Synopsis: Just a normal day for a normal person in a normal universe... not! Terri confronts herself again but soon learns that she didn't need to.
 

Accidental Magic

By
Allystra Krane
 
edited by Sephrena Miller
 
Chapter Fifteen

The Last Normal Day, Part 1

 

---

 
 
Terri's alarm started its piercing chirp, marking the required effect it took to wake her up, except Terri got up out of her chair where she had finished her homework and shut it off.

Having the alarm remind her again of the time sparked Terri to go over the events of last night in her head.

Despite how badly she felt dinner had gone, what with a pronounced silence during and after the whole meal, Terri felt as though some headway had been made, if not in the direction Jenni had hoped.

Terri had spent much of the night, trying to concentrate on her homework, but constantly thinking back to what Jenni had been so vehement about.

Their exchange had left Terri wondering. During the last nine days, the last thing on her mind had been staying female. She could still hear her own voice echoing through her mind.

"Some days... I want to."

She couldn't fathom why she had blurted it out, but each time she thought about it, it only angered her more.

Did she really mean what she said? Last Friday, she would have certainly said no, but now she wasn't so sure anymore.

Was it the new hormones, the attention, or did the near orgasm in the tub flip the switch?

She had begun to second guess herself and it had made her angry.
 
 
After plowing through her homework, so she could just focus on her thoughts, she had spent the last few hours weighing her opinion, until the clock had broken her train of thought.

As she sat back down so she could toss her books into her bag, she sighed.
 
 
She could change back at any time.
 
     She would still be loved.
 
          The only thing that had changed was, in fact, her.
 
 
Jenni was right though, she had changed. Gone was the somber, quiet, little person who was trying to be invisible. What had replaced it, was still evolving and even Terri wasn't quite sure how different she would become.

But she told herself that just the new personality alone shouldn't determine what she should be.

Despite repeated insistence on wanting to be a boy, when she discovered how, she only used twice. It was like the feeling that what 'He'had expected to feel and experience as a male just wasn't there anymore. There was no, sudden, euphoric high, complete with angelic chorus. Something, however, had made itself apparent. But it was not what 'he' had expected.
 
 
Terri turned and got up out of her chair so she could stand in front of her mirror. She cupped her breasts through the suit for a moment, as if she was weighing them, before her hands dropped to her sides again.

There was a long pause as she fidgeted in place, continuing to stare at herself.

"Jenni may be right, I've changed," Terri said aloud. "But I can still be happy, even like this."

There was another long pause before she spoke again.

"This... this is what I want to be, for now."
 
 
Terri sighed again, closing her eyes and breathing deeply and slowly. It had been so hard to admit, even if was only to herself.

Thanks to her Grandmother's meddling with a charm spell, she had felt forced at first, what with everyone she knew thinking she was always female. Now, it finally felt like a choice she could make for herself.

"Now I just need to be able to say it when other people are listening."

With the figurative weight off her shoulders, attention turned to the more literal mass she was carrying, her breasts.

"So, it’s just going to be the three of us for awhile. I hope you don't make me regret this decision."

Looking back into the mirror, Terri decided that she wanted a different look and the suit happily obeyed.

The sleeves retracted into the shoulders and the upper chest faded until it was like a fine black mesh, allowing some view of her cleavage. It remained opaque around the breasts themselves, so as not to show too much.

The black bodysuit continued down to the feet as usual, where it then formed the "abomination boots" as her mother had called them.

The suit fluttered wings that folded around her, then fell into place as a vest and a loose skirt.

Satisfied with her appearance, she strolled over to her desk and pushed her books off the side, into her backpack.

Throwing it over her shoulder, she stepped in front of the mirror once last time, angrily messed up her hair with her free hand only to watch intently as it untangled itself and fell back neatly into place. She had already ceased to be amazed by the phenomenon, but watching it occur was still interesting enough.
 
 

~*~
 
 
As she hit the bottom of the stairs, she could hear conversation in the kitchen.

Terri stepped in to find Martha arguing with Lexi about magic.

"You could very well do magic," admitted Martha with a scowl. "It's quite obvious that you have potential."

Lexi shook her head. "I am not interested in magic lessons, I am sorry."

Terri snickered. "She isn't interested because she already knows," she remarked absently as she sat down.

It took only a moment for her thoughts to clear and for her to realize what she had just said. She turned to look at the two of them.

Martha was staring back at her, shock written upon her face. "What do you mean, she already knows?"

Terri was as confused as Martha was. "Uhm, I have no idea where that came from. I really don't."

It was at that moment that she felt compelled to finger the necklace that lay against her chest.

