Hexxatious: Déjá -Vu Part IV

Part IV: Feels like Déjá -Vu
Ezra Falling Bird; October 5th, 2007, 9:59 PM

Brushing my teeth with the tiniest toothbrush I had ever seen was one of the more amusing upsides of today, although perhaps morbidly so, considering I couldn't use a normal toothbrush anymore.

Looking at my face in a mirror conveniently located in far corner of my room, I spit into a cup I had filled with water, and was now using for a sink. My brief meeting with Shadi was by the far the most exciting; perhaps the best thing that has ever happened to me. It was definitely the best thing that had happened to me since this whole...mutant thing had happened. Although I got an email from the Whateley power testing team just earlier tonight with some very interesting details about that issue which called into question whether I was really a mutant or not.

“How can I think that there's any upsides to what has happened to me,” I said, gently clutching my head with my hands, faintly feeling the urge to scream, but pushing it and the relevant emotions back down, then looking back up into the mirror to face myself. To face what I had become. A freak.

Freak. The word brought me back to the email I'd just read earlier. Reading it upon arriving back in my room naught thirty minutes ago, I was discontented to learn that they didn't even know if I was a mutant or not anymore. They were now speculating on the possibility that I'm some type of supernatural creature...or specifically, at least part REAL pixie. I didn't know that such things exist.

According to them, they think perhaps I have some sort of a connection to another plane of existence, or perhaps a parallel dimension where pixies exist in abundance, if such a thing could even be considered plausible in the first place. The nature of that connection is host to much speculation between the researchers here at Whateley, as well as the ones at A.R.C that are handling my case files there. Quietly I spoke to myself in the mirror, “I have a connection to another plane of existence? Is that good or bad?”

In order for that to be true, my powers would have had to make a connection to that plane of existence, and then substitute the reality there for the reality here. A pixie In that world had been touched by my power, and its template had been copied over my own back here in the normal world. Thus I manifested into some sort of pixie girl.

If my powers could copy patterns of reality from other dimensions, what else might it be able to do? In fact, what use was it at all if I couldn't control it. There was also the possibility that I was part fey to begin with, specifically part pixie, although in such a case, the template of such wouldn’t manifest until my mutation manifested.

And of course the other possibility was that everything I am...is a result of a dream I was having when I manifested. If my powers can manifest unreality into reality, then that means that what I am is just an accident. Something that happened merely be chance. Thus it could be said that my life is an accident if such was the case. However as the researchers investigate my origins, they are beginning to believe that this scenario is the least likely. For instance, it didn’t explain the nematocytes or my toxin glands. Either way, accident or not, I’m a freak of nature. No matter how I look at it.

“Don't think like that Ezra,” I said softly, looking at my pink and purple face in the little hand mirror leaning up against the wall. I began to feel better. I just had to be strong about my situation.

I rode Esmee over to the bird bath, dumping the cup and the icky toothpaste contents down the drain, then turning the water on and washing it all down. Grabbing a royal purple colored silk baby-doll nightie from the compartments that stored clothing in the bath unit, then facing towards the LCD panel next to the door, over yonder. Turning all the lights off, including the grow lights In the hydroponics pod with the help of my familiar, I looked all about the pitch black room still able to see in perfect clarity. My crystalline looking eyes were actually compound eyes...though they were still normal human shaped and sized; of course unlike a bug, I still had my eyelids. I found that I didn't need to blink anymore...but I still did sometimes out of habit. I glanced at the ring of hydroponics surrounding the bird bath.

The ring of hydroponics around the bird bath were all used for various types of mushrooms. Most of them oddly enough happened to be highly poisonous mushrooms. Having Esmee take me down to the floor on the opposite side of the room, I then proceeded over to a weird circular planter with, like all the others, a closed plastic dome cover/lid; which was located in the south-western corner of the room.

Gazing at the plant inside, it appeared to be some type of wonderful little tree...or perhaps a large shrub. It had about nine tapering little wedge shape leaves per branch, and oddly enough the tree also had glistening little white fruits that grew in bunches, hanging from stems. I lifted the lid and climbed in there, examining it with one of my antenna, I realized it produced a powerful skin irritant. Of course I was said to be immune to almost all known toxins and poisons, so I decided I'd sleep curled up next to it since I thought it smelt wonderful. And my antenna told me it was delicious to eat as well.

I proceeded to eat one of the little white berries, one bite at a time. It was about half the size of a marble, and tasted acrid and bitter. But somehow I felt that it was really delicious. Switching to UV vision, I could see it had a distinct color pattern that was pleasing to me. Feeling very safe and contented, I curled up amidst it's drooping branches. I then proceeded to think about everything that had happened today. Drifting off to sleep I realized that the plant was actually a Poison Sumac shrub. Oh well. Can't hurt me anyways...and that berry had really hit the spot!

October 6th, 2007, too damn early in the morning AM

A sense of vertigo, and then...

I awoke, drowning. Literally. I was immersed in cold water, and of course I didn't know what direction was up at first.

Standing up brought my face out of the water, and I realized I had somehow wound up in my bath, which had filled itself with water. I crawled halfway out of the bath on all fours, my breasts swaying underneath me, bringing me to the realization that my nightie was no where in sight, and I was completely naked. I sat back down into the water to hide the fact, while feeling disoriented.

