CHChapter 1: What's Up Kazuki?! [[PREVIEW]]

&#x3C;h1&#x3E;Chapter 1&#x3C;/h1&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;What&#x2019;s up Kazuki?!&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;A silent car ride was led by a dark-skinned male with slicked-back purple hair and dark eye-obscuring shades. His focused gaze occasionally switched to the rear-view mirror where the young redhead sat. The boy glanced back and exhaled through his nose, allowing his tense shoulders to slacken. He rested his head on his hand as he looked absentmindedly out the window.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x3C;em&#x3E;&#x2018;Sucks that I got no real family to see me off before I get completely slaughtered. Only this jerk, hmph.&#x2019;&#x3C;/em&#x3E; He thought to himself, trying to seem as unbothered as possible at his current predicament.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;However, this had the opposite effect as he ended up getting lost in his thoughts. It was something he never failed to do time and time again no matter how much it proved to be detrimental. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x3C;em&#x3E;&#x2018;Dammit! If only all that didn&#x2019;t happen! If only&#x2026;&#x2019; &#x3C;/em&#x3E;His hand started trembling and he squeezed his eyes shut to stop the floodgates from opening. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;As he thought about how different his life would had been if &#x3C;em&#x3E;he&#x3C;/em&#x3E; hadn&#x2019;t gotten so close to him, an image flashed through his mind. It was one he recognized all too well. It was a shot of himself from only a few years ago on that horrible day. It was significant in so many ways with one of them being that it was the first time he ever had an out-of-body experience.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;The vision was of him crying and covered with fluid as red as the messy mass of hair on his head.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x3C;strong&#x3E;&#x201C;OI!!!&#x201D;&#x3C;/strong&#x3E; The sound of the older male screaming and fist slamming against the door was what saved him from experiencing any more of those visions. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;EKK! Y-YES SIR!&#x201D; The boy screamed back in an embarrassing higher pitch, striking a comically defensive pose.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;We&#x2019;re here. Get out.&#x201D; &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Huh? O-okay&#x2026;&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;The boy couldn&#x2019;t hide his amazement as his gray eyes panned up the large school and let out a small &#x3C;em&#x3E;&#x201C;woooow&#x201D;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;. The man caught his reaction and didn&#x2019;t miss a beat to call him out on it.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Amazed?&#x201D; He sneered, looking over his seat at the redhead who lowered his head in shame.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Aww, c&#x2019;mon, kid. Don&#x2019;t look like that. If you keep your head down and stay out of trouble, you&#x2019;ll surely fit in!&#x201D; The cheerfulness in his voice made the boy sick but he managed to raise his head a little to look at him. He mustered a slight smile and dipped his head in a slight bow, thanking the man for taking care of him up until now. He exited the car after pulling his hood over his head and was promptly blasted with car exhaust as his guardian sped away.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;When he was done coughing and gagging into his arm, the redhead&#x2019;s demeanor completely changed as he cursed the man. &#x201C;Fit in my ass. This is practically a death sentence! Casting me away like trash. &#x3C;em&#x3E;Damn youuuuuu&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x2026;&#x201D; Kazuki hissed, shaking his fists. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;After imagining himself blowing up the car with his make-believe laser beams, he turned to walk up to the school&#x2019;s entrance before stopping. He could just high tail it the hell out of there but where would he have gone? He would most likely share a much worse fate somewhere else than here as he knew first-hand just how cruel his fellow humans could be. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;The boy&#x2019;s name was Kazuki Akai. He was a fair-skinned young man of average build and height with his shoulder-length red hair styled in a low ponytail. He donned an orange pull-over hoodie that had blue and white designs on it with both the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, baring his slender forearms. A silver chain hung on the left hip of his black jeans and he had orange sneakers with white toes.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Kazuki could see how empty the campus was which somehow made him feel even more nervous. Although he was glad that there were no hooligans outside to run down his empty pockets and shank him, any normal school would have &#x3C;em&#x3E;some&#x3C;/em&#x3E; activity going on.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;He looked at the pink ribbon tied around the strap of his black satchel and drew in one deep breath to ease his worries. He opened the double doors but just as he was about to get one step into his new hell, a strange mark was burned into the side of his neck. The pain was what made him stop dead in his tracks distracting him from the large crowd gathered around a fight.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x2026; And the marble sculpture flying towards him that the people in front of him dodged.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Wham!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;A voice above him overlapped with the pounding in his head as he struggled to regain consciousness. It was hard to make out what was being said but the voice was distinctively female. His head was splitting in two but he felt nothing like a knot or gash. Kazuki&#x2019;s eyes fluttered open to the blinding white ceiling of the school infirmary making the voice above him perk up.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Oh! He&#x2019;s waking up!&#x201D; A head popped into his peripheral vision. It was a girl with tan skin, doll-like olive-green eyes, and short curly hair.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Kazuki squinted. &#x201C;Who... are you...?&#x201D; Somehow the girl&#x2019;s smile was even more blinding than the ceiling.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;She pointed at her chest proudly with her thumb. &#x201C;I&#x2019;m Sherbet Summers! I&#x2019;m, uh, kinda the one who decked you in the face with that sculpture earlier. &#x3C;em&#x3E;Sorryyyyyy&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x2026;&#x201D; Sherbet offered him her hand to shake while the other one scratched her neck. She didn&#x2019;t sound so proud when saying that last part, making Kazuki feel a bit more comfortable but not really.