It was the middle of the afternoon a girl with shoulder length orange hair was running down a stone pathway "Gotta hide" the girl said and she saw a bush come into view "Perfect!" she smiled and she rushed right into the bush and stayed hidden inside she peeked through a hole in the bush her ears ontop her head flickered trying to make out any sounds coming her way. For a while she heard silence and the wind blowing then she heard the sound of running footsteps and two boys came into view they had long orange and white tails flowing behind them as they ran like the girl they had ears ontop of their head the two boys where foxs spirits and she was as well the two fox boys stopped in their tracks and looked around "Where did she go?" the one on the left said looking around "I don't know I lost sight of her back by the shrine" the one on the right said looking around as well. The young fox girl watched as the two fox boys continued to look around the one they were looking for was her they had been teasing her all day long and suddenly they started chasing after her "Please, just go away" she said lowly so they wouldn't here her she watched the two fox boys look around aimlessly looking for her "Man,she's not here" the fox boy on the left said "She has to be around here she ran this way" the fox boy on the right said the fox girl held her breath thinking that breathing would give away her hiding place "Come on just leave already" the fox girl said to herself. For a few more seconds the two fox boys looked around for here the fox boy on the left groaned loudly "Come on, she's probably gone man" he said the fox boy on the right looked at him and sighed and nodded in agreement "Yeah, your right" he said "Man for a no-tail she sure can run fast" the boy on the left said hearing the fox boy's word the young fox girl grew irritated hearing the nickname everyone teased her with but she couldn't let herself be controlled by her emotions she had to stay hidden "Your right about that ole' zero tails sure can run" the fox boy on the right said with a grin the fox girl grumbled to herself her irritation level and rage building "Calm down, don't let it get to you" the fox girl said to herself she had a calm face but on the inside she with seething with rage "Maybe zero tail ran home like a baby" the fox boy on the left said with a laugh that was the last thing the fox girl could take her anger at it's peak. Without thinking she rose from her hiding place "Who are you calling a baby!?" she shouted the two fox boys looked over at her and smiled then the fox girl realized her mistake "Found you zero tail" the fox boy on the right smiled "Your so easy" the fox boy on the left said "Game over" he added the fox girl sighed deeply after a few minutes the two fox boys had the fox girl by the arms and where carrying her off somewhere "Come on guys don't do this!" she pleaded "You know the rules Zero Tail" the fox boy on the right said "If you get caugth you go for a little dip" the boy on the left said "Please! Can we talk this out!" the fox girl said with a smile "Nope" the two fox boys said with a smile the fox girl groaned as she saw the lake coming into view the three stopped in front of it "Ready for a swim Zero Tails?" the fox boy on the lef chuckled the fox girl looked at the water and grimmaced the water in the lake she was about to be thrown in was very rancid smelling since it was home to a swamp spirit the fox girl closed her mouth accepting her fate she nodded the two fox boys looked at each other and smiled "1" counted the fox boy on the right "2" counted the fox boy on the left the fox girl closed her eyes "3!" the two foxs boys shouted together and then they pulled the fox girl back and tossed her into the water with a splash "Seeya tommorow Zero Tails!" the fox boy on the right shouted the one on the left just chuckled and they left the lake leaving the young fox girl by herself floating down to the bottom of the lake. The fox girls rage was at an all time high but it soon faded when the thought of what she could do came to mind "I wish I had a tail" she said to herself "Mayako" called a female voice the young fox girl opened her eyes when she did she wasn't at the bottom of a lakebed anymore she was in her bedroom in her bed she wipped her eyes and yawned she looked around and saw an older fox girl with four tails behind her looking at her with an annoyed face "Ah.." the fox girl said upon seeing the older fox girl "Yone-neesan" the fox girl said fallowed by a yawn "Morning" she said with a half asleep smile "Don't morning me!" the older fox girl shouted she was the younger fox girls older sister Yone Matsuyama and unlike her older sister had four tails and the younger fox girl herself her name was Mayako Matsuyama and she had no tails whatsoever to speak of "Don't