The Woodward Academy,

Chapter 6: November

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

While David had absolutely no desire to go out with Cherise, he would not allow himself to be sloppy in his appearance. He showered and prepped as if for any other date. His roommates noticed.

"You going out?" Nate asked.

"Unfortunately," David replied without thinking.

"Listen to him," Nate said to Simon. "He has so many dates that it's a pain for him to actually go!"

Simon chuckled at him.

"Not quite what I meant," David replied.

"So, what is up?" Simon asked. "I mean, you really don't seem like you want to be going wherever it is that you're going."

David looked at them and said, "Well, let's just say that I'm not going of my own free will, and leave it at that."

"Oh, come on," Simon said. "You can't let that comment out, without explaining further."

Nate agreed.

David sighed. "I am being blackmailed into dating this girl, okay?"

"Shit, dude. What's she got on you?"

David rolled his eyes. "If I was willing to go around telling people what it was, it'd be kind of hard for her to blackmail me with it, now wouldn't it?"

Nate chuckled. "Good point."

"So, where you taking her?"

"To the concert. I figure then I can focus on the music and enjoy myself, and ignore her as much as possible."

"Good plan," Simon agreed.

"Anyway, I gotta get going, or I'm going to be late. See you guys later."

The guys wished him luck as he headed out the door. He made his way up to the fourth floor, where Cherise's room was. He knocked on the door, and waited. After a few seconds, one of Cherise's roommates answered.

"Yeah?"

"Is Cherise ready yet?"

"Oh, so you're the guy. Yeah, come on in. She'll be out in a minute."

"I'll wait out here, thanks."

The girl shrugged. "Suit yourself."

David waited in the hallway for several minutes before Cherise emerged from her dorm room. She was all dressed up in a flowing dress and a fancy coat. Her hair had clearly been done up, and her makeup was impeccable. She turned all the way around for David's viewing.

"How do I look?" she asked him brightly.

"Very nice, now come on. We're already late," he replied.

"Now, that's hardly a way to talk to your date," Cherise pouted. "And you didn't even dress up!"

David looked at her coldly. After a few seconds, she relented. "But that's okay," she said. "I'll forgive you! Where are we going?"

"To the concert."

"Well! Let's go, then!" She tried to link her arm through his, but he adroitly maneuvered away at the last second, and she had to walk quickly to catch up with him. "You're not being very polite," she warned him.

"I told you, we're late. I don't want to miss too much of the concert."

The walk over to the concert hall was brisk, so that David could keep Cherise at bay. He had a feeling he was not going to be comfortable during the concert, but there was nothing to be done for it at this point. They made it into the auditorium just as the first song started playing. David found the first empty seats he could, and they sat down. The hall was by no means filled to capacity, and so they were sitting in the third-to-last row.

Cherise immediately leaned over, linking her arm through his, and resting her head on his shoulder. David knew that he would have to tolerate this, but he did not relax into her grasp, as he would have if it was someone pleasant he was with. Instead, he focused on the music, trying to ignore her grip on his arm.

David had chosen the concert because it was supposed to be upbeat, bright music. He figured that was about as unromantic as he could get. His only hope for getting this girl to leave him alone was for her to dislike the time they spent together. He did his best to get into the music, feigning more interest than he had for it. He was trying to make Cherise believe that he was a big fan of this type of music. While he did like it, it wasn't something he was crazy over.

About halfway through the concert, Cherise moved her hand from his forearm, down onto his thigh. David immediately took hold of her hand and moved it back. She smiled at that, which David did not at all understand. He tried to ignore it, but her behavior was so odd that it really was difficult to do.

Finally, the concert was over. David stood even before the last note of the last song faded.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" he said. "We should do it again sometime."

"You mean, the date's over?" Cherise pouted.

"Well, I can't make them play more music," David pointed out. "Come on. I'll take you back to your dorm room."

As they started to walk back to the dorm, she said, "I thought we were really starting to connect, David. I mean, when you put my hand on your arm... clearly you wanted me close to you."

David was utterly speechless at that. He had no idea how she could make that conclusion, when he was moving her hand off his thigh, to a place he had already been tolerating. He sputtered for a second, then gave up. He walked her back to the dorm in silence.

When they arrived at Cherise's room, she turned to him.

"I had a good time, David. We'll have to do it again. Soon."

"Uh-huh," David replied noncommittally. Cherise tilted her head up, clearly requesting a kiss, but there was no way David was going that far.

"Well, I have to study for a test on Monday," he said. "Have a good weekend, Cherise. See you on Tuesday." He turned and walked away without waiting for a reply. He could feel Cherise staring after him.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

David was walking out of Herbology with all of his friends, when Devyn gently angled him off to one side. The others, understanding she had something to say to him, moved off. David walked with Devyn until they were a short distance away.

"What's up?" David asked curiously.

"Well... I saw you with a girl on Saturday, coming out of the concert. I wanted to make sure that there was not going to be a problem for my Sex Ed assignment."

David smirked. "Trust me, Devyn, there is not a problem."

Devyn cocked her head at him, and her expression became most curious.

David explained, "For reasons I'd rather not discuss, I'm being forced to date Cherise."

"I see," Devyn said. Then, she shook her head. "No, I do not see, but I will accept your word that it is not a problem."

David smiled. "Did you know when you wanted to get together, yet?"

"Yes. If possible, I would like to make it this Saturday."

David thought carefully, making sure he had no commitments. "Okay, that works. My place, or yours?"

