A Second Generation Whateley Academy Adventure

Paying the Pied Pythoness

by

MaLAguA

 

Part Seven

 

Saturday, January 22nd - 8:50pm
Caro’s lab.

At the mark of the minute, the lab’s doorknob twisted as the lock was twisted and unlocked. In came the voices Caro and Gwen had been waiting to hear for most of the past hour.

“Hello. We’re back!” Marlene’s voice purred with an air of victory about her.

“Heya,” Gwen said back, now in better spirits.

“We searched up and low and saw things that you wouldn’t believe. Oh, the things we went through–” Chris’s tongue was put into a sudden halt at the sight of Caro, now looking so small in relation to before. She got pretty much the same reaction from the other girls as they slipped into the room. “Oh… what happened?”

Caro sighed. “Yeah, I know. I changed more. Can we get over the whole surprise part?”

“You can’t really blame us for that,” Sofia said as she stepped in to check on Caro’s size. Her roommate crossed her arms with a slight frown. “So, what happened to you?”

Time for another sigh. “We were sneaking in and got stuck in a situation where I needed a smaller body to slip through. So I triggered the curse to go about it. Alright?”

“Did you get it?”

“That I did.” Caro held out the flask for Sofia to inspect.

Carefully, the other girl shifted the container between her fingers, feeling the weight of it slosh around as she subtly swayed her hand. She even leaned in closer to get a whiff of the scent with the cap opened, something that Caro’s own enhanced nose could detect. “Can’t say I don’t miss it… but I guess distance has made the craving lose some of its appeal.”

“Happy to hear that.” Caro was relieved as she accepted back the flask.

“Can’t believe you did it, though. And he had no idea about it?”

“Not at all… We were very close to it though.”

“Chris, are you alright?” Marlene asked on the side, warily standing between her and Caro. “Feeling any… urges? Intrusive thoughts?”

“No. I don’t,” Chris said, pausing for a moment to do the self check, her hand reaching over to her ears to confirm their roundness. “I’m fine. I am.”

Marlene heaved a sigh of relief. “Alright… seems like the exorcism worked.”

Exorcism? No time to ask, not when there was important matters still afoot. “So… did you find the plush?”

Caro echoed the question. “Yes, yes! Did you find it? Please, tell me you found it.”

“Mission successful,” Marlene announced, producing the Puck plush from her belt. The pale colored cat appeared to have seen better days, with stains splotched all over its body, but there was no doubt that this was the same gift Caro’d got from Chris a couple of days ago.

“Thank you… thank you.” Caro took a deep breath as the last piece they needed had been found and brought. How the things would be used, she had no idea, but what mattered was that the checklist was complete. “But… "What took you so long?”

“It’s a long story,” Marlene said simply as she handed over the plushie, sitting it on the table next to the flask of mead. “And, while it’s an interesting tale, I think we have more pressing matters to attend to.”

“Yeah, we do…” Caro noted as she hopped off her chair. She paced ahead for a moment before sighing and looking at the girls present. “I need to thank you all. Thank everyone for helping me out… I really don’t know what I would’ve done without all of you.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Chris said.

“You needed our help, and we offered it,” Gwen said, a sentiment that was echoed by Sofia and Marlene.

“If you could all please help me out for a little longer?” Caro asked, finding herself close to pleading.

“Well, the curse says that you need 4 enemies present…” Sofia said.

“Or rather, friends,” Chris added. “Either way, we’re in. What do we do now?”

“Well, Marlene. You said you had a ritual that could help us out… didn’t you?” Caro said, getting the gazes to focus on the catgirl.

“That I did.” The witchy kitty girl took a deep breath. “Alright, we’ll need to make some preparations, so let’s make them quick…“

Under Marlene’s direction, the five girls present got to work on setting the stage. An area was cleared and a circle was drawn, with five smaller spaces around the perimeter that were understood to be seats. Center stage were the special items requested by the spell: the Puck plushie, carefully placed in a sitting position; a crystal glass, standing next to the flask that contained the mead; and the curse-harboring flute that was currently Grimma’s prison, next to a tall candle.

As the preparations were complete, Marlene explained. “Okay… according to my notes, this is a pagan spell circle, meant to channel energies and bring forth a spirit to have a dialogue with… Yes, Sofia?”

“And it’s fine that not all of us are mages, right?”

“It’s fine.” Marlene pointed at the flute. “That’s why we have the enchanted flute at the center to serve as the ‘cage’ for the spirit. With her in that position, we’ll have options.”

“And… she won’t get mad we’re doing this, right?” Gwen said. “I want to help Caro, but not sure what I’ll do if I get into Grimma’s bad side like that.”

“Yeah, can’t say we might be able to do much if that’s the case,” Sofia said.

“I’m sure that Grimma isn’t as cruel as you might think...” Marlene said.

The three other girls all glanced Caro’s way.

Another mousy sigh sounded. “Grimma’s beef is with me. I’ll either take whatever punishment she decides to dole onto you, or I force her to do it,” They were valiant words, even for someone in her condition. And yet, there was determination within them that asserted she would do her earnest and go beyond what was possible to ensure that would be the case.

“You heard her.” Marlene sounded encouraged as she knelt down to light the candle at the center with a match. “But alas, the ritual needs five participants doing this of their own volition.”

“If you don’t want to do this, I can ask the Mystic Arts department as soon as I can.” While Caro’s voice might carry the strength on the matter, there was no telling if the teachers would comply… or if she could hold on longer as she was. “Either way… I’m fighting,” Caro told them as she took one of the opposing seats.

Sofia, Gwen and Chris exchanged looks. And without saying a word, they each moved around the circles to find a spot to sit down.

“We’re trusting you,” Sofia said as she sat next to Caro. “If I end up cursed, I’ll be sure to pester you both about it.”

“Then let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” Marlene said as she moved into the back of the room. She took off her cloak and stashed it on a chair before flipping a switch so that the only source of light would be the candle at the center. After that, she dexterously navigated her way back to the spot before taking a seat. “So, are we all set on doing this?”

The girls answered with varying levels of energy, but all in the affirmative.

“Good,” Marlene said as she produced an athame blade. “Caro, if you could please drip some blood on the ground?” With that, the blade was passed over. “Since you’re the one at the center of this mess, this should put you up to relevance for the meeting. Remember to charge it with your essence.”

“Of course,” Caro replied as she tried to maneuver the knife up against her hand. Closing her eyes, she seemed to focus the energy on her hand. “Give me a second.”

“Do you still have magic?” Gwen asked.

“I do, but it’s faint,” Caro muttered. “I was never sure if my mana was produced by me or by what Grimma did… Kinda worried I’m losing all of it.”

“Don’t fear,” Marlene assured. “I’m sure you have a well, even if it’s small now.”

“Can’t help but feel that I’m the biggest loser. I regret…” Caro trailed off before hissing as she succeeded in slicing her palm. She let a couple of drops of her blood fall on a rag before moving it near the center of the circle. “There.”

“Alright.” Marlene produced a piece of paper. Her notes, the girls assumed, as she began to read. Even though the candle was the only light, her feline eyes gleamed in the dark as she skimmed through the paper without a problem.

“Ahem…” Sofia interjected.

“Just checking the final parts of my notes… Aaaand… I’m ready.” She took a deep breath before placing her finger on the line of the circle. It took a couple of taps before a minute flicker of light emerged, looking like the sparks of a welding tool… a weak tool. Half of the other girls knew that Marlene was exhausted, and the other half could surmise as much when it took her a couple of attempts at reciting the spell before it became a steady spark that left a line across the surface as her fingers danced. And with the same motion as lighting a match, a ghostly green ember came to life and spread across the outline. Only Chris was daring enough to get her hand close to it and discover that there was no heat in its presence. The light encroached around the flute, reaching as Marlene moved the implement closer to the lines. The flute appeared to pull some of the energy within itself, glowing up with a steady hum after it was set down.

“The only rule here is that none of us can leave our positions. Once we start, we stay here until the candle is extinguished and I tell you it’s safe. Is that clear?” Marlene asked, to which the girls nodded in agreement. “We’ll start off trying to coax Grimma out of the sealed flute, see if she’s willing to do this the less inconvenient way. If we can convince her to remove the curse from Caro, that would get everything sorted out nice and easy.”

Caro grimaced. “That was always the first option, I know… I just wish it could happen in a more private way.”

“It could be worse. Grimma could’ve asked you to do this somewhere like the Crystal Hall, right?” Chris mused.

Caro’s sigh was well-practiced that evening. “Don’t give her ideas.”

“And she won’t just up and leave, right?” Gwen asked.

