Beast People

It has been six months and the assassination attempts haven't dwindled. Every few days a new assassin shows up during the class training session and challenges me, only to be intercepted by Viv or Cross. I haven't been able to fight any of the assassins. Not only that, they're not even hiding it anymore. Last one that came fully admitted he was an assassin sent by the kingdom to get rid of me.

While they're not very strong, they are quite annoying. Viv and Cross have had it rough since some of the assassins were stronger than them. Of course, I would never let them get seriously hurt, but they seem to be doing just fine. They keep improving every day, but I'm sure they're tired of it by now though.

"Viv, I can take care of this one, just take a break."

This time the assassin was a woman with a longsword. They've been intervening with the academy and joining to kill certain students, and I just happen to be one of them. I don't understand why, since I'm not from this kingdom, but it seems like I'm high on the list.

The academy seems to have allowed this as the duke, namely Cross, has decided to side with the academy and has been consistently taking care of the intruders disguised as assassins. Taking care of the kingdom's resources one at a time. Seeing that they're only sending assassins of this level, Cera must be causing quite the problem for them.

They must have the strongest of them hiding in the shadows, waiting for her to make a mistake. Too bad for them, since Cera's kill range is massive. At this point, she basically works from home. Goes on walks and comes back with a completed assignment. Not only that, she has recently been visiting the academy. Following me around and watching classes from the side.

While I'm very happy that she gets to share a bit of the school life with me, I hate that she does it as a visitor and can't be by my side during class. She always has to be in the back or the side, standing.

I don't know how she got permission to do that in the first place, but since she's done so much for academy, I'm sure they have to listen to her.

She has also started training with Viv and Cross recently. Well, I don't know if I would call that training. She simply beats them up until they're bloody and then calls it quits. Feels more like she's relieving her stress. She says they must learn what it means to face someone strong, but I don't buy it.

But since there's nothing I can do about it, I just ignore it and let them be. Since Cross and Viv seem to take it seriously and never complain to me about it, I'm sure they're getting something out of it. Probably.

I've only become very popular in the academy since Cross became famous for taking care of the student's problems. Not only does he take care of my enemies, but protects the other students as well. They believe I ordered him to do that, but he said he's doing that to train himself, so Viv followed behind him and they've been fighting nonstop for the school.

Every day new teachers arrive from the kingdom. It seems like a stupid farce at this point. They're practically at war at this point.

"Cross, finish quickly today." I told Cross, who was fighting another stand in teacher.

We're going home early today because Cera wants to take me out to see a beast controller.

It will be the first time since the cat incident that I've gone out of the house, other than the academy.

I know I should be enjoying my stay here at the Rena kingdom, but that was a really traumatic experience for me and I don't want something like that to happen again. Especially with the kingdom going after me.

Eventually Cross finished and Viv followed behind me to the school gate, where Cera was waiting with Noire.

"Let's go, we're going to be late." I grabbed her hand and entered the carriage.

"What kind of show is it?" I asked.

"It's about a beast person that can talk to beasts." She replied.

A beast person? I've never met or seen one in person.

"What's a beast person like?" I was curious to know if Cera knew.

"I'm not sure either. I heard they have claws, but I don't know if that's true."

It wasn't very far and when we were close, I looked out the window, where there was a circus tent set up. People were coming in and there were people surrounding the entire tent.

"Looks pretty popular." I spoke.

"Let's go." Cera pulled me by the hand helped me out of the carriage.

We walked hand in hand into the tent and paid the man at the front for four seats. Viv and Cross silently, but alertly walking behind us.

We walked in and there was an arena set up in the middle where people were looking inside of dark cages with what I assumed were beasts inside. Talking and carrying around whips.

We went around and sat down on the seats that were set up and we were at the very front since Cera paid extra. That was when I saw a guy around 16 or 17 years old that had scratches all over his body and whip linings around his arms. He was carrying around a little black, furry beast and seemed to be talking to it. He didn't look any different from a normal human. In fact, no one here did. I heard they were mostly beast people, but they don't look any different.

"That guy over there is interesting." Said Cera.

I looked her way and saw she was talking about the same guy I was just looking at.

