For Better or Worse - part 8

Printer-friendly version

For Better or Worse

When Tom married his wife, he truly believed the love they shared would pull them through any problems that may come their way, but what happens when you discover the one you married is not even human?

~o~O~o~

Written by Nuuan
Copyright © 2017 by Nuuan

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the Author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

~o~O~o~

Chapter 39

A small pulsating ball of light emerged from the dense fog and streaked across the field inches above the rows of crops. Reaching a gap between two fields that held wagon tracks the bright yellow light made what looked like an impossible right angle turn onto the path increasing speed while lowering to within a foot above the rough road. Approaching the rear of a wooden cart being pulled down the dirt path by a troll, the ball of light rose up high enough that it missed the top of the cart by inches as it sped past its owner.

Startled by the ball of light racing past the troll dropped the handles of the two wheeled cart, then raising one first that it shook in the direction the pulsating orb had gone, “Cursed Wisp!” Turning around to check that none of the vegetables had fallen from his loaded cart, the troll turned back then bent over grabbing the handles of the cart before walking once again in the direction he had been going, toward the large village that lay a small handful of miles ahead, the same direction the will-o-wisp had gone.

The wisp quickly ate up the distance to the small village making impossible high speed maneuvers around several creatures not slowing or stopping until it reached the village center where there stood a well that water could be drawn from. Around the well four round posts held up a wood shingled roof. Attached to the supports under the small roof rope had been wound around a spool and hand crank assembly to allow the water to be easily drawn up. On the roof peak two smaller but sturdy upright wooden spars with a similar cross piece that connected the two uprights at their top, held a small bell. No more than eighteen inches across the widest part of the bell’s opening its rough appearance and thick coating of tarnish spoke of its age while the greenish brown coloration told of its non-iron metal composition.

Once the ball of light stopped as its light quickly morphed into a humanoid shape before losing its bright glow, leaving behind a small lithe human figure that was not quite five feet tall. Long pale blond hair, the color matching the yellow glow before it transformed, cascaded down the figures back to its waist. If not for the long hair it would have been impossible to say if the figure was male or female. Its facial features were soft and nearly feminine but could easily be a prepubescent boy. Only two of its features stood out to show this was not a human child. Its eyes held no iris or pupils, all one solid color, the same bright yellow color of its hair. And it ears were pointed like that of an elf, although its ears were much longer emerging out of its golden blond hair upward almost to the top of its head.

The figure was clad in a metal breastplate and backplate of a silvery metal that was adored with golden edging. Under this it seemed to be wearing an ankle length robe or dress of opaque gossamer like material that had no sleeves. The figure looked up into the structure above it then deciding on a rope that its end was tied to one of the posts, pulled on the rope ringing the bell above.

As a crowd of creatures began gathering around the village well one tall thin male stepped forward, “Why have you alerted us and why are you wearing the adornments of a herald? There has been no need for heralds since we came to Underhill and you are too young to have been appointed one in the time before.”

“Our parents were the heralds in the time before Underhill,” The small childlike figure stated. “And with no one to appoint new heralds we took up the duty when our parents merged and gave birth to us.”

“But the Unseelie court is no more,” someone shouted from within the small crowd.

“Aye, he is right,’ the first glared at the youth, “We have lost our highborn bloodline, go back to the forests and fogs your kind love so much.”

“But there is a highborn!” The youth gleefully shouted, “A very young one, we saw her and felt her presence! She came through Underhill with one of the regent witches too. The regent witch also summoned a Ghillie who went with them.”

“So a Ghillie went with them,” The apparent leader of the village stated, “Ghillies love being around children.”

“Everyone knows that,” The youth agreed. “But when have you ever heard of a Ghillie want to share a child?”

“Impossible!” the leader snorted.

“Ghillies never share children!” another shouted from the crowd.

“We can share!” a creature resembling a two foot tall furry gremlin with a mouthful of razor sharp teeth walked out of the crowd to stand by the youth. “We do share, but only when the child needs more than one of us. It’s rare that any child would need or want more than one of us.” Turning to the youth, “How many of my kind were willing to go with this child?”

“We didn’t really count,” The youth looked down at the small furry creature that stood near it. “At least fifteen, probably more.”

The Small furry creatures eyes widened at the number it heard. Shaking its head as it turned toward the crowd, “This child is of highborn blood. And if our young wisp is correct with the number, this highborn child is in serious danger.”

The leader looked around studying the faces of the crowd of creatures gathered, “I feel this is something we cannot take a chance on. If this one is highborn we must protect her!” Turning back to the youth, “How many of you in your swarm and how fast can you get this information to all the villages?”

“Elder, there are thirty three of us, but we are enlisting the help of other swarms as we come across them,” The youth answered. “Our guess is it will take many weeks to cover all of Underhill.”

“Inform the larger villages first, they can send runners to their outlying settlements.” The leader instructed, “Inform those elders to meet in the Jinjas Grove. There is a human place of worship there, their monks are amiable to Sidhe.” Turning to the crowd, “We must find out who or what threatens our highborn and eliminate that threat!”

“But what if the Seelie are the threat?” a female voice spoke from the crowd.

“We then protect the highborn, our new princess, and possibly extract some justice for what the Seelie did to our brothers and sisters of the Drow.”

Chapter 40

Monday morning came all too quickly as Kyley helped her get dressed a second time after Becky had vetoed the short skirt and halter top Tessa had come downstairs wearing that morning. As the two walked back downstairs Becky smiled, “Much better, Tessa do you have everything you need?” Tessa patted the leather bag she always had with her. “Okay let’s go get in the car.”

Entering the gates at Whateley Tessa leaned up between the front seats from where she sat in the back, “Aunt Becky why are the gargoyles so mean here?”

“What do you mean Tessa, they’re just gargoyles.”

“I know but they could wave back,” Tessa pouted. “They ignored me when I waved to them Saturday too.”

“Tessa those gargoyles are made out of stone, they can’t move.”

“Why not?”

“Let me,” Kyley twisted around in the front passenger seat. “Tessa Humans are very afraid of gargoyles so those two stay perfectly still all the time so they don’t scare the humans.”

“That’s silly!” Tessa giggled, “Everyone knows that gargoyles protect you from bad demons. The ones at my grandmother’s castle are nice.”

Becky shook her head at Tessa’s logic as she brought the car to a stop in front of Shuster Hall to let both Kyley and Tessa out of the car.

After helping Tessa out of the backseat and making sure the invisible wyvern also exited the car with her, Kyley pointed up to the school flag. “Do you see the flag there?” Tessa nodded as she looked up at it, holding the Raggedy Anne doll she had brought with her down at her side by its arm. “Anytime it has a red or yellow border you must stay in your human looking form and Lily must stay hidden when you are outside okay?”

