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*Sorry! I was trying to edit this earlier and accidentally deleted it because the submit and delete buttons are in relatively the same spot. Whoops. hehe.*

Part III: Feels like Deja Vu
Ezra Falling Bird; October 4th, 2007, 4:46 PM

And then, the realization came to me...I was still one wing short of a pair. The despair I might have felt? Pushed aside by Esmee's emotional presence. We banked to the left, soaring through the air in a downward turn. Far below, I could see Schuster Hall, and Magwin standing out in the green out in front staring up at us. She looked happy for me.

"Let's go back to Magwin, Esmee."

I knew I didn't even have to say anything aloud. But I did anyways. Esmee vectored a quick route down to Magwin, who was still standing in the grass out in front of Schuster Hall. I was glad I didn't have to hitch rides everywhere now. Having a familiar was also...strange, like having a friend that was telepathically linked to you.

"Esmee is amazing," Magwin said once Esmee reached her.

"I agree, a giant moth with psychic powers is pretty intimidating. But personally, I'm just glad I can fly again," I answered happily.

Esmee flew slow lazy circles around Magwin as we walked towards the Crystal Hall. I spotted Bishop walking in the same direction, but coming from another intersecting path. When he saw me and my new familiar, he stumbled and about fell on his face. He immediately moved to join us, as we were almost to the Crystal Hall.

"My familiar is better," he replied haughtily. But there was a degree of bitter uncertainty beneath the haughtiness.

"Oh yeah, where is she?" I asked with a smirk, my voice such a contrast to his.

"I could summon her," he replied.

"I'm sure she's cool. But I prefer mine because she can be with me at all times and can help me with my latest mobility issue."

"You mean your disability?" he replied with a sneer.

"Yes, my disability. You'd understand how it feels if you...lost a leg or an arm," I replied, dismissing him.

I was surprised when Bishop strode forward and opened the glass door, holding it open for us, blushing as he looked at us...awww he's so cute when he's not being a embittered asswipe. I was momentarily disoriented when Esmee did her teleport thing to get us through to the other side in mid-flight. Crystal hall had such high ceilings we flew up, to the amazement of onlookers. Esmee flew up and landed on a precipice that ringed the upper portion of the dome, looking down on the dinner crowds from our high perch.

The Crystal Hall was really quite amazing. The arboretum in the center with all of its tropical plants...the fountain. And the waterfalls...lets not forget the waterfalls. I spotted Bishop and Magwin standing near one of the buffet counters. Spotting a soda machine, without saying a word, Esmee launched and glided down, landing on top of the Soda Machine just a foot or two from them. I smiled down at them, from just above their heads. Esmee might be a giant insect, but I could tell she was watching them even though she was angled slightly away from them.

"So, tray assistance? Any volunteers?" The Crystal Hall was always noisy during the main meal hours...I had to yell to make myself heard to them, despite our close proximity. I sounded a bit like I was on helium...the sound of me yelling was still fairly amusing. Though something darkly reverberated in the recesses of my mind...and I somehow found, I couldn't bring myself to laugh...causing me to cringe instead. What's wrong with me?

My frightening thoughts were interrupted when Magwin volunteered, and thus I hopped down on her shoulder and pointed out the fruits and veggies of interest, Esmee flying around just above our heads. As usual, she loaded my plate down with way more than I could eat. And we grabbed a table. I was surprised when Bishop sat with us at the table...but I suppose when you have an attitude as pissy as his, you don't make very many friends.

Esmee landed beside my tray and flicked out a tube of some sort, drinking my fruit juice and working on some loose grapes she'd separated from the bunch. Well, I guess at the very least intelligent moths have decent table manners. I loved Esmee. For a giant bug, she really pulled on my heart chords.

I as usual, gobbled down olives and orange slices first, working my way to the strawberries and cherries. Half-way through dinner, I saw something I didn't think I'd ever see. A girl...maybe my height, riding a weird looking gray cat with floppy ears. It's paws looked larger than a cats normally would and its tail was long and fluffy...kind of like a squirrels. To say I was surprised would be an understatement, afterall, how many foot tall girls or even people could you possibly find in one school? Though it was nice to see that I wasn't the only super-midget in school...a burden I hadn't known I was carrying lifted, ever-so-slightly.

"What's the chances, Esmee? Seriously?" I dropped the half eaten strawberry I was eating, and my two companions watched in astonishment as I hopped on Esmee's back and she...ran. I suppose it looked a lot like when a fly walks real fast across a donut. It's legs were herky jerky little blurs. Esmee reached the edge of the table, flapping her wings and gliding, low altitude, landing a short distance from the...most amazing girl I'd ever seen.

The girl was looking at me now...well us really, since Esmee was as much an individual as I was. She looked as shocked as I was...it really was startling to live in a world of normal sized people when you're not even a foot and a half tall. Then suddenly...you meet someone that's almost the same size as you are. Very...surprising? Wrong word? An amazing stroke of luck maybe?

She was amazingly cute, very pretty. Maybe an inch or two taller than me, with dusky tanned skin. Medium length blue hair and eyes such a dark fuchsia, they almost looked red. Esmee got the idea and scuttled forward, bug style, to get us closer. She was wearing a white velvet halter top that left her midriff bare, and a dark red silk skirt that fell to mid-thigh on her, and like me she chose to go barefoot. Our clothing choices were weirdly similar...maybe she got her clothes from that talking dishwasher at A.R.C too.

"Hi! My name is Ezra Falling Bird." I said with a lavish little grin.

She smiled back more confidently than I, "Shadi Blue Wolf, and we seem to have a lot in common."

Her voice was high-pitched, but very pleasant sounding...a lot like mine. It reminded me of how normal she seemed to me. It was WEIRD to be with someone my size. I mean, I'd only really been my current size consciously for three days, eight if you count the days I was unconscious in the infirmary.

"Our fashion choices for one," I replied eying her, and letting my gaze linger where it may.

"And we're both fun sized, for another," she quipped. Then her expression turned slightly more serious, but she was still grinning, "So, have you always had one wing?"

