Disclaimer: I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. Only the nameless people are mine.
Chapter One- The Anger Within
It was another fine clear day at Duel Academy where the lines drawn between the students were clear to everyone. However, even students of different dorms could still be friends. It was something that Chazz Princeton vaguely noticed before he left the school and it became even more noticeable when he transferred back to the school. Especially since he was placed in the Slifer Red dorm. In his first class back at the Academy, he tried to approach the Obelisk boys he had hung out with before leaving, but they turned away from him and ignored him.
Chazz sat with the other Slifers, fuming. Just because I left the school, came back, and am now in Slifer, they treat me like trash. Well, who needs them? I know Obelisks who are better than them: Zane and Alexis. Chazz continued to silently rage about his former dorm throughout class and was still fuming as class ended and everyone filed out. He went the rest of the day in a foul mood and a scowl on his face. The majority of the students kept their distance from him; only Jaden and Syrus dared to talk to him.
“You okay?” Syrus asked softly.
“I’m fine,” he snapped harshly, making Syrus flinch back. “Oh, grow a spine,” he added.
“Cheer up,” Jaden chirped. “Everything will work out.”
“Gee, thanks,” Chazz said sarcastically as he got up and started for the exit.
“Hey, no problem!”
“I was being sarcastic, Slacker,” Chazz shot back as he stormed out the door and into the woods. He snarled to himself as he went deeper into the forest, the tress blocking out the glowing sunset. He was a great duelist even thought he was in a dorm that was looked down on for any number of reasons. He would prefer to be back in Obelisk, but because of the Academy’s transfer procedures, he had to start at Slifer and work his way up.
Those Obelisk jerks, he rage silently. They dare to snub me! I swear they will be sorry for doing that! “I’ll get even somehow,” he muttered as he kept walking.
Then, he stopped short. He thought he heard movement nearby. He turned in a circle, trying to determine the source. It was difficult as the sun had set and the darkness grew darker around him. He continued to squint around. “Who’s there?” he finally said. There was no response and he was about to call again when he felt a blow against the back of his head. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
The feel of cold stone beneath him told him that he was indoors. A murmur of voices reached his ears as he slowly opened his eyes. He was lying in a pool of moonlight but everything else was in darkness. He tried to sit up, but found himself chained to the floor. Manacles were attached to his wrists and ankles. He could get into a hands and knees position but all other movement was restricted. “Hey, what’s going on? I expect an answer!” he yelled.
“You are an angry one, aren’t you? Excellent,” a mild voice replied.
“You would be too if you were attacked from behind.”
“We had to be sure you harbored a good deal of anger and hate within you in order for the ritual to succeed.”
“Ritual? What ritual?”
“We desire a fierce protector and only an angry person will do.”
Chazz began to yank at his chains. I don’t know exactly what kind of protector they’re after, but it’s not going to be me! He yanked harder, but they didn’t give in the least. He kept trying, growling in frustration.
“Relax, young man. You should feel honored to be chosen for this ritual.”
“In your dreams,” he snapped.
“No, in your dreams. I heard you earlier swearing to get even with someone. This is how you will get back at those who wronged you and in return, you will protect us.”
Chazz ceased his struggling and thought of getting revenge on those snobs. He nodded slowly. “Yeah…I want to get even.”p> “Then, let us proceed.” The owner of the mild voice entered the moonlight to reveal that he was robed and hooded. He draped something over Chazz’s head before retreating. He looked down to see a gold chain with a charm shaped like a wolf’s head with two tiny red jewels for eyes; for some inexplicable reason, he felt intense anger inside him just from looking at it.
The people in the darkness began to chant and the charm began to glow black and the jewels flared bright red. He gasped in pain and watched in shock and horror as the pendent was actually sinking into his body. The glow of the pendent spread to outline his body in black as the last of it went into him. The intense anger he had felt earlier came back, but it was more intense; it felt like raw, primal, feral anger.
The chanting grew louder and faster. He gasped as a burning sensation was felt in his stomach and heart. He bent his head and looked at his hands. His eyes went wide: He was growing sharp claws on his fingertips and his fingers were shrinking away while black fur sprouted on the backs of his hands. The fur spread up, his clothes becoming fur as well. He felt the fur race over his head and body as well as an itchy feeling in his feet that made him think that his feet were becoming paws, too. A shooting pain along his spine and at the base of it convinced him that he couldn’t stand erect and had just sprouted a tail.
His ears, nose, and jaws itched as they became pointed ears and a muzzle of sharp teeth respectively. His ears went to the top of his head while his eyes became glowing red ones before his body and muscles enlarged, causing the manacles to break. He felt a red haze of anger blanket his mind as he howled angrily to the full moon above.
“Yes!” the mild voice cried. “The ritual worked and we have a werewolf protector!” A murmur of reverence ran through the circle of six people.
Chazz silently took in the words and he looked down at his paws, flexing them. He knew he accepted being their protector in exchange for getting even with his ex-friends, but the feral anger within him made him realize that he didn’t have to listen to anyone. He was a vicious werewolf and could do whatever he wanted. And I feel like killing these people.
He growled softly as he padded to the man with the mild voice. The man leaned forward and scratched Chazz’s chin. Chazz liked the feeling and savored it for a moment before jerking away, leaping up, latching his jaws onto the throat, and ripped it away. There was a collective gasp of horror before they began to scream and try to escape. Their screams sent a thrill and a killing frenzy through Chazz and he pursued his prey, pouncing on them and effectively killing each one before going after the next one. He stood in the chamber several minutes later, surrounded by corpses and feeling highly satisfied. He gave another loud howl that was full of joy before sprinting out of the chamber, up a corridor, and outside. He glanced back to see the abandoned dorm. Figures, he thought. He continued to run until he had put a lot of distance between him and the dorm.
He stopped at last, panting and the realization of what he had become and had done hit him hard. Oh, man. I’m a werewolf and I just killed those people! His red eyes flared and his anger rose up. Yeah, I killed them. They were foolish to think that a werewolf could be a protector. I am not a protector of humans. I kill them or turn them into werewolves, whichever I decided or feel at the moment. And right now, I feel like hunting, he thought as his stomach growled. He figured he burned a lot of calories and energy during his transformation and killing spree. He stalked into the heart of the forest to hunt for food.
Chapter Two- Learning
Chazz returned to his private room shortly after dawn, stripped, and took a shower. He had felt dirty and the sight of dry blood on his hands didn’t help matters. He stood under the warm water, thinking that he would be changing tonight and tomorrow night. I wonder if I’ll feel angry again and if I do, will I be able to control it eventually? It’s cool becoming a wolf, but it I’m angry every time, I’ll learn to dread the full moon. Well, I’ll find out tonight.
Chazz went to breakfast, feeling better than last night, but still annoyed with the low standards that other Slifers considered normal. I can control my sleeping arrangements, but when it comes to food, I either eat it or starve. Well, as I’ll be changing tonight, I’ll eat it. He dug into his food and finished it- barely. He recalled his catch last night and guessed that he had eaten enough to fuel his change to human and then some. Heh, interesting. I’ll be learning a lot about being a werewolf over the next two days and nights.
Jaden and Syrus noticed that Chazz seemed less irritable than he had yesterday. He had a preoccupied expression on his face and clearly had something on his mind. He didn’t complain about the lunch like he did since he came to Slifer. Okay, something’s up. I mean, I thought Chazz liked to complain. “Earth to Chazz. Hello?” he called, waving a hand in front of the boy’s face.
Chazz blinked and glared at Jaden. “Do you mind? I was thinking,” he snapped.
“There’s the Chazz I know!”
“Are you always this perky?”
“Yup!”