“I don’t see any border on it though?” Tessa sounded confused.

“That means it’s okay for Lily to appear and for you to be in your normal form,” Kyley explained.

“Should I change?”

“Only if you want to, but make sure you always look at that flag first okay?”

“Okay,” Tessa smiled as she nodded. “I’ll stay this way if that’s okay.”

“You can stay however you wish to here,” Kyley smiled at the small girl. “Now this is even more important than the flag border. When you are here at the school, never under any circumstances are you to ever leave this school with anyone other than Becky or I.” After seeing Tessa nod, “Okay so this is Shuster Hall. We have to go in here and get you a visitor’s ID. I’ve taken care of most of the paperwork but Mrs. Carson wants to meet and talk with us both about you going to school here while you’re with us.”

“School?” Tessa’s eyes grew large, “But I have a degree in computer programming!”

Becky patted Tessa on top her head, “Tom Dennett had a degree in computers. You don’t even have a proper birth certificate yet.”

“Grandmother said she or one of my aunts would bring all that later when she had time.”

Becky got back in the car, leaving Tessa standing outside of Shuster Hall with Kyley.

After meeting a Mrs. Hartford, who Tessa thought spend way too much time scowling over her desk at her, Kyley led Tessa into Mrs. Carson’s office. Mrs. Carson was the exact opposite of the young blond with attitude Kyley had introduced as Mrs. Hartford.

“This is rather unusual,” Mrs. Carson examined both Kyley and Tessa where they sat in front of her large desk, “but, I will not be a party to someone so young being hunted because of some old prophecy about the child’s bloodline.”

“If Tessa’s bloodline is what Becky and I suspect it might be, Killing her would make the prophecy self-fulfilling.”

“What is it that you suspect about her bloodline?” Carson then suggested, “We do have Doyle and the testing facilities if that would help.”

Kyley thought a moment about having Tessa tested while they had her at Whateley, “It might be a good idea to have powers testing done so that she has one of the Mutant Identification Cards in case something should happen. Although I doubt blood tests would prove anything towards my suspicions.”

“And those would be?” Carson questioned once again.

“Tessa could you tell Mrs. Carson the names of all your great aunts please.”

“Um, well there’s Moronoe and Mazoe and Gliten and Gliton and Glitonea and Thiten and Thiton and um Tyronoe,” Tessa rattled off the names of her grandmother’s sister's that lives in the castle.

Mrs. Carson’s eyebrow went up as she recognized the names, “Your grandmother’s name doesn’t happen to be Maeve, Morgian or Morgan?”

Tessa shook her head, “No grandmother’s name is Merla.”

“The one you’re thinking of has gone by countless names over the centuries.” Kyley added, “And yes I have strong suspicions Tessa’s grandmother may be that person.”

“I see your concern now.” Mrs. Carson stated, “Although there are a lot of conjecture at this point. You think that it is possible that the Unseelie disappeared before the sundering and it’s possible they could still exist in great force.”

“I know they disappeared prior to the sundering,” Kyley stated. “That happened before the Old ones attacked my world. All the Unseelie on multiple worlds, one day they were there, the next day they were gone, vanished without a trace. No attack on them could have done that without someone seeing the attack.”

“So you believe they found a place to hide and wait out the sundering?”

“They not hiding,” Tessa grinned, “They went to Underhill to live. The Seelie have to stay on the paths in Underhill or they’ll get lost, the Unseelie don’t get lost there. And they have beautiful castles and farms and they were all really nice to me and Aunt Thiten and that is where I got Anne.” Tessa held out her Raggedy Ann doll.

Kyley looked at Carson then over at Tessa, “What did you tell Becky and me that they called you?”

Tessa cheeks turned bright pink as she giggled, “They were all calling me princess, that’s when they gave me Anne.”

Turning toward Kyley, “I see what you mean, if the Unseelie believe Tessa to be their princess and the Succubi harm her…”

“It could start a war,” Kyley finished.

~o~O~o~

Once Kyley had escorted Tessa to the Poe building and introduced her to Mrs. Horton, Kyley left for her classes. Tessa found that like Mrs. Carson, Mrs. Horton also knew of Tessa’s true origin. Mrs. Horton while explaining about Poe and its secret told Tessa to be very careful of telling others about her real past. Tessa had planned on sitting and working on the programming she had fallen behind on while she was stuck in the Kynlif world so socializing with what would appear to be older kids was not high on her list. Tessa’s plans were struck down before she could even find a place to sit and bring out her laptop.

Looking down at the small girl Mrs. Horton began, “Okay, I’ve been filled in on your story and Mrs. Carson would like you to do some testing to see how much of your old memories you may have lost. So if you’ll have a seat I’ll get someone to walk you over to Kane Hall where you can start some of those tests.”

“Tests?”

“Yes dear,” Mrs. Horton gave her what Tessa could only describe as a motherly look. “If you’re going to be staying here for any amount of time we’ll have to get you into some regular classes so you don’t fall behind after the issues you are having have been resolved.” Seeing the confused look on Tessa’s face Mrs. Horton explained, “Children must go to school and you look like a child so you’ll have to attend school wherever you eventually live. You wouldn’t want to be forced to start any lower in grade levels than you have to do you?”

Tessa shook her head, “I’d rather not have to go through school again, but I see your point. I guess I’ll have to, won’t I?”

Mrs. Horton nodded, “I’m glad you understand the position you’re in dear. Although try to look at it as an opportunity, an opportunity to do things again the way you wished you had the first time.”

“That’s a good way to look at it,” Tessa forced a smile. “I’ll try to remember to do that,” Tessa said as Mrs. Horton walked out of the room.

No more than five minutes had went by when Mrs. Horton came back with a teen girl that had the most amazing emerald green eyes and long black wavy hair that hung down to her waist. “Hey there,” The dark haired girl smiled at Tessa, “You really are a cutie aren’t you. I’m Rosalyn, I’ll escort you over to Kane Hall so you can get those tests out of the way.”

Rosalyn led Tessa out of the room then out of the building. As they walked Rosalyn noticed how quiet Tessa was being, “So you manifested pretty young?”

Shaking her head, “I’m not a mutant.”

“Really? Then why send you here?”

“Um, I’m sort of a demon,” Tessa sighed.

“Oh my god really?” Rosalyn stopped and turned to Tessa. “You’re not like Sara’s little sister or something are you?”

“I don’t know any Sara.”

“She’s sort of this lust demon that goes to school here, although no one has seen her in awhile.”

Thinking about what she really was Tessa nodded, “I guess I’m kind like her then, I’m a succubus. But I don’t know how to do the lust stuff, my mom says I’m too young to do that.”

