On our way home we drove past a house under construction. Minotaurs hauled rge bundles of wooden pnks over their shoulder, unloading from a ftbed truck. Off to the side, I saw a man swish a wand, cutting blocks and triangles out of the wood which one of those flower monsters fttened in their hands like cy. The oddest thing was a rge bed sized pte with several rolls of marker sized sticks piled up on it. It took four Oni to lift it off the truck, their muscles straining as they moved a few feet before slowly lowering it to the ground. All four stretched and took deep breaths like they just finished a workout. We drove too far but it did look like they were about to pick up the pte again.

  “Was that how they built our house?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off Mom’s fight.

  “Hmm…… originally, yeah.” Her thumbs rubbed the steering wheel. “But from what I’m told, they used the dollhouse method. Which isn’t a bad thing. That’s how they managed to make so many changes to our house .” It sounded like there was more she wanted to say but Mom didn’t voice it, keeping that to herself. Instead she looked away to focus on the road, not pursuing the topic.

  Leaving me with only one other question. “Why did you fight with Belle’s mom? She didn’t seem upset with me either…. Did you do something else that she didn’t like?” I decided to be frank about that one. And plus she was clearly pnning to dress Belle up in some dress that’s either too cute or even worse!

  Mom combed her fingers through her hair, interlocking locks of hair with her fingers. “We fought because she wanted to see how strong your parent is.” This only made me scrunch up my brow, why did she say it like that?

  “What do you mean by that?” I asked, looking at her like she might be someone pretending to be Mom.

  “It’s not really about me per say. It’s because you’re friends with her son.” She shrugged. “A few races like to test a person by their familial strength. By fighting me, she’s learning about you.” She expined.

  “Then what did she learn?” I pushed for more.

  “That you’re raised to act and handle situations accordingly. But she’ll probably challenge me for a while before she can be certain of you. Nothing dangerous, just games like chess, probably a few card games too….” She tapped the steering wheel a few times. “Might need to save some money…..” She whispered to herself. “But the good thing is, she’s happy with you. You even shared a hug. Well, with part of you…. So whatever you’re doing, keep it up.” She smiled at me but I could see an odd sparkle in her eyes.

  “Moooom…. What are you thinking?” I narrowed my eyes at her. “I’m not going to date anyone right now!”

  “Oh nothing, not that…..” She tried to dismiss my worries but my narrowed eyes turned into a gre. “Hey~! I’m not going to push things by speaking them into the world ok?” She said in a soft, we’re best friends voice.

  My gre faded back into narrowed eyes before looking away. “Fine. But keep your fantasies to yourself.” I huffed in mock grumpiness. In the corner of my eye, I could see she had a big smirk on her face. I only rolled my eyes as a smile crept across my face.

  Mothers.

  Once home I quickly tried to clear my head of that stuff but the worst thing happened beyond my control! There I was sitting at my computer and before I knew it, purring magically popped up in my search bar and the mouse moved all on its own! Is everything magical here?!

  BUUUUT, since it so happened to open a page, it couldn’t hurt to learn things…..

  Several beast kin purr…. Ok. some do it as a form of stress relief…… gotta be sure I don’t stress my friends out then. The vibrations it produces, bubbles internal mana that helps in healing…. Guess that makes sense? I could only shrug since mana also helped strengthen my body, so why not heal too? Hmmmmm. So it apparently releases pleasure and calming chemicals that double with their bubbled mana to rejuvenate their bodies?

  …….

  …

  Does purring make beast kin look younger?

  ……

  Ok… so that search turned up several yeses and one maybe.

  ‘Mana capacity is more correted to longer life spans. The more mana a race has the longer they tend to live. Examples of such races are the kitsune and Trents. Kitsune are repotably able to live eight hundred years, although folklore and myth say their goddess, the Red Lady lived for eight thousand before attaining godhood.’

  Scrolling down some more even showed a picture of a pink and blue geode with pink crystal lines forming several rings. This was followed by a carving of a red figure in a big poofy dress and pure white eyes. The dress had ten triangles cut into it while some white pilr covered the background, maybe a geyser?

  Alright…..right……….huh….. I slowly nodded my head before closing the page and moving to cue, staring at the bnk page. I should probably type my side of the project….

  ‘Having scales is different. I never knew having armor could’

  I froze, quickly remembering how I easily shrugged off that explosion. All those hurt people….

  ‘Having scales is weird. They’re not as soft or as springy like skin is, the orange ones being pretty hard and the yellow scales… Those feel more smooth and kinda rubbery underneath, almost like fat stretched skin on a thin body. Then there’s the shampoo. I use ones with scales in mind, supposed to clean and strengthen their surface but it’s a little waxy. Plus if I were to use one with mint in it I could irritate the skin underneath, sorta like having a rash under a cast. I suppose that’s just a few things being a dragon brings to my life. Living like one for’

  I stopped typing. Shaking my head. “Dragons don’t live forever. They die too.” I whispered to myself. I continued to type, ignoring what death might mean for someone like me.

  ‘Walking with what could be considered two knees is unique. Had to learn how to move, bance and those weird pads in my feet. Those are like balls of fat or cartige that form around the floor like cy. It makes what would be standing on your toes feel more like a whole new foot. Considering that my ankles and heels make up my legs now. It sucks that I can’t wear shoes either, I’ve had to step around a few wet messes. I’d rather not step in some gum and find out how my pads form around them with every step. Then there’s the cws, sure it’s interesting and maybe cool to have toe daggers but they cut through everything!’

