***** Tuesday *****

Mercy was at her locker changing her books when she had to grin a little. Today Mitch had surprised her with another exquisite drawing of panties and garter. She had to admit she loved the silken feeling of her stocking rubbing against her legs. She also felt a little deviant running around with provocative underwear. Maybe that was what had Victoria hooked. The thrill of something lewd hidden and none the wiser.

She had to snicker when a random thought entered her mind. Mitch still was a bad influence. Just of a different kind. A lacy one. At least he wasn't bullying anyone anymore.

As she closed her locker her smile vanished. Down the hall, she could see the cheerleaders - led by Stacy - who had surrounded Sonja again. The cute redhead that had the gym locker beside Mercy in P.E. Yesterday Sonja had admitted that she was a lesbian and being bullied for it.

Shaking her head Mercy thought about what to do. She knew she had to do something, but it couldn't be flashy. Best would be something hidden. Hunting for inspiration she looked through what the cheerleaders were wearing. Thanks to her magic Mercy could even see what they all wore underneath.

There she hit paydirt. One of the girls was wearing panties with a slogan. "Cute guys can do me." Quick thinking Mercy changed it to: "Cute girls can do me." After all, maybe the girl would show some restrained if she wore panties that could draw the wrath of her fellow cheerleader. Liking the idea Mercy changed the whole bunch. One pantie gained needlepoint lettering proclaiming "carpet muncher", while another got the classical print "FBI: federal boob inspector". Stacy got Mercy's special attention. Her panties soon spelled out "Guys no admittance, girls ride for free."

Her work done Mercy could see a visible change. All cheerleaders looked more nervous and glanced at each other. Mercy couldn't hear what they last said to Sonja, but not soon after the hallway was free of bullying cheerleaders. With a win under her belt, Mercy strutted proudly to her next class.

***** Wednesday *****

"Finally," Victoria exclaimed. "School day is over."

Mercy followed her out of the school with a shake of her head. "I thought you loved school. Mommy's little girl always doing best."

"Not even close but you gotta do what you gotta do to blend in," Victoria sighed.

"All to hide a little secret," Mercy added.

"Feels pretty big to me," Victoria corrected. Of course, she meant the big buttplug she was hiding from everyone.

Mercy meanwhile took a seat on a bench in front of the school and Victoria plopped down beside her. "Don't miss your bus," Mercy teased.

Victoria shrugged. "There are others," she nonchalantly replied. "Why the worry? Wanna get rid of me?"

The truth was that Mercy indeed just that. Not because Mercy wanted her to go, but it would certainly make things easier as she had two things on her list today before she could go home.

"Just checking," Mercy quickly said to distract her. "Oh, right. Still staying for class president stuff?"

Victoria looked flabbergasted. "You don't know? I quit last week."

"Just like that?"

"Sure," Victoria said with a shrug. "I knew with a trickster mage in our school I might have less time for boring stuff. To be honest I think they were glad I quit. Swear I heard murmurs of slaver and hardass muttered."

Just then Mitch Jenkins exited the school. Mercy took a moment to focus to change Mitch's panties back to boxers. Else his father might get another fit of rage. Mitch had admitted that he still had to show each day that he wore boxers. Noticing the change he gave her a quick nod of his head.

"What is up with you and Mitch?" Victoria asked.

Mercy couldn't help but twitch a little. "Nothing."

"I am not blind you know," Victoria chided her. "Every day you wait in the morning till you saw Mitch or even spoke to him. Same at the end of school. Should I be jealous?"

"None of your business," Mercy said and gave her a raspberry. "But no. Nothing like that. Well, I've got to get going. Can't be late."

As Mercy stood up Victoria quickly followed suit.

"Now you are suddenly in a hurry," Victoria said and shook her head. "What mischief are you up to now."

"Ha. You wish," Mercy said with a shrug. "It is time to met the rest of the gang." As she saw Victoria's doubtful look she added. "Trickster mages. Today is group therapy or something."

"Oh, that I have to see."

"Are you sure? For one I have no clue if they let you in and on the other hand, I can't guarantee your safety."

"That bad?" Victoria teased.

"Probably not. Why the interest? Oh, is it because ..."

"My run-in with a trickster mage a few years back?"

Mercy nodded. Last weekend Victoria had admitted that she had run into a trickster mage before. One that had twisted her head in one of the worst ways. The mage had been on the run after a prison break. He had convinced Victoria's family that it would be the best idea ever to hide him. That was his signature spell. Make certain ideas attractive to a person. In Victoria's case, he had whispered into her ear that she could only be useful if she trained herself for him. That training included sex-toys. Victoria was fine now, but there was a time when her family moved just to leave those memories behind.