Rosalyn eyed the small girl from head to toe, “I would have to agree with your mom, you look way too young to be doing any of that stuff yet.” Rosalyn had her limits and talking about sex to someone of Tessa’s age was well beyond that limit. Quickly changing the subject, “So you have any cool powers?”

Shaking her head again, “Not really, at least I don’t think I have any, other than flying I think. But I have to change into my real body to fly because I don’t have wings when I look human.”

“Well being able to fly is pretty cool,” Rosalyn grinned as she continued their journey to Kane Hall.

“I guess,” Tessa muttered, then under her breath, ‘But I would give it up to be human again.’

Continuing their walk in silence, Rosalyn entered the 3rd floor room with Tessa. “Hi Miss Devlin,” Rosalyn greeted a woman sitting behind a desk at the front of the small classroom. “I’ve brought Tessa over for her torture… I mean testing,” Rosalyn grinned evilly.

Miss Devlin glared at Rosalyn for the joke then lowered her gaze to smile at Tessa, “You must be Tessa,” her smile widened at the sight of the cute little girl with Rosalyn, “Don’t let Rosalyn intimidate you, I don’t bite and neither will the tests. There is no pass or fail, we just need to see where you are at in comparison to other students to make sure you’re not put into classes that you don’t need and given ones that you do need while you are here at Whateley.”

Rosalyn stopped in the doorway as she left, “I’ll be back to take you to Crystal Hall for lunch.”

~o~O~o~

Tessa was deep in thought about the testing she had gone through as she followed Rosalyn toward Crystal Hall. ‘How could I have lost so much?’ Tessa questioned herself. She had thought she was fine on the computerized tests Miss. Devlin had given her, although she had not done as well as she thought she had, only scoring the same as an average fifth grader. While the low computer score surprised her, Tessa could understand the loss of much of the information children were forced to memorize in school, such as state capitols, what countries bordered Brazil and things like that were forgotten as useless knowledge for the vast majority of adults, although necessary for the young to pass the standard tests. What really bothered Tessa was the written tests she had been given.

Much to Tessa’s dismay she discovered she had lost the fine motor skills to write. Completely unable to write cursive she found herself forced to slowly print each letter to write out the answers and her handwriting so bad that if she had written a letter backwards every now and then one could have easily guessed the answers were written by a preschooler.

So deep in thought Tessa hadn’t noticed the large crystal dome like structure until they were standing at the entrance. Looking up at the giant geodesic structure for the first time from that perspective caused a small gasp to escape Tessa’s lips. After being pulled inside by Rosalyn, Tessa stopped in her tracks, “This, this is your cafeteria?” Tessa goggled at the large spacious interior, it’s centerpiece a large breathtaking waterfall that flowed into a large basin made with natural stone created high enough to make the top of the stone wall that held in the water almost perfect height for a person to sit.

Tessa easily spotted the distortion in the air as Lily made a beeline toward the fountain. Tessa giggled as the sight while at the same time hoped the wyvern didn’t make too much of a splash when she got there. Thinking she should try to stay as close to Lily as she could Tessa looked up at Rosalyn, “Can we eat over by that fountain?”

Seeing several tables still empty in the area, Rosalyn smiled, “I don’t see why not.”

Tessa found the selection of different foods along the long cafeteria style serving counter quite extensive. Not only did the long counter hold a greater variety than any other cafeteria that she had ever been in, and the amount of each selection was enormous. Although watching the way that some of the students piled food directly onto their trays, Tessa could understand why they needed to have such vast amounts of food out on the line. One part of the serving line a chef was making sushi rolls. Tessa wondered how difficult it might be to get the chef to give her one of the whole fish. To her surprise the chef didn’t even blink while handing over several of the smaller fish with bright yellow tails that were lying in the gray tub on ice. His only question was if the four he handed over were enough.

Trays of food in hand after making their way through the line, Rosalyn was stopped by two girls on their way over to an empty table. Motioning for Tessa to continue over to the table, “Go ahead, I’ll be over in a minute.”

Tessa continued on to the table while Rosalyn spoke with the two. Sitting as close to the fountain as she could Tessa twisted around in her chair holding one of the Yellowtail snappers by its tail toward the fountain, trying to entice Lily into taking it.

“Hey don’t throw that in the fountain!” A small giggle escaped Tessa’s lips after turning to see the boy that had spoken. He had to be at least six feet tall and well-muscled, although what Tessa found funny was how much the boy’s figure reminded her of a cartoon gorilla with his narrow waist and too wide chest and muscled arms. The boy glared at Tessa, “You think this is funny?”

“Sorry,” Tessa apologized. “I wasn’t making fun of you. I was told GSD would make people look like monsters. I never thought it would make someone look like you do.”

From two tables away Tessa saw a large velociraptor making chirping and snorting noises, apparently laughing as it was pointing at the boy standing near Tessa. The velociraptor sat with a black boy that was wearing clothes that clashed so badly only a blind man could dress that badly. With them sat a girl, or at least she was a girl from the waist up, from the waist down she had a snake’s body.

“I don’t have GSD, I’m an exemplar!” The boy stated rather loudly, swiveling his head to glare at the velociraptor. Noticing that Tessa was reaching for another fish, “I told you not to drop that in the water!”

“I didn’t,” Tessa held the one in her hand over the short wall where it seemed to disappear from her hand. “I fed it to Lily.”

“What’s going on?” Rosalyn looked questioningly at the boy as she sat her tray down on the table.

“This kid thinks it’s funny to throw dead fish into the fountain.”

“I was feeding them to Lily,” Tessa smiled over at Rosalyn.

“That’s the invisible dragon I was told about?” Rosalyn looked over at Tessa.

“She’s not a dragon,” Tessa nodded, “Lily’s a wyvern.”

Rosalyn grinned up at the boy that she had already heard rumors about, “Well then it looks like you have nothing to worry about, she’s feeding her invisible friend.”

Grabbing the Raggedy Ann doll laying on the table, the boy shook it in front of Rosalyn’s face, “What the hell is a little kid with dolls and imaginary friends doing here anyway?”

“I think that is none of your business,” Rosalyn spoke softly but with authority in her voice. “Now put her doll down and go please.”

“And if I don’t?” The boy managed to say right before a stream of water from the fountain hit him square in the face.

“You really want to piss off an invisible dragon?” Rosalyn did her best to hold back her laughter as the boy tried to determine where the water had come from.

“Something wrong here?” Kyley sat her tray down on the table.

“Aunt Kyley!” Tessa grinned wide.

Seeing the boy holding Tessa’s doll, “You might want to put the Ghillie down, they’re known to have a nasty bite.”

