To the outside world, Morinomiya Academy is a regular boarding school with very strict entry requirements, but to a certain type of people it is a safe haven. It is a place where adults with a certain trait could leave their children with that same trait and know that those children would not be persecuted or ostracized while they received their education (and a pretty damn decent education at that). The Academy covered all grades, from kindergarten to graduation, and even had a daycare room for babies and toddlers (mostly used by the school’s teachers). It was a school for the children whose physical forms could change from a person to an animal.
It was a school for Shifters.
It was this school that Ryuuichi so nervously stood at the gates of, his two year old brother Kotarou in his arms. The orphaned Kashima brothers had been adopted by the Academy’s Chairman after the death of her son and his wife but they had little idea what kind of person the Chairman was. Not that the boys weren’t grateful either way; after their parents passed (ironically in the same incident as what killed the Chairman’s son), the only thing that held Ryuuichi together was that his brother needed him now more than ever.
Besides, this person did open a school strictly for the protection of Shifter kids, so she couldn’t be too bad.
However, it wasn’t the mystery of the Chairman that had Ryuuichi hesitating at the door, it was whether or not she’d keep them when she found out Ryuuichi was Shiftless.
For the unknowing, being Shiftless does not mean Ryuuichi was born unable to change his form (as long as you had at least one Shifter parent, you were definitely a Shifter), but became psychologically incapable of changing. Occasionally, when a child begins figuring out how to Shift, its parents freak out and deal the child enough harm that Shifting becomes an incredibly painful process. Very few have ever overcome being Shiftless. Ryuuichi didn’t even know what creature he would have Shifted into, only that it had very large claws.
Shiftless tended to fall into a kind of limbo between non-Shifters and Shifters and generally weren’t accepted by either side. It’s ridiculous, stupid, and baseless, but that’s prejudice for you.
Ryuuichi knows that his parents only wanted for him to not have to deal with the distress of being a Shifter throughout his life, but in his most private thoughts he feels just a little bit of resentment towards them for denying that part of him. He’ll always be grateful that they could never do the same thing to Kotarou now.
Kotarou was just beginning to figure out Shifting and every now and again Ryuuichi saw little tiger stripes crawl across chubby cheeks. The two year old would fit right in at Morinomiya, even if Ryuuichi couldn’t stay, but the teen wasn’t sure he could make himself leave Kotarou behind.
Of course, standing here worrying about it wasn’t going to help anything, so Ryuuichi took a deep breath and started moving through the extensive campus. A map had been mailed to him, which he promptly colour-coded different pathways (to the daycare, to the high school building, to the library, from the gate, from the Chairman’s house), and it was proving to be quite useful. The Chairman’s house was just a little ways behind the teachers’ quarters on the leftmost side of the campus.
The house was decent size and seemed tastefully designed (not that Ryuuichi knew that much about housing designs) and when he knocked, the door was answered by a blond, bespectacled man who could only be described as a butler. It was the same man, Saikawa, who first approached the brothers on behalf of the Chairman. He was a tad reserved, but he seemed to be kind. Saikawa showed the two to the study where the Chariman awaited them.
The Chairman promptly told them that they were late.
She properly introduced herself as Morinomiya Youko for which the school was named. She was an elderly but spirited woman with a severe face and a multitude of fluffy white hair. She already knew the boy’s names, the fact that Ryuuichi had almost singlehandedly taken care of Kotarou for most of his life (their parents had been rather carefree), and had made the proper arrangements for Ryuuichi to be transferred into the appropriate year and classes while Kotarou was looked after in the day care room until the day was done. Just as she was about to dismiss the pair Ryuuichi interjected.
“I, um, I think you should know that, er, that I’m- that I can’t-” The Chairman looked him up and down before sighing.
“Shiftless, is it? That’s a right pity.” At Ryuuichi’s rather shocked expression she continued. “I’ve seen a lot of Shiftless in my time, more than I’m comfortable with. They’ve all got this look about them, like they’ve lost something incredibly important but can’t remember what it is. I don’t reckon many of students here have ever seen a Shiftless before, let alone enough to recognize the signs.” Her voice, which had softened, turned stern again. “Well, the other students will either get to know you, or they won’t, but there will be no bullying in my school. Now, those who don’t work don’t eat. Saikawa! Show the boys to the day care room and explain Ryuuichi’s side job.”
