like slouch that was why she kept crashing into people going the other way. She hadn't even looked up at anyone around her yet.

Hana

Hana felt the skunkfolk's presence before he even saw her, and he whipped around, hackles raised and already hissing before—

Oh. Another student.

...why is everyone here so big?

"...keep an eye out," he said briskly, before continuing down the pathway.

If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone.

Yi Min

The monkey emerged from the train with golden eyes full of wonder. Her eyes almost seemed to glow as she took in the sights, her body practically vibrating with excitement.

Unlike others, she seemed to have embraced human fashion, even wearing shoes over her normally prehensile feet. Somehow this didn't seem to affect her simian agility.

She ignored the crowd by leaping over it, flipping into a one-handed handstand on a lamp post, before jumping off and landing on her feet in front of the slow stampede.

There was a bounce to her step as she strode confidently ahead, spinning on a heel to take in all the sights and sounds around her. She breathed deep of the world and its energies, letting it all flow in and around and through.

Yi Min grinned wide. She let her gaze sweep across every person she could see, gauging the levels of power within each. Her eyes landed on one person in particular, and she hopped forward, landing in front of Noa and beginning to walk backwards so as to talk to her.

"Hey! What kinda animal are you? Your ears are like a kitty, but you look human. Are you a hairless cat?" There was no malice in her voice, only childlike curiosity and joy. "Oh, I'm Sun Yi Min, by the way. I'm gonna be the strongest in all the heavens one day!"

She said this without a hint of arrogance. As though it were the most obvious fact in the world.

獣人のための魔法学校で生活が始まる

It had been a long trip to get here, before the train even departed there had been other train rides to the airport and a plane trip and one last hug with mom before stepping on-board this classic locomotive. The ride itself had been calm, the half-fox keeping to herself in a window seat reading a book as the train sped through the countryside. Occasionally another beastfolk poked their head in on her cabin and asked something but the half-fox could barely reply with what little of the language she had learned in the past two years. Eventually though the train pulled into the station and the half-fox stepped out into the sunlight to take in the sight of the grand tree construct that would house her for the foreseeable future.

"Well, here we are."

Lifting the handle of her luggage (well, one of her pieces of luggage, the rest was in the cargo car of the train and would likely be unloaded by academy staff) she walked forward down the road taking in the sights of sounds of this charming hamlet that had sprung up around between the station and the tree. It was so overwhelming, this delightful blend of cultures both familiar and new was something she would have to devote time to exploring once she was settled in...

And then she noticed Noa. With a little half-jog she caught up to the slumped figure and waggled her head side to side.

"Hai. I did not expect to see someone else like me!"

Noa Takenaka

Noa blinked at the simian girl who'd just sprung in front of her, taking in her appearance briefly before smirking and then grinning sharply. She had a very particular smile, with her lower lip curling down so as to make her front teeth prominent, while the corners of her mouth remained pressed together. It seemed to sum up her whole attitude in a single facial expression.

"I'm Noa. Noa Takenaka," she replied, her energy levels rising a little to better match Yi Min's. "I'm a cat, hai. A half-cat. No prizes for guessing what! You're gonna be strongest in the heavens, huh...?"

Noa considered Yi Min for a moment, before tilting her head back and cracking her knuckles.

"Well I'm gonna be the strongest in the lands, so good luck with your heavens. I think I like you already..."

She was about to say more, but the almost annoyingly cute face of a fox girl was in front of her before she could speak, and upon realising that she looked remarkably similar to herself, Noa's confidence fell away in an instant.

"Y-Yeah. Th-That's a real coincidence..." she murmured, her demeanour shifting to become more guarded as her tail wrapped itself around her waist again. "I didn't expect it either. Hanyō, right...?"

Path to Great Tree

As Gideon's voice disappeared, another spoke. The ravens remained still. It was smooth and gentle, bold and harsh. Ancient and forever like grains of sand echoing on the winds. They could hear her in their heads, aware of its presence yet oblivious to its nature.

"Good day. As my colleague has given an answer, I shall provide a question. Who is it who speaks to you now? Who has crossed the desert's scorched sands and felt their blazing heat under their feet? Who has seen its many dunes rise and fall like the morning and evening star? Who has blazed the trail you all walk only to lead you to ruin? You may think you know the answer and you would be correct. But every question has more than one answer. As you take your first steps into the gaping maws of glory, ask yourselves this. What is it you seek? Why have you come to these hallowed halls? Is it answers you seek? Or is it a riddle you so desire? Perhaps you will chance upon a solution to these conundrums. Perhaps not. But there is one riddle all men and beasts have struggled with."

