Akora Rynne pulled Kyle away from his group after class. She cupped a hand over his mouth and dragged him to a tree a few yards away from the entrance. Kyle was very startled by this, but when he saw the excited smile on her face, he calmed down as much as he could, because she was still terrifying to behold; she wore armor fashioned from leather and a few iron plates, most of her head was shaved save for a deep red streak down the middle, her eyes burned like smoldering coals and embers, and she was covered in scars that would tell thrilling tales if they could speak.

"Akfernen," she breathed in an optimistic disbelief.

"Yes?" He was nervous. He reached around to his shoulder and pat Fledermaus, who was startled but did not seem too threatened.

She did nothing for a moment, but stare, grinning ear to ear. Then a small noise came from a large pouch on her belt. She opened the pouch, revealing a pup and a cub.

"Two Familiars?" Kyle was confused. Was that possible? Well, if a chicken's egg could have two yolks, maybe a Familiar egg could have two completely different creatures within.

She shook her head. "One of them is, the other is a little reminder of home."

He took a step back, putting himself right against the shady tree.

The babies looked up at him with their tiny eyes. They were adorable now, but Kyle assumed they would grow to be much bigger than he.

"My parents spoke of your family fondly," she recalled. Her voice had the tone of an avid archeologist making an enormous discovery of some long lost, almost mythological civilization.

"Did they now?" Kyle knew no one at that point, yet they all knew him."

She looked him over, then thrust her arms forward to grab his.

"What are you doing!"

"Yes," she started slowly, more to herself than to him. "The Akfernen are a strong people." She gave his arms a bit of a squeeze, then started looking at his face. "Sturdy and opposing," she peeled open his eyes and gazed into them for a split second, "enough to make an enemy quiver with a mere gaze."

"Nah mah mum," he struggled as she opened his lips to look at his teeth. When she moved to his hands, he asked, "Could you please stop?"

She looked at his fingers closely. "Yes, your mother was sturdy but soft, firm yet fair. I can see you are more soft." Her enthusiasm faded as she felt nothing but smooth skin without a trace of callouses or cracks, or any other signs of experience. "Oh she nurtured you... No, she didn't care for the fighting much, I should've seen this coming." She let out a sigh. "I thought I heard the name in class yesterday, but I didn't believe it." Suddenly, her enthusiastic grin came crawling back. "I could build you up!" She started shaking, it was so difficult for her to contain her excitement. "I can see it now, a Rynne building up a great Akfernen, a team more powerful than all those before!" She was practically shouting! "Ah yes, won't it be grand! The power between us, there won't be a single foe who'd dare stand up to us!"

Kyle, feeling awkward, tried to joke, "Is this a marriage proposal or something? Because I don't know if I'm ready for this kind of commitment."

"I hope our first mission is together! Oh, how great I will make you!"

"There you are!"

Akora snapped out of her high as she and Kyle turned to look at Elvia bouncing across the field towards them, with the rest of a confused Birchwood group right behind her.

"Ah," Akora sighed, "the rest of your school." She chuckled a bit and added, "Oh, Earth."

Elvia came to a stop before Kyle, then looked up at Akora. "You're that girl from class. Did you two agree to meet up or something?"

The two gave conflicting answers, with Akora telling her, "Yes" and Kyle saying, "Not really."

"We were wondering where you went!" Aoife told him.

"Didn't think it'd be like you to up and leave!" Sean added.

Asim looked Akora up and down. "Do you two have a thing going on?"

Kyle went pink, but Akora gave a hearty laugh. "You really are a hopeless romantic, aren't you?"

"We just met today!" Kyle's voice sounded just a pitch higher than normal. Though he could not prove it, he could have sworn he heard Fledermaus chuckle at him.

Akora took a deep breath to recover from her laugh, then she explained, "I had heard so much about the Akfernen family, as I assume most of you have as well, and just wanted to meet one myself."

Sean snickered a bit. "We went to school with him. He's not like the others."

And with those words, Kyle felt himself outcasted once again.

"He could be!" Akora beamed. "We could make him the greatest Akfernen who ever lived!"

The others exchanged glances. "Well he has a dragon, so he must be powerful," Aoife concluded.

"But he's never doing anything," Sean argued.

"That doesn't mean he can't be built up!" Akora's eyes were bright and her face was beaming once again.

Kyle leaned against the tree and stroked Fledermaus, trying to ignore the way they were talking about him. He tuned them out, and just stroked the dragon on his shoulder. At some point he noticed that they had come to some kind of agreement, and began to walk away while Elvia hung back. She looked up at him, and told him in a tone just above a whisper, "If it makes you feel any better, you're already the greatest Akfernen I know."

"Are they going to let you keep that?" Sean asked. He wanted to reach over and stroke the little puff ball, but knew he had to wait until it was done eating.

"Probably," Zach answered. "If I can remember correctly, it's happened before. As long as she keeps it under control."

"He'll be no trouble at all!" Akora declared. More milk was on the pup's face and belly than in his mouth.

"Do you room with anyone?" Aoife inquired. She felt that she would be upset if Nixie or Elvia had snuck a wolf pup in without her knowledge.

