After going through a rough night both physically and mentally, William wakes up late, and back to his human form, without a single bruise nor ache in his body. Getting up, he thoroughly inspects himself making sure no sign of transformation remains.
"No tails, check. No fangs protruding, check. No overly hairy chest, check. Alright, I'm all set."
He then immediately heads towards the bathroom to shower after taking off his nauseating stinky clothes. In quick strides to avoid feeling the cold floor, he reaches the bathroom, then flicks the light switch on but to his dismay, there was no light. He sighs. It's a good thing that he can clearly see even when it's dark. One of the few perks he gets for being a shapeshifter.
[I wish having magic to heat up the water is also part of being a shapeshifter,] William jokingly wonders as he takes a cold shower in the dim bathroom.
William stepping out of the shower his body letting off some steam, fogging up the cold mirror reflecting his lean and pale body, hears his stomach grumble. He smiles hearing the sound and tries to quickly dry himself off with a thin worn-out towel but his thick wavy black hair is too much for the thin towel. So he just left his hair to dry on its own.
Feeling refreshed and clean after his shower, William goes to the kitchen to get some food and pats his still rumbling tummy. He first looks at his pantry only to find out that there is only one jar of pickles left. Then opens his fridge and sees a cartoon of week-long expired milk. He chuckles sadly and shrugs after finding out there's no other food available.
"Well at least I'll get paid today," William mumbles as he heads to his closet to get his remaining clean two shirts and pair of jeans. As he steps into his room the nauseating smell of decay, wet dog hair, and sweat assaulted him. He takes a step back, but then makes his way quickly to his discarded clothes from yesterday and shoves them into a trash bag under his bed, and ties it tightly close. Still, the smell remains but not as strong. William frowns and stares at his bed. Caked with dried mud and some other dried mush.
"I can't believe I slept in that," He sighs, "I must be really muddled in the head last night to transform and sleep through the smell." He then takes the sheets off from his bed and also shoves them in one of the trash bags under his bed. He goes back to the bathroom to wash his hands. He decides to brush there and then so he doesn't have to make another trip later. The floor is cold after all. He suddenly thinks that perhaps having a hairy chest wouldn't be a bad thing right as he shivers.
After doing so, not even bothering to look at himself in the mirror, William finally retrieves his clothes and puts them on. Looking at the clock near the kitchen entrance, William curses and is about to rush out the door to go to his part-time job. *Growls* his tummy once again rumbles. He sighs and quickly drinks some freezing cold water from the tap and exits out of the house.
As soon as he is out of the house, he sees his neighbor going out as well, he then quickly greets the same lady as last night and rushes off to work without looking back. In his hurry, he fails to notice that the lady's agape mouth and wide eyes when she sees him and keeps staring at him as he goes away.
With the help of boosted strength and speed, a side effect of unwanted transformation, William is able to get to his work at the commercial district an hour away from his place on time. Checking to make sure that his hair isn't disheveled and tucking in his shirts, William enters the back door for employees of a convenience store.
"You're early today Willy," greets a cheery bald old man as he waves his hand at William.
"The bus didn't stop too much today Sir," William replies full of politeness to the owner as he changes into his uniform. William then helps the owner to unload the boxes from the storage when a lady with purple-dyed hair and piercing walks in slamming the door open.
"Boss! Someone wants to talk to you! Someone saying they're from district A wanting to form some affiliate marketing and whatnot," Angela then stops and sees William, "Oh! You're here Willy~"
William smiles, "Yeah," he then takes the load from the owner and sets them aside. The owner thanks him and immediately makes his way to the front to talk to the people Angela just mentioned. Angela waves at William and follows the owner back to the front.
After unloading and unpacking the items that need to be displayed on the shelves, William fills his cart and goes to the front to stock the shelves. He walks by the owner still talking to a tall man in a full suit with glasses. As he is about to start refilling the beer section of the store, he hears the owner yelling.
"Get out! Get out! You think just because you're working for those asshole shapeshifters that I'll give you what you want! Those elitists only care for themselves!"
William stiffens hearing those words. He takes a deep breath and calms his nerves and makes his way to the owner. He sees Angela trying to calm the owner while the man in question just stands there cleaning his glasses and frowning at the owner.
"I heard that this store has a good reputation for being welcoming, courteous, and reasonable. I guess I shouldn't have believed the rumors so easily." The man condescendingly comments.
"Hah! I would've been more accommodating if it weren't for the fact that you wanted to do business with us on behalf of those blood-sucking, shapeshifting monsters!" the cheeriness of the old man is gone, replaced with a furiousness.
"I suppose an uneducated person like you wouldn't know that shapeshifters aren't monsters at all but in fact a higher form of being from us humans. And they genuinely are hardworking and sincere when it comes to helping."
"You're the uneducated one! You're so well off that you have no idea how many of us common folks are killed by those shapeshifters merely because of a whim! How would you know the pain of losing a loved one to those monsters and have no idea how to retaliate! And, be beaten down to the point of giving up!"
