"Doesn't matter to us. You're still Tanshin, you're still our sparring partner, you're still amazing. You've got nothing to prove to us or anyone. Heheh, you still kicked our ass out there remember."

And Rod was actually able to contain himself, wanting to make another comment on hir appearance in a flattering manner and avoiding it for now. "So you're special, so are we. Can't two, well, four? special people talk for a while? Figure things out?"

Normally Tanshin would have felt uncomfortable having three sets of eyes staring back at hir while urging hir to talk this over, but it could not be helped since all three were stuck together on one body. Shi swivelled hir head slightly away to think for a moment, the idea of just tearing away right now was so tempting but they seemed to have a decent hold on the practice gear shi had been trying to take off for quite sometime.
"I was just playing around, and trying to help you guys understand. I wasn't even trying to defeat you guys..."
Shi sighed at Mav's comment. Then again had shi been a little more focused, this whole mess would not have happened in the first place. Mentally shi was kicking hirself right now for not having paid better attention to what shi was doing.
Listening to Rod, he did have a good point. Yet what could shi, or even they, say that could make hir keep the gear on and stay til the end of class to spar some more with them.
This was getting uncomfortable and shi wasn't going to talk anymore until shi was out this area. More over shi just wanted to go outside and get some fresh air. It felt stuffy in here and right now hir head was spinning.
"Help me out of this. Please. We can talk but I won't do it here, voices carry out there fairly well... it's not like this is something I want everyone in the school to know..."
The hybrid's ears fell back as shi turned to look at them. Those white eyes almost pleading with them to just hear hir out before they decided or jumped to conclusions, disregarding the fact that they probably already knew what shi was..

Shi had a point, and the hydra wanted to hang around with hir for a while. Which meant the other two had to help suppress Rod's sudden desire to lean in and try to kiss hir as a way to end the situation. Right now that wasn't a good idea, and he realized it but he didn't really want to admit it. Still, the three gave a respectful nod and helped in the removal of practice gear only and glanced in the direction of the entrance. "Is there another exit from here or do we have to come up with some sort of excuse to get you out and away from the other students?"

As the gear loosened enough, Tanshin silently breathed a sigh of relief... However, shi was still unsure of what shi could even say to them that would make them believe hir without proof of what shi was. Hir ears were still pinned back but it could not be helped. Shi was scared out of hir mind and they were going to end up being the first to know at this school. The only ones who ever knew of hir being was the doctor who helped bring hir into this world and hir parents... and they had sent hir away for various reasons. The hydra would be the first outsider to know of this. How they took this in was entirely going to depend on how well they were going to be willing to understand. If they took it well they would be able to see hir more. If they took it poorly they would not see the hybrid at all if only by mere chance.
And it was plain to see that this creature was worried about what they might think.
"There's an exit in the very back. It leads straight outside of the school and its near the woods. I usually use it after Fencing class to go running..."
Shi needed to stay quiet. Shi didn't want them knowing about what hir routines were until after this ordeal. This was uncomfortable.
When the last button was undone, the creature quickly took it off and shoved it in hir locker and bolting the lock and not bothering to pick up the rapiers. The teacher would understand.
"Let's go... I don't want the others to be curious and follow us out..."
Shi began to walk towards the exit, the feathers on the back of hir neck ruffling slightly.
OH gods was shi nervous about this..

"Sounds good to us. Guess we'll have to finish a fencing class some other time. Let's get going, don't want anyone catching up with us." Of course this was potentially inviting disaster too. How often did someone with a secret decide to head off into the woods with a relative stranger?

Luke made sure they remembered to take off their own gear and left it on a bench before they followed Tanshin out the back. Well shi was athletic they could be sure of that, fencing followed by going for a run. What other surprises might shi have in store for them? "You know you don't really have to explain anything to us. We can just keep our collective mouths shut and forget the whole thing. I'm actually good at hypnosis, especially on these two."

