14 Chapter Fourteen

The can of soda hissed while the seal cracked open after Raven just got it from the vending machine by the outside picnic area. The picnic area was the only place he could think of where they could be alone and not too far out to be caught by one of the patrols wondering the property. Though it was strange as he hadn't seen any yet he wondered if they were dealing with the mess he had caused earlier.

The darkness of the area was eerie and looking over to Menay sitting on one of the tables just staring him down only made it worse. He took a sip giving a long sigh upon releasing his lips from the can. Holding the can with both hands tightly in front of his chest he looked down at the lid and walked back towards Menay to start this uncomfortable conversation.

This was an awkward situation for Raven. He never imagined all this would happen, what was he supposed to say to his cat of all things. Being the very same cat that has been around for Raven's entire life, from every embarrassing childish act to the most personal conversations held with himself with only Menay as witness. Thinking harder about the conversations he's held with himself he figured this must have been what Menay meant by having conversations in the past only because he was present. Though this thought made made more sense to him now it did not help him feel even a little more at ease.

"Hmm" He cleared his throat awkwardly while trying to break threw the silence but without having anything he wanted to say this action didn't do anything.

He glanced back to his soda and though he never offered anything like a soft drink to Menay before he pointing at the vending machine looking back to Menay, "Do you want anything, coke... water?"

Waiting for a response there was none, Menay just sat there staring up at him flicking his ears like he were thinking as well. Then without warning Menay stood up jumping off the table and started to walk away from Raven, down the sidewalk.

Surprised by this Raven didn't move. Watching him for a little while Raven almost convinced himself that he must have been crazy before to believe the cat could be anything more than what it was. At least until he stopped to see if Raven was following and motioned his head to follow him. This action took Raven's hopes of it being all in his head back to reality.

"Ugh, wait up" Raven calls out lightly while he catches up to Menay but instead of walking beside him he keeps his distance to walking behind him quietly following along.

While they trailed along the path there wasn't any conversation between the two only furthering the silence and the awkward feeling the situation caused. Raven knew where they were at but it seemed like they were walking with no destination in mind. Being guided by a talking cat in the dark wasn't a comforting idea for him, even with this thought he couldn't bring himself to talk to Menay, especially while Menay was in his head making it the most uncomfortable part. He didn't know if Menay was reading his thoughts at that very moment either causing him to even be conscious or what he was thinking not allowing his mind to wander freely.

The thought that this could have been happening his entire life only made things worse for him not knowing just how much Menay knew about his thoughts. Glancing down at Menay he stared at him trying to figure out just what Menay was capable of doing.

Menay felt the staring on the back of his head and left it be for the moment as he walked to his desired destination. When he got where he wanted to be Menay stopped and turned to face Raven, looking up at him their eyes met.

"I can't read your mind, just so you know you have to talk to me" Menay points out to break the silence between them. This caused Raven to jump, his words only making it harder to believe feeling like he was just reading Raven's thoughts.

"Then why aren't you talking?" Raven questioned wondering why he seemed to fall silent since they left the dorm room.

"You're scared of me Raven, so I'm waiting till you're ready to talk" He explained. With this said he turns and jumps up to the bench that was placed off to the side of the walkway.

Raven looked at the bench and the surrounding area. He was familiar with this spot, a lot of artistic students used this bench area to setup and draw on nice days because of its peaceful secluded scenery. He walks to a bench realizing this was what Menay was doing, taking them somewhere quiet, where he wouldn't be seen talking to his cat.

"I forgot about this place" Raven muttered while he sat down on the bench beside Menay.

"They don't come out here since it has no exit from the grounds" Menay pointed out knowing of this before.

Raven catches this as his eyebrows suspiciously narrow looking over to Menay, "How do you know that?" he asked still convinced of Menay being able to read his mind.

"I may not look it Raven but I have always been watching over you, knowing the whole school ground was a part of my commands. I needed to know of any place you could be dragged off to against your will to prevent you from becoming... well like this" Menay explained almost sounding defeated in the end when he recalled Raven had turned into the demon like his mother anyways.

Raven looked around the area and everything Menay explained did seem possible though at the same time he couldn't imagine the child being useful if he were ever to have been dragged off let alone scouting out the area without being noticed. Things still just didn't add up to excuse the thought of Menay being able to read his mind.

