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Decided to write a quick little story about Alex Fletcher's first day of school. Alex being one of the main villains in the current story arc of Damion St. James' series Tales From Apartment 232.

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Third grade. Alexander Pontius Fletcher, oldest son of Benjamin James Fletcher the real estate king, was at North Burrow Heights Elementary for his third day in his first week at school. He was a rabbit, a slim, hard-bodied young lad who even at age nine had a runner's physique. His jet black, close-cropped hair and narrow black eyebrows above perpetually narrowed slits of eyes contrasted with his pale brownish tan fur. He was nervous inside, but didn't show it outwardly. Until this week, Alex and his two brothers Michael and Lance had been home-schooled by their father. But Ben Fletcher's career had finally meant he could no longer teach the boys himself, and he disliked the idea of their mother teaching them anything, so the obvious solution was to send the children to public school. Lance had to go to a "special school," due to his mental disorder, and while Michael was a little slow he was still competent enough to attend public school. He was one grade below Alex, and had been nervous as hell about the whole thing.

Alex wasn't nervous. Unlike Michael, he relished the idea of going into unfamiliar territory, because of the unique challenge it represented. Alex was a born leader. Or, at least, he fancied himself one, and indeed he'd been bred for it, his father planning to one day groom him to take over the family's vast real estate business. But at home the only people Alex could ever be the boss of were his two idiot brothers, and his status was default because he was the oldest child at nine. Public school, meanwhile, meant he could finally go in amongst other furres and have a chance to earn people's respect and admiration, and maybe even their fear if he so desired. All through classes the first three days he was at the school he had been thinking about it, trying to single out the student or students who were considered "top dog" around school. He wanted to size up the competition.

Now, on his third day, the bell had rung and Alex was out on the playground, sitting by himself on a stainless steel bench, watching the other kids running around playing, climbing on the monkey bars, swinging on the swings, his narrow eyes quietly darting around, sizing up the other children. It was then that his large lapine ears detected a cry of distress, and he turned in the direction it came from and his eyes settled upon a slightly older wolf boy with the usual dark grey fur. The wolf was big and brawny, even for a wolf, despite his age. At the moment he was talking to three considerably smaller rabbit children, from whom the cry had originated. He watched as the wolf shoved one of them to the ground, and then got up off the bench. He stood for a moment, observing things, before he grabbed a passing student, a female husky, and demanded to know, "Hey, you. Who's that wolf?"

She looked a trifle indignant at his directness, but answered, "That's Scott Linarcos. He's the school bully, and proud of it. I'd watch out if I were you, rabbit." She then pulled free of his grasp and continued on his way. The school bully, huh? Alex thought. Well, we'll just see about that. He walked right across the playground towards the wolf and the three rabbit kids. Upon arriving, he merely stood behind the wolf and looked his back up and down. Scott was a head taller than him.

This also gave Alex a chance to observe the other three rabbits, the only other members of his species he had seen in school so far. They were all typically built for their age, all looking roughly a year younger than him. One was big-boned but short, with caramel fur and soft greyish-brown hair and pimples dotted through the fur on his face; the second had grey fur and black hair with way too much mousse for a kid his age, looking like a grade school reject from Grease; the third had brown fur and curly blonde hair, and, oddly, was wearing a pair of 3-D glasses. He was the one Scott had pushed down, and the wolf was holding a 3-D comic book, the counterpart to the glasses obviously, and was waving it teasingly in front of the three smaller children.

"Give it back!" 3-D demanded, his voice high and shrill, without any courage to back up his demand. He tried to stand, but Scott pushed him back down into the dirt.

"Say pretty please," Scott snickered. "Stupid little bunnies don't even know how to ask nicely for something."

"Go away!" said Pimples. His voice was only slightly less high-pitched.

"Yeah, why don't you leave us alone," said Grease, trying to sound tough, and indeed he had a surprisingly deep voice, but in reality he was doing all he could to hide behind the smaller pimple-faced boy. Scott fixed them with an angry glare, then put his huge paw onto Pimples' face and shoved him, hard. He stumbled backwards into Grease and the two fell over onto the ground alongside 3-D.

"Because," Scott said, "I'm enjoying myself. So, do you three weiner-headed little queers want your comic book back?" Without waiting for a reply, he proceeded to rip the comic in half and throw both pieces at the rabbit kids. They looked shocked, and 3-D in particular was on the verge of tears. It was his comic obviously.

"Hey," Alex said. Scott spun around, startled. He regained his composure when he saw he was standing before another rabbit, older and somewhat taller than the other three, but a rabbit nonetheless. "Hi there," Alex said, waving.

