Oh god.  My head hurt.

   I tried to read the book in front of me, but I wasn't able to
concentrate.  While the pace of activity around me had slowed down, I
still felt like I was trying to catch up with everyone else.  It wasn't
just the variety of students that attended class here, but the sheer
variety of talents I saw displayed.

   Stranger still was the open display of talent.  No one else seemed
it odd to be wandering around that way.  There was a wide range of tails
displayed, some folks had matching ears, and even one or two would walk
about in a morphic form and no one would think a thing about it.
Equally strange would be seeing a person one morning, and the next day
they might have different colored hair, a different physical look, or
even switched genders.

   Half of me was fascinated, and half of me was appalled.  You didn't
do that sort of thing in my home town, at least not publicly.  Skinning
was frowned upon by most folks there, they preferred stability and
knowing that you'd be the same day after day.  Things like skin clubs
and meat shops were unheard of, and while there might be an occasional
incident at Buena Vista University, the weight of the community kept it
to a minimum.

   That didn't mean that talent was always frowned on.  There were two
E class skinners who were also doctors at the local hospital, and a few
greens who helped during the growing season to create hardier corn
crops.  Just the idea of skinning for fun seemed so foreign to me.

   Having been at the school for a week had already challenged a number
of my own beliefs.  Listening to the laughs and the talk, and watching
someone being skinned cheerfully made me wonder if my views were wrong
in some respects.  Certainly others had no problem with either enjoying
their talent or enjoying being changed about.  The conflicts only added
to my headaches, and I tried to concentrate again on my book, failing
miserably.

   I sat in the study hall, being one of the few places where I could
get away from most folks and be by myself.  It gave me a chance to
relax, and reflect on what's been happening to me.  My classes were
going along well enough, not only the usual one like geometry and
history, but literature, physics and biology.  Ethics I was still trying
to get a grasp on, but it seemed like everyone was trying to do the
same.

   I closed my eyes, and sighed softly.  The silence of the room was
definitely helping my headache, as it didn't feel like my head was
threatening to split into two.  And the last thing I needed was to visit
the school nurse, especially over something as minor as a headache.

   "Am I interrupting?"

   I opened my eyes in puzzlement, startled by the question.  Any reply
I was about to make was lost as I gazed at the most startling pair of
eyes in my life.  Twin lavender orbs peered at me, glittering with
warmth, intelligence and humor.

   They were framed by a soft face, a sweet looking expression that
looked more fitting on a painting by one of the classical artists.  Slim
red lips held a smile, the tips twitching in some secret amusement.  Red
hair cascaded around her face, framing her in a scarlet aura that only
added to her complexion.

   My own expression must have been quite comical, as she laughed
softly.  "You look like someone just hit you on the back of your head
with a board," she said, her voice just as soft and sweet as her
appearance.

   "I..." I stammered for a moment, which only made her laugh a little
more.  Coughing, I was able to get my voice to respond as I wanted it
to.

   "That's something I've never been asked," I said, looking down for a
moment.  "In fact, no one's asked me anything since I've been here other
than 'Who are you?', 'What's your level?' and 'What's your talent?'"

   She blinked at my response, her amusement fading a bit.  "Why's
that?" she asked, concerned.

   I shrugged, unsure of how to answer that.  "I guess that's just the
way it's been," I finally answered.  "I hadn't had a chance to make
friends here.  Never really had them where I came from, either."

   That last came out before I could stop it, but instead she gave a
warm smile.  "Well, you have one now," she said, holding out her hand.
"I'm Shelia Laporte.  You can call me Shelly for short."

   "Kyle Martin."  I shook her hand as I've become accustomed to, and
blinked in surprise.  Instead of power flowing one way or the other,
there were twin streams moving both ways, a harmony that felt rather
comforting to me.

   Her own eyes widened a bit, and she looked happy.  "Oh, you're like
me, aren't you?"

   "I beg your pardon?"  I looked at her, and she giggled.

   "I mean, you're both a B and a stylist.  There aren't too many B's
here, and the other stylists I've met are all D or lower."

   "Oh."  I managed a wry smile.  "Then I guess you could say that I'm
a stylist, yes.  Although I'm still learning just what that means."

   She smiled again, and leaned closer across the table.  "I'm glad
that you are.  I don't have anyone to practice my talent with, or
rather, I don't have someone like me to practice with.  It's boring
practicing on someone and not being able to experience it yourself."

   "Well, I'm not expert at this," I admitted.  "I've just started
learning about what I can do, I never really thought about it when I was
growing up."

   "You never thought about having a talent?"  She looked surprised at
my response.  "Where did you live, some small rural town?"

   I laughed.  "Actually, yes.  I'm from Storm Lake, Iowa.  It's not
really a small town, but it's small enough."  I managed to drag up a
smile.  "This is the largest city I've ever been in."

   "Oh."  She held a thoughtful expression as she looked at me.  "Well,
it does take time to learn how to be a really good stylist.  I've always
liked the idea of being able to change into something unusual, or
turning someone into the same sort of unusual shapes.  It's always been
a fantasy of mine, and to know I can do it is just a nice benefit."

   The emotions in her words struck me, causing my curiosity to make
itself known.  She really wanted to experience such changes, that much
was clear to me.  But her attitude toward the idea was vastly different
from anyone else I've met.  She enjoyed the idea and was willing to try
things, and her feelings was infectious.  I wondered what sort of shapes
she found fun and enjoyable?

   My expression caused her to giggle again, and I knew she caught my
thoughts.  At the same time I didn't really care that she knew what I
was thinking.  I wanted to get to know her better.  I hadn't met anyone
like her before...

   A bell rang outside the study hall, and we both let out the same
curse as one.  We looked at each other, then laughed at our mutual
response.

   She reached into a pocket and pulled out a card.  "Here's my e-mail
address," she said, handing me the card.  Her fingers lingered against
mine, then she pulled away quickly.  "I have some sites bookmarked on my
computer I can send to you where you can view some artwork and see the
kinds of forms I'd like to try out."

   I gave her a shy smile.  "I'll send you a message when I get back to
my dorm room," I told her.  "And maybe we can talk some more at dinner."

   "I'm considering that a date, and I accept."  She picked up her
books, paused, then winked.  "Don't you dare stand me up, either."

   "Do I look that stupid?" I replied.  She giggled and winked.

   "Nope.  See you this evening."  I watched her walk out the study
hall, then sighed.  Remembering the time, I quickly grabbed my books and
headed towards my next class.

   Halfway there I was intercepted by Dale.  "Hey there you lucky guy!"

   "Hi, Dale.  What's up?"

   "What's up?"  Dale chuckled.  "You're sitting with Shelly and you're
asking what's up?"

   "Ok, so I was sitting with Shelly.  So what's the big deal?"

   Dale rolled his eyes.  "The big deal is that Shelly's one of the
hottest gals on campus.  Guys have been trying to get time with her, and
all you did was sit there and she walked up to you like a moth to a
flame.  What's your secret?"

   I gave Dale a sour look.  "All we did was talk.  And all I was doing
was minding my own business.  Besides, what's all the fuss?  She's a
very nice young woman and very intelligent."

   "And you're telling me you didn't notice how she looked?"  Dale
looked at me like I was some alien.  "She's stunning."

   "And you're incorrigible.  And I need to get to class."