Spitting water out and gasping a bit for breath I wondered if I teleported myself? Under my own power? No. I would have known if I had used my power, since it always left me feeling tired and half drained.

Looking up I saw Esmee upside down, perched on the ceiling...and realized she'd done it for whatever reason. “Esmee, what'd you do that for?”

My antenna twitched, detecting something. My antenna aren't just for show. Like a real insects antenna, they can sense minute temperature variations and detect even very faint changes in air current or vibrations. And of course, they have olfactory receptors on them which gave me a super fine-tuned sense of smell, though it wasn't even remarkably similar to a humans. Though my sense of smell with my nose is still only slightly better than an ordinary humans. Thus it could be said I still had my normal sense of smell, though I didn't rely on it much anymore unless I specifically wanted to. My antenna gave me near super senses and with these senses I quickly detected something small moving off to the side of the room. And listening, I could hear a slight movement.

“Who's there!?” I asked aloud. My sense of smell told me it was Shadi. But why?

My ruminations were quickly cut off when I glanced around the room with my superb dark vision, and spotted Shadi. Looking embarrassed and somewhat...terrified?

“Uh...it's me, Shadi. I'm sorry about this.” she said.

Was I mad? No. Was I annoyed? YES.

“I told you we would meet for breakfast! Why are you in my room!” I asked, slightly exasperated. Poor Shadi was trembling, and I realized I shouldn't jump to conclusions when I don't know what had really happened. I felt like I was being a bitch. Seriously, much too early in the morning for social interaction; I wasn't even close to being at my best. Not to mention I was butt naked and my hair was a wet mess.

“I'm sorry, I'll leave, just point me to the door! I just really wanted to see you and, uh, I think Chess teleported me here! I didn't know she could do that!”

She looked so vulnerable and uncertain, and gazing upon her I felt my expression soften. Why had Esmee done this? Had the two familiars acted in concert? Looking up at the giant moth I said, “Esmee! Ooh, you're in on this, I can just tell!”

“I guess it's not really your fault. And I guess that would explain why you're naked.” I explained. Though I wasn't so sure about the naked part.

Perhaps I'd always known I was gay. Looking at Shadi, who looked so vulnerable and...unclothed before me just confirmed what I'd already known for years, though had refused to admit. Her nipples erect and the steady rise and fall of her chest drew my attention the most. I felt, that at this moment in time, no boy could ever make me feel the same way as she does. She's so very beautiful...even if she doesn't realize it.

A nervous smile formed momentarily on her doll like face...though it died on her lips an instant later. Like a brief desert wild flower, which blooms during a sudden rainstorm, only to die shortly after.

“I'm sorry.”

“Shadi?” I asked, stepping out of the bath...after all we're both girls and its nothing we haven't seen before.

“You're so beautiful.” she said, blushing vividly to my ultra-violet and infra-red combined spectrum eyesight.

“You can see me?” I asked, though regretted it a whole second later. I mean afterall, she was looking directly at me.

She nodded, “Everything is a little red though.”

Now that she mentioned it, I did notice her glowing eyes, they weren't red per say, but rather a very dark fuchsia which looked red. My body was tingling like mad, and I felt a little breathless as I gazed at her. I moved very close to her, my head only coming up to her chest, forcing me to look up to see her face, “I guess that explains why they're glowing.”

“Uh...yeah.” she said; her eyes fluttering rapidly. She swayed a bit, while gazing into my eyes, but then steadied herself.

“Shadi? Are you okay?”I asked. My skin felt so warm and tingly...and I was very turned on. Though I wasn't about to tell her that.

My antennae twitched, detecting a chemical in the air, and then I could smell the pheromones...making me gasp in realization, “Oh. Um.”

I felt so embarrassed, I was practically drugging her with custom made pheromones and a chemical which I could only describe as an aphrodisiac. “That could be me.”

“It's definitely you.” she replied; her eyes half-shut, looking into mine so longingly.

I smiled at her. “I mean, it could be pheromones, dummy!”

“Whatever it is, I like it.”

My antennae twitched again; analyzing the chemical composition of the pheromones as the molecules binded into the receptors towards the ends of my antenna, making me realize they were custom tailed specifically for Shadi, which I hadn't even been conscious of doing. “I'll see if I can't tone it down some, I think I'm turning your brains to mush.”

“Mush is good.” she answered, her eyes at half-mast.

I giggled. I internally focused on reducing my pheromone output by half. Her eyes never left me...and neither did that look of longing that seemed etched into her beautiful features. Though after a few moments she seemed a little less punch drunk, and seemed more thoughtful and aware of herself.

“Is that better?” I asked, smiling up at her.

She laughed, “Uh, yeah. Two and two is eleven, right?”

I laughed, “I think I like you this way, it's cute.”

She smiled at me, “I think the way you twitch your antennae is cute.”

They twitched at that. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“You just did it again.”

I reached up to touch them. “Weird, I didn't notice.”

“Could I...touch them?” she asked.

“I don't know how I feel about that...,-” I stopped in mid-sentence. “Oh! You mean...sure, go ahead.”

“What did you think I was...-,” She looked down at my shapely chest. “Oh...OH!”

I giggled a little, as Shadi blushed...I watched it spread down to her chest and almost passed out. I'd never seen a full body blush before...at least not when the person was naked.