"I would feel more comfortable in mine. Plus, I do not have a roommate, and my suitemates have already told me they will leave if I need them to."

"How do you not have a roommate?"

"She was forced to return home to handle some kind of family problem."

"Oh. Sucks for her. Nice for you, though."

"I did not have a problem with her. However, it does mean we can have privacy."

"Okay. Saturday, your place. What time?"

"My suitemates normally go out in the evening. Would that work for you?"

"Sure. So, say, seven?"

"That would be good."

"Okay. C'mon, let's catch up with the others."

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

When David arrived at Devyn's dorm room, he didn't really know what to expect. He had never seen her out of her school uniform. When she answered the door, however, she was wearing clothing completely different. She wore a loose-fitting blouse with decorative cuffs and a low neckline, over tight-fitting pants. She was barefoot, which made her seem even shorter than usual, as her normal boots had a two-inch heel on them.

"Hello, David," she said to him. "Please, come in."

As David walked past her into the dorm room, he could tell that she was a bit nervous. He wasn't sure about what, though, as he knew she was hardly a virgin.

The two didn't speak until Devyn had escorted him into her bedroom, and then closed the door. David took off his coat and set it on the back of a chair, then sat on the bed, watching Devyn as she paced a bit. Finally, she stopped and sat down beside him on the bed.

"Is something wrong?" David asked.

"Not wrong, exactly," she said. "I am a bit nervous. You see, I have not been with a boy for a couple of years."

"Oh," David said, understanding. He turned to her and said, "Well, just relax. Focus on the magic you plan on using. I'm sure the rest of it will take care of itself."

"I hope so," she said. She was going to say something else, but David leaned in, and pressed his lips softly to hers. She was immediately kissing him back, and opened her mouth instantly when his tongue slipped out to request entry. The two were quickly tongue-wrestling, and David then pulled her gently down onto the bed, where they continued kissing, their passions growing.

After several moments, the two finally broke apart.

"Feeling better?" David asked.

"Hmm," Devyn replied. Slowly, she stood up from the bed. Looking around, she said, "This is no proper setting for our encounter." She clapped her hands and then spread them wide, saying, "Iriel cham!"

Suddenly, the dorm room vanished. In its place was the bedchamber of a palace. The dorm bed had suddenly become an elaborate canopy bed, draped with diaphanous fabric. The end table was ornately carved mahogany, and the walls were covered in luscious crimson silk brocade, adorned with a gold floral pattern. A light scent of pumpkin filled the room, which surprised David, but was strangely pleasing to him. The down comforter that now appeared to be beneath him was a deep burgundy, and the carpet on the floor matched the walls. The soft lighting of the room came from candle sconces on the walls. It was, in a word, opulent.

"Very nice," David said to her.

Devyn smiled, and then moved back to him. "Would you like to undress me?"

It was David's turn to smile. Clearly, she didn't want to attempt the conjuring spell, either. He rose from the bed, his hands sliding along her sides. He kissed her once more, before stepping around behind her. He pulled her gently against him, and then moved his hands to the buttons on her blouse. He knew she could feel his erection as he worked to unfasten her shirt, moving unhurriedly down, until it had been completely opened. He ran his hands across her abdomen, and then he pulled the blouse off her shoulders, allowing it to fall free. As he pulled her close again, he bent down and kissed the side of her neck, allowing his hands to slide up and softly brush over her nipples. Devyn sighed in pleasure, but said nothing else.

David eventually moved his hands back down, to unfasten her pants. They were so tight that when he pushed them down, her panties went with them. He let that happen, pulling both garments down her legs until they, too, slid to the floor. Devyn worked to step out of them, and then she turned to face David.

David stepped back slightly, and looked down, to take in Devyn's body. Her breasts were small, but firm, and they fit her body nicely. Her nipples were erect and dark against her pale skin. Her body was lithe and trim, and he had the feeling it was going to be a very pleasant evening.

Devyn reached out and undid the buttons on David's shirt without any fanfare. She pushed it off his shoulders as he kicked his shoes off. Next, she reached down and unfastened his pants, pushing them off his hips and then forgetting about them. She took a great deal more care with his underwear, pulling the waistband out and down, until the garment came loose, dropping to the floor and exposing David's hard cock to her gaze.

Devyn's fingers slowly encircled David's cock, stroking very gently his entire length. David breathed in, enjoying the feel of her hand. She continued to stroke him for a few moments, making sure that he was absolutely rock hard, and then she motioned him onto the bed.

David sat down, but Devyn motioned for him to lie down all the way. He did so, making himself comfortable, and marveling at the quality of her illusion; the bed even felt more comfortable.

His interest in the illusion ended when Devyn climbed onto the bed and wrapped her hand around his dick again. Her grip was firmer now, stroking him to keep him fully hard. She leaned down, licking the tip of his dick and causing twinges of pleasure to shoot up his spine. She kept this up for a long moment, and then, closing her eyes, she chanted a silent spell, and blew a stream of air across the head of David's cock.

Suddenly, a warm, pleasant feeling engulfed the head of David's dick. The feeling spread slowly down the entire length of his shaft, and then washed outward, gradually encompassing his entire body. The feeling was incredibly arousing, and intensely pleasurable. While David was reveling in the sensation, Devyn placed her lips on the tip of his dick, and pressed downward. David groaned at the feeling, but she pretended not to notice, continuing to slide her mouth onto his prick until she had taken as much of him as she could inside.