"Great, another one," Scott grumbled. "Hey wait a second, you're that rich new kid, ain't you?" He stepped closer to Alex. Behind him, Pimples, 3-D and Grease all got to their feet and ran away while they had the chance. Scott ignored them. He was interested in this newcomer he'd seen fleetingly in class.

"My name's Alex," Alex said casually. "I hear you're Scott, and I also hear you're a real asshole." He smiled inwardly when he watched Scott's face register shock and disbelief, and then, slowly, anger. "If you think you're going to bully me like you bullied those three little kids, you're gravely mistaken."

"Listen, you long-eared, fancy-talking little faggot," Scott said, pointing a finger at Alex threateningly, "obviously you didn't also hear that I run the show around here. Nobody talks to me like that and goes home without gettin' his ass kicked!"

"Then I'm glad to be the first," Alex said, and finally grinned. Scott looked like he was a volcano about to explode. He balled up both fists and gritted his teeth and began seething, and Alex had to stifle a laugh. The angrier he got, the more the less threatening the wolf became, transforming into a parody of rage. Without wasting any more time, Alex balled up his own right fist, and let it fly. Scott had no time to react. So unprepared was he, so used to everyone bowing to his every whim, he couldn't even comprehend someone striking him. But strike him Alex did, his fist hitting him in the side of his face with a loud, meaty cracking sound. The wolf stumbled back and cried out in pain, his hand going to his cheek. Most of the activity on the playground stopped as everyone else turned to look at Scott and Alex.

"You little jerk!" Scott growled. "You got a lot of nerve, rich kid!"

"Well, c'mon," Alex said, "are you gonna stand there whining like a little sissy all day, or are you gonna hit me back?"

With a growl, Scott charged. For all his weight and muscle, the wolf was a big, ungainly klutz who relied far too much on his bigger size and his weight to win a fight. The comparatively skinny Alex, however, ducked his ponderous swing and threw a second punch, hitting Scott in the stomach. The wolf yelped, wheezed, and doubled over. Grabbing him by his short brown head fur, Alex proceed to punch him three more times directly in the sound, and when he had finished blood was leaking from Scott's broken nose. He then shoved Scott to the ground, the big wolf boy sprawling in the dirt.

"Now, you might as well drop out of school now," Alex said, and kicked him in the stomach while he lay there. "Because now I'm top dog. Or should I say top rabbit?"

"Screw you, cottontail," Scott spat.

Alex, filled with an intense rage at this insolence, proceeded to kick Scott in the stomach and chest until all the wolf could do was lay there and wheez. He'd definitely need to visit the nurse's office, and without a doubt would be going home for the day. Without paying him any more mind whatsoever, Alex turned and looked at all the other kids standing there staring at him. Slowly, the all smiled and began cheering and clapping. Little did any of them suspect that Alex removing Scott from the top of the food chain was only so he could take his place. But unlike Scott, he wouldn't lose the position so easily.

Once the cheering died down, the bell rang. Recess was over. The kids began filing back in, all except for Alex and the other three rabbit kids who Alex noticed remained behind after everyone was already halfway inside. Smiling, he approached them. "Hi," he said cheerfully. "My name's Alex."

"Uh, hi," they said back, looking a bit dumbfounded.

"I'm Fabian," said the pimple-faced kid. "Fabian Grizzard. Nice to meet you, Alex."

"You guys shouldn't let jerks like him push you around like that," Alex said. They looked at one another quizzically, then back at him.

"How come? We're the bottom of the food chain around here," said Fabian.

"Not anymore," Alex said, his grin widening. "Now then, what do you say we go to the comic book shop."

"What, right now?" Grease asked, blinking.

"Yeah," said Alex. They simply stared at him, and he realized, to his annoyance, he was dealing with a trio of clean-cut, rule-abiding kids. It'd take some work to get them to loosen up. Starting now. "C'mon, didn't you losers ever cut class?"

"Uh, I did, once," said Fabian. "I got in big trouble, though."

"Yeah," said 3-D shrilly, still wearing his ridiculous-looking eyewear, "if we cut class we'll get in trouble!"

Alex looked at him. "Aren't you in need of a new comic book?"

3-D simply stared at him. "I think he's offering to buy you a new one," said Fabian. Obviously, he was the brains of this particular little outfit.

"Exactly," said Alex. "Come on. I'll buy you all comic books. And then we can go get ice cream or sneak into an R-rated movie or whatever it is you guys like to do." The three boys once more looked at one another, but then they smiled and nodded as one, and Alex knew he had them. He'd been in school for less than a week and he'd already taken out the school bully, and made three friends he knew he'd have for a long time. Without any more ado, he motioned for them to follow him and then hurried off the playground, the other rabbit boys scampering after him.

Scott Linarcos lay where he fell, in too much pain to get up.

The End