FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Well last week's chapter got a nice response. The next couple chapters are going to be somewhat transitional. Going to be a few surprises and even more hints of things to come. Thats not to say that things that have happened are going to be forgotten. Enjoy...

The next Monday at the academy the day's dominant talked with Jeremy for twenty minutes. An enormous raccoon, she was friendly but as the conversation continued it became clear to both of them there was little chance there was enough mutual interest to begin a mentoring relationship. She did make an offhand comment that caused Jeremy to re-evaluate his situation at work.

His parents had been pressuring him in the same direction for some time. He was compelled to question whether working at the gym was really what he wanted to do as a career. Jeremy spent most of his shift at the gym considering what he really wanted from the job. He did like the activity, but he also now knew enough that he could continue the fitness regime on his own. It was the role of a trainer that he enjoyed enough to keep the job. His role in starting the tutoring hour was much the same. He liked being viewed as an authority, whether as the leader of the tutoring hour or a personal trainer.

He had to admit it wasn't really enough for him to make a career as a trainer. His brother was taking to his position as though it might be a career choice for him. He glanced at Eric at the free weight section. His free time was always spent there now. He wondered at his brother's fervor, his effort to get stronger and larger just like those with him.

Jeremy's own training was in a different direction. Alex had been the impetus for his decision. The red panda had pointed out that for the purposes of defending himself strength was helpful but speed was essential. He'd also explained that muscle was essentially composed of two different fibers. The slow acting fiber was the one his brother was conditioning to grow. He would bulk up as he desired and as he did so the slow reflex muscle would comprise most of that gain.

Jeremy had followed Alex's training and was already seeing the benefits. While seemingly at the cost of a bit of size he had seen his reaction time improve. He'd tested himself in the free weight section once after noticing how his body had started slimming down. To his surprise he had been able to perform just as well as those much stouter than himself. At the end of his shift Jeremy decided to begin adding to himself again, but just before he trained with Alex Elkins. It would be interesting to see how different he developed from Eric.

The next week Jeremy's meeting with the prospective mentor was much the same. They talked a bit but found there was little interest in forming a mentoring relationship. He was no longer disappointed, he had Zane as a mentor and Alex as a self defense trainer. Alex was slowly becoming a mentor as much as Zane already was. Jeremy had begun asking the red panda his advice on the same issue he brought up with Zane. It was like getting a second opinion only they both gave the same basic answer. Though Jeremy felt it was helpful having two different perspectives. He was open enough that they both knew he was seeking advice from the other. He didn't want to spoil either relationship with a chance misunderstanding.

Jeremy also began actively looking for another job to replace his income at the gym. After the first few weeks he had no luck finding one that could pay as much as he was already making. He could get another but it would be a cut in his income that he wasn't ready to accept, yet. He would still keep looking but had diminishing hope of finding one at the same rate.

On the plus side his clients were now much more receptive to his coaching. The news of his fight had drawn more than a few prospects from those from prey specie. He was able to pick his clients without any concern of lacking interest. There was even more than a little extra interest that went to the other trainers at the gym. It seemed the management's expectations of a dominant drawing in memberships had proven correct.

The months went by in the same routine. Jeremy's training with Alex saw him start to match the skill level of those in the advanced class, finally. His reflexes were still improving but not so quickly that his advancement drew any comments from Alex, other than he should try harder.

By Jeremy's seventeenth birthday he'd grown more than six inches taller than his father. With his training and the focus on speed he was only a little more muscled than Steven. It was Eric and his constant push to bulk up and look stronger that now almost matched their father. He was only an inch shorter and looked to almost be his father's equal in strength. He'd outgrown Ian and stood two inches taller than his older brother and was beginning to make a point of reminding him of that fact too often. Jeremy had stopped adding to Eric and instead been giving Ian a last boost at the end of his growth years.

Both Eric and Jeremy were nearing their final modules at the academy. The meetings with dominants had not resulted in any other mentors for Jeremy. He was beginning to see them as an obligation rather than an opportunity. Three weeks after Jeremy's birthday he knocked and entered the meeting room to find a cougar waiting.

She stood with a smile as he entered and shared the greeting as she introduced herself. Jeremy sat and after thanking her for her time as had become habit gave her a quick summary of his biography. She had continued smiling the entire time he spoke and nodded when he finished.

"I've had a look at your transcripts. I must say I'm impressed."

Jeremy stared back a bit surprised. She'd been the first in months to have taken the trouble of reading his records. "Thanks, I try my best."

"Tell me, why do you take such difficult subjects as physics, bio-chemistry and calculus on top of everything else thats required?"

"I just, I don't know, they interest me. They're really not that difficult when its interesting." he explained. He really couldn't tell her he was taking them for other reasons. After all the years of having it he was still trying to figure PATOMES out. It was proving to be an incredibly hard puzzle to solve. The subjects he'd been taking as electives had helped only a little. He was still far from even guessing how it could accomplish such tasks that would require much more advanced technology than what was currently available.

She nodded as though dismissing the topic. "I understand you have a mentor." She stated in a way that was almost a question.

"Yes, Zane Rook." he answered. He was becoming curious with her manner. She had a way of speaking that seemed to contradict what Jeremy had thought she was thinking.

"A good choice. I'm sure he'll be able to teach you a good deal."

"Thank you." Jeremy replied, not sure how else to respond having just met the female.

"Yes, well trust us, you'll need all the guidance you can get in the years ahead."

"Um, okay."

She tilted her head a bit and asked "Has anyone told you about me?"