“In theory, she’ll be constrained by the circle,” Marlene told them. Her finger was still dancing about as she repeated the pattern over and over to enhance the ritual and compensate for her low energy. “But, let’s assume that she’s far too powerful–which she is– and also unwilling to listen to us and dips out. If that’s the case, then that leaves us with the rough option…”

“Which is?” Sofia asked

“Exorcism,” Caro completed.

“Ick… What do we have to do?” Chris asked.

“Just sit there and lend your energy if you feel the pull as we try to untangle the knots that bound it and Caro together.” Marlene dusted the magical glow off her finger. “I trust that Grimma’s instructions are basically the key needed to coax the rat curse out of Caro, right? If that’s the case, then the removal should be easier.”

“And if not?” Sofia asked..

“We would be back to the drawing board, only more desperate,” Marlene noted.

“Let’s get on with this.” Caro moved towards the edge of the seating circle.

Marlene nodded and began to mumble a spell. Arcane words flowed out in a whisper. The air around them grew eerie, as though it filled much more than it should in the lab space. The faint outline of the nearby tables or chairs appeared to fade away and into the darkness. Their world expanded into a vastness but at the same time was reduced to the glowing circle under the light of the candle.

“Things are getting weird,” Chris mumbled.

“They are,” Sofia agreed as she peered through the surroundings.

As she was done uttering the incantation, Marlene leaned forward from her spot. Her fingers traced lines to the center of the circle, where the flame of the candle changed color and grew in size, but the place didn’t feel any warmer. She grabbed the sealing flute and set it apart from the group, near the candle at the center. Under its light, the dark smoke that flowed off it could be seen as a paler shade of gray when compared to the darkness of the air. It appeared to have been doing that all this time.

“Ahem,” Marlene began as she pulled herself back to her spot. “Tonight, as five have gathered around the light. I call for the spirit of the sylvan and the laws, the writer and the reader, who plays both mentor and enemy. Spirit of Fables, are you here present with us within the depths of the wooden prison?”

The girls held their breaths, with eyes fixed at the flute just before the candle, continuously releasing short lived smoke onto the ground. They waited for a long while, but no sixth voice joined the conversation. Nothing appeared to change in the flute before them.

“Grimma,” Caro said, her voice coming in quiet and yet loud in the dead silence. “Are you there? Answer!” she commanded, yet received no answer.

“Is she not there?” Sofia asked after a dead pause.

“Or she’s just being stubborn? That is so unlike you, Grimma,” Caro said, trying to goad the spirit into action, but there was no reaction.

“Maybe you should’ve rhymed it?” Chris said.

“Should I pull Grimma out of the flute?” Marlene suggested.

After some time of silence, Caro conceded. “Do it.”

To that, Marlene nodded. She reached for the flute, once again, and held it up so they could see her hands at work against the light. The mist kept on oozing, even as her fingernails, almost claws, traced around the edge of the enchanted object. A glow appeared along the edges where Caro had inscribed her spell to begin with. The directionless smoke now began spewing in all directions, cascading onto the ground and threatening to flood the space. It was almost enough to spook some of the girls into breaking the rules set at the start. Fortunately, the smoke eased up before they would feel overwhelmed.

Caro spotted the golden and emerald hues intermingled with the dark… but so faint and tiny, she couldn’t help but wonder if something was off.

“How long will this last?” Chris asked, as a full minute had passed since the smoke kept on pouring–and yet nothing appeared to have emerged in its center.

“Feels like fluffing,” Marlene said as the gush of dark energies became a trickle before finally stopping. “I think that’s it…” she said, shaking the flute as though that would confirm the contents were empty before putting it away behind her.

“And where is she?” Caro asked.

“Think… here it is.” Marlene reached into the lingering pool of smoke to produce a sphere. It was about the size of a tennis ball, a round gem with a black sheen that danced between Marlene’s finger as she moved–something she needed to do as, the moment she would stop, it would produce large quantities of magical smoke which fell to the floor and then disappeared into a void none of the girls really dared to question.

“Um… What’s that?” Chris asked.

“It’s… a decoy,” Marlene said. “Grimma was never in there.”

“What?” Chris gasped.

“That can’t be…” Caro leaned forward, wanting to reach out and hold it, despite knowing that it was so out of reach for her now. “I caught her.”

“Maybe you did… but she could’ve escaped.”

“Was it just that thing producing smoke for effect?” Sofia asked.

“Seems so. An enchanted orb of darkness? I think…” Marlene moved the sphere around for the girls to see. “Don’t look at me, I’m just telling you what I think I’m holding. I don't sense much magical power from this.”

“Are you amused, Grimma?” Caro yelled into the darkness. “Are you watching?”

Once again, silence filled the void.

“Can you at least get it to stop spewing smoke?” requested Sofia, adjacent to Marlene, as the smoke waves kept on washing her way..

“I can do that.” Marlene tapped the ball against the concrete floor a couple of times, like someone trying to crack an egg. The result, though, was much more drastic, as the moment the first crack was heard, a symphony of shatterings followed as lines crazed through the surface until it was time to fall apart. There was no smoke nor energy to it; the pieces of the shell just fell apart to reveal a hollow inside. The shards dissolved themselves into sparkles between her fingers.

“How did you know that was safe to do?” Gwen asked.

“I didn’t,” Marlene said as she waved the remains away. “I just felt nothing inside it… which is off, considering what the thing was doing…”

“Then… what do we do now?” Chris asked.

“Well.” Marlene dusted her fingers before pulling herself back to her spot. “That only leaves us with the other option.”

“Which is to do the exorcism ourselves,” Caro completed. “That is to have the rat curse removed from me.”

“That should be easy, right?” Chris asked. “That’s why we searched for these things, right?”

“Yeah,” Marlene said as she reached for the Puck plush, the flask with the mead and the crystal cup. “If we read the verses right they point to the doll and the mead as being the required elements to coax out this specific curse. Like the key to a lock.”

“What will happen to the doll?” Chris asked.

“I’m not sure,” Marlene said, moving the plush’s arm as a wave towards Chris. “Think there’s a chance it might be spent. If you want, I can buy you a new one next time I get my allowance.”

“It’s alright.” Chris sighed as she reached to give a handshake to the plush.

“And that will fix Caro, right?” Gwen inquired.

The awkward pause that followed heralded Caro’s answer. “It won’t… it will just stop me from changing further under the duress of the curse.”

“Will she change back?” Gwen asked.

“It’s uncertain,” Marlene said. “It could be like she was just being compressed into her form and she’ll start reverting on her own… or it could be that she’ll be set as she is.”

“Ah…” Sofia said.

“It’ll be okay, we’ll still be here for you,” Chris told her.

“Yeah,” Gwen agreed.

“I mean, if she’s stuck like that doesn’t mean that she can’t be helped. I’m sure that an expert magic user or some other patron spirit could find a way to fix this.”

“Yeah… I would have to start to search for Grimma or another like her,” Caro said.

“Think Grimma has a brother or sister?” Sofia half-joked.

“No idea…” Caro sighed. “Let’s get on with it.”

“And you’re okay with this?” Marlene asked

“I don’t have any other options,”

“And what will you do?”

“Whatever I can to fix this. Trying to keep what little power I have and figure out how to make it work in my favor. Find the people or things that I need to resolve this.” Caro sighed, looking up to the black void. “I got myself into this for dumb reasons and forgot all that mattered. In trying to pursue the wrong thing, I awarded myself this punishment. I mean, screw Grimma and her punishment… But still, I really can’t say she was wrong when now you’re all standing with me here.”

Marlene smiled softly as she placed the plush down within the circle. “Alright then, let’s commence with the exorcism.”

The girls conceded as she said that, but an air of uneasiness began to spread through the air as they all knew that they were coming to the complicated part.

“Let’s see how this goes…” Marlene began to recite something, some sort of spell that none of the girls could particularly understand, on account of it being more like a mumble. With reverence, she waved her hand over the plush, getting the magic of the circle to dance about around the item before following her hand. She poured the contents of the flask in the cup, letting the golden glow of the liquid shimmer under the light, quite unnaturally. Once full, it was nudged towards Caro. “Drink it.”

“Do I have to?” She wanted to groan as she approached the goblet.

“Just take a sip.” Marlene said. “Not sure what your blood alcohol level might be if you drink the entire glass.”

Caro sighed as she gripped the stem of the glass with both hands, raising it up to her lips with some effort before imbibing. It smelled strongly to Caro’s nose as it picked up a faint tinge of alcohol that was all but drowned within the fermented honey. Neither flavor felt appealing. It had a magical sting when it made contact with her lips, but the flavor was also shocking to the point she wanted to spit it out. Fortunately, she did not, and forced herself to swallow.

