Two high school students meet each other for the first time in their first year of high school, leading to a slow, gradual bond of friendship.

First-Year Interactions

Standing outside of Seacrest High School, Tofu stares at the front entrance of the building, frozen in nervous fear. This is gonna be her very first day here, and the female Shiba Inu is very nervous. Clutching her suitcase tightly, Tofu ascends the steps to the high school and makes her way inside.

"Well, this is it - my very first year at Seacrest High. Might as well give it my best shot and give it my all while I can." Waddling into the school, the female Shiba Inu enters the hallways to make herself known and sign in for attendance.

The moment Tofu begins her day, the female Shiba Inu begins to show signs of relaxing, though she is still tense. Her tail slowly wags in a soft manner while she remains attentive and alert. Her first classes go by rather smoothly, though she is less than surprised to learn of and witness the conduct of other students on the premises. But that's time saved for another topic.

Recess comes by soon after her latest class, which happens to be Economics. This was a subject that she was less than pleased about; she considered this, and reading, to be boring subjects to discuss and learn about. To her, Math and Algebra were easier, something she could understand better and work with more.

Along with the happy cheers of her peers enjoying themselves outside, Tofu mainly stays to herself, secluding and withdrawing to a more lonely and less populated area of the school grounds. The female Shiba Inu proceeds to sit against the wall and catch up with her stuff when a voice calls out to her out of interest - "Hey, are you new here?? It's nice to finally meet you!!" Dashing up to meet Tofu is a female Scottish Deerhound with gray fur.

Putting her things away quickly, Tofu hides her book and backpack while staring up at the female deerhound, an inquisitive, yet nervous expression on her face. With her tail slowly wagging, Tofu can only listen in attention while the Deerhound introduces herself, "I'm Dixie! I'm a high school senior, so I'm looking forward to graduating soon! What is your name?"

"Oh, my name is Tofu. And yes, I'm new here. So far, my first period has gone well! How is your first day here at Seacrest High School?" Realizing what she just said, Tofu quickly corrects herself, slapping her head in realization, "Oh, forgive me! Sorry!"

Dixie waves the mistake off, claiming, "Nah, you're fine, Tofu! I've had that happen to me a lot. I am a junior in my third year of high school here, but I am easily mistaken for a newbie. No hard feelings on the matter, Tofu!" Stepping forward, Dixie takes hold of Tofu's hand while offering, "Would you like to meet some friends I made along with a tour of our dorms?"

Perking up at Dixie's offer, Tofu squeaks in compliance, "Sure! I would like that!"

With Tofu's hand still in her grasp, Dixie helps her up to her feet and calls her along while dashing off, "Come on, Tofu! We don't have all day!"

While dashing off to catch up with the Scottish Deerhound, Tofu realizes, 'Maybe this won't be as bad as I assumed it would be.' Slowly, a smile grows on her face while contemplating her time being here in high school.

Once Tofu reaches Dixie, the Shiba Inu stops, noticing three different mammals, all female - a husky, a spaniel, and a wolf. With Tofu meeting them, Dixie goes on to introduce them respectively to the Shiba Inu, gesturing and nodding to each mammal. “This is Sonja, this is Spot, and this is Zoey. Girls, this is Tofu, our newest student at Seacrest High.”

Tofu is nervously on standby upon meeting Dixie's new friends. The female Shiba Inu nervously rubs her neck with a soft giggle while she remarks, “It is a pleasure to meet you guys. I'm still new around here and this is quite a large place. It's easy to get lost here.”

Dixie is more than happy to lend her a hand in exploring the school grounds. And her three friends feel just the same way. Even Zoey runs up to Tofu to greet her excitedly where she begins shaking her hand.

“Like Dixie said, it's a pleasure to meet you, Tofu! I'm Zoey! We don't mind adding a new addition to our friend zone!” The wolfess excitedly mentioned. Tofu is just standing idly in surprise, letting the excited wolf shake her hand.

Her eyes wide, Tofu is still unable to comprehend what's going on. The Shiba Inu just stares at the wolf, still in shock. Maybe it's from Zoey's excitement or her radiant energy; Tofu still appears to be nervous. Maybe some time alone with Dixie will do the trick. Or maybe some time alone by herself will work.

~~~~~

When recess is over and classes resume, Tofu is sitting at the back of the classroom. To her surprise, Dixie turns around to face her with a smile, silently assuring the Shiba Inu that she is not by herself. With the Scottish Deerhound turning back around to refocus on her class, Tofu remains rooted in her spot. She is paying attention but she is still nervous to an extent, though not as nervous as before.

Still fairly new to the whole thing, Tofu needed help in getting to her classes. Fortunately, she shared some with Dixie and her friends. Others she's had to ask for assistance from school staff. From then on, Tofu begins to have a more general idea of how her schedule is. Slowly, over the course of time, the Shiba Inu began to grow accustomed to her schedule, and in the process even got a key to her dorm room. To her surprise, the dorm room is the same room she will be sharing as Dixie and her friends!

Tofu is immensely surprised upon entering the dorm room to find Dixie and her three companions inside. The Shiba Inu takes her time in exploring her new dorm room she'll be sharing when Dixie strolls up to her and offers, “Hey kiddo, how about we give you a tour?”

Tofu turns to the Deerhound, blinking at her in surprise. “Huh? Oh, uh, okay.” Tofu nervously shuffles around once more when she remarks, “Uh, Dixie, I’m actually fine with exploring our dorm room, so there's no need for a tour. I thought you guys were going to give me a tour of the entire campus, not just one part of the school.”

Dixie giggles, “We can always make room for one more! We don't mind! How are you liking Seacrest High so far?”

The Shiba Inu blushes slightly at the question, “Still need some time getting used to the whole schedule thing. I'm still pretty new here.”

“Hang on…” Zoey approaches the two, her focus on the Shiba Inu. For some reason, the wolfess seems disturbed. Whether it is because of something that happened during class or because of the new arrival, only the wolfess herself knows why she is disturbed. What she says next reveals why, “...how is it only a month into high school and you're still getting adjusted, Tofu? How??”

Dixie turns to Zoey and eases her away from Tofu, whispering, “Calm down, Zoey! Can't you see she's still nervous??”

Zoey, on the other hand, extends both arms out to Tofu in frustration, complaining, “Dixie, it has only been a month - a full month - since Tofu has been introduced to the school! You would think she would be more confident!”

Uncomfortable with where the situation is headed, Spot and Sonja attempt to reason with Zoey when Dixie speaks her mind in defending Tofu, the deerhound reminding them, “It doesn't matter how long a new student has been here, even if it's a full year; they need time to adjust. Cut Tofu some slack, will ya?”

Zoey isn't willing to let up until she finally deflates and settles down. The wolfess later squeaks, “Ohh, I guess you're right. Maybe I’m a little too excited over this whole new student thing.” The wolf eventually shrugs, “Call me crazy, but something tells me that most new students are more outgoing during their first full month here. And they're used to the school system by now.”

Squeaks of agreement come from the rest of the girls in the dorm room, where even Tofu agrees with Zoey. The nervous Shiba Inu begins to eventually settle down and breathe after the tense exchange. Slowly, she begins to relax and later giggle. The Shiba Inu later admits, “I'm slowly getting used to my surroundings here, but it's taking more time than usual.”

Dixie pulls Tofu into a side hug and nuzzles her gently to reassure her. As a further incentive, Dixie offers to take Tofu out on a trip off the campus, “How about we head out to the mall later on, or a local arcade? We can really get to hang out more with each other.”

“I don't have any money for that. I don't have a job.” Tofu squeaks sheepishly. The Shiba Inu didn't want to intrude on them and ruin their day due to her being destitute. But Dixie’s giggling catches her by surprise.

Dixie reminds Tofu, “This is not a clique; we cover everyone. We’ll cover you Tofu, so if there's anything you want to buy, we’ll pitch in!”

Tofu blushes with a bashful smile forming on her muzzle, “I appreciate it. Thank you. I really appreciate the support.”

