Conspiracies abound, Between Terri's dead Grandmother still playing with the fates, the cheerleaders still trying to get her to join them. Terri just wants some peace and calm...like that will happen!
 

Accidental Magic

By
Allystra Krane

Chapter Six
The Master Plan

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"What do you mean kill him?" Asked Terri, her face now pale.

"Augustine was part of the attack force of users sent to stop the last vortex thirty years ago. Of over three hundred users that answered the call, only sixteen survived. Augustine had the dubious honor of driving a single spear of ice through a doorway and then a gap in the Vortex's shield defense. It killed him instantly, allowing the building that other users dropped on him to finally fall and finish the job." Allyssa stated.

"Geez." replied Terri. "And she holds herself responsible."

"Yeah. I think she is hoping she won't have to do the same to you."

"She wasn’t the only one. Why did she have to kill him? And why did all those users die attacking him?"

Allyssa's grip on Terri tightened as she pressed her neck further into the taller girl's chest.

"The downside to being a vortex is that spells inducing mental control on another person work much easier on them. If anyone ever tried to take control of you, you would have a very hard time resisting."

"The last vortex was under the control of a wizard named Nethizar. He is also believed to have died in the battle, but no one is sure.

Nethizar was a great user, at least in a few of the areas. He could throw up powerful shields that could withstand massive evocation attacks. He could also beguile, or take mental control over nearly everyone. He saw the last vortex as an unstoppable force he could use to take over the world."

"So that's why the other vortex had to die. He was turned into a mere tool." replied Terri.

"Pretty much. The building was raised up and dropped on him, forcing him to use his overhead shield to withstand the downward force, and enough of his power that his forward shield started splitting apart. One of those holes created was open at the right time and place for Augustine's projectile."

"I see." said Terri, lost in thought.

"Hey, don't look now, but there are cheerleaders at your front door." commented Allyssa as they neared Terri's home.

"Oh damn, what could they possibly want?"

Approaching the door, Terri recognized Cindy, Naomi and Melissa. All three were chatting with her mother who was sitting on the porch swing.

As they approached, the girls spotted them both and quickly said their goodbyes to Terri's mother and met them at the sidewalk in front of the house.

"Terri, I'm sorry, but..." Cindy started.

"...But we all know about..." interrupted Naomi.

"About me?" asked Terri.

All three girls nodded.

Allyssa scowled. "I thought Augustine told you not to say anything, Cindy."

"I didn't." protested Cindy. "They got there the same way I did, by masturbating while thinking about you!"

Naomi and Melissa both turned red at this declaration, while Allyssa grinned evilly at Terri, who had just dropped her jaw wide open and was staring at them.

Several moments went by until Allyssa replied. "The charm break seems to be contagious Terri. Need me to call Augustine and have their muggle minds wiped?"

"No." Terri snapped flatly. "I want to know why you three are here then, if nothing but to get me to switch schools or towns or something. If you know who I was, how come you aren't calling me a pervert, weirdo or something?"

Naomi shook her head. "Cindy told me that you said you didn't want to be a cheerleader and you just did it because it needed to be done. You were doing it to help me."

Terri looked at her. "Please don't make me regret that decision."

Naomi then threw herself at Terri, wrapping arms around the taller girl.

"I can't remember a time when everyone at school wasn't cruel to you, including me. Now Cindy said you were in pain constantly, and that becoming a woman took that away. I want you to be happy now and if this is what it takes, then I will help you in any way I can."

"Me too." said Melissa. "I regret making fun of you. Since Monday I've been looking at you and wondering why I hadn't noticed someone so pretty before. I couldn't remember that you had always been there."

"We all did." added Cindy. "But now we know the secret and it made us realize how awful we've been to you. I think we all want to see you happy."

"You know..." commented Terri. "I am getting a bad feeling about this." She peeled Naomi off her, setting the girl in front of her again.

"Me too.” replied Allyssa. "Something is fishy here. If all one had to do was, Ahem, touch oneself inappropriately while thinking about you, I'm sure more than half the boys at school would already know."

"Yeah... ewww. I feel so dirty all of a sudden." remarked Terri.

Allyssa looked at the three girls. "Would you three mind if I scryed on you for a moment?"

Cindy shook her head. "Sure, whatever."

Allyssa put the fingertips on her left hand onto the middle of her forehead, and turned to look at each of the girls with her eyes closed. Her head tilted, examining them from top to bottom.

"Terri, we have a major problem." Allyssa stated.

"What?"

"Someone or something broke the charm on these girls. It wasn't just them."

"Grandma again?"

"I couldn't say, but I'm going to report it. Someone will likely need to go check out where they were when they broke the charm."

