Written by Billy Plats
DISCLAIMER: All characters and situations appearing in this work are fictitious, and are intended for mature audiences only. If you are not a legal adult, or it is illegal for you to read about adult situations, then you may not read futher. All characters belong to their respective owners. This story is not to be reproduced, copied, or otherwise published anywhere, in any way shape or form, without the express permission of the author.
Cast and Credits:
Edward, Edna, Jenny, Lucy, Laura, Cynthia, Pokeinfo, Jessica, Belle, Linda, and Rodriguez: Krezz Karavan
Mrs. Trousers: McLeut
Sonia, Alex, Charlie, Henry, and Jessica Sosserone, and Cid Leon: Alex Mason
Ethan/Nathan Lupis: novaspectre
Mako Grey and Xerxes Wolf: MakoGrey
Salt and Pepper: Sonia
Dingo Paige: Paige
Billy Plats, Stephen Plats, Mary Plats, Jen Tigre, Jerry Squirrel, Geoff Bevar, Amber White, Carl Panther, and Barbara Walsh: myself
Special Thanks to:
Krezz Karavan for creating School Days.
Everybody who let me use their characters.
Everybody who was inspired by Billy or put Billy in their own stories.
All the writers that came before me to help me become a better writer and to inspire me.
And last, but not at all least, all my fans who have been reading all this time. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
CHAPTER 21
Billy heads for his first period class after parting ways with his girlfriend, when an announcement can be heard over the P.A. system.
“You’re attention please! Billy Plats, please report to the office. Billy plats, to the office please. Thank you.”
Great, what now?
Billy turns around and walks down the halls, heading back to the office. He passes a few cubs who just grin at him.
“Oooh, somebody’s in trouble!” one cub says.
Great, they must’ve found out I was the one who hurt Geoff.
After a few moments of silent walking, Billy finds himself in front of the door to the main office. He enters and approaches the secretary.
“I’m here,” Billy says nervously.
“Oh, Mr. Plats. Your schedule’s been changed. We wanted to give you your new one.”
“Huh?”
“Well, apparently, somebody made a call to your doctor and asked if you were cleared for gym class. You’re not cleared for too much in the way of contact athletics, but your doctor cleared you for non-contact things like running. As of today, you’ll be reporting to gym class during your third period.”
“Why period three though? My gym class is during period two.”
“Well, that’s a mistake on my part. I never actually thought you’d be taking gym this year, so I just put you in period two. But in the time that it took the school to put you in gym and for you to be cleared by your doctor, we filled the last spots in the period two gym class. You’ll still report to math class first, but instead of going to gym in your second period and English in your third, you’ll now be going to English in your second period and gym in your third.”
“Oh, ok. Anything else?”
“That’s all, Mr. Plats. You may return to class.”
Billy then takes a print-out of his new schedule from the secretary and leaves the office, where he bumps into Pokeinfo.
“Hey Billy,” the lion cub greets the platypus.
“Hey Poke. What’re you doing here?”
“I practically live here. I’m always getting in trouble for one of the pranks I play. Today, it was worms in the teachers desk. And I mean a whole mess of them.”
“Bet that scared the hell outta him,” Billy says with a hearty laugh as he and Poke start walking away from the office.
“Oh it did. He was screaming bloody murder!” Poke replies with his own laugh. “So, what brings you to the office? Did you get in trouble for knocking Rod out again?”
“Actually, I’m trying to make a friend of Rodriguez. He’s a tough nut to crack, but I got him to open up a little the other day.”
“You? Friends with Rodriguez? Man, I wish you a lot of luck. He’s not gonna be easy. But if you can make a friend of him, that’s gonna make school all that much easier.”
“That’s what I’m hoping. Besides, he’s not that bad a guy. Just misunderstood.”
“If you say so,” Poke says skeptically. “So, what ARE you here for then?”
“I was told I have to go to gym class now, and I no longer have it during period two.”
“Gym, huh? You met the gym teacher or her aide?”
“I met Lucy once. She’s an interesting character.”
“She’s a bitch…”
“Nah, I’d like to think of her as misunderstood as well,” Billy informs Pokeinfo.
“You think everybody is misunderstood, don’t you?”
“No, but Rod and Lucy both seem like tortured souls. They’re both lonely or hurt, and they don’t know how to deal with it aside from just being nasty to others.”
“Jeez… you just try to find the best in everybody, don’t you?”
“It’s a flaw of mine, I know,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“Well, Lucy’s just the icing on the cake. Your main problem is Mrs. Trousers.”
“The teacher? What’s wrong with her?”
“She does a lot of things that make a lot of us uncomfortable. She’s chaos incarnate.”
“She can’t be that bad. She’s just a teacher.”
“Oh, trust me, she is.”
“How so?”
“Well, she…”
The bell then rings, cutting Pokeinfo off.
“Shit… gotta go to gym. Well, take care…”
“See ya later.”
Billy and Poke then part ways as Billy heads to his second class. English flies by for him as he continues to think and worry about Pokeinfo’s warning.
There’s no way she can be that bad. She’s a teacher.
Billy then heads for his third period class. As he enters, he sees the teacher and the teacher’s aide. The teacher looks to Billy and grins.
So, this is the infamous Billy Plats I’ve heard so much about. Time to have a little fun with him.
So, this is the infamous Mrs. Trousers I’ve heard so much about. She doesn’t look that bad.
Billy ignores the two for now as he heads into the dressing room. He doesn’t recognize anybody aside from one fur.
“Hey Jerry. Didn’t know you were in this class.”
“I wish I wasn’t man. Gym SHOULD be fun… but it’s a nightmare.”
“That’s what Pokeinfo was saying. I don’t see how it can be that bad.”
Just then, Lucy walked in and walked up to Billy.
“Hmhm… looks like you’ve finally made it, Plats. Your ass is mine today.”
“Why do you want my ass so badly?” Billy says with a chuckle.
Just then, everybody’s jaws drop as Lucy’s face turns a shade of red.
“You’ll regret that, Plats!” the upset chipmunk yells at Billy.
“Looking forward to it babe,” Billy says with another chuckle.
Lucy’s eyes grow wide as a snarl forms on her face. Instead of retorting to the platypus, she storms out of the room. Everybody’s attention turns from Lucy to Billy.
“What?”
“Dude, you just signed your death warrant,” Jerry warns Billy.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Why are you looking forward to it? Are you alright in the head?”
“Nah, I just know it’s not gonna be as bad as everybody keeps making it out to be.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you…”
Billy opens a locker and grabs a shirt and some shorts. He changes out of his uniform and into the gym clothes, and walks out to the gym. He then walks up to Mrs. Trousers and Lucy.
“Billy Plats, reporting for gym class.”
Mrs. Trousers looks him over.
“So you’re Billy Plats? Lucy’s told me about you. She says you’re a wise-ass.”
“I’m not that wise, ma’am,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“You’ll hold your tongue around me,” Mrs. Trousers reprimands the young platypus.
“Sorry ma’am.”
“That’s better. Did Lucy tell you about the rule I have though about new kids in class?”
“Um, no ma’am.”
“You gotta go the entire class without your shirt on.”
Billy shrugs and takes off his shirt.
“You fall in line awfully easy, don’t you?”
“Despite what you may have heard, I’m not one to start trouble, especially with teachers.”
“Fine then. Also, if you don’t give your all the first half of the class, you’ll have to do the second half naked.”
Billy shrugs and takes off his shorts and his underwear. He hands all his clothes to Mrs. Trousers, who stands there with her jaw agape and eyes widened.
“Just… what… what are you doing?” Mrs. Trousers manages to stammer out.
“You said if I don’t give my all during the first half, I have to do the second half naked, right? Well, now I don’t have to worry about pushing myself. I can just relax and enjoy the class.”
Lucy and Mrs. Trousers look at each other and back to Billy, still in shock.
“So, do some laps?” Billy asks.
“Uh… yeah… that’s fine…”
With that, Billy starts to jog at an easy pace around the gym.
“That was so unexpected… usually that ploy gets them to push themselves because of embarrassment… but he…”
“He’s a freak, what do you expect?” Lucy says to Mrs. Trousers.
“Well, I know this… he really is one of a kind. You know… I think I may just like this Plats kid.”
“Oh come on! You don’t find it weird that he willingly is running around the gym naked?”
“A little, but it makes my job easier today. He’s accepted his fate, and now he’s one less cub I have to worry about.”
“Grr… I’ll get him…” Lucy mumbles to herself.
*****
Mrs. Trousers and her chipmunk aide watch as Billy jogs around the gym in his birthday suit in front of the other students without a care in the world.
“Jeez, he really isn’t bothered by being naked, is he?” Mrs. Trousers rhetorically asks Lucy.
“Well, he’s probably used to it by now. We both saw that tape of him and that Edna,” Lucy replies.
“Was rhetorical. But I think I like this Plats kid.”
“Well, I know a way you can still get under his fur,” Lucy replies with an evil grin on her face.
“What’s that?”
“Give him a physical.”
“Hmmm… you know… that’s not a bad idea. That should surely get a reaction out of him,” Mrs. Trousers replies with her own grin forming.
Meanwhile, a fur runs up beside Billy and jogs along with him.
“So, why you naked?”
“Because, Jerry, Mrs. Trousers said if I didn’t give it my all during the first half, this half I’d be naked. I figured why push myself and still wind up naked? Just do it all naked and enjoy the class.”
“You’re not bothered by this at all?” Jerry asks the naked platypus.
“A little. I’m not fond of all these girls staring at my package, or running around in the nude, but it’s a small price to pay to have an easy day.”
“Whatever man. Enjoy your jog.”
With that, the squirrel runs ahead of Billy, leaving him to run. Billy’s jog is cut when Mrs. Trousers blows a whistle.
“Alright, everybody hit the showers. Billy, you shower up and then meet me in my office.”
Great, what now?
All the cubs head for their respective locker rooms and hit the showers. Billy quickly gets himself showered and out of the showers before any other guy gets in. He changes into his uniform and heads for Mrs. Trousers’s office. He knocks on her door thrice and then enters when told to.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Yes. You’re new to my class, and I need to make sure that you’re physically well.”
“I’m on the swim team, ma’am. I think I’m in good form.”
“I didn’t mean your entire body.”
“Um… what?”
“Strip down, Plats,” Mrs. Trousers commands the platypus.
Billy shrugs and scampers out of his uniform and puts them up on her desk.
“Jeez, you do follow orders well, do you?”
“What am I gonna do? Say no to a teacher?”
“More students need your point of view,” Mrs. Trousers says as she grabs a rubber glove and puts it on her right paw.
“So… you gonna check my heartbeat and stuff?”
“Nah… gonna check you for cancer and see if you have a hernia. We’ll start with the hernia.”
Mrs. Trousers then cups her paw and places it on Billy’s gonads. He jumps a little, but settles down by reminding himself she is a professional and that she’s just making sure he’s healthy. Mrs. Trousers then prods her pinky into a soft spot in Billy’s groin, causing him a little discomfort, but not too much.
“Alright, please turn your head and cough for me.”
Billy turns his head away from her face and coughs.
“Alright, once more.”
Billy coughs again.
“Ok… you’re good. Now… let’s check for…” Mrs. Trousers begins.
Billy tries his best to contain himself, but Mrs. Trousers paw on his most private of areas, along with her being beautiful, causes a stiff reaction from him.
“Well, it seems you’re in full working order in that department.”
Billy blushes.
“I… I’m sorry… I tried… I tried not to…”
“That’s nature taking course.”
The adult ferret then takes her paw off Billy.
“Rub it out and then we’ll continue.”
“What, in front of you?”
“What, you want me to turn my back or something? I have to finish giving you the exam, and you got a boner to take care of.”
“I think I’d prefer it if you turned around.”
“Then I’m gonna watch,” Mrs. Trousers replies with a grin.
“Do you have to?”
“Well, it will let me know if you’re perfectly healthy. If you have an orgasm, I’ll know you’re perfectly fine. If you don’t, I may have to check your prostate.”
At that time, the door opens and Mrs. Trousers’s chipmunk aide enters the room.
“Did I miss the physical?” Lucy asks.
“Actually, we’re right in the middle. But Billy got an erection, so he’s gonna take care of it.”
“He actually popped a boner?!? Most kids are in too much shock and disbelief to let their bodies respond like that!” Lucy says in bewilderment.
“What can I tell you? I told you Plats was one of a kind.” Mrs. Trousers then turns to Billy. “Well, go ahead. Take care of your problem.”
“What?!? In front of you AND Lucy?”
“Would you rather me just check your prostate?”
Billy sighs and shakes his head.
Man, this is one messed up situation I’m in.
Billy then places his right paw on his stiffened manhood and starts to stroke it up and down.
“Hey, free show. Maybe I should video tape this,” Lucy says with a laugh.
“Come on… this is already embarrassing enough…”
“See what happens when your a perverted horn-dog?”
“I’m not perverted…”
“Could’ve fooled me. You popped a boner during a physical examination.”
“I couldn’t help it…”
“That’s what they all say.”
“Lucy, be quiet and let him do his business,” Mrs. Trousers reprimands her young aide.
“Oh, alright…” Lucy says and then pouts a little.
Billy continues to rub himself, sliding his paw up and down on himself at a nice pace. A blush forms on his face from the pleasure his paw is providing him.
Man… I hate that they’re just watching me… but it just feels so good right now…
Billy then lets out a low moan and starts to massage himself faster, the intense pleasure building and building.
“Hey, I think somebody likes it,” Lucy says with a giggle.
“Shut up… Lucy…” Billy manages to stammer out between moans of pleasure.
“I knew it.”
Billy shakes his head and continues to stroke himself, rubbing even raster than before, the pleasure building up in his body. Soon a tingle runs from the tip of his shaft all the way through his body as Billy can feel his climax approaching. He lets out a loud moan as his body’s muscles start to contract and prepare for the release.
“I think he’s gonna blow!” Lucy giggles some more.
Almost as if on cue, as soon as Lucy says that, Billy starts to shoot out streams of his white sticky seed. It covers his paw and drips onto the floor. After a few spurts, Billy takes his paw off himself and lets out a happy sigh and one last moan.
“Oh… that felt… good…”
Mrs. Trousers then tosses Billy a towel.
“Clean yourself up, clean my floor, and then prepare to finish this physical.”
Billy nods and wipes his paw and his crotch off with the towel. He then bends down to the floor and wipes up the white liquid that has pooled. After every drop has been absorbed into the fabric, Billy puts the towel in a sink and turns to face the ferret teacher again. She cups her paw and places it on Billy’s scrotum. She massages her fingers around and prods inside the flesh to feel for any lumps.
“Hmmm…. hmmm… nope. Ok… you’re cancer and hernia free. And there’s no need to check your prostate. You’re perfectly healthy.”
“That’s good… can I go?”
“Yes you can.”
With that, Billy quickly scrambles into his uniform and dashes out of the office.
Oh god… that sucked big time! I should’ve listened! She IS chaos incarnate.
Meanwhile, back in Trousers’s office, the ferret and her chipmunk aide start laughing.
“Nice idea, Lucy. It looks like Plats has a weakness after all. We’ll have to try and set this up again.”
“No doubt! That was funny watching him squirm.”
*****
The rest of Billy’s morning classes fly as none of them are as bad for him as what he went through during his third period class. The lunch bell rings and hungry furs of all shapes and sizes storm the cafeteria, ready to chow down and continue their day. Billy skulks into line, still shaken from what happened in Trousers’s office. He grabs a tray of food and pays for it. Then, all of a sudden, he hears a familiar giggle. Billy turns to the origin of the giggle and heads for that table.
“Hello Lucy…” Billy greets her and her table-mate when he gets there.
“Plats…”
“Who’s this?” Billy asks Lucy as he looks over the Siamese cat.
“This is…” Lucy starts.
“Name’s Mako Grey. And you… hey… wait! I recognize you. You’re Billy Plats, from that Edna video, aren’t you?”
“Yeah…” Billy says with a blush. “You saw that?”
“Only a couple of times. Nice to meet you.”
The male Siamese cat then stands up and extends his paw. Billy grabs his paw and they shake.
“So, Lucy’s told me a bit about you.”
“Like what?”
“That you’re a wise-ass at times.”
“Hey, we all have a wise side to us. I just like to express mine more than others,” Billy chuckles.
“Just don’t cause any problems for my girl, got it?”
“Your gi… you two are going out?!?” Billy asks in shock.
“You got a problem with that, Plats?” Lucy replies to the awe-struck platypus.
“No, no problem… I just… I didn’t think you would ever have a boyfriend.”
“And just what’s that supposed to mean, Billy-boy?” Lucy asks in an upset tone and a snarl forming on her face.
“I just figured most cubs would give up trying to crack that tough outer shell around the pearl inside.”
“Say what?” Lucy asks skeptically.
“I knew you weren’t so bad. And Mako proves it.”
“Shows how much you know. I just think Mako is better than the rest of the scum in this school, and he makes me happy, if you must know.”
Billy then grins and laughs.
“What… what’re you laughing for?” Lucy asks, getting even more frustrated at the platypus.
“Oh, nothing. You can fool yourself if you want, but you ain’t fooling me.”
“Whatever…” Lucy retorts at Billy.
“Calm down, Lucy,” Mako says caringly as he wraps his arm around her.
“Well, it was nice to meet you, Mako. I have to go find a friend.”
“Nice to meet you too, Billy. Just remember, don’t cause problems for Lucy, ok?”
“Gotcha. See ya.”
Billy then leaves the feline and his chipmunk companion alone. He walks through the cafeteria, looking for a certain fur. He walks around until he finally catches the silver fur of the guy he was looking for. He approaches the fur and sits down at the table with him.
“Hey Alex.”
“Sup bro?”
“Hey, I need your help with something…”
“You ain’t coming out of the closet to me are you? Why do they always come out to me?” Alex replies with a laugh.
“No, nothing like that…”
“I know, bro. Easy, was a joke. So, what did you need?”
“Jen’s pissed because I hurt Geoff for insulting your sister. I screwed up by hurting her, and now I’m afraid I screwed everything up.”
“Time heals all wounds.”
“Oh god… fortune cookie crap…”
“Hey, wisdom usually comes as such. Just let her be, let her calm down, and talk to her in a few days.”
“I can’t wait a few days though!” Billy frantically shouts.
“If you’re going to ignore my advice, then the next best thing would be a mediator.”
“Say what?”
“A mediator. A neutral party to help keep things calm and to explain things to both sides so that both can try to work everything out.”
“That might work.”
“But you really should just give Jen some space and some time,” Alex warns Billy. “I know you’re not the patient type, but time does eventually fix things.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who’s in a big mess,” Billy replies to the silver-furred fox.
“Hey, you asked for my advice, and there it is. Whether you listen or not is up to you.”
“I think I’m gonna go with the mediator.”
“If that is your decision, then so be it. I wish you the best of luck with that.”
“How would you like to be the mediator?”
“No thank you Billy.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want dragged into this more than I already have. You should find somebody who knows the whole story and who you both know. That’s the only way you can work this out if you’re not gonna just let her be.”
“But I don’t know anybody… wait… Jerry!”
“Now, can I please finish my lunch? I’m starving! I haven’t eaten since breakfast!” Alex pleads to Billy with a laugh.
“Alright. Want mine too?”
“You’re not eating?”
“Nah, I’d really rather not.”
“Jen really has you that worried?”
“It’s not that… I just… I don’t feel like eating after what happened a few classes ago.”
“What happened?” Alex questions the disturbed platypus.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Come on, you can tell me. We’re bros, remember?”
“Alright… Mrs. Trousers was giving me a physical…”
“Oh jeez… I hate her classes. So awkward.”
“Yeah… well… listen to this… I got a boner while she was giving me my physical.”
“Say what?!?! Seriously? Did she rub it out for you or something?” Alex chuckles.
“No, she made me do that in front of her and Lucy. If I didn’t, she threatened to check my prostate.”
“Ouch, no winning there. But yeah, no wonder you’re freaked out. I would be too if I were you.”
“Yeah…”
“So you don’t want to eat because of it?”
“Not really, I don’t have an appetite.”
“Then hand the food here,” Alex says with a chuckle.
“Here you go.”
Billy hands Alex the tray off food and gets up.
“Alright, I’m gonna go outside and get some fresh air,” Billy says as he stands and stretches.
“Alright man. Salam ali kum.”
“Huh?”
“Peace be with you.”
“Oh yeah… salami al kumi to you too.”
Billy then leaves the cafeteria and heads out onto the playground.
*****
Billy sits on one of the few benches in the playground behind the school, looking at the ground and sighing a little. He is, as usual, lost in his train of thought about the events going on in his life.
I dunno… maybe I should back off and give her a few days. But I want to get this fixed. Oh, I’m so confused…
“What’s wrong?”
Billy’s train of thought is cut short when a familiar fur speaks to him. He looks up to the fur and smiles.
“Haven’t seen you in a short while.”
“Well, mate, you really should try to visit your friends more often. Not just try to see them during school.”
“I guess you’re right, Paige. It just seems there’s always something going on in my life that prevents me from being able to get out and enjoy life a little.”
“You shouldn’t let your life weigh you down,” the dingo replies to his distraught friend. “Sure, the bad are usually pretty bad, but there’s always good to life, and you will ALWAYS have time to enjoy them.”
“Even when you’ve got an ex fighting with you because she dumped you but didn’t really dump you and then you found a new girl?”
“Whoa! Slow down! You lost me.”
“Jen dumped me, but it was a “trial separation”. Well, I didn’t know that, and I found a new girlfriend. Now Jen’s giving me shit about having this new girl. Plus I wound up beating up that trouble-causing beaver, and now she hates me even more.”
“Ouch… that IS pretty heavy. But you shouldn’t let that get ya down, mate. Just try to keep marching on. It’ll work itself out. Just relax and enjoy life while you have it.”
“I wish it were that simple…” Billy says with a sigh.
“It is. Listen, you’re a good bloke. Good things happen to good furs. Just believe in it,” Paige replies with a smile.
“You think?”
“Hey, if it doesn’t, you can always come yell at me,” Paige tells his platypus friend with a laugh.
“You don’t want that. I can yell a lot,” Billy replies with his own laugh.
“Well, hey, I’m gonna go and spend time with my kitten. You stay out of trouble, ok? Try not to be a stranger.”
“Alright. See ya ’round.”
With the goodbyes said, the dingo takes his leave of Billy. Billy smiles and begins to think good thoughts of his situation.
You know, he’s right. This WILL work out, I just know it!
Just then, Jen walks by, talking to Jerry. Billy gets up from his bench and approaches the two gossiping furs.
“Hey Jerry, hey Jen!” Billy says as he catches up to them.
The two turn around and see Billy.
“Hmph…”
“Hey Billy! What’s up?”
“Not much, Jerry. Just wanted to come say hi,” Billy replies.
“Well, you said hi. Now could you please leave?” Jen says back to the platypus.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you.”
“Well, I don’t want to talk to you, so good day!”
With that, Jen walks away from the two. Billy and Jerry watch as she walks away and then turn to each other.
“Jeez… it’s gonna take a lot of work to fix this… huh?”
“What do you expect? You killed our chance at the championships this year.”
“So why aren’t you mad?”
“Well, you didn’t kill Geoff, and we’re friends,” Jerry replies with a smile. “Besides, I know you’re a good guy. We all have our limits, and Geoff pushed you past yours. He got what he deserved. A little overdone, but he’ll learn not to aggravate you from now on.”
“I feel bad about that though. I shouldn’t have let him get to me like that…”
“Hey, we’re not robots. We can’t be perfect.”
“I wish Jen could see that.”
“She does. She’s just dealing with a broken heart at the moment.”
“Well, I’m trying to fix it, but it’s not as easy as I thought it was gonna be,” Billy says with a sigh.