"No, I was viciously attacked last week, and lost it," I answered, sadly. "I can't fly anymore. At least not without Esmee."

"Esmee is your?"

"The big insect I'm riding," I replied, giggling.

"I'm sorry...that must be hard for you. Losing a limb is bad enough, but the way you lost yours? You'll have to tell me the story someday if your comfortable enough," she said slowly...it seemed somehow out of character for her.

Her expression turned confident and optimistic again, "But look on the bright side. What's the chances! Us? Here? Now? Bedroom?"

"Bedroom?" I asked, confused.

"Bedroom, later tonight? Oh fine, dorm room. My bed."

I don't think I could blush anymore, but I sure felt like I was, "Oh."

Then my shock wore off and I giggled, smiled back and said, "You promise?"

She winked and gave me a sultry little laugh, "You betcha."

She looked around, "Have you ate already? I'd sure love it if you could join me!"

"Well, I have...but I'm always hungry for more," I replied, looking her dead in the eyes, giving her my sexiest smile.

"That's what I like to hear!" she said giggling. "Why don't you hop on here with me, and your familiar-...it is a familiar right? Can join us once we get a table."

Esmee read my thoughts, and moved up alongside Cheshire. I then crawled across Esmee's left wing, and sat down right behind Shadi. I put my arm around her waist as if I was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle. To my surprise, Shadi turned around and kissed me on the cheek, giggling before the cat started for the buffet line.

"Um, Shadi, how exactly do you get your tray?" I wondered...I always had Magwin help me with mine.

"Hold on tight," she said with a laugh.

I did, and it's a good thing too. Cheshire leaped up onto the stainless-steel tray slide of the buffer counter. She didn't get much, just an orange and a slide of white bread. Cheshire jumped back down and I pointed to the table with my friends. Esmee was already there waiting for us, which looked kind of funny...moths have compound eyes that have an almost 360 degree field of vision, so she could watch us even if she was mostly facing away...nevertheless she had her head turned our way, as if she was looking in our direction, like a human would.

Cheshire leaped up onto the table, and Shadi and I slid down Cheshire's side, sitting opposite each other, Indian style.

Magwin and Bishop looked up from their meals, completely in awe...but quickly introduced themselves. I was wondering why Bishop bothered...he was completely unsocial ninety percent of the time.

Shadi used this big sword she had strapped to her back to peel and slice the orange, Esmee sticking her tube mouth thing out, and started sucking the juices that were dripping from the sliced orange. Otherwise Shadi would get her clothes all stained...and sticky.

"So, if you have a familiar, then you must be a wizard," she asked, arching her eyebrow at me.

"I am, but I don't know how to use it yet."

"I'm a Wizard 2, Exemplar 5 and a medium, which is like an Esp-4, Medium."

I smiled at her...she was so cute, even when she was eating, "I'm a...more complicated than a simple rating right now. On Wednesday they are going to make me go back for powers testing...AGAIN. Evidently they don't know whether I'm a reality warper or a manifestor of some sort. Plus the wizardry part of my abilities might be influencing my other powers to some degree as well. Complicated situation I suppose."

"Well...maybe. But what rating did they initially give you?"

"An Exemplar 2, Wizard 4, Warper 4b (r/p/d)."

"That's a mouthful!" she quipped, smiling at me sincerely.

"Yeah, mine might sound impressive...but I got trashed last week by some REALLY pissed off nimbus," I told her, grimacing at the memory. "The weatherman couldn't have predicted that one!"

"You want to talk about it?" she asked. She had a sympathetic look on her face...Esmee relayed to me that she understood pain and hurt quite well, despite her chipper personality.

"Yeah...I enrolled late. My first day was seven, going on eight days ago. So I found my little sister that first day, picking on Magwin over here," I said, pointing to Magwin who just smiled and blushed, "And I couldn't let her do that. So I intervened. And in doing so...I made some serious enemies it seems right there and then."

I frowned, tears running down my cheeks, "Anyways, later that day, I had walked Magwin back to her dorm, and some spell-caster attacked me with a really nasty spell. Let's just say it involved a cloud, and...well, I ended up getting squashed. I woke up in the infirmary almost a week later, missing my left wing. I miss flying so much...I love Esmee, but it's not quite the same, you know?"

"I...not quite. But I'm here for you, and I understand you're hurting," she replied more seriously...giving me a caring smile, causing her red eyes to flash.

"Thank you so much!" I said, hugging her tightly, causing her to drop a chunk of orange she was holding. I put my face in her dark blue hair and breathed a deep sigh of relief before letting go.

"So...are you a faerie? Like a real one?" she asked, picking up her piece of orange she'd dropped.

"No, I just have...a very attractive case of GSD...probably do to the initial onset of my reality warping powers and the influence of an altered-state of consciousness, most likely induced by a dream. Said dream was probably influenced by oddly enough, a Fern Gully movie I'd been watching the moment before it all happened," I replied, with a big grin. "At least I think!"

"You look so fucking hot! I can't believe it's just a case of GSD. Warping or no warping. Glad it happened though...let me tell you, it sucks trying to have sex with people five times your size." She said...then grimacing, looking embarrassed and uncertain. In a moment it was gone, and she was back to her chipper self.

"I've only been like this for a week, but I hear ya!" I replied with a giggle. I heard Bishop choking on something just out of my peripheral.

"Was it cool? Flying?" she asked, with a sad little frown.

"Yes...more than you'll ever know," I answered, sadly.

"Well, at least we have eachother now." When I looked up I saw where she was looking, and would have blushed had I been able.

"Yes we do," I finally said wth a amused little grin.

Once she was done eating, we exchanged emails and messenger addys. I waved goodbye to her, climbing onto Esmee's back. Esmee might not be able to make noises or meow like Shadi's familiar could...but she sent me a thought of contentment and well wishing concerning my new acquaintance.

"Okay Mothra, let's fly." I said with a gleeful little smirk.

Esmee launched off the table, soaring towards the upper portion of the glass dome. Some weird kid below pointed up and screamed, "Look Ash, it's a Butterfree!"

