||Volume One|| The Life of an Alterhuman

Chapter One: Jubilation

The alarm rang and rang, my ears screaming for the awful noise to stop. My head was pounding, like I'd just ran a mile. Flopping over, I hit the button on my phone. Trying to recall the events of last night, I came up blank. Guess the fragments of some weird dream were truly just a weird dream...

I began getting dressed for school, doing my usual. While pulling on my jacket and getting ready to head downstairs for breakfast, I turned around. Startled, the breath was knocked out of me. A smiling, faded ghost stood behind me. She was a brunette with blue eyes and a ribbon above her ear with a feather. The mythical creature also had a name tag that said Feather, and delicate-looking white wings with blue webbing. Ah, now I remembered.

"Friend or foe?" I grinned, already knowing the answer.

"Friend!" She squealed, "I'm Feather, your first ever voice. Have you researched Alterhumans yet?" Feather hurried to the computer, which was already running. Excitedly, she pointed and beckoned for me to type (As she couldn't touch objects).

"I suppose I have a minute to do some research," I began to type in the word Alterhuman, pausing midway to face my new companion. "I thought you were only supposed to be in my head?"

"A few of us can be out at one time. Now hurry! You must do as the Harborer wishes. She assigned me to you specifically. You see, I'm a Dove Therian. I was a dove, then misplaced into a human body. The Harborers couldn't erase my mind of all my memories, so they gave me back my old ones. I chose to be a voice instead of Limbo; waltzing around in paradise isn't really my style. Now please, look it up!"

I began to read article after article, skimming and watching short videos. Not a Furry. Therian. Otherkin. Fictionkin. Theriotype. Quadrobics aren't necessary. Gear can be fun. Try learning vocals. Cladotherian is an entire family. Not everyone has a past life. Different theories. Packs.

"It's certainly fascinating, but what does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"I think you are one, I can sense it-" My mother suddenly barged into my room, interrupting her. Startled, Feather dashed into the safety of my mind while I waited patiently for my mom to leave.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked as she shuffled through my belongings in an effort to find a pencil. Swallowing, I nervously replied, "Nobody."

''I heard you talking,'' She replied sternly, ''You weren't talking to strangers online right?'' In all honesty, I hadn't done a single thing wrong. I was talking to somebody that would be living with me for the rest of my life; unavoidable.

''Practicing my speech for class,'' I mumbled. Apparently she couldn't hear Feather. That was a little sketchy in itself, and I made a silent prayer that I wasn't going crazy.

My mom glanced over to my computer, noticing the tab with Therian information. She let out a huffy sigh in disappointment, ''Don't tell me your one of those weirdos who can change their gender or whatever.'' I bit back my response, anger boiling. Both my parents were what you could call, 'old fashioned.' They were also both extremely religious. I'd personally never approved of their ideas, but in order to not be disowned I had to put up with their hate speech.

''Clicked something by accident,'' I replied. She took this as an appropriate answer and closed out the tab, then turned off my PC. Figuring she wanted me to get ready, I stuffed my homework into my backpack and added a ribbon to my hair. Time to leave for school!

In the car, the Voice wouldn't stop whispering to me. She couldn't help herself but explain all the characteristics, importance, and information about Alterhumans. She also wouldn't stop mentioning the words 'Kawaii, Meowbahh, and Mcyt,' which was odd. It was hard to pay attention with your 10-year-old little sister nagging for your attention every ten seconds. Violet was what you could call, ''the perfect child,'' in my parents eyes. Violet never asked for a phone, or 'exposing' clothes, or did anything out of the ordinary. Violet never complained about going to church every Sunday or doing her homework. And of course, Violet could play the Piano and had all A's while I could barely pass my classes.