Chazz grimaced. Swell, I’m in a dorm with a perky guy and a short boy who’s got low self-esteem and no spine. In fact, Slifer seems to be full of freaks. Oh, wait. I’m a freak too because I’m a werewolf.
He returned to class and focused on the lectures. At last, classes ended and as he stood from his seat and faced the back of the class, he saw the Obelisks, sans Alexis, sneering at him as they left. He scowled at their actions and gave a low wolf-like growl that he cut short when he heard it. His scowl melted into a stunned expression and his fingers strayed to his throat. Whoa, I can wolf sounds when in human form. Weird.
Chazz thought about his impromptu growl as he headed to dinner. It was definitely an angry growl as opposed to a threatening or loving one though how he knew that, he wasn’t sure. Maybe it’s the part of my mind that’s wolf when I change. If not, I’ll learn tonight how I knew. He sat down to dinner and surprised himself and everyone else when he ate two helpings of everything. He ignored them as he knew he needed the food to fuel his change tonight and focus on his abilities and thoughts. Once done, he left the cafeteria, turning in the direction of his room before sneaking around the back of the dorm and into the forest.
He skirted the edge, watching the sky until the sun was just a sliver on the horizon. He ducked back and started searching for a clearing where the moon could shine on him. He wasn’t sure if it was the moonlight that changed him or if it was just the rising of the moon. I think I’ll test that tomorrow. He found a clearing and stood there, waiting for the moon. His wait wasn’t long; as the moonlight started creeping into the area, Chazz crouched on the ground, his hands planted in front of him. He was soon bathed in moonlight and that was when the burning and primal anger resurfaced. He growled angrily as he shifted into werewolf form, letting out an angry howl as it completed itself. He blinked and shook himself, the anger fading but still near the surface. I’m not as angry as I was last night, but I still feel it. It is feral and primal; very deep and intense. I wonder if I’ll always feel angry when I change. I could be as my anger had to be clear in order for the ritual to work. Well, as long as I’m not already angry when I change, I’ll be fine.
He lifted his head and inhaled deeply; now that he was satisfied with his emotions, he was ready to play with his senses. He closed his eyes to concentrate on his nose. Incredible! I always knew that canines have a better sense of smell than humans, but I had no idea it was this good! I can smell just about everything in the forest that’s nearby. A light breeze sprang up, ruffling his fur and his ears turned toward the breeze and picked up lots of different sounds, some he wouldn’t have heard in human form. Amazing. I remember thinking that being a werewolf is cool and I was right. I love this! Chazz howled happily at the moon and felt an urge to dance about; he decided to indulge and pranced around for a bit before breaking into a run and plunging into the woods, leaping over logs and bushes that were in his way. His ears picked up the sound of water and ran toward it. He arrived at a river with a waterfall at one end.
He lapped up some water and as he licked his muzzle, he happened to look down and blinked in surprise: His eyes weren’t red and glowing; they were normal gold wolf eyes! Maybe my eyes are red when angry, faced with humans, or perhaps both. I don’t notice any difference; I see everything with their proper colors. I probably look scary with red eyes and intimidating with gold eyes. His mind’s eye showed him a black wolf with glowing red eyes. He shook his head to dispel the image. Yeah, definitely scary. I prefer the gold eyes. Chazz then yawned and curled up beside the river fast asleep; exploring his senses and his long run not to mention being awake all day tired him out.
Chazz repeated yesterday morning’s procedure the following morning and felt a whole lot better today, not even his meager breakfast could dampen his good mood. The other Slifers exchanged bewildered looks; Chazz never was this happy about anything!
“Hey, Chazz. You seem happy today,” Jaden commented as they headed to class.
“Well, it is Friday,” Chazz said. “And I found a new hobby and it makes me feel good.”
“Really? What is it?”
“Running. It’s something I can do alone and it gives me time to really think.”
“Running, huh? Yeah, I’ve heard exercise is a good mood-booster.”
“It certainly is.” Chazz couldn’t deny that his running and exploring his senses had left him with a good feeling that, if he still had it tonight, was going to be released in a joyous howl. And since it’ll be the weekend, I can stay awake as long as I like and sleep as long as I want. Oh, tonight is going to be great!
Jaden watched Chazz walk ahead of him. Chazz’s mood had changed dramatically over the last two days. First, he had been grouchy and angry, yesterday he had been irritable and preoccupied, and today he’s actually happy. Could Chazz’s new hobby really be the cause of his happy mood? He said he likes running and agreed when I said exercise is a mood-booster. Hey, if running produces a new and improved Chazz, I’m certainly not going to knock it.
Chazz’s good mood persisted all day. Not even the sneers of first year Obelisk boys could ruin it. He looked forward to changing again. He had tested his nose and ears last night; tonight his wanted to pay attention to his eyes and the strength of his body. He consumed tow helpings of dinner and casually headed for the forest. He took his time as he walked. He wanted to see if he changed without standing in the moonlight. He watched the forest grow darker and the lighter, but not because of the moon. I have night vision; just like a wolf! Does that mean-?
Chazz fell to his hands and knees as the familiar burning and anger flooded through him. He growled angrily and delivered his angry howl skyward before the anger faded. Well, it seems I don’t need moonlight to change. That’s great! Chazz threw back his head and let out a joyous, happy howl to communicate his happy mood. Hmm, can I still talk or can I only make wolf sounds?
“Heh, if only my former dorm mates could see me now, they’d either be scared or impressed.” He grinned a wolf’s grin. “Well, I can still talk. Now, let’s work on my eyes and strength.”
He ventured into the heart of the forest as he did the first night, only this was to find out how well he could see instead of hunting. His surroundings grew darker as he walked, but he could see perfectly…until it grew too dark for even his night vision. He paused to see if his eyes would adjust; they didn’t. He turned around and headed back the way he came. I guess as a werewolf, I have limitations to my sight. He felt his large muscles rippling as he moved, delighting in the feeling and the feel of the ground under his paws. He sensed great power throughout his body and that same sense of power flowed to his head. I’m strong and powerful in this form, but maybe I’ll be strong and powerful in my human form while I wait for the next full moon. It just makes sense that my human form will improve in between moons. The scent of a rabbit floated up to him and he decided to indulge in hunting and eating that rabbit. It’ll also give me an opportunity to test my strength, he thought as he tracked his prey.
Chapter Three- Signs
Chazz sped after the rabbit, experiencing the thrill of the hunt. The rabbit was fast, but Chazz with his longer legs, larger muscles, and bigger size had no problem keeping up. He could catch his prey at any time, but was content to see more of what his body could do. His claws were extended to provide added traction, he inhaled through his nose to keep his pace, and his eyes were locked firmly on his target. He soon got tired of chasing and decided to move on to catching and killing.
His back legs coiled while his front legs pushed off the ground, resulting in his back legs also pushing off. He sailed through the air, claws and teeth bared. His claws raked the rabbit’s back while his teeth latched onto the neck and bit down hard, killing his prey instantly. He released it before settling down with his front paws on either side of his kill. He growled in satisfaction as he started ripping into his food. I vaguely remember hunting my first night. I don’t remember what I ate, but I don’t think it was rabbit; possibly a squirrel. Anyway, that was a thrilling chase. The speed, the way my legs moved, the killing bite. There is just nothing else like it. I loved every second of it!
Chazz ate as much of his food as he could, licked his muzzle and paws clean, and then sniffed around to see if there were any other wolves around, werewolf or ordinary wolves. He smelled no one in his immediate vicinity and began to search the forest. He searched at least half before deciding to sleep. So far, I’m the only wolf on the island. Fine with me; that means all the animals in the forest are mine. He closed his eyes, sighed softly, and was soon asleep.