Whatever else they were going to say was cut off as we reached the glass dome. Esmee did her instant transmission thingie and we were on the other side, soaring out into the wide open sky above campus. The sun was setting...it really was beautiful. I watched the sunlight glisten off the tops of Esmee's wings...a beautiful bright green at the top. Shades of red and orange at the bottom portion of her wings.

Esmee could only warn me before rolling to the side, causing me to fall off. I felt Esmee's immediate panic when she realized I'd been dismounted and was falling. I saw then...as I tumbled end over end, my sister...and another girl with some kind of gun. It was one of the other cheerleaders that had been with my sister the last time I fought against her.

Esmee dived at them, flapping her wings, releasing some sort of strange shiny dust that looked almost exactly like glitter. I think they were scales from her wings...the strange little particles descended on the two cheerleaders like a small cloud, the little glitter dust particles sticking to the two of them like glue. It struck me that it was some sort of anti-magic dust, which disrupts ley-lines in the immediate area.

"Laura, shoot the fucking butterfly," My sister demanded, as she watched me fall.

I hit the ground so hard I was seeing stars, the wind knocked out of me. My vision doubled, and I saw two Laura's pointing two of her gun devices at a more distant Esmee. She pulled the trigger causing an explosion that threw her to the ground, singed and smoking.

My sister was on me before I realized what was happening. She ran up to me and kicked me like a football...no joke. I flew through the air, landing twenty feet away. I rolled to my feet and tried to fly, but fluttered to the ground, remembering I could no longer fly. Not with only one good wing.

My sister charged at me again. I forcibly pulled at the place my tingling rush always came from, and the genie came out of the bottle like a wave...taking most of my earlier recovery along with it. The air must have thickened around her, trapping her...the gravity reversed and she flew into the sky, as if she was falling up, end over end.

Unfortunately Laura was conjuring up flaming green ack-ack again. I stared in horror...if I tried to use my ability again I'd pass out for sure. I did the next best thing...I turned and I ran. Signaling Esmee to pick me pick me up.

A green fireball exploded to my right, tossing me a bit into the air, with a grill full of dirt. I landed on my feet and kept going. Esmee swooped down and I jumped on, nearly landing on her wing in the process...which would have been a crash and burn style disaster.

The green ack ack was flying past us, one singing Esmee's wing.

"Slow her down Esmee!"

I felt Esmee focus her telepathic ability on Laura, and let loose with all she had. I realized...it was like a psychic based white noise attack. Looking back I saw her stop with the green fireballs; clutching her head, she fell to her knees, momentarily stunned. Seconds later she was back on her feet, but we were already to Hawthorne, diving into the top ventilation shaft. I screamed as we free-fell down the shaft, that giant unmoving industrial fan at the end rushing up at us, and...Esmee did her instant transmission, and we fell to the floor on the other end. Battered...but in one piece.

The room was a little cool I thought...as I staggered to my feet. Looking around, I realized the room really wasn't set-up to accommodate me anymore...I couldn't fly on my own. And Esmee was a little too large to ferry me around the room.

Esmee then turned in my direction, urging me to climb back on. Once I was securely mounted on her back, she scuttled forward on her six spindly legs, climbing the wall.

"Oh hey!"

Esmee climbed up the wall closest to the door, to the LCD touch-screen panel that was there. It was a little difficult to figure out at first, but I eventually figured out how to turn the heat up. I adjusted the humidity up as well for the sake of the plants. Next, I dialed up the headmistress, the LCD panel having a built in video-phone sort of feature. Her face popped up on the screen, sitting at her desk in her office judging by the surroundings with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Headmistress, my sister attacked me," I stated.

"When?"

"Just after dinner today."

"Alright," she said, not asking for further details. "I'll check some of the campus cams. Thanks for notifying the proper authorities."

With that, her image vanished. That's it? No goodbye? No asking for details? Hmph. Esmee hopped off the wall, gliding to the floor in a sort of roller-coaster like ride. A short one, of course.

"This sucks Esmee. I want my wing back," I sighed...stroking her right wing gently.

"It fucking sucks!" I screamed with a certain amount of hand wringing.

"God damnit."

I was angry. Very. But what was irritating me the most right this instant was my lack of mobility in my own room. Oh sure, I had Esmee...wall climber/flier extraordinaire. But she's got a two foot wing-span...she can't fit easily in just any place, and it was irritating that I had to rely on her so much. I calmed a bit...as Esmee sent waves of soothing feelings to me with the mind link.

And my sister! She wasn't going to stop. She just wasn't...maybe she would if there was...hold it! I clapped my hands. That's it! She's working for someone...that someone is influencing her. She's afraid of failing them...probably afraid for her life. And of course there's her attitude...she had a bad attitude ever since her mutation, and now that's only getting in the way and causing these little conflicts to blow completely out of proportion. Cliched maybe...but then again, in this world things usually are.

I flew down to the ring of hydroponic containers circling my...bird bath. Looking inside I saw these beautiful mushrooms with red caps. And the caps has these pretty but sickly looking little white spots. I was immediately fascinated. They were so gorgeous! I blinked twice...wondering at my sudden affinity for...poisonous fungus. They were poisonous I realized, recognizing the fly angaric...a.k.a Amanita muscaria. I popped the lid open, and carefully set it back down. The mushroom habitats don't lock or latch, so I happily walked around on the soft pete-moss growing on the flooring of the habitat.

I felt tired from my ordeal...it really wasn't any fun. So I curled up alongside a particular large fly angaric and smiling at the feel of the soft, but prickly moss rubbing against my skin, I let myself drift off to a land full of pleasant dreams, particularly fond of the spores wafting through the air, and the smell of fresh moss.

--------------

There were no windows in this underground chamber...but I woke up and my super-tuned senses told me it was early morning. An hour before sunrise. I must have slept for a good twelve hours...but all the better, since I have my first classes today. And I have to be on the lookout for more attacks from yours truly. My sister and her secret master...or maybe secret mistress...who knows...maybe she takes after me in terms of orientation. Magwin thought it was someone she knew...but she didn't know for certain. She was just guessing, so basically...she didn't know squat about what was going on, or who was behind it.

