With an expression of utmost consternation, the fox planted his hands on his hips and straightened his shoulders. He stuck his nose in the air and announced in his best impression of a responsible human adult, "Ha! A group of slackers and layabouts, that's all they are! They couldn't even be bothered to show up and greet their new students. Shameful!" He spoke with the attitude of someone completely unaware that he was also talking about himself. Considering only an hour ago, he had been contemplating skipping out on the meet and greet (which he had thought of joining in order to avoid making his first lesson plan) in favour of basking in the sun and napping, he certainly had no room to talk.
But when had that ever stopped the silly, opinionated trickster?
Common sense seemed to catch up with him for a brief moment, and he slapped his hands together in front of his nose, in the typical pose of hurried prayer, and closed his eyes. "Please, Inari-sama, if you can hear anything I've just said, please do not strike down your loyal Haruki with your lightning bolts of retribution. He is a thoughtless fox sometimes, and he means no harm with his foolish words." His muttered prayers to one of the more temperamental, absentee teachers over, he dropped his arms and grinned his mega-watt smile, looking less like a person and more like a Christmas tree with far too many lights heaped on its branches.
"Well, that's alright then," he said sympathetically, waving one hand in the Boogeyman's direction. "In your case, it can't be helped. But you are missing out, Shadow-kun. A nice puddle of sunshine on a warm day is hard to beat." The fox snorted, amused by the subtle jab to his awkward appearance in the unaccustomed attire. He'd worn a multitude of different outfits in his lifetime, including dresses, but he wasn't sure that he'd ever be able to get entirely comfortable in a male suit and tie. They were so... confining. Of all the costumes he'd donned, the traditional shikifuku was definitely his favourite.
"I thought it would be wise to get a head start," he chortled. "Put them through their paces sort of thing. Force them to learn early that they mustn't always rely on what their eyes tell them. Is my tail still hidden?" Ruki cast a quick look over his shoulder, just to make sure that the one tail he usually chose to show was invisible, tucked entirely out of sight. Yup. Nothing to see here. He beamed at Shadow when the creature added in his own summation of the impromptu poem.
"That's the spirit!" he cried, flinging his arms out jovially. "All these kids and their ideas about eternal life. Have you read some of their literature in regards to it? It's appalling! Romanticizing vampires and the like. A bunch of silly, foppish bloodsuckers, if you ask me, and they aren't out to give you eternal anything. To them, these kids are nothing but a quick snack on two legs instead of four." He clucked his tongue, shaking his head in disappointment, but his eye was swiftly caught by the arrival of yet another student, this one fragile and pale in appearance, much like himself. Intrigued by the cheerful smile, the pointed ears, and the fact that she was hovering just above the cement, he offered her a polite bow.
"Well, hello there, my lovely little snowdrop," he crooned, after the principal had said his piece. "So glad you could join us here."