Devyn slowly slipped her mouth back off David's shaft until just the head of his cock was inside her mouth, and then she moved back down. She kept moving, each stroke going faster until she was finally bobbing rapidly on his cock, driving him crazy with the wonderful feeling of her lips and tongue against his sensitive skin.

David was grunting now, trying to hold back his orgasm, as Devyn was driving him crazy with pleasure. Finally, he couldn't stand any more. He gave her one last warning grunt, which she ignored, and then he came, blasting his cum deep into her mouth. Devyn swallowed repeatedly, taking everything he had. For a long moment, David was lost to the pleasure of his climax. Finally, though, he came down, breathing heavily from the intense sensations.

Devyn slowly withdrew her mouth from his prick, and sat up. She straddled his waist, trapping his softening cock beneath her pussy. She didn't move yet, knowing that he was probably quite sensitive, but she enjoyed the feel of him against her.

"You seemed to enjoy that," she said with a slight smile.

"It wasn't horrible," he said, responding to her understatement with one of his own. Then he said, "Damn, Devyn... I can't remember the last blowjob I had that felt that good."

Devyn blushed slightly, and now she did begin to rock her hips gently, coating his dick with her juices, which were flowing quite freely. She reached up and touched her breasts.

"You would like it if my breasts were larger, would you not?" she asked. It wasn't really a question.

"You look just fine, Devyn," David assured her.

"But you would still prefer I had larger breasts," she persisted.

"Well..." David admitted, "maybe a little."

Devyn smiled, and she muttered, "ogmante laki."

David watched as Devyn's breasts swelled. She had not gone overboard; they stopped when they were a very nice handful. He reached up and cupped them with his hands, and she sighed, leaning into his grasp. He molded them gently, tweaking her nipples now and again with his thumbs.

By now, David had returned to hardness, and Devyn really wanted him inside her. She reached down and took hold of his cock while rising up on her knees. She lifted his dick, and pressed the head of it back until it slipped easily into her waiting cunt. Sighing in pleasure, she slowly sank down onto his shaft.

"Oh, I missed that," she told him. She leaned down to rest her hands lightly on his chest, but David pulled her down to him, mashing her newly enlarged tits between them and pressing his lips to hers. As they continued to kiss, he rolled them over, so he was on top. He slipped his tongue into her mouth again as he began to thrust his dick in and out of her.

Devyn cried out in surprise and pleasure, but her sounds were muffled by his mouth, which remained locked to hers. He plunged deep into her each time, pushing her down into the mattress. In turn, she rocked her hips upward, helping him go as deep into her as he could. They worked in unison, driving her closer and closer to her orgasm.

When it arrived, Devyn bucked strongly beneath David, but he kept thrusting into her, and kept his mouth tight to hers, his tongue still plying hers. For long moments, her orgasm washed through her body, prolonged by David's actions, driving her crazy.

Finally, she started to come down from her peak, and only then did David slow down his thrusts. He broke their kiss and looked down into her eyes.

"You seemed like you enjoyed that," he told her with a grin.

"It was not horrible," she told him, completing their little joke. "But I am supposed to be pleasuring you, not the other way around."

"Oh, trust me, I enjoyed it."

"But you have not climaxed."

"Can you handle another round, or are you too sensitive?"

"Sensitive, no. Sore, yes. It has been, as I said, a couple years since anything as nice, or as big, as your dick has been there."

"Hmm," David said. He slowly withdrew from her, not wanting to cause her any discomfort.

"However, my enhanced breasts could, perhaps, provide some entertainment for you..."

David grinned at the way she'd phrased that. He leaned down and kissed her again, and then he rose up, sliding up her body and straddling her chest. He laid his cock between her tits, and then reached down and pressed them together, trapping his cock between them. He started to rock his hips, sliding his dick in and out of her mammary tunnel. While he did so, he used his thumbs to tweak Devyn's nipples, causing her to squeak and shudder. She closed her eyes, and he knew she was muttering another silent spell.

Suddenly, it felt as if a warm, wet mouth was engulfing one of David's balls. He could swear that he could feel a tongue sliding over and around it. It was even more intense than he remembered that really feeling.

Samochet, I bet... he said to himself, then just relaxed into the sensation. He continued to fuck Devyn's tits while she magically worked over his nuts, pushing him closer and closer to climax.

When David started to grunt with each thrust, Devyn told him, "In my mouth. When you come, slide up into my mouth!"

David nodded understanding as he continued to rock his hips faster and faster. At the point of no return, he let loose her tits and quickly slid forward. Devyn tilted her head up, and her mouth engulfed his prick, sucking on him strongly. David stroked his cock in and out of her mouth a couple of times, but then he let loose a torrent of cum into her mouth.

This time, Devyn waited until his climax was completely finished, and then she swallowed. She licked around the head of his dick, cleaning him up, before she let him loose.

David sat back, breathless. After a few seconds, he moved off of Devyn and lay down beside her. She rolled to face him, putting her hand on his chest.

When she could tell that he had regained his breath, she asked, "So, how did I do?" Seeing the look on his face, she added, "With my magic, I mean."

David smiled and chuckled softly. "You did just fine, Devyn. And I'm not talking about just your magic." He kissed her softly, but his kiss grew more passionate when she reached down to fondle his cock.

I guess we're not done just yet...

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

David turned in his evaluation of Devyn on Monday, after his MagEc class. Coach Hall looked it over briefly while David stood there.