The voice grew louder, piercing through their skulls if only for a moment.

''Who are you?'"

It didn't last long. It stepped back, losing its sudden intensity.

"You need not answer now. Think on it well. For it is only in deepest thought that the greatest answers can be achieved."

The voice fell soft. It was gone. So too was her presence. But her words lingered. It was hard to tell what she meant, but the answers would not come easily. They could say their name but it not would be enough. Her riddles ran deep. But so did her faith in her charges.

Sophi — Year of the Snake

As everyone else got off the train, a young snake sat on the platform. Her long tail lay in front of the doors, green and thick, threatening to trip the other students over. She should have moved. But she was too entranced, her forked tongue flicking in and out, almost hypnotic. She sat perfectly still on her tail, staring ahead through her shaggy black hair, orange slits never blinking once. Her ratty white coat rested over her thick green scales and leather padding, more an open cloak than practical clothing.

It was hard to tell what she was staring at, but the answer was simple. Everything. She was staring at the market, the ravens, the students and the train everything else. She was taking it all in, all those wonderous sights and sounds, absorbing every juicy morsel. If it weren't for her tongue, she'd be a statue, but she couldn't care less.

Edited by kkhohoho on Jul 2nd 2023 at 2:21:53 PM

Brittany Misato

Someone did trip over Sophi's tail. To be fair to the snake, it was more of Brittany's fault, as she was busy reading the newest issue of Jackhammer Boy. She takes a tumble, nearly falling flat on her face. Waving her arms/wings to steady herself, she rocked back and forth before stabilizing. "Phew." Brittany sighs, making sure nothing is broken or hurt before turning to Sophi. "Gomenasorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" she yelps, bowing profusely, and looking towards the giant tree in the square. "Uh oh, we could be late." She mutters. "Sorry again!" She yelps as she rushes towards the road leading to the school, stuffing the manga in her backpack, giving brief glances to each establishment along the way.

The statues talk? Of course they do. Brittany thinks. The lady who spoke seemed pretty philosophical. She understood nothing. The group of students stopping on the road caused her to screech to a halt. behind them, unintentionally hearing their conversation. A giant skunkfolk, a black catfolk, a human-looking girl with cat ears, a monkey-folk, and a human-looking girl with fox ears. she thinks. The cat girl and the monkey-folk act like they're in a shonen manga or something. And why does that fox girl look familiar...?

Brittany lets out a sudden screech of surprise. "My oshi?! Here?!" she squeals. I think I'm gonna cry. she then realizes she's drawn unnecessary attention, and voiced her thoughts out loud. Stupid! she chides herself.

Edited by Jules-Firenze on Jul 2nd 2023 at 1:12:08 AM

Wildflower

Wildflower was suitably embarrassed at nearly trampling another student. Even if he was tiny, that was an unacceptable lapse in her situational awareness! As the greatest hunter of the Flower Clan, she needed to be better than that, unfamiliar environment or no.

... Also it had been rather rude.

"My apologies. With all the unfamiliar sounds and smells, it appears my senses were... overwhelmed. I am not normally so careless, and I certainly had no intention of slighting your honor."

Brittany Misato

"You think it would help if you focused your senses on one thing?" the batgirl asks, practically hiding behind Wildflower as she did so, just keeping the conversation away from her.

Yi Min

The girl before her had a vibrant qi, and it resonated well with Yi Min's own. A kindred spirit, no doubt, confirmed in the girls broad smile and cracking knuckles. Yi Min's body ever so slightly shifted, as if in preparation for a fight, yet she made no move to attack, and her stance radiated no threat.

Not a challenge, but a silent acknowledgement of an equal.

The fox-girl's interruption made Yi Min blink, and then the moment was ruined further by the weird lady talking all cryptically about finding yourself. Like Yi Min hadn't found herself years ago.

Rolling her eyes at the announcement, she ignored it and grinned at the fox. "Hiya! Are you half-human too? I knew humans were a kind of ape, but I didn't realize humans and cats and foxes could have babies together."

Hana

Hana paused as the skunkfolk addressed him. He had figured it was an accident; everyone here was a giant, not liable to notice him. Though...

"I know," he said in that same clipped tone. "But thanks anyway."

On the myriad of sounds and smells...she did have a point there. Hana felt the beginnings of a headache coming on from all the muchness. "I've learned to ignore these things. Shinobi training."

