Petrichor

2773 words for you my dear little readers.
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Parrt 5 – A tale of counting demon sheep

Fleur [POV]

Now, to be honest, I had never expected that I, a twenty-six years old adult, would ever be going back to school. I had visited and graduated from one of the most prestigious private schools in France, and thanks to my Auxiliary AI I had had done so with more than superb grades. So for someone like me to go back and go through this self-imposed hell once more, was already on the verge of being acceptable. But the biggest shock for me came when I was told that there would be fucking school uniforms. I probably would have accepted it, if the uniforms were like the robes of Miss Aldeno or the Wizard dude, but they were way worse. ‘Why by the hells were there school uniforms? And why did they look so alike to the ones used back home?’

The entire outfit, at least for the female students as I hadn’t seen the male uniform yet, consisted of a short pleated skirt and a white ruffled blouse. This was then topped off with a long-sleeved overcoat that looked at least somewhat magical except that only the top part could be buttoned closed. All in all a decent outfit for a student body, they would be easily recognizable by the teachers, outsiders and other students. This seemed all good and well thought out until you take into account that I had been enrolled as a student and was now expected to wear them too. Because there were three distinct problems!

The first point was more of a personal problem. I had been living as a criminal for so long that my normal clothing choice was put together out of four things: Jumpsuits, Tank tops, Cargo pants and of course Body armour. This meant I felt even more exposed and uncomfortable in these clothes than any normal person would; this wasn’t helped at all by the other two problems! The second thing was that these outfits were designed for and heavily inspired by a relatively young student body, so for sixteen to eighteen year old they would have been fine; only I wasn’t sixteen I was twenty-six and therefore my age showed in both my face and my more mature body. Were I to wear these it would look more like cosplay than real clothing. This also played into my third concern, my new body; I had already noticed that I was a good bit bigger than the other people around, so where the skirt would have been decent for any other girl, for me it was closer to a miniskirt than a school uniform. Underlining that fact was the new appendage around my butt area, instead of what people might think, wearing a skirt when you have a tail is not clever, the only thing it does is enable everyone to look underneath the aforementioned skirt.

When I turned to look at the mirror my hopes that it might not look as bad as I thought were instantly corrected. It was exactly like I had expected, the skirt was too short and the outfit unfitting for someone my age. And while I wouldn’t really pass for a student, even though I officially was one, I very much did pass for, well a Succubus. Almost as if to agree with my insecurities my tail stood at attention and twitched nervously from side to side, resulting in the skirt riding up my thighs. I looked towards Miss Aldeno, whose first name was Teril as I had now learned, in hopes of gleaning what she thought about the outfit.

“Teril, I’m not sure this outfit is really decent!?” Instead of looking at me she had turned her head to the side in an effort of trying to hide her spreading blush. ‘Really? Why couldn’t I meet at least one normal human?’

“It . . . it shall do for now! If you’re about done please follow me!” It became more than painfully obvious that she looked anywhere but me. ‘What was that about?’

“Where are we going? It seems to be pretty late already, aren’t you tired?” Almost immediately she turned on her heel and faced me, her complexion was oddly feverish.

“Wha-What do you mean by that!? We-we . . . we shouldn’t!” I only stared at her in confusion.

“I . . . didn’t mean anything by it, really. And now that you said it so weirdly I’m pretty sure I don’t even want to know what you thought I meant!” ‘This woman! Why did everyone that I have met so far give the creeps!?’ “So in light, or the lack thereof, of both of us being tired could we please just proceed?” I strode forward and brushed past the annoying woman.

“Ah! I mean yes! Follow me!” With this, she rushed off and I was once more delegated to follow behind like a lost puppy.

“Sadly, because of your . . . unusual condition, we can’t have you stay in the dorms tonight, but instead, you will have to make do with one of the empty servant quarters. They aren’t as luxurious as the dorms but you can make do for a night or two, yes?” I simply shrugged and opened the door.

It was abysmal. Being used to the late 21st Centuries' accommodations and amenities this was less rustic and more dungeon style and not the fun kind! My prison cell had been better than this room, the walls and floor were made from wooden boards nailed together so professionally that you could see into the neighbouring room or the dirt in regards to the floor. The furniture consisted of a rough bed cover in straw and furs, a drawer, a nightstand with a candle, and for some unknown reason a bucket. ‘I understand the furs and the straw, even the candle, but why the heck a bucket?’