“Just give her some time and space. She’ll eventually come around. I tell you what, I’m having a cook-out this weekend. I’ve invited the team. Why don’t you swing by and bring your new girlfriend with you? Maybe then we can settle things.”
“Sounds good. If nothing else, I’ll at least get some good eats,” Billy says with a hearty chuckle.
“Hell yeah! My parents make EXCELLENT barbecue ribs.”
“Looking forward to it. Well, I should probably get going. Recess is about to end, and I wanna find Sonia and tell her about the invitation.”
“Alright. Well, take care of yourself. Stay outta trouble.”
“Will do.”
The two smile at each other and shake paws before parting ways. Billy combs the playground looking for his yellow-furred fox girlfriend before the bell rings, but to no avail. Billy gives up and sighs as he heads back into the building.
Oh well. I’ll see her after school.
CHAPTER 22
The rest of the day seems to fly by as Billy starts to look forward to his after-school rendezvous with his beloved girlfriend. He walks down the halls of the school after his last period class has let out, trying his best not to run down them as he heads for the yellow-furred fox who loves him so much and whom he loves just as much.
Man, some QT with Sonia is gonna be just what the doctor ordered. Do our homework, watch some TV, meet her family… oh god… I forgot… I’m gonna be meeting her family…
With this sudden train of thought, Billy’s joy turns to dismay. He lets out a very loud sigh out of depression and continues to walk down the halls, slouching a little.
My god… I forgot about that. They’re gonna take one look at me and freak out. Why a beautiful girl like her is dating somebody like me…
Billy stops thinking altogether, trying to keep himself from sending himself in a further downward spiral of depression. He makes his way to the lockers, where he sees Sonia standing and waiting for him with a smile on her face. Billy stands up straight and wears a small smile as he walks up to her.
“Hey honey.”
“Nnngh… hey sweetie.”
“Something wrong?”
“Well, I gotta admit… it’s hard to fight pouncing you,” Sonia informs her platypus boyfriend with a giggle.
“You really miss me that much, huh?” Billy chuckles in return.
“Of course, silly. I love you so much.”
“And I love you too,” Billy says with a smile as he gives Sonia a peck on her lips.
The two smile at each other. Billy takes her paw within his and they walk to his locker. He turns the numbered knob a few times and pulls up on the latch, swinging the door open. He reaches inside and grabs a few books and his backpack. He stuffs the books inside his bag and closes the door. He turns to Sonia and smiles, grabbing her paw with a smile. The two head for the exit of the building, both smiling and happy to be with each other. They pass Rodriguez on their way out.
“Watch out! Beauty and the Beast are coming through!” the tall alligator exclaims with a hearty laugh.
Sonia turns to him with an angry glare.
“Fuck you!”
“When and where honey buns?” Rodriguez laughs some more.
“Sorry, I don’t do guys with small dicks,” Sonia replies with a grin.
“Why you…” Rodriguez snarls in response.
“Watch it Rod. Just go home,” Billy warns the angry alligator.
“Grrr…”
With that, Rodriguez takes his leave of the platypus and fox, mumbling to himself under his breath.
“He was right… I’m gonna have a hard time making a friend outta him,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“You’re trying to befriend him?”
“Yeah… I don’t know why… but I see a good soul deep down inside.”
“You know, now that you mention it, I kinda do too. VERY deep down inside.”
“Yeah, I know… but I do see it. I’m hoping I can bring it out of him.”
“Well, I wish you luck with that, honey,” Sonia tells her boyfriend and gives him a kiss.
“Thank you. So, is your place far from here?”
“Not really. We live just up the street from Pokeinfo.”
“I bet your house gets egged a lot, huh?” Billy asks jokingly.
“Not since that day that Alex made him kiss Carlos,” Sonia replies with a giggle.
“You’re kidding?!?!?” Billy asks in disbelief.
“No. He even has it on tape if you want to see it.”
“Yes please. I just can’t believe that Alex would be able to make Pokeinfo kiss a guy, let alone Carlos.”
“Sure thing.”
Sonia smiles at Billy as the two of them start to walk back toward the exit of the school. They watch as students run past them to get out of the school in brief escape from responsibility to face an afternoon and evening of snack food, television, video games, and other various activities. Billy silently chuckles to himself as they all rush past him and Sonia, the two of them walking out the front doors and finding their bus. The door opens up for them and they climb up on and find their seats. They sit down toward the back of the bus and just smile at each other as the bus pulls away, leaving the school far behind it. The road moves underneath the bus as it rolls down the way, trees and houses being left behind as it goes along. The bus makes its first stop, and Sonia smiles as she stands up. Billy stands up with her as they walk to the front of the bus. They walk down the built-in stairs and exit the bus, almost directly in front of Sonia’s castle-like house. Billy looks at it in awe.
“Wow… you live here…?”
“Yeap.”
“I thought a movie-star lived here…”
“Nope, just me an my family.”
“Wow… you guys must be rich…”
“Yeah, we are. I don’t really like bragging about it though.”
“It’s understandable. Most people are shallow now-a-days and only care about monetary status.”
“Yeah… well… you gonna come in?” Sonia asks with a smile.
“Of course.”
Billy grabs her paw with his and walks up the walkway of the house. They stop in front of the front porch, Billy staring at the front door.
“Something wrong?”
“Of course not,” Billy says with a false smile on his face.
Her family’s gonna hate me…
Billy takes a gulp to swallow his nerves, and then walks up to the front door with her. She opens the door and steps inside with him.
*****
“HELLO?!? ANYBODY HOME?!?” Sonia calls out to anybody who may be inside, her voice echoing down the halls of her home.
They wait a few moments for an answer, but one doesn’t come.
“Hmm… nobody home…” Sonia says with a shrug.
She steps inside, takes her shoes off at the door, and heads for the living room. Billy follows her lead, taking his shoes off at the door. He then follows her into the spacious room and sits down on a couch.
“Nice place you got.”
“Thank you,” Sonia replies with a smile.
“So… what to do first? Homework?”
“Do we have to…?”
“Uh… yeah… we need to do our homework or we won’t pass,” Billy reminds the yellow-furred fox with a chuckle.
“Oh yeah… ugh… I hate homework…”
“We all do, but it needs done. How much you got?”
“Just math and history.”
“I got some history homework as well.”
“Can you help me with my math then? It’s not really one of my best subjects…”
“Sure,” Billy tells her with a smile. “But in return, you have to help me with my history. I suck at history more than a free hooker in an all-boys school.”
Sonia starts laughing. “Oh, that’s pretty bad then. Alright, I’ll help you.”
They take their book-bags off and set them down, each unzipping their own and pulling out some books and paper. Sonia opens her math book and starts to do the assigned work, as Billy oversees and helps whenever she needs it.
“And thus X equals three.”
“Oooh… ok… you know… you should go to school to be a number-cruncher… you’re pretty good at this.”
“Meh…” Billy says lowly and grumbles to himself a tad.
“Something wrong, honey?”
“My dad’s an accountant. And he’s been trying to make me an accountant to…”
“You don’t like it?”
“Not really… math kinda bores me from time to time. Besides, I don’t really want to be an accountant. My dad rarely spends time at home because he’s stuck at the office or with a client. Hell, we even had to leave Australia because he took a job here.”
“Miss it?”
“Not really. It’s just not easy for me to say goodbye to my friends because my dad wants a job on another continent. I even had a girlfriend back home. Barbara Walsh.”
“Was she cute?” Sonia asks with a giggle.
“I thought so. But we were great together. We loved to swim together, hang out together, go hiking together… We did a lot of stuff together.”
“Even yiff?”
“No. We enjoyed the relationship we had too much to have yiff ruin it. But then one day my dad tells me we were moving… I didn’t even get to say good-bye to her…”
“Why not?”
“I refused to say it… I kept hoping and praying that if I didn’t say it, my dad wouldn’t move and I wouldn’t have to be away from her… but I was wrong…” Billy says with a sigh. “I’d give anything just to see her one last time and say good-bye…”
“Maybe one day.”
“Meh…”
“Well, can we change the subject?” Sonia asks, sensing Billy’s pain.
“Please…”
“Alright… time for history,” Sonia says with a giggle as she closes her math book and puts it away.
They both open up their history books as Sonia tries to explain all the important facts of their respectful assignments.
“I just don’t get why it’s so important… it happened and never will again…”
“You never know that! History has a way of repeating itself. Besides, it’s great to take a look back to see where we been and how much we’ve done since then. It also helps us to see where we’re going.”
“Meh… if you say so… just bores the hell outta me…” Billy informs Sonia with a chuckle.
“It’s that kind of attitude that allows history to repeat itself!” Sonia says back to Billy with a giggle.
“Meh… whatever… we done yet?”
“Yeah.”
They close their books and put everything away, sliding their book-bags out of the way.
“So, what do you normally do after homework?”
“Just hang out…”
“Wanna hang out then?”
“Sure. Can we go up to my room though? I wanna change out of this uniform.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have any clothes up there that I could wear, would you?”
“Want to wear a skirt, huh?” Sonia playfully asks with a giggle.
“Nah, just want to do the same… get out of this uniform.”
“We can probably get you something from Alex’s room.”
“Nah, I don’t feel right going into somebody’s room without asking… or even wearing their clothes… with or without permission.”
“Then it’s either birthday suit or school uniform for you, mister,” Sonia tells Billy with a giggle.
“Well, let’s go…” Billy says with a sigh and rolls his eyes.
He stands up and holds his paw out for Sonia. She takes his paw and helps herself up. The two smile at each other and leave the room and head for the stairway, walking up the stairs when they get there. Sonia then guides him down the hall to her room. She opens the door when they arrive and shows Billy inside.
*****
“Here it is… my room.”
Billy takes a look around the room, soaking up all the images.
“Alright, who’s there?”
“Uh… Billy…?”
“My bill is tingling. Somebody’s nearby.”
A chuckle is heard outside the room, and a silver-furred fox enters.
“You gotta hate defense mechanisms sometimes. Was hoping to sneak up on you guys,” Alex says, still chuckling.
“Sorry to burst your bubble there,” Billy replies with his own chuckle.
“So you can tell when somebody’s around, even with many walls between you?” Sonia asks.
“Well, yeah. It all has to do with electrical fields somebody’s body puts out when they move their muscles and what-not. It’s hard to pick it up out of water, but I been working on it a couple weeks before I went to school at Lovejoy. Didn’t want a surprise ambush to occur. I can do it A LOT easier in the water.”
“Wow… that’s cool! What else?” Sonia excitedly questions her platypus boyfriend.
“Well, I have good sight, smell, and hearing as well as my sixth sense.”
“So you pretty much got the powers of Wolverine, just no healing, huh?” Alex asks.
“Wolverine?”
“He’s an X-Man.”
“X-Man?”
“Dude, you don’t read comics?”
“Not really. I try to watch how much I rot my mind. I watch TV only in the late evening, and movies every so often. No video games or comics though.”
Both foxes’ eyes widen as Billy tells them this.
“What?”
“How can you not play video games or read comics?” Alex skeptically asks in bewilderment.
“I spend a lot of time swimming and doing homework after school.”
“Jeez… you need to lighten up man… enjoy life…”
“I do enjoy life!” Billy quickly responds sharply, defending his lifestyle.
“Whatever man…”
Billy just rolls his eyes and mumbles a little as Alex’s last comment.
“Hey… Alex… I was wondering… think you can do the ritual for me and Billy?”
“Ritual?” Billy asks.
“Are you sure about this Sonia? Didn’t you two just meet?”
“Well… yeah… but I never been so sure about this…”
“Ritual?”
“Oh,” Sonia says and turns to Billy. “It’s a love ritual that the Native Americans developed. Doing this is a way showing of love between you and the person you do it with.”
“And you want to do this why?”
“To tell you I love you.”
“I know you love me, and I love you too,” Billy tells her with a smile.
“Just please?”
“Alright.”
“Are you sure though, Sonia?” Alex questions his sister.
“Never been more sure.”
“Alright. How about after dinner then? I wanna relax and eat before I preform this for you two.”
“Alright Alex. Thanks.”
Sonia then smiles and hugs her brother.
“No problem. Well, stay out of trouble until then,” Alex says as he lets go of Sonia.
“Don’t worry. Will do.”
“Alright. Later you two.”
Alex bows to the two of them. He stands up straight and chuckles before leaving the room. Billy and Sonia look to each other and smile.
“So… Billy… I got something I want to ask you…”
“Yeah?”
“I want to make a tape with you.”
“A tape about what?”
“Us.”
“Huh?”
“Like you and Edna…”
Billy blushes and coughs a little.
“Um… uh… why?”
“I just want to be in one with you. I love you and want to be able to show that.”
“You don’t need a tape of that to prove it though…”
“Please?”
“I’m sorry… I’m not really fond of you making a tape of us and showing it to everybody…”
“I won’t show it to anybody if you don’t want me to… but I do want to make one please,” Sonia begs Billy.
“You promise not to show it to anybody?”
“Alright… I promise.”
“Alright.”
“Thank you!” Sonia excitedly says with a smile growing on her face.
Sonia then rushes to her closet and opens the door. She digs inside for a few seconds before pulling out a video recorder.
“What, right now?” Billy asks nervously.
“Why not?”
“Because your parents are home.”
“Huh? No they’re not. They took Charlie to the doctor today. He hasn’t been feeling well.”
“Charlie? Anyway, they’re home.”
“But…”
Suddenly, a set of car doors can be heard closing outside.
“How did…” Sonia asks, confused about how Billy knew her family was home.
“I told you. I got good hearing. I heard the car pull up and some slight chatter. I couldn’t make out what they said though. So who’s Charlie?”
“Huh? Oh! He’s my brother. Come on! I’ll introduce you!”
Sonia then grabs Billy’s paw and rushes out of the room, dragging her platypus boyfriend behind her.
Oh… that’s just great… I get to die NOW instead of LATER…
*****
Sonia and Billy rush downstairs and too the front door, where two adult foxes and one younger fox are standing.
“Mom, Dad, Charlie… this is Billy. Billy, this is Mom, Dad, and Charlie,” Sonia says with a smile.
“…”
Billy opens his mouth, but can’t find any words to speak with. His mind is frozen in terror for two reasons. First reason being that he’s a platypus dating this family’s only daughter. Second reason being that he and Sonia have already shared more than just a simple kiss and hug.
“Is he a mute or something?” Charlie asks jokingly.
“Uh… uh…” Billy manages to stammer out.
“Well ‘Uh’, it’s nice to meet you,” Charlie replies with a chuckle and a smile.
“Uh… h-hi?”
“He speaks! Oh my god!” Charlie says with a hearty laugh.
“That’s enough Charlie,” Sonia reprimands her brother. “He’s just a little nervous is all.”
“No need to be. We’re not gonna eat you. I’m Henry, by the way,” the male adult fox says to the nervous platypus.
“H-hi Mr. Sosserone…”
“Please, just call me Henry.”
“I’ll try, Mr. Sosserone.”
“My, isn’t he the respectful little thing. I’m Jessica,” the woman says to Billy.
“Hi Mrs. Sosserone.”
“Like with Henry, please… just call me by my first name.”
“I’ll try, Mrs. Sosserone.”
“All we can ask of you,” Jessica replies with a smile.
“So, Charlie, how’d it go?” Sonia questions her brother.
“Just some migraines.”
“They gonna go away?”
“In a day or so. Maybe even tonight.”
“That sucks…”
“Tell me about it. Jasmine’s been tyring her hardest to wait patiently for me to get better…”
“Why, so you two can yiff?” Sonia playfully asks her brother with a giggle.
Charlie blushes at the question as Sonia giggles some more.
“What her and I do isn’t any of your business, Sonia…”
“It’s half my business,” Sonia replies with a grin.
“Huh?”
“Nothing,” Sonia says as she quickly puts on an innocent smile.
“Sonia… not right now… don’t need your shenanigans on top of my migraines.”
“Aww… ok…” Sonia replies with a slight pout.
“Honey, you should be more worried about your company than your brother,” Jessica chimes in.
“Oh yeah, that’s true.”
“So is this gentleman a friend or more?” Henry asks Sonia.
“He’s my boyfriend.”
Billy looks to the ground at this point, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth together.
Why couldn’t she just keep that quiet. Well, been nice living…
“That’s nice. He treating you right?” Henry replies.
“Uh-huh. Very well. In fact, I was thinking of doing the ritual with him.”
“Ritual? Wait… THAT ritual? Are you sure, Sonia?” Henry asks with concern in his voice.
“I never been more sure of this, dad.”
“Very well. Well, I’m beat, so I’m gonna go into the living room to relax.”
“I’m gonna head up to my room… I feel a headache coming on…” Charlie groans.
“And I’m gonna go start dinner. Was gonna make steak, but I think tonight I’ll make Mexican Chicken instead,” Jessica adds.
“Why MY favorite instead of Alex’s?”
“Well, I figured you’d like it in celebration of your relationship,” Jessica answers with a smile.
“Yeah, that would be nice,” Sonia says with a smile. “Thank you.”
“No problem. Now, you two run along and do something. Just stay out of trouble, ok?”
“Will do mom.”
Sonia then leads Billy back upstairs to her room.
“Your family seems nice…” Billy finally manages to say once way from her parents and brother.
“They are nice! What happened to you though? You kinda froze up…”
“I was just so nervous… I was expecting your family to hate me…”
“Why? I love you, so they’re gonna love you.”
“I didn’t think of that… I just figured they’d take one look and think ‘why is our beautiful daughter seeing this ugly freak’…”
“You know, you need to have more confidence in yourself. Just because you’re a platypus doesn’t mean you’re ugly. I think you’re EXTREMELY handsome.”
“Well… most people just see the bill and the fur and think ‘Freak! Run!’…”
“Well, you’re with me. All that matters is what I think. And I think you’re handsome. Alright honey?”
“Alright. Yeah, you know… you’re right. I’m with you, and your opinion is the only one that matters,” Billy says with a smile.
“That’s the spirit. So… wanna make that tape?” Sonia mentions with a giggle.
“Remember, please don’t show it to anybody.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t.”
“Very well then. Let’s shoot a home video,” Billy says with a chuckle.
*****
Billy sits on the bed and waits as Sonia finds her angle. She smiles when she finds the perfect spot for the camera. She sets it on a chair in her room. She then walks to the door.
“ALEX?!?” Sonia yells down the hall.
“WHAT?!?”
“RITUAL TIME!!!”
“NOW?!? WHY NOT LATER?!?!?”
“I WANT IT NOW!!!”
“ALRIGHT…”
A few moments later, Alex steps into the room.
“So, why now and not later?” Alex asks his sister.
“Well, Billy and I are getting ready to yiff… and…”
Billy cringes as she tells her brother their plans.
Oh great… way to go Sonia… now HE’S gonna kill me…
“Ah, I see. And you’d rather have the yiff celebrate your relationship, huh?”
“Yeap.”
“Alright. We’ll do it now,” Alex tells Sonia with a smile.
“Thank you!”
“Now, I need you to sit on the ground, across from each other, legs crossed.”
Billy gets up from the bed. He and Sonia sit down Indian style across from each other.
“Alright, now Billy, grab her right paw with yours and both of you place your left paws over your hearts. Don’t forget to close your eyes and keep them closed.”
Billy smiles as he grabs Sonia’s right paw with his, stroking the back of it with his thumb. They both then do as Alex says and place their left paws on their hearts. After they do this, they both close their eyes, smiling at each other as they do so.
“Alright. Spirits of Eternal Love, I beckon you to oversee this ritual.”
Huh? What’s he talking about? Billy ponders Alex’s words.
Alex smiles.
“Alright, the spirits are watching this ritual. Sonia,do you promise to love Billy with everything that you are for all of eternity?”
“I promise to love him with everything I am and all of my heart for all eternity and much longer than that,” Sonia answers the silver fox.
“Ok. Billy, do you promise to love Sonia with everything you are for all of eternity?”
“I… uh… um… yes, I do so promise. I promise to love her and to keep her happy and healthy.”
“Very well. Oh, Spirits of Eternal Love, I beckon that you bless these two with your graces. Keep them happy and in love with each other for all time, and bless their relationship.”
Who is he talking to?
“You two have been blessed by the spirits. The ritual is complete. You two may open your eyes.”
Billy and Sonia both open their eyes and smile at each other.
“Congratulations you two. I hope you two share a happy relationship with one another. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go meditate until dinner.”
“Thank you Alex,” Sonia says with a smile as her brother gets up and leaves the room.
Billy smiles at Sonia some more and chuckles.
“Something funny, Billy?”
“Nah… it’s just that Alex kinda sounded like he was marrying us. Just found it a tad funny.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” Sonia says with a giggle.
Sonia then lets go of Billy and they both stand up. Billy walks back to the bed and sits down on it, watching Sonia. Sonia, however, walks back to the recorder that she set down and presses the record button on it before walking into the shot.
“Are you really sure you want to do this though?” Billy nervously asks.
“Couldn’t be more sure,” Sonia answers with a smile. “Not getting cold paws on me, are you?”
“N-no… not really…”
“You don’t have to do this you know.”
“I kinda do, but kinda don’t. I’m still trying to cope with the first one…”
“That’s in the past, honey. You gotta look to the future. And this tape is just gonna stay to ourselves.”
“Alright.”
Sonia smiles and lifts up her shirt, exposing her developing breasts and already hardened nipples. She pulls the shirt over her head and pulls it off her body, dropping it to the ground. Billy blushes and stares at the topless fox for a few moments before quickly shaking his head.
“No training bra?”
“Nah, not today. Gets a little uncomfortable sometimes.”
“Cool…”
“Like what you see?”
Billy nods his head, his eyes never leaving her chest. Sonia giggles and pulls her skirt down to her ankles and steps out of them, revealing a pair of pink lace panties.
“Those look good on you…” Billy stammers out, his primal urges starting to kick in and take control of his mind.
“Like them? Want to see me without them?”
Billy nods his head.
“Let me see some of you first,” Sonia says with a giggle.
“O-ok…”
Billy loosens his tie and takes it off his neck, tossing it to the side of the bed. He unbuttons the top two buttons of the white shirt that the school makes him wear as part of the uniform before pulling it up over his head and tossing it next to his tie. Sonia lets out the best purr she can manage.
“Mmm… hot body,” Sonia giggles.
Billy’s blush grows a little brighter and a little larger. He takes a gulp to swallow his nerves before he stands up off the bed. He unbuttons his pants and unzips them before sliding them down to his ankles and stepping out of them.
“Aw… was hoping you were free-balling today,” Sonia giggles.
“You’ll probably never catch me doing that,” Billy hesitantly replies.
“Aw, come on… lighten up Billy… you’re acting like this is your first time… don’t be so nervous.”
“Sorry, I’ll try to loosen up a bit. Just still kinda nervous,” Billy says with a sigh.
“Well, just relax honey,” Sonia reassures her nervous boyfriend.
Billy nods.
“So, you want to see the rest?” Billy asks Sonia.
“Let me guess… off with the panties?” Sonia replies with a giggle.
“Please answer my question. Do you want to see the rest?”
“Of course.”
Billy nods again before placing his paws on the waistband to his boxers. He grabs the clothed elastic and pulls them down to his ankles, exposing his platypus package to the yellow-furred vixen. He also quickly takes his socks off and tosses it all into his pile of clothes, standing up straight after he’s done, his entire body slightly shaking from nerves and shyness. Sonia looks at the naked platypus and smiles.
“Mmm… very nice.”
“Glad you like it,” Billy says with a smile. “So, you gonna show me the rest of what you’re hiding?”
“Oh, you want to see the rest of me, huh?” Sonia asks with a grin forming on her face.
Billy nods his head. “Uh-huh.”
