Stella's magic-school for girls...
It sounded nice.
Martin wondered what an actual magic-school would look like? He had a lot of thoughts based on the cultures of Earth... what could it be like though for real! Were there different kinds of magic? What was the purpose once you gained such a power? Altering the laws of physics... for what purpose though? If one could do such a thing...
“You seem excited,” Zair observed. “Thinking of becoming a witch?” She giggled mirthfully showing off her tiny fangs. “You would be so cute I think. Maybe we can get you some lipstick too...”
“Oh come off it,” Martin groaned pushing her aside slightly. “This is just... research,” he glanced awkwardly to the dress Zair had loaned to him. It 'barely' fit and the 'wax job' she had magically done with fire magic to his legs was only temporary.
“Don't get your panties in a twist, I'm just 'observing' your 'excitement'...” The demon-girl giggled again, her tail giving a little wave as she emphasized on what the boy was doing. “Don't worry. I'll keep your secret. I'm kinda curious to see what a boy will do in a school full of girls... magic girls! What you will do when you inevitably get caught? What will they do? Chaos! Maybe they'll curse you. They are magic girls after all...”
The disguised boy glances a the other girls.. animal-girls and one or two monster-mythy types. They were not looking in his direction at the moment as the cart turned a corner. “I'm not going to get caught,” Martin insisted. “I just need to see one or two lesson...” Then he could leave... right? He didn't want to cause any harm, he just wanted to learn about magic.
Zair looked a bit suspiciously though not on Martin's intentions. “Hm... Yeah.. that weird machine-lady gave us a way in. I wonder how she knew my name...” Zair suddenly thought looking at her own credentials. “Weird. I don't trust her- er- it thought.” It seemed way too convenient. What was she! Why was she letting them in? Something else had to be going on...
Martin had to agree it was strange. However, this was the only chance he had... he had to see, even if he could get one tiny book... one lesson... a bit of tuition.. just something on what magic was, he could potentially work out the rest. Maybe even bring that magic to Earth, once he understood it.
Zair watched the quiet disgused boy a moment. “You know... your interest in magic seems to be deeper then a mere passing fancy. Why are you so interested in it?” the demon-girl asked curiously. “Really just to help people? I know you said that before but... there are 'many' ways to do that.. be a charity worker maybe? What is it about magic you like so much?”
Martin thought back to it... to his earliest memories. He always had an obsession with any magical character in literature... male or female. There was something so... tantalising about it. Though there was one thought. “I guess... because I met a magic-girl... once. Besides you- of course.”
“Me? You consider me a magic girl?” Zair blinked surprised. “I'm a monster you idiot! Did the hooves not give it away? The wings? The 'I will eat you' look?”
It was Martin now who looked confused to her. “You're a girl who can do magic. You're the very definition of a magic girl.”
Zair looked to him quite stunned. “You have a weird definition. Magic girls are pretty near human-types with accessories and frilly things. I'm about as far away from all that as can be.” She was almost annoyed at being compared to that. “So- who was this magic-girl you met?”
Martin had very vague memories of that encounter. “Well... she sort of saved me. I was... dressed like a wizard in Halloween. I was about eight or nine years old? My hat slipped over my eyes and I kinda didn't look where I was going... and I... um... this car almost hit me.” He shivered slightly at the memory. “Then this girl... just appeared. She had this wand..a cute dress- and before I could even thank her, she was gone. She was like a super hero...”
“Uh.. huh.” Zair shrugged. “Maybe you just dreamed it up. You sure it wasn't an anime you watched?” she smirked.
Martin looked annoyed. “It wasn't an anime! I know what I saw...” The disguised girl pouted even if there was some lingering doubt. “I'll never forget...” He thought of the first thing he said to her... the first question. “How can you do magic! Please tell me?”
The girl turned to him with the most beautiful if sad smile. Her voice as gentle as the wind. 'Sorry... I made a promise...' she then left through a strange portal.
Martin recalled being... crestfallen. She couldn't tell him? All because of a promise that was made?
Martin felt a little apprehensive about the situation as they approached the school. Nobody had noticed he was a boy... or magic-less, and he wasn't sure how much longer that luck would continue. The dress wasn't going to help once he took off his jacket and hood. Still he just wanted to let this last a little longer... just enough to get a look at the lesson.