~~~~~

With classes done for the day and no school for the next day, the five girls make their way outside for a brief adventure outside the school. They are venturing out to play at an arcade that is about two blocks away from the high school.

The quintet is presented with a huge, raw selection of arcade games to choose from, all of them appearing throughout the giant gaming hall. Whoever designed this place must be filthy rich. There are crane games, redemption games, arcade cabinets and tabletops, even walk-in arena games for cooperative or competitive gameplay.

When they step inside and browse, Zoey mentions, “I’ve always wanted to try out that Galaxian 3 game. It looks fantastic!”

Tofu blushes at the wolf’s desire to try out a video game from the 1990s. The Shiba Inu felt too embarrassed to join her. She has a change of heart where she reveals, “If anyone plays Space Invaders, I want to see if they have a Frenzy arcade game. I’ve wanted to try that out for the longest.”

“Then we’ll take turns with each other's wishes first and then we go from there.” Dixie concluded, taking the lead among the group. “Tofu, since you're the newest, we’ll start with you. Then we’ll move on to Zoey, then Sonja, and then Spot. I will be last.”

Tofu is overjoyed. At the same time she is also excited and a little nervous. Most girl groups are cliches with the leader going first and the newbie going last, but with Dixie’s humility playing a part, she allows Tofu to go first with her option. The female deerhound even admits, “I can't find a single person who doesn't know about Space Invaders. It is a pretty common game after all.”

“Probably more common than you think. What other arcade franchise you know survives after 40 years and is still going on strong?” Zoey added in reason.

“There's the Time Crisis franchise, but that one’s been around for 10 years, at least.” Sonja mentioned with a reserved sigh. “I’ve been wanting to play that and Virtua Cop for a while.”

“What about Need For Speed, Wangan Midnight, and Initial D?” Spot added in suggestion.

“Need For Speed doesn't count.” Dixie replied matter-of-factly. “That series is mainly console, although there are two arcade versions of Carbon and Hot Pursuit 2. As for Wangan Midnight and Initial D, I’d say they're on par with Fast and Furious and Cruisin’.”

Tofu perks up from listening in on the conversation, her ears flying up from mention of the various genres being thrown about. “You mean Cruis’n USA? That's all arcade too.”

“Yeah and they have a lot of crane redemption games too.” Sonja added in retrospect. The female husky points towards an Acme Crane redemption game while standing inside near the entrance. And she points out a second crane game next to it called “Toy Shoppe”.

Spot just shakes her head in disappointment. The female spaniel complains, “What's with all these redemption games when you have real arcade games to play at the palms of your hands?”

“Even I don't know,” Dixie shrugs at the question being thrown in her direction, though she claims, “but I will say that some of these crane games have beautiful prizes.”

“Prizes that are mainly plushies.” Tofu added knowingly. She then giggles to herself and adds, “Along with Space Invaders Frenzy, I also want to try out a Galaga redemption game. What is it… Assault?”

“Galaga Assault. That's the one.” Dixie pointed out. She recalls, “If I remember correctly, the original Galaga is here. But I think we can select between the three of them.”

“I don't know which one is worse or better - Galaga ‘88 or Gaplus.” Zoey whispered in complaint.

Tofu wanders off to explore the arcade grounds freely so she can get a better familiarity with the place. She later stumbles upon a touch-screen redemption game in attract mode, featuring a series of winding red mazes to navigate. However, she doesn't have any tokens or quarters to play the redemption game.

“Miss, are you looking for something?” While Tofu searches for Dixie and the others, an assistant Shiba Inu moves in to see if Tofu needed some assistance with anything. The female Shiba Inu initially shakes her head in denial, but then she requests, “Is there a token desk around here? I would love to get some tokens to play some of these games here.”

The assistant answers, “Yes there is; close to the Galaxian 3 arcade theater, you should find a redemption desk that houses and exchanges tokens, tickets, and cash.” The assistant Shiba Inu points out a black redemption desk buried amongst the various lights, displays, and cabinets of the different arcade games strewn throughout the place; Tofu is just barely able to make it out, but she can clearly see the Galaxian 3 logo far ahead of her.