Sonia’s grin grows bigger as she turns around and bends over in front of Billy. She slowly slides her panties down her legs, revealing her tight backside and the outside of her precious womanhood to him. Billy’s body twitches slightly as he stares at the strip-tease in front of him, his limp manhood turning hard from the erotic actions and view.
“Oooh… t-that’s nice…”
“You like it, huh?” Sonia playfully questions the platypus and giggles.
She then playfully shakes her rump back and forth, teasing her aroused boyfriend. His body twitches and shakes as he fights every urge that runs through him to pounce the teasing vixen and penetrate her womanhood with his thick shaft. Sonia giggles one last time as she finishes pulling her panties down to her ankles and steps out of them, turning to face Billy with a smile. Billy smiles back at the young vixen.
“So… shall we?” Billy asks Sonia.
“Let’s,” Sonia replies with a smile.
Sonia then walks over to the bed and lays down on it stomach first, her tail swishing behind her as she lays with her back and backside showing to her aroused boyfriend. She turns her head to look over her shoulder back at Billy with a grin and a giggle.
“Oh… that’s such a tease…”
“Oh really? What about if I did this…?”
Sonia then rolls over onto her back. She lifts her knees up, keeping her paws on the bed, spreading her thighs, showing off her slit to Billy. She looks down her chest and stomach, through her legs, at him. The vixen then gives Billy a wink and hangs her tongue out lustfully.
“Come get me big boy.”
Billy climbs up on the bed. He crawls up toward her, but stops when his head is between her open legs.
“Before Lil’ Billy gets a taste, Big Billy wants first dibs.”
Billy chuckles and then sticks his tongue out of his bill. He presses it gently against the pink folds of her outer womanhood and teasingly licks up and down them a few times. Shivers run up Sonia’s spine as Billy licks her.
“Oooh… such a tease.”
“Oh really? What about if I did this?” Billy asks with a chuckle.
He then slides his tongue into her wettening slit, pushing the folds open. He slides his tongue in as deep as he can go before swirling it around, lapping at her walls and making sure to keep focus on licking her innermost sensitive spot. Sonia’s back arches up quickly as new sensations of pleasure surge through her young body. She grabs a paw-full of bed-sheet with each paw as her lover licks her insides clean.
“Oooh… that’s so good… oh god… don’t stop…”
Billy reaches his paws up past his head to her belly, where he gently rubs her. Her soft fur tickles the undersides of his paws very gently as he brushes his fingers through it, rubbing her skin and fur in adoration. A blush forms on Sonia’s face as the pleasure builds in her body, her heart starting to race from excitement and love. Billy then feels Sonia’s slit start to warm up a lot more and dampen greatly as she’s getting more and more aroused by his flicking and swirling tongue. He slowly stops his tongue and slides it out of her, licking the edges of his bill when he’s completely out.
“Mmmm… so tasty.”
“Oh… no fair… don’t stop…” Sonia gasps out.
“Don’t you want a taste of me?”
“Oh yeah… I guess I do…”
Billy smiles as he leans back against the opposite end of the bed where Sonia is laying, his back resting against the footrest. Sonia sits up and crawls over to her boyfriend and smiles. She kisses his chest gently, getting a taste for his soft fur. She continues to smile as she keeps kissing him, each kiss lower than the last, kissing her way down his chest and stomach to his lower area. She giggles when she finally gets to his waist.
“Oh, what’s this? A lollipop?”
“Uh-huh.”
“All for me?”
“Yeap. All for you to enjoy.”
“I love lollipops!”
Sonia then giggles as she kisses his girth, moving her lips up and down his shaft with ever new kiss. A tingle runs through Billy’s body as she plays with him, this tease turning him on more than it already has. Sonia giggles and then licks his member up and down a few times.
“Mmm… it’s very tasty. Can I suck on the lollipop now?”
“Uh-huh…” Billy stammers out, the erotic actions making it hard for him to speak clearly.
Sonia smiles as she grabs hold of him with her paw and kisses the sensitive head of his manhood, giving it a few teasing licks after each kiss. On the final kiss, she slides it into her muzzle, his thickness separating her ruby red lips. She slides her head down his shaft and wraps her tongue around it. Sonia looks up at Billy and smiles one last time before starting to bob her head up and down along his cock, her warm muzzle and warm wet tongue sliding against every inch of his member. She doesn’t take her eyes off Billy’s as she enjoys her candy. Billy looks at her and smiles quickly before leaning his head back, closing his eyes and letting his tongue hang out, letting out a loud moan of pleasure.
“Oooh… god… Sonia… you’re good at that.”
You ain’t seen nothing yet, Billy. Sonia thinks to herself as she pleases her lover.
She takes her free paw and cups it gently against his jewels, fondling them between her fingers and massaging the skin as she sucks on him, trying her best to please him in every way like he did for her a few moments ago. Billy cannot help but to arch his back away from the footrest he’s leaning against, the pleasure surging through his body. He lets out another loud moan, making Sonia smile to herself, knowing she’s doing a good job with her lover. She fondles him and sucks on him a few more extra moments before letting go of him. She licks her lips and giggles when she sits up.
“Mmm… tasty.”
“Oh god… so good…”
“That wasn’t anything, Billy. Ready for the main course?”
“What’s that?” Billy asks with a grin.
Sonia grins back at him and lays back down on her bed, reassuming the position she held to tease Billy earlier. Billy stares into Sonia’s now slightly dripping slit, his urges kicking up in full force. He crawls toward the laying vixen, climbing over top of her when he reaches her. He looks down at her and smiles, Sonia smiling back. Billy leans down and kisses his girlfriend deeply, both of them closing their eyes and smiling.
“Ready?”
Sonia nods with a slight blush on her face. Billy kisses her one more time before pushing his hips closer to hers, causing him to edge his manhood closer to her womanhood. Sonia lets out a gasp when the tip of Billy’s shaft presses into her pink flesh momentarily before it pushes itself inside, parting her flesh. Her warm wet walls quickly mold to take the shape of Billy’s girth, wettening his member, allowing him to slide easier inside him and please them both. Billy lets out a small moan as her warm slit presses against him. He then starts to rock his hips away from hers and then back again, sliding himself in and out of her in long, short strokes, her walls pressing and rubbing against his shaft and head, which in turn rub against her inner sensitive spot. Sonia wraps her arms around Billy and holds him close as they start to make love with one another.
“Billy…’
“Yes, Sonia…”
“I love you… so very much…”
“I love you too, Sonia,”
“Please… make love to me…”
“Will do, my love.”
Sonia leans up and kisses him on his neck before laying her head back down on the pillow. She leans her head back and closes her eyes, the friction from her private are rubbing against Billy’s sending wave after wave of pleasure through her body. Billy leans his head down next to Sonia’s and licks her earlobe very gently.
“I love you,” Billy whispers to the vixen one last time.
The two cubs let out loud moans of pleasure as Billy starts to rock his hips faster and harder, sliding himself in and out of his lover harder, faster, and deeper. Blushes form on both faces from pleasure and love for one another. Sonia lifts her legs up and wraps them around Billy’s waist, allowing him to penetrate her deeper. The yiffing platypus places his paws on Sonia’s sides, gently rubbing her body all over, trying to enjoy as much of her body as he can. Her yellow and white fur feels so soft and warm under his paws, and the skin under the fur soft as well. He licks her earlobe a few more times before kissing her cheek and then her neck, sucking on it for a while when he gets there. Sonia lets out a gasp in surprise as the pleasure swells inside her quicker. She begins to pant and moan more and louder, a sweat building on both her fur and Billy’s as they continue to make their passionate love on tape. Billy starts to kiss Sonia all over, or as much of her as possible, the pleasure starting to reach it’s limit in his body as he feels a tingle in his shaft. Sonia’s body also begins reaching its limit as she feels her muscles tightening ever so slightly.
“Oh… Billy… I think… I’m gonna…”
“Me too… Sonia…”
The two cubs pant and moan, continuing to love one another. Billy’s rocking changes as his strokes don’t slide out as far, but he makes up for it with faster and harder pumps into his lover. They both moan out once more.
“Billy…”
“Sonia…”
“I’M CUMMING!” both cubs yell out.
With his cry intertwining with Sonia’s, Billy’s cock begins to throb as it starts to spray jets of his white sticky fluid into Sonia’s contracting slit, her walls contracting around him and squeezing him, soaking him with her own juices. Billy thrusts one last time, trying to get his spurting manhood deeper into Sonia, trying his best to fill her up as much as possible, showing her just how much she has pleased him. Sonia clenches her teeth as she soaks him with her juices, cumming hard, just like her platypus lover. They both scream out each other’s names in pure ecstasy as they climax with each other, filling Sonia with a mixture of liquid from both bodies. Billy begins to kiss Sonia deeply, sliding his tongue into her muzzle and massaging hers, each of them enjoying this wonderful moment of entwined bodies and shared orgasms. Billy and Sonia continue to passionately make out with each other as their climaxes die down, the kissing ending after a short while. Billy pulls himself out of Sonia and crawls off her, laying to her side and holding her close, the both of them cuddling with each other after their session. They both continue to pant and moan, still sweaty from their erotic actions.
“Mmm… that was… so nice… Billy…”
“Oh yeah… so very… very nice… Sonia…”
“I love you Billy… so very much…”
“I love you… too Sonia… so very very much…”
The two exhausted cubs yawn and close their eyes, resting from their wonderful activity.
*****
After only what seems like seconds, a sound pounding can be heard on Sonia’s door, followed by a voice.
“Sonia, Billy, it’s time for dinner!”
Sonia and Billy wake up to the ruckus and yawn.
“Sonia? Billy? You ok?”
“Yes Daddy… we’re fine,” Sonia answers the voice.
“Well, come on down. It’s time for dinner.”
“Ok, we’ll be down in a few.”
Henry then walks away from the door.
“Mmm… I don’t wanna get up…” Sonia says with a giggle and pouts.
“Neither do I. But I am kinda hungry.”
“Well, we should get dressed.”
“Gah… back into that uniform…” Billy mumbles to himself with a sigh.
“You could go in your birthday suit,” Sonia replies with a giggle.
“In front of your family? Pass!”
“Aw… no fun,” Sonia giggles some more.
“Sorry,” Billy says with a chuckle.
Sonia and Billy both stretch and sit up in bed. Sonia stands up off the bed and walks to one of her dressers while Billy stands up and grabs his uniform from the crumpled pile of clothes next to the bed. He quickly climbs into his clothes as Sonia puts on a tight pair of blue jeans and a purple spaghetti-strap tank-top. She turns to Billy and smiles.
“How do I look?”
“Very beautiful.”
Sonia smiles and walks to the door, signalling for Billy to join her. Billy walks to the door and grabs her paw with a smile. The two cubs leave the room and walk downstairs into the kitchen, where delicious smells fill the room. Jessica turns from the stove to the two cubs that are entering the room.
“Just in time. I was afraid if you two didn’t show before it finished cooking, Alex and Charlie would eat both your helpings,” Jessica says with a giggle.
“You mean we don’t get any extras?” Alex and Charlie both ask while moaning.
“You two should know by now that I make enough for you each to have 3 helpings while making sure everybody else gets fed. Don’t be silly boys.”
“Yay! Mom’s the best!” Alex says with a chuckle.
“So… Mom… Dad… Charlie… Billy and I did the ritual already.”
“Really?” Henry asks his yellow-furred daughter. “Congratulations you two. May you two be very happy.”
“Thanks,” Sonia replies with a smile.
“Well, why don’t you two take a seat? Dinner’s almost done.”
With that, Billy and Sonia find a pair of seats next to each other at the table and sit down. Jessica prepares the food and puts it onto separate plates and brings them over to the table, where the family of foxes and their platypus company begin to eat, enjoying the many delicious flavors in each dish that was prepared.
“Mmm… this is good! What did you say this was?”
“Mexican Chicken, Billy.”
“Mmm… oh god… so very good.”
“What do you expect, Billy? Our mom’s one of the best cooks in town,” Charlie informs Billy.
“I can see why.”
“Well, try not to fill up on my dinner, Billy. There’s still desert.”
“Hey, daddy… do you mind if Billy stays the night?” Sonia asks her father.
“As long as he gets permission from his parents.”
“I’ll call them after dinner.”
The rest of the dinner is spent making idle chit-chat about each member’s day, what they did, what they didn’t like about the day, and what their plans were for the rest of the night. The meal consists of fried chicken with special spices and seasoning, a salad and some rolls to go with the chicken, and a side of rice for each serving. The desert that follows the delectable supper is a quadruple chocolate cake, where it’s a Devil’s Food cake with chocolate chips baked into it. The cake is iced with chocolate icing and has chocolate flavored sprinkles on top of it. Every member eats a slice of it and lets the taste of it send their taste-buds into paradise.
“Mmm… this cake is SOOO GOOD!” Billy practically moans out.
“It’s mom’s famous Chocolate Paradise,” Alex tells the moaning platypus.
“I can see why it’s called that.”
“Why, thank you Billy,” Jessical says with a smile.
“No… thank YOU, Mrs. Sosserone.”
“Please… just call me Jessica, dear,” she giggles.
“Sorry. But yeah, thank YOU for this. This is so good!”
“Glad you enjoy it.”
After everybody finishes their desert, each one gets up from the table and places their dirty dishes in the sink.
“Want some help with the dishes, Mrs. Sosserone?”
“I got it. Thank you for the offer though Billy.”
“Come on, come call your parents!” Sonia pleads with Billy as she starts to tug on his arm.
“Alright, alright! Just leave my arm in its socket please,” Billy tells the anxious fox with a chuckle.
Sonia leads Billy into the living room and to the nearest phone. Billy picks the receiver up and starts to dial some numbers. He holds the phone up to his ear and listens for the ring and then eventually to somebody pick up on the other line.
“Hello. Plats residence. Stephen speaking.”
“Dad? It’s me, Billy.”
“Hey Billy! Where are you? You never showed up after school. We were kinda worried about you.”
“Oh, I went to my new girlfriend’s house.”
“Meet her parents did you?” Stephen questions his son with a chuckle.
“Yeah. They actually accept me.”
“That’s very good son. That means that they care about their daughter and aren’t swayed by things like looks, only personality.”
“Yeah. They invited me to stay the night with them as long as it’s ok with you.”
“As long as you have a uniform with you and make sure you go to school tomorrow, I have no problem with it.”
“Oh, thanks dad!”
“No problem, son.”
“Hey, can you put mom on? I wanna say good night to her.”
“Sure thing son. Good night. Pleasant dreams.”
“Good night dad.”
“Mary? Hey, Mary! Billy’s on the phone! He wants to talk to you!” Stephen is heard calling for his wife.
“Billy?”
“Hi mom.”
“Hi honey. Where are you?”
“My girlfriend’s place.”
“That’s nice. Your father tells me you’re spending the night?”
“That’s right mom.”
“Well, have fun.”
“Oh, I will,” Billy says with a smile.
“Good night dear. Sweet dreams. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
“Good night mom. Love you. Tell dad I said I love him too.”
“Will do dear. Good night.”
Billy then hears a click in the phone he’s on and realizes that his mother hung up. He hangs the phone up himself and sets it down. The platypus then looks to Sonia and smiles.
“I’m staying.”
“Cool! You’ll be sleeping in my room!”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea…”
“Why not?”
“What if we get frisky?”
“My dad’s cool with us yiffing in the house. Hell, sometimes we can all hear Alex with Destiny… I mean Heaven. I keep forgetting about that switch.”
“Huh?”
“Nevermind. But I’m kinda wore out from school and that incredible yiff earlier. I don’t think I’ll be in the mood for another one tonight.”
“Alright,” Billy says with a smile. “Speaking of which? Did you ever turn that recorder off?”
“When I got up to get dressed.”
“Alright. So… what do you want to do for the rest of the night?”
“Hang out.”
Sonia and Billy spend the rest of the night with one another, playing board games and video games with her family. They also watch a little TV and Billy goes for a five minute jog around the house for exercise during the night’s activities. Sonia even shows Billy the tape of Pokeinfo kissing Carlos, which Billy can’t help but to laugh hysterically at. At nine o’clock, Billy and Sonia head upstairs and start preparing for bed, Billy getting showered up first and saving some hot water for Sonia who climbs in after him. Sonia changes into a purple nightgown and lays down in her bed. Billy sighs and strips down to his boxers and climbs in beside her.
“Sorry, no PJs.”
“It’s ok,” Sonia replies with a smile.
“Good night honey,” Billy says to Sonia as he kisses her.
“Good night.” Sonia says back.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Sweet dreams.”
“You too.”
Billy and Sonia then hold each other as they close their eyes and let their bodies drift off to sleep, each of them drifting off to their own dream land to wander freely and escape the world for a brief time.
CHAPTER 23
The sun rises on the sleeping town of Pouncefield the very next morning, waking the birds to sing their happy songs and to chase away the crickets who chirp the night’s lullaby. The warmth of the new light blankets the city as its inhabitants begin to stir awake for various reasons. Many adults are waking up to prepare breakfast for their families or to head off to their jobs, while the cubs all awaken to get ready for school. Two such cubs happen to be Billy and Sonia, being awaken by a buzzing alarm clock, moments before the morning light engulfs the room. Sonia reaches up with a smile and hits the snooze button, silencing the cause of their disturbed sleep. Sonia sits up with a smile and yawns as she stretches in bed. She puts her paws on the ground and looks at her carpet for a few moments as she tries to gather the energy to leave her sanctuary of slumber. She looks over her shoulder to her still sleeping bed-partner and boyfriend. She giggles quietly to herself as she places a paw gently on his shoulder and begins to nudge him, trying to shake him awake. Billy lets out a small moan as his slumber is broken by his girlfriend’s gentle nudge. He slowly opens his eyes and looks up to Sonia with a small smile. He yawns and sits up in bed, stretching out his arms. He, like Sonia did, then turns his body to place his feet on the carpet underneath the bed. The two stand up off the bed. They then walk around the warm piece of furniture to each other, where they greet each other with a hug and a kiss.
“Morning honey.”
“Morning dear.”
“Sleep well?”
“Until the alarm clock woke me up, yeah,” Sonia says with a giggle.
“So you had to take it out on me by waking me up?” Billy playfully asks with a chuckle.
“Sorry babe. Got school.”
“School? Oh yeah… that’s right…” Billy says with a depressed sigh.
“I know, school sucks, but we gotta go. Get an education, make something of ourselves.”
“Yeah yeah… I know. At least it’s hump day…”
“Hump day?”
“Something Edward taught me. The middle of the week. He calls it hump day.”
“Sounds like a day where everybody just yiffs,” Sonia says with a giggle.
“Like the cubs of SLJ don’t do that everyday anyway?”
“Too true.”
“Man, last night was just… incredible. Thank you for inviting me over.”
“Thank you for coming.”
The two lovers kiss and smile at each other before letting go of one another. Billy grabs his crumpled school clothes from the side of the bed and walks into the bathroom attached to Sonia’s bedroom.
“I’m gonna take a quick shower, ok?”
“If you need some help, let me know,” Sonia answers Billy with a wink, a grin, and a giggle.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll be alright. We don’t need to get all yiffed-up before school,” Billy replies with a chuckle of his own.
Billy shuts the door behind him and walks to the shower. Billy quickly pulls his boxers down and steps out of them before pulling the curtains aside and stepping in, reaching down and turning a knob to let water flow. The water starts to sprinkle forth from the shower head, engulfing Billy’s body with renewal. Billy jumps back as the water hits him.
“Brrr… cold… let it warm up first.”
The platypus stands outside the water for a few moments so that it can warm up. He sticks his paw into the water to judge the temperature, and he smiles as he steps back in once it’s warm enough for him. The water continues to flow out of the shower head and hit Billy, the water cascading down his body as it wets his fur and skin. Billy picks up a nearby bottle and squeezes a peach colored gel into his paws. He rubs them together and lathers the soap up before rubbing against himself, the soap starting to clean his brown fur. Once his body’s all lathered up, he steps under the water and rinses himself off. After he’s clean, Billy turns the water off and steps out of the shower, grabbing a towel and rubbing it against himself to dry off. Billy then grabs his clothes and quickly gets dressed before leaving the room. Once outside, he’s greeted by his foxy lover with a smile.
“Nice and clean now?”
“Yeap!”
“My turn.”
Sonia walks into the bathroom, leaving Billy out in the bedroom. He sits down on the bed as he hears water starting to flow from the room. He lays back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling, and smiles.
This is gonna be a fantastic day! I can just feel it!
Billy sits up on the bed and looks to the bathroom door. The sound of running water stops from within. Moments later, Sonia emerges with a towel wrapped around her body, covering up her chest and her waist.
“Aw, no free show?”
“I dunno… maybe. Why? You want one?” Sonia teases the platypus with a grin.
“Of course.”
Sonia giggles quietly to herself as she removes the towel from her body, her yellow and white fur being exposed for the world, and Billy, to see. Billy looks the naked fox over and smiles.
“Beautiful as always.”
“Thank you,” Sonia replies with a giggle.
She walks to a dresser and digs through. She pulls out a blue pair of panties and a clean uniform. She climbs into the clothes and looks to Billy.
“Well, shall we get going?”
“Of course. Just let me grab a pop-tart or something for breakfast.”
“Silly platy… my mom’s cooked breakfast.”
“We have time to eat?”
“Of course. Why else would I set my alarm so early?” Sonia says with a giggle.
“I didn’t think of that. Well, any idea what she made?”
“Question is what she DIDN’T make.”
“Huh?”
“My mom loves to cook, and with Alex and Charlie having such huge appetites, she always has to cook enough to feed an army. So breakfast usually consists of pancakes with a syrup of your choice, waffles, french toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, muffins, milk, orange juice, and coffee for the adults.”
“Your mom cooks all of that for breakfast?!?” Billy asks in shock and awe.
“Yup.”
“Jeez… she must have to get up early to do all that…”
“Not always. Sometimes I help her.”
“Oh really? You’ll have to cook for me some time,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“Really?”
“Of course! I’d love to taste your cooking.”
“I’m not so good at it as my mom is…”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure it’d be delicious,” Billy tells his nervous fox girlfriend with a smile.
“You know, you’re right. Well, let’s go!”
Sonia grabs Billy’s paw and quickly dashes out of her room, shutting the door behind the two of them. They rush down into the kitchen where, as Sonia already said, Jessica has a wide arrangement of breakfast foods cooked and sitting on the table. Alex and Charlie are already sitting at the table with three plates full of food each.
“Where do they put it all?!?”
“We honestly have no idea,” Sonia answers with a giggle.
“Sheesh… I’d be fat if I ate all that in one sitting.”
“Well, they have fast metabolisms, and they get LOTS of exercise. We have a gym in this house, and when they aren’t yiffing, going to school, or doing homework, they’re usually down there lifting weights and sparing.”
“Oh, they’re fighters?”
“Yeap. Strong ones too.”
“They study martial arts?”
“We’ve got a few books with some different arts, but Alex and Charlie are more freestyle fighters. They adapt to the situation and change their fighting tactics based on that.”
“They do any tournaments or anything?”
“Oh yeah. Alex usually wins them,” Sonia proudly informs Billy.
“Sheesh… and all this time I was struggling with Rodriguez, he could’ve just put him down for me…” Billy says with a chuckle.
“He doesn’t try to fight those who are weaker than him. He doesn’t like hurting people.”
“Was a joke.”
“I know, but I figured you should know that before you rely on him in a fight,” Sonia answers with a giggle.
“Alright, well, let’s grab some flap-jacks before they eat them all.”
Sonia nods as the two sit at the table and grab a plate of pancakes each. Billy pours maple syrup on his as Sonia uses strawberry flavored syrup. The four cubs at the table enjoy the bountiful breakfast that Jessica has presented them, Billy and Sonia quitting after one plate while Alex and Charlie each eat four plates of food.
“Mm… that was good…” Billy says with a content smile.