“The what?” The boy noticed Kyley was pointing at the doll. Looking down at it in his hand he could have sworn its eyes began to glow red and it grinned at him showing shark-like teeth. “What the fu…” he dropped the doll quickly. The doll flopped lifelessly onto the table, it's button eyes and thin marker drawn smile for a mouth clearly visible. Noticing the doll was clearly not alive and unable to do what he thought he had seen he turned away from the table mumbling about magic users and illusions as he left.

Chapter 41

Each day Mrs. Horton would have someone escort Tessa whenever she needed to go anyplace which allowed Tessa to meet and talk with quite a few of the residents of Poe cottage over the past few days. Currently Tessa was sitting at one of the tables in the common area of Poe working on some game coding while she waited on Becky to pick her up when a short haired girl wearing nice trousers with shirt and tie walked up to where she sat.

“You’re Tessa De Fay correct?” The girl asked.

Tessa looked up from her laptop, “Um yeah.”

“I’m Ayla Goodkind, mind if I sit down?”

“Go ahead,” Tessa nodded toward one of the empty chairs.

Ayla pulled the chair out and sat, “Yesterday one of my teammates, Jade, escorted you around and she told me you have some very rare coins you are wanting to sell?”

Reaching into the large purse Tessa never seemed to take off her shoulder, she dropped a handful of coins on the table, “You mean these? My aunt gave them to me so I wouldn’t be a financial burden on Kyley but Kyley and Becky told me they are too old and we have to take them to Boston or New York to change them into regular money.”

Ayla pulled a pair of latex gloves from her jacket pocket and put them on before slowly examining the coins one at a time. Picking up one Ayla looked over it at Tessa, “I think this may be made out Orichalcum. If I’m right do you have any idea how much just the metal alone is worth? And the minting states it’s from Atlantis,” Ayla sighed, “of course there is no way to prove the coin is actually from Atlantis. If there were a way to prove it, this coin could be priceless.” Laying the coin gently back onto the table Ayla looked over at Tessa, “Would you mind if I talked to your guardian about brokering these for you. Of course I’ll take a small percentage but I believe I have the contacts to get you a much better price than you would see from a coin broker in either Boston or New York.”

Tessa nodded, “My aunt gave me those to pay for me being here so it would be great if you can do that. Becky will be here soon, we can talk to her then.”

It turned out to be more than just talking to Becky as Kyley became involved too when Becky called her. Although everyone they spoke with, including Mrs. Horton and Mrs. Carson vouched for Ayla’s solid business practice and Ayla was left with a small leather bag loaded with a double handful of the coins Tessa had brought with her.

~o~O~o~

Saturday morning Kyley slipped carefully out of bed so as not to disturb the still sleeping Becky. Coming down the steps from upstairs Kyley spotted a pink bear lying on the floor near the couch as she walked into their living room, one of the many stuffed toys that in Becky’s words had, ‘multiplied like rabbits,’ in their home over the past week, Kyley walked over to where it lay in the middle of the living room floor and picked it up. Walking over to the couch Kyley sat down then sat the furry stuffed animal on the coffee table facing her. “Why are there so many of you here?” Kyley looked curiously at the stuffed bear as if waiting for an explanation.

It was close to ten minutes later when Becky woke. Hearing voices as she came down the stairs, Becky checked to make sure her robe covered everything before walking into the living room, “Who’re you talking with?”

Kyley looked up at Becky as she thumbed toward the stuffed bear on the coffee table as the stuffed toy fell lifelessly onto its side, “The bear.”

“I hear Tessa talking to them all the time,” Becky grinned at Kyley. “I expect it at her age but aren’t you a bit old to be talking to her plushies?” Becky turned toward the kitchen, “I’m going to start breakfast. Is there anything special you want this morning?”

Kyley jumped up from the couch following Becky into the kitchen, “Wait, that wasn’t what you think you saw.”

~o~O~o~

The weekend went by all too quickly and Tessa found herself tugging at the skirt of one of the school uniforms that Becky insisted that Tessa start wearing to school since Mrs. Carson had finally agreed to accept Tessa as a full student. While the school had accepted non-mutant students in the past, the rules were quite specific and Tessa was not a mutant. A waiver had finally been granted by the board of supervisors allowing Tessa to attend the school until her current situation had been resolved, after which the Board would decide if the young girl could remain a student or have to find another educational facility.

Both Becky and Kyley had explained it was much safer if she stayed on campus as sooner or later the ones after her would discover where she was and while both the house and campus was protected, her and Becky both was vulnerable to attack twice a day with Becky driving her to and from school. And with Becky’s work there would be times Tessa would have to remain on campus overnight sometimes for several nights in a row if Becky had to travel out of town for work.

Tessa waved at the large gargoyles from the backseat of Becky’s car as she had every time she passed through the gates in and out of Whateley since she arrived. Unlike the first time she had been brought to the school’s campus she no longer expected them to wave back to her. Tessa thought of them like those soldiers in England, that wear those bright red coats and tall bear skin hats, she had seen on TV that stay perfectly still in front of some castle in England and were said to never move either.

Tessa grinned at the thought of humans trying to mimic the way gargoyles could remain unmoving. Nothing living could stay unmoving for as long as a gargoyle could since a gargoyle didn’t need to eat or sleep and could remain motionless for centuries as long as they were near a source of essence they could absorb the small amount of essence they needed to survive. The gargoyles on her grandmother’s island had told her that even the lack of essence would only put them to sleep until they were awakened by the presence of it once more.

As the car pulled up in front of Poe Cottage, Tessa wondered if the two gargoyles at the gate could be asleep. Tessa shook that thought away as foolish as even with her lack of skill Tessa could feel the whole area was saturated with essence, almost if there were some place very close where magical energy was centered. Remembering hearing the students talk about how extensive the tunnel system was under the school Tessa thought, ‘Maybe there’s a crystal cavern here like the one under grandmother’s castle?’

The car door opening she was leaning against brought her out of her reflections. Looking over she saw Kyley had opened the door for her. Beyond that Mrs. Horton stood with a blond haired girl wearing a heavy winter coat. “Good morning Tessa,” Mrs. Horton smiled, “I’ve been told you are now officially part of our cottage now.”

“Yes ma’am,” Tessa checked her grip on the doll she held while grabbing the backpack beside her on the seat that looked like a stuffed Tasmanian devil from the cartoon. Sliding out of the backseat of the car Tessa turned and looked at the empty seat, “Come on Lily.”

“Tessa this is Susie,” Mrs. Horton motioned to the blond girl in the coat beside her, “She’ll be your roommate.”