"So what now?" asked Terri?

"Well." Cindy replied. "We left your uniform with your mother. It's spirit day tomorrow. Miss Meyers thought it would be difficult to convince the school board that you tried out to be a cheerleader when you actually didn't want to be part of the team. She thought that if you could stand to wear the uniform over your bodysuit again like you did, you could go through classes for the day. If you could also try to be a little cheerful, that wouldn't hurt either."

"Instead of the seething ball of anger you are now..." added Naomi.

Terri loosened her bite, and then sighed. "I suppose you're right. I guess I'll just do it."

Cindy thought for a moment then added. "It will mean, of course, that you'll have to sit with us at lunch. But I promise you that we’ll be in our most intelligent behavior."

"I can't wait." Terri replied as she turned and marched up the path to the house.

"Okay you three." Snapped Allyssa. "I'm sure Cindy already mentioned the rules for keeping Terri's big secret. The same goes for you two. But I need to know right now, where you where when you broke the charm. Don't lie, cause you'll be doing her no good. All I need it for is to have someone check the room for trace magic."

"Bedroom, my home." replied Naomi. "I was on my bed."

"Same." added the other two.

"Ok, I'll let the people in charge know. Now go home. A lot of stuff happened today and your little revelation might be the last straw. I think Terri's about to suffer another breakdown."

Allyssa turned and dashed up the walk, only to find Terri laying against her mother on the porch swing. Terri's eyes were closed, and tears were already beginning to flow down one cheek.

"Terri, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not."

Terri's mother looked at Allyssa. "You don't have to worry. I'll take care of her. She's just having a bad week. What with the assault and her illness last weekend, I think she's just strained herself a little too much."

"Well, ok then. I'll just go home and come back tomorrow to walk with her to school if that's ok?"

"That would be perfect Allyssa, if you arrive early enough I'll treat you to homemade waffles."

“Thank you Ma'am. I should be going now. It's getting dark and the streets aren't as safe as used to be."

With that, Allyssa jogged down the path, and onto the sidewalk, disappearing behind a row of bushes sculpted into a hedge.

Terri's mother helped her daughter to her feet. "C’mon sweety. Let’s get to get you to bed."

"Yes Momma." Terri replied as she was led inside and upstairs to her room.

---

The next day began great for Terri. She woke up feeling great and surprised her mother by having breakfast well underway before anyone was up. Allyssa soon arrived to partake in the promised waffles and the boarders were quite impressed by Terri's skill flipping pancakes and eggs on the griddle at high speed.

The walk to school during a light breeze only served as a constant remember of her new obligation and the new level of uncomfortable-ness she had gotten herself into.

She mused at her attire for the day. The symbiant had taken on its black cat suit appearance with the boots once again. Terri had attempted to ask it if the soles would wear down, thus depleting the suit's mass, but it had informed her not to worry.

Clothed over top of the suit, was the cheerleader uniform, mocking her with all it seemed to represent - to her anyway. Terri decided that she would not fall into the stereotypical cheerleader and would, in fact, stay true to herself - even at the expense of everyone else.

She had managed to make it through the first three periods before lunch, staying perky and attentive in class. She even asked questions which actually sounded intelligent but, in fact, caused her classmates to realize that she was trying to act dumb in order to make the teacher’s job a little harder. The evil grin she sported just after raising her hand served to warn everyone that she was in rare form.

Lunchtime came. She remembered that she had agreed to sit with the cheer squad.

She walked over and took a seat with them, shocking two of the girls who hadn't been informed of this new development.

"Hello Terri, how is school going?" Cindy asked.

"It's doing alright. I guess that I can tolerate this. I find that an evil grin works better than a smile." Terri replied, while showing them the proof.

"Do you think you can wear that on all spirit days?"

"I was hoping not to, but so far since… uh, last weekend, my life has been never-ending attempts at getting me to do things I don't want to."

"Well there is one benefit of that uniform that you might not be aware of."

"And that is?"

Cindy motioned to a boy navigating the chairs and tables on his way to their table.

"That boy there has been staring at you since you got here. Now, don't say a single word. Let me do the talking."

"Hey, I'm not going out on a date with anyone!"

"Just watch, ye of little faith."

Cindy sat there and faced the boy as he approached.

"Hey Terri. I was wondering...."

"Excuse me, do you not know the rules?"

"Oh? What rules?" asked the young man.

"We're cheerleaders. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week, but all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special bi-weekly meeting by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs, or in the case of financial decisions, which require a two-thirds majority to pass." Cindy rattled off.

"I don't get it..." he replied.

"It's simple. Are you trying to ask one of our members on a date? Girls, time to vote."