“Oh yeah. Can’t beat mom’s cooking!” Alex replies.
“Glad you kids enjoyed it. Now, the bus should be here shortly,” Jessica informs the cubs.
“Alright. Thank you, Mrs. Sosserone. See you later.”
The four cubs get up and leave the table, the kitchen, and then the house. They walk down to the bus stop, where the bus is already waiting. They quickly climb aboard and take their seats, Billy sitting behind Laura and Jenny as always, and Sonia sitting next to him. The bus pulls off and continues along its course, making many stops to pick up awaiting cubs all heading for the same place, the school. After twenty minutes, the bus pulls up in front of the school and Carlos opens the doors, letting everybody off. Billy and Sonia hug each other once they step off.
“I won’t see you until lunch, huh?”
“Nope. Don’t worry. The day should fly,” Sonia tells Billy.
“I hope so. Well, see you at lunch…”
“Alright. See you at lunch. Love you lots, Billy.”
“I love you too, Sonia.”
The two share a quick kiss before parting ways, Sonia heading into one part of the school while Billy goes to a different one. As Sonia predicted, the morning classes seem to fly faster than usual for the bored platypus. His first two mundane classes seem to take no time at all to complete. Billy heads to the gym after his second period class, preparing for gym with Mrs. Trousers. When he gets there, he sees her and Lucy talking in the middle of the gym. Lucy grins when she sees Billy and calls out to him.
“Hey Plats! Wasn’t expecting you back after what happened yesterday!”
“Are you kidding? I’m looking forward to another session of that,” Billy says with a grin as he heads into the locker room.
The two females look to each other blankly.
“Did he just say what I think he did?” Lucy asks in shock.
“He did. Hmhmhm… I really like this Plats kid now.”
“He’s nuts…”
“Maybe, but he’s also the first one to tease back at us. They’re usually too scared after I pull my shenanigans on them, but not him.”
“He’s a freak…”
“Like I said, maybe… but I like it.”
Billy returns to the gym dressed and begins to run around the gym, much like the day before. After only what seems to be seconds, Mrs. Trousers calls for everybody to change and get ready for the next class. Billy does as told, changing back into his school uniform, and leaves the gym. Upon leaving, he runs into a mysterious pair of rabbits, one white and one black, the black one holding a tape.
“Um… hi?” Billy calls to the two.
The white rabbit turns around and looks at Billy with a smile, while the black one turns and just kinda glares at him with a scowl on her face.
“Hello! Oh… wait! You’re Billy Plats! Right?”
“Yeah… how’d you know?”
“This tape…” the black rabbit says as she waves the tape she holds in her paw.
“Oh… that Edna tape… I see Rod’s still selling them…”
“Not Edna. It’s you with some fox…”
“What?!?!?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s a new tape! Our brother already showed us the first one you did. Nice work,” the white rabbit says with a giggle.
Sonia… you promised…
“So… you guys wanted the second one?”
“Nah… just a gift for our horny brother…”
“You two share the same brother?”
“Yeah… what’s it matter to you?”
“Well, you’re black… and she’s white…”
“So? Fur color doesn’t matter…”
“I know it doesn’t,” Billy says to the black bunny girl. “It just didn’t dawn on me that you two could be sisters because of it.”
“You need to be more open minded then…”
“Well, open my mind then. Open it with your names.”
“I’m Salt,” the white bunny happily greets Billy.
“Pepper…” the black rabbit bluntly tells the platypus.
“And your brother?”
“Pokeinfo Lion,” Salt informs Billy.
“But… he’s…” Billy starts to ask.
“Our adopted brother…” Pepper cuts Billy off.
“Oh, adopted, huh? Can you tell me who gave you that tape?”
“Sorry. Secret. If you want it, you gotta get your own,” Pepper tells Billy.
Suddenly, Pepper feels a paw on her shoulder. She turns to see a pink ferret and a pair of raccoon girls behind them.
“Talking to the porn star, huh?” the pink ferret asks Pepper with a giggle.
“Not now, Jessica… I’m in a bit of a crisis here. I don’t need you, Belle, and Linda trying to get in my pants…” Billy says with a sigh.
“Oh, you’re no fun,” Jessica replies with another giggle.
Billy opens his mouth to say something, but the bell cuts him off.
“Looks like we need to get going. See you guys around,” Jessica says as she, Belle, and Linda all walk away from the group.
“Yeah, we need to get to class too. Nice to meet you Billy. Hopefully we’ll see you around,” Salt says.
She waves to the platypus as she and her sister leave his company. Billy stands there and looks at the floor.
She promised she wouldn’t share it or show it… why would she lie to me?
Billy snaps out of his thought and decides to walk the halls to search for his girlfriend instead of going to class. He wanders the waxed halls, dodging teachers and hall monitors as he searches for the yellow-furred fox. Another bell rings before Billy sees any sign of Sonia. He sighs and heads for the lunchroom, not being able to find her. He makes his way to the cafeteria, when he sees Sonia leave a classroom, her head down and sighing. Billy rushes up to her.
“How could you?!?!?” Billy hysterically yells at Sonia.
“What did I do? And please don’t yell at me Billy… I’m having a bad day…”
“You’re having a bad day? What about me? I was just starting to live that first tape down when you go and show that second one! You promised you wouldn’t!!!”
“I didn’t!”
“Then how’d it get out?!?” Billy continues to yell at Sonia.
“It got stolen from me. I put it in my locker at first period, when I came back at second, it was gone and my locker was wide open.”
“What was it even doing here? Why’d you even bring it?”
“I wanted to edit it. I was gonna put a fancy title screen on it and a nice label,” Sonia says before breaking down in tears.
Billy wraps his arms around her and holds her close.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t know…”
“I promised you… what would make you think I’d go back on it?”
“I’m sorry… I was angry… I wasn’t thinking…”
“Please think from now on…”
Billy brushes her hair with his paw and rubs the back of her head.
“I’m sorry… but it’s gonna be ok…”
“How? The tape’s gone… our keepsake… gone… and everybody has a copy of it, which you didn’t want…”
“Don’t worry. I can live with them having it… but I can get the tape back.”
“How?”
“I know who has it…”
“Who?”
“Rodriguez…”
*****
“You think Rodriguez is behind all this?” Sonia asks Billy.
“I know so. He was responsible for the first tape of me being sold to all the kids here, and he’s the only one we know who would break into random lockers. He stole your copy, probably spent the whole morning in the AV room making copies, and started selling them when he got a decent number.”
“He better pray he doesn’t run into me any time soon. If he does, I’m gonna castrate him! Not that he uses it anyway, but still…”
“Don’t worry honey. I’ll sort him out,” Billy informs Sonia with a grin on his face.
“Just don’t kill him,” Sonia replies with a giggle.
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
Billy then lets go of his foxy girlfriend and gives her a kiss before turning away from her and walking down the halls.
Hmm… if I were Rod… where would I be right now? Selling tapes… trying to make money… PLAYGROUND!
With his destination in mind, Billy begins to run down the halls of the school, heading for the back doors which lead out to the playground.
I just need to figure out how I’m gonna go about this…
As Billy runs down the halls, he thinks up many scenarios about how to get his tape back and deal with Rodriguez in the process. As soon as Billy finds his solution, he realizes he’s at the back doors to the school. He opens the one door and heads out into the playground, where many cubs are playing. Some are swinging on the swing set, others are climbing on the jungle-gym, and a few are throwing balls at each other, playing catch. Billy scours the playground looking for his giant scaly adversary, hoping to find him quick before he sells too many more tapes. A young black panther cub bumps into Billy as he’s standing there.
“Oh, sorry about that. Didn’t see you there,” the panther cub says to Billy.
“It’s alright. Playing catch?”
“Nah.”
“What’re you running for then?”
“Trying to get in line quickly! Rod has a new tape to sell! Last one was awesome!”
“Oh really? You’re heading there now?”
“Yeap! Follow me if you want to buy a copy!”
With that, the panther runs off away from Billy, toward a corner of the playground. Billy follows him to a line with twenty cubs standing. The panther takes his position at the back of the line as Billy walks up to the front.
“Hey! No cutsies!”
“Wait your turn like everybody else!”
“GET TO THE BACK!”
Billy ignores the random complaints from the cubs in line as he walks to the table and around it.
“What do you want, Plats?” Rodriguez asks the platypus.
“Sorry folks. This stand is closed,” Billy tells the cubs as he turns to them.
The group of furs all say “Aww” in unison before dispersing and beginning to find their own activities to do. Rodriguez growls and stands up, turning to Billy and grabbing a hold of his shirt.
“You freak! Why’d you chase away my business for? I oughta pound the money I just lost outta you!”
“You could do that, or you could let me go.”
“Why the hell would I let you go?”
“Because you’re looking at time in juvenile prison if you don’t.”
“Yeah right…” Rodriguez replies to Billy’s threat. “You’re bluffing.”
“Am I? I’ve got enough grounds to have a cop arrest you. You steal from others, you assault them for no reason, I’ve heard rumors of you raping a couple…”
“Alright alright!”
Rodriguez lets go of the platypus.
“Are those rape rumors true?” Billy asks Rodriguez.
“Yeah, but I only did it a couple of times… but if you tell anybody that…”
“Don’t worry. Friends, remember?”
“Says you…”
“You stopped doing that?”
“Kinda had to. You’re not the only one standing up to me now. You got that silver fox friend of yours standing up to me, that nerd Edward standing up to me, and a lot of guys are coming up to me and ready to attack me if a girl even says I raped her, even if I didn’t.”
“It’s your own fault,” Billy informs the alligator. “It’s your own karma coming back to haunt you. If you weren’t such a jerk…”
“Maybe you can tell that to the cubs that picked on me!”
“You know, you can keep crying about that, or you can move on. Forgive and forget.”
“It’s pretty easy for you to say. You’re not the one having to do it.”
“Oh, but I am. I’m forgiving you for the few times you senselessly beat me up. I could hold a grudge like you are, but I’m better than that. And I can tell you are too.”
“Hmph… I’m fine by myself! And stop with this preaching shit! If I were unhappy and wanted to change my life, I’d come to you!”
“But you are unhappy and want to change. You’re just too proud to admit it.”
“Whatever… so why did you come here and shut me down?” Rodriguez quickly asks, trying to change the subject.
“Sonia’s tape. I want you to return it to her, track down everybody you sold a copy to, return their money, get their tapes off them, and destroy every copy you made!”
“You expect me to do all that work?!?”
“Yes I do.”
“You’re out of your fucking mind, freak!”
“No I’m not. You know, you don’t have to do it…”
“Damn right I don’t! And I won’t!”
“Just know that if you don’t, I’ll be going to the cops about your actions here.”
“You fucking wouldn’t!!!”
“Want to try me? I’d rather you just get the tapes back, but I don’t mind having a cop put you behind bars either…” Billy threatens the alligator.
“Grr… alright! Fine! I’ll do it!”
“I want evidence you did it…”
Billy looks around the playground.
“Hey… you!” Billy calls to a cub.
The panther cub he met earlier turns to him and points to himself.
“Yeah, you! Come here!”
The cub then runs up to Billy.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, how would you like to make some money?”
“I dunno… what do I have to do?”
“Just get a video camera from the AV room and follow Rodriguez around with it. Grab a few blank tapes.”
“How much?”
“I’ll pay you fifty dollars for it.”
“Really!?!?”
“Really,” Billy tells the excited cub with a smile. He then turns to Rodriguez. “You have until the end of the day tomorrow.”
“Grr..”
“Thanks mister!”
“What’s your name, anyway?” Billy asks the panther.
“Carl Panther. You?”
“Billy Plats. Have fun earning your money,” Billy says to the panther with a smile.
“Will do! And thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Now… Rod… like I said, end of the day tomorrow. And trust me, I’ll be watching everything taped. If you touch Carl, don’t get every tape, and don’t return every cent you earned off this tape back… you know what will happen.”
“Fuck you, Plats!” Rodriguez growls at the platypus.
“No thanks. Not into guys. Now, where’s the original?”
“I destroyed it!”
“For your sake you better not have. Unless you like prison that is…”
“Alright alright… it’s in my locker.”
“Take us there.”
Rodriguez snarls at the platypus and panther before leading them into the building and to the locker area. They stop outside his locker and watch as he opens it. The inside is decorated with pictures of random cubs with bulls-eyes drawn over them, hateful words written on the metal, and very disorganized papers and books thrown about. Rodriguez digs through the assorted mess and pulls out a tape with a purple label.
“Here…”
Billy takes the tape from Rodriguez as he shuts his locker.
“Very good. Now, have fun getting all the copies back.”
“I hate you, Plats…”
“Aw… why? I thought we were friends?” Billy playfully asks with a chuckle.
“Grr…”
With that remark, Rodriguez stomps away from the platypus, with Carl chasing after him. Billy looks down at the tape and smiles.
I got it back, honey.
*****
Billy was walking through the school from the playground with a large smile on his face.
Man, this couldn’t have been any better. I got the tape back, I put Rod in his place, and I didn’t have to get violent. I just wish that dude would change his ways…
Billy continues to walk, happy about how the recent events have turned out, until he feels the tape snatched from his paw. He turns around to confront the thief, when he sees a black wolf with grey highlights in his fur.
“Hey! Give that back!”
“Oooh! What do we have here? A new tape? Don’t mind if I do.”
“I do mind! Give it back!”
“Aw, but why? I LOVED your performance in the last one. You’re such a good actor, and big to boot,” the wolf tells Billy with a grin.
“That may be, but that tape is my property! Give it back!”
“Alright, I’ll give it back… if you and I yiff,” the wolf says with his grin getting bigger.
“No, you’ll give it back regardless!”
“Hmmm… nah, I think I’ll keep it then.”
“Look, whatever your name is…”
“Xerxes. Xerxes Wolf.”
“Well, look Xerxes, that is my property. Stealing it and keeping a hold of it is not a very good thing.”
“Aw, you wouldn’t turn me in, would you cutie?”
“If it means getting my tape back.”
“Aw… can we still at least yiff?”
“I’m not gay.”
“Bummer…”
Billy holds out his paw.
“My tape please?”
Xerxes sighs and returns the tape to Billy.
“Alright…”
Billy pulls the tape back to his body and extends his other paw.
“No hard feelings?”
Xerxes looks at Billy’s paw and grins. He then wraps his arms around the platypus and pulls him in for a close and tight hug.
“None at all, cutie. I’ll see you around.”
Xerxes grins and gives Billy a kiss on his cheek before letting go and walking away from him.
“And I thought I’d seen all there is to see at this school…” Billy says to himself, bewildered and awestruck by his latest confrontation. He then looks down to the tape. “Well, at least I got the tape back. That guy was a bit… weird. Wait, who am I to talk? I’m a platypus, and I’m talking to myself now!!!”
Billy shakes his head and laughs.
Alright alright. Well, that’s that for that. Time to get the tape back to Sonia.
Billy lets out a small sigh as he continues on his way to the cafeteria, in a hurry to not only see his yellow-furred fox, but to get their precious tape back to her.
Well, that was good news at least. It shows that this tape hasn’t really sold much, so nobody really had a chance to see it yet. Things are definitely going my way for once. I wonder what’s up with that? The universe seemed so intent on making me so miserable…
Do you not listen, child? I told you the universe wants to see all her children happy.
Billy stops and shakes his head.
“William?”
Yes child. It is me. I see you’re still worried about your life.
“Of course! Jen still hates me, this tape got out, and half the school, both guys and girls, want nothing more than to get into my pants!”
Maybe you should let them have it. Why are you so intent on not adapting to this new environment?
“What? You’re actually asking me that? Look around! This isn’t right! Kids shouldn’t be doing this!”
They are just having fun and blowing off some steam. You need to do the same, young William.
“I told you, call me Billy.”
“Who are you talking to?” a voice asks as it disrupts the conversation.
You have company. I shall talk to you later.
Billy turns to see the voice, and sees the black wolf with the grey highlights again.
“I told you, Xerxes…”
“Xerxes? I’m not Xerxes.”
“Oh, you’re not?” Billy questions the wolf skeptically as he raises his left eyebrow curiously.
“No, I’m not. Name’s Ethan.”
“Ethan, huh?”
“Yup. Ethan Lupis.”
“Ethan Lupis, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm… alright, I believe you. You aren’t acting like that Xerxes dude.”
“Oh, so you ran into him huh?”
“You know him?” Billy asks Ethan.
“Yeah. It’s not easy having a gay doppelganger.”
“I can imagine. My god, you two look IDENTICAL!”
“That’s what a doppelganger is.”
“I never used to believe that it happened.”
“Well, it does happen, although the odds of it happening are very slim.”
“Boy, you sure lucked out on your doppelganger then…” Billy tells Ethan sarcastically and begins to laugh.
“That’s not funny!” Ethan replies, starting to laugh as well.
“Sorry, I know it’s not. It just was for a brief second.”
“Yeah, it was. So, what’s your name?”
“Plats, Billy Plats. I’m a secret agent with the codename of double oh eleventy,” Billy answers Ethan sternly before laughing again.
“Double oh eleventy, huh?” Ethan questions the platypus before laughing again.
“Yuppers!”
“Alright. So, who were you talking to earlier?”
“Oh, that… I was having a one-on-one with myself…”
“That’s cool.”
“You don’t find it weird that I was talking to myself?” Billy asks the wolf skeptically.
“Not at all. I do it all the time. Hell, I even fight with myself sometimes.”
“You don’t lose those fights, do you?” Billy playfully asks with a chuckle.
“Nope, never. My opponent isn’t ever smart enough to win,” Ethan informs Billy with a chuckle of his own.
I heard that Puddles!
“That’s good,” Billy replies with a smile.
“Well, I got to take off. You take care, ok?” Ethan asks as he extends his paw.
“Sure thing, friend.”
Billy smiles and takes the wolf’s paw in his own and shakes it.
Hey! I want to meet Billy!
Maybe next time. We gotta get to class!
Damn it. Alright, next time.
Billy and Ethan let go of each others’ paws and smile at each other before walking away from each other, Ethan heading toward the locker area and Billy toward the cafeteria.
I really do feel sorry for him. Having a gay wolf that looks like him running around this school CAN’T be easy. But I have a feeling he and I will be good friends.
Billy lets out a happy sigh as he finishes his journey, seeing the cafeteria and all the hungry cubs eating their nutrition inside. He looks around for Sonia, walking from table to table and looking over the many furs sitting around each one. He nearly gives up hope when he finds Sonia sitting at a table in the far back corner, furthest away from the entrance. The happy platypus then walks to the table, placing the tape in front of the eating fox, giving her a kiss as he sits down.
“I got it back honey!”
Sonia swallows the food she had in her mouth and then smiles.
“I knew you would. I’m sorry it got out…”
“Don’t worry about it. You had no intention of it.”
“So how hurt is Rod? I heard every time you and he fight, you two get badly hurt.”
“No fighting,” Billy informs his foxy girlfriend. “I just took a page out of his book. Blackmail. It didn’t feel too good, but at least it beats having to fight him. Plus maybe he’ll see the error of his ways.”
“Doubtful. That guy’s got a thicker skull than the Great Wall of China,” Sonia replies with a giggle.
“Well, one can dream, can’t he?” Billy playfully asks with a chuckle of his own.
“Yeah, doesn’t hurt to have dreams.”
“Nope. So what ya eating?”
“Spaghetti.”
“Mmm. Sounds good. Too bad it’s too late for lunch.”
“Don’t worry. You can have lots to eat after school today,” Sonia tells Billy with a wink, a grin, and a giggle.
*****
My god, this wolf needs to leave me alone, seriously…
Billy and his new wolf “friend” head for Billy’s third afternoon class.
This guy has been following me most of the afternoon. It’s starting to creep me out.
Billy sighs and turns around to confront his stalker.
“Ok, seriously… what’s up with you? Why are you following me?”
“Sorry, can’t help it. I can’t easily let go of things I want,” Xerxes replies with a giggle.
“Well, please… stop stalking me. I told you we’d be friends, but I don’t know if I can with somebody who follows me like a lost puppy.”
“Sorry. Alright, I guess I’ll see you later…”
With that said, Xerxes slumps away.
I know he meant well, but enough is enough. Billy then spies Rodriguez and Carl heading his way. Speaking of enough…
Rodriguez walks up to the platypus and drops a box of tapes at his feet, growling at his smaller adversary.
“There you go, every tape. Can I go?”
“That was fast,” Billy says to the croc skeptically.
“I didn’t have much time to sell them.”
“And how can I trust that that is every last one?”
“Let’s see, you’re threatening me with cops. I don’t think I’m gonna chance that just to screw you over, freak.”
“Alright.” Billy then looks to the panther holding the school camera and taping the conversation. “Hey Carl, thanks for doing this for me. Why don’t you swing by my place later and we’ll edit those tapes? That way I can also pay you.”
Carl nods his head.
“Where do you live?” the panther asks the platypus.
“I’ll find you after-school and lead you there, ok? Until then, keep the camera and tape or tapes with you, ok?”
“Alright. See you after school.”
The black panther then takes his leave of his two acquaintances, taking the school equipment with him. Billy looks down at the tapes and smiles.
“Alright Rod. Help me destroy these.”
“Grr… how?”
“You’re strong. Smash them.”
“Grr…”
Rodriguez opens the box and picks up a tape, bending it in half. The tape snaps once Rod bends it hard enough, pieces of plastic and tape falling to the ground.
“Not right now, Rod!” Billy exclaims.
“But…”
“After school, when we have time.”
“Grr… let me guess, you’ll call the cops if I don’t show?”
“Nope. Want to know a secret?”
“What?” Rodriguez asks with a growl.
“That was just a bluff. I was never gonna do that, but it was the only way I could get you to get these back.”
Rodriguez’s eyes widen as he looks at the platypus. He then begins to laugh.
“Oh wow…”
“What?” Billy questions the laughing croc.
“You know, I think you were right. I think you and I can be great friends. It looks like I’m starting to rub off on you.”
“No you’re not…”
“You just blackmailed me to get what you wanted,” the giant reptile informs Billy.
“One time only.”
“Whatever, I think I’m turning you into me,” Rodriguez says with a chuckle.
“I’m not turning into you…”
“We shall see, but I know this… I’m gonna try to hang around you more often to try and complete the transformation,” the croc tells the platypus with a grin.
Is this his way of saying “let’s be friends”? It really sucks…
“So, after school, right Plats?”
“Plats?”
“Yeah, Plats. I need to call you something other than freak.”
“Uh… ok…”
“So, like I asked, after school, right?”
“Uh… sure.”
“Alright. Later Plats.”
Rodriguez waves quickly to the platypus before walking away, leaving him to think about what just happened with a box full of tapes of him and his girlfriend yiffing at his feet. The distraught platypus looks down at the tapes.
I’m not becoming him, am I?
Billy shrugs this thought off and picks up the box, heading for his locker.
I hope I’m not becoming him… I DID blackmail him, but that was to keep things from turning violent…
Billy shakes his head when his locker catches his eye. He walks to it, turns the knob, and lifts the handle, opening the door. He sets the box inside and closes the door, sighing as the mechanism locks the door up. The platypus then walks away and heads for his last class of the day. The class flies by fast for him and the bell rings to release the cubs from their “prison” to head home to have fun and do homework. Billy walks back to his locker and grabs the box of “adult” videos and waits for his panther and crocodile acquaintances. A silver-furred fox walks up to Billy first however.
“Hey Billy. Stopping by today?”
“Nah Alex, not today. I got a few things to do today after school.”
“Like destroy them tapes?”
“You knew?”
“Yeah, the school was buzzing about it for a few periods until Rodriguez took back all the tapes and gave all the money back.”
“Then it looks like he did get them all.”
Just then, a lion walks past, overhearing the conversation.