I lifted the lid to the hydroponics container, stepping out...I looked to the center of the room...realizing I needed to bathe. The sponge baths I got in the infirmary don't count as a real bath. I decided to try a bit of an experiment. I closed my eyes, willing myself to be on the outer metal rim of the bird bath. I felt something akin to an electric buzz...and I opened my eyes, finding I was there on the bird-bath. But I realized I hadn't done it...I looked across the room, seeing Esmee perched on a hydroponics unit. Perhaps Esmee was able to teleport me...or I called upon her ability myself via our link as wizard and familiar. Still doesn't tell me whether I'm able to teleport on my own, by my own power though...a mystery for another time I suppose. Either way, it's a win-win situation for me. If I don't have to use my warping abilities...which leave me feeling half-dead and drained after-wards...then that's a good thing.

I stripped off my clothes, hopping up and down a bit due to the discomfort of my bare feet on the cold metal rim of this bird bath thing. My pink and purple skin shone under the fluorescent lighting above. I was particularly fond of my warning coloration...I was a nobody before. Nobody ever paid attention to me. Of course...it all comes at the expense of ever living a normal life. But what is a normal life for a normal person, anyways? You're born...you go to school. You then work for the rest of your life. You get old, and you die. The world is so damn ugly when you really think about it. Hatred. Violence. Wars. Poverty. Sickness. Human beings will find a reason to discriminate against other human beings, for whatever reason they can. Maybe standing out isn't such a terrible thing after all, maybe it doesn't really matter...in the end, at least I'm beautiful. It could have been far worse.

With my clothes removed, I slipped down into the bowl of the bird bath...and it must have had an optical sensor or pressure sensor or something...because water cascaded in from porous openings in the rim...lip of the bowl, like a waterfall. I found it was a lot like a jacuzzi. Perhaps being small wasn't all bad...I got my own personal jacuzzi in the comfort of my own room. Although having to bathe in a mechanical bird-bath was hardly a world class experience.

The water bubbled up a bit with soap-suds and bubbles...then a lot, and I realized that this contraption must pre-mix bath oils and bubble bath into the water before circulating it, causing me and my bathwater to smell like strawberries. It smelled delicious, and left me feeling squeaky clean. I raised my slender brightly colored right leg, placing the sole of my foot against one of the jacuzzi jets and just about sank under the water. My feet had always been ticklish...especially the soles, and I was delighted to see that still remained true. I might be greatly changed...but this was still my body. My exotic body to be sure, but I was comfortable with that. I was very changed...but I'm still the same me. Or perhaps being so small will eventually change my personality and my views on the world around me...but for now I'm still me. Perhaps it's all just a philosophical question about optimism. Why be all emotional and emo about something you can't change? Isn't that the mistake of millions of people all around the world? All that wailing and gnashing of teeth...and for what? That's my opinion. That's the way I see the world. Just accept reality and move on...work on what you can change and leave the rest behind. Acceptance is the key to happiness in this materialistic world.
I accept this is me. The new me. I can't change it, so I choose to accept, and move on. Maybe more people could take a lesson from my book, and learn to live. I sighed gently, the bath water was so warm...maybe that's why I was feeling so lackadaisical. I began scrubbing myself clean with the soapy water and the bubbles floating all around. If they made bar soap for someone my size, that might work well too. Looking around a bit, "Bath-salts would be puurrrr-fect right about now."

"Bath-salts dispensed." a robotic sounding voice intoned from a speaker nearby.

Astonishingly, a compartment opened up, and dispensed a decent amount of bath salts into the water. Surprised as I was, I just smiled and relaxed. After all...relaxing was the key to a healthy lifestyle. The bath salts seemed to smell like strawberries too, making the bottom of the bath somewhat gritty feeling as the salts dissolved...but the water felt better than ever.

"I could get use to this," I said to Esmee, smiling at her from my bath. I felt Esmee's soothing mental link purr back at me, as if I was physically petting her. I realized she could probably feel what I feel through our metal link...interesting.

I stood up...which caused the jacuzzi to stop. If it could even be called a jacuzzi. When I climbed out, the water automatically started draining. A compartment opened, containing some of my clothes, along with a bath towel slid out into a tray along the far edge of the outer-rim of the bath. I retrieved the towel, drying off. I then picked up the dress that had been dispensed. The dress was short white peasant dress with an open back, it's bottom hem hit me at lower thigh. Probably too short for the school dress-code, but when you're only fourteen inches tall, that probably doesn't matter anymore.

I was a little surprised, there were a pair of white-flip flop sandals, very cute. I slipped them on. At my size, I preferred not to wear shoes since there was hardly a selection for someone my size...and also...I usually rode around on Esmee anyways. But flip-flops? I love flip-flops. Always in style, and always comfortable...except maybe during cold days. Esmee flew over, perching herself on the edge of the bath. I dutifully climbed on, so that she could take me to the LCD touch-screen panel over by the door. Destination reached, I activated the sprinkler setups inside the hydroponics. I set them to cycle twice for today. These sorts of plants enjoy humidity and extra moisture. Especially the mushrooms.

"Okay, Esmee...let's go!" I said. And on cue, she was off...with me along for the ride, up the ventilation shaft and past the fan, out into the open air. I was flying again...wind through my hair...smile on my face. Flying was bliss, as always.

----------------------------------------------

My first hour class, Probability I, had been a total bore, though I had understood it well enough. I looked around, now seated in my second hour Powers Lab class, as we were all waiting around for the the bell to ring which was still several minutes away. The instructor was seated at her desk, and was apparently grading papers. Mrs. Bohn was tall, thin and middle aged...though she kept the class very interesting to say the least. I looked around at some my fellow students, smiling at Magwin who was sitting behind me.