The creature reached the door and waited for them to follow her and head out of the door, shi held it open. They were all curious and it seemed that no matter what shi would do it would still seem unimaginably hard to see them again if they were to take this the wrong way. As shi waited for them to fully pass through the door, it was almost like a horror movie where two people sneak out the back door and only one of them comes back. It made Tanshin want to giggle, but the reality was still hitting hir in the face and that made the happy thought go.
"It's alright Luke... It doesn't matter whether you do that now or later on. If this happens again I'd still have to explain sooner or later..."
Shi spoke softly, closing the door behind hir after taking one last quick look into the locker room. Sooner or later shi'd have to explain regardless, but how shi should say it was another matter. Each of them were curious, one more collected than the other two.
The hybrid lingered at the door for a moment before walking passed them to stand in the shade just in the woods borderline. This was going to be difficult. Shi knew shi didn't have to explain but this needed to be said. Shi didn't want anyone to think badly of hir for being distant and the explanation shi was about to give was going to explain why.

They followed in silence, allowing Tanshin to gather hir thoughts without interruption and to lead the way to wherever shi was comfortable talking. No need to add any extra stress or awkwardness to the whole situation, even if they were perfectly willing to drop the whole thing it felt like that wasn't going to happen. No, there had to be some sort of resolution for hir, and for them. Shi didn't want to risk anyone blabbing about hir secret probably, didn't need to avoid them always wondering if they'd bring the subject up and possibly ruin things at some later date. "Whenever you're comfortable and we're away from the school." Of course this could have very well been a trick but Rod felt that just wasn't the kind of person Tanshin was. Shi wouldn't be the kind to get them somewhere secluded and beat them senseless or kill them to keep a secret, besides shi kind of left the weapon behind right?

What am I doing? I should just bolt for it now and leave them wondering what just happened... How am I going to explain this? Um...
"First off... eh.. what did you guys think I was before this happened?"
Oh yeah, real smooth.. Oh shi was kicking hirself for asking what shi did. Oh this was going to be a long day... A rough morning, an odd sparring partner and now this... What next? Getting hit in the head by some space junk? Bring it on!
Today was probably one of the roughest days shi has had since having come here. First day was fun, shi got to invade every inch of the school and it was fun. But today was definately different and it was hard to believe shi had this happen so soon.
Perhaps Tanshin had been too careless with hir energy...

Maverick knew what shi meant but the other two had their own answers. He managed to hush both of them and give each a stare in turn before smiling slightly. "Knowing these two they'd be giving you very bad answers, so... quite simply we didn't come in with any expectations. You seemed like either a really tough tomboy-esque person, or a slightly feminine guy. Until the little run-in I kind of started figuring you as a bit more of a girl, since you mentioned kind of admiring or idolizing the headmaster's sister as a master fencer. Just seemed like a guy would have picked a guy role model instead but that's just my thinking."

"Does it matter what we thought or what we think now? The only thing that should be important is what you think of yourself right? Other's opinions of you shouldn't be enough to change anything right? So you tell us, what should we feel, what should we think, how would you like us to act?"

"Just because I idolize a female does not mean I'm a girl..."
Tanshin spoke quietly as shi listened to them. Shi shook hir head and started oacing for a moment.
"I don't even know why I even bothered..."
Shi muttered under hir breath, barely audible, as shi kept pacing farther and farther out.
This probably was just a waste of time, shi could feel it in the pit of hir stomach.
"I'm not exactly all female or male... uh... I'm both.."
Tanshin finally let it out, stopping hir pacing and staring at them and waiting for it to sink in...if it even does. This was why shi didn't like to get close. People always had to question things, and if you were the slightest bit different you were shunned like no other.
"And no it doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is, I shouldn't have to tell you what to think. I don't want to. If your willing to accept the fact then that's fine. If not then I'm sorry to say, but you won't be seeing me again.. It's not because of what you think, its just the fact that I'll probably end up moving.. again.."
The hybrid hoped that they would understand. Shi really didn't want to move again just because someone found out and took it the wrong way. And it wasn't hir decision. Somehow hir parents always knew when someone found out and took it bad. Shi swore up and down that hir parents had planted a tracking device on hir some where.