"Maybe. But I admit I am curious. Your spells are fantastic. I wonder what they have."

"Well," Mercy said with a sigh. "Your funeral."

"Can't be that bad," Victoria countered. "Or they would be in jail."

Together they started to walk towards the center.

*****

"Hey Al," Mercy greeted the older man who waited for her at the center's entrance.

"Hey Mercy," Al said with a grin. "Who is your friend? Did you pick up a random new trickster mage?"

"Ha, no. But she has the mindset. Al this is Victoria. Victoria this is Al. He is my 'mentor'." The last word she added air-quotes.

"I am the resident Mercy expert," Victoria said with a cocky grin while offering her hand for a shake.

"Is that so? And why would Mercy bring her 'expert' today?" Al asked.

"To coach her in how to best utilize her spells," Victoria said while crossing her arms. "I may be able to help you too. What is your spell?"

Mercy facepalmed and then chuckled. "Smooth Victoria. Real smooth. A real secret agent you are."

"Something I should know of?" Al asked.

"Just trying to find out if your little circle of trickster mages is good or a secret sect of doomsday worshippers," Victoria explained.

"She had a run in with a trickster mage a few years back. The bad kind. Now she wants to know how safe we are," Mercy translated Victoria's speech to plain English.

"Well. Bad news. We all worship the lokian way," Al said with a chuckle. "Joke aside you have nothing to fear from trickster mages who follow the lokian way."

"So I am safe?" Victoria asked.

"Are you safe around Mercy?" Al asked in return.

"I knew it! I am doooomed," Victoria howled with a grin.

"I am not that bad," Mercy protested.

"Let that be judged by your peers," Al said with a deep voice only to return to his normal one a moment later. "No, seriously. Safe you aren't. Trickster mages have to prank. Even those who follow the lokian way. But we try to keep the pranks small. Even if we have to do two or three instead of a big one."

"So nothing to hide?" Victoria asked.

"If you want you can come in," Al offered. "We have a group meeting in a few minutes."

"Really?" Mercy asked. "I thought it would be more secret."

"Mercy," Al started in a voice that Mercy immediately recognized as one used by teachers for unruly children. "The mission of this center is to educate others in 'the lokian way'. Not just trickster mages, but normal people too."

"What are we waiting for? Let's head in," Victoria chimed in with a smile.

"Okay. Okay. Follow me," Al said while holding the door open for them.

They walked past Al's office and another one before stopping in front of double doors. Both propped open with wedges. Beyond was a small common room dominated by a loose circle build with plastic chairs. To the side, there was a table with coffee and donuts. They saw that two people had already arrived and chatted by themselves.

"I think we are wrong here," Victoria commented dryly. "This might be the meeting for the anonymous alcoholics."

"You couldn't be more wrong," Al countered. "Here we chastise people who not give in to their addiction. Come on. Let me introduce you to the gang."

"The gang? Oh, my Mercy. You are in with a bad crowd," Victoria said and Mercy facepalmed herself. This could only get worse.

"This is Clarissa Weeks," Al introduced the woman. "Works at the local library."

The woman gave a nod to Mercy and Victoria.

"And here we have Dave Miller," Al continued. "He worked in politics. Dave. Clarissa. This is Mercy and her 'personal coach' Victoria'."

"Please to meet you," Clarissa said, while Dave gave a short "Howdy".

"Misses Cannon isn't here yet?" Al asked.

"As always late," Clarissa remarked. She pushed up her glasses to accent her statement. Her whole wardrobe looked like the stereotypical librarian. Including a strict bun on her head and a no-nonsense expression on her face.

"Well, then let's get started without her," Al said with a sigh. "Why don't we start with each of us introducing our natural spells. I'll start. My spell lets me temporarily switch out a word for another word in my victim's mind. They want to say one word and blur out the other one without noticing."

"So, what pranks do you pull with that?" Victoria asked.

Before Al could answer Mercy leaned over to Victoria and fake whispered to her. "You think my pranks are lame? Al thinks it is hilarious to make my Mom say 'funbags keepers' instead of 'bra'."

"Dude, really?" Victoria asked.

"I admit that wasn't my finest prank," Al admitted with a weak chuckle. "Clarissa, why don't you go on."

"Fine," Clarissa said and pushed up her glasses again. "I am one of the weaker trickster mages. A power level between two and three. I can create localized areas that amplify vibrations."

Seeing the confusion on Mercy's and Victoria's face Al jumped in. "She amplifies sound waves. Like a megaphone."

