"Ash, let's get crackin'"

Felicity Fox's voice roused young Ash, though in truth he hadn't been fully asleep. As on most mornings, he'd been laying in bed trying to savor the only serene moments he'd have the entire day until he lay back down for sleep that night. From morning to night, he was constantly reminded every day how much people hated him for being different, and they never missed an opportunity to make his life hell as a result.

Ash knew better than to make his mother wait. She would not allow him to stay in bed a moment longer than she deemed necessary. It appeared that even his mother was determined to make his life miserable. Ash pulled back the covers, got out of bed and left his room without bothering to get dressed. Maybe he could try to feign illness.

"I'm sick," said Ash the moment he walked into the kitchen.

"You're not sick," Mrs. Fox responded.

"I have a temperature."

"You don't have a temperature."

"I don't want to go."

"Hurry up, you're going to be late."

His mother had said that last bit with such a finality that Ash knew better than to push it. He knew better than to fight with her, he would not win. He felt his ear twitch as it so often did when he was agitated. Ash spared a quick glance at his father, who as usual had his face embedded in the Gazette. Probably reading his stupid column, thought Ash bitterly. Typical, Mr. Fox would never put his son above his work; in fact he doubted his father had even noticed he'd been in the room. What if he'd really been sick, wondered the small fox as he retreated back to his bedroom. Would his father even care if he got some horrible illness? What if he died? Would Mr. Fox really care that much? Would he cry? Or would he be relieved his 'different' son was finally gone and he no longer had to be ashamed of him?

"Oh, and Ash," Called Felicity down the hall as the young fox was putting on his pants. "Your cousin Kristofferson is coming on the 6th."

Both of Ash's ears twitched violently. Kristofferson? That unbearable egomaniac?!

Ash stomped down the hall. "Where's he gonna sleep," confronted Ash. Considering how the day was going, Ash could guess the answer before his mother opened her mouth.

"We're going to make a bed for him in your room," answered Felicity. She seemed unfazed by her son's discontent.

"I can't spare the space, put him in Dad's study."

"Dad's study is occupied by Dad," said Mr. Fox with the first words he spoke to his son that morning. So nice of you to join us, thought Ash with a scathing glare aimed at his father's back as Mr. Fox cut out the column from the Gazette. Still with the damn column, thought Ash. Having run out of patience and now just wanting to get the hell out of the burrow, Ash stormed back out of the kitchen.

"I want you to be extra nice to Kristofferson," Mrs. Fox called after him. "He's going through a very hard time right now, his father is very sick."

Ash didn't care. Kristofferson had everything. Good looks, good grades, he was always popular everywhere he went. From the time when they were just small cubs, Kristofferson had always naturally excelled at everything. Of all the people who went out of their way to make Ash look bad and feel different and inferior, his cousin was the worst. And of course his father was head over heels in love with kid. Just as Mr. Fox never missed an opportunity to criticize his son, he never missed a single chance to lavish praise upon his nephew.

If that asshole thinks he's going to have it better here, he's got another thing coming, thought Ash as he tied his cape around his neck and tucked his pant legs inside his socks. My life my suck compared to his, but while he's here with me he'll know what it feels like to suffer like I do, thought Ash.

"Okay, I'm off," said Mr. Fox from the kitchen as Ash started brushing his teeth. Against his better judgment, Ash came down the hall to see his father off.

"What are you wearing," asked Mr. Fox the moment he saw his son. "Why the cape with the pants tucked into your socks?"

Ash's ear twitched in anger, and he spit toothpaste onto the kitchen floor. He stalked off to the bathroom. It figures, he thought. I go in there to see my father off, to show a little appreciation and love for him, and he scolds me and tries to make me feel bad. So typical. Ash kept this train of thought as he prepared to leave. He didn't even say goodbye to his mother as he left, slamming the door behind him. He heard Felicity call after him, and while her voice sounded worried rather than angry, he knew better. She'd just get on his case for spitting on the floor and slamming the door. To hell with that, he thought as he walked to school. I've got no time for her bullshit too.

But another worry churned around in his gut as he neared the school, for another source of antagonism awaited him inside its walls…..

~Author's comments~

Thanks for reading. As you can see, this chapter is fairly short and I don't have a good reason for that, other than it felt longer as I was writing it. What I plan on doing for this story is to depict a scene from the movie in one chapter, and following it up with at least one or two chapters for original original scenes and dialogue before depicting another movie scene. That is the ambition, anyway. Again, many thanks for reading and I hope you have enjoyed my first fanfiction work. This is a new thing for me, so I hope this is as good as I want it to be.