"Would this still be a bad time to say that regardless, I find you attractive? So if you had to move, I'd be rather disappointed to lose a friend and an attractive one at that?" Rod blinked, glancing at the other two heads staring at him. "What? I'm not just a flirt guys, sometimes I really am interested. So sometimes I have to speak my mind even when you guys don't think it's the best idea." Well yeah, coming right out and commenting that despite someone being different you still liked them could be a pretty big mistake. But with the knowledge that Tanshin might end up disappearing with the wrong comments he wanted to be sure to get his opinion out there just in case. If the other two got to do all the talking and he never said he liked Tanshin, he'd feel like he totally missed out on something. "Besides, if you can tolerate three heads all having a different conversation with you and themselves why should we have a problem with what you are?"

Friend? When did they become friends and why did shi not know this sooner? Hir instincts must be getting dull living away from the clan for so long... sad.
It was flattering of Roderick to say that shi was attractive regardless, but shi felt it was wrong of him to say. He didn't know hir but just an hour and even then shi was mostly talking to Luke for direction. Tanshin was a little confused at this point, not knowing what to think. Shi had become used to others turning away in disgust from hir. It wasn't like shi had chosen to have a surgery to be different. Shi was born this way.
Standing there, listening, the hybrid was unsure of whether shi should just run deeper into the woods where they could not follow hir or stay and refrain from giving them a hug for accepting what shi was. Though it wasn't saying a whole lot for the moment, shi was relieved that they would just accept what shi was. It was different to know someone wasn't going to turn away on hir. Now Tanshin had no clue what to do as far as this. There had been so many times others have turned away that shi had never thought about if one just might acknowledge it.
"You mean, you guys aren't bothered by the fact?"
Shi finally spoke, still trying to reassure hirself.

"Of course not. We've all been trying to figure out the best way to say that but Rod just put it in the most direct way possible. Which is a good thing I guess, since that breaks the ice and we don't have to feel bad about being the ones to say it, heh. So don't let us ruin the whole day for you, or all your time here at the school. So how can we make this whole thing less stressful, less awkward for you?"

"Yeah, ball's kind of in your court. We're just as strange as you are and we know all about being shunned and all, so you've got nothing to worry about. But it does mean you're the one calling the shots right now so to speak, heh." Rod was still the awkward one in this whole conversation, but he was Tanshin's biggest supporter. "We'll keep your secret no problem."

This was a relief, it really was. Shi would never be able to put into words exactly how shi felt, even though quite a bit of it was confusion. Shi was speechless to a point and stunned but hir mind kept telling hir to be happy for once that someone had not turned hir away finally.
It was rather pleasing as well. There was a warmth that seemed to fill those white eyes, replacing the fear and flight look. Despite all of this, shi tried not letting it show all at once. Otherwise shi would be bouncing in circles around them right now and end up giving them a hug that would require someone else to pry hir off.
Tanshin didn't want to creep them out just yet, though shi knew one of them would absolutely love it for a while.
As shi listened to what Roderick said, it did seem like shi was almost in charge of the situation as of right now.
"Thank you..."
Shi said, giving a slight bow. It was easy enough to trust them with keeping hir secret, but whether or not they would actually stay by their word was a different story. The hybrid would give them the benefit of the doubt.
"Well, since I kind of ruined fencing class for you, would you like to go for a walk? We can always go back in and finish fencing, the teacher usually lets me use the room on days like this when I only have one class. Unless you guys have other classes besides this one today.."
Shi left the last part a little inquisitive, almost hoping they would say no to having other classes.

"Sounds good to us. Heh, even if we did have classes later I have a feeling Rod would convince us to blow them off and just hang out with you. After all fencing is a really good excuse to miss class, heh, but thankfully today's going to be slow for us. So let's take that walk, get away from the school for a while."

"You haven't had any problems on this path you usually walk, have you? We've heard, and seen, a few dangerous things out there in the woods and wouldn't want you to get hurt. Heh, and wouldn't want to get hurt out here even if we can take it." Rod was genuinely concerned for hir safety, especially since he was really starting to like hir. Not that he didn't like... oh... half the school, but Tan was a very interesting person he could care about.

"And we'll gladly take up that fencing request, surprise a few of the other students next time with our sudden jump in skill and experience. So let's get to know one another a little, in a more private setting, without going crazy or anything. Sound good while we're walking?"