“You guys talking about them tapes? Was a shame. My cousin bought a copy for me. Was looking forward to seeing it.”
“Yeah, it sucks…” Billy says to the lion, playing along with the idea of the tapes not being available to the public being a bad thing.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’ve met,” the lion says happily to Alex and Billy. “I’m Cid Leon.”
“Billy. Billy Plats.”
“Alex Sosserone.”
“Awesome, nice to meet you guys. Hopefully we can hang out some day?”
“Sounds like a plan, Cid,” Billy tells the lion. “But not today. I got some stuff to do.”
“Alright. Well, I’m staying not far from my cousin’s place. I’ll give you both directions one day.”
“Sounds great,” Billy says with a smile. He then sees Rodriguez and Carl coming in the distance. “Well, Cid, I’ll see you around.”
Billy then walks away from the lion and fox and heads for the croc and panther.
“Hey Rod, hey Carl.”
“Hey Plats. Hey, do me a favor… tell this punk that I’m not his friend.”
“Come on, we got along while you were collecting those tapes…”
“No we didn’t you freak. I was being tortured, and you were watching it!”
“Aw, you know you had fun.”
“Um… can we just go? I don’t feel too secure standing here with a box full of yiff tapes in my paws that everybody wants,” Billy interjects.
“Wait, we’re both coming?” Carl questions the nervous platypus.
“Yeah. You’re gonna help me edit and collect your payment, and Rod’s gonna help me destroy these tapes.”
“Sounds like a plan, Stan. Or, in this case, Billy,” Carl says with a chuckle.
Rodriguez rolls his eyes and sighs.
This kid’s gonna get on my nerves.
“Well, let’s go guys,” Billy summons them as he walks away.
Rodriguez and Carl walk and catch up to Billy as they head for the buses. The sight of Rodriguez walking with two “friends” causes the cubs they pass to start whispering to one another. The gossiping causes Billy to wonder and worry about what is being said between one fur to another.
I hope they’re thinking Rod’s turning over a new leaf and not Carl and I. Last thing I need is for cubs to start fearing me again. I’m actually comfortable with the way things are now. Sure, I could deal without girls wanting to yiff me because of the tapes, but I like fitting in. I don’t want to go back to “the poisonous alien freak”. I guess only time will tell…
Yes, my child. Time will tell, and I will too.
Billy stops in his tracks.
“William?” Billy asks aloud.
“You talking to yourself, Plats?”
Billy looks to Carl and Rodriguez and shakes his head.
“Nah, sorry, thought I saw somebody I recognized, so I called out his name. Wasn’t him though.”
“Whatever man.”
The trio of cubs begin to walk along again.
Sorry to startle you, young William. But I figured your heart would be at ease if I told you I am going to help you solve your dilemma with Miss Tigre.
You are? Awesome!
In due time. As for now, I just have one piece of advice for you. Worry not about what other cubs think of you. Worry only about what your friends think, including the two at your sides.
Yeah… but…
Trust me.
Alright. I will.
Very well. I shall speak to you at a later time. For now, enjoy the rest of the week.
The internal conversation ends as William’s last words echo through Billy’s mind.
Enjoy the rest of the week, huh? I’ll try. You know, yeah… that works. I WILL enjoy the rest of the week.
“I hope that’s ‘all you can eat’ you’re talking about,” Billy says as he winks back with a chuckle.
“Yup. All you can eat.”
“Looking forward to that buffet then.”
Suddenly, a bell rings and interrupts the conversation.
“Well, looks like we gotta get to class.”
“Yeah, you better go. I need to finish my lunch. I’ll get a pass from the lunch ladies.”
“Alright. I’ll see you later, love.”
Billy leans over and gives Sonia a gentle kiss before standing up and leaving the cafeteria, headed for his next class.
*****
The trio of cubs make their way out of the building, onto the awaiting bus, and to the back. The bus then pulls away from the school, picking up speed and make its way down the road, making turns to drop cubs wanting to get home off at their stops.
“Why are we sitting all the way back here?” Carl asks the other two.
“Ask Billy, he lead. I’m guessing it’s cause he doesn’t want to be seen with me.”
“I figured YOU, Rod, didn’t want to be seen with US,” Billy responds.
“Maybe not the pussy cat.”
“What’s that mean?” Carl questions the croc, slightly upset at Rodriguez’s wording.
“Kittens belong in strollers, not hanging around furs like me.”
“Hey, I’m 11, thank you very much!” Carl replies proudly.
“Your point is?” Rodriguez bluntly asks the proud panther.
“I’m not a kitten anymore!”
“Yeah you are. So you’re in the double digits in age, big deal. Age doesn’t mean anything if you’re soft. I can tell just by being around you this one day that you’re too nice,” the crocodile informs Carl.
“What’s wrong with being nice? Huh?”
“Well, for starters, furs will walk all over you. To get ahead, you have to look out for number one and take a big number two on everybody else!”
“No wonder everybody hates you…” Carl mumbles to himself as he looks out the window, watching the pavement roll under the bus. “You know,” the panther says louder to Rodriguez. “I may be too nice, but at least furs will do things for me if I ever ask. Being mean is a good way to alienate yourself from society.”
“Like I need anybody in this world…”
“I’m sorry to interrupt this conversation, but we’re almost there,” Billy interjects.
The two cubs look at each other, Rodriguez frowning and Carl indifferent. The panther then shrugs off the crocodile’s words and smiles, looking back out the window again. He watches as the rolling pavement begins to slow, and then eventually stop. The three get up out of their seats and quickly climb off the bus. Once off, Billy turns and leads the other two down the sidewalk, guiding them to his home. Rodriguez just follows Billy while Carl takes in the sights as he follows the leading platypus. Billy guides his acquaintances down the sidewalk a very short while before stopping in front of a one-story house. Billy turns to look at it and smiles. Rodriguez and Carl turn to look as well.
“Kinda small…” Rodriguez mumbles.
“Hey, it may be small, but it’s cozy. I got a couple of pools, and my own room. Even got a guest room. We don’t need a big house.”
Billy shakes off the crocodile’s words and leads them to the front door, walking down the sidewalk, guiding the way to the entry. Once he gets there with his two guests, Billy opens the door and allows the two to enter first. Billy follows them inside, closing the door behind him and taking off his shoes and backpack, leaving them by the door. Afterwards he walks into the kitchen, where his mother is washing dishes. The young platypus walks up to her and gives her a hug.
“Hi mom. I’m home.”
“Hi honey, how was school?” Mary asks her son.
“Not bad. Eventful. Hey, do you mind if I have a few friends over?”
“Not at all, dear. Are they staying for dinner?”
“Um… maybe. I don’t know.”
“Alright, I’ll make extra just in case. If it doesn’t get eaten, we’ll have leftovers for you to take for lunch to school tomorrow.”
“What’s for dinner tonight anyway?”
“You’ll see,” Mary tells the young platypus with a wink. “Now why don’t you run along and play with your friends?”
“Alright.”
Billy gives his mother a kiss before leaving her company and heading into the living room with Rodriguez and Carl. Rodriguez, upon entering the room, immediately sits down in one of two reclining chairs in the living room. Carl takes a seat on a three seat couch, less than a yard away from Rodriguez.
“Hey, I’ll be right back,” Billy tells his company before leaving the room.
The panther and crocodile sit there in silence, the panther looking around taking the sights in and the crocodile just sitting there with his eyes closed. A few moments pass before Rodriguez’s tension rises high, being bothered by both being left alone with Carl and the dead silence.
“What’s taking him so long?”
“Nothing, I’m back…” Billy tells the crocodile as he enters the room with a check-book in his paw.
He then takes a seat on the couch between Carl and Rodriguez.
“Oh yeah… you’re gonna pay the kitten, that’s right.”
“I’m not a kitten!” Carl quickly blurts out in self-defense.
“Whatever.”
Billy grabs the pen he rests inside the book, flips open the book, and begins to write.
“I said $50, right?” Billy asks Carl rhetorically.
“Yeah.”
Billy nods his head and continues to write, quickly making the check out and tearing it off. He then hands it to the panther.
“Alright, here you go. But I need the tape.”
“There’s no way that check is real,” Rodriguez says to the two.
“It is,” Billy tells the skeptical crocodile.
“Bullshit, there’s no way you have that kind of money to just give away $50 as you wish.”
“But I do. I have over $2400 in the bank. $2461.68 to be exact. Well, now $2411.68.”
“Bullshit!” Rodriguez blurts. “There’s no way you have that kind of money. Not unless you’re rich!”
“Well, my dad, being an accountant, does make a nice salary, but that money I have is my allowance. I’ve been saving for three years now. $25 a week. But when I moved here, I had to have it all converted, and now my dad gives me the same amount, but converted into US dollars, which is a little over $15 a week. Man, those conversion rates can suck sometimes…”
“You seriously have that kind of money?!? Who in their right mind would save their money for that long!?!?” Rodriguez asks hysterically.
“Hey, the way I see it is this… Sure, I can enjoy a comic book or something with $15 a week, but by saving, I can buy myself a TV or a computer or something.”
“I guess that’s true…”
“Anyway,” Billy says before turning his attention to Carl. “Remember, I need the tape.”
“Oh, right!”
Carl then pulls his backpack off his back, unzips the top zipper, reaches his paw inside, and quickly pulls out the tape. He then hands the tape to Billy.
“Thanks Carl,” Billy says with a smile.
“No problem. So when do we edit this thing?”
“Never. I don’t have any editing equipment, and I really never planned on editing it. I just said we would so that you could come to my place and get your payment. I don’t ever carry more than $10 with me at a time. Never know when you could get robbed.”
“Good idea. So no editing then, huh? Gotcha.”
“But you can still stay to hang out and eat dinner and stuff if you want,” Billy says invitingly.
“Nah, I’ll pass. I got a new video game yesterday, and I been aching to play it. Thanks for the invite though.”
“That’s understandable.”
Carl quickly zips his book-bag up and stands up.
“Really though, thanks. I’ll accept next time. I’ll see you around,” Carl says with a smile before leaving the living room and, a quick moment later, the house.
Rodriguez watches the panther leave and lets out a sigh of relief.
“Man, that guy really gets on my nerves.”
“What’s so bad about him?”
“He’s just too nice. Creeps me out!”
“I’m nice too, but I don’t creep you out,” Billy tells Rodriguez.
“You’re nice, but you don’t let others walk over you. He’ll let others walk over him just so they’ll like him. It’s that kind of attitude that creeps me out.”
“I guess,” Billy mumbles.
The platypus then looks to the tape in his paw, then to Rodriguez, and then back to the tape. He smiles as he passes the tape to Rodriguez. Rodriguez looks to the tape and then back to Billy.
“Alright Plats, what’s the catch?”
“None. Just consider this a sign of friendship, ok?”
Rodriguez looks back down to the tape and smiles. “Wow, thanks. You know, you really are alright.”
“Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself. Takes a while to penetrate that thick skin, but it’s worth it.”
“Thanks, but this doesn’t mean I’m going easy on you in school or anything. I have a reputation to uphold. I don’t need everybody thinking I’m going soft if I start to relax with ANYBODY.”
“Why don’t you just get rid of that reputation then?”
“I told you, it’s easier for me this way. I don’t get hurt by anybody. Like I said, I look out for number one and take a big number two on everybody else.”
“That’s no way to look at life, especially with good furs around you.”
“If you say so…”
“I do. But I won’t try to make you change. You are who you are. Just like I am who I am.”
“Whatever.”
Billy chuckles at Rodriguez’s reply. “Alright. Well, you gonna stay or go home too?”
“I’ll stay, but you have to let me at your video game collection.”
“I don’t have any video games.”
“What?!? You HAVE to have video games!!!”
“Nope,” Billy tells the crocodile.
“Jeez, you really ARE a freak. Got movies at least?”
“Of course!”
“Alright, you gotta let me at your movie collection then!”
“Alright. Hmm… how about Popeye?”
“Um… pass. How about something with more action?”
“Crank?”
“That works!”
Billy nods as he rises from the couch. He walks over to his movie collection, resting next to the family television. He looks through the DVDs until he pulls the movie he’s looking for. He walks to the TV with the case in paw, turning on the TV and DVD player once getting there. He opens the case, pops the disc out, opens the DVD tray, sets the disc in, closes the tray and case, and returns to his seat. Billy grabs the DVD remote and pushes play, allowing the movie to start. Two hours later, the movie comes to an end and Billy turns off the DVD player and the TV.
“Now THAT’S a movie,” Rodriguez says aloud.
“Yeah. Plus it killed enough time. My dad should be home any minute now and dinner ready shortly after.”
“Hey, is your family the talking type during dinner?”
“Sometimes. Depends on the night.”
“I’m probably gonna eat quick and then bail if that’s alright with you.”
“Um… sure… but why do you have to…” Billy begins before cutting himself off. “Oh, my dad’s home!”
“Huh? He didn’t come in…”
“He’s pulling into the driveway,” Billy informs the curious croc.
“If you say so.”
A few moments later, the two hear a car door open and slam shut before the front door opens.
“I’m home!” Stephen calls throughout the house. He closes the door behind him and walks into the living room, noticing Billy’s company. “Hi son. How was your day?”
“Not bad. Yours?”
“Not bad. I see you have company. I won’t disturb you. Dinner should be done very shortly, so go wash up and join us at the table.”
“Alright dad. Come on Rod.”
Billy gets up off the couch with a smile, with Rodriguez sighing to himself as he gets up and follows Billy. He leads his guest to the bathroom, showing him inside as the two of them begin to wash their paws.
“Yeah, they definitely seem like bonders,” Rodriguez mentions to the platypus.
“Huh?”
“The kind that will talk during dinner to get to know their son’s friends.”
“Oh. I told you that.”
“Well, that’s why I’m gonna rush.”
“I understand. You got your reputation,” Billy chuckles.
“That, and bonding moments make me sick to my stomach. You should spend a day in my house. It’s every croc for his or her self. If you want to do something, be the first to do it. If you want to eat, be the first at the table. No bonding, no family unity, just the way I like it.”
“Jeez…”
“Alright. I’m clean enough. Now, time to get this over with and dash,” Rodriguez says to himself as he leaves the bathroom.
Jeez, meant to be alone straight from the day he was born.
Billy shakes the thoughts from his head as he finishes washing up and joins the other three at the dinner table in the kitchen. He sits down in his chair, noticing a plate of food has been prepared for him. A slice of meatloaf, a scoop of mashed potatoes, a scoop of corn and green beans, a roll, and in the center of the table rests a boat full with brown gravy. Every plate at the table is set up the same, except for Rodriguez’s plate, which has twice as much food. Billy grabs the gravy and pours it on his food as he notices Rodriguez shoveling the food into his mouth as if he had never eaten before. The adult platypi watch as the crocodile eats, amazed at how fast he is eating.
“So… hungry?” Stephen asks with Rodriguez ignoring the question.
“Do you want seconds?” Mary asks the eating croc.
“No, I’m good.”
Within mere moments of sitting down at the table, Rodriguez has polished his plate clean. He sits back for a second, lets out a loud belch, stands up from the table.
“Alright. Later Platses.”
He then leaves the kitchen. He grabs his belongings from the living room, tape of him returning the tapes and getting the money back included, and he dashes out the front door. The family of platypi all look at one another in disbelief of what they just witnessed.
“My… what an… interesting… young man…” Mary stammers out.
“Needs to learn some manners or something…” Stephen adds.
“That’s Rod for ya…” Billy says as he finishes the conversation about the crocodile.
The three then turn their attention to their own plates, sitting and eating, talking and enjoying each others’ company. Billy finishes his supper first, with his father finishing second and mother third. Mary collects the dirty dishes and places them in the kitchen sink.
“I’ll clean these up,” Mary happily offers.
“Thank you,” the two male platypi say in return.
They then stand up and leave the kitchen, walking into the living room. Stephen turns and looks at Billy.
“Aright, son. You should go do your homework now. Then, depending on what time it is, you can play for a little bit before taking a shower and finally going to bed.”
“Yes dad.”
“Alright. If I don’t see you before the end of the night, I love you and good night,” Stephen tells his son with a smile.
“I love you too dad.”
Billy leaves his father’s company and heads for the front door to collect his book-bag. Once collected, he takes his nap-sack and takes it to his room, plopping it on the floor in front of his door. He walks to his bed and collapses on it, resting his head on the pillow and allowing his body to relax.
Thank goodness I did all my homework in school. I can take some time to relax and catch up on some sleep. Haven’t slept well the past few days.
Billy closes his eyes and lets his mind wander, his entire body being engulfed in relaxation. It doesn’t take long for the young platypus to find sanctuary from the real world inside his dream world. He finds himself in a familiar scene, space and invisible platforms.
Alright William. I know you’re here.
William appears in front of Billy, coming to existence out of non-existence.
“Yes I am. I made a promise and I shall keep it.”
Yeah, help with Jen. But first, I gotta ask… what’s up with the space theme?
“I shall answer your question with one of my own. Do you know where we are?”
Yeah, space.
“No. We are in your mind, or the visual representation of it.”
Really… wow… Hey! Wait! Are you saying I’m empty minded or something?!?
“Not at all. While most furs only use 10% of their brain ever, that is not the reason your mind looks like this.”
Alright, explain.
“Alright. The reason your mind’s representation looks like this is because you are a dreamer, and dreamers are often influenced by the universe. Many seek the stars, but some dreamers look for planets or other lifeforms. You are one of the dreamers influenced by the stars.”
Dreamer?
“Yes. Dreamer. A dreamer often dreams of goals that most furs would declare impossible. Like your quest to become normal when every part of you is unique, or your quest to make a friend out of someone who can be arguably called the biggest menace to society ever. You dream to touch the stars, to fix what cannot be repaired, and to walk on the clouds. Fortunately for you, you have the skills to make any and all of your dreams come true with a little work. That is why you try so hard to fix your broken relationship with Jen.”
Alright, fortune cookie. Just tell me how to settle things with Jen!
“I shall, but I shall not do it in the way you think I shall. I shall not give you the answer, nor shall I give you a hint to the answer. Your life’s biggest problems must be faced alone. I shall, however, give you peace of mind to think clearly.”
Oh yeah, how?
“By telling you your future. You see, all along you have been so obsessed with the idea that the universe does not want to see you happy that you have not seen that happiness has been around all along. You have friends that care for you, a new girlfriend who loves you, a family to take care of you, and the adoration of most of the cubs in your school. You focus too much on the negatives, young William.”
For the last time, call me Billy. And if my happiness is here, how come I feel so miserable?
“Because you focus too much on the negatives. However trust in yourself and trust in me, for your life will have no more negatives for a while after you attempt to remain friends with Miss Tigre.”
Really, that sounds great!
“It is. However, do not worry.”
Worry? Why would I worry?
“After tonight, you shall hear from me and see of me no more.”
What!?!? Why?!?
“Do you know who I am?”
Yeah. Me!
“Yes, to an extent. I am your subconscious, the part of you that sees the truth when you are too emotional or unwilling to see it yourself. The part of you that you can only see in a dream world like this to learn the truth. After tonight, you will no longer have a need to look for me. Your answer will be clear, and you will have your friends and your girlfriend to support you when your next negative comes.”
Wait, next negative?
“Yes, next negative. Your life, much like every life, will always be full of positives and negatives, full of peace and controversy. It is how the individual handles them that determines what kind of fur he or she will become. You will become great, William. Have no worries.”
But what will I do without you? I don’t think any of this would’ve been possible without you…
“Fear not. You are young, and you shall be able to find your own answers alone in due time. However my time’s end is nigh. Just remember, you will be great. You just have to be sure of it.”
William smiles at Billy for one final time before his being dissolves into nothingness, leaving Billy alone. Billy looks around and sighs.
Great, now what?
Suddenly, the emptiness of space melts away as a new scene develops. Billy finds himself in school, with all of his classmates walking around him, talking to one another, smiling and laughing. Billy takes a look around and smiles, William’s words still ringing in his head.
“You are young”, huh? I think I know how to solve this now. Thank you William. And good-bye.
CHAPTER 24
As a new day dawns in Pouncefield, Billy lays awake, watching as the night’s raven sky slowly turns crimson with the rising sun. He stares at the brightly lit pale moon, basking in the fading moonlight, and can’t help but think that his life is finally returning to normal, to the way it was before he moved to Pouncefield over a month ago. All the friends he has made, the challenges he has had, and his troubles with the opposite sex in this particular school. And now with the disappearance of William, his inner guide, Billy is more certain than ever that his life is finally calming down and all the pieces are finally in place to his jig-saw puzzle called life.
Well, all but one piece. And it’s the biggest piece in the puzzle. Jen. I think I know how to get her to calm down and us to be friends, but it’s gonna take some work to get that giant shield of hers lowered. I know Jerry and Amber will help me with that, but I don’t think that’s gonna be enough. I’m gonna have to go to Geoff.
The young platypus finishes his thoughts just in time as the buzzer to his alarm clock starts to sound. Billy looks at it and turns it off, letting out a sigh.
Time for school already, huh? Gonna be weird going and not having to worry about anything aside from talking to Geoff. No tapes, no bullies, no yiff-crazed cubs chasing me… Man, this is going to be a boring day. I can tell. Wait, on second thought, it won’t be. The talk with Geoff will be more than enough excitement for the day. The guy does hate me with a passion ever since I showed him up in the pool a few weeks ago, and now that I gave him a concussion, he’s not going to be eager to sit down to TALK to me. Better prepare for a shouting match…
Billy sighs once more as he climbs out of his bed and walks over to his dresser. He pulls out a drawer and digs around inside, grabbing a shirt, pair of pants, and a tie. Billy looks at the uniform and sighs for a third time in a few brief moments.
You know, I don’t think I’ll EVER get used to wearing the tie. I’m surprised I’ve done a good job of it so far though. Dressing up makes me itchy.
Billy sighs one last time before taking of his nightwear and putting on the uniform. The young platypus closes the drawer and tosses his nightwear on his bed before leaving his room, heading for the kitchen. He enters when he arrives, only to find that it’s empty. Billy shrugs it off, wondering for only a moment why his mother and father weren’t up. The platypus grabs a piece of fruit from the fridge and heads for the front door where his shoes lay waiting for him, socks included inside. He grabs the socks from inside the shoes and puts them on before putting his school shoes on last. Billy takes one last look into his house before exiting out the front door and walking to the bus stop, where he’s sure Edward and Edna will already be waiting for him. His mind falls asleep as his body walks toward his destination. He only stops walking when two familiar voices wake his mind awake again.
“Hellllloooooo??? Anybody home?”
“Hey! You’re about to walk past the bus stop!”
Billy shakes his head and looks to his two fox friends with a smile.
“Sorry about that. Guess I kinda fell asleep without realising it. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Why are you apologizing to us for?” Edward asks his friend.
“Um… you know… I really have no idea…”
With that, all three cubs started laughing. The laughter is cut short and taken over by a couple of groans as Carlos pulls up with the bus. The fox siblings and platypus all climb on board and head for their seats. Billy finds something amiss when a certain young fox doesn’t pounce on him and tackle him to the floor like she always does.
Sonia’s not here? Hm… I hope she’s not sick. I’ll have to swing by and see her.
Billy takes his usual seat, leans his head against the window, and decides to close his eyes for a quick nap. It feels like only a second or two passes before Jenny is shaking him awake from the seat in front of him.
“Hey, we’re at school.”
Billy lets out a big yawn and blinks his eyes a few times.
“Oh really? Thanks for the wake up call.”
“Not a problem,” Jenny says with a smile.
Billy smiles back and watches as the shy feline leaves her seat and gets off the bus. The young platypus then stands up, stretches for a moment, before doing like-wise, heading into the building once finally off the bus. The morning classes there-after don’t go so well for Billy as he garners a couple of detentions for falling asleep too many times. And in gym he even winds up on the bad side of Lucy and Mrs. Trousers as he falls asleep mid-jog, falling down and tripping up a few cubs as he goes down. As Billy leaves the gym, he lets out a sigh of despair.