The two brothers were then guided to the day care room as Saikawa explained that, as Ryuuichi was both capable of minding toddlers and would be emotionally invested in the goings-on of the daycare room due to Kotarou’s presence there, it had been decided that Ryuuichi would help out at the daycare room before and after classes and during his lunch hour. The boy latched on to this idea, grateful that he can help repay the kindness that had been bestowed on himself and his brother.
Ryuuichi also took the time to learn about his new guardian. Did the Chairman have grandchildren? No, her late son and daughter-in-law were her only family. Was she a Shifter? Yes, a sheep, but she didn’t Shift that much anymore due to her age. Could Saikawa-san Shift? Yes, into a golden retriever. How long had Saikawa-san known the Chairman? Since the Academy first opened. Saikawa was an orphan who enrolled as an older student, and when he graduated he stayed on as an assistant to the Chairman who at the time had been one of five teachers in the whole school. He’d been working for her ever since.
By this time, they arrived at the day care room and after ensuring that Ryuuichi knew the parameters of his task, Saikawa left the pair to introduce themselves to the current occupants.
The kids had so much energy they were practically a miniature hurricane. Of the five of them, most were Kotarou’s age, the fifth one being a baby girl which Ryuuichi judged to be about six to twelve months. They all stopped playing when the Kashima brothers walked through the door, and when Ryuuichi asked who the teacher was, they unanimously jumped on…
A sloth.
The sloth flailed a bit under the attack before Shifting into a blond, twenty-something man who introduced himself as Usaida. Usaida explained that Ryuuichi was going to be a life saver as the blond was too busy looking after the baby to properly play with the older children.
Ryuuichi couldn’t help but think but you were asleep just now. You were definitely asleep.
So the blond turned to the kids and explained the ‘Ryuu-chan’ was going to come play with them from now on, so they should say hello. At which they started talking all at once. There was Taka, who started roughhousing with anything that moved, toy sword in his hand; Kirin, who fancied herself a grownup young lady; and the twins, Kazuma who cried his eyes out and Takuma who laughed just as much. Usaida introduced the baby as Midori.
Ryuuichi briefly worried that Kotarou, who was so quiet, might not get along with the rambunctious group, but these worries were put to rest when Kirin and Taka started to butt heads over who got to play with Kotarou first. As Ryuuichi played with the group, he noticed the beginnings of some Shifting happen; Taka occasionally sprouted feathers, Kirin’s neck would extend and retract, either one of the twins could let out a sound that could only be described as a howl. Midori hadn’t displayed any signs of animalistic behavior, but she wasn’t expected to for at least another six months or so.
As the afternoon wore on, classes finished and teachers came to collect their children. First to go were the twins; Mamizuka-sensei taught gym class, their father Kousuke was a non-Shifting actor. Then Kirin; Kumatsuka-sensei was in charge of the drama department with the help of her husband. And next was Midori; Sawatari-sensei was the only non-Shifting teacher at the school, while her Shifter husband worked overseas; her class was about successful relations between Shifters and non-Shifters.
After Midori was picked up, Usaida too left for home, saying ‘the cheapskate old hag wouldn’t fork out for overtime pay, no matter much begging happened’.
Ryuuichi was reading a book to Kotarou and Taka when the door banged opened to reveal a boy about a head taller than Ryuuichi and broader too. The ease with which he yelled for Taka to get moving before he even noticed Ryuuichi was there spoke of a long history of picking Taka up from places. Then he noticed Ryuuichi.
“Who are you?” Ryuuichi hastily introduced himself and his brother before explaining that starting tomorrow he would be attending the high school here. “Class 2C, huh? That’s my class; Kamitani Hayato. I’m here for my brother. C’mon Taka!”
This guy is my age?!
At this point Taka exclaimed that he didn’t want to leave yet, he wanted to stay and play with ‘Ryuu-nii’, until he was more or less silenced by a thump to the head from his big brother. In the middle of being (hysterically) reprimanded by Ryuuichi, the taller boy hefted a wailing Taka up under his arm and shrugged. “Hitting him is the only way to make this idiot listen. Our mom is usually busy late so I’ll probably be picking him up a lot. See you tomorrow.” And out the door they went.
When Ryuuichi finally met Kamitani-sensei, he would instantly see where both her boys got their genes and learn that she ran the advanced homeroom classes.
After the Kamitani brothers left, Ryuuichi finished reading the book to Kotarou and then took him back to the Chairman’s house. Saikawa made dinner for all of them (correction: Saikawa made a feast) and then it was finally bed time. Ryuuichi bathed and dressed Kotarou in his pajamas, tucked him under the covers, read him his favourite bed time story, and promised to keep the adjoining door between their rooms open. After that Ryuuichi got himself ready for bed.