"One question," Coach Hall asked. "Would you sleep with her again, if you knew she was going to use magic on you?"

David didn't hesitate in his response. "Yes, sir. Why?"

Coach hall marked a "6" in the upper corner of her paper. "No reason. I ask everyone that question. Mainly it's to see how long it takes you to answer, rather than to hear your answer."

"I'm curious, sir... does anyone give a negative review on these things?"

"Oh, yes. Not many, but there are some very nasty reviews that come in. But you've got the idea; most of the reviews are nearly glowing. Actually, I had three that were literally glowing last year... smart-asses. That's why I ask the question. It helps me gauge the real nature of the review."

David nodded.

"Anyway, thank you for this. This completes all your requirements for Sexual Education. Have a good day."

"You, too, sir."

-----

Dinner that night was quiet. David had not seen Devyn since their get-together on Saturday, and though she did not seem embarrassed by it, she also did not speak very much at dinner. David chose not to say anything about it, lest he make the situation even worse.

Gwen, however, wasn't going to let the situation go entirely. She didn't say anything during the meal, but afterward, she pulled David aside. Devyn didn't seem to notice as the two fell behind, and she walked on ahead of them.

"What's up?" David asked quietly.

"Did things go badly on Saturday?" Gwen asked.

"No," David replied, then said, "at least, I didn't think so. Why?"

"Devyn's been a little bit... well, quiet, since then. I've been afraid to ask her about it. Seriously, did anything go wrong?"

"Not that I know of, Gwen. If something did, it would have to be like a plan that she had that she wasn't able to pull off. Everything that I was aware of her trying to do, she did. I turned in my review to Coach Hall earlier today. There weren't any negatives on it. So, if she screwed up somehow, she's the only one who knows about it."

"Hmm," Gwen said, frowning. "Well, I guess I'll have to ask her, then. I was trying to avoid that. I don't want to seem like I'm jealous or anything. I'm glad you guys had fun. I just don't like it when she gets quiet like this."

"Give her a couple days. Maybe she'll come around."

Gwen nodded. "I hope you're right. Anyway, I've gotta go. See you tomorrow."

David walked off to the rock lift, and took it down to the rim rather than back to the dorm. He walked around the rim to the waterfall, and stared out at the ocean. He tried to spend some time here every week, just to relax and let himself unwind. The sound of the waterfall, along with the sound of the ocean, joined with the peaceful scenery to calm him. He enjoyed school, but it was certainly stressful.

And likely to get more so, if I can't get Cherise off my back.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"So, do you want to go with a typical layout, or something more magical?" Lisa asked.

"I'm not sure I understand the question," David replied.

"Well, a traditional layout would be what you're used to in Earth publications. But some Dugerran manuscripts and brochures are a bit more... interactive." Lisa pulled out a brochure from her bag, and opened it. It was for a large SkyRider dealership. "Like this one. I can actually customize my options right here on the page. Watch." She set the booklet down on the table, and then placed her finger on a specific SkyRider model. She dragged it into an empty box, and it suddenly popped into place, rotating so that she could see it from all sides. She flipped through a selection at the bottom, and changed its color.

"It's like a damned website application," David said, in awe.

"Something like that, yes," she said, continuing to modify the options for her SkyRider. "This is just one example of what can be done. But I think you get the idea. Our handbook can be traditional, or it can be magical. Which do you think would be best?"

"Well, traditional gives a more upscale and 'professional' appearance... but on the other hand, a magical version might allow us to present information which would be more difficult to deliver in the traditional method. What do you guys think?" he asked the group. "Traditional, or magical, for the handbook?"

"It should also be pointed out that a magical handbook will cost more to produce. Each page has to be spelled individually," Dirk pointed out.

"I think magical would be the prettiest," Cherise said.

"JJ?" David asked.

"Why not mix the two? Go traditional for most of it, and use a magical presentation when you need it? I can think of a few things that it would be good to have the magical version of... like including the school map in the handbook."

David nodded, as, he noticed, did Lisa and Dirk. Cherise kept her opinion to herself.

"Okay, that's what we'll do, then. Stick with the traditional content as much as possible, but where we need it, we'll use the magical. With one exception. I'd like a magical image of the school on the cover. One that shows the waterfalls actually falling."

"That would be impressive," Dirk said, "But it would also make it something suspicious if a non-wizard saw it."

"Exactly why I want it on the cover," David said. "So that people will keep their handbook hidden when in Earth. It's a visual reminder that this is something that 'normal folk' shouldn't read."

Dirk nodded. "Good point."

"That's easy enough," Lisa said. "I'm sure Cherise can find a good way to get the necessary image."

"Of course I can!" she said cheerily, smiling broadly.

As Lisa went back to her layout, David looked over a list of article ideas. He was trying to decide whether to put them in or not, when Cherise stepped over to his seat.

"I enjoyed the concert, David," she said to him quietly. David grunted. "I would like us to go out again this Saturday."

David looked up at her, trying to hide his irritation. He sighed. "Fine."

She smiled broadly at him. "Great! I'm looking forward to it!" she gushed, and then went back to sorting through the images she had collected.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"So where are you taking her today?" Simon asked.

"To the dakaball game."

"Oh that's romantic," Nate scoffed. Simon scowled at him.

"I am not trying to be romantic," David replied. "I am trying to be as unromantic as is humanly possible, while still appearing to be cooperative."

"What are you going to do if she demands more than a date?" Simon asked.