  As I typed, I couldn’t help but feel a growing emptiness in my gut. I wasn’t hungry but I wasn’t full. I tried to ignore it but my back decided tap dancing needles needed to be added to the mix. Like a numb ache, it wandered across my body like some poorly choreographed musical. I kept ignoring it until I was near the bottom of the page. By which point I started feeling a wiggling sensation like worms pushing their way between my scales. I couldn’t handle it and shot out of my seat, making my chair slide away on its wheels while I thumped my way out into the hallway and right into Cole.

  “The hell!” He cried as he was tackled back, almost losing bance before he righted himself with a couple back steps.

  I rushed forward, hovering over him as I looked him over, hands ready to catch him if he fell. “Oh shit! Oh shit! Are you ok?! I didn’t mean to run into you!” My worried concern for him only seemed to paint anger into his eyes as she stared off down the hall.

  Before I could ask anything else, he cleared his throat. “Are you done?” He glowered at me while sounding like he was holding back a maelstrom of swear words.

  “I-” I lowered my cws and moved past him. “Sorry.”

  His eyes watched as I moved. Watching for some unknown threat to him from me. And my heart sank. I know he didn’t want to see me, even when I tried he looked ready to spit venom at me. I wanted to find the tiniest box so I could squeeze into and flush myself away.

  But I already gave up once and he disappeared. I couldn’t just give up again. I had a second chance, Belle was right. I had to keep going. I turned and looked at him. “I know, I probably annoy you but…. I want to try and be a better brother. If you give me a chance, even a tiny one, I promise to do good.” I said as I looked him in his narrowed eyes. I held my gaze for a moment longer before finally turning to leave. He probably won’t open up right away……… but, that’s ok.

  These things take time. J-just have to be patient……….try again…in a less anime situation…..

  As I walked down the hall, I heard him sigh which sparked embers inside me. My steps slowed as I half hoped.

  “It’s my fault…..” He said and I stopped. “Maybe…………………………….We. We could do something this saturday.” He pinly said, he sounded like he was being forced but the fact he was giving me a chance. And so soon?!

  I turned until my whole body faced him. He was looking off to the side at a cabinet. But I somehow teleported because I was half way down the hall and now he was right in front of me. The ember caught wind and grew into a bze. “YES! OF COURSE I WOULD-” I shouted, at an almost scream, only dialing it back when he stepped back. “I mean. Uh, yes. That would be nice. Thank you! Ehm! So um, heh, what do you want to do?” I nervously asked.

  “They-they uh…… there’s a fundraiser at Gatto’s Tail. food and that arcade i-is what I’m thinking…..” He said in a mix of shock and fear. That made me back up to give him some breathing room. I didn’t want to scare him off. Nope. py it cool.

  “Arcade? uh-yeah! That sounds good. Totally-” I continued and he cringed at me. “Right. Thank you.” I said as I slowly walked away, leaving him a confused face. Possibly questioning how weird I was being. Or creepy….. Hopefully not that.

  Did I just ruin my only chance?! A quick look revealed a brother with a narrowed look. Well he’s not saying anything so I can try better-to be better-a greater brother!

  Once I reached the end of the hall, I hid around the corner. There I shook my hands in the air as my wings fpped open. “Yes. Yes! YES!” I chanted while my wings fanned and stretched for the ceiling with my hands waving at the sky. “OH My GOD YES!” I couldn’t help but swing my tail with enough strength, it was making whooshing sounds. “Who’s luck’s turned around? Well I don’t know about you but mine’s jus-” I turned and saw Mom’s wide eyes watching me.

  I froze. I looked at her and she nodded, holding my gaze.

  I smiled as I took a wide step, almost fell over but got close enough. I quickly hugged her in my arms and wings as I swayed her side to side. She happily hugged me back while I added forehead kisses to my attack.

  “He just said we’ll go out!” My eyes popped open for a second.

  “Hehehe, he did, did he?” Mom teasingly asked, I could just hear her brows raising from her voice.

  “Cole, he wants to go out-together! I have a chance! Maybe we could get closer! Or find some common ground?” I quickly expined before letting my excitement take over again.

  Mom pulled back from the hug. She looked shocked, her mouth hung open so wide, I thought she had the hottest pepper ever. “Really?!” A single nod from me sent her into a bouncing spree which she then tackled me into a tight hug. She gave me a couple squeezes, paused and then gave me a third firmer one. “Then that means I can forget the simple fish and pull out the big beef!” She shouted before rushing the fridge.

  With narrowed eyes, Cole slowly inched away from the hallway's edge. Careful to not step on anything that could bring attention to him. He checked his phone as he slowly moved away. Adding a line to his personal notes

  ‘Observation and destination set. Possible interactions and reactions, top two is worry and the seer. The st might shed some truth on this. Possible interferences; bombing group showing up- not likely but not impossible, the drones might show up and protect- some possibility to highly probable. Might need to consider possible excuses. Could bring some extra eyes.’

  As he wrote these pns an odd cold air hit him. He paused at his mother’s mini study/ storage room, the door cracked open and something about the darkness inside was inviting. Like a mysteriously shaped gift, was it a bike, console or stupid gag? He looked in but found nothing weirder than a normal bookshelf and boxes. He closed the door and made his way to his room and turned on his PC.

  He looked at his screen, staring at his music editor. Looked over at a few games he hadn’t touched, the cases covered in a thin yer of dust. Looked almost like the ocean’s white snow with the specks within it. He picked them up, wiped them off with his sleeve and stared for a moment. There were so many songs he could use, parts to remix or even sample. But instead of pnning a future song or remix, he quietly slid them into his drawer and looked away.

  “Not while that monster parades around pying human.” He softly said.