"I'll have you know," Clarissa said with a small smirk, "that I haven't always been a librarian. In fact, I hated libraries. All those strict rules. But now they are an ideal playground."

"So you what? Make people whisper really loud?"

"That," Clarissa confirmed. "Or make page turning really loud. The squeaking of shoes. Stuff like that. Once I managed to amplify a fart from a co-worker. That was hilarious."

"Sure. And you?" Victoria asked Dave.

"I make sure people say the truth," Dave said a little annoyed by Victoria's bash ways.

"So you are a walking lie detector?" Victoria asked.

"Tell me, Victoria. Why are you really here?" Dave asked instead.

"To find out if any of you are evil as the first trickster mage I met," Victoria said at a quick pace. Only to throw her hands over her mouth after she was done.

"Dave. Go easy on her," Al chastised him.

"An evil trickster mage?" Clarissa asked.

"One who can put ideas into your head," Victoria replied defeated. "Then he makes those ideas really really compelling."

"Gideon," Al practically hissed and the others suddenly looked very serious.

"I am sorry," Dave said into the quiet. "That man should never have become a trickster mage. No one should ever have to suffer his presence."

Nods came from all around her. Suddenly put on the spot Victoria blushed and looked down. Avoiding their eyes. In her lap, she saw her hand that had grabbed onto Mercy's as if she was a lifeline in a storm. She had to force herself to unclench and put on a brave smile.

"Ancient history, right?" Victoria said with a weak smile. "So Dave can make people say the truth. Come on Mercy. Your turn. You can blow them all out of the water with your spells."

"Spells? More than one?" Clarissa asked.

"Two major one and one smaller," Mercy confirmed.

"That we know of," Al added. "There might be more. On her power level, it might be possible."

"Now I am curious," Dave said and leaned forward.

"Apparently I am a ten," Mercy lied. Al had said she might be closer to a seventeen or so. If the scale would reach that far up. He also advised her to keep this a secret. To tell no one.

"Tens are rare," Clarissa remarked.

"Not that much," Dave added. "Isn't Misses Cannon a ten too."

"Yes. Now, Mercy. Why don't you tell them what you can do," Al suggested. "I am particularly curious about your second major spell. When did you find out what it does?"

"On the weekend," Mercy replied. "But maybe I should explain the others first as they build on each other. Well, the first spell I noticed is the small one. I just have to see someone and concentrate to know all the clothes they are wearing. Even those that aren't visible. I am impressed, Al. Today not only matching sock, but none has holes in it."

"Of course," Al said to break down the chuckling around him. "I am a responsible adult."

"With my first major spell, Al helped me," Mercy continued. "I can change clothing or even other things someone wears. Like make-up."

"That could be useful," Dave commented. "No more buying new clothes."

"Well, if I do it to others then I have two options. One is that they won't notice the change. They see the new clothes but make up some internal reasoning why they wear it. It might even change their memory or in extreme cases their personality. The other is to suppress that mind-altering part."

"That sounds like the spell could lead to a lot of trouble," Clarissa remarked.

"You have no idea," Mercy confessed. Seeing the questions brewing behind the faces around her Mercy hastily added:"It did lead once to unexpected trouble, but I can't tell you because it involves the secret of another person."

"I don't know either," Victoria said with a shrug. "She won't even tell me."

"I can tell you that my Mother, who hates shoes with a heel, now suddenly has that one special pair were she doesn't mind the two-inch heel," Mercy said to steer the conversation away from the one very sore spot on her conscience.

"So if we take this as an example," Clarissa mused. "Then slowly changing all your mother's shoes to one with a heel would mean she would lose her aversion to shoes with heels?"

"Probably," Mercy admitted. "To be honest it scares the crab out of me. I don't want to change anyone. Especially not my mother."

"Small pranks and it won't come to that," Al assured her. "Did your second spell help to shift off the pranking load?"

"My second spell is related to the first one." Mercy pointed at Victoria. "She helped me to find it."

"Oh, can I tell them," Victoria chimed up. When Mercy nodded, Victoria continued. "So we found this spell in a book that supposedly makes clothes safe. We couldn't exactly figure out how the spell is supposed to do that. But in trying we found out that Mercy can fuse clothes and other worn stuff to their body. It feels like they are part of their body. That and includes a sense of touch and sadly pain too. If damaged they heal too at a very fast rate."

"It can also suppress body functions blocked by it. Or I guess substitute it with trickster magic. When I fuse something there is a small constant flow of magic going out from me. If I cut off that flow the spell comes undone," Mercy added.