“Okay . . . It is not what I had expected, seeing as everything is magic and shit, but I guess it has to do for now. One question though, where is the bathroom, or are there communal bathrooms?” ‘I mean I would have to go to the toilet at some point, right?’

“Well, it isn’t as sophisticated as in the other dorms, but there is a bucket in the corner.” Her eyes shifted from me to the bucket and back.

“What do you mean a bucket? How is a fucking bucket going to help me?”

“Huh? How do you not know? You, ehem, use the bucket for your, ehm, needs.” For a moment I just looked at her in shock, but soon enough was able to calm myself.

“Is . . . that so? I guess I have to accept it for the time being.” ‘I didn’t even know how to do it on a bucket, where the fuck would I put this stupid tail!?’ “At least the bed seems to be . . . adequately . . . soft . . . ah~.” ‘What was this? How could something being so soft feel so good?’ “Okay, I think this bed is fine, you can go now. Ahhhhh~!”

Apparently I had somehow misused the bed, as she stood there as if unable to move. And instead of leaving me to my newly found softness she proceeded to stare at me with her annoying feverish eyes. ‘She is really starting to get on my nerves!’

“Teril?” I asked sitting up for a moment.

“Ah! Yes, Fleur?” ‘When exactly had we started to be on a first-name basis? I couldn’t remember.’

“Begone, I wish to rest, and your presence annoys me.”

“Oh . . . okay.” She answered with her gaze cast to the floor.

For some reason, she seemed almost reluctant and sad to leave me alone, even though she had disliked me in the beginning. ‘Had I missed something here?’ After she left I laid back down on this incredibly fluffy pile of heaven. ‘I would have never guessed that animal furs could be so wonderfully soft! Why had no one ever told me? And why does this feeling remind so much me of my childhood?’ Filing these thoughts away for later I offered myself to the feelings of softness and comfort and soon enough drifted into a blissful sleep.

For the first time in maybe a decade, I dreamt. I knew it had to be a dream for I seemed to be the size of a child and everything was big and colorful. The feeling was incredible though, I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt so safe. It seemed I had forgotten how it was to dream as much as I had forgotten about other things, figures. ‘How had I never realized that I had lost the ability to dream?’ When I focused on the thought however the dreamscape quickly started to shake and deteriorate, bits and parts of it falling away, my mind seemed to be falling to pieces! But I could not let this happen! As quickly as it had come I released the thought and like a bird, it flew away, soon I had forgotten all about it. Instead, the dream came back more vivid than before. ‘Was this even a dream?’

I was in a beautiful garden somewhere away from the city. After a few seconds, I had realized that it most likely was the old summer house of my parents. When I looked around I saw all the little things from my long past childhood; the pretty canopy swings my mother had loved so much or the overgrown pavilion where my father had received his guests and work acquaintances. Far to the right from me, a little brown beagle played in the grass I remembered only little of him. ‘I think the little guy had been killed by an inattentive driver soon after my fourth birthday.’ When I ran towards him, with all the might my tiny body had to offer, I came about two meters before I tripped and fell to the ground. Before me in the grass laid the stuffed animal I had cuddled up until now; a fluffy grey bear named Mr. Pierre. If I recall correctly I had named him so because he had looked like a stone to me the first time I had seen him. And of course, as soon as the young me realized that her precious bear was no longer in her hands she began to cry and wail like a banshee. ‘Ah, if this wasn’t a dream, these must be my memories!’

Only a second after she had started screaming around a gentle feminine voice called out from behind her. It took her for a moment but soon it became obvious that the voice must have been of her mother.

“Dear, look what happened! I tell you to look over her for but a moment and she is already crying, honestly, you are really hopeless.” Her voice sounded full of mirth and her laughter was like glass chimes in the air. Yet it seemed like the person she had spoken to didn’t respond, instead, my mother’s soft steps came closer to me.

“Hey my little one, how are you? Did the mean evil ground hurt you?”