The other students all talked casually to each other... even Zair seemed to be chatting a little bit with Sarah. Martin wanted to socialise too and learn about the magic but because he was a boy he had to keep his distance.
“Observe... and learn...” He thought to himself. Given it was a bloodline ability, he guessed it was a 'Harry Potter' situation... those with magic had specific ancestries that granted them unique abilities. Granted, everyone here must have access to that ancestry but... perhaps it took a time to teach and master? Maybe not everyone did it here... in which case there would be people better then others... and the best would be the mages of this world. Master manipulators of reality itself.
So that begged the question... why did 'they' learn magic? Was it like a trade? Who benefited the most from changing reality...
“Oh we're here!” The fox-girl Sarah smiled.
Martin watched as the Centaur driven cart took them to a great castle-like building. It was like something out of a fairy tale. A great water fountain drew his attention carving around a circular path. There were a few statues of various animal-like people and slightly more human-like ones, though with those pointed ears. There was lush grass surrounding the building with some tables and chairs scattered in well thought out places. He saw what looked like a giant hedge opening and he knew- he just somehow knew that had to be a hedge maze.
Though what surprised him most were the 'wings' of this castle-like school. As in.. the 'actual' feathery wings, draped to the sides. He counted four wings spread out like some kind of mix of angel and archaic building.
“Okay everyone off now,” said the centaur.
The girls- and Martin got off the cart. The two outworlders staring in awe of the strange magical place.
“There's no.. analogue of that building in our world, is there?” Zair asked.
“Not that I know of...” Martin realized. They were far into the countryside of what would be their own world... this should just be farm land.
Sarah smiled again to her new friends. “So what do you think?” She said. “We have one lesson of magical studies now and then we got some free time. I can show you the dorms after class?”
Martin looked at his diary... the one given to him by that mechanical woman. It seemed it had the same schedule. “Magical studies... right.” He hoped they wouldn't ask him to take off his jacket. This was... going to be tricky.
The three stepped inside, a few other girls coming in- one even on a broomstick through a special door.. and yet another with wings. Martin realized there would be an awful lot to see in however much time he had.
The hallway itself was quite interesting in terms of decorations. Strange runes that to the disguised boy almost looked like circuit diagrams... but they were glowing with azure light whenever someone approached. He saw what looked like a faculty member- some kind of large giant bear-man touch the rune, then pause and satisfied with something walked off.
“Hm...” Martin wasn't sure what it was. Was its purpose... security? That might be a problem... he decided to stay away from the walls for now. They seem to change into more complicated pictures going deeper into the building. With the wings outside he was starting to think... the school itself might be alive. When it came to magic... anything was possible.
“Not a bad place,” The demon-girl Zair admitted. “Maybe I can find out why my magic doesn't work the same here.”
“Oh what's your primary magic?” Sarah asked.
“Primary? Eh... well I just do fire. I can control it pretty well,” She gave a light giggle.”
“Neat!” Sarah replied. “Demons always have such awesome magic. What about your secondary?” She asked.
“Huh?” Zair looked at her in confusion. “Well- I'm not sure. What's that?”
“Well, the way magic works you get a bloodline ability from your mother and father. Sometimes their primary becomes your secondary, or they stay the same with both becoming primaries.”
“Mendelian...” Martin thought after hearing that explanation from Zair.
“Hm?” Sarah tilted her head to Martin who had kept rather quiet. “What's that? A spell?”
“Uh no it's...” he cast an awkward look concerned on how best to explain it- but didn't want to seem like a total nerd either. What harm would it give though? “It's just a concept from Earth,” The disguised boy explained. “It's about inheriting certain traits from two distinct people. We call it Mendelian genetics. Some traits are dominant and recessive... what you said about inheriting magic is a bit like that.”
Zair nodded. “Ah! Well my mother was just human... my father had the awesome demon fire magic.” she said quite proudly. “I don't actually know what his secondary would be though.”
“...just human,” Martin quietly thought to himself. “...hm, I wonder what happens in that case.” Martin tried to recall what he knew of genetic traits. Magic didn't exist in humans... so one couldn't inherent something that didn't exist. “if it.. follows what I am thinking, then Zair wouldn't have a secondary magic trait. More likely., her primary and secondary are the same... possibly making her fire magic a lot stronger then her father's?”
“It always did impress people,” she grinned. “Fire is kinda awesome. So why can't I fly here? I was doing it fine on Earth.”