"I'll cross that fraying rope bridge over a monster-filled moat when I come to it," David replied. The others chuckled.

"Good luck," Simon said to him.

"Thanks."

David headed out of the room, making his way slowly to Cherise's room. He hoped she wouldn't be wearing a dress; it would be very awkward for her to go to the game that way.

Cherise didn't make him wait this time, but instead was the one to answer the door when he knocked. She was dressed casually, in jeans and a sweater. The sweater was rather tight, however, showing off her curves. The sweater was light pink, as was the ribbon in her hair. Her earrings were sparkling red hearts, obviously magical enchantments.

"Hey, David!" she said in that cheerful and sweet tone she used. He could not grasp how someone could act so sweet when she was, in truth, capable of snapping the neck of a living animal.

"Hello, Cherise. Are you ready?"

"Don't I look ready?" she asked, pouting cutely.

"You look very nice. I just wanted to make sure."

"That's sweet of you," she gushed with a smile. David groaned inwardly.

"So, where are we off to today?" she asked.

"We're going to watch the dakaball game," he told her.

Cherise pouted again. It was less cute this time. "That's not very romantic."

David shrugged. "If you'd rather call off the date..." he said, trying to keep the hopefulness out of his voice, and probably failing.

"No, we'll make do," she said, her smile returning. She firmly grabbed his arm this time, before he had a chance to move away, and so he was stuck with her hanging off his arm as they made their way over to the stadium. He led her up to the very top seats. He was trying to keep people from noticing them.

David bought Cherise a drink and some snacks - he didn't recognize what she asked the vendor for, and didn't want to ask what it was - and then they settled in to watch the game. Cherise scooted as close to him as she could get, her thigh firmly pressed up against his. He was forced, for sheer comfort, to put his arm up on the back of her chair. She smiled at him when he did so.

David did his best to ignore Cherise and focus on the game, but this was very hard to do, as she would press herself against him at every opportunity. When her hand once again came to rest on his thigh, he took hold of it firmly and placed it onto her own leg. This way, he hoped that there was no way she could misconstrue his actions as being in favor of her touching him in any way. He saw her scowl ever so briefly, but then her look returned to its neutral pose, and he turned back to watch the game.

Once the game was over, David waited for the seats near them to be mostly empty before he got up. Cherise's attention was hard enough to put up with, without the other students razzing him about it. He led her down out of the stands, and out of the stadium. As they walked across the campus, she once again linked her arm in his, and pressed herself tight against him.

"You don't take me to very romantic places on our dates," she said. "But that's okay. I know you like me, anyway. I felt your fingers brushing my thigh."

David sighed, trying to keep it inaudible. How did I know she would find some way to misinterpret that in her head?

When they got back to her dorm room, David turned to leave. She grabbed his wrist.

"No kiss?" she pouted cutely again, looking at him expectantly.

David thought quickly, and then finally said, "I don't kiss on the second date."

Cherise was so surprised at this statement that she let go of him. David smiled politely, waved slightly, and walked off down the hallway. She stared after him incredulously until he was out of sight.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"So what is the deal with you and that girl?" Jim asked David.

"What girl?"

"The one you went to the game with. I mean, you're dating her, but you never ask her to sit with us... what, does she not like us or something?"

"Jim, the bitch is blackmailing me. I thought I told you this."

"Nate said something about it, but I thought he was kidding." Jim lowered his voice. "What the hell is she holding over you?"

David looked around very carefully. No one was paying attention. He turned back to Jim. "I was off campus without an escort. She saw me."

"Shit. Wait, when were you off campus?"

"You remember when I went to that ceremony with Giendia?"

"Giendia..." Jim said, trying to remember. "Oh, the centaur chick. Yeah, what about it?"

David wasn't sure Giendia would like being called a 'chick', but ignored it. "Misty refused to go with me. She said it was too far from the castle. When she told me, I was already halfway there, and I wasn't going to run out on Giendia like that, so Misty came back to the castle, and I went to the ceremony. Little Miss Nosy Britches was following me. On Halloween, she made it clear that either we date, or she will get me in trouble."

"Well, hell, that sucks."

"Yeah. Just don't say anything to anyone. I'm not even sure how Simon or Nate would react."

Jim opened his mouth to object, but then realized that he didn't know them well enough, either, to predict. He just nodded, instead.

A few seconds later, Prof. Fibblebitz began her lecture.

-----

David was struggling with the lesson. They were trying to form a multi-material object from a simple block of wood. David had chosen to improve on his tournament attempt to make a claw hammer, by making one with a rubber grip, but he couldn't seem to get the spell to work out.

Next to him, Jim had made a simple wooden car with plastic wheels and metal axles. David wanted to be upset with him for getting it right so readily, but couldn't manage.

Just then, Prof. Fibblebitz stopped next to David.

"What's the trouble?" she asked him softly.

David shook his head in frustration. "I just can't seem to get this freaking spell to work."

"You have the image in your head?" she asked.

"Clear as day."

"Okay," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder in support. "Let me see you try it."

David closed his eyes and visualized the hammer, right down to the name on the grip. He opened his eyes, twiddled his hand in the air, and uttered, "kubada lisha hali namali nyingi." The block of wood twisted its shape, but ended up as a malformed wooden mallet. David sighed, and reversed his spell, so he could start over with the block of wood.

