My name is Vernon Daniels, and ever since I was young, everyone's been afraid of me. Maybe it's because I can turn into a giant Labradoodle puppy, or maybe it's because I'm trans. I live with my mom, but we had to move again over the summer, and I'm starting my first day as a high school junior at Morning View High School. I hope it's not as bad as all the other times we've moved.

My first day started on the wrong foot, to say the least. I ended up getting extremely lost three times and missing lunch. Thankfully, a boy who saw me looking around lost decided to help me.

"My name is Larry North," he said, his eyes filled with pity.

"Vernon Daniels," I said.

"What class do you have next?" Larry asked, "I'll help you get there."

"Health in room 218 with Mrs. Sanchez," I read off my schedule.

"Oh, I'm in 222 with Miss Stone," Larry said, then he started leading the way. “It’s lucky that I am able to help.”

“Yeah,” I said, “I don’t think I’ve ever been so lost in my life.”

“Are you a new student?” Larry asked.

“A transfer student,” I said, “I’ve moved around a lot, so I probably won’t stay here long either.”

“What do you do for fun?” Larry asked. Nobody had asked me that before.

"I like howling at the moon, eating cake, and..." I started, but decided to stop right there.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Larry asked. I was caught off guard for a second.

"I had someone ask me out on a date once," I said, "Does that count?"

"What are your preferences?" Larry asked.

"I don't know," I said, "What's with all the weird personal questions?"

"I'm just bored," Larry said, "But we're here." And sure enough, we’ve arrived at room 218. "My room is two doors down, so I'll see you."

"Thanks," I said as I waved and went in.

After health class, I waited for Larry, who looked very surprised that I waited for him.

"What's your next class?" Larry asked.

"Hiking with Miss Green," I read off my schedule, "But it's on the third floor?"

"Oh, that's my next class as well," Larry said, my stomach growling. "Oh, are you hungry, Vernon? I have an extra ham sandwich in my bag if needed."

"If only your school weren't so confusing," I grumbled, "Then I would have eaten lunch on time." He took a ham sandwich from his bag and gave it to me.

"Here," Larry said, "I wouldn't want my new friend to go without." We walked to our next class. I wolfed down that sandwich as fast as possible, but it still wasn't enough because I smelled pastries.

When we got to the classroom, I noticed that the ground was level with a door that led outside, even though it was on the third floor. Miss Green seemed nice, but my thoughts were focused on the pastries. So, when the others went out, I went to look for the pastries, but then realized that I was falling too far behind my class and realized that was not a good way to start on the first day. I rushed out, and tripped immediately face-first into a mud puddle.

"Hey, new kid, how did you get all that mud on your face?" One of my classmates asked. He was bigger than me, but I knew I could take him down. It was just a matter of would be a good idea or would my new friend Larry would end up hating me for it. "Why are you so quiet, new kid? Cat got your tongue?"

"I don't want to get in trouble on my first day," I said.

"Says the kid who misses all of his morning classes, lunch, and two of his afternoon classes," a girl classmate said. She looked a lot like Larry.

"Wait, how do you know that?" I asked.

"You're Vernon Daniels, right?" the girl asked, and I nodded. "Well, my name is Carly North, and it turns out that we have the same schedule. We should stick together so that what happened today won't happen again."

"You mean about me getting lost?" I asked. Carly nodded.

"Don't worry; everyone gets lost here sometimes," Carly said. “I remember this one time in my Sophomore year when I ended up stuck in the pipes. I don't know what happened because I wasn't even close to the bathroom when it happened."

"Like when I went to the home EC room and ended up in the gymnasium stands," I said, "When I tried to go to physics and ended up in the ceiling. I ended up in a lake when I tried to go to the cafeteria."

"We don't have a lake," Carly said, "But this all happened today, right?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Something really weird is going on here," Carly said, "It usually only happens once a month, but it happens to the same person three times in one day. It's like something is out to get you."

"Yeah, this place is haunted," Larry said. “It's been in use for a very long time, and even though there haven't been any deaths recently, I heard that about 30 or so ghosts haunt this place. They love to play tricks on the living. They especially love to prank people with powers." Larry gave me a knowing look like he knew my secret. I awkwardly laughed.

"Well, that's weird then," I said, "Because I don't have any powers."

"You're not very good at hiding it," Larry said as he pointed behind me, "You have a tail." I looked and saw that my tail was out, showing my fear. I usually have control over whether or not my tail is out.