Just then, Tofu realizes, “Oh crap! I need to catch up!” The female Shiba Inu student dashes off to meet up with her pals, saying a quick goodbye and thank you to the assistant. By the time Tofu catches up, she is the last one to greet the agent at the Galaxian 3 theater while being the last in line behind Sonja.

~~~~~

Being the only five inside of the six-man theater, the Galaxian 3 rail-shooter game was a pretty intense session with all 5 players blasting away in a frenzy. And because of their cooperative efforts in gameplay, the quintet managed to complete the storyline with only 20% of their shield strength remaining. The scoreboard from greatest to least is - Zoey, Dixie, Tofu, Sonja, Spot.

The agent standing nearby the Galaxian 3 game theater watches the excited girls leave the room and he calls out to them, “Did you ladies have fun? You all were making quite a commotion in there!”

“I think that is the most intense game I have ever played in my life!” Dixie and the rest of the girls turn to face the fox ticket agent standing nearby; the deerhound leaving her review is the most satisfied of the bunch.

Even Spot is trembling from sheer excitement; she squeals, “That was awesome! We should do it again! I have never had a more intense adrenaline rush than that! This beats going on a rollercoaster ride any day!”

Even Tofu leaves her review, being among the Top 3 that scored the most points out of the entire group. She shuffles around while kicking the ground with her pawfoot, “I’m impressed with the huge game itself. Speechless, but impressed. I thought this was gonna be some kind of 3D fixed shooter game but this one is on a whole new level. I love it!”

“Since you all did so well, how about a little bonus? This is on the house for completing the storyline.” The fox agent directs the girls to the redemption desk, handing each of them a set number of tokens, as well as some cash. While Spot and Sonja respectively received a set amount of game tokens and cash, Tofu, Dixie, and Zoey each received larger amounts due to their finishing scoring positions. But due to their cooperative gameplay, all 5 girls receive an extra bonus.

Moving on to a different area, Tofu searches for her requested game while mentioning, “This will make a great spot for a Show and Tell or a review.” The Shiba Inu then sparkles upon finally noticing a Space Invaders Frenzy arcade board, among other smaller redemption games. Seeing the game in Attract Mode, Tofu turns to the group, “So, who wants to play with me?”

Sonja raises her hand up immediately in response, “I’ll go! I’ve been wanting to give Space Invaders a shot!”

Zoey snaps her fingers in disappointment, “Darn! I wanted to go! It's been a while since I've actually played Space Invaders myself! I wanted to take a crack at it now that we're here! I guess I'll wait.” The wolf then shouts in cheer, “Make it intense, girls!”

Taking up the red first-player laser cannon, Tofu inserts a token into the machine and turns to the group, “So who's joining me??”

“I’ll go!” Dixie shoots her hand up, eagerly joining the Shiba Inu at the side in taking control of the blue laser cannon. The countdown to game time ticks down until it ends at zero; gameplay begins immediately and almost chaotically with alien figures both giant and tiny whooshing throughout the screen. Along with the normal Space Invaders formation, the stakes are more challenging and the gameplay is much harder.

With rallying support and cheering from their three friends, Tofu and Dixie embark to make the most of their session. But they don't get far. Tofu’s experience shows in clearing out most of the enemy aliens, but Dixie's not quick enough to eradicate the tiny ones streaking across the screen. In a matter of seconds, one of the aliens reaches the bottom of the screen, destroying both turrets. This leaves Tofu mildly disappointed.

“Awww, I was hoping we could get far!” Pouty, Tofu’s ears are folded down while she enters her name into the high score table and collects a few tickets. Dixie, however, remains optimistic, not letting her own failure tarnish their joy. She hugs Tofu and reassures her, “You’ll make it the second time! Choose who you want to accompany you for the second time!”

“I’ll take a crack at it!” Before Tofu can open her mouth to speak and before Dixie can point out a selection, Zoey's hand shoots up next. Both Shiba Inu and Scottish Deerhound slowly look at each other before broad smiles grace their faces; Dixie waves for the wolf to join them while Tofu encourages her, “Come on over, Zoey! See if you can do better!”

When the wolf joins Tofu at the large arcade cabinet, gameplay restarts once another token is inserted. But unlike the cooperative gameplay with Dixie, Tofu's round with Zoey is longer and more intense. Together, they manage to rack up a better, higher score than the first run, but after failing to defeat a streaking wave of tiny aliens blitzing across the screen and destroying their turrets, more tickets are earned for their efforts.

Following their second round from Space Invaders Frenzy, the five girls leave the arcade cabinet and begin freely exploring the area. Meanwhile, Tofu mentions to the group, “You guys mentioned redemption games, right? I noticed one that is bright red and fiery. I didn't catch the name of it.”

“Oh! That's Flamin’ Finger!” Snapping her fingers in recognition, Zoey and Sonja both light up at the mention of said redemption game. Only problem is, it's hard to win. Not only does the timer work in an odd way, but the touchscreen itself adds to the difficulty.

Each of the five girls take a turn in playing the game to see who will complete their maze level. Out of the five girls, only two of them manage to win - Spot and Dixie. Tofu and Zoey were frustrated that they almost made it but didn't win. Sonja, however, just gave up after making it close to the end after seeing the timer rapidly speed up. Following their respective prizes being collected, the five girls later move away from the area.

They later come across a new redemption game, the same one that Tofu talked about earlier. The game is called Galaga Assault, and it is one out of many games in the Galaxian franchise. The only difference - Galaga Assault is a redemption game. This one, however, is only a one-player game. No two-player co-op or competitive gameplay. When Tofu sees this, she squawks in disappointment, “Aww, no two-player this time!”

No problem - since Galaga Assault is a redemption game for only one player in gameplay, the five girls each take turns in attempting to accumulate the highest score, as well as reaching the end for the final boss battle. But they can only go so far as their skills will allow. At least with the waves they each battled and defeated, each player collects a specific amount of tickets as payment for their gameplay.

With the day lasting well into the evening, the five girls hang around the arcade for one more game, this time at a Mega Stacker redemption game. It is one of many games that they have never seen before, but the attract mode already gives them all a general idea of what to do. Only thing is - can they successfully reach the very top?

Although everyone takes a turn, they make it past the Minor Jackpot area. But despite reaching the top, everyone comes one space short of actually winning the game. In spite of the humiliating loss, everyone walks away satisfied, with different prizes - while everyone obtains a Nintendo Switch and a plushie, the five girls each grab a different item to add to their collection. For Spot and Zoey, they grabbed Funko Pop toys of different characters. Sonja nabs a PS2 gift card, and Tofu and Dixie obtain new tablet devices - a Samsung and an Apple, respectively.