"All in favor?" This was followed by only one of the girls at the table actually raising her hand, but only halfway when she noticed no one else was and promptly lowered it.

"All Opposed?" followed by everyone's hand except Terri's rising up, since she was now overcome with shock and awe.

"Motion failed. I am sorry sir. The collective has forbidden Terri from dating at this time."

"When would be a good time then?" the boy asked, some of his confidence returning.

"Try next month, possibly after she has recovered from the rape incident only a few days ago. But ask a member for a vote first. Those are the rules."

Dejected, but unharmed, the boy sauntered off back to his own table.

"And here I thought you were an idiot." Terri piped in. "Did you just use a Monty Python reference?"

"Yes, and terribly I might add. I know I screwed it up there near the end. Oh well. He bought it and everyone played along. Thank you all for your support." Cindy chimed.

Terri just stared down at her lunch bag. "I don't know what to say."

"You're one of us now." Cindy replied. "Now you won't be bothered by the rest of the cliques. We're hiding your secret, and we're all committed to helping you embrace this gift."

"What do you mean all?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot to mention. A few nervous phone calls I got this morning made it clear that he whole squad knows. But no one else."

"THE WHOLE SQUAD!" Terri snapped. "Am I everyone's fantasy all of a sudden?"

"Well yes, but that isn't the point. Most of the squad is into the opposite sex and were not thinking about you in the same way I was. I think your grandma or whoever broke mine, must have gone and done everyone's last night."

"Oh great. So all of you know?"

Heads around the table nodded. Another girl spoke up. "Terri, was Cindy right? Were you in pain?"

Terri nodded, her train of thought broken. "Yeah." She looked at her hands, rubbing the back of one with the other palm. "It still feels so weird to be able to touch my own skin without feeling a sharp tingle. Even a breeze used to hurt. It's so much better now. Even if I go back to being male, I don't hurt anymore. I figure all I need to do is suffer through the last three months of school like this and I can go off to college and be a man full time. If I choose somewhere far off, no one from here would be there and I wouldn't be recognized."

"You aren't in pain anymore, but you still think being female is suffering?"

"I…I didn't mean it like that!" Terri exclaimed to the girl across the table.

"Sounds like we need to plan a girl's day." said Cindy, now sporting her own evil grin.

"Sleepover?" asked another.

"Nails, toes, hair and giving backrubs and should massages?"

"Oh yes, all that and a shopping trip in there too." replied Cindy.

"Since this will obviously be Terri's first, I think we'll have to hold it over at my place." Said Melissa. "My dad will be out of town for the weekend and I'm sure mom will love to chaperone for us. Anything to keep me from getting knocked up in someone's back seat."

Terri just tried to make herself less noticeable in her chair, eating as fast as she could. Plans were being made all around her that she wanted nothing to do with.

The bell could not have come soon enough for Terri's taste as she suddenly scrambled off, leaving the girls to themselves.

"Thanks everyone. I think she won't be so irritable for the rest of the day. Nothing like a little fear to change one's attitude." Cindy mused.

"So we aren't really doing it?" asked another. "All of that was just a lie?"

"Nonsense. It's Friday night, right after practice. Oh, and I'm sure we're all aware that Terri doesn't have much in the way of a wardrobe either, at least I don't think so. It's not because she's a penny pincher. So instead of a full shopping trip, could everyone look through their closets and find some things they can part with? I also noticed she likes wearing stuff without branding, and bright colors, like blue and yellow and green, at least when it came to tops. Denim jeans are all I think she ever wore before, so if you bring a skirt, go black or denim, it might be the only way to get her to try them on even."

Everyone nodded in agreement and then went off down the hall in a hurry to make it to their next class.

---

"All of them know Ally. Every single one! The weird part of this is that none of them are freaked out by it." said Terri, as the two of them walked home.

"Damn, are you sure no one else at school knows?" asked Allyssa.

"No, I’m not. But I never saw anyone running around screaming 'Terri is a freak' either, did you?"

"Can't say that I did. So what are they doing about it?"

"Sleepover and Shopping. I've been assimilated into their collective." replied Terri, a hint of disgust on her face.

"Are you okay with that?"

"I suppose..."

"You suppose? Did you just hear yourself just now?" Allyssa remarked.

"Yes I did. I know they wouldn't on purpose do anything to harm me, and even if they did, I've got magic on my side."

"Yeah, there is that. What would you use on them?"

"Nothing, but just the threat of knowing it was there would likely keep me in control. Besides, it feels like every time I turn around, someone else is planning out my life and I'm just along for the ride. Because of my Gran, it’s ‘Terri, now you’re on the cheer squad.’"

"And you're okay with that?" Allyssa asked.

