By
Morpheus
I sat in front of my laptop, reading over an email I’d just received from Traci telling me that she was back home with her family and that everything was going fine. I’d also received a similar email from Vivian, assuring me that all the kidnapped Were had made it home safely and were doing well. However, they were all keeping an eye out and watching their backs in case Gregor and his people tried anything like that again.
Amylia was certain that Gregor would try this again, telling me that he wasn’t the kind of person who would give up easily. She’d been busy at work, trying to get her failsafe spell finished as quickly as possible. In fact, I was supposed to help her assemble the final spell tomorrow night, though I still didn’t understand what it would do.
Once I was done replying to the emails, I leaned back in my chair, feeling a little nervous as I thought about what was going to happen in just a little bit. It was easier to think of the events that had already happened earlier in the day.
Teressa had nearly attacked me in class today, still being pissed off about the costume party last night and screaming profanities. I just played innocent, and since she was too embarrassed to actually reveal the details behind her small…large problem, there was nothing anyone could do. However, this did result in another duel challenge from her, one that was scheduled to take place tomorrow after school.
To my surprise, I’d received a second challenge for a duel today as well, this one from a boy in my class. His motivation for challenging me wasn’t nearly as personal as Teressa’s and was actually something of a compliment. He just wanted to get into dueling, and since I’ve already dueled several times, he thought that I would be a good person to practice against. I was actually looking forward to it, thinking that it might be fun going into a duel that wasn’t personal.
After a minute of being distracted, I turned my attention to the tokens that were carefully spread out on my desk, organized by what spells they contained. Some of them were silly spells that I’d cast for practice while others contained spells that would be useful in case I got into trouble again. However, there was one token that I had yet to actually test, one that I’d been both eager and hesitant to use. I picked the stone up in my hand and stared at it for a moment before whispering the word that would activate it.
My body immediately began to change and reform, something which I had become very used to. Then I realized that I’d forgotten to remove my clothes and scrambled to do so as quickly as I could. In less than a minute, my transformation was over and I was once again in my male form.
“I’m me again,” I whispered as I looked down at myself. But even as I said that, I remembered what aunt June had told me, that no matter which form I was in, I was still me.
I felt my now flat chest, finding the absence of my breasts oddly disturbing. Then I reached between my legs, feeling my newly returned manhood and gulped. Even though I’ve had a penis for most of my life, it felt strangely out of place. It suddenly struck me that I felt completely awkward and uncomfortable like this. My body just felt…wrong.
“I’m a guy again,” I said, though in spite of how long I’d been looking forward to this, I just didn’t feel very happy about it. In fact, I was just eager for the spell to wear off so I could change back to normal. “I just hope no one sees me like this…especially Todd.”
I sat down and laughed at the irony of the situation. I’ve spent most of my life as guy and less than two months as girl, yet I now felt far more comfortable as a girl than as a guy. And after all that work I’d done in order to spend at least a little time as a guy again, all I could do was hope it wore off quickly. I also chuckled at the realization that I was more embarrassed about being seeing as a boy than as a succubus.
When my spell wore off a few minutes later and I transformed back to my plain form, I let out a sigh of relief. I felt my newly returned breasts and muttered, “I don’t think I’m gonna use that spell again.” Then I paused before adding, “At least not on myself.”
A few minutes later, I decided that it was time to begin getting ready. I’d already accepted that I was now female, but this brief experience had driven it home even more, letting me know that I wouldn’t go back even if I could. Now, it was time to make some others accept that I was now a girl as well.
I changed into my enhanced form then put on a nice pair of slacks, followed by a blouse which showed off my assets nicely…but not too much. I wanted something a bit nicer than my usual t-shirts for this, but I wasn’t quite ready to go with a dress. Once I was done getting dressed, I went to work with the makeup, keeping it light but tasteful, just as I’d been taught.
Once I was fully ready, I left my room and started for the hall of doors. I didn’t have to wait long before aunt June arrived. However, this time she wasn’t alone. Two other people stepped out of the gate right behind her, two people who made me very nervous to see.
“Erin,” mom exclaimed, grabbing me in a hug the instant she saw me.
“Hi mom,” I greeted her awkwardly, then gave a nervous look at my dad and added, “Hi dad.”
“You look…lovely,” mom said, with a gentle smile.
I stood there while my parents looked me over, feeling extremely nervous and self-conscious. I’ve been talking to them by email and on the phone, but this was the first time I’d seen them in person since coming to the Academy. I’d changed a great deal since then and wasn’t sure what they’d think of that, or if they’d even accept it.
After a moment, dad said, “It’s nice to see you again.” He gave me a hug, looking just a little self-conscious and awkward as well. “You’ve changed.”