~~~~~

The following day, classes resume for students of Seacrest High School. School resumes as normal, and the students are putting effort as usual into their studies and work, though some tend to doze off at times. Not that it happens often. But in one particular instance, the peaceful, average scene was shattered when a fight later broke out.

This situation became prevalent at recess when the students were let out for their lunchtime break. Having separated from her pals temporarily, Tofu began freely wandering around the area when she caught the eyes of two male students, an Akita Inu and an Irish Wolfhound. Tofu, however, immediately turned them down explaining her lack of interest in dating; she's not interested in dating. Yet their conversation remains friendly. The two males later introduce themselves - the Akita Inu is Jack and the Irish Wolfhound is Ben.

While Jack keeps the conversation friendly, he is unaware of the passing glares he is receiving from Ben. But when Tofu leaves the two, they boys later fight. Ben throws the first punch and the situation explodes into a full fistfight with the two dogs arguing over the girl.

The fight is quickly broken up with other students rushing in to pull the bickering dogs apart; high school staff join the fray moments later, taking the two fighting dogs away and removing them from the scene.

“Hey Tofu, you alright? What happened back there?” Noticing the situation and what subsequently followed, Dixie wandered over to check on Tofu, who simply replied, “I’m fine, though I had quite a scare back there. I'm too young to date!”

Seeing the confusion on Dixie's face, Tofu turns blank. “I'm not interested in dating. That's what this whole thing was about. And I am not interested in romance or a relationship… yet.”

“How many fights have broken out over a cute guy or girl over the years?” Spot recalled, rubbing her chin in recollection. The spaniel later shakes her head, “Too much chaos and too young for a relationship, I’ll tell ya that.”

“Don't remind me. I’ve been through that too many times during my second year!” Zoey groaned. “Can't guys take ‘no’ for an answer??”

“Well whatever the case, we’re glad you're safe, Tofu.” While Dixie turns to Tofu and hugs her, the school bell rings, signaling the end of the recess period. Hearing the screeching bell, Tofu groans, “So much for recess. It's ruined now.”

“No it's not. We still had fun while it lasted.” Sonja declared. Watching Tofu waddle inside the school, Zoey and the rest of her friend group file in line among the throngs of students piling back inside.

~~~~~

After school resumes as normal with classes coming and going, the day ends as usual for the group. Tofu is completely relaxed, playing away on her brand-new Nintendo Switch she acquired from the local arcade. From the music playing and the screeching noises coming from her game system, Tofu is engaged in a game of Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered.

Dixie, on the other hand, is working on her homework for tomorrow. The others, meanwhile, were away for a snack break. Now alone to themselves, the Shiba Inu and the Scottish Deerhound can get more acquainted with each other. But it seems that with Tofu's background noise, Dixie is barely able to ignore it.

“Tofu, can you turn your game down? I'm trying to concentrate on my homework.” Dixie requested. While Tofu squeaks in acknowledgement and lowers the volume on her Nintendo Switch, Dixie has more headspace to concentrate. But then Tofu suddenly realizes, “Why don't we all study together, like our own little study group?”

Dixie hums in thought at the sudden request Tofu is suggesting. At first, she is okay with it and she is about to agree to it. Then she realizes what that would lead to. The Scottish Deerhound later turns down the offer, shaking her head in denial. Dixie later acknowledges the request and explains, “Tofu, I would love to participate in a study group and help each with our work, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Don't get me wrong, I love your idea, Tofu. But wouldn't it be suspicious if we turned in our work at the same time with the same answers?”

Blankly, Tofu grows doubtful and reasons with Dixie, “It's not like anyone is cheating or anything. Clearly, you've never been in or heard of a study group. They help a great deal and will ensure you have the best answers for your exams.”

“Either you're bluffing or you're totally right, Tofu.” Dixie acknowledged once more. She later admits, “I honestly have no idea what a study group is. The last thing I want is for someone to get in trouble for cheating. I guess you can understand my hesitancy on why I was conflicted…”

Dixie is flushed completely pink in the face out of embarrassment. So is Tofu. Pausing her game, Tofu waddles up to Dixie and hugs her from behind. The sudden move causes Dixie to stiffen up, though when Tofu speaks, she relaxes.

The Shiba Inu rests her head on Dixie's shoulder for a bit until she raises up to speak. Tofu confides, “Dixie, in the short time that we've met and got to know each other, there are still some things you don't know about me. And there are still some things I don't know about you. But we are willing to help each other out, right?”

“You know what, Tofu? You're right. Maybe a study group wouldn't be so bad anyways. Might be a good chance to throw some ideas around.” Finally understanding the request and reasoning behind Tofu’s logic, Dixie eventually agrees to the idea of a study group. “Yeah, a study group wouldn't be half bad.”

Tofu sparkles in delight, “Perfect! We can all get together and work on our homework and our exams!”

~~~~~

The following morning, Tofu is on her way to her first class when she hears a sudden commotion erupting behind her. Growing alert, the female Shiba Inu student wiggles her ears and searches for the source, unaware that it is coming towards her.

“Well well well, look who it is. We got another fresh one, people!” Typical high school bullies are nothing short of a critical, bad day. But the perp isn't what catches Tofu’s attention - it's the victim.

Tofu's eyes widen in disbelief upon gawking at the scene before her - recognizing the victim in their grasp, Tofu turns to the posse and confronts them, “What did you punks do to Sonja!?”

“Oh nothing. The little doggy refused to pay up after we reminded her of our problems we were having. The girl didn't show, so we decided to do a little welfare check on her.” One of the teenage thugs, a male gray-furred lion, nonchalantly flips a coin in the air while speaking. Another teenage thug, a brown bear, notices Tofu and begins to advance on her, calling out to the posse, “Hey guys, let's see how much this one is worth once we shake the living cash out of her!”