“Hi,” Tessa’s first thought was why she would be wearing such a heavy coat when the temperature wasn’t that cold. Becky had insisted that Tessa put on a light jacket that morning, but knowing temperature didn’t affect Tessa very much she had said it was more so she would fit in as a young girl. Tessa could see that most of the high school age kids she saw around were at most in long sleeve shirts if even that.

“Hey,” Susie smiled at Tessa, “Need any help carrying your stuff?”

Slipping one of the shoulder straps of her looney tunes character backpack on one shoulder, “No this is everything.” Patting the purse that hung from her shoulder.

“Cool, it’s freezing out here, let’s get in where it’s warm,” Susie motioned for Tessa to follow, “I’ll show you our room.”

After the two girls entered the cottage Becky looked over at Mrs. Horton, “I thought she would be rooming with someone closer to her age?”

“Oh she is,” Mrs. Horton explained, “Susie seems to have a BIT that makes her look older than she really is. She and Tessa will be in a lot of the same classes.”

“I would have thought she was at least seventeen or eighteen,” Becky commented.

“She just turned twelve before coming here.”

“Oh the poor thing, to look that that at twelve.”

“It’s one of the reasons I put Tessa with her,” Mrs. Horton stated. “I’m hoping with Tessa having a similar but opposite change her maturity will help Susie from getting into situations with older boys.”

Entering into the room behind Susie, Tessa saw the beds were stacked into bunk beds with only the bottom one being made with several thick blankets on top of it. Along the opposite wall two desks with chairs sat almost side by side, the one furthest from the window was obviously Susie’s desk as it had several books and other school supplies on it. Casually dropping her backpack on the unused desk it landed with the legs of the Tasmanian devil doll’s legs hanging over the edge of the desk and even though it shape gave the impression that it was top heavy and should have fallen over it remained upright in that position, with its stuffed plushie arms falling down to the desktop giving the illusion that the arms supported it.

“The beds were like this when I moved in, we can get some guys to help get your bed down,” Susie glancing at Tessa small size then over at the bunk beds as she took off her heavy winter coat and hung it on a hook on the back of the door.

“I like it like it is,” Tessa grinned. “My grandma has this attic room that I used to play in that you have to climb a ladder to get to, it kind of reminds me of that.” Spotting a framed picture on Susie’s desk Tessa reached over picking it up, “Who’s this?” Looking at the picture of what she took to be a nice African American family, mother, father and young girl just a few years older than what Tessa now appeared to be.

“That’s my mom and dad,”

Looking over at Susie, Tessa figured Susie must be adopted as she couldn’t see any signs of African American features on her at all. Pointing at the girl in the picture, “Your little sister?”

Susie flopped down onto her bed with a heavy sigh, shaking her head slowly back and forth from where she sat.

Seeing the tears beginning to stream down Susie’s cheeks, Tessa put the picture down then walked over, wrapping her arm around Susie’s back as she sat down beside her. “Sorry I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories. I know a lot of families have driven away loved ones who manifest as mutants.”

“The girl in the picture,’ Susie sobbed, “It’s me. It was me until I changed into this, this beach bunny.”

Tessa knew how she felt as she had woken in not only the wrong body but one that appeared to be only 7 years old and tried to think of anything she could do to make the girl feel better, “At least you’re still human and do look nice.”

“What would you know, you’re just a little kid.”

“I know most people freak out when they see the real me.”

“What do you mean, the real you?”

“This is kind of my second form.”

“You, you’re a shape changer?”

“Sort of,” Tessa confessed. “I can only do this one and my Kynlif form.”

“What’s a Kynlif?”

“Promise not to freak out and I’ll show you,” Tessa stood up and walked across the room before turning around. “Okay first I got to change or I’ll ruin my clothes,” Tessa stated as pulled a silver chain necklace out from her top that had a crystal attached to it. Grasping the crystal in her hand the clothes Tessa had on changed immediately into her leather armor, complete with her sword on her side.

“Okay that’s cool. But lots of people have spells or enchanted items that can do that.”

“No this is so I don’t ruin my clothes when I change.” Still worried she might freak out her new roommate, “Promise not to freak when you see what I really look like?”

Susie nodded, “My granny was teaching me voodoo so I’m used to what most around here would call unusual.”

“Alright just please don’t freak out,’ Tessa begged. “Just because I look different doesn’t mean I’m going to try to eat your soul or anything like that.”

Susie watched as Tessa grew a couple of inches, then out of her back she saw a pair of bat-like wings emerge and grow. While her wings grew to become her largest difference, Susie could see that Tessa’s fingernails grew longer and black resembling talons. Although the most unusual change were Tessa’s feet, becoming quite draconian with three long raptor-like toes extending forward and two pointing backward all ending in long curved black claws. From the way Tessa stood there using one of her short fangs that appeared with her change to bite her lip, Susie could tell she was nervous about how she would react. Hoping to quell Tessa’s anxiety Susie grinned, “What no horns?”

“Horns?” Tess looked up at her roommate, “I don’t have horns.”

Susie’s grin spreading across her face, “Well you can’t expect me to freak out without horns. Anyways you’re way too cute to be scary.”

“Just what I needed,” Tessa giggled, “A roommate that thinks demons are cute.”

“No kidding?” Susie’s eyes widened, “You’re a demon?”

“That’s kind of a hard question,” Tessa paused. “We’re not true demons, but humans sort of group us in with demons because of our looks and what we eat.”

“You don’t like eat puppies or something do you?”

Tessa cheeks felt very warm, “We feed on sexual energy, lust, that sort of thing.”

“You’re a Succubus!” Susie gasped.

Nodding Tessa continued, “I’m too young to feed like my mom and aunts, but I do get pulled into dreams sometimes.”

Susie laughed, “And they sent you here? I got a feeling you’ll be pulled into a lot of dreams around here as all the boys and some of the girls around here seem to have only one thing on their mind.”

“Oh lucky me,” Tessa took in a deep breath and let it out as someone knocked on the door. Tessa quickly changed back to her human form before opening the door to find Mrs. Horton.

“I came to remind you the time dear,” Mrs. Horton smiled politely at Tessa, “Your appointment for power testing is in twenty minutes.”

Chapter 42

Tuesday morning Tessa woke to the sound of her roommate’s alarm blaring something that Tessa would have classified as hazardous waste instead of music. Whatever group it was even had Lily growling and ready to jump out of Tessa’s bed and put the clock radio out of its misery. “Oh my god shut that noise off!” Tessa yelled above the music.

“It’s not that bad,” Susie yelled to be heard above the radio as she reached over to turn it off.