Her hands picked up me and Mr. Pierre, and for a moment it felt almost as if my small body was flying. The little me chuckled and laughed, already forgotten was the fall from before. It felt nice sitting in my mother’s lap, so very safe. She had been a very kind and strong woman, a leader of people and defender of her ideals. Even if it was only a dream or a memory, it was still very pleasant to feel her warmth. ‘Ahh, if only I could stay like this forever. Nothing would hurt me here.’ The very moment I thought this, almost as if to ridicule my words and punish me for my childish innocence, a powerful female voice echoed through my mind.

“Remember!”

“AHH! No! Go away, this is my mind, my safe haven; everything is fine in here! Nothing can hurt me!” I noticed my responses being childish but had trouble seeing why that was. Instead of being swayed by my pleas the voice only came back harsher, sharper, regal almost.

“REMEMBER!”

The scene around me shifted violently. I was older now, bigger, no longer a child. The city lights reflected beautifully off the high-rise buildings but this was not what I focused on. My sight was immediately drawn to the mayhem around me; my bloodied dress, the small shards of glass all over the pavement, the destroyed SUV in front of me, the mangled body of my mother as she frantically tried to draw breath, the pain in her eyes as she looked up to me, her hand stretching to meet my cheek. As she spoke to me her voice was weak, fearful almost.

“Fleur! Listen . . . to . . . me! You need to . . . argh . . . listen very careful okay?” I nodded, too in shock to do anything else.

“No matter what anyone says . . . No, don’t cry listen. Acathia, my dear little thorn, you are stronger than other people under. . .stand this! Just like me, you were born to lead! Never and I mean . . . never follow another. You are a ruler a leader, never forget this!” A single tear rolled down her beautiful red skin.

“My beautiful flower, I love you my . . .” I saw the light escaping her eyes before she even had a chance to finish her sentence. I crawled over in the hope that my being close to her would bring the light back to them. As I reached for her I began to ignore my surroundings; the sirens in the distance, the strong hand trying to hold me back, the stink of burning gasoline, the bullets digging into the asphalt. I sat there for a long time, with her head in my blood-soaked lap. My bloodied hands cradled her hair stopping only when they reached her once beautiful horns, now broken and destroyed just like the rest of her body. And with this last sight, the me of my memories and the me of today began to scream as one.

“AHHHHHHHH!!!”

Still in shock from the dream, I was startled awake and swung myself out of the bed. ‘Huh, I could have sworn I had heard a whisper.’ Paying no mind to my ever more common illusions, I walked over to the small window, it was only cover by two wooden shutters, speak about advanced. ‘The servants were truly treated like shit in this world, weren’t they? Or maybe it was just this country!?’ With a low sigh, I pushed open the shutters and was pleasantly surprised by the sight. The outside greeted me with the spectacular view on massive cliffs that cut deep into what I could only assume was the sea. The salty rough air underlined that thought only more. And with the two and a half moons shining in the dark night sky, the beauty of this place was almost magically enhanced.

“A magical Academy build on a cliff overseeing the sea . . . just why does this sound so familiar? Well, it matters not, even if the sight is beautiful, I am still a prisoner to my so-called mistress. Hmph! Insolent little mistress thinks she can hold on to a powerful being like me. My mother was right I am a leader, a ruler! And I will not be held!” I smashed my fist into the window-frame, the stones creaked and the mortar crumbled. I savored the pain, swallowed it, made it part of myself. Now that I was free of all my old life’s bounds, of the rules of modern society I could live the way I wanted. I would not be a harlot to some teenaged little shit! I would take what I wanted and would rise to the fame and power I was owed. ‘Good, I had a goal, now to start with setting everything into motion.’ Shaking my mind off the immediate anger and fury I turned away from the window. Looking down my body I saw that I was still wearing the ridiculous uniform, I scoffed and stripped out of the offending pieces of cloth. My perfectly flawless skin glistened in the moonlight and the glowing runes I had drawn on to it made me look even more imposing. Content with my appearance I strode towards the bed with my tail swinging between my ass cheeks. Ignoring the loud protesting creaking of the wood bed, I threw myself back onto the pile of furs, and while thinking of schemes and plans I fell into a hopefully dreamless slumber.

Petrichor

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