Except he couldn’t get to sleep.
He tossed and turned, tried counting sheep, all the normal tricks but it just wasn’t happening. Eventually he figured maybe a glass of milk would help and he quietly snuck out of his room, up the hall and down the stairs. Upon finding the kitchen and going through the almost automatic motions of pouring milk, the boy found himself thinking back on his day. He’d met a lot of people, most of them happy families. He had always thought it was funny that in some families all the members looked liked each other.
Like how the twins both had blond curly locks just like their mom and the same blue eyes as their dad. Like how Kirin’s hair was pitch black and completely straight exactly like her mother’s but had all her father’s facial features. Taka had the same dark spiky hair and narrow eyes as his brother and would undoubtedly grow up to be just like him. Like how Midori’s bangs flipped just a little to the left just like her mother’s and they had the exact same smile.
Ryuuichi let out chuckle thinking about it. Then there were families like his own where nobody looked alike; Kotarou’s hair was a different blond than their father’s and his eyes a darker brown than their mother’s while Ryuuichi managed to skip a generation altogether and pull the red hair and green eyes straight from his maternal grandparents. He could almost hear them now, laughing and ruffling his hair and calling him their little Xmas elf-
A tear hit the tabletop.
Ryuuichi realized he was leaning over the counter with tears streaming down his face. They weren’t ever coming back.
“Ah, you finally cried.” Ryuuichi jerked around to see the Chairman standing in the doorway. “Guess it can’t be helped since you’re such an awkward brat. At the memorial, the only ones who didn’t cry were us two. Even your brother shed a few tears, though I don’t think he really understood why.” She pulled a box of tissues from the cabinet for Ryuuichi and sat down next to him. “The dead aren’t going to come back,” she said as she patted his head. “The most we can do, as those left behind, is believe that they are happy wherever they are and continue to move forward, knowing that’s what they would have wanted.” Even though her voice held so much sadness in it, she had the strength to smile at this little lost boy. As Ryuuichi leaned into her shoulder and her arms wrapped around him, he couldn’t help but think of who she reminded him of.
“Thank you… Grandma.”
*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*
The next morning dawned bright and clear and Ryuuichi felt quite well-rested despite his initial trouble falling asleep. He got Kotarou out of bed and helped him get dressed before they headed downstairs to breakfast, courtesy of Saikawa. The blond had also prepared lunches for the two.
Ryuuichi was beginning to think that Saikawa just did everything.
Grandma reminded him that his classes began at eight o’clock sharp, and being late or unprepared was not an option. He thanked her and double checked that he had everything he would need (a blank notebook for every class, a small case full of pencils and three different colour pens, two erasers, whiteout, emergency umbrella, his wallet with his student ID, and a picture book for Kotarou).
The redhead walked his little brother to the day care room (Usaida was already there with Taka and Karin) and helped put his lunch and his coat in the cubby with his name on it (that hadn’t been there last night, had it?). He stayed and played with the kids and greeted the remaining ones as they showed up.
When it came time for Ryuuichi to get to class, he gathered his things and promised to come back for lunchtime. He made Kirin and Taka promise not to fight too much because Kotarou will play with everyone (Usaida looked at him with something akin to wonder when they agreed), gave Kotarou his book, tickled Takuma’s tummy, wiped away some of Kazuma’s tears, and patted Midori’s head. Then he was gone.
Standing outside his classroom, the same nerves as yesterday seeped into his gut. It was completely irrational to be afraid of his classmates; they all know how painful it is to be discriminated against for something that isn’t your fault.
Except some people see non-Shifters and the Shiftless as the same thing.
The Shiftless are very often caught in the middle in feuds between Shifters and non-Shifters. On the one hand, some Shifters believe the Shiftless don’t understand what it’s like to have to hide a part of who you are just to walk down the street. On the other hand, many non-Shifters feel betrayed when they find out that a person they thought was a non-Shifter was actually Shiftless. It’s a lose-lose situation.
Ryuuichi shook these thoughts out of his head. He’d wait for them to get to know him first, before he told them. Then they’d see that it wasn’t that big of a deal. That Ryuuichi wasn’t that different.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. The teacher introduced him to the class, asked that everyone made he feel welcome, and showed him to his seat. “The seats are sorted alphabetically, so you’ll be sitting next to Kamitani. Kamitani, raise your hand!”