I giggled nervously, “I'm glad I don't do that anymore, I'd be bright red!”

She reached forward and gently stroked one of my antennae. I shivered, at the sensation...it wasn't sexual in the least, but it was like...the most intense cross between an itch and a scratch I'd ever felt, and it tickled something fierce. I can't really describe how it feels. She then reached out and touched the other one as well, causing me to about collapse and kick my leg like a dog when its getting its belly rubbed.

“Oh...shit...” I shivered again, a soft moan escaping my lips. “That feels...amazing.”

“Uh, should I stop?” she asked, her eyes bright and full of worry.

I moved closer to her, my arms wrapping around her bare waist, her dusky skin smooth to the touch, “Don't you dare!”

The consequence of me being this close meant that my head was nestled between her breasts. She slowly stroked the length of my antennae, feeling the nodules at the end. My embrace tightened, though her body was very solid, as though under her smooth skin there was solid muscle. She began whispering softly to me, telling me all the things she couldn't manage before now. About how beautiful I was, and how I made her feel. Ghaad, she made me want to take her right here!

It was definitely having an effect on me, and my back arched as another moan escaped my lips. I was completely at her mercy.

She pulled her hands away at that moment, causing me to growl a little in frustration. I know she's younger than me, but for heavens sake, I didn't want her to stop! “Wah...why did you stop?”

“I didn't want to take advantage of you.” she replied earnestly.

I bit my lower lip, and took a step back, trying to push all the feelings I had brewing inside back down. “God. I wanted you to. So badly.” I shook my head. “That's not like me.”

But truthfully...I didn't know what was like me. Not since this happened, I thought...looking down at my shimmering pink and purple skin, which was slicked with what I could only assume was pheremone laced perspiration.

Shadi smiled down at me, reminding me of how tall she was, “I'm sorry. I...I wanted to, but I wasn't sure if...,-”

I smiled up at her, and, rising up on my tiptoes, I moved very close to her, our faces only inches apart...or considering our size, centimeters apart.

“Shut up, Shadi.” I kissed her, trying to convey everything I felt for her though that one kiss. My tongue entering her mouth, tangling and twining itself around her tongue.

She shut up, a lackadaisical smile dancing across her lips.

I looked her in the eye, “Is this the real you, Shadi?”

“Um...shy and insecure? Very much so.”

“I like this Shadi better. Well, I like the other one too, but...not as much.” I pulled her back towards the bath, and we sat next to the water's edge. Touching her bare skin I thought that it felt almost as if she had a fever, “You're very warm.”

“Yeah. I'm okay though. That's normal for me.” her words sounded hollow and somehow bitter.

I reached up and ever so gently touched her cheek, her fuchsia eyes glistening in the utter darkness of the room with un-shed tears, “Oh Shadi...I thought you were happy with who you are.”

“I...it's not like I have much choice, right?”

I slowly climbed over her bare thighs and into her lap, smiling at the feel of my bare skin on hers; laying my head against the much taller girls breasts. I felt very content, but she felt so tense, and sensing her worries and all her troubles I felt that there might be something I could do for her, “There, that's better.”

“What did you do?” She asked, as she visibly relaxed.

“Just gave you something to relax you.” I said as I rubbed my cheek again her left breasts, causing it to wobble a bit.

“It's working.” she replied.

“Talk to me, Shadi. Tell me who you are.”

So she did. She started to talk. Soon she was telling me her whole story, even the things that I hadn't even imagined. I could hear her crying just a bit, and looking up, my face nestled between her bare breasts, I saw tears on her cheeks.

I reflected on how in the past two weeks, I'd undergone a startling transformation. I'd shrunk to only thirteen and a half inches in height, and my body had gained an exotic and absolutely ageless look to it. Most people would think I was sixteen due to my apparent youth...which the researchers had told me would never fade. I was for all intents and purposes semi-immortal, and would never age or grow old and die. But as scary as all those things were, I'd found something which, as much as I hate to say it, makes it all worth it. Shadi.

At some point, we both fell asleep, there in each others arms, and I couldn't help but feel that I'd never felt happier.

October 6th, 2007, 7:00 AM

A loud clicking sort of popping noise woke me up, followed by a fair amount of illumination. Glancing around I realized that the grow lights are on a timer, and flick on automatically at seven am. Shadi had slouched over on top of me when she fell asleep; her breasts pressing into my back. I squirmed out of Shadi's lap, and hopped down into the bird bath, causing the optic sensor to trigger and fill it.

I sat down, my back against the outside rim of the bowl, luxuriating as the rising water warmed me. The combination of me crawling out of her lap and all the noise woke Shadi up from what I presumed was quite a decent sleep judging by the contented smile she wore, as she stretched her arms into the air, causing her breasts to bounce ever so slightly. I had to turn away, least I drool.

“So, this is what you use to take a bath?” Shadi asked, walking to the waters edge and looking down at me.

“So it seems,” I replied, sticking my tongue out at her in the process.

“The bright neon lights over head are a bit distracting” she said, squinting up at the ceiling a bit at the tube lights that ringed the ceiling.

As I looked up wondering what she was talking about, she jumped in and spashed me with water, causing me to laugh. Spitting out some water I'd nearly choked on I splashed her back.

