Markings

It was incredibly dark, as the tall, blonde woman moved down the hall, toward her sleeping quarters. She was exhausted, but not because she was necessarily tired. No, she was just overly stressed, to the point of exhaustion. For years, she'd hoped that she could get her hands on a Shapeshifter, and succeed in her plans, which she'd failed so many years ago. At only 19, she'd joined a resistance, led by a very powerful warlock. It wasn't until her child was born that she realized they needed something more. Years passed, and she finally struck. She took over the resistance, killing her leader and then sending out a man to do the job she needed done. He didn't return. Not long after, his partner admitted that the man fled, after failing to kidnap the woman he was sent for.

But, then, a miracle happened. A spy informed her that the woman had three children. One was a girl. It's been known for years that a shifter only passes their abilities to their child, if that child is of the same gender. The girl would have to be taken. That was already planned, years in advance. All they had to do what wait.

"Ma'am," a voice said, interrupting her thoughts. "The shifter has been located. She's at an Institute, a school of some sort..."

"I figured as much," the woman murmured, letting out a deep sigh. "How could I not? Of course, where else would she have gone, what with my child running about... Send someone out. I want a full report on the guards stationed around the area. Getting the girl will not be easy."

"Oh, and, Cassandra, ma'am, your son-"

"My son is a traitor to his own blood. He turned his back on my and left with another family. First his father... Never mind. It's not important. Go. Leave me."

"Of course..." The man rushed away, but Cassandra stayed put. She chewed on her lip nervously. How did that school find her first? For that boy to be there at that school, as if he expected them to try taking the shifter... He must have known they'd come, must have known what she was before she'd even found out herself. But how?

Cassandra continued towards her room, rubbing her eyes. If only she weren't so exhausted, so she could make a potion, one that could keep her awake for the night. But she only wanted to sleep. There would be more time for planning in the morning.

~*~

Aibell had started her first day of class, and wasn't enjoying it. Not only was she very behind in her history class, considering she was never taught the history of pixies, but she also knew that she'd have training that afternoon. She wasn't exactly sure what she'd be doing. All she knew was that Tom would supposedly be training her. She wondered what Tom knew about shape shifting. He had know something, if he was teaching her, right?

Lunch approached, eventually, and Aibell was glad to finally get break from the school part of school. It was definitely more interesting than her normal public school, but she still wished that she were at home.

"Hey," Alice said as Aibell sat down across from her. "How has school been for you so far?"

"Uh, interesting, I guess. I'm in class with a bunch of little kids, since I'm not at the same level as all of you. It's rubbish."

"People come in late all the time. Don't worry, you'll catch up and be with us in the next month or so, I'm sure.

"I'm only going to be here for two weeks, Alice, so it really doesn't matter."

"Hello there, my pretty friends," Jake greeted, taking his seat next to Aibell. "Aibell, are you excited for your little session with Tom tonight?"

"Hardly. I'd rather just go home."

"Understandable. Nobody likes being away from home very long. Where is Tom, anyway?"

"He and Danny had extended class today, in their Anatomy class. I expect that they're on their way here by now. It was only extended by a few minutes, due to an exam. Apparently some students needed a little extra time."

"And how do you know all of this?"

"I texted her." Danny suddenly sat down beside her sister, holding a lunch tray. "It's not allowed, but teachers here don't really care. Tom's looking for you, Aibell. I decided to mess with him and tell him I saw you on the other side of the room. I think he'll be stomping over here-"

"She's not over there, Danny!"

"That would be Tom," Jake mumbled, smirking. "He's stomping over here, just like you said. And making a scene, too!"

"Oh, there you are," Tom said upon approaching, smiling down at Aibell. "I was looking for you. Anyway, they want us to train right now. So, grab your lunch and come with me."

"Right now?" Aibell asked, narrowing her eyes. "But I want to eat lunch in here-"

"No buts. Let's go."

Aibell got to her feet, giving Alice and Danny and Jake a sad look before following Tom from the room.

"Why couldn't we just train after classes?" Aibell asked angrily, glaring at Tom, who looked amused.

"Because, I have stuff to do. I'm going out on a little... mission."

"I want to come!"

"No way."

"Why not? I mean, I'm not totally useless. I have a license. I bet you don't, and that's why you take the bus-"

"A license? A license to what?"

"Drive, obviously."

Tom blinked. "Oh. Well, I guess you can just drive. But you are staying in the car!"

"Of course," Aibell lied. She had no intentions of sitting and playing cab driver while he was on a "mission".

"Good. So, this is where we're training today. It's the gym, usually used for Psychical Education, but we're still in need of a teacher, so it's been empty the past three weeks."

"What happened to the original teacher?"

Tom's face fell. "She turned out to be a spy. So, of course, she was sentenced to death for treason. Now, we're teacherless."

"That's a shame. How do you all train, then?"