Man, maybe I shouldn’t have stayed up all night thinking. Now I’ve gotta serve detention today and tomorrow, and on top of that Trousers has already said she’s gonna work me twice as hard tomorrow to make up for today. Oh well, it’s lunch time. If I’m gonna talk to Geoff alone, this is gonna be the perfect time.
Billy rushes toward the cafeteria, hopeful to catch Geoff alone. He makes good time, arriving very quickly, and skips the line to grab lunch. The young platypus looks around the filling cafeteria, trying to catch a glimpse of his beaver rival. He starts to lose hope when he notices a table with only one fur in the furthest corner of the room.
Bingo.
Billy walks toward the lonely fur and sits down at his table.
“What the hell do you want?” the fur asks angrily.
“To talk.”
“To talk? Or to give me another concussion?”
“To talk.”
“Well?”
“Alright,” Billy says with a happy sigh. “Listen, first off, I’m sorry for what happened. I lost my cool when you insulted Sonia.”
“Oh, so that excuses what you did?” Geoff quickly retorts with a dead-on glare at Billy.
“No, I’m not saying it does. But I do need to know why you insulted an innocent girl you don’t know.”
“What’s it matter to you? You know, I actually thought you were different than the other guys around here, but you’re not.”
“Ok, explain that one please.”
“I actually used to think you were a good guy, actually cared about others, especially the girl you were with. But I was wrong. You’re just like all the other guys around here, only caring about your dick. I was right to not like you from the start. I don’t know why I started to at all.”
“Hey, I’m not like that. And you know as well as I do that Jen broke up with me.”
“A TRIAL separation, you dumbass!” Geoff nearly shouts.
“She should’ve said that then,” Billy calmly replies to the temperamental beaver.
“She did! At least she told me she did.”
“You and her are speaking again, huh?”
“Of course. You know, I may not get along with everybody, but I do make sure to be nice to the ones I feel worthy of my friendship. That would be Jen, Jerry, and Amber. It ALMOST was you at one point, until you showed your true colors.”
“Come on… you’re still not mad about that race we had weeks ago too, are you?”
“Of course! You made me look like a damn fool in front of Jen!”
“Hey, you’re the one who had the big mouth that day.”
“I was just trying to impress Jen and Jerry. I figured they’d give me more respect as a swimmer if I could beat the new guy. But no, you had to come in with your cocky attitude, toy with me during our race, and then sweep Jen off her feet! And what happened a couple of weeks later? You dropped her to the ground and ran after the next girl you wanted to get some off of.”
“I told you, it she broke up with me. And why are you so upset that she went out with me anyway? As her friend, you should’ve been happy.”
Geoff, starting to feel the sting in his heart from the conversation, stays silent to Billy’s question. He stands up and tries to walk away, but his platypus nemesis grabs him and holds him.
“Hey, let go!!!”
“Not until you answer me.”
“You don’t deserve the answer. Now let go!!!”
“Tell me.”
“It’s because I love her, alright!?!?!?” Geoff yells at the top of his lungs, drawing the attention of every fur in the cafeteria. Geoff looks around, noticing all the attention is on him. He blushes and sits back down. “Sorry guys!”
“So that’s the meat of it, huh? You never liked me because I got to Jen first, huh? And that’s why you attacked Sonia when Jen got upset about me finding her when she broke up with me?”
“Trial separation, and yes, if you MUST know…”
“Why didn’t you ever act on that?”
“You see how slow I am in the pool. It’s embarrassing. I’m a beaver, a natural born swimmer, and a cat and a squirrel both swim faster than me…” Geoff shamefully admits.
“What about Amber?”
“I’m talking the original members. But yeah, I thought she wouldn’t even give me a chance if I couldn’t garner some sort of respect from her as a swimmer.”
“You know, relationships aren’t based on who’s the fastest, strongest, biggest, or richest. It’s all about personality and if sparks fly between the two in the relationship.”
“Well, I think I killed any of those when I made that tape…”
“I can tell you she’s definitely forgiven you for that. She was really upset with me and happy with you when you fought for her honor and I beat you up. Sorry.”
“She did? Well, at least we’re friends again. Say, how DO you move so fast in the water?”
“Natural talent,” Billy tells his beaver companion.
“Bullshit. I got ‘natural talent’ too, and I’m slow as hell in the water.”
“I tell you what, you help me get Jen to listen to me, and I’ll help you get faster, deal?”
“Jen listen to you? For what?”
“You think I wanted to hurt Jen? Even though it was an accident, I still feel very bad about hurting her. I just want to make amends. I don’t want to lose her as a friend.”
“Hmm… looks like I WAS wrong about you…”
“Geoff…” Billy says with a disgusted sigh, rolling his eyes.
“No, I WAS wrong. You ARE a nice guy. Alright, you got a deal. I’ll help you win Jen’s friendship back, but only if you help me get faster in the pool. Give me a lesson before the barbecue that Jerry is having and you’ve got your help. Ok?”
“You got a deal.”
“Good. Now, would you kindly leave me to my lunch please? I like having my privacy when I eat…”
“Alright.”
Billy stands up and starts to walk away, but turns when he hears Geoff’s voice one last time.
“Oh, and Billy… this doesn’t mean I’m done trying to beat you. I won’t rest until I get faster than you and can beat you in a race.”
“Whatever floats your boat, Geoff,” Billy says with a chuckle.
The young platypus then leaves the cafeteria with a big smile stretched across his face.
That went better than expected. I think Geoff and I may finally be friends, and he’ll help me with Jen. I just hope he’s ready for non-stop swimming. Now, it’s time to get that last piece to fit. Jen. I can’t wait for Saturday!
*****
As Billy walks away from the cafeteria, feeling nigh indestructible, as a small rumbling noise quickly shoots through the nearby area. Billy looks down at his body and chuckles quietly to himself.
I was in such a hurry to talk to Geoff that I forgot to get lunch. I don’t think it’s too late to go back and grab a sandwich.
However, as soon as Billy thinks those words to himself, the overhead bell rings, signaling the end of the period.
Oh, that’s just great. I guess it IS too late to get a sandwich now. And I even have to serve detention today… note to self, never stay up all night thinking again. Either that, or start investing in energy drinks.
Billy defeatedly sighs as he stumbles along the halls, walking toward the playground where happy cubs are at play, running, tossing balls to each other, and just enjoying what little free time they have during the school day to be kids again. Billy, when he finally reaches the doors letting out to the playground, exits the prison he calls school and enters onto the green grass of the playground, where he immediately walks over to a bench and lays down, stretching out completely. He closes his heavy eyelids and decides to try and get a quick nap to try and keep him awake through the afternoon classes. However, the forces of fate seem intent on keeping Billy from getting his much needed rest, because Pokeinfo quickly walks up to him and nails him in the head with a ball, knocking Billy off the bench.
“Come on! Wake up! You’re supposed to be playing, not sleeping!”
Billy quickly rises to his feet and sits back down on the bench with a very upset look on his face.
“What the hell was that for?!?!” Billy yells at the playful lion with a menacing glare.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you or anything. Just think you should be playing instead of sleeping.”
“I didn’t get any sleep last night, for your information.”
“Busy with Sonia, huh?” Pokeinfo playfully asks with a grin and a quiet chuckle.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I wasn’t. I was up thinking.”
“About Sonia?” the lion asks with another quiet chuckle.
“Poke… there are more things in this life than getting laid. I was up all night thinking about my life.”
“You’re way too serious ya know. You need to slow down and smell the flowers and yiff the girls while you’re young and we don’t have anything to worry about man.”
“I know. This thing with Jen just has me a little high strung right now.”
“Try not to worry about it. It’ll work out in the end.”
“I think hell has frozen over, because Pokeinfo is being insightful,” Billy replies to the lion with a laugh.
“Yeah yeah. Anyway, need an energy drink to help keep you up?”
“If you got it.”
Pokeinfo reaches into his pocket and pulls out a silver can with red lining and tosses it to Billy. Billy looks at it and sees an outline of a chicken on the front of the can.
“It’s called Cock Punch. It’s pretty good.”
“Cock Punch?”
“Yeah, punch flavored energy drink.”
“Why the ‘Cock’ part?”
“Who knows? I find it funny though. But try it. It’s good. Anyway, I’ll let you take your nap now if you want.”
With those words said, the playful young lion grabs the ball he threw at Billy and takes his leave of his platypus friend. Billy lays back down on the bench and closes his eyes once again.
Cock Punch, huh? Weird name, but if it’ll help me stay awake through the afternoon classes, it’s worth a OOMPH!
Billy’s eyes shoot open as he feels something crash down on him. He quickly darts his body up to see what it is.
“Oh, hey Sonia. You really need to give a guy warning before you do that. Plus you’re lucky I got thick padding on my body, or else I’d be in real trouble,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“Oh yeah, your ribs, I’m sorry. I keep forgetting. I just keep getting so happy to see you I just…” Sonia tells her platypus boyfriend.
“Yeah, speaking of which, what happened on the bus today? You weren’t there.”
“Oh, my dad gave us a ride to school today. We all kinda slept in.”
“Slept in? Didn’t you set your alarm clocks?”
“Actually, no, we forgot.”
“Well, as long as you’re well and good, that’s all that matters. I thought you got sick or something,” Billy replies with a smile.
“Nope, perfectly healthy,” Sonia says with her own smile.
“Was gonna stop by your place today to see if you were ok.”
“You can still do that you know, even though you know I’m ok.”
“Sorry, can’t. At least not right away. I got detention today.”
“You? Got detention? Now who’d you poison?” Sonia questions her boyfriend with a giggle.
“Nobody. Fell asleep in class,” Billy answers his playful fox girlfriend with a chuckle.
“That’s not like you. Rough night last night?”
“Not rough. I was up all night thinking.”
“About my body? Furvert,” Sonia quickly answers the platypus, sticking out her tongue and giggling.
“Yeah, because I don’t get enough of it during the day that I need to think about it at night,” Billy says with another chuckle. “Nah, I was thinking about my life.”
“Jen still?”
“Yeah. I mean, I want to be friends with her so bad, but I’m at my breaking point. My mind feels like one of them ‘This is your brain… this is your brain on drugs’ commercials with the egg and the frying pan, but my egg gets scrambled before going in.”
“Jeez honey, you really need to loosen up and unwind.”
“I know, Pokeinfo came by and told me the same thing.”
“Is that where you got that can?” Sonia asks the young platypus as she looks at the silver can in his paw.
“Yeah, it’s an energy drink. Cock Punch.”
“Cock Punch?”
“Yeah, Cock Punch. Poke says it’s punch flavored energy drink.”
“Why the ‘Cock’ part though?”
“Whoa, déja vù!” Billy says with a chuckle. “I asked him the same thing, and he didn’t have an answer.”
“Go figure Pokeinfo would have something called ‘Cock Punch’ though.”
“Hey, if it helps me keep awake, I’ll try it.”
“Yeah, we don’t need you getting more and more detention.”
“Yeah. So hey, are you busy Saturday?”
“Not really, why?”
“I wanted to bring you to a cook-out Jerry is having. It’s for the swim team, but Jerry said I could bring you if you wanted to come.”
“Think that’s a good idea? Having Jen and me in the same place? I can’t tell you I’ve completely forgiven her for attacking me the other day…”
“It’ll be fine. Jerry, Amber, and Geoff are gonna try to talk to her a little for me and help her ease up a bit so I can talk to her and try to get her friendship back.”
“Geoff’s gonna talk to her? How do you know this?”
“I asked him, and he said yes.”
“Ok, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Remember the tape?”
“We’re past that. Geoff and I are friends now.”
“Ok, hell’s frozen over!” Sonia says with a giggle.
“I know, weird huh?” Billy replies with his own chuckle.
“Yeah. Anyway, I’m gonna go find Alex and tease him a bit. Try to get some rest, ok?” Sonia tells her platypus boyfriend as she gives him a soft, warm kiss on his cheek.
“Will do. You have fun, ok?”
“Oh, you know I will,” Sonia answers with a smile and another giggle.
“I know you will too,” Billy says with another chuckle.
Sonia smiles as she gets up off her tired boyfriend and walks away. She takes five steps away from him before she looks back at him, over her shoulder, and blows him a kiss. The yellow-furred fox then turns her head back around and walks away from the bench and the platypus laying down on it. Billy looks up into the sky with a smile once all present company is gone and smiles before his heavy eyelids quickly drag across his eyes, blotting out the sky with the darkness of the insides of his eyelids, his mind wandering miles away from that bench, school, and city, and his body falling into a state of complete relaxation.
*****
Billy’s short nap on the school’s playground bench is quickly interrupted when a chiming bell shoots through his slumbering body and shakes his mind awake. He quickly jumps up off the bench in shock and rubs his eyes a couple of times.
Man, time for more classes already? Well, time to see if this energy drink pays off.
As the young platypus walks back into the building, he opens the silver can in his paw and lifts it to his bill, drinking it’s contents in large sips, trying to drink it all before getting to his next class.
Mmm, this stuff is good! I should get Poke to get me more.
Billy finishes the contents of the silver can off just as he reaches the door to his next class. He enters the room and is immediately scolded by the teacher.
“You’re late Mr. Plats!”
“I’m sorry sir,” Billy says as he looks to the ground.
“I’ll let you off with a warning this once since you’ve never been late in the past month that you’ve been attending classes. But if it becomes a steady habit, I will have to give you detention for it. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Alright then, take your seat.”
Billy walks to the back of the classroom where his seat rests. He sits down in the chair and focuses on the teacher and his lesson. After a few minutes pass, the young platypus realizes that his eyelids are no longer heavy and he’s having no problem keeping his head up and focused on the teacher.
The drink must be setting in. Alright! No more detention today! I’ll have to thank Poke for the drink and DEFINITELY get him to get me more.
“And that is all for today’s lesson. Your assignments are to read lessons 15 and 16, and do this worksheet when you’re done.”
The teacher then grabs a stack of papers and starts to pass them around the room, each cub taking one sheet of the top before the stack moves on to the next child waiting. Billy receives his worksheet and looks at it.
Well, at least I have something to do in detention now.
“Alright, the rest of the period is yours to work on the worksheet if you wish. If not, you may work on other assignments from other classes, but you must remain silent and awake.”
Billy folds the paper he was just given in half and sticks it in his pocket, deciding to save the work for detention. He opens up his book and pretends that he is reading it until the end of class.
Well, one down, only a few more to go. And then detention. I wonder who will be there?
Billy’s thoughts are quickly cut when the bell ending the period rings throughout the school. The young platypus quickly closes his book, picks it up, leaves the room, and heads for his next class. Billy finds that his afternoon classes are going much smoother than his morning ones due to one simple fact: he’s not tired and falling asleep. The bell ending the final period rings and Billy leaves his current classroom and heads for the detention room with a few homework assignments to work on while he’s there. Billy goes to his locker first to collect his things and drop off any unnecessary weight that isn’t needed to complete his assignments before heading to the room where his punishment is being held. When he gets there, the young platypus enters to find Ethan, Rodriguez, and Pokeinfo all in detention with him. Billy grabs a seat next to Poke and sits down.
“So, what are you guys in for?” Billy asks his fellow cubs and friends.
“You should know that one, Billy. Practical jokes on the teachers and students,” his playful lion friend Pokeinfo says in answer to Billy’s question.
“Not that it’s any of your business, Plats, but vandalism. You punch in a locker instead of punching in a student’s face and you’re a vandal. Hell, it’s nothing a hammer can’t fix.”
“You punched a locker instead of the guy who pissed you off? Wow, hell DEFINITELY has frozen over,” the young platypus says with a hearty laugh.
“Shut up! You know how much trouble I’d get in for punching a teacher’s kid? Normal fights just get me sent here or home for a few days. If I beat up a teacher’s kid, that’s expulsion! If I go home and tell my dad I been expelled from school, he’ll kick the shit outta me. So I punched in the locker. You’d think that they’d be happy I chose the locker instead of that little brat…”
“Well, I think you made the right choice, Rod,” Billy reassuringly tells his crocodile friend.
“Yeah, me too!” Pokeinfo adds.
“And who the hell asked you two? You know, I won’t get expelled for beating the two of you up, so shut up before I do it.”
Billy chuckles to himself briefly before responding to Rodriguez’s threat. “Alright, will do.”
“Actually, that’s good advice for ALL of you, Rodriguez included,” their black wolf companion adds to the conversation.
“So, Nate, what are you in for?” Billy asks.
“I’m not in for anything, and I said be quiet. This is detention.”
“If you’re not in for anything, why are you here?” the young platypus questions the black wolf.
“I said be quiet! And I’m here as the teacher watching over you.”
“You’re a teacher here?!? I thought you were a student!” Billy says in disbelief.
“I am a student. I’m a teacher’s assistant here, but I’m also a student, much like Lucy. And one job of teacher assistants here is to be part of the detention watch rotation. This week is my week. Next week is Mrs. Trousers.”
“I’m glad I didn’t get detention next week then,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“Billy, for the last time, be quiet. I don’t want to have to kick you out of detention.”
“Alright, sorry.”
“It’s alright Billy. Now, find something to do.”
Billy nods and all three cubs pull out class books, Pokeinfo and Rodriguez pretending to read theirs while Billy actually reads his and does the worksheet that goes along with it.
Jeez Ethan, don’t you think you’re being a little rough on Billy? After all, it is his first offense, and it’s only for sleeping in class. Nothing I haven’t done before.
I have to be rough on him. It doesn’t matter why or how many times he’s been in here, the rules are the rules. And as much as I don’t like being so rough on him, I have to be. It’s my responsibility as a teacher’s aide.
You need to lighten up a bit man.
I’ll take that into consideration. Now if you don’t mind, I have three cubs to watch to make sure they do work and receive their punishment.
I still can’t believe you’re making me miss soccer practice all week for this…
Sorry Nate, it’s part of my duty here. Don’t worry, the coach understands, and you’ll be back at practice next week.
I better be.
Billy puts down his pencil and folds the worksheet he was working on up. He places the folded paper in the book and closes it before setting it aside to make room on the desk he’s at for his next assignment. The young platypus quietly works on his homework while Ethan looks on.
Man, I wasn’t expecting him to be a teacher’s aid like Lucy. I hope he’s not as rough-edged as she is, or I’m gonna have my paws full with him tomorrow. Wait, what am I saying? I met him just yesterday, and he seemed to be a pretty cool guy! It must just be the fact that he’s gotta be here watching us as a teacher instead of at home and relaxing like a cub that’s making him so uptight. I don’t know if I could do it like he is, giving up my afternoon and sitting in detention when I really don’t have to be. Well, I guess that comes with the territory he’s chosen.
Billy finishes his train of thought on that note and starts to diligently focus on completing the current assignment that he is working on. Billy’s focus helps him to finish all of his homework quickly, with a few minutes of detention to spare. He puts all his homework away and pulls out a book he brought from home and starts to read it until detention is let out. The young platypus starts to really get into the part of the novel that he is reading when a voice cuts through his concentration and alerts him and his two “jail-mates”.
“Alright, that’s it. You all are free to go. I hope not to see any of you in here tomorrow,” Ethan tells the three. “But I know I probably will,” Ethan finishes with a chuckle.
The three cubs all get up from their desks and leave the room, quickly splitting up and parting ways just outside the door. Billy looks back into the room at Ethan one more time before heading for the exit.
CHAPTER 25
The next day goes much smoother than the one just past, especially since Billy was sure to give himself a good night’s rest. In the morning, he makes sure to pay attention in all the classes, and even does the extra work assigned to him by Mrs. Trousers. The work wasn’t too challenging, as Billy only had to run faster than normal because of the events of yesterday. Mrs. Trousers wishes she could push the young platypus harder, but she knows she can’t because of his ribs and a doctor’s order preventing him from strenuous abdominal exercise. At lunch, Billy grabs a tray and sits at a table with his favorite yellow-furred fox and eats with her. At one point, Geoff walks up to Billy and Sonia.
“Hey there, Billy,” the young beaver says as he approaches the two cubs.
“Hey Geoff,” Billy greets his new friend.
“Hi.”
“Well, I talked to Jen for you. I told her that you were worth listening to. She agreed, but not for you. She agreed for me,” Geoff informs the young platypus.
“Oh really? For you, huh? So, something sparking between you two?” Billy excitedly asks.
“I wish. Nah, I think something’s going on between her and Jerry. They’ve been spending a lot of time together this week.”
“He’s her friend. He’s there for support. He told me so himself,” Billy reassuringly tells Geoff.
“He told me that too, but I still think they’re up to something.”
“Did you ask Jen?” Sonia quickly asks.
“No, I wanted to, but I didn’t.”
“Well, you should ask her.”
“I know…”
“Don’t worry,” Billy says to the distraught beaver. “Everything will work itself out in the end.”
“I know. Well, I better eat lunch while I got time. See ya.”
With those last parting words, Geoff takes his leave of Sonia and Billy, who finish their lunches in silence. The meal is finished in silence only because they both wanted to finish their lunches before the bell rings, and it does ring right as they both finish their last morsels of food. At recess, Billy sits on the bench and watches the other cubs play while Sonia runs off to find and tease her older brother. All of the periods after recess go as smooth as the morning classes, and the day finally ends for most cubs. Only two cubs remain in the school once the final bell tolls; Billy and his new wolf friend Ethan. They both walk together toward the room where Ethan will be watching Billy for detention.
Hey, I was thinking… why don’t I watch Billy today?
No! I know what will happen. You’ll let him skip out on punishment. He’s in detention for a reason.
For sleeping in class. Come on, it’s only Billy in detention today, it’s Friday, and I know you’ve gotta be tired of watching cubs in detention. I promise I won’t do anything against the school’s rules as far as being the “teacher” for detention goes.
“Hey, Ethan?” Billy calls to his wolf friend.
I guess I could use a break. Alright, I’ll let you do it, but if I find out that you two got up to no good…
Don’t worry, trust me!
And it’s those words that make me NOT trust you…
“Ethan?”
Oh fuck you…
“ETHAN!?!? HELLO!!! EARTH TO ETHAN!!!”
Excuse me, I’m being called.
The grey wolf quickly shakes his head. “Sorry, my mind was elsewhere.”
“I noticed. You almost ran into a wall.”
“That would’ve been embarrassing,” the wolf replies with a chuckle.
“Not really. It would’ve been embarrassing had their been hot chicks around,” Billy replies with his own chuckle.
There were hot chicks around and you didn’t tell me?
No, there weren’t. If you’d actually listen to the whole conversation instead of the parts your dick wants to listen to…
Billy quickly grabs the wolf and pulls him closer to him.
“You almost hit another. You know, you space out a lot,” Billy says as he lets go of his wolf friend.
“Huh? Yeah, that’ll happen from time to time,” Ethan replies.
“Yeah, time to time, but it happens almost all the time with you. Are you ok? Do your parents have you on some kind of bullshit pill like Ritalin or something for ADD or ADHD?”
“Oh, no. No no no. I’m not on any meds for anything.”
“Then why all the spacing?”
“My mind just wanders from time to time. I got a lot on my mind between soccer practice, going to school, being a teacher’s aide, and having a gay doppelganger,” the wolf answers.
“Well, we’re here…” Billy says to Ethan as they approach the door to the room where Billy’s punishment is to be held.
“Uh-huh.”
Ethan takes a key from his pocket, puts it in the keyhole, turns it, and unlocks the door. The black wolf then opens the door and turns the lights on before entering with his platypus companion.
“Alright, take a seat and get to work.”
Hey, I thought I was gonna be in charge?
Sorry, change of plans. Hope you understand.
Actually, I don’t. Fill me in.