“How was it?” Sofia said with a teasing smile.

“Like mouthwash? Not something I would repeat.” Caro carefully set the glass down, feeling the liquid leave an aftertaste as it burned its way down her throat.

“It’s an acquired taste,” her roommate answered.

“How are you feeling?” Marlene asked.

“I’m feeling… hot,” Caro said, her hands going down to her stomach as the mead lit a fire within–one that spread and slipped through her flesh and body, burning the unseen and stirring something within her into motion. Unlike Caro, it didn’t act out of pain, but rather out of curiosity, as if freshly awoken from a sleep only to immediately stir and try to slip out of its den. “I feel like I want to puke air,” Caro said. Then she noticed a ghostly aura starting to emanate from her.

“Um… guys? I mean, girls?” Chris pointed to the center of the circle as wisps of the magic began to trace their way closer to both the plush and the glass… The same effect was happening with Caro. “What does that mean?”

“Means it’s working!" Marlene exclaimed, much to the concern of the girls as Caro doubled over. The sight of magical energies trailing from her back was one that Gwen couldn’t fathom, and she was already reaching over in an effort to comfort.

“Stand back!” Marlene warned. “If it latches onto you, you’ll be taking on the curse in her stead.”

“Really?” Gwen withdrew her hand hesitantly, and leaned away as the energies emerging from Caro took on a more unnatural shape, much less like rising steam and more like a figure attempting to rise and flee from her back.

“But, if we get cursed, we can just exorcise it again, right?” Chris asked.

“That would be hard!” Marlene exclaimed. “That curse was put on Caro under specific conditions. The whole lock and key thing, it was set by Grimma. If you get caught by it, it wouldn’t be under any rules. No sure way to release it or regulate the change. You would be turning into a rat at a faster rate.”

“This can’t be good,” Sofia gulped as the ebbing essence began to take form, appearing like a sort of large rat growing out of their friend.

“Gggaaah!” Caro screamed as the entity leapt out of her body in a flash of pale blue, expelled out into the darkness but never out of sight. It scampered about, bounding off in the middle of the air before circling back to the ritual area, then coming in crashing to meet Gwen.

She screamed, raising up her arms, coating them in energy as a shield. The rat darted forth like a meteor, only to find itself bounced off the open air with a sizzling smack.

“What was that?” Chris’s eyes followed the curse as it veered around in mid-air before coming around her way. She raised her arm, ready to cast one of her deceleration fields at it.

“Don’t reach out. Don’t point at it! That might put you in range,” Marlene said, pulling Chris’ back just before contact could be made.

Just like before, the curse was sent bouncing back and away before steering back. This time, everyone could see what was protecting them: the candle at the center of the circle. Every time the curse struck, the flame flared to force it back, only to find itself reeling in an attempt to recover as it tried it again and again.

And yet, there was the concern: that every time the flame quivered, it might be extinguished for good.

“What do we do?” Gwen asked.

“Can’t we have it sealed?” Caro managed to say. Her voice sounded hoarse and exhausted, but there was a bit of relief within her. “We have the flute, right?”

“Do you have the magic to seal it?” Marlene asked as she felt around for the flute.

“Not enough…” Caro admitted, then jumped in place as the curse came crashing after her. It wasn’t any less interested in getting her after the exorcism parted them.

“Can you wrangle it, Marlene?” Sofia asked.

“You think I have energy left after all we went through!?” Marlene blurted out. She flinched along with the rest of the girls at each bounce off the barrier. Watching the flame of the candle get weaker and weaker, getting ever closer to dying out!

“We have to do something!” Gwen said as the thing came crashing after her for the second time in a row. Whether by sheer luck or by strategy, the curse began pressing the attack against a single target, and every bounce from the sizzling barrier would be shorter than the last.

“Leave her! Get me!” Caro called out. Without thinking, she got to her feet and reached her hand out of the circle’s perimeter, channeling what little magic she had left to make a faint light, something the curse might find itself attracted to after the latest bounce.

The rat curse swept through the air, circling its way around in order to meet her with ravenous intent. And Caro braced herself for the worse.

*Crack!*

The air suddenly changed, grew denser and heavier and yet carried within itself the lightness of a breeze and a feeling of nature. Dark shades stood out within the pitch darkness while also carrying shades of greens and gold. They were colors that Caro could recognize.

The curse came barreling towards her and she had no way to move, no way to duck down within the field of the fading candle. Yet, just before it could touch her, it suddenly halted. It squirmed and wiggled its ghostly arms ravenously but found itself caught just short of touching Caro. Her whiskers shuddered and twitched, feeling the presence too close.

“Well… if it isn’t my wayward paladin…” A woman’s voice resonated in the dark. And as the candle regained its life and flared further, her figure was revealed. The outline of a woman cloaked in shades stood within the darkness, with the faint hint of gold and green tracing up and down her body, sparkling and brimming with magic.

She stood next to Caro, with the curse’s tail effortlessly held between her fingers.

“Grimma…” Caro said, her throat choking at the myriad of feelings that knotted themselves within. The fear of almost being cursed again, the dread as to what might’ve been her fate, the gratitude for being saved, underlying relief at seeing Grimma again and also anger at her orchestrating everything. “You…”

“Seems as though you have come across hard times,” Grimma mused as gripped the rat curse in her hand, try as it might, the ghostly spirit appeared unable to escape.

“It is your doing!” Caro spatted.

“My doing?!” Grimma answered with a polite laugh. “Weren’t you the one who sealed me first? A tit for tat seems fair, doesn’t it?”

“Because I didn’t want to… to lose my normal appearance.”

“Such were the conditions of our agreement. You tried but my freedom was bought in the time your eyes laid elsewhere, as the shadow decoy was left. And you tried to outplay me, so I had to pay you back for that…" Grimma said, even in the pitch darkness that was the cloak of shadows around her body, one could feel the smile behind the veil.

“By turning me into a rat?!” Caro said at the realization that Grimma was always in control.

“Calling it a lesson is perhaps off the mark, but I make no illusions that part of the goal was just that. Whether it would be the final destination was up to you. I knew you would find a way around it, whether it was to break my flute or ask your archmages in Whateley for help. Of course, that you took it upon yourself to deal with the matter was the far more interesting outcome… Congratulations.”

“I don’t appreciate this.” Caro scoffed, clutching the loose clothes around her until her knuckles began to ache and the words were forced out of her. “But… I’m sorry. I’m sorry I acted out of vanity. I shouldn’t have acted against our deal…”

“I may sometimes act in disregard… but I do value everyone I cross paths with.” Grimma said in a sweeter tone, contrasted by the quiet squirms of the rat curse. “Did you find what is valuable to you?”

“I … did,” Caro hesitated, her tail swishing with a tinge of fear. “I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“Can anyone else see her?” Chris whispered to Gwen, who was already too uneasy of being that close to the supernatural entity.

Marlene shushed her. “You’re ruining the moment.”

“Well, now.” Grimma’s figure crouched down to look Caro in the eyes. The glowing markings narrowed to simulate elation. “Mayhaps I was being a tad harsh with the punishment, but it’s what came to mind in the moment of panic. You overcame it quite well.”

“So… you’re not angry?”

“Oh Caro… what is a relationship without strife?” said the specter, pushing herself up as she moved into the circle. The flame of the candle, after briefly fading near to extinction, flared as she came in contact but didn’t fight her. “There’s no feud between us. At least on my part.” And with that, the rat curse at her hands faded, disappearing into the air and absorbed into her veil.

“I still hate that you did this to me!” Caro said.

“I know… And now that I’m here, out of your vessel. I’ll grant you the courtesy of helping you out of your predicament… if you so desire,” Grimma said as, with the flick of her finger, the shades about her enveloped both the plushie and the still-full cup of mead, raising them up above the ground.

‘I…” Caro said, the pride knot remained in her stomach, as did the distaste for begging… but this is what she’d been desperately after for the past couple of days. “I do so desire. Just no backhanded deals or traps, alright?”

“You have the same promise as before,” Grimma mused as she held the plush. There was a moment of appreciation as the girls could imagine the smile about the shade at the depicted character before, with a polite smile, she had the doll descend down to the ground. “You decoded my spell wonderfully, allowing yourselves the keys for the job,” she continued as she held the cup and drank its contents. “Sweet and invigorating. There is a fair share of amateurish rawness to it… but it is charming.”

“Glad you’re pleased,” Caro said sarcastically.

“Right then.” Grimma let the cup levitate down to the ground. “Now, onward with the final trial of the night.”

“A trial?!” Caro groaned.

“Do we have the time for that?” Sofia asked.