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x3C;em&#x3E;&#x201C;Riiiiiiiiiight.&#x201D;&#x3C;/em&#x3E; Kazuki shook her hand hesitantly and let go. &#x201C;Kazuki Akai. Just what the hell were you doing with that sculpture anyway?&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Oh, just the run of the mill free for all brawls. It&#x2019;s pretty common around this hour, especially with the ceramics class. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Yeah, I see you&#x2019;re pretty bandaged up. Say, you&#x2019;re a tanuki-canid right? The raccoon dog?&#x201D; Kazuki inquired, noting her dark brown ears and the fluffy striped tail behind her. Sherbet had on a crop-top that was pink on the top and yellow on the bottom with a small heart-shaped cut-out at the bust. It had a white turtleneck collar centered with a vertical yellow border. The bottom half of her outfit consisted of pink spanks and hot pink knee boots. Her outfit was completed with white and yellow striped arm warmers.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Yup! A Tanuki kunoichi to be precise!&#x201D; Sherbet answered, giving him a wink.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Yes, he was aware of the canine race that existed alongside humans in this world. Canid breeds they were called. For some time humans and canid breeds learned to coexist with each other by abiding by the moral codes of their respective races. However, as modern society began to forge, the traditional primitive way of the canid breeds became lost and many began to adapt to what society deemed worthy: to be docile and quietly follow behind their human counterparts.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;I guess there are all types of breeds here, huh?&#x201D; Kazuki said under his breath. There were two types of canid breeds known to mankind: &#x3C;em&#x3E;normals&#x3C;/em&#x3E; and &#x3C;em&#x3E;mythics&#x3C;/em&#x3E;. Normals were the most common type of canid breed with them having the attributes of any normal canine while &#x3C;em&#x3E;mythics&#x3C;/em&#x3E; were the ones who possessed supernatural and fantastical powers that seem to be straight out of fiction.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Mhm! So what are you? You&#x2019;re a new face.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Oh! Um...&#x201D; Kazuki cleared his throat. &#x201C;To be completely honest&#x2026;&#x201D; He didn&#x2019;t know why he felt so comfortable in revealing his secret to this person he only met but he couldn&#x2019;t stop himself from talking.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;You&#x2019;re a human aren&#x2019;t you?&#x201D; &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;WAH!&#x201D; Kazuki&#x2019;s head wasn&#x2019;t happy that he made another one of those defensive poses because he instantly groaned in pain.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;He looked at the tanuki who continued smiling. How was he discovered so easily? Realizing that his hood was down for quite some time, he threw it back over his head and curled up to hide. &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Sherbet huffed in amusement. &#x201C;Well, it sure looks like I struck a nerve. There&#x2019;s no use putting that hood over your head. Your smell gives it away.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Kazuki warily peeked at her from under his fetal position and sniffed himself.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Hey, now you gotta tell me how you ended up in the doghouse!&#x201D; Sherbet leaned in. Her shining eyes made him turn away.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x201C;It&#x2019;s nothing really. Just some stuff that I&#x2019;m really trying to forget about.&#x201D; &#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;I feel you, bro&#x2026;&#x201D; Sherbet suddenly clapped her hands together. &#x201D;Oh! I can be your bodyguard!&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Kazuki turned back to her with a look of suspicion on his face. &#x201C;Hah? Where did that come from?&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Sherbet pursed her lips and crossed her arms like a parent getting ready to scold their child. &#x201C;You&#x2019;ve heard of the many horror stories that come out of this school. A baby-faced twerp like you won&#x2019;t even last the week!&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;...I&#x2019;m a goner&#x2026;&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Feeling a little guilty for scaring the ever-loving crap out of the person she just promised to protect, Sherbet placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. &#x201C;Quit lookin&#x2019; so glum, man. You didn&#x2019;t see it back there, but I kick total ass. I could&#x2019;ve won but I had to take you here&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Is that so?&#x201D; Kazuki asked, still not completely sold on the idea.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Heck yeah it&#x2019;s so. From today onwards you&#x2019;re under the care of &#x3C;em&#x3E;the&#x3C;/em&#x3E; Sherbet Summers. Got that?&#x201D; She said, flashing a peace sign.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x201C;Now let&#x2019;s get the heck out of here before this infirmary gets filled,&#x201D; she said, bolting out of the room.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x9;Kazuki stumbled out of the bed to run after the speedy self-proclaimed kunoichi tanuki. &#x201C;H-hey! Slow down, Sherbet! My head still hurts!&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p class=&#x22;ql-align-center&#x22;&#x3E;[[PREVIEW END]]&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;

&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;color: rgb(51, 51, 51);&#x22;&#x3E;The story of Cerberus High is set in a fantasy version of earth where humans live amongst canine humanoids called canid breeds. Enter Kazuki Akai, a seemly normal human boy that, due to an incident that happened five years ago, is condemned to the titular school. With zero means of defending himself against the delinquent beasts that run rampant in the school, Kazuki accepts his sorry fate. That is until he meets the eccentric tanuki Sherbet Summers who befriends him and becomes his bodyguard, ensuring his protection. As more and more secrets are uncovered about the notorious school, Kazuki becomes hellbent on weeding out all the evil that plagues it all while trying not to lose his humanity!&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Full Book: https://www.amazon.com/Cerberus-High-Paige-ONeal-Beedles/dp/B08C8JHJM5&#x3C;/p&#x3E;