Terri noticed Lexi staring at her, a spark of recognition in her eye.

"What's wrong?" Terri asked, "Did I miss my mouth with the spoon already? I just sat down for gosh sakes."

"Sorry, I just can't help myself," Lexi said. "That caught me a bit out of left field."

"Not to break topic or anything," her mother interrupted. "Cindy called. It's a spirit day and I'm sorry I forgot to tell you before you dressed, unfortunately. You are supposed to wear your uniform today and prepare to be wishing the basketball team good luck all day."

"At least it's the girl’s team," Terri said. "I won't be expected to be giving any boys kisses on the cheek."

"You make it sound like you wouldn't enjoy it," Lexi teased.

"Are we talking about kissing girls, or boys here?" asked Terri's mother.

"Both," Lexi responded.

"Hey now," Terri started to complain. " When did everyone around here become so comfortable with everything that happened? Did you all sit down and powwow last night?"

Lexi answered quickly and matter-of-factly, "Yes, actually. Since they were following you, they knew we knew and so last night we had a discussion about it. It'll make it much easier to deal with you if everyone is on the same footing."

"Quite," replied Martha. "We also don't have to hide our magic abilities anymore."

"Goody, now I've got a whole house to criticize me when I don't portray my chosen gender properly."

There was a pause before three other people nearly jumped at her asking, "You mean you finally decided?!"

"Whaddya mean 'Finally,'?" Terri snapped back.

Terri watched Lexi look back and forth between two flushed adults, both turning red and too flustered to say anything.

"Well, since neither of them have the guts to say it, I will." Lexi groaned out.

"Terri, don't be alarmed, but when we say finally, it's because all of us already knew this was coming. It was really only a matter of time."

"Everyone already knows?" Terri exclaimed.

"I can go as far as saying that even your new friends had some suspicion, all from observing and interacting with you."

So you are saying is that I'm as easy to read as a book?"

On this matter anyway," replied Lexi. "I speculate that your quick acceptance of your new gender is likely caused by the advantages the stereotype affords."

"Like what?" Terri asked rather cynically.

"How many football players brush each other's hair? How many times do you find them breaking down and crying in each other's arms because they are emotionally exhausted?"

"Well, maybe not here, but I'm not sure about San Francisco though," Retorted Terri.

"As a boy, you wouldn't get help like your friends gave this you. You'd probably be handed a knife and told to go take your whining out on bunnies in the woods or something."
 
 
Terri's mother stepped around the Kitchen Island, snaking arms around her daughter from behind and pulling her into a gentle hug.

"Like this for instance," She said softly. "My brother would run off and be alone when he was upset. He and my mother barely talked after he turned sixteen."

Terri lifted her own arm up, covering one of her mother's hands. With her back toward the others, no one saw the tear form in her eye and streak down her cheek. She said nothing.

"Your life has completely turned around because of your grandmother. It's so much better and in so many ways... that with all the new experiences and sensations along with the charm spell confusing people about your old gender that you would have to be a fool not to take advantage of this opportunity."

"So this is just an experiment?" Terri whined.

"No," quipped Lexi quickly. "It is what it is - a choice. It was made in spirit well before you acknowledged it consciously."

"Are you sure it isn't just female hormones like Allyssa told me about last Monday?" Terri asked.

"It isn't female to just want to be held or want to be loved. It's Human." interrupted Martha.

"To allow yourself to be loved, while exploring a new side of yourself?" Lexi added, with a pause, "Is growing up."

"That made no sense whatsoever," responded Terri, with a hint of irritability. "You are saying that I wasn’t looking for acceptance from them because I already had it?"

"It was the acceptance from us, Correct." Lexi said.

"Damn, you have a way of getting into my brain like nobody with a can opener ever could," Terri said.

"Anyway, I'm done with breakfast," Lexi added as she walked away, "I'm going to go lay down for a nap. I didn't get much sleep last night. Call me if you need any more psychoanalyzing."

Terri looked at her watch, cursed softly under her breath at the time she had wasted, finished her breakfast, grabbed her bag and dropped her bowl in the sink. "Thanks Mom, I gotta get going."

Terri was next to Martha, headed out the door, when she momentarily paused.

"You might not have noticed, and possibly even forgot due to my self-exposing interlude, that even though I was talking out my arse about magic, Lexi didn't deny I was right, did she?" she added as she passed through the doorway.
 
 

~*~
 
 
Having returned from her bedroom where she had redressed and used the bathroom for obvious reasons, she was finally on her way to school.