Chazz woke up late the next morning and missed breakfast but he wasn’t concerned; last night’s kill had been made late in the night so missing a meal wasn’t a problem. He kept to himself all weekend except for mealtimes and thought about the last three days. It’s been some three days. I went from a duelist to a werewolf duelist. The thing is, I love being a werewolf. I’m stronger, faster, and have enhanced senses. I no longer care what dorm I’m in; actually being in Slifer is convenient due to its close proximity to the woods.
A week and a half passed since the full moon and Chazz began to notice some hint of his dual nature starting to surface. He had woken up one morning to find that his nails had gotten longer and bore a slight resemblance to claws. His toenails, however, did not grow out. He cut his nails, but two days later they had grown out again. Chazz decided to leave them alone because he became aware of other hints. His ears had developed slight points which were hidden by his hair. His senses became as sharp as a wolf’s and his strength had increased. He also noticed that he had become a great deal more confident.
He stared at his slightly pointed ears. They look so strange, but I kind of like it and they seem to becoming even more pointed. They’ll probably end up looking like wolf ears, only on the sides of my head instead of on top. He let the sides of his hair hide the points before grabbing his bag and heading down to breakfast. I can’t believe how much of my wolf side is showing while human. No one’s noticed or if they have, they’re not saying anything. Of course, I’m the Chazz; no one really approaches me.
“Morning, Chazz!” Jaden called as he entered the cafeteria.
No one except Jaden, of course, Chazz grumbled inwardly. He picked up his food, sat down, and grabbed his chopsticks and rice bowl, his long nails drawing his gaze. All these signs are the strangest things of being a werewolf, even stranger than making wolf sounds. But, I’m getting used to them; eventually I won’t think about them at all.
A few more days passed and now it was two weeks since the full moon. It was Friday afternoon and the last class of the day had just ended. Chazz was walking down the hall, his mind thinking up strategies and combos for his deck when he felt himself being shoved to the side. He managed to right himself and prevent himself from hitting the wall. He looked over to see three first-year Obelisks moving past him. “Hey, what was that for?” he demanded.
“You were in the way, Slifer trash.”
“Trash? You think I’m trash?” Chazz spat, starting to feel angry.
“Yeah and you’re a traitor too. You ran away, transferred to North Academy, and then decided to come back here. Only a piece of trash would do all that.” Laughing contemptuously, the three boys left with Chazz glaring after him, his anger evident and growing with every moment.
A burning sensation made Chazz rush to the bathroom in alarm. He found a private restroom, locked it, and stared into the mirror in shock: He had two wolf ears poking out of his hair at the top of his head! He reached up to touch his ears and found his hands had already formed into paws! His spine curved and he fell onto his paws and knees, his fur growing far more quickly than before. His feet became paws as his tail and muzzle grew out. He was soon in werewolf form with glowing red eyes and a murderous desire to attack the boys who shoved him and called him names. They will pay dearly for what they did to me! he inwardly growled. They will die and I will delight in tearing their throats open with my teeth!
Wait…what am I thinking!? I can’t do that, no matter how much they deserve it. He shook his head and felt his intense anger fade, while the primal one was still inside. He took several deep breaths to calm himself further before focusing on changing back. It was several minutes before he realized that nothing was happening. Why am I not changing back? I’m not angry anymore aside from the primal one and I was focusing on my human form. Am I stuck until maybe tomorrow morning? Or until I indulge in the reason for my change? Or am I trapped in an actual wolf form? His stomach squirmed uncomfortably at the idea. He was a duelist, he couldn’t remain as a wolf for the rest of his life!
He calmed his panic and spent several minutes unlocking and opening the door. He stuck his head out, saw the coast was clear, grabbed his bag, and sprinted out of the school. He ran all the way to his room via the forest. He managed to lock it and resolved to wait for dark to eat and leave without being seen.
He busied himself with learning how to use his paws and claws to do his usual duties. He found using a pen or pencil impossible, but found using his claws to type was challenging but do-able. He was in the middle of attempting to use a pen with his teeth when a knock sounded followed by Syrus calling, “Chazz?”
“Yeah, what?” he called back.
“You coming to dinner?”
“I’m not hungry. Go away.” He heard Syrus walk away and for a moment felt a bit bad about his last two words to the short boy. I’ll apologize later- maybe. He returned to trying to use a pen. Hmm, maybe I can use a pen in my teeth to type instead of my claws. It might be easier that way.
&&&&
Chazz traveled to the other half of the forest to hunt for dinner and try to sniff out any other wolves. He found, to his surprise, a deer that he stalked and killed for his dinner. He ripped open the stomach and started to eat. Delicious, he thought. I enjoy hunting and eating my kill. A part of me wouldn’t mind if I can’t change back. But, I really hope I can be human again. I had no idea I could change into a werewolf outside the full moon, let alone during the day and when angry. I lost my temper and changed. Honestly, I shouldn’t have been surprised. I was angry when the ritual was used on me and I constantly feel primal anger in me every time I change. He licked his chops as he stood and began to search for other wolves.
Chapter Four- Turning Decision
Chazz awoke near the Slifer dorm after finding that he was the lone werewolf on the island. He was delighted to find himself human again. So if I change like that again, I’ll know that I’ll change back in the morning. That’s a relief.
He headed into the cafeteria where some Slifers were already having breakfast, Syrus among them. Chazz asked for no soup and extra fish. He received his request and sat with Syrus and Chumley. He started on the rice, aware of his company staring at the extra fish- or at least Chumley was. Syrus saw something else. “Uh, Chazz? You nails are a bit long.”
“I’m aware of that. It’s not your concern,” Chazz answered harshly. Syrus flinched slightly at Chazz’s tone. Chazz rolled his eyes as he continued to eat. Syrus is such a wimp, I can’t believe anyone would want to be friends with him. He needs to grow a spin and stand up for himself, like I do. I’ve definitely gotten more confident since the ritual. Hmm, more confident. Yes. If I bite Syrus on the full moon, he’ll become a werewolf and will grow more confident between moons. Yes, that’s what I’ll do; I just have to lure him into the forest and make sure there’s moonlight to make sure this works.
Syrus lowered his eyes to his tray. Chazz intimidated him and he found himself looking away from him. He knew he had self-esteem issues due to his talented older brother and said brother’s put downs on his dueling skills. He admired Jaden’s upbeat attitude and awesome dueling skills. I want to have more self-esteem. If I had that, I might even stand up for myself. I can’t let Ja defend me all the time. I just don’t know how to be surer of myself.
Meanwhile, Chazz had finished his breakfast and found he still wanted more fish. He got more and came up with a possible explanation. It’s my wolf side again. I’m craving meat and that’s why I eating a lot of fish. It’s also a little less than two weeks to the full moon. I didn’t crave meat two weeks ago. As Chazz ate the last of his fish, Jaden came in, his trademark smile in place.
“Morning, everyone,” he greeted as he sat down with his food.
“Morning, Ja,” Syrus replied.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Chazz grumbled. How can someone be so perky? It just doesn’t seem natural. He started thinking about what to do for the day. His eyes drifted over to Syrus and Chumley. “Hey, you two. How about dueling me?”
“Uh, well…,” Chumley said.
“Not really,” Syrus added.
“Oh, come on,” Chazz insisted. “You won’t improve your skills if you don’t practice.”
“Chazz has a point,” Jaden commented. “Hey, how about you duel me after Sy and Chum?”
“You’re on, Slacker.”
&&&&
“Armed Dragon Level Ten, attack his monster and the rest of his life points!” Chazz declared, pointing at the target. His dragon swung its clawed arm, turning Syrus’ monster to digital bits and his life points hit zero. Syrus dropped to one knee as Chazz smirked.
