Aoniku Usagi, for lack of a better word for it, is scary. So far, no one has been able to determine what gender it might be - maybe both, maybe neither. It runs about wearing both a bikini top and boxer shorts, has a six-pack of an abdomen, and is literally head and shoulders taller than almost every single member of Carramba High's staff (and that's saying a lot).

Though it's not very smart, Aoniku does catch on to ideas and plans quickly. The comment it usually gets from instructors on any grade cards is "interesting, I didn't think you knew that much about this subject". It's best class of course would be Posing and Weight Training, and for some reason it's gotten stuck in the Fiction Writing class... No one knows why. Perhaps to expand its educational horizons? Its fiction often consists of fanciful tales of tunneling and warfare. While it's gotten a lot out of that Mech Suit class, there are no mech suits on Tenchi IV. Perhaps it intends to bring one back. That would be a hoot.

One odd thing about Aoniku is that it can remain motionless for long periods of time. Not even its ear tips twitch, though it can be seen breathing. Perhaps this is an old Usagi trick to fool predators, or a new adaptation to keep itself from being hunted by some of the less scrupulous predatory-races found on campus.

It's voice was grating, not high and not as booming as one would expect from a being nearly eight and a half feet tall. And that's not including its ears. "I think what that says about tran-trans..."

"Transcendantal?"

"Transcendentalists," continued Aoniku, "is that they don't want to believe they're just like everyone else. They've got this complex, that they're better than others, because they believe they are."

The class was silent, and then professor Mehta blinked in surprise. "Well that's one way of looking at them, I hadn't thought of it that way." He hadn't believed something as observant - or opinionated - as that could have come from a student who might be able to bend steel in its paws... The class bell rang, and everyone went off to their next class. Aoniku picked up its stuff, including a helmet that had been built specifically for it in a shop class for its next subject. Piloting a huge mech unit required a lot of patience and ability - both of which Aoniku had in good quantities.

But it also required a helmet for sending commands, that fit over its head. The ears for one thing, got in the way. But also its head was simply bigger than most. It would be a challenge for Commander Valarian to find a mech unit that it could pilot at all. Perhaps it would wind up being a virtual pilot, rather than one stuck physically inside a unit.

Of course, the professor had chuckled and made the whole class cheer, it would always be great to have a mech fighting that the pilot alone could singlehandedly pummel an enemy's unit to the ground. With helmet in hand, and flight jacket already straining at the seams on its back, Aoniku showed up for the Mech class right on time.

"You'd make any command unit proud," Valarian commented. She had three such students, aside from Aoniku, and felt that even if they were a little young, they'd have made any war easier on her team.

That day they began to study interface and posture, something which Aoniku could work on easily. Its own posture was always towering and imposing. One never saw it slouch, that was certain. Crouch, perhaps, but not slump. The interface of mech sensors responded directly to the nervous system of its pilot, so it was important to match its body frame posture with pilot-posture. Otherwise, who would want to see a slouching mecha?

With that class overwith, Aoniku went to the campus store, and bought a number of fur-care products. It knew that a couple of the other Usagi would appreciate the effort, since they'd been getting low on it in the Hutch. They shared a lot, the Usagi. They were rarely selfish when it came to items or food, and to come to a Usagi party meant that if you didn't come bearing some gift, someone would hand you one to make up for it.

Aoniku was no different than its Hutch mates, really. Only much bigger, stronger, and gender-bent.

***

Aoniku spent a lot of its time in the off hours, after studying and finishing its homework, meditating in the Hutch's garden. Everyone tended it, but Aoniku was proud of a particular mint plant that it'd gotten at a plant show recently. It smelled almost intoxicating to the Usagi. A lot of plants were either gentle halucinogens or potent herbal remedies in this garden. Humans that noticed a lot of catnip among the parsley and mints thought nothing of it - it was useful for seasonings after all, and it looked very pretty. It was their prize posession - no human, nor even any feline species - seemed to realize how powerful an intoxicant that catnip was for Usagi. They didn't have stuff this strong back on Tenchi IV.

Aoniku was thinking about how to get it back there. But for the time being, it was stuck on earth. Perhaps Valarian would be able to give it a ride? No, the trip was much too long for space travel. Time and dimension hopping were the way to go. But it didn't have one of those nifty portals like in the Admin building, and it would be months before the next transport rider brought supplies.