“I think flying might be a secondary ability for you... so in this world there are some extra steps you need to do before you can access it.”
Zair felt some relief. “Ah! So I can fly here?”
“Well, yes but-”
They were interrupted by a teacher. She looked like a witch- an actual magical witch! Robes and pointy hat and all. Though strangely enough she had rather demonic looking arms and legs- no wait, was that a dragon? She had a rather childish face showing pointy teeth and had quite the strange grin. “Please step into the classroom students! Lots to learn!”
The three took their seats in a classroom. Zair noticed a nice space for her tail to slip through, with Sarah doing the same. “At least they know how to make furniture here,” the demon-girl grinned.
“Right girls! Everyone sitting? Good... as you know my name is Lalira,” The dragon-woman gestured to the board as all the students sat down. The teacher appraised them all. “So, we're going to go through some basic magical theory. Let's go through the principles.. eh, how about you Mary?”
A rather softly spoken rabbit-girl stood up from her desk. “M-Magic can not kill,” she said a little nervously.
“Wonderful! That's the first thing you got to know...” The Lalira explained. “Can you explain why... how about... you? The girl in the hood?”
Martin gulped. “Me? uh...” Magic can't kill? That was important enough that it was the 'first' principle? The teacher was looking at him... he glanced to Sarah but she seemed worried to give any hint or an answer. Was this dragon-teacher going to find out he didn't belong here, so soon?
He closed his eyes a moment... fearing- that his cover was blown... he best come clean. Should he just admit he didn't know? Let everyone here laugh at him, then throw him out? It was just a weird set of circumstances that he was here anyway...
He then thought back to that magic-girl... the only time he had 'any' experience of real, actual magic (assuming it wasn't a dream.)
“Well?” Lalira asked sternly. “If you can not answer, then maybe you should find another class... maybe back on Earth,” the teacher seemed to be ready to zap him with something! Winds picked up between the two...
Martin saw it... the door about to be slammed to this place. 'Patience...' he calmed his breathing and pictured the magic-girl again in his mind... What did she say? 'How did you learn magic!' he asked her. Her voice came to his mind as clear as crystal. 'I made a promise...' So she couldn't tell him but- what if... what if she did? A promise...
“The... Prom..ise...?” Martin ventured.
The dragon-teacher looked at him in surprise, powering down her magic. “Yes... the Promise.” She quietly repeated with deep reverence, placing her giant draconic-claws behind her back, turning around. “Ahem. The Promise is not simply something you might say on the playground and then forget about. It is a vow that makes it physically impossible to go against... Words of Power that change reality... never forget what you give up... you will become part of the mechanisations that govern reality itself... where dreams and physical reality meet. The nature of a dream, manifesting in physical reality...”
“Uh miss?” Asked the rabbit girl. “Is it really impossible to go against the Promise? Given we can change reality with magic.. and magic can work against magic too right?”
The teacher gave a strange look. “For now... it would be best you accept that it is binding and can not be broken. There are three advanced exceptions...that I personally know of... but this is something you do not need to know. Yet.” The dragon woman gave a faint smile. “Now then, you will be forming your Contracts and Bonds soon. Some of you will choose weapons or items of significance to you. Others may have contracts with spirits that have served your families in the past and perhaps some will focus on bloodline magic or even soul-energy... but whatever you choose, you make a promise... a vow. At the core of this, your magic can not kill... there will be other stipulations. That is how we connect you to the Well of Power.”
'Well of power?' Martin's eyes perked up at that.
The teacher then paused at the desk of the meek rabbit-girl and placed her large claws on her desk. It seemed the rabbit-girl was smiling as if glad that they couldn't hurt people with magic. Martin couldn't blame her... he didn't want to use magic to hurt anyone either. Such a promise to make would surly be a piece of cake. The words of the teacher became ominous. “This... should not make you feel 'any' relief I assure you. Magic 'can-not-kill' … remember that.”
She then started to pass some papers. “So for your first assignment, we have to make sure your bloodline abilities are of sufficient measure... I will administer some simple tests.”
Zair looked oddly at Miss Lalira and with a poof of magic in her hand, began to burn the sheets of paper in an explosive flash.
The Dragon teacher looked at Zair in some surprise but took it in good humour. “Fine, that's a pass miss... Zair? She said using a spell which seemed to show her identification. “At least some of you will be an example... try to make something as strong as that at least.”