"Wow, you do have a tail," Carly said, "Can I pet it?" I usually didn't get this reaction from people, so I didn't know what to say.

"I don't want you to," I said. Carly frowned.

"But it's so fluffy," Carly said, "I wonder what you look like covered in fur."

"A giant puppy," I said.

"Like a werewolf?" Larry asked.

"No, a giant puppy," I said, "A giant Labradoodle, but a puppy version of it. I can't stand on my hind legs for long in that form because it hurts, so definitely not a werewolf."

"Also, I forgot to mention that Carly is my older sister," Larry said.

"I could tell," I said, "You have the same last name, and you look similar." They looked at each other and frowned.

"I don't see it," Carly said.

"Me neither," Larry said. I looked around and noticed that our class was gone.

"Well, whatever," I said, "I think we lost the rest of the class. Do either of you know how to get back to the building?"

"Yep," Carly said, "Follow me."

Soon enough, we were back in the classroom, and it looked like we didn't miss much because everyone was just starting to pack up their things.

"So, you want to hang out after school today?" Larry asked.

"I never hung out with friends before," I said.

"Well, now you have the opportunity," Carly said, "You should come."

"I have to text my mom real quick," I said, "So, she doesn't get worried." I texted her, and she replied, "Have fun."

"What did she say?" Carly asked.

"Have fun," I said.

"Nice," Larry said. The bell rang for the end of the school day.

"So, which bus are you taking?" I asked. Carly smiled.

"I drove here," Carly said, taking out her keys with a Labrador keychain. We then walked over to a blue beetle.

When we got to their house, I felt like I had to sneeze, but couldn't. Their house was bigger than any house I had ever lived in with my mom and certainly bigger than the house I lived in with both of my parents.

"So, what do your parents do for a living?" I asked.

"Our Dad's a lawyer, and our mom is a paranormal investigator," Carly said.

"What about yours?" Larry asked.

"My Mom's a human, and my Dad's a giant dog," I said.

"So, you don't know what they do for a living, do you, Vernon?" Carly asked.

"I don't know," I said, "But I know that mom and I had to move so many times due to her work, whatever it is. It's been hard since my Dad disappeared ten years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Carly said, "Do you want to talk about it with me, or do you want to play video games with my little brother?" I frowned; both seemed like good ideas, but why does it feel like Carly asks me whom I like better in a romantic sense? It didn't sound like that in the way she asked, but maybe it's because of what Larry asked when we first met. It almost felt like he was asking those questions for a reason instead of just because he was bored.

"I don't want to do anything right now," I said, "Except maybe... Dig a big hole in my giant puppy form." Carly laughed.

"For some reason, I expected something like that," Carly said. “Why don't we go to a place where you can show off your other form?"

"I'd like to see it too," Larry said.

"Sure," I said. Carly led the way to a large, empty room. I got far enough away from the two to change into my giant form without hitting anyone and then transformed. The two stared at me in shock, so I licked their faces.

"He didn't lie about transforming into a giant Labradoodle puppy," Larry said. Carly started petting my fur, "Wait, um... Carly, Vernon doesn't have a..." I quickly transformed back, causing Carly to fall.

"Ouch," Carly said, "Can you please warn me before transforming, Vernon?"

"I'm sorry, Carly.” I said, "And, Larry, why were you looking there anyway?" Larry looked like he had been caught red-handed doing something nasty.

"I didn't know you could still understand me," Larry said, "Besides, I had no idea you were a trans guy."

"Is it a bad thing?" Carly asked.

"It's not a bad thing," Larry said, "I just wasn't expecting it."

"I wasn't planning on telling until we were closer," I said, "But I guess since you didn't have that bad of a reaction, we can still be friends, right?" Larry looked away.

"Yeah," Larry said, "I'm sorry for being a pervert and looking there while you were in dog form."

"Where do your clothes go when you transform, Vernon?" Carly asked, possibly trying to lighten the mood.

"Good question," I said, "But I don't have an answer."

"Do you have any other abilities?" Carly asked, "I'm only asking because the ghosts were out to get you." I frowned. I hadn't thought about it.

"My eyes can glow blue," I said. That seemed to catch both of their attention.

"What do you mean by that?" Larry asked. So, I showed them.

"Wow, that's so cool," Carly said. “It's like you have blue clouds around your eyes—like that one anime we used to watch, right, Larry?" Larry just stared at me in awe.

"Wait, I think I've seen that one too," I said, "The demon was a narcissist?" Carly laughed.