Now the suit, hidden under the cheer costume, was a brilliant white down her legs, dipping into sneakers that bore no logo except a blue pinstripe that started and ended on either side of the arch and, when viewed from above, resembled the outline of a teardrop.

Waiting at the sidewalk, by leaning against a tree, was Allyssa in full Goth attire. She smiled as she saw Terri strolling down the walk to meet her.

"Spirit day, huh?" Allyssa asked rhetorically.

"Like, just wearing this makes me so much perkier," Terri answered with just a hint of sarcasm, though the smile never left her face.

"So, how was your date?" Allyssa asked. "I got stuck watching my little brother last night so my watch went to someone else."

"No time to view the official report?" Terri asked, with the sarcasm still flowing easily, through she had lost the valley accent.

"I suppose you're hoping this goes down as soon as possible, aren't you?" Allyssa asked.

"Do you mean this probably awkward, embarrassment-filled day where I get to be the subject of a four-year-olds case study in gender evaluation, or the other major event where I get used like the energizer bunny, only to get squashed flat like a bug?"

"Uhm, the latter," Allyssa admonished, "But without the squishing part, but I guess having your mother babysit a genius makes things a little tough."

"To say the least."

"So, what is this gender evaluation stuff you were talking about."

"Ally, I'm going full time."
 
 
Allyssa said nothing, just nodded her head at first in quiet agreement.

"Anything to add?" asked Terri.

"I have nothing that would come without it sounding insensitive," Allyssa replied slowly.

"Lexi was right, you knew too!" Terri exclaimed. "Am I the last person to know that I, myself, had already made up my mind?"

Again Allyssa said nothing.

"Holy shit! I'm so transparent. I must be just a shade this side of invisible, you can see through me like a window pane."
 
 
Allyssa stopped, prompting Terri to do the same. Terri was frustrated, but not angry at her. She thought to herself how difficult it would be for anyone to respond to her questions in a caring manner.

Her mental processes were interrupted as Allyssa embraced her quickly and without warning.

"You aren't a window pane, you're a person. A little shy, confused, but the most courageous person I know."

"Oh...kay?"

"No, I'm serious. I can tell you're scared about this, but you said it and I know you mean it. You come to school last Monday, intent on not letting this get to you, despite how you felt all weekend. You easily agreed to help catch and-or beat the stuffing out of those rapists. I'm sorry that it means you'll have to wear that uniform twice a week for the rest of the year."

"It's alright," Terri replied. "It could be worse."

"Well, you want to try being Goth on the off days then? A little attempt at trying out more new things?"

"No offense, but I like you better when your clothes aren't trying to rebel against the invention of color television."

"None taken, but I am totally going to remember that line for later. It will give me an 'A' in Lit class."

"How will that get you a better grade?" Terri asked.

"Well, my teacher likes seeing things through, as he puts it, 'New Eyes'. I'm sure he'd have a field day if he knew about you."

"If you expect me to react favorably to that statement, you're sadly mistaken."

"Well, here's something that I hope you Do react to," Allyssa said, just before placing her hands on either side of Terri's face and planting a long kiss on her lips.

She was smiling as she pulled away, moving further down the sidewalk, having stunned Terri speechless and frozen in place.

"Snap out of that soon or you'll be late!" Allyssa shouted back with a smile.

Terri could only touch her fingers to her lips, mesmerized by the softness of Allyssa's lips. The actual feeling having been lost the first time, since she had used it to transfer mana and that sensation had been entirely different.

Now, she was relishing the ginger tingling that was left over - the gentle fleeting taste of anise that could only have come from Allyssa's black lipstick, mixed with the powder smell of her light blush. Allyssa could see that Terri had yet to snap out of it yet, so she ran over, took her hand and teleported them both into the janitor's closet again.
 
 
"Are you going to be okay?" Allyssa asked. "You act like we've never kissed."

"You said you were hoping I would react, but now you seem surprised that I did."

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to shut down completely."

"And yes, we never kissed like that before, or did you forget?"

"True, the first time was you on me and I was the one being kissed."

"I was recharging you," Terri said.

"Call it what you want, but to me, you were coming on to me," Allyssa cooed softly.

Terri began to blush, but kept her eyes on Allyssa and as soon as she turned around, swept the smaller girl into a tight squeeze.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I like you as a person."

"I like you as a friend, Terri. Friends sometimes rib each other, but are always there for each other. I only wish that I could have found you earlier so that I could have helped."

Terri could feel the warmth Allyssa radiated as she put her hands on Terri's.

"Do you mean it?"

"Absolutely!"

"I'll remember that."
 
