ANSWB-Ch. 2

ANSWB-Ch. 2

Ch. 2-School Blues and Good News

Skip was having a really nice dream about his brother when his alarm clock went off. Groaning in protest, he clicked it off and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Today was the second-last day of his Grade 9 year at Star Academy before the summer holidays started. There wouldn’t be too much to do except the usual for him: endure the day as much as possible, hoping that the headmaster would brighten it as much as possible.

Headmaster Albert was a jaguar that had his position for 10 years and was considered one of the best. He was friendly, cheerful, and the only one in the whole school that understands poor Skip no matter what. He was also the one who discovered the young hedgehog’s manga talent earlier in the year.

Skip remembered the day so well and his mind went back to it as he got on his school uniform.

:FLASHBACK:

He was sitting under a cherry blossom tree that was on the school grounds for years drawing in a sketchbook when a friendly voice said, “That’s very good, Skip!”

He jumped slightly and looked up to see the friendly blue eyes as well as the black spotted, blue pelt of Headmaster and replied, “Thank-you. It’s just a doodle of a hedgehog that looks like he’s half dog demon.”

He gave the jaguar his book to show him, and was surprised to see his eyes light up as he said, “This is no mere doodle! His is a wonderful sketch!”

“R-really?”

“Yes! This is the work of a manga artist and you have wonderful skills with this particular style!”

“Really?!?”

“Yes and I have faith that you can go farther with this!”

“Like go pro or something like that?!?”

“Yes! That’s exactly what I’m thinking!”

“Then I’ll do it! That will be my dream!”

“And you have my full support, Skip!”

“Thanks Headmaster!”

:END FLASHBACK:

His thoughts soon stopped to a rough pounding on his door and his grandfather snapped, “Skipasol! Are you up yet?!?”

“I just got dressed!” he replied, trying not to snap back.

“Good,” was all that was heard before the sound of footsteps retreating down the stairs.

Skip sighed as he looked into the mirror and thought, *I look like a high-class dork, like I do every day this year.*

If there was any comparison of his uniform to an anime, he would look almost like the guys from “Ouran High School Host Club,” with a few differences. The jackets were a pale red with a gold trim, with pants the same colour and the shirts underneath a pale gray. The ties were silver, and he had to wear dress shoes and very light gray gloves with no cuffs, except for the frilly cuffs that stuck out of the sleeves of his jacket. Overall, he disliked the uniform, AND his school.

He went downstairs, doing his best not to show his attitude towards his grandparents as he ate breakfast, picked up his book bag, and left for school saying his goodbyes to his dad, James, and Bella.

As he always did, he walked calmly with thoughts in his head of what he should do in the chapters of his mangas to keep his mind off the uniform, when some barking scared him so much, he sprinted like a blur to the school gate. The barking came from the neighbour’s collie, oddly named “Copper” when he seemed more gray, defending his master’s home, as per normal. Skip isn’t really afraid of dogs, even though he has allergies, but he does get jumpy in the morning when his mind is elsewhere.

“Man I hate it when that happens,” he grumbled as he walked through the gate and up to the front door.

Star Academy was a high class private school. It got its name for the huge silver star above the front entrance. The school was quite large and fancy looking, almost palace like, and all of the students are usually talking about being in large companies or getting rich one way or another. Not Skip though, since he just plain want out of that school as quick as possible.

“Well hello there, Skipasol,” a male voice said behind him and he turned around to see a pale gray jackal with violet eyes looking at him.

“Hello, Reginald,” he replied unhappily before adding, “and I would like it if you called me by my shorter form before summer starts.”

“Well I don’t feel it would be polite to do so.”

“Neither do I,” a female voice said as a pale gold cat with orange eyes came up behind Reginald.

“Hello, Queen Cleopatra,” Skip said in the same tone thinking sourly to himself, *Man, I don’t like calling her that!*

“So what are your little plans for the summer boys? Dad’s taking me to my own private island!” she said happily.

*Whoop-dee-ding-dong,* he though sarcastically to himself.

“I am going on a trip to Spagonia and visiting with my parents on their estate,” Reginald replied that caused the blue hedgehog to resist rolling his eyes before answering.