But... What if Aoniku became a transport rider? Then these wonderful gifts they had growing in their garden would be shared!

It was sure that while lots of people would drool themselves silly over it, Sean their queen would probably warn them away from using it too much. It'd met her and her considerable family one time. Many Usagi owed her their lives and livelyhoods - she after all brought the king back to life after around 200 years, and they now shared an apparently immortal life together making peace or waging war upon neighboring countries. Sapadt and Sean were both dragon riders, to boot.

Aoniku needed a dragon. But how?

The next day at classes, Aoniku realized just how easy it might be.

***

It had two classes with Sanger, and that particular one had a dragon to his name. In fact he usually strutted around campus all electric and noisy. If anything, it made the fact that there were dragons on campus more apparent. They used to hide, apparently. Not more than two years ago almost everyone who had a dragon bond or adopted one had sent them into hiding somewhere. But now? Everyone who was anyone had a dragon and would show them off.

But somehow, Aoniku thought, what a waste it was. They were showing off. They would ride in the skies or sweep around over the campus and make people oooh and ahhh. Now, Aoniku liked being gawked at, but what it couldn't understand was, why the dragons? They were perfect for war, ideal for helping construction and protection duties. Those at Tenchi did so, Aoniku remembered seeing them when it was but a tiny pup.

They came in all shapes and sizes, so ... why not? Why not one which it could use to move their stash from one location to the next? There were no import laws regarding interdimensional goods - yet. It planned on keeping things that way...

"I would like to ask you something, professor," Aoniku said after the Practical Anatomy class. Sanger also taught the Posing class it attended. It always got top honors there, hardly any challenge. But the anatomy class was hard work - to a Usagi many things were better left to the predator races. Sanger looked up from his desk, and nodded.

"I believe that I should find a dragon," Aoniku said, attempting to display the confidence that it should. But even though Sanger was a foot and a half shorter he was still a tenured professor and had that 'look' on occasion that said even though Aoniku was huge and all burly? He could bury the Usagi without breaking a sweat.

"A ... dragon?" Sanger asked, and his head tilted around a little. "Well, yes, that's novel... Erm," he looked up from the desk at the outside area, and Aoniku guessed that he was speaking with his dragon. Everyone knew that people who had dragons, all they had to do was think to them.

How amazing would that be? To be able to have a friend and cohort who knew what you knew, and could tell you even more? If Aoniku had a failing it was curiosity. Its desire to have a dragon bond doubled in those moments while Crazy Doc Sanger pondered things with his electric blue dragon.

"Yes, well," Sanger finally said, standing up and putting his notes away, "I think I can arrange ... something," he looked almost nervous under the piercing blue gaze of the Usagi. "Umpteenth says he knows of a place which needs strong candidates. But you would have to arrange classes and come back to continue your education."

"I would plan on it, professor," Aoniku said. It's heart was racing a bit. Was this true? Finally it'd be able to fly through the skies like the king and queen?

Sanger nodded, "then go along to your next class. We'll talk after school and Umpteenth will explain things further."

***

Aoniku's attention span suddenly contracted to a dot. Fortunately the Fiction class was its last today and everyone always goofed off there. As long as the final projects were up to par, neither instructor for that class cared much what went on during school hours. And at last, Aoniku strode back toward the Physical Sciences building. It didn't even have to go all the way there, for in the courtyard nearby was the bright blue dragon and his partner. Aoniku's feirce smile took both dragon and human by surprise.

"You'll want to pay specific attention to what Umpteenth tells you," Sanger said. "I can't take you myself, he's much too small to carry both of us you know."

"I realize that, professor," Aoniku said. "I will be careful."

"Then chat on the way to your ... you live at the Hutch?" Aoniku nodded and Sanger continued. "I'll make the arrangements for your new classes, and offworld pass. When you come back, we'll also have to set up your dragon with a dorm. I don't know if you'll be able to live at the Hutch with a dragon, Aoniku," Sanger warned.

That came as the only surprise it didn't really want to hear. But, it would have to live with things. If it came back with a dragon, then the dragon's dorm would be home and home would always be decorated properly and visited often by others.

Heck, if things went right, Aoniku pondered while Umpteenth explained what should be brought and what left behind, others residing in the Hutch might want their own dragons... And it would make a little room for newcomers!

***

Aoniku has been brought to the Vella Crean!