***** Thursday *****

The next morning was the first time Mercy was truly close to panic. Suddenly well aware that she changed in the span of a few days her gender. Tuesday was the accident and today, Thursday, she was already expected to attend school. Her parents were kinda strict that way. No begging helped.

A little earlier than usual she and her mother drove to the school. Mercy was in a bad mood. Using her new learned spell to change her mother's plain bra to a rather frilly and lacy one didn't help much.

Shuffling into the principal's offices was kind of humiliating. She was told again that she now counted as "magically handicapped" person and that the school would understand her need for tricks and pranks as long as they were small. Of course, exemptions are cheating in tests.

Finally, it was done. Mercy headed to her locker. Her mother to her workplace. And the principal wondered why he had thought today was a good day to wear his daughter's hello unicorn socks to work.

*****

She could already see Brian waiting at her locker. Her best friend of the past few years. Stepping closer she suddenly had an idea. One whispered to her by the trickster magic running through her veins.

Instead of heading to her locker she closed in on Brian and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, boyfriend." Then she opened her locker as nothing was unusual.

It didn't take Brain long to gather his thoughts. "Got me there for a moment. Not bad Mark."

Mercy gave him a puzzled look. "What are you talking about? Who is Mark?"

Brian looked perplexed and Mercy did go for the finishing move. "Nevermind. How about we skip physics later? Mister Hesbrow is a snooze anyway. Wanna go make out in the park?"

For a moment Mercy thought she had gone too far. Wide-eyed and mouth agape Brian looked as if he just had a stroke.

"Now I got you. Got ya good. It's now Mercy by the way."

Now Brian needed some time to collect himself. Meanwhile, Mercy worried if she had gone too far. Had one prank might cost her a long friendship"You okay? Sorry if I overdid it a bit."

"Ahh, yeah. I am ok. So trickster mage huh?" Brian asked. Snapping out of his stupor. "They told us yesterday but I guess I didn't believe it till now. So, well, how is it? I mean you are also a girl. How does it feel to..." He stopped and shrugged.

"Hmm yeah, the girl thing. I am kinda okay with it till now. Though this morning I nearly had a panic attack. Surviving school is hard enough. Changing genders won't help it I guess. But yeah. Doing fine so far. Though I must admit I find it strange myself that I don't freak out more about it. Well. Ask me after school again and I might feel differently. I wholly expect trouble today. And not from the pranks I plan."

"Already planning pranks. The trickster magic hit you pretty good I guess. Reminds me of something. I got you a present. I thought it might cheer you up."

Taking out the gift out of his bag Mercy hesitated for a moment to accept it. What might a boy gift a newly made girl? Worried she tore the wrapping paper up only to burst out into a loud laugh.

"A whoopie cushion? Oh, Brian, you know my 'new-me" good, even though you hadn't met me yet. Thanks. This might become handy today."

The first bell rang and they made their way to their first class.

"Say. As your best friend, I get a free pass right? No pranks?"

Mercy laughed. "Sorry, not a chance in hell."

*****

There were a lot of stares at first. Till Brian mused aloud that people who bother her were the most likely to be pranked first. Everything settled then down quickly. Math was okay but kinda boring. Mark never had trouble with it and neither had Mercy now. Halfway through the class, she noticed that the boy in front of her was wearing mismatching socks too.

*First Al and now that boy. Can't they keep track of some socks?* Quickly she changed both socks to be a matching pair. Both were bright pink now. *Might help to keep them together.*

However, it wasn't long that Mercy grew bored again and her trickster magic begged to be let out. Sticking to the socks theme she created a few mismatching pairs and soon nearly everyone had changed socks. Mercy grinned. A few students noticed her grin and looked worried around for what prank she might have done. Seeing them fail to spot it made her only grin more.

*****

By lunch, Mercy was convinced that changing socks would be her signature prank. Easily done, hard to spot, overall pretty harmless and done en masse it satisfied her need to prank. Still, she vowed to keep her new habit to herself for now. Creating mismatched pairs might upset her parents.

Taking a seat beside her Brian finally had to ask her. "So I did read trickster mages have a unique spell? What's yours?"

Before she got to respond a loud shouting announced their worst bane of high school life: Mitchell Jenkins. Also, known as Mitch. Loudmouth and bully. "What do we have here? Heard you had an accident? And you are a girl now. Fitting. Always thought you were a faggot. Do tell. Everything natural down there?"

Mercy did what she always did when she was still Mark. She ignored the bully. However, Brian stood up in unusual cavalier's manner, only to be pushed down again. "Oh don't get your panties in a bunch," Mitch snarled.