“I really need one of these,” she said, as she sat down into the bath and relaxed; the water coming up to her neck. “How did you get this one?”

“It was here already when I arrived, back on my first day here at Whateley,” I answered.

Shadi waded over to me on hands and knees, then moved in place behind me, “Want me to wash your back?”

“Um, sure-,” I replied. She then procured a bath poof from a basket off to the side of the bath.

-~-

10 Minutes Later

Washing each other had been a pleasant experience to say the least, though it had some moments of awkwardness and uncertainty, but overall I'd say it was a Kodak moment. We'd decided to stick to our non-date breakfast; and since we'd spent all morning together for the most part, why not?

Shadi had been telling me how clothing ruins my warning coloration...er-, skin coloring. She seemed to think that I looked best when naked...though I felt the same way about her. She'd convinced me to wear a nearly shear lilac mini-dress which seemed to be made of satin and silk. Silk and satin don't make for the most comfortable clothing...or the most practical for that matter either. As usual, with the exception of yesterday; I decided to go barefoot. Shoes weren't all the practical for someone who's feet almost never touch the ground anyways. Even with one wing I still rode Esmee almost everywhere for the most part.

Soaring over campus on Esmee was more uncomfortable than usual today due to the fact it was quite a bit chilly. According to my antenna, I'd guess the temperature was within several degrees of fifty-one, Fahrenheit.

“Chilly!” I shouted as the chilly air caused my eyes to begin to water. Though I could see our destination straight ahead, and we were almost there.

I'd never been to the School House Restaurant before, so needless to say I was interested in whether they had any decent breakfast foods. Not that I seemed to eat anything aside from fruit these days. Shadi had decided to ride Cheshire there...since he didn't seem able to reproduce the whole teleportation thing, or simply wasn't willing.

Esmee and I sat outside the west entrance to Dunn Hall, waiting for Shadi and Chess to catch up to us. Chess was very quick on his feet, so it didn't take long at all. Though once she caught up with us, we realized we didn’t have a way to get the door open. We ended up having to wait outside, much to my chagrin, for someone to come out of the door, which finally enabled us to zoom right through the door, and take ourselves down to the restaurant...if you could even call it that.

As we were waiting in line...a very short line compared to how long you sometimes had to wait in the Crystal Hall, I noticed that Shadi looked a little anxious. She finally asked, “Hey Ezra, you didn't by chance notice anyone suspicious, or think that anyone was following you, did you?”

I looked at Shadi, watching her brush a strand of blue hair out of her face, “No.

She frowned looking nervous, “Well, she looked awfully interested in where you were flying to. Spent most the time looking up so to speak. I'm pretty sure she was keeping tabs on you judging by the way she followed your flight path down on the ground.”

“She followed me here to Dunn Hall?” I questioned, blinking twice in surprise. I hadn't noticed anyone following me.

“I could be wrong, maybe she wasn't.”

“It might be my sister,” I replied as we finally got up to the buffet and serving line.

I wouldn't call this place so much as a restaurant as it was more of a cafeteria with a fast food style service. But what else could you expect here on campus? We skipped getting plates or trays, since we were too small to carry them for the most part. I retrieved a cinnamon roll and a sausage link, skipping my usual helpings of fruit.

Shadi had a stack of breakfast rolls and a plastic container of peaches. It looked really funny to see her carrying a stack of rolls like that. She almost always seemed to eat more than me. Usually a lot more.

“Eating light today?” she asked with a shy smile once we'd found ourselves a table; an embarrassed grin gracing her beautiful lips as she looked over her pile of food.

“Well, I ate some Poison Sumac last night before bed,” I replied.

She gave me an odd look. “And it didn't hurt you?”

“No, I'm mostly immune to poisons and toxins.”

“Must come in handy. What did it taste like?”

I grinned, “A little bitter and...acrid. Not bad tasting though.”

“I'll just have to take your word on that,” she said, laughing as she began to wolf down some of her rolls.

I was glad I'd picked a cinnamon roll rather than fruit, since the sweet pastry was really making me smile right now. So good.

It didn't take us long to eat. Secretly I was dreading leaving due to the fact that my sister could be lying in wait, to ambush me and my new found love.

“Oh god, I bet my sister’s out there,” I said, putting my face into my palms and sighing.

Shadi looked nervous and uncertain, perhaps even a little afraid, “I'm sure we'll be okay.”

“I never meant to drag you into all this. It's such a fucking mess.” I said, as I looked myself over; my skin practically glowing under the bright fluorescent cafeteria lighting. “Being small sucks.”

“Don't say that!” Shadi replied fervently, though she quickly seemed to lose her enthusiasm. “Yeah okay...so getting all tiny like this was a nightmare for me. And I can tell it's not any better for you, though I think you have yet to realize how horrible it can be. But...having met you, I can honestly look up and smile everyday now, and have hope for the future.”

“I smile when I think about you,” I replied. “But even so...what will we do for the rest of our lives? Once we leave Whateley? Think of all the things we can't do. Like drive a car for instance.”

“Rather than think about what we can't do...try and think about what we CAN do. Like love each other...and spend time with each other. Besides, being normal is overrated,” she said, blushing all the while as she gave me a smoldering glance...her eyes lingering on my thick but toned thighs.

“Listen, lets do this. If she's out there then so be it,” Shadi said, with a dangerous gleam in her eye. “But first we need a plan.”