Seated next to me on the left was a zombie girl of some kind...at least I think she's a zombie. I walked to the edge of the desk-top and peered at her, which got her attention. She was about five foot four, looked pretty slender but not anorexic. Orange colored hair and reddish eyes. Perhaps most eye-catching was her blueish-gray colored skin.

The girl turned her head slightly, giving me a slightly haughty expression. "Enjoying the view, or did you have a question?"

"So, are you an undead kinda zombie chick or do you just resemble one?"

"I'm too cute to be a zombie." She grinned.

I'd have to agree with that," I said, grinning ear to ear

Magwin leaned forward and laughingly said, "Ezra, you're so stupid!"

I fluttered my one remaining good wing behind me as I giggled, "You know, I watched Dawn of the Dead again last night, and I have to tell ya, I'm your biggest fan. Can I have like, an autograph or something?"

She turned to face me, crossing one leg over the other. "If you want?"

""Aha, I like the fact that you have a sense of humor! My name's Ezra Falling-Bird."

"Wow, that's a mouthful. Angela Cross, but you knew that." She winked.

I'd seen her around campus before...but I was sure I hadn't actually met her, not face to face at least. "Mmm, have I met you before? Surely I'd remember if I had."

Angela smacked her forehead. "Doh! I just assumed when you asked for my autograph...well no big deal."

I laughed, feeling slightly embarrassed, "Nah, I was just complimenting you on your stellar performance in the...you know...zombie movie. Sorry, bad joke coming back to roost I guess."

"That really was a bad joke, Ezra," Magwin laughed. Brushing her dark hair out of her face as she did so. "Totally lame."

I just wagged my finger at Magwin.

"Okay, What's red, gray and splashes?"

Magwin frowned, "I don't know, what?"

"A zombie baby in a puddle of brains!"

"Oh ghaad. Still lame," Magwin said, trying to keep from laughing. "It's so stupid it's funny."

"Oh really? How do you know when a zombie is tired?" I asked, grinning at Angela.

She frowned, but then laughed, "I don't know, how?"

"He's dead on his feet!" I replied, laughing at the terribly un-funny humor.

"What has a dogs head, a cats tail, and red all over its face?"

"I don't know, what?" Magwin asked, giving me a skeptic smile.

"A zombie coming out of a pet store!"

"Ugh, zombie jokes. I have to admit I've never told or heard zombie jokes before," Angela said with a slightly unamused frown.

"I've got more where those came from!" I said, giving her wink.

"Well then I have one for you too!" Angela said.

"Do tell!" I chirped.

"Two zombies and a human go into a bar. The human tells the zombies some really lame-ass zombie jokes over a few beers.

THEN, The first zombie says to the other zombie, "Graaaghaa haarann margahhaa naaarrrrrrgnn!"

The other zombie says "Hrraaaaa Maggaa GRAMMA GRAMMA bargh nrrrrhr!"

And then they eat the human."

I laughed nervously, "I guess I better watch my back then."

"Well, if it was a fairy girl who went into the bar instead...-," Angela let her words trail off.

I just turned and gave Angela a goofy smile, "Sorry for the bad humor. And please don't eat me."

"No harm done, chica. Honestly, it's refreshing not to have to deal with paparazzi 24-7."

"Paparazzi?"

"Don't sweat the details," she said with a sly grin, exposing the whites of her teeth.

"Ezra, have you been living under a rock? Angela Cross is like, a majorly famous rock star...duh." Magwin said from the seat behind me. She was wearing some kind of Japanese sailor style school girl uniform...except it was in all black, with a white neck-tie. Heavy eye makeup in dark colors completed the look.

"Holy shit! Now I know why the name seemed familiar! Not a huge fan, but I've definitely loved you and your fathers music in passing! Wow, such an honor to meet you."

"No trouble. Still want that autograph?" Angela asked, her orange-red eyes twinkling.

"Absolutely. If only I had something for you to sign," I said, frowning a bit.

"Oh well, maybe next time," she answered.

"Yeah, maybe."

Whatever we might have said further was cut off, as the bell rang.

"See you around, sweetie," Angela said as got up to leave, giving me a wink.

"Yeah you too," I answered.

I sighed a bit...saved by the bell. Why'd I have to be so silly. I giggled as I got on Esmee and had her do her instant transmission style teleport, to get us outside.

----------------------------------------------
I'd just got out of my third class of the day, looking around under the bright sunshine as I flew slowly across a grassy green on the back of my familiar, heading towards Kirby Hall.

Pulling out my schedule, the flimsy paper flapping in the wind making it hard to hold on to, I reviewed the classes I had for today. Today was Tuesday. So...for Tuesday, first hour, Probability Theory I. Second hour...Powers Lab/Introduction to Superpowers. Third hour, morning tutoring. Fourth hour, Introduction to Basic Mystic Concepts 101. Then I had Lunch. After that was fifth hour, which was...Powers Theory/Introduction to Superpowers. And sixth hour was Rudiments of Summoning 203. I'm glad I've already been through high-school once...that way I don't have to take math or any other subjects I've already done. I have all the fun-classes instead. Excellent.

My fourth class of the day was...Intro to Basic Mystic Concepts 101, in Kirby Hall. Approaching the circular Tudor style building, Esmee aligned herself, and flew in through the open window of the classroom located on the second floor, landing smoothly on an open desk-top. I sat cross legged on the desk top, using my micro e-reader to skim over the introduction chapter of the text book for this class.

"Fancy seeing you here," said a snide male voice.

Looking up I saw it was my latest BFF, Bishop Langley.

"Bishop, just the person I hadn't wanted to see!" I answered with a smile.

"Glad to see you think of me so fondly," he said, as he took the seat next to me, his leg was shaking a bit...as if nervous. "Whats that you have there?"

"It's something relatively new called an e-book reader. But it's a smaller one for someone my size." I said, gesturing to the device, which was a modified iPod Nano. "Stores music for me too!"

"I guess a text book would be too big for you to use," he said looking at me, uncertainly. "That's certainly useful."

"Yeah, it'd be impossible for me to lug several textbooks all over campus...even with my familiars help."