“That was pathetic,” he sneered. “Hardly a challenge. You better improve your combos or get yourself a different deck.”
“But I like my ‘roid monsters,” Syrus protested weakly.
“Hey, don’t pick on him,” Jaden said.
“Someone has to,” Chazz replied. “Syrus needs to stand up for himself.”
Jaden took on a serious expression; one that meant business. “All right, Chazz. You want a challenge? Well, you got one. Get your game on!”
Chazz soon found himself in a red-hot duel which attracted the attention of their dorm. The end result was unexpected, though: It was a tie!
“Whoa,” Jaden panted as he stared at Chazz for a moment before grinning. “Sweet duel, Chazz. You been practicing? ‘Cause it shows.”
“Yeah, I’ve been practicing. I’ve also been studying as well as devising strategies and combos.” He looked over at Syrus. “I suggest working on combos. I’ve seen your duels early in the year as well as today. You’ve got combos in there that you either haven’t noticed or can’t use either by bad draws or missing cards.”
“I think it is missing cards,” Syrus said softly, a little surprised by Chazz offering advice.
“So, let’s go to the card store and see if we can get them there and if not, maybe someone will be willing to trade if they’ve got them,” Jaden said before taking off with Syrus and Chumley behind him.
Chazz watched them leave, thinking that the harsh words he said to Syrus had been balanced by his suggestion. Best if I ease up on Syrus as I’ll be teaching him on how to be a werewolf soon enough. He heard murmurs behind him and turned to the students who were still gathered. “Who else wants to duel The Chazz and maybe get some advice?”
&&&&
“I think dueling Chazz was a good thing,” Jaden commented. “I mean, he was actually nice giving you that suggestion, Sy.”
“Yeah, that was a surprise.”
It also made up for his harsh words since around dinner last night. Chazz is right, though: I need to stand up for myself and not let myself be bullied. I’m just not sure how to start. Maybe I should observe others to get some ideas.
Syrus spent the next several days observing his friends’ confidence as they interacted with him and other students. He admired Jaden’s display of confidences as usual. He found Chumley a bit shy, but he didn’t hesitate to speak up when defending his views and friends. Bastion showed a confidence that appealed to him and decided to try and emulate that level of self-esteem. It definitely beat Chazz’s behavior.
The Slifer transfer came across as arrogant, rude, and too confident for Syrus’ liking. Yet, Chazz seemed to have taken an interest in the shorter boy for reasons he didn’t know. He may think he was helping Syrus with his comments and suggestions, but Syrus found him creepy with his way of helping.
Chazz, on the other hand, thought he was being quite helpful. He knew Syrus was resolving to be more self-confident and was observing their friends. He could tell that Syrus was impressed with Bastion’s calm and cool demeanor. Indeed, Chazz was impressed with the calm that Bastion exuded and Chazz decided to try to stay calm like that, so as to insure that he didn’t change due to anger like last time.
The desire to attack those boys scared me back then; it still does. The only time I attacked humans was the night I became a werewolf. The combination of the ritual anger and the feral, primal anger prompted me to attack and kill. After that, I’ve only killed animals for food. I don’t want to change out of anger again. I fear if I do, I might actually indulge in my anger. I doubt Syrus would get angry enough to change, but I’ll tell him about it anyway. Just a couple more days until the full moon. I think I’ll lure him into the woods by saying I need to talk to him in private and have something to show him. I may have to be forceful to get him to follow me, but I hope not.
Chapter Five- A New Werewolf
The day of the full moon had arrived and Chazz felt excited about changing three night in a row. He was also excited about turning Syrus, something he hadn’t done before. He imagined that Syrus would be angry and scared at being a werewolf. The anger would most likely be from being bitten as well as the primal anger within once he changed. The scared part would be simply lack of knowledge. But, I’ll provide him with knowledge so his scared reaction will eventually dissipate.
Chazz was distracted in class by his feelings and planning. He had his usual fish-heavy lunch, ignoring the remaining odd looks and returned to class with everyone else. His afternoon classes were marked with either restlessness or anxiousness. At long last, classes ended and as they were leaving, Chazz caught up with Syrus who was with Jaden and Chumley.
“Hey, Syrus. I need to talk to you in private. Meet me outside the cafeteria after dinner, okay? Please?”
“Well…okay.”
“What’s that all about?” Jaden asked as Chazz walked away.
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
“Want us to come with you?”
“No, Ja. I need to handle this myself.”
“Okay, Sy. Just be careful.”
Chazz paced restlessly outside the cafeteria. He had already eaten his dinner and was anxious to get to the forest. How long could it take to eat? He better hurry up. I don’t want to change out here. After a few more rounds of pacing, Syrus appeared. Chazz ceased his pacing and faced Syrus with a calm expression.
“Okay, Chazz. What do you want to talk about?”
“Walk with me first.” Chazz started off towards the woods. Syrus hesitated and Chazz looked back. “Sy, come on. Trust me, there’s nothing dangerous in there. I’ve spent a lot of time running in the woods.”
“Oh.” Syrus followed Chazz and for a time, neither one spoke. “Chazz, what is going on?” Syrus demanded as they entered a clearing that provided an excellent view of the sky which was now at twilight.
“I want to help you be more confident.”
“I don’t need your help. I’ve got Ja to help me.” He turned to leave.
“I also have something to show you,” Chazz said as the sky darkened and the moon started to rise.
Syrus turned back to Chazz to see the boy sprouting black fur and his long nails hardening into claws. His mouth parted as Chazz got to his hands and knees and sprouted a tail. In a matter of minutes, Chazz was a wolf who howled in what sounded like an angry manner before looking at Syrus with red, glowing eyes.
“Chazz!? You’re a…a…”
“Yes, I’m a werewolf,” Chazz spoke up. “It happened last month. I was ambushed by a group of people who used a pendent, a chant, and moonlight to do this to me. They chose me because I was angry at the time and an angry person was required for their ritual to work.”
“Is that why your eyes are red and glowing?” Syrus asked, his voice shaking and taking a few steps back.
“No. They’re only like this when I see a human. I’m not going to attack you,” Chazz said calmly as he approached Syrus who was now frozen with fear. Chazz also noticed that the area was completely lit by moonlight.
“How-how do I know that?” Syrus squeaked. “I mean, werewolves attack people.”
“Only when angry. I know because I was very angry my first night and I killed those people. They intended to have me as a protector, but werewolves are not protectors for humans.”
“You killed!?”
“Yes, but remember I was very angry. I’m not proud of what I did, but my new werewolf nature prompted me to act as I did. All werewolves have a primal anger inside them. It was this anger combined with the pendant’s anger that made me lash out.” Chazz was very close to Syrus by this point and nuzzled the boy’s hand. Syrus responded by stroking Chazz’s head and then scratching the chin. Chazz whined in pleasure.
“So, this explains why you’ve been acting weird lately.”
“Precisely.” Chazz whined again and his tail swished. “Oh, that feels great.”
Syrus chuckled. “You seem very relaxed and happy and not because I’m scratching your chin.”
“You’re right. It’s cool being a werewolf. I’ve become much more confident, for one.”
Syrus blinked and something clicked in his eyes. He pulled his hand back. “You want to turn me, don’t you?”
“Well, I do, but if you don’t want me to, then I won’t. I just thought that if you were a werewolf, you would become more confident in the month between moons. I think I’m also a bit…,”
“Lonely?” Syrus suggested. His eyes roamed over Chazz’s body and felt a bit envious of his friend’s form before he crouched down and pushed back his jacket sleeve. “All right, Chazz. Go ahead and bite me.”