you have any idea what time it is!?" Yone said tapping her foot on the floor Mayako gave a confused look she turned her head and looked at her clock by her bed. The time read 7:30 am "Is it really that late?" Mayako asked scrathing her head "Yes!" Yone shouted Mayako chuckled "I was having a really imersive dream" she said with a smile "Seriously, you need to stop spending so much time up during the night when you should be sleeping" Yone said crossing her arms "Sorry, can't help it I'm a night fox" Mayako said with a grin Yone gumbled in annoyane "Whatever, just get out of bed and get dressed" Yone said as she started for the door "You don't want to be late again do you?" she said as she walked out "Late?" Mayako said to herself then it dawned on her "School!" she gasped and she threw the covers off of her and hopped out of bed and she started throwing off her pajamas and she went to her closet and took out a school uniform and she quickly slipped it on she made her way to her chester drawer and pulled the top drawer open inside were several pairs of white stockings she took a pair out and slipped them on she made her way to the bathroom a mere inches away from her room and looked at herself in the mirrior her ears flickered ontop her head she grumbled seeing her hair a mess she took a comb and passed it through after combing her hair to her liking she examined herself in the mirrior. Everything was perfect except for the absence of her tails she let a small sigh excape from her mouth she was now 15 years old yet she still didn't have a tail when she was a kid Mayako thought her tails would come out as she got older but that didn't happen and it made Mayako believe she'd never have a tail in her life she smiled to herself in the mirrior and she left the bathroom and she headed downstairs Mayako walked into the kitchen where the scent of breakfast filled the room she was met with her sister Yone and her father sitting at the table when she sat down her father looked over at her "Ah, finally up Mayako?" he said "Yeah" Mayako said "Honestly, you need to think about you activities" Yone said as she pecked at a plate in front of her "Hey I get by fine okay so leave me alone" Mayako said "Why you" Yone growled her tails ruffled behind her "Now now, Yone calm down" her father said Yone immediatley calmed herself and her tails went back to their original state "Yes father" Yone said and she went back to eating her breakfast Mayako looked over at her father "Did Keishi-niisan come back yet?" Mayako asked "No, he's still out there" her father answered "Oh, I see" Mayako said a sad look on her face Keishi was her older brother he was older then Yone which made him the oldest sibling amongst the Matsuyama siblings and he was vastly different from Yone her brother had seven tails meaning he was much stronger then Yone and definatley he was stonger then Mayako who had no tails whatsoever that cause her brother to be called to solve any problems he'd be gone for days and then he'd come back home and he'd be so exsaughsted that Mayako couldn't spend time with him her father gave a smile "Don't worry Mayako your brother'll be back soon" he said "It is Keishi we're talking about" Yone said "Your right" Mayako said and her face brightened at that time her mother walked in "Ah, finally down here are you Mayako" her mother said walking over to her "Yeah, Yone-neechan woke me up" Mayako said "I see, well let me get you some breakfast" her mother said Mayako nodded and her mother walked off to the counter that's when Yone got up from the table taking her empty plate in hand "You'd better hurry up before your late" Yone said as she placed her empty dish in the sink she walked over to the counter and picked up a book bag and slinged it over her arm "See you dear" her mother called "I'm off" Yone said "See ya' when you get back" her father called Yone walked out the kitchen Mayako heard the front door open and close her mother placed a plate of food in front of her "You'd better eat fast" her mother smiled "Kay" Mayako said and she quickly did away with her food she was about to grab her plate and walk to the sink but her mother took it from her "Let me handel this you should leave now if you don't want to be late" her mother said walking over to the sink "Thanks mom" Mayako said and she got up from the table "Seeya when I get back dad" Mayako said and she kissed her father on the cheek "Be careful Mayako" her father said with a smile "I will, and I hope Keishi-niisan get's home while I'm gone" Mayako said with a smile her father smiled and nodded Mayako walked out the kitchen and to the front door. She spotted her bookbag by the door where she had left it the last time she came back from school she picked it up form off the floor and slung it over her shoulder she found her shoes