Another girl came in taking the window seat on yet the other side of me. She looked over at me, giving me a strange look.

"What, never seen anyone this size before?" I asked.

She didn't look embarrassed. "It's a first for me."

She then paused before giving me a slight wave, "Name's Ulysses Sparks."

I giggled, "Isn't that a boys name?"

She smiled, "Yeah. But I'm all girl. My parents just liked the name."

I grinned at her, "I'm Ezra Falling-Bird."

"Pleased to meet you...I like your color scheme." she said, looking at my bright pink and purple warning coloration.

"Thanks...I'm pretty sure it was all coordinated by a Fern Gully video."

"Fern Gully video?"

"Yeah...Fern Gully plus reality warping...and possibly magic and you get this BIT package just because it was the last thing on my mind before I lost consciousness I suppose. At least that's what they told me. Though I don't think I believe them."

"Ouch," Ulysses replied, sympathetically.

"Yeah."

"Can you fly?" she asked, with curious expression.

"I used to be able too, until last week when somebody attacked me with a really wild magic spell. I lost my left wing."

"Who did it?"

I looked at her and sighed, "I don't know, but if I ever find out there's going to be some serious payback."

I paused in the middle of what I was going to say as I watched a Mediterranean looking girl with the most amazing olive skin tone walk in...I specifically remember seeing her earlier when she was with Shadi in the crystal hall.

"Hey, isn't your name Haley?" I asked, curiously.

"Yeah, Haley Braedon."

"My name's Ezra!"

"Cool. I've seen you around campus before, it's nice to finally be able to put a name to the face!"

Just then the bell rang, and almost as if on cue, a slightly heavy woman who was a tad on the short side walked into the room. She had a rounded face, and smiled as she gave us all a wave. Oddly enough she had flowers and vines growing out of her, as if she was a walking garden planter. According to my schedule this was Miss. Chulkris, or at least I assumed it was considering I'd missed my first week of class due to my injuries.

She almost immediately launched into a lecture about the fundamentals of magic, as understood in the modern world. She also said that we would be covering an understanding of magic as understood by the ancient and medieval ages. As I sat back and listened, I wondered just how boring this class was going to be. Any further speculation on the subject was cut off, as the door was flung open and a sweaty kid in a lab-coat surged in, nearly collapsing into the nearest empty seat, which just happened to near Bishop...much to his frowning distaste.

"Good morning! But I digress...-," he said, noticing the instructors nearly open mouth stare.

"And who might you be?" the instructor asked.

"Tobin Tommowerck. Codename, Glitch."

"Are you even suppose to be in the class?" Miss. Chulkris asked, reaching for her roster.

"Indeed! I double checked the room number. You see...I actually woke up this morning- wait, forget that, completely irrelevant. No- yes- I am suppose to be in this class. You see, aside from my appearance, or something approximately close to it, I'm actually a techno-mage, and not merely a mere deviser! Thus I'm enrolled in this class to study magic!"

"Alright, that's enough." Miss. Chulkris replied, though not unkindly. "So I have two new students today? Ezra Falling-Bird and...Tobin over there?"

"This is my first day here, ma'am." I replied, to which she gave me a smile and a gentle nod.

Haley looked over at that and whispered, "If you need any help catching up, just let me know. I entered the school-year late too!"

I just mouthed 'Thank you' in response, as to avoid talking any more than necessary in class, giving her a warm smile, which she returned.

Maybe this time going through high-school this time around wouldn't be so bad after all.

------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------

-5:02 P.M-

We'd originally gone back to my room, to chill out until dinner. Though Esmee had different plans...she'd been urging me to take her flying, and thus I finally gave in, unable to relax in peace. It reminded me quite a bit of when a dog begs it's owner to take it for a walk. Esmee just fluttered about with no particular destination in mind, for nearly an hour. Checking the time on my iPod, I had to give her directions...specifically to head to the crystal hall for dinner. She banked hard to the right and entered a slight dive, sailing through the air as fast as a hawk. Esmee wasn't slow by any means, except when she chose to be. Flying towards the giant glass and steel dome...I spotted Magwin, who was waving up at me and Esmee. Her black sailor fuku still looked tidy, even after a full day of classes. And her hair was still neat and nicely kept in it's ornate ringlet/pigtails look.

"Looking snazzy I see," I said as Esmee swooped down and began to slowly circle her with slow fluttering motions.

"Gotta look my best, or I'll never find a boyfriend," she said, sticking her tongue out at me.

"You know, Bishop worries about that same thing!" I replied, causing us both to giggle.

Magwin walked forwards to hold the door open for us. Esmee could teleport the short distance into the dining hall, right through the outer wall...but this was much easier. We flew in, sailing towards the serving counter and buffet. A plastic ball of some sort flew past, causing Esmee to swerve in mid-air...startled, I looked down thinking my sister was attacking us again. All I saw was two dorky kids down below, the one turned to the other and audibly exclaimed, "The poke-ball failed!"

Bizarre.

Esmee didn't stall, but took me to the fruit and vegetable buffet counter without hesitation, where I grabbed a tangerine and scooped up some strawberries. Ever since my bath this morning with the strawberry bubble bath, I've been craving strawberries. I had to go through an entire day of classes with a hankering for some strawberries. I should have had some at lunch, but they were all gone when I showed up. Guess strawberries were a popular item. I nudged Esmee with my foot, drawing her attention to some nearby tables. Esmee lifted into the air with a tremendous flap of her wings, and took me to the nearest open table, Magwin soon joining us a minute or two after-wards...followed by Bishop.

"Ah, I see the rabble is already seated." Glad that we can help him out by befriending his lonely ass...but you'd think he could at least lighten up and be a little nicer, yeah? I was about ready to unleash some smart-ass retort when we were interrupted.

"Long time no see!" chirped a pleasant sounding voice, from behind me. I knew without looking, it was my fascinating acquaintance from yesterday.

"Hey! Fun-size. Nice to see you so soon after our last encounter," I answered without looking back, wondering if she heard me.