Tofu just stares at them with a blank look on her face, clearly not amused by their antics. She sidesteps away from an incoming tackle while speaking, “Do you idiots have nothing better to do than pick on people? I have a class to go to and I will not entertain the likes of you.”

With Sonja's condition fresh in her mind, Tofu turns to leave so she can inform a superior of what's happening. Suddenly, another one of the thugs grabs her from behind; it is a female brown bear, and she has a menacing smile, “You're not thinking of leaving the scene are you? After all, you know the consequences of snitching, don't you?”

Again, Tofu is unamused. She growls, “Let me and my friend go. Don't make this any worse than what it already is.”

“What are you gonna do about it, pipsqueak? You will never snitch on us - we have a special surprise for snitches. Or are you gonna cry and go home to your mommy?” One of the bullies taunted, causing the group to break out in scornful laughter. They didn't catch the irritation in Tofu’s angry growling.

Another one of the bullies, a gray fox, moves in to grab her and it happens - the vulpine bully is met with a set of sharp teeth to the leg. The fox begins screaming from the leg bite and tries to throw the enraged Shiba Inu off. This only makes Tofu angrier to the point she's out for blood and revenge - revenge for beating up Sonja.

When Tofu releases her grip on the gray fox, the Shiba Inu has to contend with the rest of the posse. There are 5 in all, and one of them is temporarily out of action. That leaves 4 of them remaining. But with one of them still clutching Sonja by her wrist, Tofu will have to use caution. However, she won't have to fight them.

Sonja's whispering cries are just audible in Tofu's ears. But once one of the bullies jumps at Tofu, a flash of gray suddenly enters the picture, bodyslamming the thug aside. Recognizing the figure, Tofu lights up in wonder, “Dixie!! Where were you?? Have you alerted any superiors?!”

The gray lion thug lunges at Dixie, only to get walloped into a nearby wall by the deerhound. She informs the Shiba Inu, “When I heard the screaming, I grabbed the principal. He should be coming shortly! But for now, we need to rescue Sonja and get her to safety!”

“What is going on here!?” Turns out, the schoolgirls won't have to fight anymore. The principal, a brown wolf, arrives at the scene and with one look at the scene before him, he is greatly enraged when he notices the beaten female husky among the remaining three thugs. His verdict is immediate, “Justin!!! Trudent!!! Wallard!!! You three and your two cronies down there are expelled!!! Report to my office so your folks can be contacted!!! Then we will contact the police!!”

And just like that, this scene is over.

~~~~~

After the five-man gang of delinquents were expelled from the high school, the police were called to assess the situation and take statements. The parents of the delinquents were also contacted and they were furious - they have every right to be. Also, Sonja was taken to a school nurse who stabilized her condition; the husky is going to be out of commission for a couple days but her bruises will heal up fully. As for Tofu and Dixie, they were credited as heroes for finally standing up to the delinquents, something that should have been done a long time ago, but no one had the courage to do so.

Classes were canceled for the rest of the day until further notice. At least Dixie and her group managed to finish and turn in their homework. But given the recent events that have just happened, the mood is somber.

“I really hope Sonja’s okay.” Tofu whispered in worry. “They did announce that she's in stable condition but the way she looked when those bad guys beat her up… I can't fathom that.”

“Sonja will be discharged sooner or later if they have her under control already.” Dixie assured her in return. “In the short time that Sonja and I have met and actually known each other, she's a fighter. She always pulls through.”

“But this is her first time actually being sent down to the hospital on the campus!” Tofu interjected in protest. “She's never been in a situation like this before!”

“Maybe she hasn't but this isn't the first situation the campus has ever seen.” Dixie remarked. The Scottish Deerhound and the Shiba Inu are both walking towards their dorm room, discussing the recent incident that has just taken place. Seacrest High School isn't really a prestigious or popular high school in the area; in fact, it is one of the lesser-known schools in the city. But this incident is likely not the only one to happen on campus grounds.

After making it to their dorm room during their conversation, Tofu and Dixie find Spot and Zoey inside, both with worried expressions on their faces.

“Is Sonja gonna be okay? Will she be released soon?” Both Spot and Zoey pepper Tofu and Dixie with questions on Sonja's condition. And all they can do is wait on her return. Even Dixie explains to the group, “Sonja has no injuries, thankfully. The beating that those dirtbags gave her only left her bruised. But she’ll be getting out soon. I'm positive about that.”

“And we won't be seeing those bullies anymore because they're expelled!” Tofu cheers in relief. “It's about time something's been done about the whole thing! Those five guys deserve every bit of jail time coming to them!”

On hearing Tofu’s statement and the relief in her voice, Dixie turns thoughtful, tapping a finger against her muzzle, “Even so, I can't help but wonder - what creates a bully anyway? And what makes them act out so much?”

An exasperated Zoey groans, “I can't believe you, Dixie! Surely you would know that by now! More than that, blame the parents for leaving their babies behind to grow into the monsters they are now!”

“It's not only that, but it's also something to do with superiority… I think…” Spot reasoned among them. “One thinks they're better than the other, and to top it all off - social media plays a part too.”

Tofu turns blank at this and quips, “Yeah, we all can use a break from that. And I guess I’m speaking for everybody when I say: Guilty as charged.”

“Then too, some people enjoy harassing others and are sick about it.” Dixie added, beginning to fume. “That's also what makes me so ticked.”

“Well, the happy part is that the school officials finally did something legitimate for once and stepped up.” Tofu declared. “There have been too many reports and bad endings for different schools across the region. Maybe the other campuses can learn something from this one.”

“Not only that but we’ll also be getting Sonja back too. That's another happy part.” Dixie remarked.

~~~~~

Later on in the week, Sonja is wandering down the hallway on the way back to her dorm. The female husky was released from the campus hospital a few minutes ago with a clean bill of health after making a full recovery. Though she sustained a black eye in her beating, that didn't stop Sonja from whatever she enjoyed doing.

‘Ooohhhh, I’m wondering how everyone will take this.’ the female husky lowers her head in thought, attempting to process her friends’ reactions as well as those of the entire campus. ‘I have never encountered anything like this directly. Will there be awareness talks and seminars? I hope so. At least, I hope this campus is pointed in the right direction.’