“We’ll probably be a bit late… but this is worth it,” Marlene whispered.

“It’s a simple trial,” Grimma continued. “Not for you, Caro. But for your friends.”

Sofia blinked. “Excuse me?!”

Gwen and Chris blinked in stereo. “What?”

“This quest wasn’t resolved by one person, but a party of multiple talents,” Grimma said as she looked around at the girls.

“You have a wayward pupil. Faced with the fade, met it with a lot of grit and insight. Willing to crawl through the gutter like a rogue,” she said to Caro.

She then turned to Gwen next to her, making the girl freeze at the attention of the entity. “There’s the heart, always beating for the happiness of all.”

“The jokester, who alleviates everyone’s spirits but conceals strength and weakness behind her smile,” she said to Chris who, while dejected at the label, still smiled at the praise.

“The black cat, cunning and resourceful, the guiding hand that has made the path real,” she said to Marlene, who gave a polite yet proud nod.

“And strength that is not just physical but also mental. Holding powers of the sylvan.” Sofia couldn’t help but smile at the praise.

“Now,” Grimma mused. She snapped her fingers, and the light of the flame faded, but did not die out. A small flicker remained. And yet despite the growing darkness there was no sense of fear among them. “Your friend, my paladin, set this wheel in motion for want of being a face in the crowd. Because of that, she was willing to cast aside the powers I bestowed upon her. If she believes it’s worthwhile for her, then that is the world she aspires to be in. Since I was invited to this tea party, I’m willing to return her to the form she has forever desired and set her free. She will, of course, not have access to the powers she once wielded, but she would be free to pursue a normal life, where she can tiptoe above the heads of her rivals. Even to depart the school as she sought from the start. Your parents were of that mind, weren’t they? Ready to pull you out the moment you had your appearance under control.”

Caro clenched her teeth. This was what she wanted, right? Why did she feel like rocks weighed upon her stomach, lungs and heart? “They did…”

“I will expect a vote from the five present,” Grimma told them. “Should your friend be granted the wish she has always wanted and be allowed to depart? Or should she remain here to reap the fruits she has sowed? Perhaps to get someone’s help for her problem? A right hand raised should cast your vote.”

The girls were dead silent. Thought or doubt? Neither, it was the knot in the tongue to get it out.

“Let us begin.” Grimma snapped her fingers and a spotlight appeared over Gwen. The girl jumped and looked upwards but was unable to see the light source. “So, what say you?”

“I…” Gwen stammered as she looked up at Grimma. The shadowy apparition with the golden eyes appeared as sinister as it did gentle. None of the girls knew if this trial was a gesture of good will or another layer to the punishment. But the question was simple, and the answer was clear. Everyone watched as she raised her right hand in agreement to the offer. “I… I want my friend to be happy. If this is what she wants, I don’t want to refuse her.”

And with that, the spotlight disappeared with a clap and reappeared over Chris, the next person around the circle. Slowly, the smile on her face faded as the decision weighed on her. She looked at Gwen for a moment before raising her right hand in agreement. “We can still be friends, right?”

The spotlight changed, now falling upon Marlene. The black-furred cat girl already had her right hand raised. “This is what you wanted, right?”

The focus changed again, now shining over Sofia, who looked up at Grimma, as if voicing the question as to why she still needed to go on with this and cast her vote. Still… she complied, raising her hand in agreement. “You’ve been a good roommate to me and helped me when I needed it. It is only fair that I repay you.” And with that, she raised her right hand. And her spotlight turned off.

“And finally,” Grimma said as she paced around the outside of the circle, at her behest, the light came back on, shining down on Caro. The spotlight looking down far bigger around her diminished size. She was sat crestfallen with the hands resting between her legs.

A moment of silence followed. The girls grew concerned, especially as Caro’s head and shoulders shuddered and a choked voice could be heard. “Why…” Caro asked, starting to sob. “Why?”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Marlene asked.

“This is what we did this for,” Sofia said.

“A-after all I said to you? After how I acted?” Caro was trying not to choke.

“Because we want you to be happy,” Gwen said with a soft smile that broke Caro’s heart.

She thought…days ago… she’d thought that they were more than willing to pull her down. That her being normal would just spur their ire out of envy. That was how it was supposed to work in her old school right? The girls she used to hang out with back then and just days ago prayed for her to fall. Why did she even think the same of the four before her? They would’ve been outcasts just because of how unique they were and yet…

“Could I… could I.” Caro raised her head, rubbing the moist off with the fur on the back of her hand. “Could I go back to how I was before? How it was under the old agreement?”

“Are you sure?” Grimma asked, her voice carrying in a sultry yet reassuring tone. “You’ll have the horns and scales you never wanted from the start. You shall be a freak again.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Caro said, her voice gaining some strength. “You mentioned that it was never meant to be a lasting thing… right?”

Grimma looked down at Caro with some bemusement.

“You said it, didn’t you? That I was never meant to stay like that… right?

“If I were to say I lied then and didn’t mean a word I said…”

“I would still do it,” Caro said standing up. “With your magic, I can do it.”

“Hm…” Grimma mused, as if stifling a laugh.

“Will you accept me again?” Caro asked.

“It’ll be under similar terms,” Grimma said as she addressed the other girls. “Now, since it is a question whether the offer is to be renewed, I believe another vote must be cast. I would ask those here to raise your other hand, so I may proceed.”

And with a snap of her fingers, spotlights shone over each of the other girls. Every one of them already had the other hand raised.

“So be it,” Grimma mused as she held out her hand, letting the magical energies gather from within her and the air, to form a green glow that moved like fire and breathed as though alive. It was one that Caro remembered from before, and as such she could almost feel the energy despite not being connected.

“Be still,” she instructed as she reached down. Her hand traced down her back, each little point of contact erupting akin to fire before settling itself into a warmth that spread throughout Caro’s torso, expanding and occupying the same space within her, with a spiritual heart centered at her core of the immaterial space.

And like that, Grimma was done. The spirit flicked her finger so close to the base of Caro’s tail that it had her twitch. “Your old mana source restored.”

“Great!” Caro said. In reality, once everything normalized, she couldn’t tell the difference, it was as though nothing had changed… and yet as she closed her eyes, she could feel the expanded well within her.

“You’re still small, though,” Sofia said as the girls rested their hands, finding themselves more comfortable at the scene.

“Yeah… I am,” Caro said as she looked down at her small body and tail.

“If you would allow me,” Grimma said as energies ebbed from her and spun around Caro’s feet, flashing up and bright, rising up in flashy splashes like the currents of a river.

The energies swirled, gaining in power and intensity with each passing second. The sparks of the waves filled the air with a special type of glitter that fell like snow. But it wasn’t just for show. Caro felt the impact from within. It was just like the feeling of the spontaneous changes which she’d been experiencing for the past couple of days, slowly yet smoothly playing in reverse. She could feel her tail shrink bit by bit as she underwent another growth spurt, one that would feel dizzying were it not for something holding her feet in place and supporting her stance.

It was about time that she realized that the clothes she was wearing, a simple sporting suit that was close to falling over, stretched with her but was oddly not breaking. Was this part of the magic?

Relief escaped her as her point of view grew higher and higher. An itch on her arm warned her that the fur was starting to shrink and fade away as her footing corrected itself. Her whiskers twitched with a tickle as they each withdrew, while her nose felt numb and sore as it felt pressed in. Her senses of smell and hearing tapered off, returning to normal levels as the rodent features faded and humanity resurged.

But so did the other aspects which Caro had signed up for. A tingle struck the skin on her back, as the rat hairs shrank down and receded into her skin. She also felt it start to harden and fragment into the makings of the scales, ones that went on her back and along the sides of her neck.

And more importantly, the dull ache on the sides of her head. A feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time. The growth of her horns.

She felt the change claim her skull, pushing the horns out and close in an intended way, circling around close to her forehead before curving themselves up before they met in the middle. The adornment like a circlet. The one she’d developed after the incidental transformation into a dragon. Her ears had returned to their pointier elfin form. And so, the magic that spurred her changes faded off as did the surging energies around her feet. Whatever held her legs and stance quickly faded, letting her stand on her own. “Can’t say I’m happy to see them again… but I’m not that frustrated,” she said.

“And with that. My work here for tonight is done. For the black steps, I will turn back and show up later. Then, say my name and we’ll talk things over some more.”

“Yeah… I guess we’ll talk.”

“Oh, Caro,” Grimma mused as she took a couple of graceful steps away. “It was fun to play the role of the villain for a change, but now it’s just water coursing under the bridge.”

“Thankfully.” Caro sighed and took a deep breath.