“Not bad?” Tessa giggled, “I had to hold Lily back so she didn’t go kill the radio. I figured where you’re from you’d listen to stuff like Jimmy Buffet or calypso music?”

“Hey!” Susie giggled, “Just because I’m from the Conch Republic doesn’t mean I go around singing Cheeseburger in paradise all the time!”

Jumping out of bed both girls put on their robes and ran out to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Once in the shower Tessa began washing and soon realized she could hear the song Cheeseburger in paradise. “Did you bring a radio in here?” Tessa asked loud enough to be heard above the shower.

The music abruptly stopped as Susie answered above the running water, “Sorry. I like to sing in the shower.”

“That was you?” Tessa gasped, “I thought it was a radio.”

“I found out I could do it after I changed,” They say I’m also Psychokinetic, I can manipulate sound waves to mimic sounds and voices. It’s sort of like being a ventriloquist and voice impersonator all in one.”

“Cool, I bet you are a lot of fun at parties.”

Tessa finished her shower trying not to laugh or start dancing as Susie began singing Wake me up before you go. Turning off the water, Tessa dried herself and finished her other morning bathroom rituals as Susie did the same. Once back in their room the two dressed and headed over to Crystal hall for breakfast.

Noticing that Tessa had not touched her tray other than what she was feeding Lily, “Something wrong?”

Picking up another thick slice of ham and slipping it under the table for Lily, “No, just not really hungry.”

Susie leaned forward speaking softly so only Tessa could hear and she saw the younger girl’s cheeks turn bright red, “Got all filled up jumping around in dreams last night?”

Leaning over so she could also talk without every around hearing, “You wouldn’t believe how bad it was, it’s like it’s the only thing on everyone’s mind around here.”

“Oh I’d believe it alright,” Susie giggled. “Remember I’m from Key West! Even if we aren’t part of the United States any more, we still get plenty of tourists. My dad says we get more tourists now than we did before we became the Conch Republic. He says it’s because we don’t allow any kind of discrimination because people are different, gay, mutant, it doesn’t matter.”

Remembering the story of one mutant Susie continued, “And there are some mutants they want, there was a family moved in down the street from us that were from Texas. The boy manifested during a shark attack at the beach and now can change form kind of like you but into a merman or a dolphin. Our Navy rescued him and his family from Texas and made them citizens. The resorts pay him really good to keep sharks away from the beaches.”

Tessa’s eyes wide at hearing how well mutants were treated and even wanted there, “Wow, maybe I should think about moving there.”

“That’s the catch,” Susie continued, “So many want to immigrate you really need to have a useful skill. I think for the most part we would accept everyone, but there is only so much room on the islands.”

“Still it sounds like paradise, tropical beaches and no MCO,” Tessa giggled.

Susie shook her head while gathering up her silverware onto her tray so she could drop it off when they left, “They’re not allowed anywhere in the Republic. No organization that puts one type of people over another is allowed, even the ones trying to do good things like equal right for blacks or LGBTQ are not allowed as it’s already against the law to discriminate. My cousin and a Hispanic boy got caught calling each other bad names in school and both ended up cleaning and raking beaches after school for over a month.”

Tessa began gathering up her tray so she could leave with Susie, “Just for name calling?”

“Bad racial ones,” Susie nodded as she stood up from the table. “Your first class is martial arts right?” Susie watched as Tessa nodded her head, “And you know where to go?” She saw Tessa nod again. “Cool because I have to go the opposite direction. I got Principals of Magic over at Kirby Hall so I’ll see you later.”

~o~O~o~

Tessa wandered around the inside of Laird Hall until she found what looked like a Japanese Dojo. Walking into the room she saw a tall black woman, her frizzy hair tied into two pigtails on either side of her head and wearing a black catsuit. Beside her stood a stood a much older short oriental man who was wearing a white karate shirt tucked into what Tessa first though was a black ankle length pleated skirt, although when he turned to face her she could tell it was actually some type of wide-legged oriental pants that he wore.

Several students sat on the floor in two rows at the edge of the mat the two stood on, while more trickled out of another door to walk over and take their place on the floor. Spotting Kyley in the front row, Tessa walked over and sat down beside her. The short oriental man seemed to be in charge as he did most the talking before they sent a majority of the students off to spar on the various mats scattered throughout the room.

The small oriental man walked over toward where Tessa sat with Kyley. “I am Sensei Ito,” Pointing over to the tall black woman, “That is Sensei Tollman. I am correct in assuming you are Tessa LeFay?”

“Yes sir,” Tessa looked up to Sensei Ito.

“You should address me as Sensei not sir,” he corrected her.

“Yes Sensei.”

“The circumstances that have brought you to this school are unique, although most of our students are at risk from one organization or another when they leave this campus, so others share the same problem as you. Here we can teach you the skills to give you an advantage when you are attacked if you wish to learn.”

Tessa took a deep breath, “I would like to learn Sensei.”

“Good,” a thin smile spread across Ito’s lips. “Kyley informs me that you have a fighting outfit, go put it on and return.” Ito watched the young girl instantly change into a leather outfit as she touched a crystal that hung from her neck, “Good, good,” He smiled at Tessa, “You have come prepared for class. Now let’s see what you can do, so that we can best help you.”

Looking around at the students not already engaged Ito spotted one boy watching another two spar, “Gordon come to my mat.” Hearing his name the boy walked over to the center circle of the mat behind the Sensei. “I need to ascertain young Tessa’s skills, you will spar with her.”

“Yes Sensei,” Gordon bowed politely while grinning at the girl he caught throwing dead fish into the fountain that had almost gotten him in trouble last week in Crystal hall.

“Tessa you will go stand facing Gordon on the mat,” Ito ordered. “Leave your sword, doll and backpack here, I wish to see what you can do without the aid of them.”

“Yes Sensei,” Tessa drew the short sword from her waist handing it to Kyley, then handed her Raggedy Anne doll and her Tasmanian devil backpack before walking onto the mat. Tessa immediately recognized the misshapen boy as the one from Crystal Hall that had accused her of throwing fish into the fountain.

Ito followed Tessa to the center of the mat, “This is what we call a cage match. Force your opponent into the cage and you win. Go outside the circle and you lose a point. If neither are forced into the cage in the time allotted the winner will be decided by points, do you understand the rules?” Looking at Tessa to make sure she understood the rules. Ito walked backwards until he stood off the side of the mat, eying both of the two to make sure they were ready he then clapped his hands together while shouting, “Hajime!”

Gordon grinned evilly as he slowly stepped closer to Tessa, “Well if it isn’t the little girl who thought it was funny to tell everyone in Crystal Hall that she thought I had GSD. Do I look funny to you now?”