and slipped them on and she headed out the door. Moments later Mayako was rushing down the stone pathway from her house she didn't want to be late the teacher on duty today was really scary as she ran two shadows rushed passed her and stopped in front of her Mayako stopped on her heels trying not to slam into the two figure standing before her she gave a groan of annoyance "What do you two want?" she asked standing in front of her were the two fox boys from her dream but they had aged just like she did but unlike her their number of tails had grown since they were kids "Well, if it isn't old Zero Tails" said the boy on the left his three tails swishing behind him his name was Kentarou Yumura"What's the rush Zero Tails?" the boy on the right said with a smirk his four tails swirling behind him his name was Youmaru Yumura the two of them where brothers "Look, I'm about to be late for school,I don't have time for you idiots!" Mayako shouted "Ouch, that really hurt didn't it Kentarou?" Youmaru said looking at his brother with a smirk "Sure did Youmaru" Kentarou said smirking back "It really stings when it comes from Zero Tails here" Kentarou said Mayako grumbled lowly "Aw, is Zero Tails getting mad?" Youmaru teased Mayako gurmbled again Youmaru was right Mayako was getting mad "Like I said, I have no time for you idiots" Mayako said "So get the hell out of my way!" she said and she dashed at them Kentarou and Youmaru smirked and stepped aside allowing Mayako to rushed passed between them but she didn't notice Kentarou's foot sticking out and it tripped her and she fell to the ground she groaned lifting herself from off the ground "Watch where your going Zero Tails" Kentarou sneered "Yeah, you could hurt yourself" Youmaru chuckled Mayako looked back at the Yumura brothers with their sneering face she scowled at them she could feal a fire burning inside of her "Aw, sorry, did I make you mad even more?" Kentarou said with a grin Mayako growled "You little.." she said and she walked up to Kentarou and wheeled back her arm and let her fist fly right into Kentarou's face the smirk on his face was replaced with one of surprise and pain and Kenarou went to the ground "Kentarou!" Youmaru said seeing his brother fall to the ground Kentarou looked up angrily at Mayako holding his face "Oh, your going to get it now!" Kentarou said Mayako smiled nervously she had just made a big mistake. Kentarou got up from the ground "You okay bro?" Youmaru asked "Yeah" Kentarou said "Youmaru, let's get her" he said "Right!" Youmaru smirked and they looked at Mayako with devilsh smiled Mayako laughed nervously knowing she messed up big time "Look at that, I should really be going" Mayako said backing away from the Yumura brothers "Oh Zero Tails" Kentarou said in a singsong voice Mayako truned quickly and started running away "Get her!" Kentarou shouted and Mayako heard the Yumura brothers chasing behind her "Come on Mayako you have to lose them!" she said to herself as she panted hard. Mayako looked around for a place to lose the Yumura brothers while she ran but she couldn't see anything that appealed to her to make matters worse she could hear the Yumura brothers gaining up on her "We're going to get you Zero Tails!" shouted Kentarou "Your going to go for a swim when we catch you!" Youmaru shouted Mayako picked up her pace if Mayako had one thing going for her it was her speed she knew even though she had no tails that she was still faster then the Yumura brothers nostalgia soon set into Mayako running away from the Yumura brothers brougth her back to when she was a kid and they would chase her everywhere and she'd be tossed into the lake where the swamp sprirt lived and she smell rancid for days no matter how many showers and baths she took. Mayako ruhsed down the stone pathway an image of her as a kid running the same path showed up beside her she looked over at it and frowned "I'm always running aren't I?" she said to herself looking at her younger self running like she was with no tail flowing behind her "If I had a tail this wouldn't happen" Mayako said to herself all other fox spirits teased her for not having any tails and because she was from the Matsuyama Family the most revered fox spirit family it made it even worse why couldn't she be like her older sister and brother. Mayako continued to be chased down the path she was still looking around for somewhere to at least duck into until the Yumura brothers left her alone but she still didn't see a thing there was only one option left "I've got to make it to school!" she said if she made it to school the Yumura brothers would have to stop persuing her she smiled "Okay, lets do this!" she said psycing herself up and she kicked it into high gear and took off like a bullet "Lets see them keep up when I'm at top speed!" she smiled