“It was a pleasure meeting you all,” Grimma told the other girls as she walked off in the darkness. The gold and green of her figure covered her more brightly as she reached several steps away, almost betraying the size of the supposed room they were in. “May your adventures bring you far,” she said with a polite bow as she disappeared at the fall of an imaginary curtain.

The girls breathed a sigh of relief.

“Is it over?” Sofia asked. “That was…”

Chris snickered. “Fabulous! Amazing!”

“I was gonna say stressful… but interesting at the same time, I suppose.”

“She’s polite enough,” Gwen said before turning to Caro. “What about you, Caro? Feeling better?”

“I’d forgotten what it was like to have horns, after almost a month without them.” Caro sighed as she rubbed them, feeling once again their connection to her. “At least, I’m back.”

“Back to normal… And that’s all we could ask.” Marlene rested herself back.

“The clothes look so small on you,” Chris snickered.

“Yeah, I think they were designed to stretch, but there was a limit to them,” Caro felt the fabric cling tightly, and the seams objected with every small motion within. Though considering all that she went through, it could’ve been worse. No curse, no time limit; she was fine now.

“So, are we allowed to stand?” Gwen asked Marlene, the conductor of the ritual.

“Right, in a moment.” The catgirl leaned towards the candle to blow it out.

And, just like that, their perception of the world shifted. The deeper darkness that surrounded them was peeled back and blown away on a distant breeze. The outline of the tables was distinguishable, as was the wall behind them, in the same direction in which Grimma had waltzed away. The question of what really had happened to them lingered in the minds of the non-magical students, but none of them wanted to voice them. They were just relieved the ritual was over.

“There we go,” Marlene declared. “Now we’re free to step out of the circle.”

“That’s a relie–” Caro said, only to find herself hugged by Chris and Gwen. “I…” The words were stuck in her mouth, but nothing was said… she really had nothing to say, neither did her friends, just lingered in enough for Marlene and Sofia to join.

The embrace between the girls lasted for what felt like an eternity, and Caro wouldn’t have had it any other way. The tears in her eyes were there, making her want to wipe them, but she couldn’t really pull herself away from the hold.

That is, until the other girls began to pull back, one by one, taking a breath as they each tried to act as what just transpired hadn’t happened.

“We should… we should get back to our cottages,” Sofia noted.

“Yeah… yeah we should,” Caro agreed.

And so, the girls moved about the room, grabbing the bags and coats they’d left in preparation for their missions. Joy was in the air as their evening was complete. As the tense situation wound down, they looked forward to making their way back. Caro for one, couldn’t wait to hit the bed, after putting on something more comfortable. As she stretched and moved her body, she stiffened when she heard the seams of her clothes pop. “Wish I’d brought an extra change of clothes,” Caro sighed only to see Marlene moving her way. In her hands the witchy girl held two pieces of wood, ones that Caro recognized as the broken flute.

“Caro?” Marlene said, her ears dropped. “Sorry, but when that rat curse bounced about, I leaned back and… accidentally broke your flute.”

“Damn it…” Caro sighed as she held the pieces, inspecting the breaking points, finding the wooden splinters sticking out. “This was supposed to be a relic from my grandma.“

“I’m sorry,” Marlene said. “I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s alright…” Caro tried putting the pieces together. At least they fitted well enough. “Guess I can try to find a way to fix it before I send it back.” She looked up at Marlene. “Maybe with the curse.”

“Oh, right… the curse,” Marlene said as she fetched her pocket and produced the small bottle of swirling energy.

Caro stiffened almost as a reflex from the dread she felt whenever she saw the ratcatcher spirit… but that quickly faded as the rat side within was now gone. Instead, she picked the flask and effortlessly admired it. “Thanks for holding it for me.”

“No problem. It helped us more than we imagined. If you don’t send it, maybe I could borrow it,” Marlene said. Caro wanted to ask more on that… but she already saw the girls moving towards the door, waiting for her. “Maybe later.”

Saturday, January 22nd - 10:11pm
Outside Caro’s lab.

With their spirits high, the girls departed from Caro’s lab. The mission complete, the goal accomplished, and peace and safety for everyone. Even a trip so late in the night was a treat for them, or at least it felt like it.

“It’s past curfew.” Caro sighed and adjusted her coat. She was still dreading that her clothes would bust out at a bad movement. That was the only painful part of the ordeal.

“She’s back to being a model student.” Chris giggled, earning an elbow jab from Gwen.

“Oh, shut up,” Caro said, though she couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“Well… I don’t think we’ll be running into any trouble,” Sofia said as they reached the stairs. “If anything, Mrs. Savage will probably give us a pass for breaking the curse.”

“Think she can give Mrs. Horton a call?” they heard Gwen ask.

“Caro?” Marlene’s voice brought everyone’s attention to the member that had lingered behind a few steps. “I think I forgot my cloak in your lab. Can I get it?”

“Sure, let me help you,” Caro offered.

She was about to go down the stairs only for Marlene to answer, “I can go on my own.” The witchy girl was already taking two steps down, whereas Caro’s restrictive clothes only allowed her to take one. “Could you loan me the keys? I promise I’ll lock.”

“Alright.” Caro searched her bag and dropped a small keyring into her friend’s outstretched hand. “We’ll let Mrs. Savage know you’ll be right after us.”

“No problem. Good night!” Marlene said, mostly towards the girls from Poe, as she descended down the stair.

Retracing her steps with fleeting strides, she made it back to Caro’s lab before long. The door unlocked, she allowed herself in. The place was empty and quiet, with the remains of the ritual left on the table and the magical circle still drawn and scratched on the ground.

Without saying much, she moved around towards the chair, upon which hung her cloak, Just where she’d left it. The old family heirloom carried within it the air of old magic that she had only recently managed to reawaken, and then patched to fix during the winter break. To think that this could do something like become the user’s fur… that would’ve been impressive to share with the magical department.

“Alright, done it.” Marlene sighed, not quite speaking to herself. “For the black steps… I will turn back and show up later… Then, say my name and we’ll talk about it. Isn’t that right, Grimma?”

The room appeared unchanged… and yet something felt different. The void of silence felt lesser.

“Grimma?” Marlene began to put on her cloak, only to notice the shadows begin to seep in through from the walls and onto the ground, with the green and gold dregs threading through between the plumes.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around. And even though she knew that the entity would be there, she still felt her heart jump at the shade’s appearance.

“Greetings to you, Familiar Witch,” Grimma said as she stepped forth from the lesser shadows. This being the first time Marlene saw her up close and in the light, she thought she could make out the outline of a dress and a humanoid figure for brief moments. Her shadows made the room come into an odd contrast, one that could be read as menacing–and yet, there was a warmth about the spirit as well.

Marlene snickered at the nickname. “Greetings to you.” She answered with a polite bow.

“I should thank you and your friends for helping my ward,” Grimma said as she paced around Caro’s lab. She stopped by the board that held the notes of her spell, and a chuckle escaped her before she turned back to the girl.

“Wouldn’t you say that I deserve slightly more than praise?” Marlene mused as she produced a sheaf of folded paper from her bag. She unfolded it to reveal full lines written in black ink. There were five pages’ worth, including markings for quotes and even a map drawn in the middle. “Like giving me my notes back?”

“Oh that.” Grimma laughed. “Wouldn’t you like to keep them as a memento?”

Marlene smirked as she flipped the pages, checking them one by one a last time before handing them over. “As much as I’d love to, I think it would be pretty telling to keep this with me.”

“A fair argument,” Grimma said as she passed her hand over the paper. An intangible touch pulled the inscription to fade off into the air, as well as the white contrast beneath, to reveal the buried class notes.

“Imagine my surprise,” Marlene said as she turned them around, checking that the meddlesome words were gone. “Two nights ago, I was woken by a presence slipping into my room. A dark shadow moving in and jumping into my notes.”

“Your friend took me by surprise and left me with not much time, so I sent a brief message to the nearest magically attuned person I could think of.”

“Brief? You left me instructions for a part to play, of the things that happened, were happening and later, and how to guide them. When the part was done, more appeared.”

“I couldn’t have you read ahead, could I? But I’m glad you chose to follow.” Grimma smiled. “Following the map, leading the ritual, breaking my prison at the right moment… What a nice performance.”

“How could I refuse to partake in the script? You even left me some lines,” Marlene said. “Although, you could’ve made it easier… Should I suppose you had a hand with the plush theft?”

“I just moved the pieces where they were needed,” Grimma said.

Marlene sighed. “And you couldn’t make it easier?”

“What’s a quest without thrills? An objective without an obstacle?”

“A walk in the park?”