Akora shook her head. "Nah, I made sure I was on my own. It's for the best." She chuckled to herself. "It's tough sleeping in the same room as me. These guys would just be a warm-up round."

Zach took a drink of his coffee and snickered, "I feel bad for whoever goes on a mission with you."

Kyle looked nervously at Zach. "Mission?"

Akora broke into a deep, bellowing laughter. "They really didn't tell you anything, did they?"

Kyle felt himself enjoy Akora's company less and less.

"You remember the benchmark exams back in school?" Aoife asked.

Kyle turned to her and offered a slight chuckle, "How could I forget?"

"Well, the missions are kind of like that," she explained. "My parents said there's a minimum of four per year, sometimes more depending on your teacher or if you need extra credit, stuff like that."

"And what do they entail?"

She shrugged at this. "It depends on your Familiar."

"Most of them are kind of like camping," Zach chimed in, "but with a goal other than enjoying nature. Usually you go to some ancient sacred ground and clear it of pests, or a training center created by the school where you go on a scavenger hunt of some kind."

"I like scavenger hunts," Elvia muttered shyly.

"Doesn't sound like much of a big deal," Nixie declared with confidence.

"It really isn't, as long as you know what you're doing." Zach sat back and allowed Sheena to finish what he had left on his plate. This time, she stayed pocket-sized.

"How will I know if I'm doing the right thing?" Kyle asked with a twinge of worry in his voice.

"They'll show ya," Akora assured him. "Else, you better hope you're in a good group."

Sean took a swig of his milk, then added, "With his name, I just hope they put him in a group."

"You guys have done nothing but scare me since I got here," Kyle said, adding a tone to his voice that he hoped came across as light-hearted.

"Don't be scared," half his classmates told him.

"You should be," the other half said.

Their time with Mr. Raz came and went. The days were almost like the first days of high school all over again, the only difference being the rest of the student body. Kyle had adjusted much better than he thought he would. What helped was receiving a word of encouragement from his family. They had written a letter, which was delivered to him by Mr. Efeta. The next papers distributed by Mr. Efeta were the class schedules. Vince, of course, was helping, but snuck in a few comments, "I know you're going to chuck this immediately, but at least recycle it," and "If you lose it, don't come crying to me." Mr. Efeta tried unsuccessfully to follow in Vince's steps with, "If you lose it, I will tattoo it on you personally," and "If I catch you tossing this on the ground, I will shove it -" That one Vince never let him finish.

Kyle looked at his when he first got it. It had his name on it in the top left corner, and under that, his Familiar's name (next to which were the words "Flying Beast"), his previous school, and a few quick notes about him. These notes included his allergies, blood type, and any triggers he was reported to have had (this had been put into play for the benefit of epileptics who are triggered by flashing lights, werewolves who transform by the full moon, sufferers of life-threatening allergies, vampires who are only able to take night classes, sufferers of anxiety who may experience panic attacks, and so on). He questioned how the school would have known about this information, but reasoned it away with "that whole magic thing or whatever they do".

He still ate with the other Birchwood students and Akora. Only, once classes began, he was unable to eat with everyone at the same time. He had breakfast with Aoife and Asim, lunch with Zach and Sean, and dinner with Elvia and Nixie (and Akora would try to insert herself into any type of meeting he had with his classmates.) This had also worked with his class schedule: Flight Class with Aoife and Asim, Beast Class with Sean and Akora, and an introductory class called, "Your Familiar and You" with Elvia. There were other, non-Familiar-related classes he had in common with the others. He had Monster Studies with Sean, Nixie and Akora; Writing and Grammar with Asim; The Arts with Aoife; and a free block with Elvia. The rest of his classes - Mathematics, History, and Supplementary Sciences - he had without any of them.

Flight Class was taught by a younger-looking professor called Mr. Hawking. His feathers were a warm hue of brown, and the undersides were off-white with long black stripes running horizontally across his feathers. He had gleaming golden eyes, and unlike the other professors, he was more bird in nature, with his nose actually being the top part of a beak. He had a powerful presence, and thought of flying as less of a science and more of an art (though, he was required to teach some of the sciences behind flying, because, "We don't want anymore accidents, Mr. Hawking"). The first class was him fawning over flight.

The students of beast class organized themselves based on school; regardless of how unfamiliar they were with each other, it felt best to be with beings of one's own territory than with a stranger of an even stranger territory. There was a wide variety of flying creatures - in fact, some of the students present were capable of flight themselves - ranging from seemingly normal birds to strange and very alien creatures with no discernable wings. One nearby student had a very alien-looking creature that was little more than a somewhat spherical blob with big, black eyes and two satellite blobs that seemed to act as hands or some other extremity. It was disgusting at first, but the more he looked at it, the more Kyle thought the Familiar was oddly adorable. He leaned over to Aoife and Asim and whispered, "And I thought Fledermaus would be the most bizarre flying creature I'd ever see."