I figured that you wouldn’t want to waste your time with boring detention. So I figured I’d stay in charge. Alright?
You knew I wasn’t gonna make Billy do any work, didn’t you?
Yup. I’m not as stupid as you think, Nate. Nor am I as stupid as you.
I never said I thought you were stupid. I just… HEY!
Gotcha! Anyway, I’m sorry, but I have to change the plans.
Alright then. I’m gonna take a nap. Detention does bore me something fierce.
Billy pulls out his novel from yesterday and begins to read it as Ethan sits at the desk reading a book of his own. Time passes for the two cubs as they get enveloped by their stories. Ethan looks at the clock after a long while and realizes it’s time for the two cubs to go home.
“Alright Billy, go ahead and pack up. Time to go home.”
The young platypus does as told and packs his book into his backpack and slings it over his shoulder.
“Alright Ethan. See you around.”
“See ya Billy.”
The two cubs leave the room and part ways, Ethan staying behind for a moment to lock the door up before leaving the school. Billy heads home and plans an easy night for himself. When he gets home, he immediately heads for the living room and watches TV. It’s not long before Billy realizes what time it is and hears Stephen walking in the door.
“Billy, get washed up! Your dad’s home, which means we’ll be eating soon!” Mary calls in from the kitchen.
“Ok mom!”
Billy reluctantly stands up off the couch and stretches his arms and back a little bit before heading off to the bathroom. He joins his parents once he washes his paws, and as he joins them, Mary is setting down three plates at the table. Each plate has a variety of foods on it; breaded fish, carrots, green beans, scalloped potatoes, and a basket of rolls in the center of it all for all to enjoy. Billy takes his usual spot at the table and begins to eat once his parents sit down.
“So, Billy, how was your day?” Mary asks her son.
“Not bad. Detention was kinda boring today.”
“I still can’t believe you got detention for sleeping in class. I thought we taught you better than that?” Stephen rhetorically asks, reprimanding his son.
“I couldn’t help it. I didn’t get any sleep Wednesday night. I was thinking about stuff.”
“Look, son, I know you’re excited about this barbecue that your friend Jerry is having, but it’s no excuse for sleeping in class.”
“I know…” Billy says as he looks at his plate shamefully.
“Now, come on Stephen, don’t be so hard on him. If I remember right, you were always in the back of the classroom with your head buried in your book pretending to read but really sleeping,” Mary says with a giggle.
“That was long ago, Mary. And we both know I went straight not long after that. I mean, if I hadn’t realized that all I was doing was ruining my future, I would’ve slept in all my classes, never gone to college, and never got my job as an accountant.”
“We know, honey. But this IS Billy’s first time doing it. And I’m sure detention made him not want to do it ever again, right sweetie?” Mary asks her family.
“I never wanted to do it in the first place. I know how important school is to me and my future. I just couldn’t help it though.”
“It’s alright son. As long as you don’t make a habit of it, I can overlook it this once,” Stephen warns the youngest platypus.
“Don’t worry. It won’t become a habit. It was just the one time.”
“That’s good. Because how else are we gonna become ‘Stephen and Son Accounting’ if you don’t go to college and learn accounting?”
“Dad, I already told you I don’t want to be an accountant. You know how much I hate math…”
“Well, just keep the idea open, ok?”
“Alright Dad, I will.”
The family finishes their dinners and place the dirty dishes in the sink for Mary to wash later that night. The family of platypi exit their kitchen and enters the living room, where they decide a DVD to watch that night.
“How about Dirty Dancing?” Mary asks.
“Nah, I was thinking Sin City,” Stephen answers.
“What about Toy Story?” Billy adds.
“Hm… I say we each flip a coin since we all want to watch a different movie. Whoever’s coin doesn’t match somebody else’s gets to pick the movie.”
“Do you got coins for us to flip, Dad?”
“Of course.”
Stephen reaches into his pocket and pulls out three quarters, handing one to Mary and one to Billy. After Stephen counts to three, all three platypi flip their coins. Mary and Stephen’s coins land on tails, while Billy’s lands on heads.
“Alright! Toy Story it is!”
Billy gets up and grabs the DVD from it’s spot on the shelves containing the Plats Family movie collection. He pops the disc out of it’s plastic case and places it into the DVD player before sitting down on the couch. Stephen turns out the lights and presses play on the remote control for the DVD player. The movie begins and the family lose themselves in the story. A couple of hours pass, and the movie finishes as the credits start to roll. Stephen turns off the DVD player and turns the lights on. Billy gets up off couch and gives a light yawn.
“Alright. I’m gonna head to bed.”
“So early son?” Stephen asks.
“Yeah, I want to get a lot of sleep for tomorrow. That is if I can sleep at all. I’m kinda excited.”
“Well, try to calm down and get some rest, dear,” Mary tells her anxious son.
“Don’t worry, I will. Good night Mom. Good night Dad.”
“Good night Billy,” both parents say back to their son at the same time.
Billy then heads for his bedroom, trying to calm his excited nerves.
Man, tomorrow is gonna be one hell of a day. I can just FEEL it.
*****
Billy wakes up the next morning as the sun’s warm embrace begins to blanket the city of Pouncefield. The young platypus looks out the window at the rising sun and stretches for a brief moment in his bed. He then decides to climb out of bed and stretches again when he’s on his feet.
Today’s the day. Barbecue and hopefully settling this thing with Jen once and for all. Wait, I don’t know where Jerry lives! Oh well, I guess I’ll have to call him and ask him. Can’t believe that I got so excited about this that I forgot to ask him where he lives. I feel stupid now.
Billy chuckles lightly to himself quickly before shaking it off and heading into his bathroom. He bushes his teeth and grabs his morning shower.
Now, just remember what you’re gonna say to her. Be calm, be confident, and be in control. Jeez, I feel like I’m getting ready to give a speech in front of a class or something.
Billy finishes his shower and leaves his bathroom with a couple of towels wrapped around his body. He digs through his dresser drawers looking for an idea of what clothes to wear today. He grabs a black shirt, a brand new pair of underwear, a pair of dark brown khakis, and a pair of brand new socks. The young platypus strips his body of the towels, letting his fur and the padding taped to his torso catch the sun for a brief moment, before getting dressed in the attire he’s picked out for himself. He grabs the damp towels that he just discarded and puts them in the clothes hamper in his bathroom. He looks out his window once more and looks at the two pools in his back yard.
Man, I could REALLY use a swim right now… I’ve never gone this long without swimming in my life! I can’t stand it! I wish these ribs would heal already. And it’s only the first week! I still got seven or so to go! Well, I can always pass the time by popping in a movie. Wait, what time is it?
Billy looks at the electric alarm clock sitting on the headboard of his bead. The blue numbers show a time of 9:40 in the morning.
I’ll call about 11.
As Billy finishes that thought, a fur starts pounding on the front door.
“Coming!”
The young platypus pushes his webbed-paws down the hallway and to the front door, opening it as quickly as he can once he gets there. He looks at the fur on the other side and smiles when he instantaneously recognizes her white fur and form.
“Hey Amber!”
“Hey Billy.”
“What brings you here?”
“Jerry sent me to come get you. He figured you didn’t know where he lived and asked me to come get you and show you the way.”
“Wow, he’s always one step ahead, isn’t he?” Billy chuckles.
“I know, right? It’s kinda weird.”
“Nah, it’s just part of who he is. So insightful, but you’d never guess that by how silent he likes to stay.”
“Yeah, I noticed that. So, were you ready to go or should I come back later?”
“Wait, he wants us there now?”
“Yeah. He wants to spend time with us before we begin to eat and stuff.”
“Alright, let me get my shoes and I’ll be ready. Oh, we gotta stop and get Sonia before we head over if that’s alright with you.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks.”
Billy closes the door on the white fox. He steps to the mat, where the family places their shoes when they come home, next to the door and grabs his recreational shoes. He quickly slips them on, the laces already tied before he puts them on, and he opens the door once again. He steps out and smiles.
“Alright, ready.”
The two cubs then start their walk toward the Sosserone estate, Billy leading the way.
“So, how do you like Pouncefield so far?” Billy asks, starting a conversation with his fox friend to make the trip a little less quiet.
“It’s not bad. Really different from Pawstin. The classes are a bit harder, and the uniforms kinda suck.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. Trust me, you get used to it.”
“I don’t know if I can get used to such short skirts. I wish they’d make them longer. I feel exposed half the time.”
“Just be glad you don’t have to wear a tie,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“I think I’d rather have the tie than the short skirt,” Amber replies with a giggle of her own.
“Well, at least you can draw in the boys with a short skirt. Speaking of which, you found a guy that catches your fancy?”
“I’m… not really looking…” Amber mumbles loud enough for Billy to hear.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Billy asks, sensing the discomfort in Amber’s voice.
“I just… I don’t feel like talking about it…”
“Why not?”
“It’s… kinda hard…”
“Trust me, the hardest moments are always made easier by the ear or paw of a friend.”
Amber sighs briefly, debating whether or not to share her story with her platypus friend.
“Alright, I’ll share with you. But you can’t repeat this to anybody, ok? I really don’t want anybody to know.”
“Trust me, your secret’s safe with me.”
“Well, where to start… I told you the reason why I moved from Pawstin to Pouncefield, didn’t I?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, it’s all over a divorce. My mom couldn’t stand being with my dad anymore, so they got a divorce and I came here with my mom,” Amber says, starting her rough story.
“Was he cheating on her?”
“No. They were having… problems…” Amber says hesitantly, unable to tell the real truth.
“What kind of problems?”
“…”
“Come on… you can tell me.”
“My parents were into bondage and BDSM and all that. But over the past few years, my mom told me he started getting too rough, and he even started raping her with the toys. I don’t know how many countless nights I spent up crying because I could hear my mom’s cries of pain and torment and I couldn’t do anything to help.”
“Oh that’s awful!”
“Well, that’s why they got divorced. She couldn’t take the abuse any longer. So she and I moved here. But my dad didn’t let us go without a gift to me. He gave me a trunk as we were leaving, and told me not to open it until we got to town.”
“A trunk? As in what furs use to store old clothes they don’t want anymore but can’t bring themselves to get rid of?” Billy asks, needing a little more clarity.
“Yeah. Anyway, when I opened it, I saw that it had all of my dad’s old toys and stuff in it. The pain and fear instantly came back that I thought I left behind. My mom locked it up and put it in a storage garage.”
“That jerk…”
“Yeah… I loved him so much until he gave me that trunk. And now, because of him, I don’t really want to be with any guy.”
“I can understand why. Afraid that the guy you get will hurt you much like your dad did your mom, right?”
“Right…” Amber says as she looks to the ground.
“I can understand that. But you have to try and put that behind you. Your dad was just an extremely bad case of what a guy can be like. Most the guys around here are actually pretty nice and wouldn’t hurt the girls they are with.”
“Rodriguez…”
“He’s just another extremely bad case. And I like to think of that as a misunderstood case as well.”
“I just don’t think I can trust guys as anything other than friends…”
“It’s alright. I know it’s probably cliche of me to say, but things will get better. You’ll find a guy that will treat you like royalty, but not if you shut guys out for good.”
“I know, but I just can’t bring myself to trust them.”
“I understand, but I do hope that this fear leaves you.”
“I don’t think it will, you didn’t hear my mom’s screams…”
“We don’t have to continue this if you don’t want to,” Billy says to the white fox, feeling her discomfort and pain.
“Thanks…”
The last few moments of the trip are spent in silence as the cubs finish making their way to the Sosserone estate. Billy walks up to the front door of the giant castle-like mansion and knocks on the front door. A silver-furred fox answers the door.
“Hey Billy.”
“Hey Alex. Is Sonia up yet?”
“Yeah, she’s just now getting out of the shower. You two going on a date?”
“Eh, kinda. I wouldn’t really call it a date. Just taking her to a barbecue my friend Jerry is having.”
“Oh, a barbecue huh? Can I come?”
“Sorry, it’s only for the swim team. Jerry said the only one who’s not a swim member that’s allowed to come is Sonia, and that’s for reasons that I really don’t want to get into right now.”
“Jen?”
“Pretty much.”
“That’s cool.”
“Yeah, and besides, you’d eat all the food and leave none for the rest of us,” Billy says with a chuckle.
“Not true! I’d leave maybe one rib and half a cob of corn,” Alex replies with his own chuckle. “So who’s your friend?”
“Oh, this is Amber. Amber, Alex.”
Alex reaches a paw out to Amber. Amber hesitantly takes it in her own paw and shakes it.
“Nice to meet you Amber.”
“Nice to meet you too, Alex.”
Alex lets go of the timid white fox’s paw.
“Alright, I’ll send Sonia out when she’s done getting dressed.”
“Thanks. See ya around.”
“See ya.”
The silver-furred fox then closes the front door on the pair of cubs, who sit on the steps to the porch. Only a few brief moments pass before the front door opens up and Billy is attacked from behind.
“Whoa!” Billy shouts as he manages not to fall to the ground. “Hey Sonia. Easy, that one would’ve REALLY hurt!”
“Sorry, but I couldn’t help it. I’m a little excited today. I get to go to a barbecue with my boyfriend and we finally get to end Jen’s bitchiness!”
“She’s not being bitchy. Just a little hurt and confused about the situation. Anyway, we should probably get going. Jerry is expecting us.”
With those words spoken, the three cubs step off the porch and walk away from the Sosserone estate, Amber leading the way to Jerry’s house.
*****
The three young cubs continue to make their way to Jerry’s house, with Amber leading the others. Billy looks around in awe.
“You know, you sure do know your way around for only living here for a week or so,” Billy says to the snow-white fox. “I been here a couple of months and still don’t know every part of this town yet.”
“I like to get to know the city where I live. I’ve moved a couple of times in the past because of better and cheaper houses more suited to our family, so I had to change cities and schools a few times before. I found that it helps if you get out and walk around the town in your free time. That way, you can get to know the town, and you can meet some of the furs that you will be living with. Very good ice breaker.”
“Yeah, well, look at me and tell me you wouldn’t be worried about going out if you were me,” Billy replies with a sigh.
“I wouldn’t.”
“Yeah right…” the young platypus says as he rolls his eyes.
“It’s true. Sure, you’re a platypus, so your looks are a little unconventional for today’s society, but that’s all they are. You’re in no way ugly, Billy, and you’re a great guy to boot. I wish a lot of cute guys were so nice. It seems that if they’re cute or better, they’re jerks, and it’s only the less pretty ones that are the good ones,” Amber reassuringly tells her platypus friend.
“Yup, and I’m lucky enough to have him,” Sonia adds with a smile.
Billy smiles and gently nods.
“Thanks guys. I needed to hear that. I’m just always so insecure about my bill and webbed-paws. I feel like a freak half the time.”
“Have you looked around, Billy?” Amber asks. “You tell me two furs who look exactly alike that aren’t related and I’ll let you call yourself a freak. Everybody is different in some way. Different looks, different feelings, different tastes. The world would be boring if everybody were exactly the same.”
“You know… you’re right. And I know that all the time, but like I said, I’m pretty insecure.”
“Well, stop being so insecure, ok?” You’ll be better off without the insecurity. Trust me. Anyway, we’re here.”
Billy stops in his tracks and looks at his squirrel friend’s house upon arrival. A one-story ranch style blue house with white awnings and shutters on each window. The driveway slopes down off the street to a garage placed underneath the right side of the house, and a sidewalk leading to the front door from both the driveway and the street sidewalk. Along the yard’s sidewalk are flowers of many kinds in full bloom, ranging from tulips to daffodils to red and white roses. A few bees buzz as they fly between the flowers, happily working for the nectar to take back to their hive. Billy looks up over the house to see a tree in the backyard, and a rope on the lowest branch leading to the ground.
“Wow! Nice place!”
“Isn’t this like your house though?” Amber asks.
“Kinda, but our garage is attached to the house on the same level, and it’s on the left side, not the right. My backyard has two pools, one Olympic sized. No trees actually on our property. Plus my house isn’t blue. It’s white with green trim.”
“That’s why I said ‘like’, you goof!” Amber replies with a giggle. “I saw it. I picked you up there this morning, remember?”
“I know,” Billy answers with a chuckle of his own. “Just felt like pointing out the differences.”
“Alright. Anyway, we’re heading into the backyard. Jerry’s expecting us, and his dad will be starting up the barbecue in a couple of hours.”
Amber leads her two friends to the back-side of the house. The backyard is closed off by a white fence, with the gate on the left side of the house, near the front door. Amber reaches over the gate and unlocks the door, opening it for herself and her companions. She stretches an arm out past the gate and into the backyard, signaling for Billy and Sonia to go first. The two cubs nod and go through first. Amber enters after them and closes the gate behind her, locking it up before heading to catch up with her friends. When she does catch up with them, she notices Billy and Sonia are taking in the sights a little. On the other side of the tree, not visible from the street, the two notice a finely built tree-house, which mirrors the main house’s color pattern of blue with white trim. A rope and a ladder lead from the bottom of the house to the base of the tree. Next to the tree are two sets of patio furniture: chairs, tables, and umbrellas in the middle of the table, folded up. In the far left corner of the yard lays a pair of horseshoe poles, and in the far right corner rests a trampoline. Billy finishes looking around and looks to the table where his friends are all sitting. Jerry and Geoff wave, but Jen frowns upon seeing Billy and Sonia, turning angrily away from them with a “huff”. Jerry shakes his head slightly, shaking off the upset tigress’ actions, and waves the trio of cubs to the table.
“Hey guys! Over here!”
The three youngsters nod and take Jerry up on his offer, sitting down at the table with him. As Billy and Sonia sit, Jen quickly stands up and just as quickly walks over to the trampoline. Billy watches and frowns slightly.
I just wish she wouldn’t be so upset. Hopefully me talking with her will set things right. I just hope Geoff lived up to his end of the bargain and tried to settle her down a little for me. I should probably let her vent for now though. She probably won’t listen in the mood she’s in.
Jen climbs on the trampoline and starts to jump on it, doing various flips while mid-air. Her jumps start soft but get progressively harder as she tries to vent her frustration at the young platypus and fox she despises so much. As she jumps, the other five cubs sit at the table she left and talk to one another.
“I’m glad you all could make it,” Jerry says, starting the conversation. “How do you guys like the house?”
“I haven’t seen the inside yet, but it looks great on the outside,” Billy tells his squirrel friend.
“You should see the inside,” Geoff adds. “The kitchen is almost pure maple, from the floor to the cabinets to the furniture. The living room is nice, and they have a nice 35′ TV in there. I didn’t see his parents’ room, but his bedroom is nice. Sure beats the apartment my family lives in.”
“Sounds very nice,” Billy replies.
“Eh, it is, but I don’t care. It’s home. Sure, it’s great it looks nice, but as long as I got a roof over my head every night when I go to sleep, I’m happy.”
Sonia giggles silently to herself.
So modest. And if Geoff thinks this is nice, he’d die from looking at my place. Sonia then looks from her table of friends to the tigress on the trampoline. I sure hope Billy can set her straight and finally get her off my tail. Not my fault she let him go, and it’s not his either.
“So did you guys all move here too?” Billy asks Jerry and Geoff.
“Nah, the three of us have lived here all our lives,” Jerry answers for himself and his friend. “We all met in kindergarten, and it’s been smooth sailing since.”
“I’ll never forget the first day of kindergarten. Jen made Rodriguez cry!” Geoff says before breaking down into uncontrollable laughter.
“Say what?!?!?” Billy, Sonia, and Amber all ask in unison and disbelief.
“It’s true,” Jerry replies. “It was the first day, and Jen was a tough girl back then. Come to think of it, she still is. She’ll be a tomboy to the end I believe. Only reason she wears that skirt at school is because she has to. I bet if that dress code didn’t make her wear a skirt, she’d be wearing pants all the time.”
“Jerry, you’re getting off point! Get back to Rodriguez crying,” Geoff says, interrupting his friend and trying to get him back on point.
“Oh, sorry. Anyway, she was a tough girl, and she wanted it to be known from day one. Fortunately for Geoff and I, we all met each other before class started while our parents were getting us registered for school. When we met, we all instantly became friends, so we became safe from Jen’s display. But she wanted to show she was a tough girl, and the toughest kid in class, so she went up to Rodriguez and shoved his face in his wet finger-painting. He was working on that so hard, about a half hour. I almost wanted to say something to Jen about ruining it, but the teacher beat me to it. And poor Rod, between his hard work getting ruined and his face being covered in paint, he couldn’t handle it and broke down crying. Everybody laughed, and the teacher punished Jen with a time-out for the rest of the day. The teacher sent Rodriguez home for the day. Fortunately for him, everybody forgot about it the next day, like it never happened, and Jen never tried a stunt like that again. She told us she didn’t want to show off her toughness if it meant getting in trouble. It’s amazing how she’s still a tomboy, but Rod has become the biggest jerk in school.”
“I like to think he’s misunderstood,” the young platypus tells his squirrel friend.
“You’re the only one to think that then. Everybody else can’t stand him and they all think the world would be better off without him.”
“Well, I still think he’s misunderstood.”
“God bless you Billy. Such a big and strong heart,” Jerry says to Billy.
“Um, can we try not to mention God or anything?” Amber asks.
“Why?”
“Well, you never know who believes in what here, and then you’ve got neighbors, so you don’t want to offend them if they can hear you, and then…”
“You make good points. Alright, no religious talk today guys,” Jerry says, setting the rules for his party. “Also, no politics and no military talk. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” the four other cubs answer in unison.
Billy looks over to Jen, who is still jumping on the trampoline, but starting to tire out.
Good, looks like she’s getting tired. She probably won’t have the energy to be so angry or to try not to listen.
Billy then looks to his beaver friend.
“So, Geoff, did you talk to Jen?”
“Yeah. She can’t believe that I said to give you a chance to explain. But she said she would if I sincerely thought you deserved that chance. And I do, so don’t screw it up. And if you ever hurt her again…”
“Don’t worry. I won’t. I want to be her friend, but not if she wants nothing to do with me because of a misunderstanding. Anyway, Jerry, mind if we use your room to talk?”
“Sure, go on ahead.”
“Thanks.”
Billy then stands up from the table and walks over to the jumping tigress, his hands in his pockets.
“Jen?”
Jen looks down at the young platypus and frowns slightly as she stops jumping.
“Yeah? What do YOU want?” she asks back with a huff.
“To talk. Just the two of us.”
“Why should I listen?”
“Come on, don’t be like that. What do you have to lose if you listen?” Billy pleas with the upset tigress.
“…Alright…”
“Thanks. Come on, Jerry’s letting us use his room for some privacy.”
Jen nods and climbs down off the trampoline. Billy starts walking toward the back-door of the house with Jen following close behind him. Once they enter the house, Jen takes the lead and takes Billy into Jerry’s room, shutting the door behind them after they enter. Billy looks around the room and notices a few posters of famous golf pros and a toy-chest with various action figures in it.
“I didn’t know he was into golf.”
“Yeah. He’s actually pretty good for his age. I mean, he’s a long way from Tiger, but he’s a lot better than most of us at school. Just a shame golf is less popular at school than swimming. Anyway, what was it you wanted to say?”
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry if I ever hurt you. It wasn’t my intent. However..”
“Wait, what?!? Now you’re gonna say I did something wrong?” Jen asks in disbelief.
“Actually, I am. You should’ve had more faith in me and you shouldn’t have freaked out like you did when I got with somebody new because you wanted a trial separation. I figured if you really wanted to be with me, you wouldn’t need a trial separation, so I found somebody new.”
“Yeah… a slut…”
“Do NOT talk about Sonia like that. You don’t even know her. You’re just spiting her because I got with her. She’s a great girl and I think you two would get along if you weren’t being so spiteful.”
“How am I ever gonna get along with the girl who stole my boyfriend from me by opening her legs to him?”