Both were interrupted by Mercy's laughter. "What irony..." she only managed to say before she giggled without control.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mitch demanded to know.

Finally, she calmed down. She then starred him into the eyes. "I know."

"You know what you freak?"

"Mitch. I know that little secret you hide today."

Her eyes went for a split second to Mitch's pants. Realization spread across his face. He quickly darted out. Mercy only chuckled as everyone around was flabbergasted.

"What did you do? What do you know?" Brian asked bemusedly.

Mercy only winked and gave a curt "Trade secret." She wondered how Mitch might explain to himself that he suddenly was wearing silky and lacy ruby red panties. "Looks like he already got his panties in a bunch," Mercy murmured with glee.

It took a while for the room to calm down. For Mercy it was good. All the commotion was more than she wanted. She was fine with finishing her lunch. Though fate had other plans.

"Trouble incoming," Brian warned her and pointed.

Victoria Evens was walking directly towards them. She wasn't a bad person. Victoria was just so prim and proper that even Mercy's parents were relaxed and easy going compared to her. She was also class president and a one-woman charity army. Everything she did was so good it hurt. If Mercy had to name one bad thing about her she would be hard-pressed to come up with something. Maybe her slightly too much wiggling of her butt for her slender frame. It was distracted. At least to her.

Arriving Victoria quickly spoke up. "Mercy right? Don't worry. You aren't in trouble. Yet. Hope it stays that way. I was wondering how are you doing? Must be a lot to get used to suddenly change genders."

That was not what Mercy expected. "I am fine," she stammered.

Victoria pulled out a business card out of her pocket and handed it to Mercy. "Good. Anyway, I thought you could use someone to talk to. A female someone. If you need to talk or have questions don't hesitate to call me. Okay? We don't want any accident or misunderstanding to occur. So don't be shy. Oh, gotta go. Meeting. Bye for now."

And as quickly as she came she was going again. While her offer was nice something in Mercy quirked her to prank miss prim and proper. She quickly did an inventory of what Victoria was wearing. Boring blouse, a plain skirt, simple bra and panties and a ...

Mercy coughed as she inhaled some of her juice by accident. *She wears a buttplug? Really? Her? No there must be a mistake.*

As her coughing settled down Brian asked: "Everything okay?"

Mercy nodded. She was intrigued. She just had to find out for sure, but she couldn't see Victoria anymore. Clearing away her tray she idly thought *That, at least, would explain the slight wiggle of her hips.*

She also wondered what accidents Victoria might refer to. Thinking of one she had to hide a grin. A skill she really was training recently. Mercy excused herself to Brian, stating she had to use a restroom. Walking leisurely she entered one.

"Ups," she stated before a few guys manage to react. "Sorry. Wrong one. Honest mistake. Not used to taking the girls restroom yet."

She walked out and to the girl's restroom. Even with her recent training, she couldn't hide a grin now.

*****

If there was one class more boring than math it had to be physics. It wasn't the subject that bored Mercy. It was the teacher, Mister Hesbrow. He had the amazing talent to let chalk appear moist if compared to his dry teaching.

Somehow he called Mercy up front more than usual. More than Mark was called up that is. It was the fourth time that Mercy was called up and had to write her solution on the board when Mister Hesbrow stood up angrily and corrected her. She was halfway to her seat when a monster of a fart was heard.

"Who was that?!"

Mercy put in her most innocent face and turned around. Mister Hesbrow was holding her whoopie cushion up.

"Sorry, Mister Hesbrow. Trickster mage and so on. The urge got too bad. I had to do it or I would have to do something worse soon."

He fumed but knew his hands were bound in the matter. Mercy quickly snatched the whoopie cushion and returned to her seat. Not long after, while Mister Hesbrow was writing on the chalkboard, Brian gave Mercy a high five. She noticed a few other grinning faces too.

*****

While exiting the class they overheard a few guys nearby talking loudly. "I swear it is true. Arnold told me he walked into the restroom and saw that Mitch Jenkens wore panties. And not the cheap kind. And then he said something like 'My own underwear was dirt so I thought no one would notice'. What a lame ass lie."

Mercy and Brian joined into the guy's laughter. Then Brian looked her in shock. "No way you ..."

Mercy quickly shushed him. She did hold up her pinky and after a moment Brian hooked his into hers. Pinky swear done. Her spell remained secret for now.

*****

Mercy was eager to get to her art class. She liked art but that wasn't why she was so giddy. It was one of the classes she shared with Victoria. She certainly hadn't forgotten her discovery from the lunch break. As everyone was busy, penciling some flowers in a vase, she peeked over to Victoria. A quick check later and she was sure. Victoria packed her trunk.