How is he interesting? I tried to focus my Alm and inspected him, but I couldn't tell anything different, he didn't even feel my presence as I was looking at him.

Cera felt what I was doing and tightly clenched my hand.

"You'll see what I mean soon."

That was when the it suddenly became dark and then someone used their power to illuminate the middle of the arena. More than enough for everyone to see and watch the show they were about to put on.

That was when the boy I was inspecting looked my way and began growing claws from his hands and feet. Slowly getting on all four and began jumping around, followed by some acrobatics.

Then they slowly began releasing animals, and the boy started to talk to them in a weird growling voice. They quickly went up to him and started growling back. A deer like creature began running in circles and following the boy's commands. After spinning the boy grabbed a large metal ring, which the deer looking creature jumped through, back and forth, repeatedly.

Then more creatures came in. A monkey with claws and long fangs, an elephant with tusks and two trunks, a howling, white lion and more bizarre creatures that I'd never seen were being managed and controlled by this boy, no older than Viv.

I found it interesting like Cera said. I don't know how he was doing it. But it did make me wonder, was he strong? Those claws look dangerous. It just screams danger.

"See, interesting, right?" Said Cera, smiling at me cutely.

"Yeah. Thank you for bringing me." I cuddled up to her as we enjoyed the show he was putting on. More beasts went by, none of them cute, but definitely interesting looking.

The show continued and I simply applauded when something cool happened or when I saw a very strange creature. I was enjoying myself. My head still leaning against Cera's shoulder. I was a little uncomfortable with how the chairs were dirty, but there was nothing I could do about it. We put some handkerchiefs over the chairs, but that was it.

After the event ended all animals laid down in the middle and the boy bowed before everyone.

We clapped and soon after we left the establishment.

"I enjoyed that a lot." I said.

"It was fun, my lady." Said Viv.

Cross just nodded and Cera was looking around.

"What's wrong?" I asked Cera.

"I found your third bodyguard." I was confused. I didn't know that's how she thought of Viv and Cross. I thought she liked them a little more than to think about them as bodyguards.

"Okay." I felt a bit down, but there was nothing I could do if that's what she wanted.

"Don't be upset, okay? It's for your safety when I'm not around." She put her hand on my cheek, slowly giving me a peck on the lips. Sending shivers down my body.

"Then let's go find him." She grabbed my hand and I followed behind her.

We tried to make our way back in, but we were stopped by some big, brawny looking man.

"The show is over, you can't go back in." Said the brawny man.

"Cross, knock him out." Ordered Cera.

Cross then followed her order, leaving him knocked out in front of the entrance. A few people saw, but they didn't say anything when they saw Cross carrying around the duke's emblem on his uniform.

We headed inside and saw that the boy was getting whipped by some older man.

"Hey!" I screamed.

"Stop that!" He had just given us a good show, I wasn't happy about him getting beaten in front of me.

"Shut up, why are you even in here? Guards!"

It had been a long time since someone had told me to shut up, but before I could move, Cera restricted everyone inside the circus tent with her power. I could feel the air flow becoming tighter.

"Alrighty then." Cera stepped forward.

"Beast boy, tell me what you want, I'll make it happen as long as you become my subordinate."

The beast boy was surrounded by powerful winds and he took a knee and couldn't move a muscle.

"It's okay, you don't need to get whipped anymore." I told him.

He unleashed his claws like earlier, but he still couldn't move under the pressure. I tried to reassure him again.

"We're not here to hurt you. We just want to make a deal with you. So calm down, okay?" I tried my best to speak softly and calmy, which seemed to work.

He put away his claws, but the older guy kept screaming.

"Guards! Guards!" That was when Cera snapped his head off.

I sighed at the sight.

"Now speak." Cera said intimidatingly.

"Let the other beasts free, and I'll do what you want."

"What do you mean by free? Do you want to just let them run around in the forest? In the city? What do you mean?" Asked Cera.

The beast boy clenched his teeth because he didn't have an answer and remained silent for a bit.

"I don't know. I just want to save them from here."

"Okay. We can release them into the forest. But what happens after, is up to them, is that okay with you?"

He hesitated for moment.

"That's fine."

"Then let's get going, you need to start training as soon as possible."

I watched as Cera helped him up and he began to gather the other beasts.