"That begs the question," Dave threw in. "If you fuse enough clothes to people could you offset the trickster magic influx normal to you and would it make your need to prank go away?"

"I don't know and honestly I don't want to try that," Mercy admitted. "There are so many things that could go wrong and I would have to find people as victims. I am not comfortable with that."

"And it is good that you aren't comfortable with it," Al said.

Suddenly Victoria burst out into laughter. As she noticed everyone looking at her she tried to explain. "I am not sure how to say this, but why was I even afraid. Everything you do is lame. Al does some word mingling. Clarissa slightly annoys people. Dave can make people say some embarrassing things about themselves. And Mercy... You change a bunch of socks. You all are ... lame. Just lame."

Murmurs of protest quelled up, but a single female voice cut through them. "She is right, you know."

Victoria and Mercy looked behind themselves and saw a young woman leaning on the door frame. She wore very old fashioned clothing. Like someone would have worn a century ago. Mercy also immediately recognized her. For years, back when she had been Mark, she had seen her often on her way to school or back. It had always given her the creeps as she could swear the woman's eyes had always followed her.

"It is also lame to always come late and wait for a dramatic moment to come in," Dave threw in.

"It isn't my fault the people in this century over-value precision of time measuring," the young woman replied.

"Mavis," Al said with a nod. "This is Mercy, our newest trickster mage in town, and her friend Victoria. Girls. This is Miss Cannon. She helped build this center."

"Wasn't the center build ages ago?" Victoria asked.

"Seventeen years ago to be precise," Mavis said with a smirk. "And to comment further on your observation. Yes, all trickster mages here are lame. And it is a good thing that they are."

Mavis pointed at Al. "Imagine him in an air traffic control tower. Switching around numbers and letters in the controller's minds. It could cause mayhem. Clarissa here can project her field anywhere. Not just on the source of a sound. Even directly over the ears of a victim. Imagine anything you hear amplified by ten. You would either go crazy or go deaf. Dave's spell sounds like one to entertain people on a party till you realize the full extent of his spell. He could bring down our current political system by exposing all the half-truth and lies of politicians. As for Mercy. I think you know better than us what she might be capable of."

Both girls looked shocked. It was Victoria who reacted first. "So lame is good?" she asked.

"Maybe lame isn't the best word for it," Mavis said. "People who become trickster mages usually had a nice upbringing in a conservative family. Boring stuff."

"But isn't that contradictory," Mercy asked.

"Is it?" Mavis asked with a predatory grin. "Victoria here seems to be taking well to pranks. If she thinks those are lame pranks, what do you think would happen if she had your spells?"

Mercy had to only think a few seconds before one word slipped her mouth: "Armageddon."

"I am not that bad," Victoria said with a grin and playfully slapped Mercy on the shoulder. "Though I admit. Stopping would be hard."

"She would at least rate as a minor natural disaster," Mercy told everyone. Earning her chuckles from the whole round. "Everyone knows that trickster magic chooses their mages, but you are saying they aren't chosen randomly?"

"That is a lesson best reserved for another day." Cutting them off like that earned Mavis booing from the whole group.

"So what can you do?" Victoria asked. It made Mercy slightly shook her head in resignation. Victoria was always so direct if she wanted something.

"If you must know then look down on yourself," Mavis said with a grin.

Victoria looked down and saw her skin grow paler, while a few spots here and there slightly darkened. She reached for her hair as her black strands turned to red. "You made me a redhead?"

"You have green eyes too," Mercy remarked in awe. "Reminds me of Sonja."

"Is this an illusion?" Victoria asked.

"I can change bodies. Mine or someone else," Mavis explained.

Now Mercy was all ears. Her lips and mouth suddenly very dry. "Can you change anything?"

"You want to know if I can make you a boy again," Mavis said with a sigh.

"Or if you made her a girl in the first place," Victoria said sharply.

Mavis waved her hand and Victoria changed back to her old self. "I did not change Mercy into a girl. That day I wasn't around. And thankfully none of the others. There was so much trickster magic in that vessel that it would have flooded any trickster mage close by and put them into a pranking frenzy. Not an event I like to witness twice. As for changing you..."

There was a long sigh before Mavis continued. "I always had trouble changing other trickster mages. They need to be a few levels of power below me. If what Al told me is right then you're a ten as I am. The trickster magic inside your body would resist my own spell. However, I may be able to help you with mastering your spells. As our spells are so related."

Mercy was still pouting so Victoria jumped in with a question. "How so? Yours is a body changing spell and Mercy's are clothing related."

"What makes you think..." Mavis eyed Al. "Oh, Al. What did I say about jumping to conclusions?"