“And yet you prevailed,” Grimma said. “I do hope that you found it fun, at least.”

“It was an entertaining evening… the risky parts aside. Got me back in action for the term” Marlene smiled. “Does that mean I’m also your pupil?”

“If you wish for it.” Grimma laughed. “I’ve coached many through the times. Be it the Masters of the house, or some mages in your world. I have even given people without magical talent a taste of it. What’s another girl with a penchant for trouble and adventure?”

“Glad you noticed me.”

“Every person is the hero of their own story; I’m interested in seeing them all,” Grimma told her.

“I’m flattered the Spirit of Fables said that to me.” Marlene adjusted her cloak, and as she did, her eyes went down to the circle on the ground. “So… were you really going to let Caro become a rat all the way?”

Grimma held her tongue for an answer, feigning to look away before casting a glance back at Marlene. “It wouldn’t have come to that… I took precautions, didn’t I?”

“I suppose you did. I was the backup,” Marlene said with a bit of pride punctuated by a small curtsy. “It was a pleasure playing the role given.”

Grimma smiled. “I suppose you desire a reward?”

“I know better than to make demands to the great sorceress.” Marlene turned around as she paced through the shadows that cascaded from the walls. Was this what Caro always saw when Grimma manifested herself? Or was this just another performance? She wondered. Either way, there was a thrill within her. “I would make a petition… but meeting the sorceress of fables, the errant enchantress, and the traveler from fantasy feels like enough of an honor.”

“Such polite education,” Grimma paused for a moment before pointing. “That cloak you have with you…”

“This?” Marlene said as she flourished the half cloak. “A long time ago, my grandmamma was attacked by a werecat. She delved into old magics at the time and sought to find a way to break the curse. It was an ordeal that lasted years… but she wouldn’t have been able to do it if a certain knowledgeable entity hadn’t guided her.”

“You’re Arlina’s granddaughter,” Grimma recognized with a hint of joy. “No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity.”

“We heard the story of her adventures until her last day. The same curse she exorcised then now lies within me, at my service.”

“I hope she left with a smile,” Grimma said in a solemn tone. “It’s no wonder I sensed the talent within you.”

“I learned quite a bit at home.”

“Your bloodline was always peculiar. It inspired me actually.”

“Like what you did to Caro?” Marlene said as she took off her cloak. “I studied, and learned from her journal. Though I’m nowhere close to achieving a spell like this. She said you crafted this one for her.”

“She said that?” Grimma shook her head. “Ever humble until the end.” And, with that, she touched the cloak. Gold and green energy flowed into the fabric, rejuvenating it with the design and colors changing slightly whilst maintaining the essence. Old stains disappeared and frayed borders re-mending themselves until the thing felt new in Marlene’s hands.

“I-I… I don’t know what to say…” Marlene stammered as she looked at the new fabric, letting it hang and turning it around just to see the reinvigorated design, letting it wave around with every movement.

“It’s a gift,” Grimma told her. “Nothing needs to be said.”

“T-Thank you,” Marlene stammered, regardless, holding it close within her arms, even noticing the fresh smoothness of its touch. “I-I should get back before they start to worry.”

“Very well,” Grimma mused as the shadows began to cease their flow, as the world began its return to normal. The sorceress was making her exit now, but she wasn’t doing it without some parting words. “I’m sure Caro will tell me her part of the adventure. Will you tell me yours?”

“Don’t you already know it?” Marlene asked before nodding. “Sure. Gladly. Maybe you can show it to the anime club.”

Grimma laughed politely as her body faded with the last piece of darkness that clung to the wall. “I’ll consider it.” And with that, she vanished.

Marlene stared at the empty room, dumbfounded for a couple of seconds. She sought out another presence, but her senses only picked the silence of everything but herself.

She shook her head, wanting to laugh. “Unbelievable. Coming here was the more interesting option,” she mused to herself as she left the room, locking it behind her before making a run to her cottage.

Monday, January 24th - 3:23pm
Crystal Hall.

“Look at her. Barely two days back to normal and she’s already getting back to applying herself,” Chris mused as she took a bite of her late lunch.

“Oh, shut it” Caro gave her friend a small frown before going back to translating Marlene’s class notes into her own notebook.

Gwen shook her head. “She’s catching up.” Her eyes were glued to her phone, but she bore the smile of someone who had just read a joke.

“Were you doing that poorly?” Chris asked.

“I’ve been basically non-existent in class the past couple of days. Spent more time texting than I should, and once you lose the train of thought in the class, why bother?” Caro said as she kept on scribbling the notes back and forth. “Yesterday was booked, dealing with the aftermath of our little mission. Today, I just began asking for notebooks to copy.”

“You’re blaming us?” Chris teased. “How’s the cottage liking your new old look?”

“They’re just glad I’m no longer ‘Miss Bitch’. I mean, some of them are a bit bitter over how I acted.”

“But she apologized for it,” Marlene said.

Caro shook her head. “I hate apologizing. I’m just glad to be back to normal… even if this’ll make going to Berlin tricky… for now.”

“So, are you going to try to fix yourself using magic?” Marlene said.

“It’s part of the plan.” Caro sighed as she closed the notebook and passed it back to the catgirl. “But I just recovered from an involuntary transformation. I think I’ll take it easy for now.”

“Even if that means you can’t go to Berlin?” Marlene prodded.

“I can still make a glamour spell, you know?” Caro answered as she changed the notebooks, this time pulling one she got from Sofia, to start all over again. “Besides, it’s not that important.”

“We can also do stuff here,” Chris offered.

“Like visiting the anime club’s shows?” Marlene offered with a smirk, getting Chris to nod but Caro to shake her head, at first.

“Well… I guess that could be an option,” Caro conceded.

Marlene snickered. “Did I hear that right?”

“Don’t make me back out,” Caro warned as she copied the information from the last page. She muttered something about Sofia needing to take better notes.

“So,” Chris asked. “Did you get in trouble? How did the school take your recovery? Not every day you break a curse, right?”

“Mrs. Savage was waiting for us when we got to the cottage. She got worried after checking the rooms and noticing that we were absent. She was so glad that the curse wasn’t a problem, she just let us in without making a fuss.”

“And… Well, today I dealt with the rest, kinda the reason I was late for class,” Caro continued between scribbles. “Told the Mystic Arts department about it all–well, most of it–much to their surprise. From there, they performed some tests and checkups to make sure that no traces of the curse were left in me. I’m completely back to normal… I also told Mr. Kim. I do owe him for advocating for me to keep my freedom rather than have me interned into Doyle for revision.”

“And did you tell them how you fixed the problem?” Gwen inquired, pulling her eyes off her phone.

“Told them something about figuring out the right ritual to summon Grimma and had her fix things with an offering,” Caro said, scribbling the notes. “No reason to tell them the entire truth…”

“That you sealed Grimma and had her with you all this time?” Marlene mused.

“And that you stole alcohol from a gang of bootleggers under Emerson?” Chris added.

“And had me flirting with them,” Gwen said that last part as a personal note.

“Be that as it may… I didn’t think that sharing those details would do me any good,” Caro mused. “So I spun an alternate tale. Didn’t even think I could share the entirety of the spell with them.”

“They probably would’ve given us a lecture for the ritual we performed,” Marlene conceded.

“That was my thought. I just wanted the matter to be over.” Caro raised an eyebrow as she heard a giggle escape from her friend. “Can’t say I’ve seen you that… effusive before. What are you watching that’s gotten you smiling?” she asked Gwen when the smile on the young heroine’s face became too much to ignore.

“Sorry, sorry,” Gwen said shyly as she put her phone aside. “It’s just that… I’m reconnecting with a school friend.”

“Really? Old boyfriend?” Caro asked.

“Just a guy friend,” Gwen said. “He was quite a jokester in my old school. Lost contact with him around the same time as Vic.”

“Is he doing well?” Chris chimed in. “Better watch out. Not sure how Dereck will take it.”

“Ah… about Dereck, we’re giving each other some distance.”

The girls around the table blinked.

“What!? When did that happen?” Chris asked.

“You didn’t tell us?” Caro gasped.

Gwen sighed. “It happened during the operation, when he showed up to ‘helpfully’ insert’ himself into the scenario. I just… couldn’t take it and had the most awkward conversation with him afterwards.”

“So, you’re done-done?” Caro asked.

“We’re just on a pause giving each other distance, not exactly a full break. I was clear on that,” Gwen said. “I hope he’ll trust me more.”

“Trying to get him to win you back? Sly,” Marlene teased.

“I’m not like that. This is just a pause.”

