All the years have passed since Mercury had been adopted and now the mouse had to tackle the one thing he feared more than death itself...High School on a Friday morning. Mercury watched some sitcoms and movies that had high school settings and it wasn’t the most flattering as he knew there was gonna be more bullies than ever. And the one thing seniors love more than popularity really was making freshman life miserable for all those that enter through the doors of that place, this made the mouse shudder to the point where you could literally see him look like his image was displaced multiple times as he was shaking.
The mouse just got out his Dad’s truck and saw that everyone was tossing paper planes in the school yard and some of the jocks on the varsity football team were chasing around some kids to “initiate” them into high school. Mercury looked towards the campus entrance and groaned. “I’m not sure if I can do this…”Larz used his tail to push the mouse forward. “Remember what I taught you in Sumo Class, Mercury... it’s all about size and how you use it! Try to show them that you can hold your own.” Mercury turned around to the large sumo wolf with a scowl on his face. “Yeah, but every time I go into your classes, I’m usually tossed out of the ring or I get squashed under your butt!!” Larz frowned as he patted his belly. “Oh come on, I wasn’t that bad...I’ll be here to pick you up at 3 o’clock. Don’t let those jerks get you down.” He started to pull off as the mouse was left on his own as he tried to walk on the sidewalk and get to the door as he got caught up by someone taller than him coming up next to him, it was a marsupial like he’d never seen before.
“First day at our school? Don’t worry, it’s not all it’s said to be in a horrific stance.” His hands were wrapped in fingerless brown gloves wearing a white T-shirt with the Kingdom Hearts logo on it, wearing blue denim jeans and a pair of blue Nike’s. “Oh...my name is Ben by the way!” He extended his hand to the nervous rodent and he met the handshake while trying to hold onto his backpack. “My name is Mercury. It’s...nice to meet you.” Ben and Mercury both walked towards the school’s main entrance and due to the increase of suspicious activity they each had to go through an X-Ray machine to make sure that students weren’t carrying any dangerous items, and both of them passed through with flying colors, finding their names on the homeroom wall under a Mrs. Rosinski, a mongoose teacher that had an affinity for home economics. Mercury kept on reading, while Ben tugged on his backpack. “Hey, come on. We have home room together. Plus we don’t want to be late!” Mercury quickly turned around and followed Ben to their homeroom on the 3rd floor of the school, taking one of the elevators while listening to the Principal’s boring announcement about meeting and greeting along with trying to make themselves comfortable at school. None of which really got Mercury’s attention as he was thinking about graduating early and going to college soon, he was hoping he’d be spared the type of ridicule that he knew jocks like the ones he saw on the varsity team would be on him like grass on dirt. Mrs. Rosinski had her door open and most of her class room was basically what’d you expect, a pair of washers and dryers, a few stoves that haven’t been used since summer but still remarkably cleaned and a row of 4ft by 5ft tables with a couple of stools at each one. A few cabinets on each side of the room as well since she had to keep her supplies, and above the middle of the room hung a projector in case she needed to do a presentation. Every student that was assigned to her class came in either playing like they’d normally do or just sat at their desks and gossiped. Mercury popped into the room first, taking the first desk near the front of the room being adjacent from the window so he could feel the breeze come in while Ben sat next to him on the left. “I may be a genius but I couldn’t cook my way out of a soup kitchen! Only thing I know is how to boil chemicals.” Ben sat his backpack down onto the table while bringing out his schedule to go over it. He turned his attention to Mercury and put his hand on his left shoulder to give the rat some reassurance. “Hey, I know how to cook, I am seriously good at it. I even learned how to make some of those dishes that were in Kingdom Hearts III when Sora with Remy’s help cooked them. The recipes weren't too hard, and it was fun too! Since you and I have the same classes together, I could give you a hand.” The mouse’s ears had perked up as he fixed his glasses. “Y-you’d really do that?” Ben gave a nod as confirmation. “Of course, we could help each other out, except during 4th period as you seem to have a free spot there which means you could roam the school as much as you wanted.” Mercury stuck his hand out to shake Ben’s with a smile on his face as he finally made a friend in just one day. “It’s a deal!” Ben shook his hand with a very firm grip and looked at his San Diego Comic-Con VIP pass that came with an extra for a guest, he figured he’d ask Mercury to go but would just wait until the first semester was over before asking, as he still had things to plan out. Surprisingly for Mercury’s first Home Ec lesson, he was managing quite well due to Ben’s help when it came following the instructions and managing their tasks, as well as correct usage of the ingredients as their dish ended up being like the one Mrs. Rosinski showed, who also praised the two for managing to work well together as well as pointing out how skills they displayed like clear communication, teamwork and managing your tasks well can help get the job done.

Once the 4th period came around, Mercury waved to Ben as his new friend went to his 4th lesson of the day. This in turn meant the mouse could roam around the school and explore as much as he wanted, so he decided to do just that to see where his future lessons would be, where he would be going to like the lunch cafeteria and the library for example, and as well as getting an overall layout of the entire school he could absorb into his memory before the 4th period ended by the sound of the bell. As the bell rang, the mouse went to the hallway where Ben was coming out from his 4th period and they both walked to where they would be having their 5th period. It was something that Mercury was very good at and he wanted to show people what he can do, the 5th and last class period of the day for both him and Ben is Chemistry. Today they weren’t working on anything since today was a meet and greet, which disappointed him to some degree since he really wanted to play with the chemicals. In essence, Mercury was a bit of a mad scientist. Ben saw how recluse that his friend was and tried to help him fit in. “C’mon, Mercury you won’t know who you are gonna meet until you meet them. Trust me, you’ll get out of your shell sooner and feel better about yourself.” Mercury sighs and puts down his backpack as he tries talking to the others, some of them welcomed him but at the same time found him a bit aloof since he has the higher intellect and tends to use big words around people that he doesn’t really know. It kept on going until the class bell rang dismissing the students from the school.

