Question Out Foxing

I thought it was Lex / AJ at first 'cause Alex-named Runner

Is that the big secret of the rich clans? They're all genetically predispositioned for certain Mutant Traits?

Goodkinds are Mages, Walcutts are Avatars... Bloodliners are PSI...

And mother always told me
Be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do
'cause the lie becomes the truth...
Michael Jackson, Billie Jean

Interesting lyrics to start the story with.

October 3rd, 2007
Livingston Hall, Benjamin Franklin Academy, 147 Seaman Ave, New York, NY

Ooo, starting someplace like this, sounds like an origin story in the making. Alex trying to make the tennis team for the prestige, uh oh, I have a very bad feeling about this.

Despite his money and 'trust fund kid' status that would normally put him near the top of the social heap at a regular school, at BFA, that was a minimum entry level kind of thing. It also meant the bullies couldn't be bought off. They weren't extortionists, this was sport as far as they were concerned.

Yikes, now that is a school I would hate to go to.

Coach O'Ceallaigh had been to Wimbledon twice and would tolerate no shenanigans on his courts.

An actual retired pro as a teacher, cool. Oh crud, the description of Alex, he is going to end a girl by the end of this, isn't he. Good job avoiding the bullies. The tennis courts remind me of my time in Germany, tennis courts like that across from the elementary and high schools, fun.

Set up against Deshawn Wallace, why does it seem teachers like making up the tormented with their tormentors, happens in the real world from what I remember of school.

While some unscrupulous lawyers chased ambulances, the Wallace's chased headlines. Any situation that could be interpreted as discriminatory, whether it was or not, and soon the Board of Directors of whatever company had committed a social faux pas would be served with papers bearing the names of Deshawn's mother and father. The two had built up sizable fortune in 'undisclosed settlements' that never got their clients more than a few thousand dollars, but allowed the Wallace's to live like royalty.

This kind of lawyers make them all look bad, *sigh*

Oh double crud, Deshawn is the most terrifying kind of bully, hard to simply avoid and probably won't back down if you stand up to him. Ouch, having to face this creep and having that showing, poor Alex. The coach disappointed in him, Deshawn knew how to play him too well, psychology is half the game.

Oh shit, the door refusing to open, the Coach nowhere in sight, a set-up by the bullies to get him alone, they need security cameras at this school. Darting towards Inwood Hill Park and of course, the bullies come after him, the bunch of cowards. Darn, having to carry his racket like that, startling an elderly couple as he leaps over a bench, heading towards the Indian Cave, uh oh.

Able to hear yet not see his pursuers, that isn't always a good thing. Climbing a rock face to get into the cave, good hiding spot. Stan Kirby, Bob Gardner, Fox Kane, bwahaha, nice names for the bullies, E.E, combinations of famous comic book writers and artists. Good, a mounted cop scares the bullies off. Something watching Alex from the darkness further in the cave, this is normally the part you run before it turns into a horror movie. Ah good, Alex got out of the cave and heads home.

October 3rd, 2007
Penthouse, The Stratford Building, 1385 York Ave, New York, NY

Charles Edwin, gentleman's gentleman. Has a guy like this working for his family, yet not considered rich enough, oh brother. Jenna entertaining a guest, great, a probably slutty older sister, what he doesn't need. And yup, from the sounds it has gone through all the guys and now with Gabriella Goodkind, uh oh, this is very not good.

At least Charles is a good butler, actually talking with Alex about his troubles.

“Edwin, I don't enjoy being chased and made to look like an scared little kid.” The boy sighed and took a bite of his mildly sweet biscuit. “Of course, there is a certain...satisfaction...in making them look like idiots.”

I know how Alex feels, those times you outthink, outmaneuver the bullies and escape is satisfying.

Once more Alex was graced with a sidelong glance from the older man. “Master Alex, no one, least of all myself, would advise a young man to solve his issues with violence. Forgoing the legality of pugilism, you will find that, while some of the more cowardly specimens of the breed can be dissuaded this way, others find their prey standing up for themselves as a marker of challenge. Often leading to unfortunate escalations.”

Sounds like Charles speaks from experience about bullies. Ugh, his sister and her current conquest coming down in that state of 'dress', that is just tacky.

And that drunk as well, with Gabriella saying to let Alex get a good look and has to learn sometime, just so wrong. Now that is a professional butler, able to berate those girls without blinking while they are in that state of undress.