“Of course she has,” mom quickly added, giving dad a warning look as though afraid he’d offend me. “She’s growing up.”
“Before we all go out to dinner,” aunt June said. “Perhaps Erin can show you around.”
I glared at aunt June who just gave me a faint smile, then I looked to my parents who still seemed a little uncertain as to how they should relate to me. This was one of the reasons we’d all decided to go out to dinner together, so we could talk and they could see how much I’ve changed. Since we were all going out together, they’d decided that now would also be a good time to come visit the Academy before we left for the restaurant mom had picked out.
Normally, visitors weren’t allowed on campus, not even parents. This was both for security reasons and to keep the students from being distracted by a flow of strangers through the Academy. Sponsors were considered part of the education process and almost as auxiliary staff, so were given free access to most of the school. Of course, there were exceptions, such as the occasional parents day, or in this case. Aunt June had gotten permission from Professor Roangard for my mom and dad to come after classes had ended for the day.
I began giving my parents a quick tour, noticing that dad was looking around with an expression of fascination. That just reminded me that this was the first time he’d ever been to the Academy. I had to imagine it was just as impressive to him as it had been to me when I first came here. I kept the tour short, pointing out the various buildings but actually taking them to see my dorm room themselves. But while I did that, I just wished that I’d thought to clean it up a little more first.
Mom looked over my dorm room, paying special attention to the makeup on the dresser and my feminine clothes. Then she gave me a speculative look and said, “So… We hear there’s a boy…”
I glared at aunt June, who was doing her best innocent look. “Um…yeah,” I admitted, knowing that I was blushing bright red.
“Does he know about…?” dad started, giving me a concerned look.
I just nodded self-consciously. “Yeah. He knows all about my being a succubus.”
“But what about…?” dad asked, obviously uncomfortable with the topic.
“He knows about that too,” I responded with a nervous smile.
Dad gave me an odd look for a moment before shaking his head. Then he joked, “I suppose that now I’ll have to buy a shotgun to intimidate your boyfriends with.”
“I see we really do have a lot to talk about over dinner,” mom said, giving me a faint smile and an odd look.
After this, we all made our way back towards the hall of doors so we could head out for dinner. We were just entering the building when we nearly bumped into Amylia, who was on her way out.
“Erin,” Amylia greeted me, giving a curious look at my parents, especially my dad.
“Amylia,” aunt June responded pleasantly.
“You’re Amylia?” dad asked in surprise. “Doctor Merchant told me that you helped save Erin from the kidnappers…”
“Is that all he told you?” Amylia asked carefully.
“He said that you were a sorceress,” dad responded with a chuckle. “And that he thought you were very attractive.”
“He did?” Amylia responded, looking quite pleased at that.
Dad just grinned and said, “Thank you so much for taking care of Erin…”
“It was my pleasure,” Amylia told him, giving me a look of pride. “But it was Erin who played the largest role in our escape. She was the one who discovered how to break free of our cages.”
“Really?” dad asked, giving me a look of surprise and then pride.
“Doctor Merchant did say that we should have a talk with you,” mom said, giving Amylia a curious look. “In fact, he was rather insistent on that.”
Amylia nodded faintly, looking at my dad again with an expression that might have been disappointment that he didn’t already know who she was. “Edward was right about that,” she finally replied. “We do need to have a talk.”
Amylia looked a little uncertain as to where to go from there so I said, “We’re having a full moon party next week. Do you want to come?”
“I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of a full moon party,” aunt June quickly added with a chuckle. “It’s a Were thing where they celebrate the full moon.”
“Good food and good conversation,” dad agreed pleasantly, then gave a wink as he added, “And then we go out and howl at the moon.”
“You’re more than welcome to come,” mom assured her, probably wondering why I’d invite a teacher to a family party. “I know you’re not a Were, but neither am I. It might be nice having someone to talk to after everyone else turns furry.”
Amylia gave me an odd look, hesitating for several very long seconds before answering, “I think I’d like that.” She had an amused smile as she added, “The full moon should be the perfect time for our discussion.”
“Good,” mom responded with a broad smile. “You can tell me all about how Erin is doing in class.”
“Erin is doing quite well,” Amylia quickly assured them. She looked to aunt June and said, “She started out behind the other students but has worked hard and is now ahead of many of her classmates.” Then Amylia looked to my parents again, especially my dad. “I can assure you that what we have to discuss is important to me, but is not related to Erin’s grades.”
“Now you have me curious,” aunt June said, obviously wondering why Amylia wanted to bypass her and talk to my parents directly. After all, aunt June was my sponsor at the Academy so most concerns should have gone to her.