“Oh come on,” Tessa huffed, “you have to admit your waist is way too small for the rest of your body. And your arms… You know if you were hairy people would mistake you for a gorilla or maybe bigfoot?”

Tessa easily side stepped out of the way as he lunged at her. Pivoting on the balls of her feet, Tessa felt the wind from a set of wings passing over her head as she turned to face her attacker. Spotting the distortion in the air of Lily’s chameleon like camouflage zooming toward the boy, Tessa shouted, “Lily no!” just as the boy she was told to spar with fell to the ground with a heavy thump, then was lifted up off the mat upside down by one foot then held in that position as he rose upward toward the rafters high above.

“Stop trying to hide,” Tessa shouted up where the boy floated up near the ceiling of the room, “everyone can see it’s you!” Everyone in the room stopped to look up to see a small dragon with a wingspan of at least twenty five feet appear to be holding the boy by his ankle as its wings flapped to hold it and the boy hovering high above the floor.

“Now put him down and go over and sit by aunt Kyley and behave yourself!” Tessa’s arm shot out pointing toward where Kyley sat holding Tessa’s doll and backpack. High above, the wyvern screeched then shook its head at Tessa. “If you can’t behave and do as you’re told, they will make me send you back to grandmother’s,” Tessa pleaded with the wyvern. “Do you want that?” The wyvern shook its head again then let out a series of different squawks.

“Gordon, Lily’s says she is sorry and will put you down now,” Tessa told the boy.

“Good because I was getting ready to pull its wings off!” The boy shouted from his precarious position. The wyvern glared at the boy it was holding then let go, allowing the boy to crash head first onto the floor.

Running over to the boy, Tessa knelt down beside him, “Are you okay?” Jumping back quickly to avoid one of his massive arms swinging violently around at her.

“Are you injured?” Ito interrupted.

Gordon took a deep breath lowering his eyes, “No Sensei.”

“Then both of you, back to the center of the mat.”

“Yes Sensei,” Tessa and Gordon chorused.

No sooner than Ito had called for them to begin again, Tessa spotted Lily begin to fade out. “No lily! No hiding!” Tessa turned, ignoring her opponent for a moment. That moment was all Gordon needed to grab her by the hair and begin dragging Tessa across the mat by her hair toward the cage.

Tessa struggled against his iron grip as she was pulled off her feet, “Let go it hurts!” Both her hands furiously pulling at the hand he had in her hair, “Let me go!”

Stopping he pulled her up off the ground by the hair, holding her out in front of him. “I’d call it justice, after that damn lizard of yours dropped me on my head!” Gordon laughed at the small girl incapacitated by something so easily done.

“I SAID LET ME GO!” Tessa screamed as her body began to quickly change.

Gordon screamed in reply as the claws that formed on her hands quickly dug into the flesh of his hand. Releasing his grip on her hair, he tried unsuccessfully to jerk his hand away from her taloned grip which only managed to cause him to stumble backwards and fall on his back with the small winged girl on top of him.

Grinning evilly Tessa reached up to his short crew cut, “Let’s see how you like being pulled around by your hair!” When her hand touched his head, his hair immediately began growing out in long golden cascading waves that she grabbed a handful of before launching herself into the air, towing him up below her.

“Oww! Dammit that hurt!” Gordon screamed his complaints as Tessa flew up toward the rafters with him in tow.

“Now you know how it feels!” Tessa gazed down at all the students that had stopped and were looking up at them, some going as far as laughing and pointing. Then she noticed Kyley calmly sitting there watching.

When Kyley saw she had Tessa’s attention she mouthed the word, ‘cage,’ and discretely pointed toward the cage on the side of the mat.

Tessa nodded then grinned as she swooped down in an arcing dive toward the cage releasing the boy at the end of the arc causing him to bounce into the cage as Tessa flew over the top of it then back around toward the mat. Putting her feet out in front of her, Tessa flapped her wings in effort to slow down and feather her landing onto the mat. On her third step one of her talons caught the mat sending her head over heels tumbling several times before she came to rest in a sitting position.

Kyley shook her head while thinking, ‘How can anyone be so aerobatic in the air and not able to land. At least she didn’t plant her face into the ground this time, I guess that is an improvement, however slight.’

“Hey!” Gordon came out of the cage holding a handful of hair in each hand, “What the hell is with all this hair, undo whatever you did!”

Ito examined the boy’s new long hair then peered at Tessa, “Please remove the spell you used on Mr. Everett.”

Looking down to avoid eye contact with the instructor, “I, I didn’t use a spell.”

“Then what did you do?” Ito tried to get to the bottom of the issue.

“I don’t know, I just wanted his hair to be long.”

Kyley walked over to them, “Wait a moment Sensei,” Kneeling down in front of Tessa, “What exactly were you thinking when it happened? Were you angry?”

Tessa nodded tears forming in her eyes, “I’m sorry I know I shouldn’t have, but it really hurt.”

Kyley stood up, “Sensei, I believe it would be a good idea for the magical arts department to look at this. Tessa’s people have an ability to curse others when angry or hurt, it’s possible he is under such a curse.”

A female voice from the crowd that had begun gathering around giggled, “Cursed to have long beautiful hair? Why couldn’t I be that lucky?”

“Alright everyone,” Ito spoke up, “To the showers, class is dismissed.” His attention back to Kyley, “Please escort Gordon to Kirby Hall. Take Tessa with you in case they have questions for her.”

“Yes Sensei,’ Kyley bowed her head.

Chapter 43

The unwritten rule of Kirby Hall was only those that could see the entrance to the lower level could use that entrance and you were never to ever guide someone through it that could not see it. So even though Kyley could see the magically hidden entrance and even though she knew that Circe would probably be in her office in the lower level, she led the two with her toward the mundane entrance.

Inside Kyley walked up to the sole desk a young woman sat behind, “Can I help you?” the young woman asked.

“Yes,” Kyley addressed the student receptionist, “Would you please inform Circe we need to speak with her.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Master Ito sent us, it is very important,” Kyley explained.

“My hair is cursed!” Gordon stepped up to the desk beside Kyley.

Looking up at Gordon from where the girl sat, “I can see where a lot of girls would be jealous of your hair, I mean it looks so soft and full of body, but how can it be cursed and look so great?”

Gordon reached up grabbing handfuls of his long hair, “its girl’s hair!”

“I admit your style is a lot more feminine than I think most guys would try, but it frames your face perfectly,” The girl smiled warmly at Gordon.

Kyley cleared her throat, “You were going to call Circe?”

“Oh yes,” the girl giggled while reaching for the phone, “If y’all want to have a seat, I ring her office.”