Prof. Fibblebitz bent over to talk with him. "You're not getting the hand motion quite right. Here, let me show you," she said. She stood behind him and actually grasped his right hand very gently. "You're making a figure eight, like this," she said, going through the motion he had performed, "but what you actually need is something more of an infinity symbol. The loops are elongated. Like this," she said, moving his hand in an ever-so-slightly different motion. "Try it again, with this motion. I'll try to guide your hand."

David felt a bit awkward with his professor standing behind him like that, holding onto his hand, but he decided to just roll with it. He closed his eyes, to make sure the image was still fresh in his mind, and then he once again cast the spell. This time, he made sure to elongate his loops, as Prof. Fibblebitz had shown him. As he finished up the spell, the block of wood slowly shifted, compressing itself smaller, and then taking on the shape of a hammer. Once the shape had been achieved, the wood transmuted itself into metal and rubber. David was pleasantly surprised.

"Very good," the professor said, keeping her voice quiet, since her mouth was a bit close to his ear. "But who is Stanley?"

David chuckled as the teacher walked away.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"So what are we up to today, Miss J?"

"Well, David, I've been putting it off, but today we're going to need to deal with the lightning ferns."

"You told us not to go in there," David objected lightly.

"Yes, and for good reason. I don't like dealing with them. They're nasty plants, very unfriendly. If we're not careful, you could get hurt."

"But not you?" David asked curiously.

"No plant would dare harm a fairy. The Fairy King would wipe out their species."

"Oh. Nobody would yell at him for that?"

"Who is going to yell? No one has authority over the King of the Fairies."

"Ah," David said, understanding. After a moment, he said, "It's good to be the king."

Prof. Qwellyn smiled at him. "Come on. Now, when you enter, just stand still for a while. The ferns nearest the door will sense you immediately, and if you move too quickly, you'll startle them. Older lightning ferns are a bit more mellow, but these are all young plants, and they're very jittery."

"What, exactly, can they do to me?"

"They're not called lightning ferns for nothing, David," she told him with another smile.

"Ouch."

"Yes. So, please be careful."

"What are they good for?"

"Good for?"

"Why are we cultivating them? How are they used?"

"Mostly, they make a good defensive boundary, if you want to keep people away. However, I do believe there are a couple advanced potions that use them. You would have to ask Prof. Stott about that to be sure. This batch is being developed for eventual transplant to the King's palace."

"He worried about someone breaking in?"

"I'm not sure why he wants them. It was a strange request on his part, actually. He's never asked for anything other than flowers before. Oh, well. Not our business why he wants them. He asked, and we deliver," she said.

David chuckled.

"Okay, so, like I said, when we go in, just stand still. After a few seconds, you can move, but do so slowly."

David nodded, and they entered Greenhouse Six. The room fairly crackled with energy. David stayed motionless while he observed, and he noticed that the plants nearest him did, in fact, sway in his direction. It was a creepy effect. It was made even more so when he saw a few sparks slipping along their leaves.

After a few more seconds, the nearest plants returned to their original position. Prof. Qwellyn said, "Okay, I think it's safe now. Just remember to move slowly. We'll start work near the door, and make our way across the room, that way, the other plants will see us coming, and won't be shocked... and neither will we."

David chuckled at that, and nodded. "What do we need to do?"

"Well, we need to water them, of course, and prune off any scarred or broken branches."

"Scarred?"

"They're young. They sometimes burn themselves."

"Yikes."

"They'll learn. Anyway, the scars are very uncomfortable for them, and slow their growth. If we remove the branch with the scar, the plant is healthier."

"Okay."

"Let's start here, and I'll show you what to do."

The two moved to the nearest plants, and David mimicked her actions. When he started watering, however, he sniffed.

"Is this sea water?"

"It's salt water, yes. They need the electrolytes. In nature, they would grow near a salt deposit, or in soil with other minerals to help with conductivity."

David pressed his lips together, impressed by the plant. After he had watered, he moved on to the next one. This one had a nasty scar on one of its leaves.

"How far back do I prune this?" David asked. "Do I just pinch off the leaf, or do I need to remove the entire branch?"

Prof. Qwellyn pointed. "Do you see that node?" she asked, pointing to a bulbous swelling with a twig growing out of it.

"Yeah..."

"Always cut just above one of those. And never pinch with lightning ferns. You'll get hurt. You want to always make clean cuts."

"Do I leave any of the twig?"

"No. Cut as close to the node as you can, without cutting into it."

David took out his shears and approached the plant with them. He tried to ignore the tension that seemed to fill the room as he worked. As his shears came into contact with the plant, however, an arc soared from the nearest large branch to David's hand. He jumped, dropping his shears and screaming in pain.

As David was shaking his arm, trying to get the feeling back into it, Prof. Qwellyn bent over and grabbed his shears. When David was done flexing his hand, she gave them back to him.

"He's nervous," she told him. "He's not sure about you, and thinks you're going to hurt him."

"He's nervous," David muttered. "I'm the one being electrocuted here..."

David looked at the plant, and approached again, cautiously. He took a different approach this time.

"Okay, you. I need to clip off your damaged limb. I'll be careful, but so help me, if you do that again, I'll wrap you in copper wire."

The plant shivered, as though it understood him.

"I don't think he liked that idea," Prof. Qwellyn said with a grin.

David placed his shears and quickly snipped off the damaged twig. He set it aside, and then watered the plant.

"Do we do anything for the cut?" Some plants, he knew, needed to have the cut sealed.

"No, just pour a little salt water on it, and the plant will take care of the rest."