"No, not narcissist," Larry said, "Exorcist." I looked away out of embarrassment.

"I think you need to introduce your friend here, you two," a female voice said from the doorway we had come through earlier. We all turned to see a lady who looked just like Carly and Larry, who had to be their mom.

"Hey, mom," Carly said, "This is our friend Vernon Daniels."

"It's unusual for you both to have the same friend," their mom said, "You must be very special... Vernon, was it?"

"They make me feel special," I said, "In a good way. But yes, my name is Vernon."

"I'm the mother of these two," their mom said. “Just call me Mrs. North. I'm a paranormal investigator, but they would've already told you. I haven't seen powers like yours in a long time. You're Corey's son, right? Corey Daniels?" I frowned; that wasn't my mom's or my dad's name.

"No," I said, "My mom's name is Estelle Daniels, and my dad's is Goro Kageyama." Mrs. North looked confused.

"Wait, you're half-Japanese?" Carly asked.

"Yeah," I said, "But Mom said we aren't using Dad's last name due to his disappearance. He requested that we do that if he ever disappeared."

"Wait, I feel like I've heard your father's name before..." Mrs. North said, "Goro Kageyama..."

"Of course, a paranormal investigator would know my dad's name," I said.

"Wait, isn't he a descendant of the Great Wolf Spirit?" Mrs. North asked, "But why would you look like a giant Labradoodle if your father is a wolf?"

"I don't know," I said.

"Well, on a different note, both of my children have powers as well," Mrs. North said.

"What kind do you each have?" I asked.

"I'm a tamer," Larry said.

"And I'm a fire user," Carly said, "Who can see and talk to ghosts."

"So, you know what we're up against?" I asked.

"Mostly mischievous lesser spirits," Carly said, "But there is one we should look out for. I believe she's called Divina Crumpet, and you're almost on par with her. They probably did that because they don't know how to be wary."

"Those pranksters are always running amok," Mrs. North said, "I've been trying to get rid of them for years, but they've always had a way of evading me, but I never knew they had someone strong on their side. That probably explains most of what happened the past 22 years I've been trying."

The North family fed me, and when I went home that night with Mrs. North driving me, my Mom looked worried. 

"Hello there, Mrs. Daniels," Mrs. North said. “I'm Mrs. North. It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry that my kids brought your son home with them. I hope you don't mind, but I also fed him dinner. We had chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli. And your son ate very well."

"Thank you for bringing my son home," Mom said, "And thank you for feeding him too. I hope he didn't cause any trouble. It was only his first day at that school."

"You're welcome," Mrs. North said, "But he was no trouble at all. Such a nice kid. I hope you have a nice night, and I hope to see you again."

"You too," Mom said, "Bye now." Mrs. North left, and Mom and I went into the house. Mom had a strange look on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You showed them, didn't you, Rei?" Mom asked angrily with my birth name. It wasn't quite a dead name as I didn't hate it, but only my parents used it.

"I had trouble at school," I said, "There were ghosts playing pranks on me all day. Her two children helped me and asked me to come to their house. I obliged, but they have powers too, and their Mom is a paranormal investigator." Mom's anger faded from her face, and she cried.

"I didn't think there'd come a day when you met children like yourself," Mom said, "Rei, I'm so proud you made friends with people like you." Mom hugged me.

"It's not Rei," I said, "It's Vernon."

"I'm sorry, Vernon," Mom said, "I just miss the days when we could call you Rei and not have to worry about it. I hope they find your Dad soon. It's been too long since we last saw him."

"Yeah," I said, "I hope Dad's okay."

"So, what are your friends' names?" Mom asked as she let go of me.

"Carly and Larry," I said.

"Are they twins?" Mom asked.

"No," I said, "I think I was told that Larry is two years younger."

"Do you like one of them?" Mom asked.

"What do you mean by 'like' them?" I asked.

"Like-like," Mom said. I blushed.

"Larry, but he found out that I'm trans when he looked at my dog form," I said.

"He looked?!" Mom asked, concerned.

"But I don't care," I said, "Changing into my dog form makes me feel free."

"I don't understand why he would look," Mom said, "Isn't that a privacy breach?" I sighed.

"It's not like he walked in on me naked in my human form," I said.

"I don't trust him," Mom said, "That's a nasty thing to do." I sighed.

"I don't care," I said, "But anyway, I'm going to shower and head to bed, okay?"

"Okay, Rei," Mom said. I rolled my eyes and went to take a shower.