Oh. That’s right, Kamitani is also in this class. The tall boy lazily raised his hand and Ryuuichi scuttled down the aisle to the vacant desk indicated. He should’ve known they’d be near each other, seating arrangements are always alphabetical by default (Kamitani. Kashima. How did he not notice that?). Ryuuichi tried to shake off his nerves, he didn’t know anything about Kamitani, just that that he was huge (and intimidating) and had a toddler for a brother (whom he thumped in the head without warning or remorse).
Ryuuichi really needed to think about something else now.
Except that he found his thoughts always circling back to the boy beside him. It was like the more he tried not to think about the brunette, the more hyper-aware of him Ryuuichi became. Every little movement held the redhead’s attention, and he was beginning to feel like some kind of creeper when he picked up on things like how Kamitani’s eyebrows furrowed whenever the teacher had to reprimand somebody for not paying attention (Uchimaru, you put that tail away right now!) or that he always sighed through his nose before he wrote down any notes.
Shortly before lunch, Ryuuichi (stubbornly refusing to look even remotely to his right at this point) heard somebody slip a folded paper onto his desk. He picked it up and looked around, waiting for somebody to indicate that they sent/are to receive the note. Seeing nothing, Ryuuichi decided to assume it was meant for him and opened it.
You’ve been staring at me all morning
-K
Ryuuichi felt a flush creep up over his face. How is it that the redhead could pick out all the little things about Kamitani (how thin his lips are, how straight his nose is) and not notice Kamitani noticing. He hastily returned an apology note, peeking out the corner of his eye as the stoic brunette flipped it open. A minute later, the paper was back on his desk.
I didn’t mind, I just didn’t know if you were actually looking at me or just into space in my direction.
Ryuuichi blinked at the note. So even if he was actually staring at Kamitani (which he was), the brunette didn’t mind? What does that mean? Did Kamitani just not care? He glanced over at the teen in question, to find dark eyes looking sidelong at him. The corner of Kamitani’s mouth quirked up in a little smile and Ryuuichi found himself blushing for a whole new reason.
He was saved from having to formulate a response by the lunch bell.
Grabbing his lunch, Ryuuichi headed out to the daycare room after shaking off a number of invites from classmates. Needless to say the kids were ecstatic that ‘Ryuu-nii’ had come back to play with them some more and they attempted to tackle him on sight. It was times like this that Ryuuichi was mildly grateful for an odd strength of his that seemed impossible for a person his size. He figured whatever creature he would have Shifted into, it was powerful.
Ryuuichi entertained the toddlers for an hour while they ate their lunch and gave Midori a bottle (Usaida had returned to sloth mode and was asleep). Keeping up with the bunch also kept the redhead from thinking too much about Kamitani. He knew that he needed to sort out his mind, if only so that he wouldn’t stutter like an idiot next time he saw the other teen, but he couldn’t do so without blushing (and then all the kids started asking if he had a fever).
Of course, all good things come to an end and lunchtime distractions were no exception. Ryuuichi found himself lamenting having wasted his time when he found Kamitani waiting for him outside the classroom. The brunette explained that he had been volun-told to teach Ryuuichi about the gym class set up. The look in his eyes said he didn’t need much persuading.
The redhead decided to ignore that look and focus solely on the information coming his way. Gym class combined two homeroom classes and split them into three groups based on what animal you Shifted into. There was a group for fliers and climbers, for swimmers, and for runners and burrowers. Since some animals could fit into a couple different categories, Ryuuichi needed to talk to Mrs. Mamizuka and they both would figure out which group he would fit in.
Kamitani stopped talking to ask if the redhead was feeling okay; he had turned very pale.
Ryuuichi pitched a laughed that sounded much too high to his own ears and tried to brush off the brunette’s concern, saying that he should probably get a move on to find Mrs. Mamizuka. He bolted.
As the Shiftless teen made his way toward the staff room, he was mentally panicking. Was Mamizuka-sensei going to out him as Shiftless to the class? Did Mamizuka-sensei even know he was Shiftless? How did they expect him to keep up with any of the gym class groups?
By the time he knocked on the door, he was close to hyperventilating.
He was invited in and directed to Mamizuka-sensei’s desk where she promptly told him something that made him feel like an idiot for worrying.
“Ah, Kashima-kun, you’re here. Now, the Chairman always had a special little program worked out just in case we ever got a student with your condition, but you’re the first to ever try it, so let me know if we need to tweak it a little.”