"Sorry, no. I'm usually not told who is coming " Jeremy admitted.

She smiled and said "I mean, has anyone told you what I do?"

"No." Jeremy answered fully certain he was committing some kind of faux-pas.

"Figures." the cougar replied, seemingly letting Jeremy off the hook.

Jeremy waited for her to continue unsure what direction the female was going to go.

"Well, you do understand what's ahead for you?" She asked eyes narrowing in concern. "Are you shy or did no one warn you about dominant puberty?"

"I've had the required module here at the academy. Other than that, I'm not sure what your point is."

"No, looks like no one has taken the time to explain it to you, again. This always gets left to me, so I don't know why I'm still surprised."

Jeremy thought it best to stay silent and wait for the cougar to continue. From the hints she'd already given he was thinking whatever she was preparing to discuss with him was going to be uncomfortable. The module he'd mentioned had been filled with subjects that often brought snickers and glances between the occupants. Jeremy had felt a sense of constant self consciousness during the entire course.

"Okay, to start you understand even though dominants grow just a bit faster we also develop differently?"

Jeremy nodded, becoming certain it was going to be an uncomfortable discussion.

"So, right now I take it you don't feel any drives sexually. However, sometime around twenty or so you're going to get hit with what some dominants call The Need. Its going to be like having a fire lit under your balls, your sex drive will be almost insatiable. Thats what I can help with."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "I have methods that can help take the edge off when that happens. Its not necessary to start right away, I'm guessing you're still a few years away from when this typically happens."

Jeremy stayed silent. He was certain she was discussing something peculiar to dominants, but he had no idea what.

Jeremy wasn't sure what to say. The female seemed to be waiting for something. "Sorry, right now all I feel is awkward."

She laughed. "That's all right. As I said, right now there's no need. When the time comes just look me up, I can help channel that drive."

Jeremy simply nodded hoping it wasn't taken as an assurance. He somewhat doubted what she was predicting could be that difficult to control.

"So, with that out of the way, is there anything else you feel comfortable talking about?"

"I can't think of anything at the moment." Jeremy said.

She nodded saying "It's probably a good idea to call it a day then." She stood and offered her arm in a parting gesture.

Jeremy stood and accepted her arm saying "I appreciate your offer Miss Sandoval."

"Please, call me Jenna." She paused and asked "So, do you want my number now, or would you rather hunt me down when the time comes?"

Jeremy smiled and pulled his phone out. "I'll take your number now, thanks."

As soon as her number was entered into Jeremy's phone she said her farewells and left. With the extra time he went to the library and started studying. Jenna's warning made him wonder just how much he was in for. By the time he had his first client at the gym it had moved to the back of his mind where it stayed most of the time.

The next several dominants were uninspiring and Jeremy didn't feel any interest in them. As the weeks went by he all but gave up on the idea of finding a replacement job until after he graduated. With all his time spoken for it was a hard proposition to start over on another job.

One night Ian announced he was once again engaged. The date wasn't set yet but he was in good spirits. Jeremy was happy for him, it had taken more than a year for them to get back to the point of preparing for marriage. It also brought back the discussion with Jenna Sandoval for him. Even though there was nothing he could do to prepare it caused him to start thinking longer term.

He would have to make some choices soon. Those choices would direct the course of his life for years. Everyone he had been asking only told him he would have to find his own way, make his own decisions. It seemed as though he was starting his final set of modules prior to his graduation exams without a plan for afterwards. He'd been so focused on his job and school work that he had no idea what he wanted after. It was creating an anxiety within him that put him a little on edge. It also helped him understand the change in attitude of Sam and Ian when they had faced their own finals.

Eric seemed strangely unaffected. Jeremy assumed his brother had found what he really wanted in the job at the gym. He was gaining clients and a reputation for driving them to levels beyond what they'd expected. He'd reached the same height as their father but was still an even match to him. His attitude outmatched his physical size and skill though.

He'd heard them in an argument in the backyard and he'd gone to intervene after Eric had gotten physical with his father. By the time Jeremy had made it outside Steven had his son subdued and on the ground under him. Jeremy backed off letting his dad take care of the situation in his own way. He did watch as his father made it clear he was still the alpha of the house. He kept Eric in a position where his muzzle was in the grass while his son struggled against him. It took ten minutes before Eric conceded defeat. The delay earned him another ten minutes of eating grass.

Jeremy had seen where the attitude was coming from. Most of those Eric hung out with at the gym were the type to swagger and go out of their way to show off. Even though his brother hadn't yet developed enough to match the years long efforts of the rest he was copying their behavior.

Jeremy had watched his brother change over the months and was making every effort to keep from following the same example. He wasn't sure how well he was succeeding. No one ever talked to him about his reputation, and he would feel silly and uncomfortable in asking.

His meetings with prospective mentors had flatlined to the point where two Mondays in a row had seen him entering an empty conference room. While it freed up his last half hour at the academy it was disappointing that there was little interest in meeting him left. The last scheduled Monday he was to meet with a prospective mentor came with a final surprise.

* * * *

So some of you probably recognize a certain character from the first run. Yeah, huge tease but she'll pretty much play the same role but it'll be a bit different.

Going to remind everyone again that I have a Patreon account that you may want to check out. There are some rewards that just might interest some of you. I also tend to throw a few unannounced story cookies out for helpful comments from patrons.

And one more reminder, since I haven't mentioned it lately. This little section at the end of the weekly chapter is also used for the occasional discussion brought up by comments wherever it posted. So if you have a question about anything ask and if the answer needs to be shared with everyone it'll end up here.