I eyed her curiously, trying to keep my eyes from dropping down to her breasts, which were so enticingly concealed behind a black peasant blouse. She began to explain the plan to me...and I just thought it might work.

We dumped our table scraps into the garbage can as we made our way towards the exit, carefully checking the nearby students who were eating at their tables, to see if any were obviously keeping tabs on us, or making to leave and follow us. Once we were out of the School House restaurant, we ducked around a corner into a deserted hallway and began our preparations. I had already explained to Shadi that my sister was what I like to refer to as an ambush predator.

Shadi mounted up behind me on Esmee, putting her arms around my waist. Shadi closed her eyes...concentrating for a moment or two, weaving a spell slowly and intricately. She cast the spell, it's weaves dissipating into the air, and then followed that up with a few quick cantrips, causing an illusory copy of me and her to appear on an illusory Cheshire's back. Meanwhile the real Cheshire would go invisible and and lie in wait for Nizhoni's attack. The timing didn't have to be perfect...but it had to be a close thing or our attacks wouldn't be enough to secure a victory for us.

We then had the illusory Cheshire, with our fake clones sitting astride the fake cat, head outside. Since the illusion wasn't real it just walked right through the door, like a ghost. We waited just inside the alcove of the building, on the inside of the doors. And watched as the illusion headed out across the green on the west side of Dunn Hall. I hoped this plan wouldn't land me in the hospital again...or even worse; get Shadi hurt too. But if Carson was going to choose not to act on the issue and restrain my sister in a timely manner, then I'd just have to protect myself until she finally saw fit to do so. Or leave the academy all-together, which meant saying goodbye to Shadi. I was in no way willing to do that.

“There she is!” Shadi whispered, even though my sister was nowhere near close enough to hear us even if she screamed and shouted.

I saw my sister then, doing just what we thought she would do. She quickly came out from behind Kane Hall, which was just to the west of Dunn Hall's west entrance, not more than a hundred feet from it. She let off some sort of red energy beam, which was no doubt a spell of some type. The beam ripped through the illusion, causing it to waver and almost vanish.

“Let's go Esmee!” Shadi and I shouted together.

Esmee teleported through the door, and quickly soared higher into the air, once on the outside. At this point I really wished I could fly, since then Esmee and I could have gone in separate directions, leaving Shadi to ride solo on her back while I flanked my sister.

“Oh crap!” I said in a bit of a panic, as I saw two more of my sister’s friends step out from out of view. Luckily for us they hadn't bothered to look up and see us yet. I hoped Cheshire would be able to adapt from wherever she was at this point.

“Keep to the plan, Ezra. Don't panic!” Shadi said loudly over my shoulder. I could feel her arms tighten around my waist.

“Right!” I said.

We flew low, circling into the blind spot of our opponents, and then quickly flew in, as we passed directly through the area in which Nizhoni was standing, and I doused her via a sort of fly by attack with an aerosol-based form of the same toxin I had used during my first confrontation with them, except in lower concentrations. Meanwhile I slipped my hand to the side of Shadi's neck, using my nematocytes to sting her, injecting an antidote into her system just in case she came into contact with the aerosol, as I used my wing membranes to disperse it into the air around Nizhoni.

Esmee dive bombed the other girls and we repeated the process. The gig was up now and they were all rounding on us, surprised to see yet more of us no doubt. We led them away from the contaminated area, since they had already been exposed to my scopolamine and hyoscyamine attack. Once out of the laced area, Cheshire ambushed my sister, clawing at the back of her legs with all her might, paralyzing her hamstrings and bringing her down, hard. Esmee banked closer, allowing Shadi to give a Indian battle cry before leaping off with all her might, tackling a disoriented Laura to the ground, then making a quick retreat before Laura could retaliate.

I saw another cheerleader type coming from around the other side of Dunn Hall. No doubt my sister had her covering the other exits on the other side of the building, in case we slipped out one of those doors.

It was now four of them against only the two of us...unless you counted our familiars of course. I was far less worried about myself, since I was still high in the air...but poor Shadi was the most at risk since she was now down on the ground, casting makeshift cantrips and creating illusions to confuse our opponents. By now it appeared as if eight Shadi's were running all over the place...no doubt greatly confusing my sister and her cronies.

“Esmee, that girl!” I telepathically projected, directing Esmee to the girl who had recently waded into the fray. She probably wouldn't be effected by my toxin cloud since she had bypassed the area in which it had been disspersed.

Esmee flapped overhead, dousing the girl with some type of glitter dust composed of scales from her wings, before she was able to reach the area where Shadi and her many Shadi clones were fighting it out with my sister and her two comrades. Though I could see that Laura was now out for the count...her blonde hair strewn all over the grassy lawn where she had collapsed after Shadi flying tackled her in the face.

The new comer seemed to be wheezing and having trouble catching her breath; she quickly turned tail and ran away...heading towards the medical complex I presumed. Turning my attention back to the free for all down below, Shadi was now being chased by the only remaining cheerleader, whose name if I recall was Mariah. Cheshire blinked into existence, and leaped onto the girl, nails extended. She took several deep scratches to the face, but pounded Cheshire into the ground with her free arm, causing Shadi to scream and let loose on her with a fire cantrip, which caused her hair to ignite with a small fire.