Micaio Antero

If he'd had his way, Micaio would have walked the entire distance to Braveheart. To feel the open air on your face as you stretched your legs was half the joy of the Journey; cooping yourself up in a sweaty lump of metal as you soared past too fast to take the scenery in felt, to him, an awful lot like defeating the point. But alas, he'd been told it was a necessity. "Don't want you lagging behind the others", as if the others couldn't have walked as well like sensible beasts, and something about "registration" as well. For all he loved humans, they were a fountain of silly concepts Micaio simply couldn't wrap his pointy head around.

It was with great joy, then, that the maned wolf finally emerged from the train carriage. He moved away from the station at a brisk pace, his loping gait occasionally slowing as it morphed into a kind of cheery jig. He was just so overjoyed to be moving his legs again at last, to feel the rough cobbles under his pawpads. The sight of the path to the Academy, bringing with it the realisation that it was going to be a long walk before he reached his destination, only amplified Micaio's glee.

So lost was Micaio in the rapture of the Journey that he was caught off-guard by Gideon Glory's voice erupting from the raven statues. But his shock lasted barely a second, replaced at lightning speed with delirious, cackling delight. These must be those "loudspeakers" he'd heard so much about! A way to project your voice vast distances without the need to be physically present - how amazing! He loved humanity! He loved them so much! Still giggling like a child who'd been handed a huge bowl of their favourite candy, the maned wolf tottered along, only half-listening to Gideon's speech and the subsequent philosophical musings of his co-headmaster.

As he approached clearly inhabited places along the route to the Academy, Micaio's well-taught instincts kicked in. His faster tumbling stride slowed to a steady, careful pace, every step placed carefully yet not the least bit discreetly. The metal pole clutched in his right hand, which before had swung idly at his side, was now held firm and upright; it wasn't near long enough to touch the ground in the grasp of a 7'5'' maned wolf, but it wasn't intended as a walking aid to begin with.^note It was, actually, not that Micaio knew as much. And with his giggling fits over the wonders of Earth long subsided, he began to whistle.

There was no particular tune to it. It wasn't non-musical, the notes were clearly sticking to a scale of some sort, but it was formless, wandering, clearly improvised. The tune, of course, was not the point. The Travel Whistle was a way to announce your presence, its tones a sign to all beastfolk that one of the long-legged wanderers with pockets full of wonders was here to do business with your village. Not that it was all that necessary any more; the constant jangling of the shiny human knickknacks sewn into the chaotic mass of patchwork fabric slung over Micaio's body made his approach obvious enough.

His posture may be controlled, but underneath, Micaio was no less enraptured by the sights of Trebon. He licked his lips as the smells from the eateries drifted into his sensitive nostrils. He marvelled at the items in the marketplace, constantly having to fight off the urge to take a few and sew them into his shawl later. He knew from experience that humans got extremely pissed if you took things they intended to give away anyway, for reasons he could not quite comprehend yet. Maybe it involved that funny coloured paper - what's the word? "Money"? All the while he kept whistling, as much to give him something else to focus on as to appease his people's traditions.

It is when he catches up to the other students, having fallen very slightly behind as he slowed his pace on the outskirts of the village, that the whistling stops. It isn't an abrupt end; rather, the whistled tune suddenly catches on a low note, trailing off into a drone that fades as Micaio's breath runs out. This not-coincidentally lines up with Micaio stopping stock still at the sight of Noa and Maho together in the streets.

...what are these creatures? He is more than used to humans, of course, but - humans with aspects of beast? A perfect unison of two worlds? How does such a thing come to be, and how had he not heard of it before? The questions consume Micaio's mind to the point where he is completely unaware of how an inhumanly tall, lanky not-fox-not-wolf wearing a raggedy abomination of fashion suddenly stopping dead to stare enraptured at a pair of kemonomimi women must look to observers. Nobody's likely to bump into him by accident, immediately noticeable as one so tall and garish is, but he is also currently totally oblivious to people not named Noa or Maho.

Edited by DubhKafkaesque on Jul 2nd 2023 at 4:26:29 PM

Fan Detected

"Yes. My mom is human and my father was probably a fox. Were you raised in the human world too?"

The girl was about to elaborate further before her ears prick up.

"Hang on one moment."

While still walking, she goes a 180 degree spin jump and now is walking backwards while trying to face towards where she heard someone shout about their oshi. She flaps her hands a bit like they were a pair of paws.

"Kon-Konixyyyyyyy~..."

And then turns that movement into a pair of peace signs forming triangles either side of her eyes.

"Kyuuuun~!~<3"

With a giggle she spin-jumps back to walking forwards.

"This is going to be a fun year!"