Chazz didn’t ask if Syrus was sure, seeing as he was getting his way. “This will hurt,” he said before seizing the bare forearm and biting down.
Syrus cried out and felt Chazz release; the bite wasn’t long, at least ten seconds from biting down to releasing. Syrus breathed hard from the pain and then felt a burning sensation in his stomach and heart. A deep primal anger was felt as he fell to his knees and placed his hands on the ground. He saw his nails lengthen and harden into claws as his fingers shrank and sky blue fur started to grow.
Chazz watched Syrus’ transformation with fascination. Sky blue fur? he thought as he watched it spread over Syrus’ body. Unusual color, but it looks good on him. He watched Syrus’ body and muscles grow larger as a tail grew out and his muzzle formed while his ears grew pointed and moved up to the top. Syrus’ eyes flashed red and glowing before turning gold. An angry howl from the still small boy signaled his complete change to a werewolf. Chazz howled in joy at having a companion to teach and keep him company.
Syrus blinked as he finished howling and turned in a slow circle to see himself. He had definitely gotten bigger and more muscular; his fur was an unusual color, but he liked it. He flexed his paws, exposing the claws within. He looked up to see that Chazz’s eyes were now gold wolf eyes and he had no doubt that he had the same eyes.
“I feel that anger you mentioned,” Syrus said, placing a foreleg against his chest. “It’s rather intense.”
“It is, but I found it useful when I hunt, though.”
A growling was heard and Syrus ducked his head as he ran a paw across the ground. “I guess I’m hungry,” he said shyly.
Chazz chuckled gently. “I’m not surprised. Changing burns a lot of calories. That’s why I tend to eat more at dinner during the full moon, but I still end up hunting.”
“Could you teach me to hunt or is that instinctual?”
“I think it’s a bit of both. I can teach you, although I’ve used my hunting time to learn how my body moved and exploring my senses.”
“I’d like to learn that, too.”
“Then, let’s get to it.”
Chapter Six- Werewolf Revelation
Syrus raced through the underbrush, following Chazz along a parallel path as the black werewolf chased after a large, fat rabbit. He saw that Chazz’s claws were exposed and seemed to give him more speed as they gripped the ground. Syrus spread his claws and almost immediately noticed that he was covering more ground. He was still no match for Chazz’s speed and strides, but he was moving faster. I just need more time as a werewolf in order to have the speed and strides that Chazz has.
Chazz suddenly coiled back and then sprang forward, teeth and claws bared. Syrus slid to a halt and watched, his eyes easily seeing Chazz sail through the air. The black wolf planted his forepaws on the rabbit’s back, pinning it down before he locked his jaws onto the neck and bit down.
Syrus emerged from the bushes. “Wow, you’re fast.”
Chazz released the rabbit. “Well, I’ve had four nights to learn.”
“Four? How did you do four nights?” “I found out that if I become very angry outside the full moon, I instantly change and stay a wolf until morning.”
Syrus thought back to two weeks ago. “Did you change that time I asked if you were coming to dinner?”
“I did. At the time, I had never changed in daylight and wasn’t sure if I would be able to change back. I was afraid my anger had trapped me as a wolf forever.”
“What made you angry?”
“Three first-year Obelisks shoved me and called me names. I don’t want to change out of anger again. I’m learning to stay calm.”
“Sounds like a good idea.” Syrus’ stomach growled again and Chazz tilted his head at his kill.
“Eat, Syrus. It’s delicious, trust me. I’ve had rabbit before.”
Syrus licked his muzzle as he approached. He awkwardly laid down; he had been on his paws until now. He lowered his mouth to the corpse and tore off a piece. He chewed, swallowed, and licked his chops. Chazz is right: It’s delicious. He feasted for a few minutes before looking up. “You want some? You probably spent a lot of energy chasing it down.”
“I did. Thanks.” Chazz laid on the opposite side and the two wolves ate their fill.
“Well, now that we’ve eaten,” Chazz said later. “We can focus on your senses. Actually, we already did the eyes during the chase.”
“Yeah, I saw you clearly even though it’s dark.”
“I found our eyesight is useless in pitch-black.”
“Oh.” Syrus lifted his nose and took a deep breath. “Oh, wow! I just smelled a lot of different scents!”
“I did too last month. It might take another night or so to adjust and filter them out. Now, how about the ears?”
&&&&
Syrus yawned as he curled up and his eyes slid shut. His first night as a werewolf had been quite a learning night which made sense. There was a lot I needed to know and thankfully Chazz was willing to teach. I’m glad I decided to let Chazz bite me. Aside from the primal anger, being a werewolf is definitely cool.
Syrus awoke to his shoulder being shaken gently. His eyes blinked open to see a human Chazz. “Time to get up and get some breakfast before school.” Syrus sat up, yawning and stretching before standing and following Chazz out of the woods. “Jaden’s gonna want to know what happened,” the shorter boy said.
Chazz appeared thoughtful. “I don’t know him like you do. Is he likely to believe you if you tell him the truth? I was going to say that we had a long talk at my place and I let you sleep over.”
Syrus tilted his head. “That would work for last night, but what about tonight and all future moons?”
Chazz sighed. I clearly didn’t think this through when deciding to turn Syrus. “You have a point. Do what you think is best. In any event, I’ll meet you in the woods tonight.”
Syrus nodded as he bounded upstairs for fresh clothes and his school bag while Chazz went to his room to do the same. If he tells Jaden, he wouldn’t need to sneak away to the woods. I don’t know if Jaden will believe him and if he wants proof, he may follow us to see our change. Well, I’ll see what happens.
&&&&
Syrus looked at his hands as he headed upstairs. They looked no different from yesterday while Chazz’s sported long nails. Maybe that’ll happen between moons. I think I’ll ask Chazz about that tonight. He stood in front of his dorm door and debated on what he told Chazz he would do: Tell Jaden.
Should I tell him? The reason I gave Chazz makes sense, but what if Jaden stops being my friend? If I don’t tell him, he’s bound to find out and then he really won’t be my friend because I lied and kept a secret from him. Syrus shook his head and ran his hands over his hair. Agh! Now, I don’t know what I should do! He sighed and opened the door to see Jaden and Chumley awake and dressed for the day. He gave them a shy smile as he grabbed fresh clothes. “Morning, guys.”
Jaden stared at Syrus’ discarded clothes. There were grass stains on them. How did that happen? “Sy, I thought Chazz just wanted to talk. What’s with the grass?”
“We did talk and Chazz had something to show me in the forest.”
“Yeah? What was it?”
“The reason he had been acting weird lately. Chazz said a group of strangers grabbed him last month and performed a ritual on him. This was the day when Chazz was really angry and an angry person was required for the ritual to work.”
“What ritual? What did they do to him?” Chumley asked.
“It turned Chazz into a werewolf.”
Jaden and Chumley exchanged stunned looks and the former snapped around to Syrus, the stained clothes and the fact that the full moon was last night drew a picture for him. “Sy, did Chazz attack you? Did he…bite you?”
“He didn’t attack me, but he did bite me. I let him bite me,” he added quickly at Jaden’s shocked and angry face. “He gave me a choice. He thought if I was a werewolf I would become more confident in the month after the full moon is over.”
“You let him? You’re a werewolf now?”
“Uh, yes. My first night was cool. I learned a lot and I hope to learn more. It’s not that bad,” Syrus said defensively. I admit, I was scared when I saw Chazz change, but once he explained it to me, I thought he looked cool as a wolf. That’s one reason why I let him bite me. I also want to be more confident and give Chazz some company. He saw the scared look on Chumley’s face and the unreadable expression on Jaden’s before grabbing his bag and running from the room.