“Stop it! If that’s the way you’re gonna be, then this is over. Stop insulting her when she’s not around to defend herself. I thought you were better than that?”
“…”
“And for your information, she didn’t steal me that way. We were hanging out at the mall one day, and we were having a great time. One thing led to another, and…”
“I get that, but still… I don’t know if I can try to like her knowing she took you from me…”
“Listen,” Billy starts his next sentence. “She didn’t steal me, ok? And you’re acting like her and I are gonna be together forever. We’re just kids. Ok, we’re pubescent kids, grant you, but still kids none-the-less. We’re very young, and the future is very uncertain. She and I may break up today, tomorrow, in a year, in ten years, or not at all. The future is a mystery, and we’re too young to be worried about love and resentment and all those emotions the adults deal with everyday. We should be worried about making the most of our childhoods, not trying to be more grown-up than we are.”
Jen stands there still and silent for a moment, her head pointing down and her eyes fixed on the floor of the room. After a few moments, she looks to Billy and nods.
“You know, you’re right. We ARE just kids. We should be trying to have fun instead of trying to be grown-up. I’m sorry I’ve been acting so aggressively lately. I just… I really wasn’t expecting you to find somebody else. It all came as one big shock and I didn’t know how to handle it.”
“I know, and I understand. Which is why I’ve been trying to make-up with you this past week.”
“Thanks Billy.”
Jen smiles and then walks up to the platypus, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close, resting her head on his shoulder and finding comfort in him. Billy smiles back at her wraps his arms around her, trying to comfort her as best as he can. Jen then looks directly at Billy for a moment before closing her eyes and quickly pressing her lips against his. Billy’s eyes widen as he stands there stunned, trying to absorb what’s happening and then reacting to it. Before he can move his arms to let go and push her off, Jen wrestles him down onto Jerry’s bed, where she starts to unzip and unbutton Billy’s pants. Billy looks down his body to see this and quickly gets up.
“Jen, stop!” Billy says as he rebuttons and rezips his pants.
“Come on… one last time for old time’s sake?”
“Jen, I can’t.”
“Sure you can! It’ll be our little secret.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t. I’m not sure how long Sonia and I are going to be together, but I know I don’t want to ruin it early by making a mistake like cheating on her. I mean, I do like you, and if I weren’t with her, I would do this with you in a heart-beat.”
“It’s ok. I understand. Can… can we still be friends though?”
“Of course,” Billy says with a smile. “And if Sonia and I part ways, you’ll be the first to know, ok?” Billy adds with a wink.
“Alright. Well, we should probably get back to the party. Have a little fun for once in a while.”
“That sounds like a great idea.”
Jen stands up off the bed and walks next to Billy. He brushes her cheek softly with his thumb once before leaving the room with her, walking side-by-side. They return to their friends, who all stand and clap at their return. Billy chuckles and Jen blushes at the applause.
“Oh shut up you guys!” Jen says in embarrassment.
Everybody laughs slightly. Billy then guides Jen over to where Sonia is sitting and smiles.
“Ok, you two should probably get reintroduced. Sonia, this is my friend Jen. Jen, this is my girlfriend Sonia.”
Jen reaches out her paw with a smile.
“Nice to meet you Sonia.”
Sonia takes Jen’s paw in her own and smiles back.
“Nice to meet you too, Jen.”
The two shake and then let go. Jen, still smiling, sits down next to Billy, who has Sonia sitting on his other side. The group of young cubs talk a little longer before Jerry’s dad walks to the outdoor grill to start the barbecue. He brings a bag of charcoal, a bottle of lighter fluid, and box of matches with him to the grill. Billy sees the items and starts to worry a little bit.
“Uh… Jerry… your dad’s not gonna do one of them cartoon things, is he? Like in Crankshaft or on Looney Tunes or anything, right? Blow up the grill trying to light the charcoal…”
“Nah, not at all. He’s an expert cook. He went to Le Cordon Bleu and learned to be a chef. Just a shame he couldn’t get a job as one. Oh well, better fro our family anyway. We get to experience his great cooking all the time!”
“So what does your dad do for a living then?” Billy asks.
“He’s a bank teller.”
“Kind of a far cry from chef, but it still pays the bills,” Billy replies.
“Yeah. Plus he’s happy, and that’s all that matters. What’s the point of having a career if you’re not happy doing your job?”
“Good point, Jerry,” Amber says.
“You better believe it. Anyway, I’m kinda tired of talking. Let’s go play some things.”
“Yeah!” the five other cubs say to Jerry’s idea.
The six youngsters get up from the table and decide to head over to the trampoline. They all jump on it, going two at a time and taking five minute turns so everybody gets a couple of turns. After they all tire out from the jumping, they head over to the tree and climb up into Jerry’s tree-house, which has an air-mattress and several board games. They pick one out and play it until Jerry’s father yells up at them to come down and eat. They all climb down from the tree and instantly get hungry from the delicious smells of the various foods set up on a large picnic table that has been recently set up next to the grill. The menu comes with all kinds of different foods: hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue chicken, grilled shrimp, a couple of steaks for the adults, which are hidden under the hood of the closed grill so the children can’t see them, ribs, grilled pineapples and cucumbers, a few bowls of potato chips, pretzels, and snack-crackers, and a large bowl of salad in the middle of all the food.
“Man, that’s a lot of food!” Geoff blurts out in amazement.
“Well, there are eight of us eating, and I’m sure we’ll be picking at it all day. And if any of it remains, it’ll be leftovers for my family for a couple of days, so don’t worry. It will all get eaten,” Jerry’s father tells the young cubs. “Anyway, enough of listening to me talk. Dig in!”
The cubs all scramble to the table, grabbing plastic silverware and paper plates. Each of them start grabbing small bits of all of the different foods, filling their plates without overfilling it or putting more than they can eat on. After each cub fills his or her plate, he or she sits at the table under the tree and start to eat. Once all six sit down, Jerry’s parents each grab a plate, fill it with food, and head inside to eat. Sonia sees the adults head inside and gets a little curious.
“Why aren’t your parents eating with us?”
“They don’t want us to see they’re having steak,” Jerry says with a chuckle.
“Steak huh? Good thing my brother isn’t here or they wouldn’t be having that steak. He would,” Sonia replies with a giggle. “He would’ve sniffed those steaks out and had them in his belly before you could blink an eye.”
“That and the rest of hat table over there,” Billy adds, chuckling as well.
“Good thing I made it swim team and Sonia only then,” Jerry replies, still chuckling.
The other three cubs join in the laughter for a little while before the laughter dies and each kid returns to his or her plate, eating the delicious grilled food. They all finish eating after a little while, and they all get up to throw their plates away in a garbage can next to the grill. After all the plates have been disposed of, the young cubs all look at one another and shrug slightly.
“Now what?” Geoff asks.
“Um… trampoline?” Jen replies with her own question.
“Nah, I’m stuffed. I don’t wanna exercise or anything right now,” Billy answers.
“We could go inside and watch TV,” Jerry adds to the conversation, thinking out loud more than actually talking.
“Yeah, let’s do that,” Amber says in agreement with Jerry.
The kids all nod and head inside to the living room. They all find a seat on the soft carpet in front of the TV as Jerry turns it on. He flips through the various channels until he comes to a cartoon channel, and all the cubs agree to watch that. The TV soon entrances them all with its powerful grip of entertainment and causes time to fly around them as three hours seem to disappear in the blink of an eye, the bright blue afternoon sky outside turning crimson as the sun starts to fade into the evening horizon. Jerry’s parents enter the living room and shut off the TV, bringing the six young cubs back to reality.
“Sorry to do this kids, but Jerry’s got homework to do. You all have to go home now,” Jerry’s mother reluctantly says to the group.
The youngsters all “aww” in unison upon hearing the bad news.
“I’m sorry. You kids can all stop by and do this again any time, but for right now…”
“I know,” Jerry says. “Homework. Well, it’s been fun guys. Thanks for coming. I’ll see you all later.”
The cubs all nod and stand up, each one heading to the front door while saying “bye” to their squirrel friend. Once outside, they all say “bye” to one another and head off in different directions, Billy and Sonia being the only ones that stay together. They start walking towards the castle-like mansion that is Sonia’s home, both smiling from the great time they just had.
“Man, that was fun!” Billy says out loud.
“I know. Great food, great games…”
“And no more drama!” Billy adds, punching the air rapidly in celebration and excitement.
“Which is good for everybody. It’s about time that all that drama ended. We can finally start to worry about just being kids and having fun again.”
The two smile at one another and finish their conversation, deciding to enjoy the walk to Sonia’s place in silence, their arms wrapped around one another. As they approach the Sosserone Estate a short while later, the door opens up and Alex pokes his head out.
“Bring me any food?” he asks with a chuckle.
“Sorry man, no doggie bags,” Billy replies with his own chuckle.
“I know, only teasing. Well, you two seem to have had fun. Good for you. Sonia, Mom says you gotta get started on your homework. She told me to come get you.”
“Alright. Let me say ‘good-night’ to Billy first.”
“Sure thing. Just don’t take too long.”
Alex pokes his head back inside the house and shuts the door, giving the young fox and platypus some privacy. The two look at one another and smile.
“Thanks for bringing me today.”
“Thanks for coming.”
“See you tomorrow?”
“You know it. Just try to watch how hard you pounce me tomorrow.”
“I’ll try,” Sonia says with a giggle. “Good night Billy.”
“Night Sonia.”
The two close their eyes and slowly and gently press their lips against one another, connecting in a soft, warm, and gentle embrace. After a few brief seconds, they let go of one another and head their separate ways, Billy heading home and Sonia heading inside. Billy’s walk home seems to pass quickly as only one thought keeps playing over and over in his head, and continues to play all through the rest of the night until he goes to bed and falls asleep.
It’s finally over! I can finally be happy!
EPILOGUE
In the next couple of weeks following the barbecue, Jen and Sonia quickly become great friends, almost like that one bad week never happened. Nobody ever mentioned it again, and they all moved on. Billy, as promised, starts coaching Geoff on becoming a better swimmer. He used techniques like lifting small weights to get toned, but not muscular, swimming more often, and even swimming with small weights on. Geoff quickly grows sick of the training, but he sticks with it when he sees that his 100 meter time nearly halves itself. However, despite his training, he doesn’t ever manage to pass Jen, Amber, Jerry, or Billy as a swimmer. The next year, the team goes undefeated and wins state championships, with Billy accepting the trophy via vote from the team. He, naturally, votes for Jen, the captain, to take the trophy, but the other four decide that the team’s strongest swimmer, Billy, should accept. As for Billy and Rodriguez’s secret friendship, it remains strong throughout all the years they spend in school together, nobody figuring out the secret unity. Their strong acting skills pay off, the two of them acting like they don’t like each other while in school, and when school is out, they act like true friends. Of course, they only act like true friends when there’s nobody around. Billy constantly chuckled at the fact of the friendship remaining secret so Rodriguez could keep his “bad boy” image at school. As far as other friendships go, Billy and Ethan/Nathan, the multiple fur wolf, remain good friends, despite Ethan having to crack down on him sometimes during school hours. Billy never pays it any mind. He knows that the wolf, during school hours, is a teacher’s aide, and has to take on responsibilities of a teacher while also trying to remain a student. As for the bunny siblings, Salt and Pepper, Billy does manage to make friends with the two of them, however he sees very little of them during their time in school. Billy did notice that he likes the black bunny Pepper a little more than the white Salt, although he never understands why. The gay wolf, Xerxes, continuously pesters Billy, trying to get in his pants at one point, but always failing. Regardless, Billy remains friends with the wolf, willing to overlook the many attempts on his body and focusing on the wolf’s better qualities, like being a sweet guy and one who’s a loyal friend. As for the rest of the school, Billy eventually becomes friends with most of the class. Some of the cubs can’t get past him being a platypus, and others just don’t get a chance to meet Billy.
Five years after the week that Billy and his friends refer to as “the lost week”, graduation day rolls in. Nobody ever thought the day would come, and they all are excited as the last few days of school roll by. The graduating furs all make sure to spend as much time as they can together during these next few days and over the summer, as they realize that once summer passes, nobody will really see each other until school reunions. To Jen’s disappointment, Billy and Sonia’s relationship stays strong, even to the day of graduation. However, she bears no ill will toward the happy couple, knowing that Billy’s happiness is just as important to her as her own. Edward graduates the class as Valedictorian, with Jerry as Salutatorian. However, due to Edward’s shyness, he asks Jerry to give his valedictorian speech for him, and Jerry gladly accepts the offer. With the speeches all given, the class celebrates, throwing their caps in the air and quickly dashing out of the school to go hang out with their various friends. That summer, Billy makes sure to spend plenty of time with his various circles of friends: Edward, Pokeinfo, Edna, Cynthia, Jenny, and Laura as one circle, Jen, Amber, Jerry, and Geoff as the second, Sonia, Alex, and Charlie as a third circle, and finally Rodriguez as the last circle. Billy enjoys a fun summer with all of his friends before moving out of state to go to college, all his friends, and Sonia, behind for a few years.
Through Billy’s six years of college, Billy and Sonia maintain a strong long-distance relationship, which is really the only thing keeping Billy going to school. Every break, he returns to Pouncefield to see his parents and, more importantly to Billy, Sonia, who finds a college to go to closer to Pouncefield. The two furs never became unfaithful of one another, neither one cheating or worrying that the other would cheat. The relationship stayed alive through tough times and easy times, and after six years, and a Master of Professional Accountancy in Billy’s paw, the two reunite back in Pouncefield. Billy, upon return, hugs Sonia before pulling out a small box and dropping to one-knee in front of her. She gleefully accepts, and the following year becomes Billy’s wife. Billy also, the year he graduates, shows his degree to his father Stephen, who chuckles silently to himself. The two start making plans to start the “Stephen and Son Accounting” firm. After two years of planning, and taking out a $75,000 loan, the two platypi accountants buy an office building, hire a staff of accountants, and slowly rise as one of the better firms in the county. A few weeks after Billy returns to Pouncefield, he finds that most of his friends have moved away due to work. Only Geoff and Amber still live in Pouncefield. Amber eventually gets over her fear of boys, but she is still looking for Mr. Right. She currently works as a secretary at the school. As for Geoff, he gets hired at the Pouncefield movie studio as a producer and camera operator. Jerry and Jen started dating two years after Billy started college, and moved away from Pouncefield together, but not too far. Jerry goes to college for and takes a job as physician. Jen skips college and gets a job working fast food while Jerry goes to college. She uses all of her paycheck to help Jerry through school, and also somewhat to help pay the bills. Billy regains contact with all four upon his return.
Two years after Billy and Sonia marry, they move out of Pouncefield and into a nearby small town, trying to settle down and raise their two newborn paternal twins, Richard Vincent Plats and Krystal Luna Plats. The family can afford the move due to the “Stephen and Son Accounting” firm growing very well in the first year it was formed, as well as a little help from Sonia’s parents. The firm takes a name-change after the first year however. It becomes the “Stephen and Billy Accounting” firm. Geoff and Amber remain in Pouncefield after Billy moves away, still keeping in touch with their friend. Amber, within two years of Billy and Sonia’s marriage, finds a nice fox boyfriend. She shares her story with him, and he takes it upon himself to burn her accursed chest. The two marry five years later, but unfortunately have no children. Geoff tries many relationships, but none survive more than three months, so he remains a bachelor for life, sleeping with a new girl every night. Sadly for him, however, he never finds the true happiness he thought he would have if he were able to have Jen as his girl, or even wife. Around this time, Jerry proposes to Jen, who gleefully accepts. Billy and Geoff help Jerry plan everything for the wedding while Sonia and Amber help Jen pick the dress and help Jerry pick flowers, a church, and a date. The two furs marry a year later, with Billy as best man. Jerry and Jen take a honeymoon to Tahiti for 3 months. When they return, they pick up their lives where they left off at. One year after Jen and Jerry marry, two couples have a baby at the same time. Jerry and Jen bring a baby girl into the world, who they name Judith. In a room down the hall from them, Billy and Sonia happily bring their third, a baby boy, into the world. They decide to name this child after his wonderful father, William Plats. He prefers to be called Will, as he finds “William” to be too old sounding. Both families live happily for a while to come.
Fourteen years later, both families have grown and are thriving very well. Jerry receives a promotion from resident doctor to senior physician at the hospital he works at. That night, he goes out with Geoff, Jen, and Amber to celebrate, only because he doesn’t have to be in the next day. He invites Billy, but Billy turns down the offer due to a client at work he is staying late for. The four partying furs all go out early and start drinking the night away, toasting Jerry every chance they can get. Jerry watches how much he drinks, though, because he realizes he has to drive home. After hours of partying and drinking, Jerry leaves his own party, tired from being up early in the morning that day. He leaves the bar and climbs in his car, turning it on and sitting there for a moment, his head swimming in the beers he drank all night. Billy, by this time, has finished with his client and is driving home, exhausted from a hard day’s work. He can’t wait to get home to his beloved wife and precious children. Jerry pulls out of the parking lot and turns down onto a road and starts driving. Along the way, he loses focus and his car swerves into the oncoming lane. Before he can regain control of the car, he collides into another car. Jerry receives a few bumps and bruises from hitting the steering wheel. He climbs out to check on the other driver, a male iguana. The other driver gets out of his car, fortunately unharmed, and starts to yell at Jerry. Jerry’s insurance pays for both cars, and Jerry loses his licence for a year. Billy drives by the wreckage as Jerry and the other driver check on each other. He stops to make sure both are fine. Jerry tells him they both are ok, and he sends Billy on his way. Billy continues down the road, but only for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes of driving, Billy comes to a stop-light, with his road having a green light and the intersecting road red. He starts to drive through the intersection when a car going 40 miles an hour plows into Billy’s car on the driver’s side. The driver, a male chimpanzee, breaks a few of his bones, but survives the crash. Billy, however, is not as fortunate. His car is imploded by the other car, and Billy’s body is ravaged by the twisting and breaking metal. He dies instantly from the wreck. The monkey gets tried and is found guilty of drinking while under the influence and involuntary fur-slaughter. He is sentenced to life in prison without parole. Three months after Billy’s untimely demise, Sonia, very bereaved by the loss of her husband, holds a funeral service in his honor. A lot of the furs Billy made friends with attend the funeral service and say their good-byes to their fallen friend. Edward, Laura, Pokeinfo, and Cynthia weren’t able to come, however, as the letters to them letting them know about the funeral got lost in the mail. Billy’s burial takes place in Pouncefield, at a graveyard on the outskirts of town, so everybody can visit it on occasion. His epitaph reads “Goodbye our friend. May you bring light to the afterlife like you have here on Earth”.
Today is the one-year anniversary of Billy’s demise. Coincidentally, it is also the 25-year school reunion for Billy and Sonia’s graduating class. Sonia, dressed in a beautiful purple dress, drives to the reunion, trying her hardest not to be sad or frown on this day.
Been a while since I seen Ed or any of them. Kinda hard to keep track of them when you don’t live in Pouncefield. I just hope I can get through this ok. Can’t believe this reunion was held on the same day as Billy’s murder…
Sonia sighs heavily to herself and shakes her head slightly, trying to cheer herself up so she can smile on this happy day. She pulls into the parking lot of the school. She gets out of her car, locks the doors, and heads for the gym where the party is being held.
Hard to believe it’s been 25 years since I last saw this place. I used to think I’d never get out.
Sonia enters the gym, and instantly recognizes all the faces of her old friends, but she is drawn to one in particular. She walks up to an orange-furred fox and taps him on his shoulder. He turns around and smiles at the sight he instantly sees.
“Sonia! It’s been a while!”
“Yes it has, Edward,” Sonia says with a smile.
“Too long in fact! How you been?”
“I’m doing ok. How about you?”
“I’m doing pretty well. I just got a promotion at work, so Laura and I are looking for new houses.”
“That’s good for you Edward,” the yellow-furred fox tells her orange-furred friend with a smile.
“Thank you. So how’s Billy?”
“…”
Edward gulps and wishes he hadn’t asked that question now. “Is… is something… wrong?”
“Billy… is dead…” Sonia reluctantly tells Edward.
“What?!? How?!? When?!?”
“It was a year ago. Billy was coming home from work, when a drunk driver plowed into his car at an intersection. The driver survived, but Billy didn’t. They put the driver in jail for life though.”
“Oh my god… I’m so sorry…” Edward says as he hugs his friend to try and condole the poor fox.
“Thank you Edward…”
“Did you two have any kids before he…?” Edward asks as he lets go of Sonia.
“Three. Two charming boys and a sweet girl. The boys really take after him. So strong and caring. Every time I look at them, I swear I see a piece of him inside.”
“A piece of who?” Pokeinfo asks as he walks up to Edward and Sonia and join the conversation.
“Billy…” Sonia answers.
“Oh yeah, we heard about that. We’re sorry for your loss,” Cynthia says. “Sorry we didn’t make to the funeral. We didn’t know when or where it was. I guess our letters got lost in the mail. We found out about it from a friend a week later.”
“It’s alright. Billy knows who his true friends are. I’m sure he didn’t mind that you couldn’t make it due to a flawed message delivery system. Anyway, yeah, our sons really remind me of Billy. Our daughter, though, is a chip of my old block. She takes after me so much.”
“You don’t mean she tries to yiff her brothers, do you?” Edward asks with a sigh, instantly remembering all the shenanigans that his sister pulled on him when they were both young cubs.
“Oh yes I do. It’s so cute. She chases them all day, and they always resist. I don’t know why though,” Sonia answers with a giggle.
“Man, there must be something in the water here that makes all the girls yiff-crazed for their brothers,” Pokeinfo says with a laugh.
“Actually, they weren’t born here in Pouncefield,” Sonia replies. “But yeah, she’s quite a little tease.”
“Who is a tease?” Jenny asks as she approaches her talking friends.
“My daughter,” Sonia answers. “So how have you all been?”
Everybody in the conversation answers with a “good” before asking Sonia the same question.
“That’s great. And I’m doing ok. Hey Ed, where’s Laura and Edna? I don’t see them around here anywhere?”
“Oh, Laura’s home sick. As for Edna, I have no idea. I haven’t seen her since we graduated and I went to college,” Edward answers.
“Oh, really? Bummer, I was kinda hoping to say hi to her…”
“Well, hi to you too,” Edna says as she walks up behind the yellow-furred fox and wraps her arms around her. “How are you?”
“Hey Edna! I’m doing fine. How about you?”
“I’m not too bad. I just finished shooting another movie,” Edna answers as she lets go of her friend.
“You’re an actress?”
“Yup. I just finished playing the role in a love story between a beautiful rich girl and an unattractive poor boy with the best personality ever. The title of the movie is still a work in progress though. It should be out in a few years.”
“That sounds like a great movie.”
“It should be. I had a blast shooting it.”
“That’s great.”
The group of furs stand around for the next hour and talk about their lives, their jobs, their families, and the things they miss about their childhoods. After that hour, the party starts to dissipate, and most of the furs have left the building. Sonia watches as a few leave, and realizes she needs to get home to her children. She turns back to her friends with a smile.
“Sorry to do this guys, but I have to run. I need to get home to my cubs. It was great to see you all again. Try to keep in touch, ok?”
“We will,” Edward answers for everybody. “You keep in touch too, ok?”
“Will do. Take care guys.”
Everybody says “bye” to Sonia as she leaves their conversation and the building. She walks to her car in silence, looking at the pale moon basking the school in its bright glow. She arrives at her car, unlocking the doors, and climbs in. She buckles up, starts the engine, and sits there for a moment, thinking of Billy and all the wonderful memories she has of him. A few tears escape her now saddening eyes before she wipes them away.
“God, I miss you so much, Billy…”
Sonia then takes the car out of park, puts it in drive, and drives away from the school. Thus ends the story of the one known as Billy Plats.