Looking at him Raven thought of so many things he wanted to ask Menay including why he didn't expose himself on what he was before. Some reason though he had a feeling that was also apart of his, so called, commands. He could only assume this meant that his mother was to blame for this secret just like all the other secrets he didn't know till now. Raven knew that even though Menay was supposed to be there to answer his questions he still wanted to speak with his mother not some child cat.

That voice, now that was a question Raven wanted to know about, why there was a child in his room and a adult in his head. He looked over glancing at Menay he wondered how there could be such a change.

This staring caught Menay's attention making him stand giving a stretch as if it were making him uncomfortable to have Raven's eyes peering down at him, "What? do you have a question about what is happening?" He asked

Raven gently shook his head no, "Not really it's a unrelated topic"

"Oh?" Menay persisted Raven to go on and ask the question he had in mind, curious of what kind of thing Raven was interested in knowing.

"It's your voice, why is it..." Raven paused as he tried to figure out how he would explain it, "like you know, older in my head" he points to himself as he asked.

Menay looked away sitting back down, "Oh it is?" he teased.

"You don't know?" he exclaimed looking over raising his brows in disbelief.

"Of course I know, I'm actually a lot older but once I've been an age I can be it again..." He clarifies but while looking up to Raven he sees that he is only confusing Raven more. "It's what we do as familiars to help our master blend in better. Most of the time we stay in our human adult body or animal form." He explains further only leaving Raven with more questions than before.

"So why are you a toddler?" Raven asked again this time specifying his question.

"Your Mother missed your younger years so when I am with her she prefers this form..." he clarified blaming Raven's mother.

Glancing over Raven arched a brow suspiciously not believing it, "And..."

"And children's clothes is easier to carry around in my animal form" he added finally confessing to why he was in the child form before.

Raven scoffed even if it was more convincing reason he was sure that it was also his mother's doing so he didn't ignore the first excuse made, "I'm sorry Menay, truly sorry you're with my mother"

Though he didn't make any noise it Raven felt like Menay gave a chuckle. Raven wasn't sure why he felt like Menay just laughed but it didn't feel unusual to him either.

"It's okay if it wasn't for your mother and father I wouldn't have been able to watch you grow" Menay stated not regretting ever connecting with Raven's mother.

Raven felt strange hearing these words from the cat though even if it were a man he figured it wouldn't change things as this familiar had known Raven his whole life. Yet Raven was only finding out he was more than just a simple house cat now.

"You sound like an old man" he mumbled bluntly rejecting this tender moment between the two them before it became more awkward.

Menay's mood changed once again but instead of seeing or hearing it, Raven felt like he let out a huff to Raven's comment while he laid down on the bench, "I guess that's true..."

Silence fell on them again. Raven couldn't help feel a bit of guilt while he looked down at the soda within his grasp. His fingers crunched in on the sides making a popping sound while he was trying to think of what he turned into now and all that he knew of them. No matter how hard he thought there really wasn't much he could recall having avoided becoming one for so long. On top of rarely seeing his mother but maybe once or twice a year he never saw her male form so the whole gender change completely skewed any prior idea he had. Besides gender changing he didn't seem to have any horns, wings, or tail everything was basically normal nothing like the stories he had seen.

All he could recall was his mother seemed normal when she was around, not even when she was with his father did anything change. Raven became confused thinking about it harder he wondered why she never changed in front of him. He wondered if this was something he could do eventually or if he would always be dictated by the person he kissed.

"I'll never be normal again will I?" He finally asked breaking the silence though afraid of the answer he knew he would receive.

Menay was reluctant at first but then he finally spoke, "Likely not..."

Raven let out a sigh closing his eyes not wanting to hear this news though he already knew it was so. He flinched feeling a solid object brush against his sleeve.

Menay pushed his head against Raven like he did so often when Raven was upset, "but you are a half breed which means nothing is set in stone for you" Menay suggested trying to lighten Raven's mood though they both knew he was only trying to make Raven feel better about the twisted fate they were in.

"So how does my mother not change while in front of me?" He asked lightly leaning back, "I don't want to be a girl again" he adds making sure Menay knew exactly what he wanted to know.

Menay didn't answer he just stared at Raven he had no idea just how clueless Raven really was.

"Menay?" Raven's expression turned sour looking back to Menay wanting him to just answer already. His eyebrows twitched causing him to close his eyes once more, "I already look weird talking to my pet, I'll look crazy if you make me mad, answer me please."