Kyley, Tessa and Gordon went over to the opposite side of the room where there was several of the barely comfortable standard metal and plastic chairs always found in waiting rooms and sat down. Tessa sat in the chair directly to the right of Kyley while Gordon chose another as far away from Tessa as possible.

Placing the phone back in its cradle the girl looked over to where everyone sat, “Circe is in the middle of something she can’t leave, so her apprentice is bringing up a TA that knows about curses.”

“Thank you,” Kyley flashed a smile at the girl behind the desk.

Not quite ten minutes had passed when Ayla walked in through the main door followed by a beautiful red headed girl. “Hello again Tessa,” Ayla smiled.

Before any further greetings could be spoken Tessa jumped up knocking over the chair she had been sitting in and the empty one beside it. As she stumbled backwards her clothing changed to her leather armor and her body transformed into her demonic form as she drew her small sword. “STAY AWAY FROM ME!” Tessa’s gaze fixed on the red head, her eyes wide with fear as she pointed the small sword at the new girl.

“Tessa what’s wrong?” Ayla couldn’t understand what would cause the otherwise calm girl to react to him in such a way.

Kyley stood up placing herself between the two that had entered and Tessa, “Calm down and put your sword away Tessa.”

“It, it’s the evil queen!” Tessa’s voice was shaking as bad as the sword in her hand. “She’s come to kill us all!”

Ayla was first to recognize the object of Tessa’s fear, “This is Nikki, not Aunghadhail Tessa. Aunghadhail is gone.”

Tessa shook her head, “She’s tricking you, and she’s evil and will kill all of us.”

“He’s correct Tessa, Aunghadhail is dead,” Kyley concurred with Ayla’s statement. “Nikki was her avatar that is why she looks like Aunghadhail.” Placing her hands on Tessa’s shoulders after stepping over to the small girl, “Use your senses, do you sense any evil in her?”

Tessa continued staring at Nikki for a moment, then shook her head as she lowered her sword, “No, she tastes scared and confused, just like Ayla.”

“So everything is going to be fine, put your sword and armor away okay?” Kyley consoled the small girl.

“I promise I’m only here to help,” Nikki smiled at Tessa.

“She’s still Seelie and my grandmother says Seelie can’t be trusted,” Tessa’s gaze never leaving Nikki.

Ever the deal maker Ayla spoke up, “Tessa could you give Nikki a chance to show you that she is different?”

Tessa glanced over to Ayla, then up to see Kyley nod her approval before looking back to Nikki, “I’ll try.”

Ayla directed everyone by waving toward an inner door, “Shall we go see about this curse we were told about?”

Nikki went through first leading the way while Ayla held the door, closing it behind the group. Several feet into the hallway Nikki turned around after hearing a clack, clack, clack noise in the hallway behind her, “What’s that noise?

Tessa giggled as she looked down at the floor in front of her, “Stop hiding Lily, everyone can hear you.”

Nikki’s eyes went wide at the sight of a small dragon about the size of a very large dog appear between her and Tessa, “So you’re the new girl with the pet dragon I’ve heard about.”

“Lily’s not a pet, she’s my friend,” Tessa sniped. “And she’s a wyvern not a dragon.”

“Well I think she is adorable,” Nikki leaned forward in Lily’s direction as she knelt down, only to quickly stand up and back away as Lily barred her teeth at Nikki.

“Careful Fey,” Ayla cautioned, “I think her wyvern trusts you less than she does.”

“Okaaaay,” Nikki looked over at Gordon as she stood up. “Let’s get into a warded room so we can see what kind of magic was used on you.”

up
251 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

Going to be some rather

Going to be some rather interesting times at Whateley from what I see here. Wonder if all the Kimbas will come to Tessa's defense if she is indeed attacked or so of the not so nice others try to take her away?

trying anything on campus

Would be suicide for whatever person or group is after her due to the neutrality agreement between the government, the syndicate and both the good and evil supers. In one of the canon stories a group tried just that and the group was completely wiped out to set an example, part of which entailed bombardment from orbit!

Of course trying to kidnap her while in the middle of a group of super powered kids wouldn't be the smartest move either. So whoever is after her, if that was their original goal? Would probably wait for a time when she isn't so heavily protected and thus no where near the Kimba group.

We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Hair

I'm glad to see more from this story. I like it that Tessa gave the boy hair, I wonder if when he gets it cut will it return? It seems Tessa has many protectors besides Lily. What can the dolls do besides leave nasty bite marks? Great addition to your story it fits.

Cutting his hair

Could turn out to be a big mistake. A better question about the dolls is what are they? :)

We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Dolls

I'm thinking (that could be a problem) that the dolls are the 2 foot tall furry gremlins that can change their size and looks to that of the dolls since 15 or better of them went with Tessa.

If I was the betting type

I wouldn't bet against you :)

We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

amusing

well that was amusing beaten by a little girl and cursed to have long and beautiful hair if nikki cures him he'll never live it down and if she doesn't he'll really never live it down

Interesting story merge

I definitely did not see that coming. Did you plan on doing that when you started this series?

story merge?

You mean with Kyley, shadowsblade's character? Yes and he was heavily involved in the brainstorming and plotting

We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Great new episode!!!!

Wonderful chapter. Tessa seems slightly differenr however that is quite understandable with the time gap between episodes.

Different how?

As this may be something I need to watch carefully?

One thing I did show as much about as I could without going into an info dump was that the transformation did not work out the way it should have when Tom was transformed into Tessa to save his life. So although Tessa has all Tom's memories, some things in her mind may not be quite the same or memories clouded, as we saw with the trouble she had writing her answers during the written part of the tests she took.

Kyley even mentioned that in all her centuries she had never seen or heard of a succubus child. So there is probably more going on than has come to light in the story.

We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Can't wait for more. The

Can't wait for more. The curse, the doll, the perhaps more history of seelie vs unseelie. Well just can't wait for more..

I’ve really

I’ve really been enjoying this story! I hope you get to finish it one day. Also, Tessa is the cutest child ever! I love her so much!!

Oh wow!

northmiester's picture

I must have been under a rock for I never saw that you had posted a new chapter! I love the humor of Lily and am interested seeing the Annie and her companions in action. I suspect some fascinating “horror” elements could be introduced there. I’m also quote excited to see the collaboration with Shadowblade!

Thank you for continuing the tale and I eagerly look forward to more!

This has gone through several

This has gone through several changes of direction, at least from where I thought you were going. Just makes it that much more interesting. I am familiar with Nikki and some of the other early Whately 1st Gen characters, but you brought in some things I haven’t read about yet, like Nikki (Fay) not being Aunghadhail’s avatar.
Soooo looking forward to your next installment, hopefully you will fill in more of the background and let us know what happens next. Very well done story.