to herself she looked back and didn't see the Yumura brothers behind her any longer she thought she had lost them for a second "No! I can't let my gaurd down!" she said thinking maybe they'd ambsuh her the moment she thought she was safe and slowed down so Mayako kept up her pace a few feet of running later she saw the enterance of her school come into view and she grinned sweat was dripping down her face she picked up her speed for the final strech she saw the duty teacher standing by the gate looking at a watch and then at her barreling towards the school when she got inches closer to the enterance the duty teacher smirked "Your about to be late Zero Tails Mayako" the duty teacher said in a gruff male voice he was a tanned and tall and muscular man with long black hair he had two big swirling horns on his head his name was Ryugo he was a sheep sprit and he was really scary when he was mad Mayako gave a last spurt of speed and she was able to pass the gate line when she saw she arrived at her goal she came to a stop she doubled over and took hard breaths in and out she wiped her sweaty forhead and straightened up panting a little bit she turned to Ryugo "Ma..Made it" she huffed giving a thumbs up to Ryugo "Yes, and not a moment to soon" Ryugo said with not so much as a smile Mayako grumbled at Ryugo's attitude "Zero Tail!" came Kentarou's voice Mayako looked and saw an out of breath Kentarou and Youmaru running to the enterance Mayako stepped back a bit "Seeya Ryugo-sensei!" Mayako said and she fast walked her way into the school building Ryugo nodded "And, you two.." Ryugo said senseing the Yumura brothers closing in on the enterance "Are late" he said and he grabbed the enterance gate and threw it closed before the Yumura brothers could pass though "Aw man!" Kentarou said stopping at the gate as did his brother "You two will see me after class" Ryugo said with a smile Kentarou and Youmaru's bodies shook inside the halls of the school Mayako made her way to her class she walked in and went sit at her desk she dropped her bookbag and she slammed her head onto her desk "Agh..my legs are killing me" she groaned her legs were on fire she never ran at her full speed for so long before "Hey why are you so out of shape?" came a female voice Mayako looked up and saw a girl with long white and brown hair she had bear ears in her head and she smiled at Mayako with a fang poking out her mouth Mayako smiled "Hey Kumaruro-san" Mayako greeted the girl was Kumaruro Kumagi a bear spirit and Mayako's best friend since childhood "Hey, so why the no energy look?" Kumaruro asked sitting in the desk next to Mayako's "Hugh, I had to run from Kentarou and Youmaru again" Mayako groaned "Those punks are still giving you trouble?" Kumaruro asked Mayako nodded Kumaruro clicked her tounger "You should do something about those jerks" Kumaruruo said "Wish I could" Mayako sighed she could deal with the Yumura brothers if she had at least one tail "Oh yeah" Kumaruro said having forgotten about Mayako's condition. Mayako sighed "I wish I had a tail or two" Mayako said "Don't worry! Who knows you might grow more tails then the two of them combined someday!" Kumaruro said "Thanks" Mayako smiled Kumaruro smiled back "In the meantime want me to break their legs?" Kumaruro said with a smirk and she pounded her fist into her hand "No no! It's fine Kumaruro-san!" Mayako said she knew first hand about Kumaruro's strength and knew she wouldn't just break their legs Kumaruro in her rage had once shattered an entire tree that she got a ball stuck in when they were kids "Okay, but if you change your mind just holler" Kumakuro said Mayako nodded and gave a light smile the teacher walked in as the bell rang "Alright everyone to their seats!" the teacher ordered students moved to their desks "See you at lunch" Kumaruro said with a wave and she went to her seat after all the students in the class were sitting in the correct seats the teacher began calling roll Mayako looked around the room looking at her other classmates some had long tails behind them some had horns on their head and some had wings and animal apendages Mayako's school was a school made only for Spirits and only spirits could find it "Alright, may I have your attention!" the teacher said finishing the roll call all the classes attention was on the teacher "Today will be a Measurement Day, you know what that means" the teacher said the classroom erupted into talking Measurement Day ment seeing how much power each student had Mayako shrank back in her seat she hated when it was Measurement Day "Why did I get to school on time today.." Mayako grumbled anticipating the laughingstock she would be again showing that she still had no power to speak of even though she was now fifteen "Can this day get any worse.." Mayako asked herself. [Ch. END]