William stops for a moment and clenches his fist but still makes his way to the owner. Angela sees William and William meets her pleading gaze, nods, and waves. Angela then gladly goes back to the counter and helps the customers that are lining up. William pats the owner who is reeling up to go on another rant.
"What's the problem Sir?" he asks the owner but looks at the scowling businessman.
"Willy! You see this man here wants us to sell products made by those shapeshifting bastards! At first, it was going alright since the product samples are good and all but then I got suspicious when the price was cheap even though they're from district A! So I ask him who manufactures them and lo and behold! It turns out to be those shapeshifting bastards! They really want to take over everything! I mean they're taking over the workplace leaving no spots for regular folks like us! And they wonder why the slums area is getting worse and wider!" the owner animatedly gestures while talking to William.
"You're ridiculous!" the man yells, "Don't you know because of them, good quality products and services are finally available to the common folks! It's because they make it cheap and affordable that normal people are finally getting a hold of a product that can drastically improve their lifestyle!"
"You're the one who's ridiculous!" the owner flares up again, "Are you so blind that you can't see more and more people losing their jobs to those shapeshifters and machines! *Improve their lifestyle* he says. How can you even afford anything when you have no means to get it even if it's cheap? Absurd!"
William internally flinches at those words. Still, William steadies his slightly trembling hands and pats the owner's shoulder shaking his head as the owner readies to retort. The ruckus is attracting unwanted attention from their customers. So, he then steps in between the owner and the businessman, and gives a polite bow,
"Good Sir, I'm afraid we couldn't help you in your endeavors due to our policies. We apologize for wasting your time but, we will stand by our policies. I'm sure Sir, that a great man like yourself, understands that following our own policies is what makes an honest and trustworthy business."
"Hmpf," the businessman then glares at William. William just gives him his best polite bow and smiles. " I suppose it's only wasting my time if I continue to talk to absurd and backward-thinking people." The businessman then quickly exits the store after fixing up his necktie.
"Good riddance!" the owner exclaims as he walks towards the counter to help Angela. William then shrugs and goes back stocking up.
"I agree with Mr. Gans. Why just yesterday my neighbor's son lost his job in district B because his son's company is losing its customers to the new rival company owned by a shapeshifter. Really, those shapeshifters who are better off than us don't even give us any leeway. Isn't it enough that they're already faster, stronger, and youthful-looking than us?! *Sigh*"
"I agree but you know now that they're getting more influential, it's best to watch what we say about them, Mrs. Lu."
"I guess so. Wouldn't want to suddenly disappear."
"Oh, don't even joke about that! Didn't you hear in the news about another person disappearing near those environmentally protected woods in this district!"
"Oh my! I better warn Jun to come straight and not wander around after school."
William hears the old ladies gossip as he restocks the can goods area. He stares at the sardine can in his hand as he slowly places it on the shelf. His expression dull.
[ As if being a shapeshifter automatically means good life.]
After finally finishing his shift, the owner calls him.
"Here Willy, your pay for this week," the owner back to his cheery self hands William an envelope. "And here," the owner also hands William an old windbreaker, "I notice that you came in only with a shirt even in this freezing weather. It's not much but I hope it helps."
"Thank you, Sir." William receives the envelope and the windbreaker and gives the owner a deep bow of gratitude.
"Oh, No need to be so polite Willy!" the owner cheerily pats William's shoulder. William smiles and gives thanks to the owner again he goes to the locker room. After changing to his normal clothes and wearing the windbreaker that the owner gave him, he then puts his newly earned money inside the handmade inner pocket of his jeans near his crotch. He then set off to his other part-time hastily to make use of the remaining daylight and warmth.
He reaches the bus station to go to his construction part-time only to see the notice busses are running an hour late. And it seems he's the only one wanting for the bus while the other people are already hailing taxis instead. With all the bills piled up, William can't afford to hail a taxi. But then again, he also can't afford to be late because it's the last day to work in that area and he won't be able to get paid if he comes late. The boss only stays for an hour to supervise.
His brows knitted as he thinks. He gets a glimpse of the electric fences that keeps out people out from trespassing through the protected woodlands. After a few seconds of debating in his head whether to risk using the woodlands as a shortcut or not, he bites his lips and decides to take advantage of his boosted speed and stamina from the transformation.
He walks to a secluded part of the fence, looking around to make sure no one is around, he then easily leaps over the fence and as soon as he lands, sprints away towards the woodlands. Midway through, Willaim hears multiple gunshots. Surprise he suddenly stops, almost making him topple over. Sensing danger, all his senses start to sharpen.
"Stop running, Young Master. You're just making it more difficult for yourself."
William clearly hears those words a few meters away.
"It's not that I'm intentionally making it hard for you or me Richard, it's just that you're terribly bad at aiming." Nickolas jeers as he runs full speed while completely evading the shots.
"F*ck," Richard curses as he misses Nickolas again.
"F*ck," William curses as well. With his sight sharpened, William can clearly see two men rapidly approaching in his direction. They're getting so close that their running footsteps sound like it's just next to him.
[Hide or Run?]