 

~*~
 
 
The slow grind of the school day made it seem like it was taking forever to end in Terri's opinion, mostly because she was getting asked for good luck kisses from the team girls between classes all morning. It was either the slightly toothy smirk she gave them or else by word of mouth that she was in a harmless, yet evil mood that kept anyone from asking twice. She wasn't complaining.

She had forgotten to make lunch the night before so found herself in the line for school lunch. Surprisingly, the grilled cheese sandwiches and sweet corn sounded pleasant to her fickle tastebuds.

She left the line, and turned toward her usual table, getting only a few feet before remembering that she should set with the rest of the pep squad.

As she approached, Naomi saw her coming, and a place was squeezed out for her.

"So, what's everyone doing?" Terri asked, trying to strike up conversation as she sat down.

"We were discussing you actually," Cindy said. "Allyssa caught me after second period and told me you had a secret for me."

Terri blushed. "I'm scared of what you will think of me. I'm not sure how to say this in a way that won't sound stupid."

"Just take a deep breath and let it go," Cindy said.

"I.. I've decided to remain female for awhile," Terri let out.

Several looks were exchanged before a few small giggles escaped, causing Terri to sigh, blushing even redder than before.

"Are you serious? Does everyone know?"

"Yes and no," one girl replied. "You've only been a girl for a week yet you keep showing the outside world how more and more comfortable you are in the role. We didn't know for sure, but we had a little bet going."

"So, welcome to the better sex - sisterhood! We hope you enjoy your stay!" said another girl, whom Terri didn't recall her name. "Please observe the no smoking signs until you have completely exited the terminal."

"I really don't get it," Naomi said. "I don't really understand why you have to be coming to school like this in the first place."

Terri sighed. "I guess I never have told any of you the full story. Okay, as best I can tell, when I was born, I was going to be a pretty powerful magic user. But I'd also likely be made into someone's mindless slave and die horribly from the battle that this guy would cause, so Grandma took away my power, sealing it up."

"It didn't work well though and yesterday I found out that I was actually growing up into two different genders, like barber pole stripes across my body. If either of my stripes had been six inches wider, I would have had one of these tits already and no dick."

"Freaky," Said one girl. "But she had to fix you up, cause you can't seriously grow up like a Frankenstein’s monster?"

"Yeah, but she needed me to be noticed by magic users, so instead of just fixing me into a boy, she did This," she said as she gestured toward her chest and the rest of her in general. "She created the other spell, so that I'd have no choice but to go to school, or anywhere else, like this, so that no one would realize what's wrong."

"Except people whom she wanted to know?" Naomi asked.

"Yup, but now all of you do too, yet you all can sit here with me, knowing full well that I am what I really am."

"If you were truly growing up as two genders then some part of you has always been female. We'd be poor examples of our gender if, now that you are fully female, we shunned you or freaked out."

"That and maybe if we act more like decent young ladies, maybe some of our softness might rub off on you," Cindy said with a smile. "You may have the body, the voice and the heart, but your personality is still quite rough."

Terri hung her head a little. "I'm just not used to attention. It's going to my head."

"You do not need to be feeling bad for being a beautiful, attractive person who everyone wants to get to know," Cindy said.

"Get to know the slit between my legs you mean," interrupted Terri. "With the exception of all of you, everyone else that has talked to me isn't interested in being my friend."

"What about Allyssa?" Cindy asked.

"At first, all I got from her was sympathy and a mild interest in me. It's started to change, but I can't help but feel that there are other motives driving her."

"Hey, how did we get sidetracked again," Cindy said, with fervor. "Now, we need to eat before this period runs out. If there is any time left, we'll discuss this more."
 
 
Terri looked at her sandwich, lifted up one of the triangular halves and intended to stuff it into her mouth with zeal, until her eyes met the four faces on the other side of the table who were watching her, their mix of disgust, amusement and disapproval stopped her.

She took a smaller bite, something that barely felt like it was there, while gauging their reactions.

"Better, now chew before swallowing." Naomi reminded her.

Terri did as she was told, then started to work on the rest of it. It was more time consuming than her usual way of eating, but it meant that she wouldn't have to keep talking to, or be talked to.

Suddenly, the girl next to her took her milk, passing it to her left, and it went around the table. Terri tried to reach out and grab it, but they were already planning and were faster.

"Hey, Give that back!" Terri said as she forced the currently small bite into one cheek and spoke with her teeth nearly clenched.

She watched it continue around the table, nearly missing the exchange as one girl dropped it onto her try, substituting it for her own and that milk made it way the rest of the trip back.

"We're just teasing you."

Terri looked the new milk, "This one is chocolate. Mine wasn't," she said as she held it back toward the girl who had made the swap.