Ben caught up with Mercury as he was walking out to the school’s pick up zone. “Hey, Mercury! Do you wanna hang out since school is out? I don’t have anything planned this afternoon and you look like you could use a pal.” Mercury smiles and gives Ben a fist bump as Larz rolled in his massive truck! “Mercury, I’m here. And I see you have a new friend as well.” Ben’s jaw dropped as he saw that the famous Larz Fangerson was here to pick up the small mouse as he had to use the on board ladder to get in the truck. “Dude...you didn’t tell me that you knew Larz Fangerson...he’s-he’s the best sumo of all time, he’s never lost a match and is the most respected Yokozuna in the world. He even has his own sumo card and star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame!” Mercury held Ben’s hand to help up as he climbed into the back seat with Larz putting on a huge grin as his son had made a new friend. “In a sense, Ben...he’s my dad. He’s the one that adopted me when I lost my parents.” Larz shuts the door and begins to pull off from the school as traffic started as it was the first day of school. “Why didn’t you tell me you were his adopted son?” The mouse shrugged and covered his face as he curled up. “No one asks so I don’t say anything, plus I don’t wanna be known as the kid who got adopted, I just wanna be like everyone else.” Ben leans back to put on his seatbelt as the ride finally got a move on due to some of the jam clearing from the highway, making a call to his own parents on video chat as they gave him his approval to go with his new friend, they were even more shocked to know that it was the Larz Fangerson giving them a ride. They bid him a good day as he hangs up the phone. “It’s nice to meet you Ben, I’m the mouse boy’s father and yes...I tend to eat a lot so don’t be surprised if you see me scarf up a buffet.” The big wolf laughs so much that his gut nearly sloshes against the steering wheel, as he makes a turn for the left lane to help speed things along, trying to get to the area where the dojo was and he sees that his food delivery truck might beat him to the dojo. “They always said that his belly gurgles around like he swallowed the ocean, I didn’t think it was true but…” Mercury curves his head to see Ben in awe from his wolf dad. “It’s true, but if you think that’s impressive, wait until you see how much he can pack away. It makes a buffet look like child’s play.” They finally make it to the bridge connecting the mainland to the island and cross it to get to the dojo, the food truck pulls into back on the unloading docks where some students help unload the supplies into the pantries, fridge, cabinets and deep freezers. Larz turns off the truck and opens the doors, helping the two climb out and give them both a ride on his belly. Ben couldn’t resist giving the belly a touch as the big wolf stomped towards his dojo, another massive wolf that looked like he was on fire steps out of the dojo and gave Larz a fist bump. “Hey, Dad! I’m getting dinner setup since Friday is usually taco night!” Larz licks his chops as he loved eating that stuff while the flaming wolf fist bumps the mouse. “Prepared as usual, eh big brother Claude?” The big beast bumps fist with his brother and smirks. “You know it!” Larz couldn’t help but pat his belly as it was nearly his feeding time anyway. Mercury heads inside with Ben as they go and get started on their homework while Claude was getting dinner started.

Larz meanwhile was doing his evening classes with his sumo students. Some of the students were adults who wanted to prove themselves in the ultimate sumo tournament held by the massive sumo wolf himself. The tournament was in turn called “LEGENDARY ULTIMATE SUMO TOURNAMENT!!” Anyone that competes has a chance to beat all the competitors in an elimination style tournament and the last person standing has the chance to face Larz Fangerson and if they could somehow defeat him, their name would forever be engraved in history as one the greatest sumo fighters that has ever lived. So far only one person was able to best the sumo wolf and that was Mercury’s older brother Claude Lucano, a big fiery wolf that was hailed from the other side of the galaxy as king of the Planet Wildera. Why he comes to Earth, is the biggest question of them all but Larz has never questioned it as he never found any malice in wolf’s heart and Claude has proven himself over and over again that he is willing to risk everything to save and help people he loves.

After Ben and Mercury did some homework, they took turns on Kingdom Hearts 3 going to different worlds and exploring the alternate Disney realms, laughing as they saw some familiar scenes and praised the graphics of the game while trying to get used to Sora’s new abilities. Before they got to the end of the game, the dinner bell was rung by Larz. “It’s dinner time, everyone!!” Mercury was a big fan of taco bake and puts down the controller. “Come on, Ben. Let’s go eat!” Ben smiles and runs down the stairs before Mercury with the mouse cheating a bit as he blepped his tongue as he slid down the railing which was something that Larz expressly forbade him to do but the rodent wasn’t without his rebellious acts which did get him in trouble. But with most teens, how could you not get into trouble? Once they both got to the end of the stairwell, they joined everyone at the dinner table eating among a bunch of others! Ben taps on Mercury’s shoulders. “Mercury, thank you for inviting me over for dinner! I can’t wait to show you comic con when the biggest one comes around.” Mercury smiles at the Sullicoot and gives a fist bump sealing their friendship for years to come.


Story By  Cybeast  BenSullicoot &  actinid5959

Mercury belongs to Me.
Ben Sullicoot belongs to Benbandicoot
Larz Fangerson belongs to  wolf88incharge