Mariah quickly extinguished her brunette locks, turning her attention back to Shadi who was now exposed.

“Oh no you don't!” yelled a girl I had met yesterday in my Mystic Concepts 101 class.

I watched as Haley Braedon arrived on the scene, stepping over the unconscious Laura and slugging Mariah in the gut, right as she was about to stomp on Shadi. The punch actually lifted Mariah a foot into the air, giving her a rather impressive knock-out K.O. We'd won! Though looking around, I realized I didn't see my sister anywhere.

“My sister!” I shouted, realizing my sister had slipped away when I wasn't looking. As Esmee soared in slow lazy circles overhead, I looked all about the area, but didn't see my sister anywhere. She'd somehow escaped.

Cheshire was now walking around, looking a little frazzled. Shadi ran over to hug her, crying and asking if she was okay. Poor kitty.

Campus security showed up shortly after that, and things began to settle down. A burly security officer informed us that we'd be meeting with Elizabeth Carson later that day, whether we wanted to or not. Or at least I would.

~Nizhoni Falling-Bird~

Nizhoni slunk away, still disoriented and delirious from her encounter with her sister. She rounded Kane Hall, ducking around the side of it, out of view of the ongoing brawl on the west lawn of Dunn Hall. “I almost had her.”

Coming back out and regaining a line of sight on her sister, Nizhoni placed her palms close together, facing each other, and began conjuring up a red viscous energy that glowed with a sickly light.

“I’ll get her this time,” she said quietly under her breath.

"Not so fast, chica! You and me are gonna have a little chat." Said a voice, as Nizhoni found herself nearly hefted into the air by the collar of her shirt.

Nizhoni lost her concentration, causing her orb of death to dissipate in the face of the new distraction. Nizhoni frowned, realizing it was that ugly ass zombie whore who’d transferred into their school a week or two ago. The ever famous rock-star, Angela Cross.

"Let go of me you freak!" Nizhoni snarled, only causing the newcomer to rap her on the head with some hideous Hello Kitty gloves.

"Funny thing about freaks, we stick together. Now why are you trying to hurt my friends, hmm?"

Nizhoni frowned. Her sister had gained yet another ally while on her turf? This would make her job that much more difficult. She had to kill her sister, and soon, or the deal was off.

Nizhoni simmered in her own haterade juice for a second or two, looking the zombie bitch in the eyes, "Oh you're that zombie bitch, I bet you think you're so hot because your daddy was rock star, huh? Well guess what, he's dead, and nobody cares!"

‘And fuck if it wasn’t the truth,’ Nizhoni thought to herself, as the blue-gray skinned girl scowled even more, before pulling her arm back and jamming her fist into Nizhoni’s left eye, causing her to fall backwards right on her ass.

"You can insult me all you want, baby girl, but nobody, and I mean nobody, says crap about my old man!"

Nizhoni decided to take the girl out before she could complicate the situation further. Her sister needed to die before the months end. End of story. She quickly conjured a orb of scintillating red energy in her hands, which she quickly unleashed on the unsuspecting Angela.

Unfortunately the girl dodged rather quickly, causing the shot to take her in the arm. Angela’s severed arm fell to the ground, smoldering and smoking from the end joint where it had been struck, much to Nizhoni’s amusement.

‘Time to end this,’ Nizhoni thought, calling up her energy again.

Before she could fling it into the girls chest point blank, Angela screamed some obscenity in her face, which was followed by a shrieking pain in her head. Nizhoni fell to the ground, her energy attack dissipating just like it had the first time.

The girl stepped off of one foot, striking Nizhoni in the face with the other while shouting, "SHINING WIZARD!!!"

Nizhoni muttered something as she passed out. Realizing before the ensuing darkness overtook her, that she had to remedy the situation quickly, before Omen tore through the dimensional veil.

Her eyes fluttered open minutes later, “Fucking whore. Good thing I’m a regen.”

As she got to her feet, she headed off to class, her aches and pains gradually disappearing.

“Damnit,” I groaned, sighing heavily as Esmee soared towards Probability I, my first hour class.

Arriving in class, via a short range teleport that took us through the exterior wall, we landed on a desk in the row nearest the windows. I surveyed the room, taking a look at some of my class mates. Like yesterday, I didn't see anyone I particularly knew. Until a boy in a lab coat came surging in; the door swung wide, hitting the door stop with a thud.

“Aha, fellow classmates! Good to see you. And good morning! But I digress-,” he would have no doubt said more but observing the blank stares of his fellow classmates he seemed to deflate like a balloon. Losing his enthuse, he slumped into the chair closest to the door, looking like he'd been sucker punched in the stomach.

Esmee flew up and over the middle rows of the desks, landing at the desk in the row next to the one Tobin had sat in.

“Aren't you in my next class as well?” I asked, looking at Tobin.

He seemed to perk up upon hearing my voice, regarding me with a frown, which slowly turned upside down.

“Yes! I do recall...yes I am!” he said cheerfully. “Tobin Tommowerck at your service!”

Tobin was a boy of about average height, appearing about a year younger than my apparent age of sixteen, although of course, I was actually eighteen...my manifestation had made me quite literally two years younger than my actual age. Or so said the researchers who were working my case file. And from what they’d told me, I wasn’t going to physically age anymore.