David did so.

"There you go, little guy. Good to go."

It took them quite a while to work their way through the entire greenhouse, but eventually they got the job done. David only suffered three more shocks for his trouble.

"I'm sorry they were so aggressive today. Some days are better than others."

David shrugged. "It's not that bad. Once the tingling goes away, it's like it didn't even happen."

"That's because they're young. If these were mature ferns, or if they were really upset or afraid, they could do some real damage."

"How bad?"

"At full power, they can kill."

"Yipes. I'm kinda glad you didn't tell me that before we went in there."

She grinned at him.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

David was once again studying his TEM lesson. It seemed that he spent an inordinate amount of time on this class. He was very glad that he had the extra hours to study, though he worried that his grades in his other courses might end up slipping, due to the devotion he had to give to TEM.

When Simon came into the room and called out, "Snack break!" David pushed himself back from his desk. He looked at Simon.

"Do what?"

"My mom sent brownies," Simon said. "You've got to have one. They are so freakin' good!"

David took one, as did the other boys. He bit into it, and was utterly amazed at just how good it tasted.

"Damn, these are good," Nate said with his mouth stuffed with brownie.

The others agreed wholeheartedly.

"You're mom's a great cook," David enthused.

Simon laughed. "No, she's not."

"Huh?"

"My mom can barely boil water without screwing it up. The only things she ever gets right come out of this one old cookbook we've got. She says there must be something magical about it. It can make her not suck in the kitchen!"

As the boys laughed, Koda came zooming out of the bedroom where he'd been sleeping, and landed on a shelf. He was obviously intensely interested in what was going on out here. Simon offered him a bite of brownie.

David asked seriously, "Can a cookbook do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make you cook better."

"I don't think so. But this thing is so old, it might be forgotten magic, for all I know."

"How old is it?" Nate asked.

Simon shrugged. "It's been in our family, so Mom says, for at least four hundred years. It was old then, according to her grandmother."

"Well, it makes damned good brownies," Jim said. "Mind if I have another one?"

"Go for it," Simon said. "If I eat them all, I'll explode."

At that, the boys laughed, and they all grabbed another brownie.

Once the brownies were consumed, David sighed. "Back to work, I guess."

"No date tonight?" Nate asked.

"No, I'm taking the night off from dating, so I can work my ass off on this homework. Isn't anyone taking TEM?"

"Do we look like masochists?" Simon asked with a chuckle.

"Thanks a lot," David groused.

Simon settled down. "Actually, I am. I'll try to help you out if I can."

"Thanks."

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"How much of the legal garbage are we going to include?" Dirk asked David. They were sitting down to have another planning meeting for the student handbook.

"What, exactly, do you mean by legal garbage?" David asked.

"The rules, disciplinary actions, that kind of thing."

"I would think all of that would be fairly essential to a handbook. I mean, apart from needing to know what to expect here, they also need to know what is expected of them," Lisa said.

"I'm inclined to agree with Lisa," David said. "We can't expect them to just 'know' how to act. We'll need to get someone on staff to actually give us a list of the rules. Hell, maybe we're all breaking a rule, and don't even know it!" The group laughed.

"All that gunk is going to make this a very un-fun book," Cherise pouted.

"Well, is it more fun to end up in detention housing for breaking a rule you didn't know about?" David asked reasonably.

Cherise pursed her lips. JJ said, "I sure would like to know what all the little rules are. I mean, okay, some are obvious. Don't fight. Don't steal shit. Don't kill somebody. But there've got to be other, little things, you can get in trouble for. I don't know what they are, really."

David nodded. "I'll have a talk with Dean Lengel about it at some point. We'll have the staff write that part up for us, since it needs to be worded properly. We'll include a Rules and Policies section at the back of the handbook. That way," he said, turning to Cherise, "they get all the fun stuff first, without having to wade through all the un-fun stuff. Good enough?"

Cherise nodded, smiling at him. David ignored that.

"Okay... where do we stand so far? Cherise? How are the pictures coming?"

"I've captured dozens of images of the school and the students. I'm going through them now, to decide which are best."

"How about the shot for the cover?"

"I'm still figuring out how to get that one."

"Try using one of the awks," Dirk suggested. "Although at this point, you'll have to wait for spring, unless you want a shot of the school covered in snow."

"I hadn't thought of that," David said to Dirk. "The awks would be a good way to get an aerial photo... if they'll cooperate long enough. But yeah, what with the half-foot of snow on the ground, we'll have to wait on that. Lisa... what do you need from the rest of us to continue doing the layout?"

"I just need the specific articles and images you want to put in. I think we've more or less nailed the layout itself."

"Okay. Dirk? Do you need any help with anything?"

"Not just now. I'm working on three different articles right now. Once those are finished up, I'll want to do the interview with the fairies."

David nodded. "So, it looks like things are progressing nicely. Does anyone have any concerns?" No one did. "All right, then. I guess we'll wrap it up for tonight, then. I'll see you all next week."

As the others filed out, Cherise moved between David and the door, clearly intending to talk to him. He sighed as Lisa was the last one out.

"I think it's time for another date, David," she told him sweetly. "I can tell you miss me, the way you always look at me in these meetings. Let's make it somewhere a little more romantic this time, though, okay?"

David grunted noncommittally.

"And you might think about kissing me next time," she said. "Or maybe doing more than that. That is," she said, her face and voice growing darker "unless you want the dean to know about your little trip."