“...show off.” Martin muttered to the demon girl.
Zair just grinned back. “Hey, I've never been the top of the class before. You know I really could get used to this.” Everyone was looking at Zair with surprise, awe and envy. This was... a good feeling.
Martin rubbed his hands. “Yeah.. I've never been at the bottom before.” The disguised boy wondered on how best to approach the situation, looking at the assignment.
The dragon-teacher looked to 'Mara'. “You will have time to practice and prepare... and whatever happens, happens.” She seemed to give a very 'cold' eye towards Martin. It wasn't very encouraging.
Martin suspected... Lalira knew. She must know. That's why the teacher was looking at him. He slowly started to move away, feeling the way the dress tickled the back of his legs. He followed the crowd, as the free study period was starting. He just needed to get to the library now-
'Don't try to deceive a dragon...' he heard in his head. 'Mara'.
Terry didn't want to go out...
Not like this.
“Come on mom!” she said annoyed.
“Sorry dear, but with your tail and hooves- well- we have to work with it. You look good enough to at least travel...”
Terry sighed. Walking one hoof at a time was distressing. The tapping clopping sound made everyone look in her direction, expecting to see a horse. Terry was now wearing a long robe-like dress, which at least hid most of her body. Her breasts were now in a bra, thanks to the fitting of her mother. She even knew her bra-size.. D-cups.
Freakin' hell. She really hated it. It seemed to emphasize the fact she was female now... it was in some ways worse then the empty feeling between her legs...She needed a special set of pants to slip her thick tail through. They had to make 'something' cut up in just the right way and work with it so it wasn't very comfortable.
Then they went to the portal to go to the magic-world, and began the trip again to her uncle's house. Neither said much, though Terry's mother seemed a little more pensive... hoping her brother hasn't done something silly.
Uncle Shawn seemed surprise to have visitors as the two arrived at his house by carriage. “Oh- uh- Helen?!” He gasped. “There's something different about-” Then he saw Terry. “Wow! Uh... Terry?”
The red-skinned demon-girl looked at her uncle annoyed. “What the heck did you do!” she wanted to ring his neck!
“Cousin Terry!” Maggie suddenly beamed and hugged her hoofed leg. “Wow! You look... amazing.” The red-skinned demon girl smiled. “I got your letter. You got magic now right?”
The demon-girl paused as she looked to Margaret. “Letter? Uh... magic. I guess?”
“I suppose an... explanation is in order...” Akamari said gesturing them inside the house.
Terry- still a bit unsteady on her hooves began to walk inside their house... looking at Akamari with huge suspicion- but softened a little as Margaret held her hand. “Yeah.. fine.. please explain...” the family of demons gathered in the living room...
Akamari began to make some tea and coffee. “So... how much do you know about our world when it comes to magic?” She asked curiously to her extended family.
“Nothing,” Terry groaned. So this was a magic thing. Great..
Akamari nodded. “Essentially, you have 'inherited' some of our magic from our... family spirit.” She said. “Congratulations! They must have really liked you!” she said looking to Terry in particular. “It's quite a rare thing to give 'this' much though...”
Terry just stared at her. “Congrats?! How do I undo this! I didn't agree to anything! You can't just-” she almost started to tear up.
The demon-woman sighed. “It's not exactly like we can just 'call' them Terry. They choose to do these things for the benefit of the family... its seen as a celebration here. It means you are truly part of our family. I was rather hoping my husband would gain something-”
“I might have,” Shawn responded.
“For the last time dear, no you really haven't.” Akamari laughed at what must have been some inside joke. “But with Terry changing, perhaps you will too, in time.”
Terry was still freaking out. At least he had an idea of 'who' did this. “How do I contact them... and tell them to knock it off!” she asked breathing slowly.
“Oh... well.. uh...” Akamari gave it some careful thought. “Well, you would have to live with us for a while.. and maybe they will come to you. If they choose to. I can't guarantee it though. My grandfather was said to be pretty good at calling them if he needed their assistance but... maybe if you lived here a while you will see them.”
“...what?” Terry looked dead panned.
“Yes!” Akamari smiled. “Live here for a while, and maybe they will come to you. Either in a dream, or at one of the shrines... and maybe you can convince them you're not worthy of.. uh.. the Family Gift.” She looked reluctantly. “Though to be honest, you seem worthy enough to me, especially given how much they have given you...”