“You're really quite fascinating aren't you!” Tobin added after studying me for a moment.

“You'd be an absolutely lovely research subject! I'm really quite taken with your unusual size and striking appearance!”

“Errr-, thanks...I think. But no thanks.” I replied nervously. He seemed nice enough, but he was at least a little weird in the head wasn't he?

“Ah well. Fascinating!” he said as he brought his face closer to look me over in detail.

As the bell rang, Professor Kibble walked in, making his way to the front of the classroom. I knew from yesterday that while he didn't have a monotone lecturing style, he was my most boring teacher by far.

“Class! Today...we're moving to a new subject.” The rest of the class seemed to groan at him, though he didn't seem to notice.

“Either you make it or you do not.” He started the lecture with a flourish and rather exaggerated sweep his arm towards us all.

“It happens very often in real life that an event may have only two outcomes that matter. For example, hypothetically speaking lets say; either you pass an exam or you do not pass an exam, either you get the job you applied for or you do not get the job, either your flight is delayed or it departs on time, etcetera. The probability theory abstraction of all such situations is a Bernoulli trial.”

I perked up, finding myself unexpectedly interested in today's subject. Yesterday had been my first day, and thus I hadn't understood a lot of what he talked about. I soooo needed to catch up on my reading assignment for this class. I was a month behind already!

“A Bernoulli trial is an experiment with only two possible outcomes that have positive probabilities, in example, p and q, such that p + q = 1. The outcomes are said to be "success" and "failure", and are commonly denoted as "S" and "F" or, 1 and 0.” he explained, as he wrote some things on the board.

He then continued on, “For example, when rolling a die, we may be only interested whether a certain number, such as the number one shows up, in which case, naturally, P(S) = 1/6 and P(F) = 5/6. If, when rolling two dice, for instance, we are only interested whether the sum on two dice is eleven, P(S) = 1/18, P(F) = 17/18.”

“Since the individual trials are independent, we are talking of the product of probabilities of successes and failures. Such a product is independent of the order in individual successes and failures come about. For example, P(SSFSF) = P(SFFSS) = P(FFSSS) = p^3q^2.”

“In general, the probability of k successes in n trials is denoted b(k; n, p) and is equal to [b(k; n, p) = C(n, k)pkqn - k ]”

Looking at all the variables I felt like my head was going for a swim in the sea of confusion. But...I understood it! I wonder if my manifestation made me smarter?

“-where C(n, k) is the binomial coefficient n choose k. Observe that, by the binomial formula, ∑b(k; n, p) over k from 0 to n is exactly 1: ∑b(k; n, p) = ∑C(n, k)pkqn - k = (p + q)n = 1 . As a function of k, b(k; n, p) is known as the binomial distribution and plays an important role in the theory of probabilities.”

“Now, let's try a quick sample problem in Logarithmic Decay!” he said as he quickly jotted a problem onto the dry-erase board.

It read:

'#1.) A container of liquid decreases continuously at a rate of 1.02 percent per day. If the weight of the liquid starts out at fifty grams, what will its weight, to the nearest tenth of a gram, be at the end of nineteen days?'

“Ok class, the formula for this is W = Wo*e^(-kt) . Who wants to give it a try?” he asked, waiting around for someone to raise their hand.

It seemed to me that Tobin was about ready to raise his hand and volunteer when Professor Kibble suddenly decided that I should be the one to solve it. “Aha, the tiny whatever you are there in the back. Solve this problem please.”

I reluctantly stared up at the problem for a bit, wondering how I might solve it.

“Well I'd start by plugging in the variables. So... W = 50*e^(-.0102*19)”

“I don't have a calculator sir,” I replied timidly.

“Your own fault for not coming to class prepared,” he replied.

“But I'm only thirteen inches tall! How do you expect me to carry a calculator to class?”

“I could always give you a detention for not coming to class prepared. Are you going to solve the problem or not?”

“But!?” I began, but the words died on my lips. I couldn't make this guy see logic by arguing with him. It'd be better to just keep quiet and let him do whatever he wanted.

“And?” Professor Kibble asked, as I sat with my head in my hands trying to do something so impossible without a calculator. But to my surprise, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

“It's...forty-one point nineteen grams, sir!” I said, amazed and surprised that I'd been able to solve it so quickly in my head.

Professor Kibble choked, “We'll see if that's right.”

He quickly went red in the face, “That's...that is correct. Lucked out I suppose.” he said as he turned away from the class to face the board.

He quickly gave us an assignment and sat down at his desk to grade papers, looking completely flustered for the rest of the class. I most certainly did luck out, didn't I.

-~-

The bell rang, signaling the end to Probability I, much to my relief. Flying towards Mystic Concepts 101, I wondered when I was going to be commanded down to the headmistresses office. I was sure that Carson wouldn't neglect to pull my ass down to her office and humiliate me. She'd certainly not avoided doing so before. She could have just had me sent to Chief Delenore's office, or let it be handled by some other security guy. But no, she had to attend to my humiliation personally.

Sailing through an open window, into my Mystic Concepts class, I had Esmee land at the same desk I'd chosen yesterday, and waited for my friends to show up. It was only a minute or two before Magwin strode through the door, smiling when she saw me. Her brown tresses were done up in a fascinating up-do, in a slightly cone shaped hairstyle. Today she seemed to be wearing a black tank top, a white mini-skirt and white furry go-go boots that reached just below her knees.