“So it’s not like Dereck will not be hanging around in the future, right?” Caro sighed. “And here I hoped that meetings with the Capes would get more awkward. Think Dereck will bring up what we were doing? He doesn’t really like me being in the club.”

“Kinda doubt he will. He seemed interested in giving a drink a try,” Gwen noted.

“Well, hope Dereck learns to trust you,” Caro said. Inwardly, she was leaving out that she wouldn’t be opposed if he didn’t and the pause were to prolong itself.

Chris clapped. “Guess this means we get more time with Gwen!”

“I mean, we don’t know for how long. Gwen being on the market would get some heads interested,” Marlene chimed in. “I heard some guys lament that Dereck called dibs on you first.”

“Can we change the subject? I don’t like talking about my love life. It even feels weird to say it.” Gwen moved her phone away before Chris could lean in to see.

“Sure, we can.” Marlene snickered before looking at Caro. “What about you? Is there another nefarious plan in the works?”

“Not sure what you’re talking about,” Caro said innocently.

“Come on, nothing against the girls that bullied you?” Marlene wondered.“Oh, those dumb bitches?” Caro said, with much condescension in her voice. It was mostly to relish on the fact that she could cuss and sling insults again. “Don’t worry, I’ll get back at them, eventually.”

“You’re going to get yourself in trouble already?” Gwen asked.

“It’ll probably be a small prank when they least expect it. You might not even know when I’ve gotten to them,” Caro said innocently.

“Oh boy,” Chris mused

A couple of seconds later, a huge sigh of relief escaped Caro as she stashed the book in her bag. “And… I’m done here.”

“Up to date, now?” Chris asked.

“Almost… I’m just done for now,” Caro said, taking a moment to stretch “I think I’m gonna take a walk.”

“Where are you heading?” Gwen asked.

“Probably my lab? Or the woods to breathe some fresh air?” Caro said.

“I too will be going. Want to see if I can use the parkour lab before the day ends,” Chris said as she got her own stuff together.

“Wait for me, I wanna go too,” Gwen told her. “Don’t really think I should be alone with guys around.”

“Should we hang out tomorrow?” Caro offered, half a step away.

“Would love to,” the girls answered and waved a ‘see ya’ to Caro as she left the Crystal Hall.

Monday, January 24th - 3:50pm
Woods

In the end, a flash of inspiration guided Caro’s footsteps towards the woods at the back of the school. She put some distance between her and the normal paths the students would traverse and got lost between the trees.

Her eyes moved around, looking for something unique and special she could use for a spell. The words were starting to bloom in her mind as a wording could be made.

“A dead limb broken off, kissed by winter,

Holding it at hand, a marking will be drawn

Pull together the parts, joined by the splinter.

And what was broken, it will be all sewn.”

Caro shook her head. That was a problem that often happened with writing her magic. When she wasn’t feeling the lines or had the inspiration, it all flowed like rocks. Plus she was out of practice, feeling as though she hadn’t read much in the past month. But the idea was sound, using a piece of wood to join the broken pieces of the enchanted rattenfänger flute.

“If I make it look good enough, I won’t have to tell my grandma I broke her relic,” she told herself, from which she leapt over to the topic of the ratcatcher’s curse within the flask. “Hm… or maybe I should consider releasing the curse? And tell her that was my intent.”

“Releasing a curse is always an option, provided you do it safely?” the wind carried some words to her ears. Grimma’s voice.

Caro jumped around to look behind her. Shadows seeped up through the ground, heralding the spirit’s approach. Being during the day, it felt rather off for Caro to see Grimma make an appearance in the open, but it really didn’t bother her, for there was a sense of beauty at the supernatural entrance.

Growing dense, the supernatural presence was invested in altering the world, or at least Caro’s perception of it. An odd mist descended, slowly fading the world beyond the clearing in comfortable pallor, while the shadows danced about at her feet. A coldless whiteout.

The perpetrator made herself present, stepping out from around a tree that would’ve been too thin to hide a person. Wandering through with the cloak of shadows hiding her from view… And yet every time Grimma appeared, Caro could imagine that there was something different. Maybe it was the intense white of the place, but she could make out the outline of a face and the contours of her outfit in the passing gales.

“I don’t know why I thought we wouldn’t see each other for a while,” Caro said, taking a deep breath.

“I come and go, but sometimes, I make a habit of lingering longer than usual,” Grimma mused.

“I’m…” Caro stammered for a moment before the words came out sincere and heartfelt. “I’m sorry…”

“You already said you were sorry two nights ago,” Grimma said.

“I know… but that time, it was for sealing you. This one is for me going back on our pact.” Caro paused as she paced around within the space. “We made a deal. We had an arrangement and I tried to back out of everything when you gave me the chance. Tried to screw you over just to avoid my part.”

“I made it easy for you for once. I can’t say I didn’t predict you’d take the chance when it presented it to you. It did make things more interesting,” Grimma said with a soft laugh. “You got me quite well. Not much finesse in the execution, but the right timing and raw pressure got you far.”

“I was scared out of my mind back then. Thought you would retaliate… I mean, you did, but at the time, I didn’t know.”

“In the end, it all turned out for the better.”

“Some things better than others,” Caro said as she parted the smoke with her leg. She was searching the ground for anything that she might use, only to feel a tap on her back.

“If you want to fix Angelica’s flute…” Grimma offered Caro a branch of pale wood. “Magically fostered, freshly departed by the winter’s chill, but also having carried a long life. This would do.”

“Thanks,” Caro said, accepting the branch. “You said I could release the ratcatcher’s curse? Is that a fair thing to do?”

“I don’t see why not. If you do so, then the curse would be no more, and its anima will join the flow of energy to be reborn and made into something new.”

“Sounds like killing it.”

“Hardly. Curses typically don’t have a mind of their own… all they might have are instincts and preordained functions. Releasing them in a purified way is just cutting those orders off, letting them leave in communion with the world until they get called forth again,” Grimma told her.

“Hm… perhaps I should let my grandmother make the decision. I’ll just put the curse back into the flute once it’s mended,” Caro decided.

“If you say so,” Grimma said, only for an echoing meow to break the next sentence.

The two turned around towards the side of the mist to note a feline creature walking through… although Caro could almost swear that it had just manifested itself out of thin air. At first glance, it looked like a black cat, casually pacing through the mist, with its eyes staring at the surroundings with interested wonder, and especially at Caro, before settling itself behind Grimma’s shadowy legs. In her mouth, she carried a small bell.

“Oh child, what brings you here?”

The cat put its toy down to give Grimma a lingering look, before meowing again.

“So you’ve paced here before?” Grimma said, kneeling down to scratch its head.

Seemingly understanding, the cat meowed.

“A choice was made? I see… you finally decided to make a bridge?” Grimma answered.

“Ahem… do you know this cat?” Caro said, crouching down to get a better look. The action gained the feline’s attention, and its little ears perked up. It was fuzz and fluff, but at the same time, there was a sort of dust emanating from its body. “Feel like I’ve seen it before. Or felt its presence.”

“You probably have.” Grimma laughed softly as the cat jumped up on her back, clinging to her shoulder like a familiar. The gesture had Caro quite taken aback, after being so respectful and wary of the entity. “Young Mew’s den is located not so far from that maze near your lab.”

“It lives in the labs?”

“Mew is a sweet girl, Caro,” Grimma admonished.

“She lives in the lab?” Caro corrected herself.

“Such a solitary life this child has lived.”

“And her name is Mew?”

“I believe it’s a name she picked for itself, something about some card in her nest,” Grimma said, reaching over to caress the cat’s head as it demanded.

“Is… is that the cat that stole the plush?” Caro said. If so, there was no denying that Grimma’d had a hand in that problem.

“One of my conspirators she be, yes,” Grimma said, stroking the animal’s chin.

That cannot be a normal cat, Caro thought to herself. And, as if on demand, the feline showed its true colors. With a small shudder, the black fur on its body began to dissolve into a lighter hue of smoke, not so different to Grimma’s own brand, shedding off the disguise to reveal a more exotic form. Still feline in form, it bore plaques along its spine down to the start of its tail, with a rather distinctive fur pattern and the clear power of magic as lines traced across its pelt.

“What is she?” Caro leaned in curiously, only to make the animal shy away before hopping back to the ground, or rather phasing through Grimma’s own appearance as if she became intangible for a second.

“Hm… I’m not quite sure myself,” Grimma answered. “I guess she would be something like a daughter to me?”

Caro blinked. “A daughter!?”

“In a sense.” Grimma reached down to caress the cat’s back as it played with the bell. “I do plenty of things in this world. I meet people, teach them, help them or hinder them. Anyone I run into who piques my interest. Some years ago, a rather talented alchemist summoned me. He was part of a collective that sought to make an experiment, a creation of both science and magic, a unique blend.”