Cheshire hopped up onto the table, carrying Shadi on his back. Or was that her back? Shadi never said.

Shadi hopped off her cat and stole a slice of my tangerine, "Don't mind if I take that."

"You don't mind or I don't mind?" I asked, as I stuffed a chunk of a grape into my mouth.

"I don't mind of course, I'm starving," she said.

"That's okay, I love to share."

"Really? What do you like to share?" she asked, with a sexy smile...her dark fuchsia eyes flashing.

I loved the way her blue bangs fell into her eyes...blue hair definitely looked good on Shadi Blue Wolf, no doubt about it. Of course, I was far to embarrassed to admit that to her.

"Bodily fluids usually," I replied evenly.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"I don't know, do you?" I asked.

"Only one way to find out," she said, adding a wink at the end.

Oh my ghadd, so adorable. "I charge by the hour."

She frowned, "Well I don't, tonight it's on the house. A one time special."

I looked at her, my smile faltering just a bit when I saw a certain look in her eyes and a nervous smile playing across her oh so kissable lips...she wasn't nearly as confident as she tried to make herself out to be. I didn't understand...and that uncertainty made me second guess her intentions, as well as my own. Did she like me? Was she just playing with me? Did I even care? I realized I did...and maybe worse, I didn't know why. What does this girl mean to me? I'm not gay am I? Why do I care if she likes me or not? Why does it even matter?

She regained the confident look, perhaps after noticing that I saw the real her peeking out. Do I like Shadi? Looking at her...maybe it was as simple as the fact that we were both the same size. Possibly the only two on earth this size. Let's face it...it's not everyday you meet a fourteen or sixteen inch tall human. Two super midgets bound by the red-string of a lovers fate? Haha! Star-crossed lovers we are not...but would it be so bad if we were? Still, the thought that I liked her...that I was attracted to her? What did that mean for me? What did it mean for her? Was she even into girls?

"Shadi...I guess I don't know what to say," I said, looking her in the eye.

"About what?" she asked, slightly confused.

"Nothing," I replied nervously, perhaps skittishly. "Nice talking to you again."

"Well bye to you too," Magwin said, annoyed as I got ready to leave. I just frowned at her. I mouthed sorry to her...I'd call her later to apologize.

"Aw shucks, just when we were all getting along so well," Bishop said sarcastically, as he ate his Count Chocula cereal. I wonder if all villain wannabe's eat Count Chocula for dinner? Is he even a villain wannabe? Maybe not...but he was definitely a sardonic asshole.

I mounted Esmee. As we flew off, I dumped what was left of the tangerine peelings into a garbage can as we flew over in the direction of the exit. I spotted an odd looking girl heading towards the table I just left...she had blueish-gray skin and orange hair and eyes. Shadi's girlfriend maybe? The thought made me a little jealous, much to my consternation. But of course, maybe Shadi was straight...was it possible that she was just joking around with me and had absolutely no interest in me? No same-sex attraction? Was that why she looked so uncomfortable when I was flirting with her? After all...I don't even know her, I have no idea what she likes or who she even is. I should never have jumped to conclusions in the first place.

As we soared through the air, I realized that even a gentle morning flight couldn't help me clear my thoughts. What's wrong with me. Seriously. I needed to distract myself...or just to clear my head maybe.

"Let's go to the library, Esmee." I said, as she flapped her wings, gaining altitude, soaring southeast over Schuster Hall.

Beck Library was a brick building with an inner courtyard, which stood in stark contrast to the circular Tudor style building which rose up behind it, which was named Kirby Hall. With the warm autumn air whipping my face, I took a good look around the campus from my lofty vantage point nearly directly in the middle of the campus, high in the air above Schuster Hall. Behind Beck Library, slightly to the southwest was Melville cottage...and behind Melville to the southwest was Poe cottage...and of course, further south-west behind Poe was Hawthorne. From this height I could see that Hawthorne was actually a 'U' shaped building, and the three cottages were nearly aligned into nearly a diagonal line.

Esmee descended quickly, the beautiful greens of the back of her wings sparkling in the evening sunlight. The brick building loomed quickly into view, a brick wall rushing up to meet us. Several meters from the side of the library, Esmee did her instant transmission thing...landing us directly into the first floor of the library. I pointed down at the library counter and Esmee understood what I wanted in an instant, fluttering down to land on the counter right in front of a slightly bewildered librarian.

"I don't have a library card or anything yet...I'm a new student."

I thought perhaps I was more bewildered though...unlike a stereotypical librarian, she looked more like a Hollywood movie star...or a super model. Five foot ten in height maybe...slender but proportionately curvy with toned muscles, glossy black hair and brightly hued gray eyes. She wore a more conservative ankle length skirt...which I'd actually seen it on Nordstrom just a couple weeks ago. It was totally designer, white with black lace at the edges and hems...plus the black polka-dots all over the white background of the skirt. Above the waistband she had an elegant purple sash tied around her waist...the whole outfit complemented by a white womens dress blouse, with pearl buttons. Black pumps with a four inch heel rounded out the ensemble.

She looked me over, behind her trendy looking gold-framed eye-glasses. "Take a good enough look yet?"

"Not quite," I smiled back.

She smiled ever so slightly, lips parted, exposing the whites of her teeth. "Well, I don't blame you for looking. Though you are certainly an interesting sight yourself."

"The head-librarian isn't here today...I'm the assistant librarian, so please fill out this questionnaire, it's standard procedure with registering with the library. Or at least it is when I'm on duty."

She pushed forward a stack of papers which she had procured from behind and underneath the counter. Looking over it I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yes. I'll come back when you're done." she said as she bustled off somewhere else, her heels clicking loudly on the marble tiled floors creating an echo in the high-ceiling-ed room , and disappearing behind some bookshelves over yonder.

The survey was bizarre. Asking me everything from my favorite food to how many estimated hours I spent watching reality television. Hundreds and hundreds of questions.

-Lucky number? 13.

-Mothers maiden name? Fast Horse.

-Favorite stooge of the three stooges? SERIOUSLY?