“Okay. So I heard a disturbing rumor today Ezra.” Magwin began.

Professor Chulkris arrived early, interrupting my conversation with Magwin as she strode over, her vines and flowers all blooming brightly today. Her voice held sympathy for me, “I’m sorry to inform you dear, but your wanted in the Head Mistresses Office, over at Schuster Hall. Sorry, hurry right on over there and maybe you can make it back in time for class.”

“Yes ma’am,” I replied timidly, as I reluctantly re-mounted Esmee, throwing a regretful frown to Magwin before Esmee teleported us through the wall and back into the morning air outside.

Schuster Hall was only a short distance to the north-west from Kirby Hall, getting through the double doors would have been easy enough, but since I had already been told to report to her office, I figured I’d just drop right in on her.

We rounded the building, approaching it from the northern most side, and spotting the windows I wanted, I directed Esmee to teleport through them via our telepathic link.

We dropped in on the other side, swooshing over Carsons head and making a graceful landing on an overstuffed armchair on the opposite side of the desk. She looked up at us with a frown.

“We have a problem. With you...again. Why shouldn’t I be surprised,” she began in an immensely unamused voice. “And to make matters worse, you drop into my office without checking with the assist. head-mistress first. You do realize that the office has a door for a reason don’t you?”

“You do realize that when your only thirteen inches tall, going through a door can be a bit of a problem. Not to mention-,” I was cut off rather rudely.

“Enough. We can deal with your insolence later. For now we have to discuss yet another fight involving you, Ezra Falling-Bird. You can imagine I was not at all pleased to hear from security, that you have yet again been brawling openly on campus.”

“Self-defense due to your own negligence, I assure you,” I responded. I understood she was in a position of power and authority in this situation, but I wasn’t about to let her forget that I’m legally an adult. Student or not. Sometimes I think people try to talk down to me so condescendingly because I appear several years younger than my actual age of eighteen. Not to mention, my incredibly small size.

“My negligence? Yet again we seem to have this dilemma concerning the manner in which you choose to address me. I will have respect from you, or I think we can discuss perhaps arranging you a train ticket back home.”

“That’s fine with me. I already completed high-school after-all. I’d sure as hell be a lot safer back home as well I bet. I have to inquire as to your reasons for letting my sister run wild despite injuries I’ve sustained on campus which were undoubtedly due to her.” I retorted hotly.

“YOU are not in a position to inquire of anything from me. You’d best learn your place. As for your sister, that is a situation which is not so easily remedied, nor was there any real evidence or proof concerning the injury you sustained, that would indicate it was your sisters doing.”

“Well damn, someone should sure as hell make sure that students are safe while attending this academy.”

“Watch your language when your in my office,” she said calmly...but in a calculatedly cold tone of voice. “As for these....inquiries, your sister is in a lot of trouble regardless of what actions I take. In fact, she is doubtlessly endangering the entire academy with the latest rumors that come to me of yet another great threat against Whateley, which she is totally entrenched in.”

“What rumors?” I asked, worried now. I’d all but given up on saving my sister. Or trying to help my mother raise her appropriately. This last fight had made me more than realize that she was out of control and was no longer the girl she had once been. My mother would be devastated to learn of the things she’s done since I transferred to the school.

“Here at Whatelely, there’s always threats against the academy I have to deal with. There has never been a time when this has not been the case. If it’s not necromancers, then it’s attacks from super-villains. If it’s not that...then it’s this. Your sister, is embroiled in some sort of dealings with an extra-dimensional entity that...if my prophetic sources are correct, is some type of living omen. To make matters worse, this...thing endangers the entire world rather than just the academy.”

“So, whats this have to do with me. Just...I don’t know, expel her or something. Its your own inaction which has caused all of this to begin with!”

“Young lady, you’d better just be glad that I’m not expelling you for this knack you seem to have for fighting and disrespecting school officials...mainly me. However, just this once I’ll let your insolent ranting go, since I have much larger problems that concern me other than you and whether or not your sister has lost her mind.”

“Yes ma’am.” I said, feeling foolish for the first time.

“However, it seems that perhaps you can...help me with this one problem concerning your sister.”

“Help?” I asked, perking up.

“Yes help. You signed a consent form when you enrolled just like all the other students did, thus you understand that the school is under limited liability when it comes to the dangers of going to school here. As for helping, let me ask you. What do you know of your father?”

“My father?” I asked.

“Yes, your father.” she said, as she sat back in her chair, sighing audibly as she did so.

“Well I really don’t know anything about him really, other than he left right after my sister was born.”

“Well, this story begins with him...and will undoubtedly end with him. Whether or not this new development is the greatest threat Whateley has faced in recent years is debatable. But, theres some things you should know before you agree to accept this task which I’m willing to bestow upon you.”

“Like what?” I asked, feeling uncomfortable and uncertain by the new direction the discussion had taken.

“Your father, was not from this world. Not even this universe. That is where the story really begins...and that’s also where the key to resolving this situation lies.”

“My father-,” I said, wondering who he was and why my mother had never talked about him in any great detail.

“Your task, should you choose to accept it...,-” she began.

I realized these next few moments would define the rest of my life.

Where would it all lead....