Chazz had just sat down with his breakfast when Syrus came in, looking upset. He watched as the short boy got breakfast and sat across from Chazz. He kept his head down as he started to eat. Chazz looked around to see Jaden and Chumley enter and shoot odd looks at Syrus as they got breakfast and sat at a different table. Something tells me the confession didn’t go well.
Once Syrus was done, he returned the tray and left the room. Chazz followed after him. “Syrus, talk to me. What happened?” he asked as they walked to school.
“I told them about both of us and I made it clear that I chose to be bitten. I think that’s what they find difficult to understand and why I allowed it.”
“I thought you let me in order to be more confident.”
“That’s one reason. I also thought it would be cool to be a werewolf and I would ease your loneliness.”
“Ah. It is nice to have someone with me to enjoy being a werewolf. So, how exactly did they react?”
“Well, Chumley looked scared and Ja…I couldn’t really tell.”
Chazz gave a low wolf-like growl. “They shouldn’t be acting that way. I mean, you’re still you.”
Syrus nodded. Yeah, I’m still me, at least right now. I hope they come around soon.
Chapter Seven- Angry Accusations
I can’t believe it: Sy’s a werewolf and he let Chazz bite him. Jaden glanced sidelong at Syrus who was several seats away, head down and busily taking notes. Syrus had refused to look at anyone all morning…save for Chazz. The brunette sought out Chazz and spotted him looking at Syrus with sympathy. Chazz noticed Jaden looking at him and fired a scowl at him. Jaden promptly looked away.
When the bell rang, Syrus grabbed his things and left the room. Jaden rose and was about to leave when a long-nailed hand landed on his shoulder and Chazz saying, “Hold it, Jaden.” He turned to face him.
“I suggest you get over Syrus’ decision. Your reaction hurts him and he’s probably thinking you hate him.”
“What!? I don’t hate him!”
“Tell him that. I don’t want him to regret becoming a werewolf as there’s no cure for it. He enjoys being a werewolf and I can tell he’s interested in learning more tonight. He’s not going to hurt or attack you or Chumley. He’s still the same Syrus, he’ll just be more confident over the next month.” Chazz brushed past Jaden and left the room.
Syrus continued to look down and leave the room before Jaden could say anything. He thought about what Chazz had said and realized that he was right: Syrus was still the same; still the friend he had met earlier in the year. I let my perception of werewolves color my reaction. I need to apologize, but he’s not giving me a chance. I must have really hurt him and I feel really bad about that.
&&&&
“So, moonlight isn’t necessary?”
“That’s right. I wanted to make sure you changed and that’s why I picked a clearing.” He saw Syrus glanced down at his hands and then at Chazz’s. “Something else on your mind?”
“Well, I noticed that my nails haven’t changed.”
“I didn’t get longer nails until about a week and a half after the full moon. That’s not all, though. I got stronger and have sharper senses. Plus…” He pushed his hair aside to reveal the pointed, almost wolf-like ears.
Syrus looked impressed with what he heard and saw. He liked the idea of having sharper senses, being stronger, and having pointed ears. The burning and anger from last night was felt and Syrus went to his hands and knees, an intense angry growl coming out of his mouth. He felt extremely angry this time and a desire to exercise this feeling bubbled up inside him as he shifted to wolf form. He threw back his head and howled loudly and angrily. A second angry howl sounded through the air: Chazz. He let out another intense angry growl as he turned and was about to leave when Chazz called, “Where are you going?”
“Somewhere to take out my anger,” was the barely controlled answer.
“Your…anger? Why are you angry?”
“I’m angry because of my friends’ reactions!”
“Whoa there.” Chazz leaped over to block Syrus’ path. “Sy, attacking them will not help. It’ll just make it worse. Calm down. Deep breaths.”
Syrus closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He felt his anger abate until only the primal one was left. He opened his eyes and looked at Chazz. “Okay, I feel better,” he said sounding normal. “I’m still mad, but I don’t want to attack them.”
“That’s good. I think we should channel your aggression into something else.”
“Good idea. Chazz, can I hunt tonight?”
“Go for it, Syrus. I’ll watch from the sidelines like you did last night.”
&&&&
Syrus raced through the woods, his prey’s scent in his nose while his ears heard it running ahead of him, hooves pounding the ground. He growled happily, his mind focused on the thrill of the hunt. His claws were exposed giving him extra traction and speed.
Chazz followed alongside a parallel path, watching Syrus. It had been scary earlier; he didn’t think Syrus would be angry during the change. His friends’ reactions apparently hurt so much, it angered him. Luckily I was able to calm him down and suggest something else to do. I was thinking of suggesting that he hunt if he hadn’t asked to. He trotted along his path. Hunting is just what Sy needed to channel the residue anger he still has.
A quick movement caught his attention and he looked to see Syrus flying gracefully through the air, land on the back of a doe, and bite down hard on the neck. The doe stiffened and tumbled to the ground in a heap while the sky blue wolf jumped off before the doe fell. Syrus howled at his success.
“Good job,” Chazz commented as he emerged from the underbrush.
“That was so…cool!” Syrus exclaimed. “It was such a thrill, chasing her down.”
“And now we can eat and gain back the energy and calories we lost changing and chasing.” Chazz laid on one side of the doe while Syrus laid on the opposite side.
Syrus chewed on skin and muscle, delighting in the taste. He knew that in human form he would have balked at eating wild animals, much less raw. But as a wolf, he had no problems eating like this as wolves can handle raw meat just like any other carnivore.
“Enjoying it?” Chazz asked.
“Oh, yeah. A lot.” Syrus licked his muzzle before digging in again, all anger gone and joy a being a werewolf evident. “Uh, Chazz? I remember you eating a lot of fish lately.”
“Yeah. I had been craving meat and fish is the best we’ve got at our dorm. It’s likely we’ll want a lot of fish in our meals. But for now, I’m thirsty.”
“Me too.” Syrus stood as did Chazz.
“Follow me. There’s a river where we can get a drink.”
&&&&
Chazz and Syrus slept late as it was Saturday. They weren’t concerned about missing breakfast as they had snacked on the doe throughout the night whenever they got hungry. They emerged from the woods and went to change clothes. Syrus yawned as he went upstairs. The thought of going back to sleep after changing clothes appealed to him and that’s exactly what he did.
Syrus came back to consciousness by someone calling his name. He opened his eyes and blinked to focus on Jaden’s eyes peering over the edge. “Oh. Hi, Ja,” Syrus yawned.
“You okay, Sy?”
Syrus, desirous to talk to his friend, answered, “Yeah. Just didn’t sleep the whole night through.”
“How come?”
“I woke up hungry sometimes.”
There was an awkward pause before Jaden blurted out, “Sy, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you or upset you. I just was shocked that you allowed yourself to be bitten.”
“I guess I can see how that would be a shock. I forgive you.”
“Great. So…what’s it like?”
“It’s amazing. I love being a werewolf. The speed, the grace, the sharp senses, all of it.”
“I’m guessing that Chazz is teaching you?”
“More like answering my questions and demonstrating how to hunt. He let me do it last night.”
“Hunting? As in killing and eating?”
Syrus chuckled at the uneasy tone in Jaden’s voice. “Of course that’s what I mean. I burn a lot of calories and energy when I change, so I’m hungry when I’m done and need to eat.”
“You make it sound so normal.”
“Ja, I’m a wolf during the full moon. Hunting for food is normal for wolves.”
“Okay. So, you up for some lunch and watching some duels?”
“Definitely.”
Chapter Eight- Repaired Friendship
Chazz looked up from his lunch to see Syrus and Jaden enter together. The smile on the shorter boy told him that Jaden had apologized. The two of them got lunch and sat with Chazz who saw that Syrus’ lunch was just as fish-heavy as his own. If it wasn’t for the fact that we have plenty of everything, the excess fish would be earning us more than just odd looks.