“I honestly wonder what will change things here.” Sonja muttered to herself. “But, all in due time!” The female husky goes from thoughtful to jovial, adding a pep in her step while she begins whistling to herself. But when she arrives at her dorm, she is in for a surprise.

“She's here!!! SONJA!!!” Upon stepping into her dorm room, Sonja is met with her friends’ bodies slamming into her, sending the female husky crashing to the floor. It is a complete dog-pile with the other 4 canine burying her in a group tackle, completely elated to see her once again.

After the brief reunion, the girls were left firing off request after request one by one, to which Sonja raises her hand up to interject, “Maybe another time for all that. Right now, I’m more than happy to be back!”

~~~~~

Friday is only half a day for school classes but that doesn't mean the publicity or popularity has stopped anymore. Sonja’s case is even published in the campus newspaper by the news club where those outside the campus can also get a glimpse into what is happening. For Sonja herself, the poor husky can't seem to catch a break with all the attention. Fortunately for her, she has company that she doesn't mind being with for the breakfast period.

Already aware of the word spreading outside the campus, Sonja recalls, “I’m not a damsel in distress. I never expected them to come and get me. It was just an unexpected event for me. But I'm glad those bullies got what they deserved though.”

Sitting across from Sonja in the cafeteria, Tofu joins her along with Spot next, and they are eager to get the day over with so they can have the weekend all to themselves.

Spot muses to Sonja directly, “I can't help but wonder - Sonja, do you think your situation will be on the news? The actual news, I mean.”

Tofu blankly objects to Spot’s claim and reminds her, “It's been covered already. Every major news channel reported on the situation, including Sonja’s condition and what happened to those good-for-nothing punks. Honestly, I am glad they're not here anymore, because I later found out it's an ongoing problem, or was an ongoing problem. No need to worry about that anymore!”

Spot groans, “I don't see how I could have missed that!”

The Shiba Inu student remarks blankly, “You weren't paying attention, were you?”

Offhandedly, Sonja scours the area while requesting, “Say, have you girls seen Dixie? She's usually on time during this period.”

“I think she went to practice some sort of Karate or something like that. She's trying out a new hobby for this semester.” Tofu reported.

“Sorry I'm late! Lost track of time!” Rushing to meet her friends, Dixie hurries along to the table, panting while setting her own tray down and sliding into a seat next to Sonja. The female husky notices this and inquires, “What were you doing that made you come this late?”

Dixie squeaks, “Ahh, I was just trying out a new hobby for a change. Karate, to be exact. It's really hard, to be honest.”

“We can see that - you're out of breath for one thing.” Sonja observed. The others with her all acknowledged the husky's concern in agreement. Even Tofu notices, “Yep, you seem pretty out of breath, Dixie.”

“Well, it wasn't this complicated when I first studied Karate initially.” Dixie panted, “but practicing it is a whole new story!”

“We can save that later for Show and Tell! I’m sure everyone would want to know what your skill level is in the next few weeks!” Tofu sparkled in delight, becoming giddy and bouncing in her seat.

Dixie flatly refuses, considerate of another alternative method, “Nah, that's okay. We already did a Show and Tell with the prizes we won from those arcade games we did earlier. I think there's a talent show coming up and I would prefer to show off my Karate skills there.”

“Then I’ll join you.” Tofu declared.

“Thanks Tofu. The more help, the merrier! It would be nice if a couple of others could join us too.” Dixie turns her attention directly to Sonja and Spot, who are both shying away from the situation; Sonja playing with her fingers and Spot whistling innocently while rolling her eyes towards the ceiling.

The Scottish Deerhound isn't buying the acts. Instead, she questions the two, “What's wrong with you two joining me and Tofu later on?”

Sonja whispers, “Eeh, nothing. It's just, we're lovers, not fighters.” The female husky goes on to explain and defend her stance, “Don't get me wrong, I find nothing wrong with you practicing Karate but martial arts and fighting sports aren't really my thing. I prefer adventure and dressing up.”

“Like me -” Spot acknowledged in agreement, “- I'm more into cosplay and racing but I also enjoy makeup too. Contact sports and martial arts, not so much.” The spaniel blushes a little while giggling to herself.

“Say, Dixie? Why don't you run this by Zoey?” Sonja implored, dragging a smirk in Dixie's direction. “I'm pretty sure she would love to join you and Tofu in your activities.”

“I'll run that by her if I see her or if I have time.” Dixie acknowledged in return.

~~~~~

The worst class for Dixie and Tofu combined is Science. Scratch that - Science class wasn't the worst for them. The two female friends are in Science class together at the time being, paying rapt attention to the professor before them. And the experiments the students were working on also served to interest them too.

History class, however, proved to be not only more challenging but also more boring in a sense. Yet Tofu was immersed in History, the same way she felt about Science class. Dixie, on the other hand, was less than enthusiastic. The Scottish Deerhound wanted to be somewhere else, not having to sit around and recite history all day. But Dixie herself isn't always like that.

During the course of the period, Dixie's mind began to wander. She started daydreaming, removing herself from the real world and picturing herself practicing her new hobby. Unfortunately, this is short-lived when some finger snapping directly in her face brings her back to reality. Even worse, it is the Shiba Inu student herself doing the finger snapping, and she directs the wayward Scottish Deerhound to the History teacher, who does not look too happy. Suffice to say, Dixie got into some trouble with losing focus during her History period and was given extra work to complete and turn in the next day as a penalty.

Later on in the day, recess comes around as scheduled, and Dixie expresses her frustration while seated outside on a bench inside the campus. She huffs, “I can't say I love History class, but I can't say I hate it either. History is so boring! Even Algebra is better at keeping up with the entertainment! Between History and Reading, I don't know which one is more boring.”

“I haven't run into any snags so far during my first year here.” Tofu commented further. “So far, everything is going good! Although the only thing I'm starting to have trouble with now is Algebra.”

“Yeah, you and me both.” Spot added in agreement. “It's like the farther we progress, the harder it gets until it becomes impossible to figure out an equation!”

“I can see why some kids have trouble with numbers.” Sonja interjected. Then she reconsiders her statement, “Then again, I can't. I don't understand how numbers can be so difficult when they're actually useful and fun at times.”