A chuckle escaped Grimma, just like a fond memory. “They tried to take my power by force and I taught them a lesson… but it was the alchemist’s humility and drive that won me over, enough for me to agree to give them a dollop, well, a large-ish portionof my essence.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Normally, yes… but to me, it’s just a gift. Not so different from donating blood. Although they asked for quite a bit, it didn’t take me long to recover,” Grimma said as she scratched the cat’s ears. In a moment of silence so dense, Caro couldn’t help but feel that something was being whispered before she continued. “I hadn’t thought about the matter for a while now. And yet, it wasn’t long after I first set foot down at the tunnels that I felt the little one’s presence. I found her in an abandoned room all by herself. Ever since, I’ve made a point of stopping by to check on her every now and then.”

“So she is a part of you?”

“Mew is her own entity… although because she has a part of me within her, she knew I was someone she could trust right away… even if she can be a naughty child at times.” To that the cat creature gave Grimma’s hand a playful bite, with half-closed eyes of happiness. All the while Caro was just taken aback by this.

“She’s pretty,” Caro managed to say, kneeling down and extending her hand as an invitation for the feline.

Mew followed her gesture with curious eyes, waiting warily for a long moment, even looking at her ‘mom’ before making up her mind. She took a couple of paces towards Caro, her whiskers leaning forward as she sniffed the hand. It wasn’t long before she pressed her forehead against the human’s skin before walking forth and rubbing its body up against her leg. Mew was really a cat.

Though that was it, after a couple more pets and caresses down her back, the feline creature paced away back to Grimma’s legs. She looked up her way to mewl.

“Is that so… I see.” Grimma mused. “Remember to not be alone, alright?”

The cat nodded. She picked up the bell she dropped and walked back into the mist, disappearing through, though not before giving Caro a curious glance. And with that, the creature left them alone.

“Sorry about that. The child has yet to learn some manners,” Grimma said.

“Did she not like me?” Caro asked.

“Oh, she liked you,” Grimma said, in a thoughtful mood. “But she wasn’t looking for you today.”

“It’s alright,” Caro noted, watching where the creature went. “About our conditions? You said this wasn’t meant to be a permanent form, right?”

“It was never meant to be permanent. This form of yours is just what resulted from the essence I imbued in you going out of control.”

“Thanks for reminding me of that. I’m always worried that it’ll happen again…” Caro said.

“Don’t worry; the way I set the enchantment, it should be well contained. How you are now is just what I allowed.”

“So you could’ve made me look normal and keep my powers?”

“Where’s the joy in that? Exotic suits you.” Grimma shook her head. “When you’re ready, I’ll show you what other forms you might adopt… and it doesn’t have to always be the dragon that you’d found so useful.”

“What do you mean?” Caro blinked

“Maybe once you recover the humanity you so desperately craved, or maybe before. Only the next chapter will tell where I should lean to.” Grimma smiled as her gaze moved off to the side, as if peering through the white mist.

“You don’t make it easy,” Caro answered, starting to sense a change in the air, as Grimma’s pressure began to fade.

“I should depart now.” Grimma shook her head as she gracefully paced away. “I’ve been here longer than the woods will conceal me. Wouldn’t want to cause an alarm in your school.”

“Probably not…” Caro sighed. “I’ll see you around, teacher.”

“I look forward to learning of your exploits, my paladin,” said the Spirit of Fable. She paced between the trees, only to suddenly disappear behind one. And with that, the shadows that heralded her entrance disappeared and the white mist that separated them from the world faded away to reveal the rest of the woods.

Caro shook her head. “So much trouble… but, at least it’s not without rhyme or reason… right?” She looked down at the piece of wood Grimma gave her for the mending spell. A light smile graced her lips.

Monday, January 24th - 4:12pm
Woods - Lake

While waiting for the snow to fall, the weather was quiet and still as the clouds approached. The lake hidden within the woods was dead still, reflecting the clouds in the sky like a perfect mirror. It almost made Vic regret disturbing it with skipping stones. Almost.

He reeled his arm back and sent the polished stone off, bouncing it across the surface a couple of times before it finally sank. The ripples flowed everywhere and back before going still.

This sort of break was what he needed. He had just sent a text message to his dad. It was one of the most awkward things that he could think of doing, given his history as a runaway. But he just couldn’t shake the idea that he might’ve been lamenting his disappearance in one way or form, especially with the holidays past them. Gwen might’ve said he was fine, but he had a feeling she might be fronting. “Hey dad… Thank you for the birthday wishes. I just wanted to let you know that I’m fine. I’m at school, so don’t worry about me. Late merry Christmas and happy New Year. Vic.” Direct and to the point, not even wanting to give Dad the chance to start a conversation because he knew that things would only get more awkward, what with their separation and his own growing changes. He’d sent the message, then immediately turned the phone off and left it in his room.

He planned to check it later. So far, his dad had been quite cautious in respecting the distance, and yet he could tell that interaction was needed. This was a door he didn’t know if he should open. Yet the message had been sent now, so no point in worrying about it more than classes.

Speaking of, classes had been going quite… peacefully, for that matter. Sure, there were some things that he wasn’t looking forward to, but everything else appeared to go swell. He was making progress in lessons, he kept himself in shape, and overall he was just working on things. What more could he aspire to? He had no idea yet…

Twain had been very accommodating to him, especially the RAs who popped in to check on him every now and then since the start of the term. Sourpuss Zephyr appeared to act more sympathetic–something that Vic found obnoxious as he tended to give Toby and him the stink eye and occasional glare. On the other hand, the Imp’s class was indifferent to his changes, making him feel more than welcome. It even got more entertaining as he continued to practice drawing. He doubted he would be able to make it as an artist, but it was a relaxing hobby.

He was hanging around with the rest of the M3 team, even if, more often than not, they were each on their own things. And that was fine; so was he. He had no idea how they would react upon finding out the crazy way he spent Christmas. Still, he wondered when they would meet up and do things together? After all, there was that underground clubhouse Thulia’d happened to find. At the moment his only plans were his date with Tanya to Berlin and, with his glamour necklace charged, he was sure it would be like before. Maybe he could hang out with Gwen as well now that she was separated from Dereck.

And speaking of before, he was more than relieved to hear that Caro had managed to break the curse and return herself to normal… that was to say, her previous normal, the appearance with the horns and scales. Yesterday, when he talked with Gwen, she said that she was happily optimistic about it, which he would count as a success.

“Now Caro owes me one,” Vic said as he threw another stone. “What should I ask?” His mind was already thinking of borrowing the bell that hardened water, if she still had it.

A bell that makes all water solid without freezing at the ring of a chime.

*ring*

Vic froze before throwing the next stone. A sound faint and muffled, but still distinctively out of place in the woods… and yet something familiar about it.

He turned around to find the source of the noise, the strange feline creature that he’d met around this place before, and in the tunnels. The cat with plaques on its back, looking up his way with wide eyes. It held in its mouth the bell he’d left for it a while back.

“Ah, it’s you,” Vic said slowly.

This time the animal didn’t appear wary of him, so he carefully knelt to get down to eye level. He extended his hand and beckoned it to come closer.

Only for the creature to instead drop the bell from its mouth and swat it in Vic’s direction.

He managed to catch it before it rolled into the lake. “Are we playing football?” he said before sending it bouncing back. The creature appeared to enjoy the game enough to repeat it a couple times.

And at the end, it picked up the bell and moved over to Vic. Its cautious steps quickened the closer it got, much to the boy’s amusement. Its eyes were fixated on the scales that covered his hands, watching it curiously as it reached out.

“It’s okay. I know I may be a bit different than before, but I’m still me.”

And the animal understood this as it moved in closer, putting its nose against his fingers. Hm… I hope it doesn’t try to bite me because it thinks I’m a fish, he thought to himself, half concerned, half amused.

Still, the worry was for nothing as the feline thing just pressed its head against his hand before effectively rubbing itself against him. And that was an invitation for him to return the gesture, with his hand stroking the side and scales behind him. They were surprisingly velvety and soft to touch.

“Well, I didn't think of making a new friend today…” Vic saido himself. “What’s your name?” he asked the creature, establishing the mental connection. He couldn’t exactly talk to animals, as he’d tested when visiting the pet stores in Berlin, but he could get a fair read of the emotions and intentions, with no human words given.

Which made it surprising when the animal said <Mew> in a mental voice not unlike its mewls, only clearly as a word this time.

Stunned but somewhat thrilled, Vic smiled, petting the animal more as it leaned closer. “Hello Mew.”

 

The End of Pied Pythoness