“So, everything’s fine now?” he commented.
“Yup,” Jaden said. “We’re gonna watch some duels this afternoon.”
“Just watch?” Chazz cocked an eyebrow. “Not going to duel yourself?”
“I might- if anyone challenges me.”
“Ah, I see and where are these duels?”
“Outside the Ra dorm. Hey, wanna come, Chazz?”
“Why not? Sounds like a good way to spend a Saturday.”
Syrus locked eyes with Chumley as the trio left the cafeteria. Is he still scared of me? Maybe I should go over and explain myself, say I won’t attack him? I think I should. But before he could act on his decision, Jaden steered him outside. “Ja, I was thinking of-,”
“I know, but I’ll talk to Chum tonight. Hopefully, he’ll come around and apologize to you tomorrow.”
“Well, okay.” Honestly, confronting Chumley was nerve-wracking just thinking about it. Yeah, I’m definitely not confident yet. Syrus put his concerns about Chumley on hold as he watched the duels and even cheered on Jaden when a second-year Ra challenged the brunette.
“He’s scared? Of you!?” Chazz looked at Syrus with a half-shocked, half-amused expression.
“Yeah and after how I felt last night, I kind of understand why.”
“I’ve had two times where I was angry as you know. But, hey, everyone gets mad sometimes.”
“True.” Syrus’ eyes adjusted to the dark before he growled angrily and started to change. Why do I always growl and howl angrily when I change? he wondered as he howled. He stood there as he pondered the question.
“Syrus, you okay?” Chazz asked when the smaller wolf didn’t move or speak.
Syrus shook his head. “Yeah. I was trying to figure out why I always feel angry when I change.”
“I think it’s because of me. The ritual required an angry person. I remember feeling a different kind of anger when they put the pendent on me. The chant must have placed the primal anger of a wolf inside me. Since I became a werewolf through anger, it makes sense that anyone I bite becomes an angry one, too.”
Syrus nodded. “Okay, I see that. I’m also guessing we’re the only werewolves on the island.”
“Correct. Plus, there are no wolves at all, so all the prey that wolves like is all ours.”
“Then, let’s hunt some down.” Syrus and Chazz moved into deeper woods, noses sniffing for any prey that appealed to them.
&&&&
“You’re seriously scared of Sy?” Jaden asked incredulously.
Chumley nodded. “He’s a werewolf now. He could either attack us or turn us into werewolves. I’d rather avoid both.”
“Me too, but Sy’s not going to do either of those things. For one, we’re in our room and Sy’s in the forest. Two, being a werewolf hasn’t changed him. He will become more confident over the next few weeks and since that’s why we and he wants, the method shouldn’t matter.”
“I don’t want to be a werewolf or food for one.”
Jaden sighed impatiently. “Look, tonight’s the last full moon and Sy won’t change again until next month. He’s gonna be normal and still our friend.”
Chumley’s scared look melted away. “Still our friend,” he repeated. “You’re right, Ja. Syrus is still our friend. I’ll tell him I’m sorry tomorrow.”
“Great. That’ll mean a lot to him.”
Syrus and Chazz emerged late the next day. Both had eating well last night, raced each other, and slept through the rest of the night. Syrus felt great and looked forward to gaining his werewolf signs and confidence. Chazz also looked forward to seeing Syrus’ new confidence in himself as well as having full-time humanity for the next few weeks.
Syrus climbed up to his dorm room to change clothes and opened the door to find Jaden giving Chumley dueling tips for his deck. Jaden’s back was to him and he glanced over his shoulder, grinning at him. “Hey, Syrus. Had a good night?”
“The best. Chazz and I raced each other and we wore ourselves out.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Maybe we can have a race at some point.”
“I could be up for that.”
“Uh, Sy?” Chumley spoke up. “I’m sorry about how I acted toward you. Ja made me realize you’re still my friend.”
“I accept your apology. Why were you scared of me?” Syrus had an idea of why, but he want to hear Chumley say it. He also didn’t want to admit that he had been angry enough to want to attack them the other night.
“Well, it was the fear that you would eat me or turn me.”
“I’ve only eaten animals that wolves eat and as for turning…I would only do it if they chose to be bitten like I did.”
“Oh. So, you’re human for the next few weeks?”
“Kind of, yes. I’ll develop some wolf-like features and traits within several days.”
“I’m guessing long nails is one of them,” Jaden said, remembering Chazz’s nails.
“Yeah. I’ll also have pointed ears, sharper senses, and get stronger too.”
“Don’t forget confidence. That was why you were bitten after all,” Jaden added.
“Oh, yeah. That too.”
“Would you like to duel me, Sy?” Chumley asked. “Jaden’s been giving me tips and I’d like to try them out.”
“Sure, just let me change clothes and grab my deck.” Normally, Syrus didn’t jump at the chance to duel, just like Chumley, but he was eager to do so now that he had his other friend back.
They practice dueled and talked all afternoon before heading down to dinner. Chazz saw Chumley enter the cafeteria alongside Syrus and looked over at Jaden. “I see you talked sense into your friend.”
“Yup. Everything’s sweet again.” He looked at Chazz carefully. He looks normal aside from his nails. Does he really have the wolf-like features that Sy mentioned?
“What are you looking at?” Chazz snapped.
“Just thinking. Syrus mentioned he would have unusual features eventually, like pointed ears and I was wondering-,”
“Yeah, I’ve got them.” Chazz brushed aside his hair to reveal them before hiding them. “I’ve told him what to expect and he seemed excited about it.”
“He is. It seems he’s well-suited to being a werewolf.”
“Yeah, I’m glad I bit him. Now, let’s eat. I’m craving a lot of fish for dinner.” Chazz entered. Leaving an awkward Jaden behind to follow him.
Chapter Nine- Anger Attack
Syrus stared happily at his hands and flexed his fingers. A week and a half had passed and Syrus woke up to find that his nails had grown long and looked like claws when he bent his fingers. They look so cool. I love them. He raised a hand to feel an ear; it was still rounded. I guess I have to wait some more.
He headed down to breakfast with his friends to find his fellow werewolf already there, feasting exclusively on fish. Syrus thought it was odd: He ate the way he did before getting bitten, but Chazz had gone in the other direction; being a strict carnivore. Maybe it’s another trait that shows up after the second month of full moons?
Chazz didn’t understand it. A week after the full moon had passed when he felt an almost insatiable desire for meat. The day after the full moon had been his usual meal of extra fish, but with other food and juice. Now he was having fish and water. Is this another trait? Fear welled up inside him as another question came to him. Will I act more like a wolf with each full moon? No, I mustn’t. I’m a duelist and plan to be a pro when I graduate, not a wolf-acting human.
“You really think you’ll act more like a wolf?” Syrus said as they headed to school.
“No. I’m just wondering if I will. I intend to resist any other traits or tendencies that may surface. I’ve already attracted enough attention with my recent eating habits.”
“You can’t resist that?”
“It’s a bit too late for that. I’m a strict carnivore now- just like a wolf.” Chazz smiled slightly. “I suggest you not give in to that trait if you feel it.”
“I’ll do that. Right now, I’m waiting for the other traits that you have.” He held up a hand. “I love my long nails.”
Chazz nodded. “They look good on you and something tells me that you’ll look cute with pointed ears.”
“When will that be?”
“Well, I know I cut my nails the day they grew longer and two days later, they grew back but I became occupied with my ears, senses, and strength.”
“So, it could happen in two days, then?”
“It could, but it might be tomorrow or more than two days. Every werewolf could be different.”