She tried to visualize and was surprised. The butt plug was bigger than she expected. She didn't know much about them but that did not look like something for people just starting out. It was big and black. Bulbous in shape. Mercy guessed it was about 5.5 inches long and had a diameter of maybe 3.5 inches at it's widest.

*How does she get that thing even in? It looks impossible.* Puzzled more than ever she continued drawing her art assignment, sneaking now and then a glance over to Victoria. *Is someone making her wear one. Is she in trouble?*

But she soon dismissed the notion. If Victoria's wiggle of her hips was because of her backdoor intruder then she clearly wore one for months. Looking at the clock Mercy noticed she was running out of time. The class would end soon and she had to do something. She knew she just couldn't walk over and say "Hi. Why the buttplug?" That would give away part of her abilities and Mercy wasn't prepared to do that yet.

Frustrated she settled for something else. Imagining the buttplug again she added a few neon pink lines that spiraled down from the tip to the bottom. At least she made a mark. Not that Victoria would notice.

*****

With classes over for the day she headed home. Well not directly. Instead of rushing past the self-help center, as she usually did, she entered it. There she quickly found Al.

After the greeting was done Mercy just had to remark. "Funbags keeper? Real classy dude. Real classy. Oh, wait. I mean lame."

At least he had the decency to blush a little. Soon they were talking about what pranks she did on her fellow students.

"Be careful of what you did to Mitchel Jenkins. Stuff like that can create waves that come back to haunt you."

However, Al approved of her sock changing trick. Afterwards, he led her to a room in the basement of the center. Being under lock and key Mercy wondered if she was entering Fort Knox.

"This is the containment room," he helpfully provided

She saw 2 big barrel like devices with a lot of monitors attached to them. One was however charred black. "Is this the one that caused my accident?"

Al shook his head. "No, but it was a precursor. This one caught a fire last week. We managed to transfer all magic to the other vessel. It fit barely. Now, something caused a spike in trickster magic last Tuesday and the vessel overloaded. It would have exploded if nothing had been done. The only viable option was to vent some magic to ease the pressure. Hence your current demise. Normally these are emptied once a week but the trucks, of the company that handles the transports, broke down. All three of them. Talk about a string of unlucky events. Well on the plus side the mayor not only agreed to replace the broken container, he even funded a new one. Once they arrive we will train you to store some of your magic in there."

Mercy nodded. "Will the magic be gone forever?"

"Sadly no. We trickster mages are like self-recharging batteries. It takes a while but everything comes back. You see trickster magic is all around us. Just in low quantity. Enough to fill us slowly back up."

"Then why store it? Doesn't it invite accidents like mine?"

"It's just easier to control the urges when you are at twenty percent than at one hundred. And normally the containers are a lot safer. Your accident was the first in decades. There is also another reason why we store trickster magic. It is to avoid maxing out. Now, this is important. If your magic maxes out your mind takes a backseat and the trickster magic pretty much takes control. Very bad for relationships. If you feel the urge to prank, then prank. But there is something worse. It depends from person to person. Usually at ten to fifteen percent. Do not ever go below it. Your magic will go into recharge overdrive. Sucking up every trace of trickster magic around takes only a few moments and will get you to one hundred percent or beyond. So do not ever do it."

After Mercy swore she never would, they did go upstairs again.

"So any progress on finding out more about your natural spell? Or any other spell revealed?"

Mercy shook her head at the latter question. "I did found out though that I can change my own clothes and that I can suppress the mind-altering part."

Soon it was time to go. Arriving at the front door Al checked his socks. "Just to be sure."

Mercy chuckled and gave her goodbyes.

*****

Later the day Mercy reviewed her day. She made progress she decided. A better understanding of her spell. Brian was still her friend. Scaring Mitch off could have gone better. She had never paid much attention to Victoria, but now she was intrigued. Who knows what dirty secrets other people were hiding. In the end, she was thinking about if and how she could influence people with small and subtle but constant changes. She grabbed her smartphone to add those things she found out to her file of mysteries. Not long after she drifted off to sleep.

*****

Mercy's list of strange things to figure out:
- not freaking out about new gender (body feels strangely familiar; no trouble with balance despite new center of gravity)
- Magic (one big and one small natural spell; might have other spells; need to learn about limitations; don't go over 100% or below 15% or bad things happen)
- Spell 1 lets me change clothes (targets don't notice change unless I want them to; others might notice change; Mom, Dad, Al and Brian know my spell)
- Victoria is wearing a Buttplug!!! (is she forced?; That thing is huge!)