Amylia just smiled faintly, then looked at me. “Enjoy the time with your family, Erin. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.” And with that, Amylia turned and walked away.
“What was that about?” aunt June asked me with a slightly suspicious look. “Do you know?”
I hesitated a moment before nodding. Then I quickly explained, “But it’s not my place to say. You’ll have to ask her yourself.”
“I think I will,” aunt June mused, looking to my dad and saying, “I hope you don’t mind one more at that party.”
“Not at all,” dad responded with a grin. “I have a feeling that this will be interesting.”
“You have no idea,” I muttered.
“Now,” mom abruptly said, looking at me with a gleam in her eyes. “Tell me about this boy you’re seeing…” I just gulped, suddenly having a feeling that it was going to be a long dinner.
Comments
Touching the Moon
I am going to miss my nightly dose of Erin and her friends, when you decide to end this story. I hope your muse will not allow you to forget them for future work.
I have enjoyed the story so far and hope to continue reading the work of a master tg story writer.
“Tell me about this boy you’re seeing…"
giggle. funny, that she finally was able to turn back to a guy, and found she wasnt comfortable that way ....
I can see both the duel and
I can see both the duel and the next full moon party being pretty interesting.
One plain sorceress, two hybrid sorceresses, one plain Touched, and a batch of furries.
Well, at least four of them will be able to talk. The rest will just have to screech, squawk, grunt, howl, and gibber.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
The rest can't talk...
Unless some more of the other mythics, especially ones able to speak (or able to project thoughts telepathically, like a certain Were unicorn), are invited to the party too. :)
Lisa
Of course they can talk!
Of course they can talk! They just talk in furry. We can only listen in human.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
Action
Not much action but this chapter serves to bridge the last few chapters which were packed full of action with the next crisis. I like that you introduced a friendly duel, I would think these types would be more common as young students start to feel each other out and learn their powers. Looking forward to your next chapter.
Cheers
Zapper
Full moon party after the near debacale of the Were gettogether
If THAT doesn't draw Gregor and his remaining minions out of the sewers I don't know what will.
And what is with Teressa?
Can't she ever learn? And at the school party you would think some of the faculty would be watchingout for magical dirty tricks, magical rohypnol and the like.
As to Teressa, use the MALE spell on her by all means.
In The Academy Gayle came up with the idea of spells that did not need a spoken word to invoke, thus allowing her to use a silence spell against her opponent.
Not sure if that spell would work anymore thought Gayle must still know it. BUT could a spell be made that is triggered by your opponents words or actions?
IE a sort of automatic counter spell?
Erin loves using Engage, IE from STNG, as she still is a geek at heart albeit a female geek now.
Does Teressa have a favorite phrase or could a token be keyed to an attack?
Always wondered if instead of a shield, IE deflecting an attack, one could either reflect it BACK at the caster OR absorb the energy and use it to boost a counter spell? Or given Erin's ability to quickly read magic patterns and identify spells she has not seen, what of using that old school chain of spells thing she and Amylia are doing as a failsafe for their fellow Were to protect herself in a duel?
IE could Erin chain together a series of protective or agressive spells usefull in a duel?
IE a magical machinegun or magical mass attack? A magical chain of fake images to confuse Teressa? I'm thinking, use her aunts ability to make small reusable charms and her flashy *stage magic*, IE her deceptive magic to fool Teressa in a duel. IE con her with *smoke and mirrors* then slip right behind her and physically shove her out of the ring?
Just some thoughts.
Sounds like Amylia will reveal who she is to Erin's dad, the aunt and Erin's mom..
Erin has earned that honor.
As to the failsafe spell.
Several thoughts.
If Gregor tries to ensorcel or capture a Were, that were gets magically boomeranged to The Academy? Or does Gregor get sucked into a dueling circle and entrapped?
Must be something major and powerful if Amylia is willing to put all this time and energy into it.
And I wonder, if her husband is alive though older than I assumed he should appear, is their son alive? And did Gregor ever have any other kids.
Hell, he sounds like enough of a jerk to have several bastards he fathered during or even before the marriage or after.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
dad came through a gate?
I was under the impression that only Touched were able to use them, since Gayle's Dad could not even hand the luggage through it, nor carry it through for the kids. Good chapter, good story.
The luggage was passed
The luggage was passed through while the gate was held open. It's just easier for the person leaning on the doorframe to do the passing, rather than worry about someone else falling through :)
We have two things. 1) The doors only allow Touched.. maybe. 2) Weres are like touched, but with a singular talent that can only be used at night.
I'd surmise that the doors will recognize a Were, Sier, or Touched as all being 'magic', with the main filters being how the doors are built, and whether or not you can read the directions :)
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.