Zoey interjects, “No problems here! I'm fine with numbers! It's the Biology and History parts I have trouble with… Science too. Those should be more lively instead of boring.”

“Ehh, you never know.” Dixie shrugged, gazing around at her partners. “For some, they excel in one particular and have trouble with other areas, others are Honor Roll material.”

“Say Dixie, have you ever been on the Honor Roll before?” Tofu inquired, her eyes wide with intrigue. The Shiba Inu student is now curious since the topic of their discussion moved to the Honor Roll.

Dixie earnestly and humbly remarks, “I have been on the Honor Roll for the past year and a half. Nothing special. Why do you ask?”

Tofu meekly squeaks, “I’ve been on the Honor Roll myself when I was in grade school. I want to join that same rank here in high school too.”

“Tofu, you’ll have to work very hard if you want to become part of the Honor Roll. To be on that list, you’ll have to work on your Grade Point Average, but we all think you're doing pretty good so far.” Sonja noted.

“Why do you want to join the Honor Roll anyway? Aren't you fine where you are?” Spot inquired.

Meekly, Tofu insists, “Well, since I was part of the group of students with the highest GPA back in grade school, I figured - why not do the same thing here? It would make a good accomplishment for one thing.”

“I see.” Spot deduced, rubbing her chin in thought. The female spaniel then presses the Shiba Inu on the subject. “What made you want to be part of that same thing here? Do you believe you can make it?”

Under the assumption that Spot is likely trying to mock her and tease her, Tofu stares at Spot blankly. The Shiba Inu huffs, “Spot, I understand your concern but you will not stop me from achieving my goal! Being on the Honor Roll is one achievement that I want to reach. And whether I make it or not, I will still be satisfied regardless, knowing I did my best!”

“Okay Tofu, whatever floats your boat, I guess.” Spot extends her arms above her head in a relaxed posture while sighing, “I don't care about being on that list. I only care about making it through the entirety of high school, and not getting expelled or killed for whatever reason.”

Everyone turns silent on the spaniel’s reasoning, completely shell-shocked. Even Dixie sweatdrops on the matter and whispers, “That's another subject for another time…”

~~~~~

Following the recess period and the rest of the classes for the day, school finally ends for the girls and they begin making their way back to their dorm. However, Tofu excused herself and wandered away from the pack to retrieve an extra book she needed that she figured could help her out in her studies and her exams.

Waddling into the school library, Tofu wanders to a particular bookshelf in search of her intended target. After explaining her presence to the school librarian, the Shiba Inu student is granted permission to borrow said book on the condition that it is returned the following day. She later says her goodbye to the school librarian and leaves the library to return to her dorm room.

Along the way back to her dorm room, Tofu is whistling to herself when she is suddenly bumped into by a fellow student, causing her to drop her newly acquired resource. Upon recognizing the fellow student as a male lynx, Tofu shakes her head and collects her book. She later advises, “Watch where you're going next time, Terry.”

Terry Manilov is one of many lynx students enrolled in and currently attending Seacrest High. But while Terry is studying like most students, he has his fair share of trouble. But while he isn't like most school bullies, word is he is a thief.

“Sorry miss!” The lynx student does a double take at the Shiba Inu student, recognizing her instantly. He recalls, “Tofu, isn't it? You're one of those first-year junior students, right?”

“Yeah, that's right.” Tofu confirms, growing suspicious. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh nothing! Just wondering.” Terry responds nervously, playing with his fingers. Tofu notices the lynx student twiddling with his fingers and she clutches her book, picking up on his nervous behavior. “You will not take my book for whatever reason. I am giving this back tomorrow, so no touching! Otherwise I will bite off your arm!”

Though Shiba Inu dogs are cute at first glance, dogs are still dangerous when angry or aggressive, and Tofu’s assertion of dominance and recognition of Terry's nervous energy scares the lynx into submission. This makes the lynx gulp, “Point taken. You won't hear a peep from me!”

Before Terry can turn and leave, Tofu suspiciously presses Terry for more information, “Why are you out here in the first place and not in your own dorm room?”

The lynx student can hardly speak, growing more antsy by the second. But a second voice rings out, “Hey Manilov! Where is my lunch money??”

“Eek! Not again!” Terry immediately cowers behind Tofu upon hearing a demanding voice approaching from the hallways. While the voice is familiar to Terry, Tofu is looking for the source when she notices an approaching brown lion student strolling to meet them.

Similar to the gray lion student from earlier, this brown lion student is also a reckless delinquent, using his size instead of his strength to intimidate others. But the only thing blocking his path towards his prey is the smaller Shiba Inu student.

“Out of my way, dog! I have business to attend to!” Stomping to meet them, the lion demands Tofu to scram. The Shiba Inu student doesn't move, instead shielding the lynx from him. Fed up, the juvenile lion bulldozes Tofu aside, creeping closer to the cowering lynx student. But before the lion can intimidate the fox any further…

*CRACK!*

A set of teeth sinks into the lion’s left leg., causing him to release a roar of agony. Unfortunately for him, this attracts a lot of attention from students and staff alike. The moment the lion kicks Tofu away, she is sent crashing into the wall behind them; at the same time, the headmaster calls out the lion full force, “RODNEY JEFFERSON, REPORT TO MY OFFICE ASAP!!! YOU ARE IN A BOATLOAD OF TROUBLE, MISTER!!!”

Several students spectating the fiasco quickly retreat, not wanting to get caught up in the mayhem. The brown lion is aware that he is caught but he doesn't care. In an insane, twisted act of defiance, the lion student leaps at the headmaster! The headmaster, a Bengal tiger, quickly sidesteps the charge. This leaves the student sailing harmlessly past the tiger, and headlong down a flight of stairs. Rodney's not going to be waking up anytime soon…

Despite having the wind knocked out of her, Tofu was taken to the school nurse for assessment. Though she refused medical treatment, the Shiba Inu student later complied after the nurse inspected her. But she only has minor bruising to her back and some whiplash. The Shiba Inu is later allowed to waddle back to her dorm. As for Rodney, he is later expelled and arrested.