Beast Class was taught by a very beast-like professor, Mr. Cava. He had black feathers on his body, with a soft plume around his neck. He was bald from that point upward, his skin red with splotches of yellow. He had a large, hooked nose with big eyes perched at the top. He had large feet and talons that clacked against the floor as he walked, and this made it easy to tell where he was at all times. He made grand sweeping gestures as he moved, almost like a theater actor. He spoke like an actor, too, loud and clear so everyone could hear. He was quite extravagant, more like a peacock than any other bird. The first class started at the basics of Familial Beasts.

As with Flight Class, most students chose to flock with other students of the same school, unless they had friends from a different school district. Akora, however, was different, and chose to insert herself into Kyle and Sean's two man crew. "Better pay attention, Akfernen," Akora warned. "The Beast Class is a hard Class to handle." It was clear, from that moment on, that Akora was not going to make this class all sunshine and rainbows.

Your Familiar and You was taught, once again, by Mr. Raz. It was an extension of the Introductory class. He explained that, if anyone had a hard time bonding with their Familiar following the class, they were free to inquire about a retake. The first class was all about how special bond between a person and their Familiar.

Kyle and Elvia sat together, allowing their Familiars to play with each other. They looked like kittens pretending to tussle, two very, very, very odd-looking kittens. It was difficult to pay attention when, as Elvia described it, "all this adorableness" was going on in front of them. However, Mr. Raz encouraged them to allow it to happen. "Like any young animal," he explained, "play fighting is good for your Familiar. It will help to build their skills, and it will keep them healthy. Not only that, but when two Familiars bond, their Family will bond, and a good Familial Bond is the most valuable thing you will earn here."

Monster Studies was taught by an ancient yet sharp professor called Mr. Reaper. He was enormous, filling the room with a commanding presence, looming like a phantom. He was bald, with a red tint to his skin; the rest of his body was covered in dark brown to jet-black feathers. He had a very strong nose, that gave him a very tough, distinct profile, and a mess of scars that made him look quite scary. Even the most troublesome students in the school behaved like saints in his class. It was few and far between that Mr. Reaper gave students detention or otherwise punished them, because they were all too scared to act out of line. The first class was spent mostly with Mr. Reaper warning them against approaching any creatures they could not identify, followed by a fearful silence.

Kyle was sure he would enjoy this class, because even Akora was too intimidated to speak up.

Writing and Grammar was taught by a series of different professors, depending on the class's native tongue and how well each professor understood the subject, as well as how well that professor was able to help others understand. The one teaching Kyle's class was a learned, eloquent professor by the name of Ms. Rowan. She was tall and slim, with grey feathers on her body. The mix of hair and feathers on her head was mostly a light grey with a dull but beautiful blue streak on either side of her head. Her eyes were a bright yellow that popped against the relatively duller colors of her body. Her nose was long and pointy, but elegant. She strode through the room slowly and gracefully as she lectured, never spending very long in the same place. This made it difficult for students to slack, but she was a bit laid-back; in fact, she often encouraged students to doodle as long as they were able to pay attention, especially of the drawings had some relevance to what they were discussing. The first class was spent discussing the literature they would be reading, the stories they would be writing, and the grammar they would have to take care of first.

Asim was a poet. He had a book of poems at all times. There was a compartment in his bag that held only that book and a pen, a pencil, and a pencil sharpener. This class was very exciting for him, because the teacher hinted there would be some poetry involved. Kyle found, however, that Asim's poetry was not his taste. It was a shame, too, because Asim was so excited to share his poems with him.

The Arts was taught by a beautiful and elegant professor called Ms. Batari. She was small, but full of color. The feathers at the top of her hair were black, down her neck and to the top of her chest was a brilliant yellow, and everything beneath was a shade of chocolate brown just kissed with a hint of red. She had long tail feathers, and would often lean forward (if she was not on her perch) to keep from dragging them across the floor. Her nose was long with a soft curve that ended in a delicate point, and her eyes were deep and dark. Her legs were an almost silvery grey, and her toes were long and slender, quite appropriate for an art teacher. The first class was spent taking personality and interest tests to see the art form with which each student would be most comfortable.

Aoife had great skills in a variety of arts, but, Kyle found, had difficulty deciding which route to take. He stuck primarily to visual arts, more specifically in the fields of drawing and painting. There was some great talent in the room, which made him look upon his work with a bit of doubt. "It's fine," Aoife assured him, "I think yours is the best." He was then unsure if his favorite class would be this or Monster Studies.

In between the Arts and Mathematics was Kyle's free block. He had discovered a courtyard in the center of the school, which was a quiet, peaceful place for students who wished to engage in chit-chat or simply relax, rather than play or otherwise be unruly. In its early days, there were some students who came with friends just so they had a more private place to party, but a giant spider who was rarely seen, made it clear that such behavior was inappropriate. After only three instances, no one dared act out there.

Kyle and Elvia sat together. In the mess of stuff his mother brought, he found a mostly unused sketchbook. He opened it for the first time in a while (likely years), and started to do a general sketch of Fledermaus. Elvia noticed, then retrieved her sketchbook and asked, "Do you want to draw with me?" Of course he said yes, and so the two spent their block of freedom drawing little cartoon characters and their ideas of what everyone's Familiars would look like once they were grown. It was a lovely session that ended too soon, but they knew they would be doing it again.