“I’m hoping to move away from here, into my brother’s apartment, and go into a public school when September comes. Maybe even get into a manga convention in-between moving and school.”

“Oh how wonderful,” Queen Cleopatra replied sarcastically to him. “Why don’t you ask your grandparents for an exotic vacation or your own summer getaway place, hmm?”

“I told you a few times before, I’m not into the high class fun. I have my own dreams and besides, my grandparents wouldn’t approve anyway.”

“Oh? How so, Skipasol?” Reginald asked.

“They just run my life, not caring about what I really wanted. It’s been like that since mom died.”

He left them without another word, or another reply from them, when the bell rang for class, heading outside to the old cherry blossom tree since he, and the rest of the school have nothing to do in their classes since they finished exams. He sat down with a sigh, taking out his sketchbook and continuing on his manga pages, wishing that he would move away as soon as possible.

A shadow fell over him and he looked up to see his headmaster again. “I heard what you told Reginald and Cleopatra. You were very smart to hold your tongue when you did.”

“Yeah, I learned from the first time when I rolled my eyes at them. Luckily they only turn up their noses or give me a small third degree.”

“That’s true. Do you really want to move?”

“More than anything! I mean, just what were my grandparents thinking forcing Tyson, dad and I to move in with them after mom’s funeral? Do they think now that mom’s gone they can take over our lives?”

“I think they would think that way,” Headmaster replied, nodding his head.

“Well I’m just glad they let us off to Auntie Rose’s farm for Tyson’s 16th. That was a gone of the only good things they’ve done for us.”

Not willing to get Skip more frustrated, Headmaster Albert decided to change the subject after nodding his head in agreement.

“So what have you been up to with your drawings?”

“Well I am starting to develop more backgrounds and effects for my mangas. I’m also thinking of putting the sound effects in Japanese for traditional reasons as well as keep it in manga format, right to left.”

“That sounds wonderful!”

“Yeah! And the ironic part is that this in the second manga of ‘Pure heart Demon’ that I’m working on!”

They both laughed until the bell rang and Skip went off back inside to put up with more of his so-called “classmates” for th rest of the day.

When he returned home, however, he didn’t expect his long-awaited wish to come true until he opened the door and said, “I’m-”

“HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?” screamed his grandmother.

“-home?” he finished dumfounded as he walked into the living room to see his grandparents having an argument with Roan.

“I cannot believe it came!” he grandmother shouted again as he looked in in confusion.

“What’s going on?”

“This is none of your business, Skip-” his grandfather started sternly until his dad cut him off.

“This is actually his business since it involves him and I already called the headmaster about this.”

“About…what?” the young hedgehog asked, curious on what his father was saying.

“Starting the Monday after the last day of school, we will be taking a cruise to Station Square where we will be living with Tyson, son!”

Skip’s emerald eyes went wider and he was speechless as his dad continued.

“Our rooms are already furnished so all we need are some clothes and I will be looking into a public school for you as well as look at the university I’ll be teaching at. Isn’t that wonderful? We will now be able to live a happy life at last!”

He said nothing at all since he was stunned with disbelief as he thought, *It finally happened.*

Then a wide smile came across his face as he shouted, “WE’RE FINALLY MOVING! WHOO-HOO!”

Without hesitating, Skip switched shoes to the family heirlooms and dashed out the door, running faster and longer than his usual dashed, but not caring in the least since he was really happy that he is finally leaving the old life he hated for a new one that would let him do what he wished for so long.

He ran back in after about 10 minutes, only to see such surprised looks on his grandparents, who obviously didn’t know about his speed.

“What…in…the…world?” his grandfather asked as the youngest one was catching his breath.

There was no answer of words, but the look of victory on Skip’s face was all that was needed to be said.

The last few days were of packing and goodbyes as Skip and Roan got onto a cruise ship bound for Station Square in Spagonia’s main harbor. Skip looked over the side to see Headmaster Albert, James, and Bella waving goodbye and his grandparents just having silent scowls on their faces. He waved goodbye to his only friends as the ship left port towards his new life ahead, not knowing that this would be the start of one of the greatest journeys of his young life.