~~~~~

Following the recent situation and Tofu’s medical assessment, a seminar was later held to discuss and spread awareness on bullying and its effects on the schools and individuals, as well as honoring Tofu's bravery in both instances that occurred. After the seminar was over, Tofu is left speechless at being commended for her bravery.

Since school is out for the rest of the weekend, Dixie and the others are crowded around Tofu, eager to hear her side of the whole situation. This only makes the Shiba Inu more flustered and nervous. She quickly excuses herself and makes a break for it, rushing out of the dorm and towards the girls’ bathroom.

After ducking into the girls’ restroom with her anxiety spiking, Tofu's heart is already pounding in her chest, ready to burst out. After a few minutes of deep breathing to calm herself down, Tofu turns to the mirrors next.

The Shiba Inu student begins splashing some water on her face in an attempt to refocus and get back in touch with reality. In a pep talk, she mumbles to herself, “Come on Tofu, get yourself together! This is real! You've battled worse than this!”

Besides taking a breather, Tofu is finally fully relaxed by now and she later returns to her dorm, ready to answer some much-needed questions from her excited friends.

~~~~~

After Tofu’s return and her circular questionnaire being completed, the five girls later settled down for a movie and gaming session. The Shiba Inu had gone out earlier to pick up an award down at the principal's office. The award is actually a medal for her bravery as well as a plaque commending her on her heroism. When Tofu returns to her dorm room, Dixie and the others become even more intrigued by the awards, but Tofu feels differently.

Spot shines in elation upon seeing Tofu’s new acquisition and declares, “You're our new local hero, Tofu! Do you know what that means??”

“Looks like you're on a fine path to becoming popular, Tofu. And for the right reasons!” Dixie strolls up to the Shiba Inu directly and hugs her, overjoyed and proud.

Even Sonja and Zoey whistle in admiration with the former declaring, “It's about time someone got recognized for their bravery! We’ve got a hero in the making, folks!”

Tofu receives an unexpected high-five and a hug from Zoey as well, along with the female wolf praising Tofu, “You’ve done what no one else would do. People can learn from your bravery! You’ll make an awesome example for the school!”

The Shiba Inu is once again overwhelmed by the constant praise and attention she is receiving for her bravery and her heroic actions in saving two school students and getting a series of bad apples banned from the school and arrested. The Shiba Inu is silent, trying to take everything in.

A brief period of silence follows. Finally, after collecting herself together, Tofu begins to speak and frankly admits, “I am not a hero. I was just doing what anyone would do - standing up for others. It's what I was taught when I was little.”

Tofu's cheeks turn into a pinkish tint while she continues, “I never thought I would actually get to put that into practice but I did.” There is a pause where Tofu takes a moment to catch her breath with her friends still attentive to her. She resumes, “When I saw Sonja among those delinquents, I got heated. You have no idea what it's like to see a battered friend in need. I just stepped up and decided to do my part to save her.”

“And I thank you for it, Tofu.” Sonja appreciatively chimes in, interjecting to offer her gratitude towards the Shiba Inu.

The Shiba Inu student resumes her monologue, “I never met or saw Terry before but I recognize a thief when I see one. He seemed pretty nervous when I was coming back from the library but all of that went out the window when we encountered Rodney. I was not about to sit back and watch him maul Terry over something unimportant.”

“Something like lunch money?” Dixie assumed.

“Parents need to step up and be better. No wonder so many kids are either dropping out or being homeschooled now!” Sonja grumbled, annoyed.

Tofu huffs, “Yes, it was lunch money but it wasn't important! What was important was Rodney getting ready to scratch Terry’s eyes out and I wasn't going to let that happen!”

When Zoey moves in from her position to approach Tofu, the female wolf gently taps a finger to her nose in a gentle boop. This earns Zoey a quick nip to her finger, forcing her to quickly pull away.

The female wolf quips, “Tofu, your little teeth hurt!”

Tofu giggles, “I may look cute and cuddly but you won't like me when I'm angry.”

The five girls, Tofu included, begin laughing at the perceived threat from the Shiba Inu. It holds true, though, since Tofu literally fought to save two students in two separate incidents. And twice, Tofu made good on her threat.

After their little humdrum, the five girls finally settle down for the weekend inside their dorm room. They originally settled on a movie night but there was hardly anything worthwhile to view. Instead, the five girls settled on just relaxing for the time being until the weekend was over. That is, until Tofu suggested, “Why don't we have a game night of our own or head back to the arcade again? We all have new Nintendo Switches. And maybe we can play with others too!”

“Or we can just do our own thing and not worry about having to play online.” Dixie suggested.

“That works too!” Tofu squeaked in agreement. Nervous laughter follows her original suggestion being substituted but nobody else seemed to mind.

Minutes later, Tofu eventually settles on another offline gaming session with her Nintendo Switch, but she eventually heads online to play with some other friends on Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered. Sonja also agreed since they have the same thing. Spot settled on just playing Minecraft on her Nintendo Switch without all the drama going on. Dixie, however, settled on the computer and began playing some After Dark games.

Later on, the five girls later settle down for good, and after some more consideration, they all eventually agree on an actual movie night. Since they can stream online with their new devices, the girls attempt to select a movie they can all watch together.

Utilizing her Nintendo Switch on a stand, Tofu suggests, “So what movie should we stream - Balto, Happy Feet, or The Incredibles?”

“I don't know. You might want to remove your Switch from that stand in case it topples over.” Dixie remarked, unsure. “But I have a better idea.”

“And what would that be?” Tofu removes her Nintendo Switch and her stand while observing Dixie with a scrutinizing glare.

Dixie does not make an immediate reply to Tofu's inquiry. Instead, she turns on the flat-screen TV in the dorm and puts on a different setting while turning her own Nintendo Switch on and connecting the two together. Now they can finally stream a movie together without the hassle of coming across anything they deem unnecessary.

“Why don't we take a look at the Alpha and Omega movies?” Sonja suddenly suggested. The request did come out of the blue, yet everyone is in unison with it. So after finding the movie franchise, the five girls later settled down for their movie night, getting in tune with their selected movie.

~~~~~

Tofu and Dixie belong to Cat_lol from ToyHouse in this long-length story commission!