Despite the water, the image of Gabriella Goodkind's breasts were firmly burned into his memory. Alex was not an innocent of the ways of the world and his imagination was shortly full of images and fantasies of which the elder of the 'Good Time Goodkinds' featured prominently.

Darn, too late. Sick from being in the shower too long, I think whatever was in the cave got inside him.

October 3rd, 2007
The March of Dreams

Feverish and disjointed dreams, yikes, those are brutal and leave you feeling exhausted even after a night's sleep. And the images that come with them, I hope Alex doesn't lose part of his mind from this. An infinite, black void, wake up now, Alex! No matter how good you look in this place, wake up before it's too late. A talking fox in his dream, *eyes bug out* This is a lot worse than I thought.

“You have a healthy skepticism!” he declared, obviously pleased. “Does my reputation come before me?”

Please let him not be Reynard the Fox, please. And Alex has no idea who he is, very bad. Transforming like that, I think my guess about Reynard was right.

Jak
Prognosticator, Instigator, Investigator
Teller of Secrets
Finder of Lost Things

Those titles, it has to be Reynard the Fox, never a being to trust.

And of course he hid in Jak's cave and Alex was being watched by him the whole time, eep.

“You hide in my cave,” the fox replied. “I appreciate the artistry of your escape, and because of my admiration, and your body beginning to awaken, finally, I was able to attach a bit of myself to you so I could find you in the Dream Realm and make you an offer.”

Body beginning to awaken, sounds like he is manifesting as a mutant and is an avatar. And Alex, remember the old saying, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Shaping the March of Dreams like that into Beanocchio's, definitely a powerful spirit.

The fox was human now, an athletically built, sharp faced man with slicked back red hair and the expression of a smooth, confident wise guy on his features.

*facepalms* Yup, has to be Reynard, only he could pull off that look.

“What you, Alex, are is a mutant. Relax, it's just a word, happens every day. While you're sleeping out there in the so-called 'real world' your body is going through some pretty heavy duty changes. We'll get to the details in a sec, but first things first, your hallow. I like it. It's nice and wide, plenty of room for you and me. I already like you, you're my kind of human. You say the word, I move in and while we're sharing your meat, I'll let you use my powers and abilities. Think about it, yeah, the bullies have numbers, but you, you'll have mutant powers and a wise guy like me to talk you through it. Hell, in a couple years, we could run this town.”

Alex is going to be in trouble unless he gets help soon, this isn't the kind of spirit you make a deal with without consulting an expert on such being.

Of course in the March of Dreams Jak can make the girls act this way.

The man shaped fox was coy as he took a sip of his hot chocolate. “Girls, guys if you swing that way, whatever you want, chief. I am the definition of sexy and that aura, that certain something that the ladies find irresistible is just one of the goodies I can let you in on.”

This kind of thing never works out, use your brain, Alex. Ack, now trying to get him to want to mess with his bullies by being a girl that hot, bail out, bail out! *sigh* Should have known a teenage boy who is bullied couldn't pass up the offer of power.

October 7th, 2007
ICU 4, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City

Oh crud, he has been asleep for 4 days at least. No wonder they brought him to a hospital. His mom, Evelyn, just happy her baby boy is awake. Wednesday and now Sunday, 4 days asleep, dang. His Uncle Ted is there and he Father got called out the country suddenly, why do I have a bad feeling about this.

Wakes up to the defined body he had in his dreams, but no more changes expected. And Alex finds out he is going to be sent to Whateley Academy, mention of Ted's daughter, Alex's cousin going there. Tansy is Ted's daughter, guess he wants a spy at Whateley. On a train Monday heading for Whateley, that is quick.

“Prison?” Ted chided his nephew. “If it were would I send you? Or your cousin? Come on, now, Alex, don't tell me you're reading wild rumors on the internet?” The man roughed up his nephew's hair. “In fact, I think they're a bit too loose in their regulation if you take my meaning. I'd call it a personal favor if you kept an eye on your cousin for me and let me know every so often.”

Alex Preswick-Walcutt, promising to look out for Tansy, this just took a turn for the worse.

An interesting story, nice to see a bullied kid at least able to escape them. I knew something bad was in the Indian Cave with him, but not that bad. Pretty sure Jak is Reynard the Fox or a piece of him, just how much trouble has Alex gotten himself into? And now we find out he is cousins to Tansy and her father Ted is trying to use Alex to keep an eye on her, just what isn't needed. How much trouble is Alex going to cause for Tansy and her friends thanks to Ted getting to him? Can't wait to read more stories in the future, wonder what codename he goes with.