"I'm just tired of fighting it." Terri replied, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "I realize I can't return to obscurity like I was before, so I decided that I might as well try to enjoy it rather than fighting back."

"So very enlightened of you. Does that mean I can tell you that I envisioned you babysitting my little brother next week for me, and you'll believe me and do it?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not? If I can get him over the 'Eww, a girl' complex, I'm sure I could beat him at video games. Will I get paid for it?"

"Certainly! I wouldn't torture you like that without compensation. Oh, but he is not a user, so no magic or talking magic around him."

"Remind me of that just before you leave me alone with him. I'll forget before then."

"Gotcha! So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"I’ve got magic lessons. I’ll have to tell them that tomorrow night has been booked."

"Does your mother approve your going?"

"Oh hell, she's just happy to see me with any friends at all! I doubt that she'd say no. In fact, if one of them made it to the house already and asked for me, she'd be digging out a suitcase to put my clothes into."

"You think?"

"I know. Cindy's car just left the driveway. I learned how to put down alert spells on castle walls, moats and stuff. I figured it would make an interesting alarm for the house."

"Nice. And you know your mom is getting you packed for the same reason?"

"No, but Cindy left happy, which means she likely got her way. I know mom enough not to need to see inside the house to know what might come next."

Allyssa nodded in understanding, but said nothing. Nearly a minute had passed before Terri spoke up.

"Ally. I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Remember Monday when you told me that you had been shielded from the charm spell. You didn't know the charm was coming did you?"

Allyssa shook her head. "Jen, Sam and I were actually casting a spell. My precognitive ability had been going nuts on me, and we had thrown up a few shields in order to drown out the outside stimuli that might be causing the visions. We were in the middle of a shared spell to block my visions as they were getting worse, but we had left the shields up anyway. That’s when the charm hit and tore through the shields like they were saran wrap. But the damage to the charm was done and we only got a glimpse of you. That is why we knew."

"What visions were they?"

Allyssa stopped, looking at the concrete for a moment. "They... Damn! I can't even remember anything about them now!"

"Strange. Almost convenient." mused Terri, continuing to walk.

"Are you saying that’s your Gram?"

"Yes, I am. I think she caused those events to happen because she wanted to steer us together towards a certain direction."

"She is playing us both like puppets?" Allyssa smirked. "I wish I could have met her. I know that she was good. But why Terri? You have any idea why?"

"I didn't until last night. I have a feeling..."

"Of what?"

"Sam and I are in Chemistry together. And my teacher insisted on setting lab partners. Do you think Sam would have...?”

"By the goddess! Yes!" Allyssa cried out. "The seals! She would have felt them on you the moment she touched you. We would have looked you over and wondered what was being sealed up!"

"And you would have broke them?" Terri asked quietly.

Allyssa nodded. "Tried to probably. And without consulting the council first. I get it now, do you?"

"I think... " Terri took a deep breath and sighed before continuing. "I think I'm going to die."

Allyssa grabbed her arm. "Ever since I found out you were a vortex, I've been thinking the same thing. But with all her meddling, why would she put this much effort into all of this if you were just going to die anyway. No, your Grandmother is trying to keep you alive. Don't you see?"

"No, I don't."

"Just sealing you up wouldn't be enough, especially if we found them and broke them. You'd be just another vortex to us. By forcing us to deal with you as a person BEFORE we knew the extent of your abilities, she made us see you as a human to US!"

"So what?"

"We would be more inclined to find a way to keep you alive! Look at how much Augustine beats up on herself for killing the last vortex! And she never knew him. Now the new vortex is you, her best friend's only grandchild. You are suffering from a serious spell trap that you and ten other users couldn't undo easily. She'll do everything she can to keep you alive now."

"So, making me female was Grandma's idea of a signal flare?"

Allyssa looked at Terri. "Yeah. I don't know why she decided you needed to get mentally unhinged for this, but becoming a different gender certainly got my attention, and thus the rest of the council."

"Yeah, party for me. Woohoo! Imbalance!"

"Well, it's not like the spell made you into some sort of freak. Having tits isn't the end of the world you know. She made you into something you kind of wanted to be in the first place." Allyssa commented. "If you stop thinking about it too much, it's not so bad is it?"

"You're right. I came to that same thought earlier. Grandma fulfilled a fantasy for me, and I’ve been too stupid, angry and upset to notice."

"So, from now on, it's girl power all the way? You're going to this sleepover and try to enjoy yourself? You're going to laugh, cry and have fun with us being the way you are?"

"Until the day I die from being crushed in by a building."

"That's the spirit!! But forget that building part." chimed Allyssa. "You’re NOT going to die! I promise you that!"

---