Brittany Misato: Oh, I'm Die, Thank You Forever

When the whistling started, Brittany felt fear. She understood that some species of Beastfolk had a distinct sound that served different purposes, whether as a fear tactic, or a way of marking their presence. Why did that one have to be so damn creepy?! she shrinks inwardly.

That fear is quickly forgotten by the foxfolk Brittany knew as Kon-Konixy do her signature greeting. Immediately Brittany feels opposing forces inside her brain. One tells her to screech her happiness to the world, and the other wants her to act casual. Then there's the third one that wants to shut down of embarrassment. I SHOULD'VE CLEANED MYSELF BETTER. was that part's screech. This would be the moment where you start steaming from the head. notes her calm, rational part.

Back in the real world, Brittany's face freezes in a weird mixture of a wide grin and a panicked scream. "Well." she mutters. "That just happened." were her last words before she collapses. Not a few seconds pass before she quickly gets up and coughs, flushing bright red as she embarrassed herself in front of her oshi.

She turns to the other students and mutters, "Pls kill me. That was embarrassing as heck." before ducking into a near fetal position.

Sophi

It took about a minute after Brittany tripped and fell that Sophi came to her senses. She flailed her arms, bowing profusely. "Oh dear oh deary dear! I'm dreadfully sorry, I didn't mean to inconvenience you..."

But she was already gone. She didn't know whether to be relieved or upset. She was grateful they didn't hold a grudge, but it seemed they didn't consider her interesting enough to hold a conversation with. She made sure her backpack was secure then followed her trail. She continued to flick her tongue, but it wasn't out of habit. She snuffed out her scent, slithering along until she found her.

"There you are! For a second I thought you had forgotten all about me! I apologize for being a nuisance, but the least you could do is hold a proper... that is, a proper conver... conversation..."

She'd lost it again. She tended to focus on one thing, but there was so much worthy of attention. The monkey, the hanyo, the cat and the fox. Those last two were the most fascinating. She had seen humans and other beastfolk, but she'd never heard of a perfect union. And to think it happened twice! She wanted to swarm them, poke and prod them, ask them everything she could about everything! Her mothers and fathers wouldn't approve, but it was all for a good cause.

"W-why, hello! I don't believe I know who you two are, but I feel as though I should. Such amazing results don't come every day! Tell me, where your conceptions already planned or were they but a chance of fate? Is your strange dancing part of an elaborate mating ritual or is it but a harmless personal quirk? There's no need to be modest! I have only learned of the concept recently, but it hardly seems neccesary. We're all friends here, yes?"

By now a number of human passengers had also offboarded the trains - those who were willing to learn about the Beastfolk they'd be sharing the future with, and those who were involved in the Neo-Tribalist ideals. They took in the sights with equal enthusiasm - for a number of them, open use of magic and the fantastic was not quite yet a common thing. Though it seemed that was starting to change.

Two particular humans stepped off of the trains, one of them yawning and stretching his arms and legs. This one now looking around and searching for something familiar to make the new surroundings a bit less of an imposing thing seemed to glance particularly at Maho.

This young man was tall for a human, about six foot four inches and possessed a powerfully muscled, lean physique that in combination with his height required a certain fit of clothes so as not to look like he was wearing a thin layer of paint. His smooth, strong jawline and slightly wavy blond hair, together with his bright green eyes gave him a sort of natural charm. Dressed in a letterman jacket, a white t-shirt and jeans, he walked with a relaxed sense of ease.

"Hey, you're a streamer, right?" He asked, eager to make some conversation, "I caught some of your streams. Cool to meet you here."

Noa

"Okay, that's a lot..." Noa blinked as she looked around and noticed all the attention she and Maho were getting, ceasing her... respect-off(?) with Yi Min and shifting uncomfortably at the eyes on her. The snake-girl who was asking a frankly weird set of questions didn't help, and Noa had the decency to look absolutely baffled before replying. "Uh- no my birth wasn't ordained by fate, at least I don't think so. Is this really a big deal or something...? Ugh, wait a sec..."

She diverted her attention from the snake-girl rather quickly when she realised that most of this discomfort was because of one particular beastfolk staring at her: the one over seven feet tall and gawking in a trance. She didn't recognise what he was at first, but she could at least identify he was a canid.

"Hey, big guy. What're you staring at?" she boldly remarked, striding right up to him and standing her ground in front of him as she crossed her arms and craned her neck back to look up. "Look, you're probably a nice guy but when you've got a guy nearly twice your size staring at you like a monster from a horror movie it doesn't really come off that way...?"

She trailed off as she realised that not everyone here might know what a movie is, since she'd personally spent a lot of time getting to know the human world perhaps more than some others. So she just cocked her head to one side and offered a handshake to the maned wolf, baring her teeth in a grin that was still a little threatened even if she was trying her best.