"Hey. I only knew two of those three and they pointed that direction," he defended himself.

"Where was I? Oh, right. Minor spell lets you know someone is wearing on their body. The first major spell lets you change things on someone's body. And the second major spell lets you fuse things to one's body. One could argue that the common denominator is the body."

"One could say the same for clothes," Victoria threw in. More out of proving Mavis wrong than actually believing it.

"Let's find out," Mavis said with a grin. She pulled out a silken scarf and let it fall on an empty chair. "Is it the spell to change clothes or to change things on or near the body? Mercy. Please try to change this scarf."

Mercy was a little flabbergasted that she hadn't thought before to try changing clothes that weren't on a person. Nonetheless, she tried to concentrate. Push another mental image of a piece of clothing over the scarf. But nothing happened. She couldn't even change the scarfs color.

"It ain't working," Mercy admitted. "It must be on a body."

"Mercy!" Victoria exclaimed.

"Al," Mavis said and turned towards him. "Under the circumstances I suggest I'll be taking over as Mercy's mentor."

Al was scratching the back of his head. Clearly flustered that he overlooked the possibility. "Maybe. That's for Mercy to decide."

From one moment to the next Mercy could feel the focus of five pairs of eyes resting on her. She liked Al, but Mavis had a certain allure. One she couldn't deny. "I'd like to give Mavis a try. Sorry, Al."

"It's alright," he waved it off. "Whatever helps you the most is best."

"Well, that was exciting, but I have to get going," Clarissa announced. Just like that, the others noticed the time too.

Everyone said their goodbyes and soon shuffled out.

In the hallway, Al caught up to Mercy. "Mercy. A moment." When Victoria hovered nearby he added: "Alone please."

Grumbling Victoria walked a few feet off.

"What is it?" Mercy wanted to know.

"About Mavis. Just be cautious. I've known her for years. She ain't always telling the truth or all of it. She's old Mercy. I don't know how old, but very. Sometimes she speaks like, as crazy as it sounds as if she knew Loki. The Loki. Founder of this philosophy we follow. And he hasn't been seen in centuries. Probably dead."

"Thanks, Al," Mercy said with a nod. "I'll keep an eye out for tricks. Or pranks."

"Do that," Al agreed. "And keep the things secret that I told you about."

Again Mercy nodded. She remembered how Al had said that people might act irrationally if they knew how much trickster magic she controlled.

"See you soon Al."

"You too Mercy."

"I don't trust her!" Victoria exclaimed as soon as she and Mercy exited the center. "She is creepy. You should have stuck with Al. He is lame but nice. Miss fashion backward can bite it."

"I agree," Mercy calmly said.

"Then why did you accept her as your mentor?" Victoria asked.

"Because of her spell."

"She can't change you back," Victoria countered. "Or do you think she is lying about that."

"Not a bit," Mercy admitted. "But there is something else. Al once said trickster mages could learn the spells of other trickster mages. Takes time and patience. I bet less so if both trickster mages have similar spells. If I could learn her spell then I could ..."

"Become a boy again?" Victoria asked. "Do you miss being a boy that much?"

"No. Not really," Mercy said after a moment. "And that frightens me. Victoria I don't want to change back into a boy because I miss being one. Being a girl feels normal and I have to wonder. Would being a boy still feel normal too? That I have to know."

"I guess," Victoria said. "You know what wouldn't change if you become a boy again?"

"No. What?"

"Your pranks still would be lame!"

"Oh you," Mercy said and shook her fist in mock anger. "I'll show you my pranks aren't lame."

"First you have to catch me!" Victoria shouted while running ahead.

Mercy shook her head. As long as she could see Victoria, Mercy could use her spells on Victoria. But that was too easy. And lame. "I'll get you!" she shouted and gave chase.

*****

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 - unless sports; does not extend to social things!!)
- Magic (two 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; I have way more magic than I should have - Al says to keep it a secret)
- 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 too!; 150 feet and line of sight limit; tiring if more than 90 feet)
- Spell 2 lets me fuse stuff to people (apparently it suppresses body functions if needed; target person feels fused items as if part of body; damaged fused items regenerate if damaged)
- Victoria the deviant mystery (she is way more deviant than I am; freaking big sex toy collection; hides behind an act of being innocent and proper)
- evil trickster mages (not all follow the lokian way; name of the evil one who assualted Victoria is named Gideon)
- I have a new mentor (Mavis Cannon; might be old as hell; can change bodies of herself or others; might have known Loki; Victoria and I don't trust her)
- there might be a way for me to turn back into a boy