"I thought you knew..." Menay began to speak after hearing Raven's pleads, "You have to feed off enough energy of both genders to stabilize the change and even then you will only be able to maintain the gender that you have the most energy from since you are a half breed" Menay explained.

"Why did you say because I am a half breed, is it different for my mother?" Raven inquired only being confused by the way he worded it.

"Yes" Menay sat back down looking out into the dark school yard, "Don't worry you just need to keep your energy level balanced with the male energy higher than the female's..."

Though he was explaining how Raven's body worked it only brought up more questions for Raven, "How do I know the balance of my energy?"

Menay wished he could answer but he didn't even know if the succubus kind knew the balance, "I don't know..."

Raven huffed not finding that response of any use, "I'm tired, I'm going to bed..." Raven looked over about to reach out to Menay and pat his head but stopped himself from doing this. "Bye Menay don't get caught by the pound on your way home" He taunted while he stood up.

"I can't go home I need to stay here and watch over you" Menay injected while standing back up into a stretch.

Raven didn't even think about it before giving a response,"Not happening, pets aren't allowed in school"

"I have to be here to protect you" He persists further and all Raven could think about was how much he'll be a bother to than protection. "I also need to be here for guidance to answer the questions you will have on your mother's orders so we both don't have a choice here." he adds trying to convince Raven not to make things difficult.

Raven lean down looking him in the eyes, "Then why haven't I heard from my mother if she's so concerned?" He asked questioning Menay's statement of it being his mother's orders.

Menay backed away jumping to the back of the bench balancing there, "She's... currently unreachable but I am just a qualified" He says giving the same response as Raven's father gave him.

He was starting to wonder just how much support he truly had with his mother missing and Father playing up like it was a big joke sending a cat boy to watch over him. Raven didn't care to argue any longer he was too tired for this.

"Fine..." He mutters rubbing his face, Raven caved at least for the night, "Carson likes you anyways he'll keep you a secret, I'll tell him in the morning"

Starting to walk away Menay jumped down and followed along side of him. Raven was quiet thinking about his mother and wondered just how much Menay did know her to help him, "So Menay, do you know a lot about a Succubus?"

Menay looked up to Raven, "No not really, why?"

Raven gave a low growl with anger, "Go home!" he shouted pointing away from the school.

"What, why did you change your mind?" Menay teased as he knew exactly why Raven was flustered trotting ahead from Raven's reach just encase though.

"You're useless just go home already..." Raven growled not in the mood for these games if the cat was truly that useless, "I'll figure this out myself" he grumbled.

"I was kidding jeez kid, besides I can't leave Raven I need to be here at least when you feed next time so you don't go through that again" Menay became serious once again explaining the main reason he needed to stay was to make sure Raven wasn't exposed or became too hungry that he would be attacked again.

Raven took a deep breath thinking about the earlier event, "You keep saying feed and energy but what am I really taking from them?"

Menay's body swayed for a moment as he walked trying to think of the right way to speak of it without scaring Raven, "I say energy but it's more like a life force"

Raven stopped in his tracks upon hearing this, "Life force?" he questioned.

"Yes" Menay confirmed while slowing down his pace but didn't stop.

Raven just couldn't grasp the words Menay used feeling even worse about the so called feed, "Why... Can't it be like substituted like vampires going to a blood bank or something?"

"I don't believe that actually happens" Menay corrected him finding humor in the way Raven was grasping the situation like some cliche syfy, "besides life force is something that can't be bottled." he adds.

"Why does it have to be taken... that way?" Raven asked while he began to walk again following Menay. He made a motion with his hands as if to represent what he had to do to feed.

"Well humans are most vulnerable when connecting with another human. Taking it just from their body fluids alone you would get very little so..." he pauses hesitant to say it was the only sure way to feed off a human's life force.

Though he was trying to be courteous to Raven's fears, he wasn't dumb and knew exactly what Menay was going to say, "It has to be this way"

Menay didn't respond, he just kept walking though Raven stopped thinking about all of it being troubled by the thoughts once again. Then he realized something that was said before looking over to Menay, "Hey, you didn't deny vampires exist earlier"

Menay turns his body around looking at Raven for a moment walking backwards a bit. "I didn't?" he spoke in a playful manner before turning back around not correcting his earlier statement.

"Menay..." Raven calls out to him trying to get answers.

Menay only ignores him and keeps walking back to the dorm room, "Hey Menay don't walk away, do they really exist?" Raven yelled searching for answers trying to catch up to his cat.

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