"Name's Noa. What's your name, big guy?"

Edited by Enirboreh on Jul 3rd 2023 at 11:27:03 AM

Brittany Misato

Another thing to be embarrassed by. she cringes internally at the snake girl's arrival. It was definitely rude of her to leave her at the station. I better introduce myself. she thinks. Then several more people enter, and she somewhat retreats internally. "N-names?" she asks, suddenly timid in the throng of students.

Micaio Antero

Micaio blinked, for the first time in a good long minute. He... had been in a trance for a while, hadn't he? And he was presumably staring that whole time. Ah. How very awkward. He quickly drew himself up to his full height with a loud jinglejangle - trying mostly to make himself look composed, but also subtly hinting that threatening one taller than her by such a margin wasn't likely to work out well for Noa - and cleared his throat.

"Horror... movie? Movies - they are the moving pictures, the captured worlds, yes? Humans create fantasies to terrify themselves? Such odd creatures they are, yet fascinating nonetheless!" He chuckles.

"Names... well, I am sure the opportunity to share true names is fast approaching. But for now, you may call me Micaio - Micaio Antero." He extends an arm, lanky and dark-furred just like his legs, and shakes her hand perhaps a little over-eagerly. "And since we have touched on humans, now, I may as well take this opportunity. You see, awkward I am sure my gaze was - uncouth, maybe, in the eyes of one whose brains are clogged with dirt - but you are... fascinating indeed. Are you an unusual human? Or some beast I have not heard of before, in all my Journeys? Or... both, maybe?"

A late arrival

Getting here wasn't an easy trip for Leigh, the plane was one thing, but the train was a bit too much for him. Unlike most humans he chose to travel in a cabin on the cheaper side. Making travel vlogs without a script did not help either and so he had arrived in a state of little rest almost forgetting to leave the train once it had stopped. One he was out he didn't find too much interest in his surroundings. His ears already plugged by noise cancelling headphones before the headmasters’ speeches.

And so it would be that while he was making his way towards the tree his groggy state caused him to trip over his own suitcase right into the tail of a fluffy black and white beastfolk. With just an inch less the sudden additional weight on the skunk could be more then uncomfortable.

A little late and passive "Ah fuck!" exclamation somewhere mid-falling from Leigh would be unlikely to mitigate the forming situation

Edited by Faelisya on Jul 3rd 2023 at 9:53:13 PM

Wildflower

Feeling that she had sufficiently apologized, Wildflower was ready to part ways with the diminutive catfolk and continue on her own path to the school (and hopefully less sensory overload) when something large and heavy slammed into her from behind. She fought back the instinctive urge to spray; logically speaking, it was unlikely she was under attack, and if she acted too hastily she could sabotage her own efforts to secure a place in this new world for her clan.

Instead, she twisted her body to look behind her, particularly at the large human facedown in her tail. She'd seen his kind before, back in the forest. Humans who thought it was okay to grab and play with beastfolk as though they were merely animals. Not a threat, but a definite annoyance.

"Human. I am aware that I am... fluffy, as I believe I have heard it put. But it is very impolite to touch my tail without asking. Not to mention dangerous. You are lucky I am among the more patient of my kind. Many of us would not be so genial."

Noa

"Yeah. When you've subjugated all your natural predators and live in relative luxury away from any contenders, you'd start to look for entertainment too. Last I checked humans fighting animals is considered cruelty, so what choice do they have?" Noa remarked, shaking Micaio's hand in return with a grip that was... disproportionate to her stature. "You can quit with the fancy words with me already, buddy. It makes what you're asking about sound way creepier..."

She backed off a step or two, mostly so that she could comfortably look up at Micaio without hurting her neck. Height differences like this annoyed her sometimes, it was inconvenient. She didn't feel like asking him to kneel down to close the distance either. Not this soon after meeting the guy, anyway. It'd probably attract attention, the kind she didn't like.

"Okay, to save me from having to repeat myself..." Noa began, taking in a deep breath as she bellowed out her next words. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM AND DON'T REALLY CARE THANKS! Or kinda care. Not enough to care care. Cat plus human, plus-plus some... other thing, maybe? I've kept my ears and stuff hidden while I've been hanging around in the human world, but I've looked on-line and..."

She pursed her lips, looking away and blushing a little.

"...turns out people that look like me are... popular for humans to... fantasise about. So I think it's really good that I stayed hidden...!"

Edited by Enirboreh on Jul 4th 2023 at 8:14:25 PM