Ty eagerly got up the next day, which was unusual considering it was a Monday… He hated school for numerous reasons. Between bullies, arrogant teachers and him having very few friends, life just wasn’t that great. But now it would be! He decided that he would use his powers carefully. He noticed that he can only do so much, and if he were to do something that would be traced back to him, he would surely be in trouble. Ty was positive that his powers couldn’t make a whole swat team disappear or use them to save him when he gets turned into swiss cheese by their bullets. Ty shook those thoughts from his head and began preparing for school. He did his usual routine by getting a shower, get dressed, grab a poptart and rush out the door to get to school on time. He figured his powers should be kept on the down low, as well as not to use them unless he deemed it necessary… Or if he wanted to have some fun here and there.
When he arrived at school, things seemed different now. Maybe it was the adrenaline rush flowing through him since he got his powers, or maybe it was the fact that he could now be top dog at school if he wanted to. Or maybe… It was this strange new guy by Ty’s locker. This guy was tall, tanned, and muscular. Upon closer inspection, Ty noticed his boldly handsome face and emerald green eyes. His hair was tied back in an odd pony tail that flayed out in the back, with a white bandana covering most of his head and hair. Ty didn’t know what to think of him, but this new guy sniffed and just walk away. Ty though he had some weird body odor thing going on, but he could’ve sworn that kid knew something.
Through out the day, Ty realized that this new guy was in every one of his classes. His name was Kai, which sure is a weird name for someone who didn’t look Asian, but it suited him nicely. Though wherever Ty sat, this Kai-character would sit as far away as possible. They day rolled by quickly, ending with gym as his last class. Kai also had gym with Ty, which wasn’t a surprise at this point. This Kai guy, despite his obvious prowess, seemed uninterested in sports. Instead, he sat on the side reading a book. He even got changed, which Ty thought was a waste of time. Ty was caught staring at Kai, but nobody even called him on it – which isn’t normal. Maybe it’s because this Kai guy was so strange, that people thought it was in the norm to look at him for long periods of time without being considered a fag or something.
Finally, the bell rings and the students pour out of the building as if it were on fire. Most of the guy’s don’t get changed after gym, leaving only a few boys in the locker room. The Kai guy comes in late, realizing that didn’t notice the bell because he was too into that book of his. This left just Ty and Kai alone in the locker room… Again, he is far away from Ty. Ty took the initiative to engage Kai, seeing how there was some sort of problem between them.
“Hey, what’s your problem?” Ty asked, noticing that his words of choice seemed like fighting words.
The boy kept himself turned away from Ty and kept changing, as if Ty didn’t even say anything. That’s when he noticed something strange… He didn’t know if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he could’ve sworn he seemed a strange ghostly figure extending from Kai’s back bone as he changed. A ghostly tiger tail, if you would. He looked back up at Kai and saw a ghostly outline of a strangely formed ear where his normal one was. By the time Ty was done analyzing what he was seeing, Kai was beginning to leave.
“What are… you?” Ty asked, this time afraid to receive an answer. Ty figured he was some sort of tiger thing. Even though this Kai-tiger-guy lacked body hair… You’d think a tiger would be hairier… Or furrier… Or whatever.
Kai turned towards Ty, his face contorted to fit a snarl that you would only find on a beast of some sort. He thrust Ty up against the lockers by his throat with little effort. Ty got a great glimpse of Kai’s teeth, which had some sort of ghostly outline, showing sharper ones you would find on a tiger.
“Leave me alone.” He growled in a hushed tone, dropping Ty and looking down upon him after he said it. “Your kind only brings my kind trouble. Just stay away and don’t expose me, or you’ll regret it.”
His glare cast over Ty, and what a menacing glare it was. Ty realized he could’ve used his powers at any time, but the truth was, he was scared out of his mind. Each word Kai said, his first words that Ty actually heard, were so cold and clear cut. Almost as if this happened to Kai before.
“W-what do you mean? I don’t know… Didn’t see… Uh… A-anythi…ng.” Ty murmured.
“Yeah. Right.” The tiger man curtly replied before leaving.
There were so many questions Ty wanted to ask this strange Tiger Man. Even stranger, this “Kai” seemed to know what Ty was… Ty knew that he had to talk to him again.