Syrus nodded, but inwardly he was excited. The rest of his features could surface in two days! I can’t wait to get them.
Jaden noticed Syrus’ nails, but made no mention of them. He also noticed that the nails were the only things different about his friend. Maybe it takes time to get the other features. Either way, Syrus will eventually look a little wolf-like. I look forward to seeing a confident Syrus. I know Sy is looking forward to it too.
Syrus gently ran his fingers across his nails which rested in his lap as he sat in class a few days later. All his features appeared two days after getting his nails and he felt his confidence beginning to grow. He felt sure of himself and it was a wonderful feeling. He watched Crowler call on students to answer review questions for their end-of-the-year test. Syrus had skimmed his notes beforehand and felt good about studying them.
“Syrus Truesdale,” Crowler barked. “What is a field spell?”
Syrus stood and said clearly, “A field spell is a spell card that affects both sides of the dueling field. The card can either boost a monster’s strength or provide special effects.”
Crowler’s mouth dropped at his smooth response before saying, “Uh…that’s correct.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Syrus sat down, suppressing the urge to laugh at Crowler’s reaction. He thought I was going to stammer just like the last time he asked me that question. I’m not like that anymore and it’s all thanks to Chazz.
Chazz put a hand to his mouth to cover his amused smile. He remembered Syrus stuttering and fumbling with that question before and Crowler had remembered that as well. He probably thought he’d catch Syrus off-guard again. Heh, not anymore; thanks to me, he’s becoming confident and sure of himself. He removed his hand as Crowler said, “Chazz Princeton, name three weak normal-type monsters.”
Chazz grinned at the question as he stood. “I’d be glad to.”
&&&&
Speaking of weak, those Ojamas haven’t shown themselves since before I became a werewolf. Hmph, not that it bothers me. I like the peace and quiet. Chazz strode about campus, lost in thought. Was it possible that the magic of the ritual interfered with his ability to see Duel Spirits? As much as they annoyed me, it was a way to vent my frustrations, but maybe I could vent to Syrus and he could give advice or at least listen.
“Hey! Get out, Slifer Sludge!”
Chazz jumped at the sudden shout and turned to see the same three boys who shoved him two months ago. He further saw that he had inadvertently walked onto the Obelisk Blue boys’ dorm. Whoops, he thought.
“Sorry about that,” he said as he walked by them to leave the area. He didn’t get far before one of them grabbed him and pulled him back.
“You don’t get off that easy. You trespassed onto our dorm’s campus.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Chazz protested.
“Accident or not, it’s still trespassing.”
“Fine, whatever. You gonna report me to Crowler? Or are we going to duel with me leaving peacefully if I win?”
“Neither,” the tallest one said, seizing Chazz by the coat. He cocked a fist and slammed it into Chazz’s stomach.
Chazz gasped at the force of the blow and fell to his knees as he was released, clutching his stomach. He growled softly in annoyance, but pushed that aside. I will not get angry, he thought. He felt himself getting shoved from behind and landed face-down on the ground before being dragged into a nearby grove of trees. He was throwing face-down again before getting vicious kick in his side. He felt fists slamming into his sides for about a minute before being lifted off his feet and he felt fists hitting his face and hurtful names being hurled at him.
At last, he was tossed back onto the ground and heard one Obelisk say, “Next time, we won’t go so easy on you.” He heard them leaving the grove laughing, but the injustice of the beating pulsed through him. He opened his eyes to see their retreating backs and he growled in anger as his stomach burned. He knew he was changing again, but he didn’t care; he wanted revenge for this attack! He planted his forepaws on the ground and pushed himself onto all fours as he quickly took wolf form and raced toward the trio, growling loudly.
He leaped into the air and plowed into the tallest one who had turned unexpectedly. Chazz slammed him into the ground and pushed his snarling muzzle into the boy’s face. His claws were already exposed and he slowly ran them through the jacket sleeve and left shallow cuts in the arm beneath it.
The gasp and yell from the boy brought deep satisfaction to Chazz. He expressed this in another growl and slashed at the other arm. A long scream excited him and he raked his hind leg claws at the legs.
The other two started toward him and Chazz growled at them. “Stay where you are,” he said, his voice a bit gravelly due to his anger and the growl still coming out of his mouth.
“Wha-what do you want?” the shortest one stammered.
“Revenge,” he answered as he leaped onto the boy, slashing and breaking some bones before turning to the last one and giving him the same treatment. He gave a triumphant howl as he continued to maim the boys before running off for the forest with another satisfied and vicious-sounding howl.
Chapter Ten- Aftermath
“Did you hear? Three Obelisks were attacked by a wild animal.”
“They’re in the infirmary seriously but, but they’ll recover.”
“They say it was a black wolf with red eyes and it could talk.”
“Talk? No way.”
Syrus heard the comments and looked at Jaden and Chumley in alarm. “Sy? Is it Chazz?” Jaden whispered.
Syrus nodded. “Chazz admitted that if he becomes angry outside of the full moon, he changes and stays that way until the following morning. He’s been trying to stay calm to avoid changing out of anger.”
“Well, it sounds like he lost his temper this time,” Chumley commented.
“I’m going to look for him. If he’s still mad, he won’t attack me as I’m a werewolf too.” At least I hope so, he added silently.
Syrus slipped into the woods as the sun began to set. He allowed his eyes to adjust before he began sniffing the air. He scented animals that a wolf would hunt and decided to follow them one at a time: Chazz would be hungry after changing and attacking. He followed the first one, but there was no wolf scent nearby. Wait a minute. I should be sniffing out Chazz’s scent, not prey.
He resumed his search and continued to do so for the next hour with no success. He decided to head for the lake with the waterfall to consider his options. I wish I could change whenever I wanted, he thought. It would make finding Chazz a lot easier.
He emerged from the forest to see a black wolf lying beside the lake. He was in profile and he could see one red glowing eye. Chazz growled angrily as he lifted his head and looked at Syrus. He blinked and his eyes turned gold. “Sy?”
“Chazz, I’ve been looking for you. I heard about the attack and was worried about you.” Syrus sat down beside his friend.
“You heard, huh? Look, I’m not proud over what I did, but I don’t feel guilty either. I accidentally trespassed onto Obelisk territory and instead of letting me leave, reporting me to Crowler, or letting me duel for my leaving in peace, they decided to beat me up.”
“Whoa. No wonder you got angry. Did they see you change?”
“No. I did speak to them, but my anger and the growling I was doing kind of distorted my voice, so they didn’t know it was me. I’m still mad about being attacked and I feel they got what they deserved.”
“Chazz! They did not deserve to get attacked! That’s your anger talking!”
“Sy, if you were beaten up, you would be angry too. Don’t deny it!”
“Yes, I would be angry, but I probably would have passed out before changing.”
“You probably would have. So…how badly hurt are they?”
“Pretty badly, but they’ll recover. Word spread that they claimed a talking black wolf with glowing red eyes attacked them. Most people are dismissing the talking part.”
Chazz laughed at that and then became serious. “People are going to be looking for me, if not tonight then tomorrow.”
“If they start looking tonight, then you need to get to your room. Come on.” Syrus stood as did Chazz. “Did you hunt earlier?” he asked as they headed toward Slifer.
“Yeah. I’m good. You know, I’m not mad anymore. I think talking to you helped calm me down.”
“Well, you calmed me down when I was angry so it makes sense for me to do the same.”
“True.” The pair reached Chazz’s room and as Syrus opened the door, Chazz added, “Night, Syrus and thanks.”
“Night, Chazz. You’re welcome.” Syrus closed the door once Chazz went in and headed upstairs. Chazz would be human in the morning and on the next full moon, they would be cautious as they hunted and frolicked under the moon’s light.