The last question seemed much more relevant than the three-hundred and sixty five questions that preceded it. I filled in my favorite author as 'Renae.'

At which point the librarian was mysteriously back in front of me. "Ah, you completed the adaptive personality questionnaire in twenty seven minutes. Not a new record by far, but still pretty impressive for the non-speedster set."

Then she frowned, "You listed your favorite author as a...Renae? No last name?"

"Correct!" I said with a smile. "A lesser known author in the world of books, but my favorite by far."

"What did she write?" asked the ever-mysterious librarian.

"Eat, Drink and be Happy."

"A little known best-seller from not too long ago! I'm surprised it didn't come to mind," she explained excitedly.

"Ah well," I smiled nervously. "By the way, whats your name?"

"Mrs. Hubris." she replied happily, adjusting her lavender colored neck-tie.

She wrote something into her black ledger, and then entered some information into a nearby computer. I then had to sit in a nearby chair and get my photo taken...at which point a bizarre looking machine printed out my library card. The machine looked like a devise...perhaps built by the assistant-librarian? It was a large black box roughly the size of a refrigerator. I saw that the card was holographic and seemed business card sized to me, in other words, very small by normal standards, small enough to fit in my hand...with a seemingly 3-D picture of me on it. It looked like a drivers license but with multiple bar-codes holographic symbols and a random assortment of seemingly irrelevant information. Next to 'Last book read', it said 'The Merchant of Venice.'

That was weird...since I'd never filled out any information on what the last book I read was...which I had read before coming to Whateley. Though it was in fact Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, so the card was definitely correct. I went around and past the long library counter, heading towards the rows of shelves. The building was two stories, so there was also a second floor...though you wouldn't immediately realize that due to the height of the ceilings. The library was immense...and in the dim light, I could imagine that the rows of shelves went on and on infinitely regressing into the background. All the shelves were seemingly stocked full of books. Tens of thousands...hundreds of thousands of them. Impressive.

I'd always been a book worm...especially back when I was in school. Grade school...junior high...high school. I'd always loved libraries and books...especially old books. But once my sister manifested her mutation, she had to be enrolled at Whateley due to threats on her and her life..which jeopardized our safety at home as well. We had to move across town...mom had to work two jobs to support us due to the expensive tuition costs of my sister. When I graduated from high-school, I got a job to help out with the expenses. I loved my sister, and I wanted to make sure she graduated as well. But now that I'm enrolled at Whateley too? And my sister is...like she is. At least the financial assistance helps us make ends meet. Maybe mom can even quit her second job.

I rode on Esmee's back as she carried me, roaming amongst the shelves as if lost in a sea of them. How odd I must have looked, I mused. A thirteen and a half inch tall pink and purple fairy girl riding on the back of a brightly colored sunset moth. All that self confidence I showed early this morning while taking my bath...who did I think I was kidding? Maybe I really was nothing more than a freak. Maybe all my previous self-confidence and stoic numbness was just delusional thinking. Delusional thinking...what was wrong with me? I'm a foot tall...how worse could my mutation have gone? Definitely could have been worse...now that I stopped and thought about it. "It could always be worse."

But, I'm not alone, right? Or am I?

"You're not alone!" came a soft helium like voice from above me.

Looking up I saw the girl I'd met recently, Fun size. She had a questioning...perhaps a searching look on her face. She seemed to squint while looking at me, shaking her head slightly causing her blue locks of hair to swing back and forth.

"Even if we aren't alone...does that really make a difference?" I asked. Questioning the absurdity of me having to ride around on a giant insect and being a...one winged pixie.

"At least your not a one winged angel," she replied with a confused frown. "And...of course it matters. Being alone would way worse! Trust me, I've been there for years now...until I met you that is."

Was she able to hear what I was thinking? Weird.

I felt a pain in my head...all this worrying, was making me think too much...making me remember...remember- "NO! NO! I'm fine! Everything is fucking fantastic! Shut-up Shadi!"

"So-...sorry," she replied, truly looking hurt. The silence stretched on...seconds turning into minutes. But she didn't leave me...or run away.

"I'm sorry too. Something weird came over me...it was like, I wasn't me."

"I know," she replied...looking far less timid, but still...I found I couldn't place her expression. I really knew nothing about her.

"I've been alone for a long time. Feeling like I was the only one in the entire world...nobody else was like me. Adrift in a sea of people...but none of them like me. I was alone. I felt like I was the only one in the whole world. Even being a midget or a dwarf would have been better than being like this...or so I thought. For a long time I felt that way. A long time perhaps ending only in recent days. Only recently have I thought...maybe being so tiny isn't as much of an unabated terrible existence as I thought it was."

"I've never seen you this serious before, usually your playful, flirty and...undauntedly carefree," I said...my high pitched voice echoing off the sky-scraper'ish book shelves.

"That's not the real Shadi. Not the real me."

"So is this the real you?" I asked.

"I'm not sure." she replied meekly.

"Well, we should probably get back to our dorm rooms...it's already nine o'clock," I remarked...looking up at her beautiful fuchsia colored eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed and anxious. "But I'd like to see you again. Tomorrow at seven...breakfast?"

"I think...I'd like that too," she said uncertainly.

"The School House Restaurant. Dunn Hall. That way we can hang out without all our friends watching."

"It's not like...a date is it?" Shadi asked.

"I suppose not," I answered, noticing that Shadi looked a little disappointed.

We both said goodbye and I watched as she hurried off, riding on the back of that odd cat. I left the library without actually checking out any books...after-all they were too large for me to carry back to my dorm room. Or storage facility or whatever you want to call it. Luckily I had my iPod which had been issued to me...built by some divisors for enhanced portability and the with the e-book feature. It was still large...but I could carry it easily enough using the carrying-strap, which I put over my head and around my neck for safe-keeping. I was even able to download the school text books onto the little e-reader right there at the library.

As Esmee flew through the cloudless night air towards Hawthorne...I scanned the ground for shadows. Flying at night was something I hadn't experienced yet. I wonder what was in store for me tomorrow?

---

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