"The more advanced students, like myself, train small groups of people a few times a week, if there's time. I train with a teacher."

"Why doesn't that teacher just train everyone?"

"Well, he doesn't have time to just spend all day training kids when he's a language teacher, does he? I get training every other day, if he has time."

"Sounds like a lot of work. Just hire someone to come work here and train."

"The headmaster is a little suspicious of people nowadays, so every time her interviews someone, he does a two-week long background check. If they've done so much as gotten a detention in their school days, he won't hire them."

"He can't expect everyone to be perfect, you know."

"Oh, we all know. The poor soul just doesn't want to risk us kids getting hurt. Now, take a seat." Tom gestured to the bleachers, which were against the wall to the left of Aibell as she walked into the gym.

The gym was huge, much bigger than the one in her school, but it didn't have a basketball hoop anywhere. The floors weren't painted with lines for basketball games, and there were no volleyball nets. There weren't any stray jump ropes, or footballs, or anything to suggest that a normal P.E. class went on in there. Instead, there were plastic knives and other fake weapons, that were probably used for some type of combat training, all along the walls and left out in crates. Tom opened up a huge door, revealing a closet with even more weapons. Some of the weapons looked real.

"This is what we'll be using today," Tom called, his voice echoing around the large room. He had something in his hand, something round, as he walked over to the bleachers, but Aibell couldn't tell what it was.

"What is it?" Aibell muttered.

"This, my friend, is a little object that will help you learn to shape shift. It's called a Teador. Don't ask me where the word came from, because I have no idea. Now, come closer, and hold on to this."

Aibell held out her hand and took the Teador, biting her lip. She examined it, rolling it around between her hands. It was very small and round, and the color blue, with golden lines traced around it, much like the lines on her arm. She squeezed it in her palm and it began to glow.

"Good, it knows what you are," Tom acknowledged. He talked about the Teador as if it had a brain.

"What do I do with it?"

"Well, I guess that's something I should tell you, right? Close your eyes, and picture someone. Anyone. Someone you know well enough that you can picture their features, every laugh line, and every shade of color in their hair. Picture them exactly as they are. Now, I want you to think their name, in your head, telling the Teador who it is you're thinking of. Don't give me that look, just do it."

"I am," Aibell whispered, feeling a warmth in her fingers. It spread up her arm and through her body. The feeling changed to a more painful feeling, like someone was pulling at her skin and trying to rip out her organs. It was as if she were being stretched out, her fingers being lengthened, her legs changing.

"Aibell, open your eyes," Tom spoke, touching her hand. She opened her eyes, and nothing looked any different. Tom took the Teador from her and smiled, as if he were satisfied.

"What happened?" Aibell asked, her voice coming out differently than usual. "Did it work?"

"Of course it worked. It always works with the Teador. Soon you'll be able to shift without it, but for now, you need to keep the Teador with you. Oh, and here, I brought a mirror." Tom pulled a small compact mirror from his pocket and handed it to Aibell, who flipped it open and stared into her reflection.

Mindy stared back at her. Shocked, Aibell dropped the mirror and stepped back.

"How do I change back?" Aibell asked, touching her face. "This is so weird! I'm Mindy!"

"Not sure who Mindy is, but I do now how to change you back. You won't need the Teador for this, I don't think. Close your eyes, and simply think of yourself. Imagine yourself, and you should feel the same thing as you did when you were changing."

As Aibell felt warmth in her body again, she opened her mouth to speak.

"How do you know all of this? You're not a shape shifter."

"No, I'm not. But I've studied them enough to know what to do. And I've shape shifted before, by accident. A potion gone wrong, of course, and I ended up a squirrel. You see, we can change into small animals, but not other humans, and not without a potion. Only your kind can do that. And that is why Cassandra wants you."

"I get that, I guess. Am I me again?"

"Yes, you are," Tom laughed. "I guess that just about covers it today. You can keep the Teador." He tossed her the Teador, which she caught easily and held close to her.

"That was it, then?" Aibell asked, frowning. "What a quick training session."

"I can understand that you'd want to see more of me, but, unfortunately, that is all. Shall I walk you back to lunch?"

"Isn't it almost over? I'll just go back to my room, and put this with my things."

"Then that's where I'll walk you."

"If you insist."

Tom and Aibell left the gym, and started toward the dormitories. There was a slight pause, where they didn't speak, and Tom looked thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about?" Aibell wondered out loud.

"You, honestly. I'm thinking of how I can get back at you for making me look like an idiot in front of my friends, your first day here."

"I didn't-"

"Yes, you did. But, it's all fine. I know what I'm going to do."

Aibell tried not to look intimidated, and failed. She averted her eyes, staring down at her feet as she walked.

"This is your room, isn't it?"

"Yes," Aibell sighed, reaching for the handle. "Tom," she began, turning around to look at him.

But he was gone.