"You're saying you don't want chocolate milk?" Cindy asked.

"With grilled cheese and corn? You've got to be kidding."

"Never thought I'd hear a boy complain about getting chocolate milk."

"I have very sensitive taste buds and I know what tastes good together. Corn and chocolate don't mix, and I'm only a boy somewhere between my heart and body now."
 
 

~*~
 
 
Cindy found Terri and Allyssa before they had left the building, so now they were again riding in Cindy's car, but just to the short trip home.

Terri felt a tinge of jealousy toward Cindy, who had a car when she did not. this wasn't a boy-thing, just a personal freedom thing.

"Oh, by the way Terri," Cindy broke the silence as she waited at a stoplight. "Since you missed the sleepover Friday night, I have some gifts for you in my trunk."

"Oh, well thanks."

"Okay, on to something more serious. Were you telling the truth at lunch? Why did you tell the squad that you were going to die?"

"It's the truth, I swear," Terri insisted.

"You told her?" Allyssa barked.

"Well, it just kind of escaped at lunch. I don't really know what came over me." Terri protested.

"Enough you two, my question still has no answer. Who is trying to kill Terri?"

Terri listened intently as Allyssa relayed to Cindy the tale of what a vortex was and how the last one died, then added that Terri was the newest vortex and the speculation of Terri's Grandmother's plan to keep her alive.

"Whoa, and she has been dead for how long now?" Cindy asked, this time in an almost speculative manner.

"Too long," replied Terri in a manner befitting someone mourning.
 
 
Terri buried herself in her thoughts, unaware of the exchange that Allyssa and Cindy were having the in front seat.

She still had so many questions to ask of her grandmother, but sure she wouldn't get them.

"Hey, miss crabby panties," Cindy said as she looked into the back seat from the rear-view mirror. "Don't get any emo on my back seat huh?"

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was bleeding moroseness, let me find something to stop the flow. Got any brain-pons?"

"Hey, that's not a joking matter," Allyssa said. "You haven't had your first period yet."

"But I will," Terri replied. "Sooner rather than later."

"So what made you decide?" Cindy asked, trying to derail the train of thought.

"Last night, Jenni knew after a few minutes. I hadn't even thought that you two, or everyone else, might have already figured it out. I was just fighting this whole battle with myself, all by myself.

"Hey hey, don't talk like that. This isn't a fight here. We're not trying to make you change sides here," Allyssa retorted. "We would both likely be okay if you resented having to be a girl, even to the point of wanting to skip school or hide from your parents so you could spend more time being male. It's just..."

"Just what?" Terri interrupted Allyssa's pause.

"It's just that you don't," Cindy calmly answered as she turned the wheel and pulled into Terri's driveway.

"She's right," Allyssa said. "You don't act like you resent it. You talk the good talk, but you walk in a whole different direction."

Terri got out of the car, narrowly avoiding Cindy as she walked past on her way to the trunk and peeked around the open lid to see nearly a dozen shopping bags filled with clothing.

"Grab some handles and we'll get all these in on one trip," Cindy said as she motioned to the contents of the trunk.

"Nice haul," Allyssa said. "This must have set the squad back a grand or two."

"Actually," Cindy admitted, "we went through our collective closets for stuff we weren't wearing but that we thought Terri would look good in."

"Does this mean I have to sit through a montage of trying on everything,"

"People don't sit through montages. That's what Hollywood does so that the audience doesn't have to watch them change clothes, or go from the set to their personal trailers for double mocha espressos."

"Plus I wouldn't want to do all that clothing changes,"

Cindy smiled. "Tell you what, we arranged everything in matching sets. Just pick out a set each day and wear it. You'll make someone really happy."

"You think they will all fit me?" Terri asked.

"Absolutely," Cindy said. "You may be a little taller than any of us, but your hips aren't terribly wide so skirts should always fit."

"So terribly wide?" Terri said. "Did I hear you right?"

"No, what I meant was that unlike myself and many other random girls in this wide world, your hips aren't so wide that you can't fit into regular jeans and have to get them two sizes larger."

"The only downside is that it also makes your waistline less pronounced," Allyssa added. "Though if you are trying not to be noticeable to guys, it's probably a good thing."

"Okay, what the heck is the deal with hips anyway?"

"Wide hips are better for carrying and birthing of babies, stupid!" cracked Allyssa. "You can always change them later, if you want to have kids."

Terri only made a face, sticking out her tongue and screwing up her features.

"Now that we have that straightened out, let’s get these inside," Cindy replied with a smile.
 
 

~*~
 
 
To Be Continued...
 
 
End of Chapter Fifteen