NOVEL WEB Ch 1. Coming of Age
Today was the biggest day of my life so far. Why you ask? Because it was my 18th birthday. The day I would receive my blessing. The day my fate would finally change. The day I could prove to those humans that we weren't inferior at all.
"Good luck Fenton! Mommy loves you!" Ears flopping to the side enthusiastically. I could tell she was happy for me by the way she practically bounced up and down while saying it. Whether for better or worse we Rabbitkin always wore our hearts on our sleeves.
"Thanks mom." I said while heading out the door of our home, built to look like hollowed out tree. We may be in the city, and a human one at that, but for some reason our race always felt more at ease when we were reminded of the forest.
"Good luck brother!" My dozen siblings followed me out the doorstep, waving goodbye, tears of joy and eyes of pride as they watched me head off to school.
It wasn't just the fact that I had managed to be accepted into higher education that thrilled them so much, it was the knowledge of where I had been accepted into. Ashton Academy was military academy, a school for prospective knights. Being a bunny, notoriously unsuited for fighting, it was the last place you would expect. So much so that I was in fact the first rabbit ever to have been accepted within their ranks.
I practically skipped my way down the road, ears bobbing up and down as I made my way through the beastkin district, being careful not be stepped on by the astoundingly large minotaurus that roamed the streets or the horse-sized centaurs who set their own pace, being so big made it easy for them to do as they liked while us smaller creatures had to give them a wide-berth.
Exiting the main street before winding through the web of side-alleys surrounded by a wall of faceless buildings. The cloister of buildings here was a hopelessly complex maze that outsiders could only lose themselves in, but to me walking these streets was like taking a stroll through my backyard. I knew everyone here and everyone here knew me.
Receiving a set of hateful stares from a group of wolf-boys who were my own age, Fenrus' gang, I remembered them well. As a rabbit I wasn't involved in gangs, I hated them actually, given that rabbits have always been one of their primary targets. We're weak looking... well not just 'looking' but actually weak. I was an outlier. Anyways, it happened a few years back. Their gang tried shaking down the bunny-borough for extortion money a few years back, and one day they had the nerve to knock on our door and demand our money. Somehow or another something in me snapped that day.
That was a grueling few months, but long story short, now they know who I am, and they don't come around the bunny-borough anymore. I don't think they're actually that bad of kids, but the reputation us rabbits have as pushovers makes people think and act like they can walk all over us.
Seeing them blocking the way I dodged passed into a side-alley, making a quick detour down through the red-light district for a safer route. As a rabbit I blended in quite well here, the high number of bunny-eared workers trying to draw in customers for the day made it abundantly clear what kind of jobs our kind usually did.
"Hi Fenton. How's your mother doing?" One of the bunny prostitutes called out after noticing me passing by. Melinda, One of my mother's coworkers, I recognized her while sighing.
"She's doing fine, thanks for asking."
"She ever coming back to the shop? We miss her here."
"Not if I can help it." I said, trying to say it in a tone that wouldn't offend her while still jogging like I was in a hurry to get somewhere. In fact, I was in hurry.
"Hmmm, well, good for you. I hope things work out with that school of yours."
"Thanks Melinda, I'll let mother know you asked about her." Giving a wave before hurrying off towards the human district. It made the commute somewhat inconvenient for me, but given that it was a prestigious academy, they couldn't well have their school be in the beastkin parts of town.
Approaching the gate separating the two sectors, I was stopped by two guards in full armor. Human guards. Who looked at my appearance questioningly. Noticing the shortsword I had strapped to my belt as well as the student's uniform I had on.
"Beastkin can't bring in weapons. Leave it behind or don't come in."
This was my first time trying to enter with a sword, but the academy uniform I was wearing was well known enough that none of this should have been an issue, though I could tell from the look they were giving me it was just needless harassment.
"Excuse me sirs, I'm an Ashton student, I need my sword." I said while putting on a sweet expression, hoping to appeal to his sense of sympathy using my cute appearance.
"Can't say I've ever heard of any rabbit knights before... but sure have seen a lot of them plying their trade the way you came." I knew what he was referring to, rabbits and brothels were practically synonymous in the eyes of humans.
"Maybe you have something that can freshen up my memory?" He said while making a money symbol with his hand. If all he wanted was money, I'd hold my tongue for now. Whatever happened, I couldn't risk jeopardizing today. Hiding my simmering feelings beneath a smiling face while I passed a small amount of silver to him. It wouldn't be a lot for a human, but to beastkin like myself this was practically a small fortune. The only thing saving me was the stipend the school had supplied me a few days ago.
"Okay, rabbit knight. You're fine to go through. Seems like you really are a student."
Studying his face carefully, I just gave him a nod before passing through. I'd remember this.
"I'll be sure to visit a nice brothel tonight, a rabbit one. Bring some much needed business to your community."
Letting his words pass through my ears, I walked through to the human side of town. Not bothering to respond to the provocations.
The changes in the state of the environment was immediately apparent. The air felt cleaner here. The roads were paved, the carriages decorated, and the buildings made from stone rather than cheap timber. Wealth was abundant here, completely unlike the poverty-stricken beastkin district from which I had grown up.
Taking in the fresh sights I began to hum merrily, today was my day. My mind wandered as I imagined what kind of blessing I would be gifted with. It was both a source of anxiety and expectation. Blessings were bestowed by gods and each race had their own god responsible for their well-being. To a large extent one could influence the direction of their blessing. Someone who lived on a farm would possibly get one related to the tilling of earth, while a blacksmith's apprentice might get something related to metal-working. That's how it normally worked anyways, but certain races had underlying characteristics that sometimes shone through. For spriggans or arunea that might be their connection towards nature, for elves it might be related to magic and the arcane. For rabbitkins, our race's specialty... was sex.
But that was precisely why I had tried so hard all these years. Training, practicing, fighting. Despite my small size and stature I even won the recognition of the humans who normally looked down on our race, managing to pass a practical examination into the highly prestigious knight's academy. I'd done all the hard work already, now all I needed to do was believe in myself.
The words I had been waiting for appeared before me.
"Ashton Academy"
Painted in gold-trim lettering across a lacquered signboard that hung from the entrance of the school ground.
I grinned uncontrollably at the sight. Groups of humans, male and female, wandered through, dressed in the same uniform that I had on. A smaller number of beastkin could be seen, entering through the gates with their heads held high. The humans might take such things like this for granted, but I knew beastkin all took this as an undeniable honor. Even I felt it myself.
The feeling of that first step onto the academy grounds. I somehow knew it in my gut. This was going to be a day that would change my life forever.