David frowned, and didn't say a word.

Cherise's face brightened as she said, "See you on Saturday! Let me know what time you'll pick me up. Bye!"

David slumped against the podium, and sighed.

This is going to be a problem.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"David, you seem highly unfocused this afternoon," Prof. Stott said. "I've watched you read through that same page six times now. You want to talk about it?"

David sighed. "Sorry, Sam. There's something bugging me, and it's beginning to affect my concentration."

Sam moved over and closed the book. "You promised to tell me if you had any problems," she reminded him.

He slid his chair back to look up at her. "Yeah, I know. I thought I could deal with this one, but it's progressed to a point where I will have to do something I really don't want to."

"Oh? What would that be?"

"Have sex."

"How awful!" she said with a grin, then grew serious again. "Obviously, there's more to it than that. What's going on?"

David related the story to her. He was a bit hesitant, as he was letting one more person in on his crime. He trusted Sam, though, to not do anything to hurt him.

Sam sat down in his lap, straddling him, and wrapped her arms around his back. "So who is she?"

David shook his head. "I'm not willing to reveal that right now."

"Hmm," Sam told him. "Aren't you afraid I'm going to run to the Rimohrs and tell on you?"

"Slightly, but I think I know you well enough to know you're not going to do that."

"I couldn't do anything against you like that, David. Certainly not for something I don't agree with, anyway. You shouldn't be restricted like you are. I am, however, going to tell you to do something I'm pretty sure you don't want to do."

"What's that?"

"Go talk to Emile."

"Why don't you just ask me to call up Mr. Garibaldi while you're at it?"

"I called her Emile for a reason, David. On this issue, I think you may find that she will act more as your friend than as the Dean of Students. You need to trust her, David. Trust her not to burn you, and I think she might be of some help."

David frowned. He didn't really trust the dean quite that far, but Sam knew her far better than he did...

"Okay, if you think I can do so safely..."

"Good. Before you go, though," she said, wiggling her hips suggestively in his lap, "I have a little problem..."

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"Well, hello, David," the receptionist said in greeting.

"Hi, Tracy," he said in response. It irked him that he was on a first-name basis with the dean's secretary; it meant he spent far too much time in this office. "Is it possible for me to have a few moments of Dean Lengel's day?"

Tracy looked down at her schedule, which showed no meetings for the afternoon. She picked up her mirror to ask the dean, and then she turned back to David.

"Go on in," Tracy said.

David thanked her, and then knocked on the dean's door. He entered at her invitation, and sat across from her.

"Well, David. What can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering if there was a person or department I could talk to that could give me a copy of all of the rules and policies for students to follow."

"Whatever for?" she asked. "I would think you knew the rules by now..."

"Most of them, yes, ma'am. It's for the student handbook. Along with all of the information about what students should expect from the school, we want to make sure to tell them what the school expects from them, too."

"Oh! Yes, I guess that makes sense, doesn't it? Can't you just write down the rules yourself?"

"I'm sure I don't know them all, ma'am. And this is something where the authority of the school is involved. I don't want to be speaking for Woodward Academy in such an important official capacity."

Dean Lengel pursed her lips for a brief moment. "Yes, I guess it would be a better idea for us to have an actual school official write those out. I'll get someone, or probably several someones, to come up with that information for you. Do you need it in a specific format?"

"We'll take care of formatting. We just need the text."

"Okay. I'll get on that. Was there anything else?"

David squirmed a bit, and the dean noticed, but said nothing. She merely waited for him to speak.

"Miss Lengel," David started awkwardly. He'd never called her anything other than "Dean" before. "I have a problem. I've done something wrong, something that will probably get me into trouble. Someone saw me doing it, and they are now blackmailing me."

Dean Lengel leaned back in her chair. "Tell me the whole story," she ordered.

"Do you remember, last year, the incident with the centaur lady?"

"Yes..."

"The centaur teenager who was with them is a friend of mine. Her name is Giendia."

The dean nodded in understanding, so he would continue.

"Earlier this semester, Giendia asked me to attend a centaur friendship ceremony. I agreed, and met her at the stadium in Gorumshead. Misty was with me, invisibly."

The dean nodded again.

"About halfway to the ceremony, Misty stopped us and told us that she was not comfortable going any further from the castle grounds. I had to make a choice: to go back with Misty, or to go ahead without her. I didn't want to offend Giendia, plus I was curious about the ceremony, so I went on without Misty. That was a violation of the court ruling. I know that. I knew it at the time. I did it anyway."

Dean Lengel said, "I understand. I probably would have done the same thing in your position."

David nodded in thanks, and said, "The problem is, this girl saw me do it. She has been blackmailing me since Halloween into dating her."

"You're being blackmailed into dating a girl?" the dean asked with a smile.

"It's not as pleasant as it may sound, trust me. The girl in question is... strange."

The dean nodded. "Who is it?"

"I'd honestly rather not say."

"Because you think I'll go confront her, and then she will reveal you to the Rimohrs, et cetera?"

"Something like that, yes, ma'am."

The dean nodded thoughtfully. "You're right, I probably would. I don't like bullies, I think I've told you that before. What do you want me to do?"

David shook his head and shrugged. "I really don't know. Sam, uh, Prof. Stott, told me to come here and tell you, but I don't really see that there is anything you can do about it."

Dean Lengel smiled at him for the slip. "Okay. She probably thought I could help in some way. I will look into it, and see if there is something I can do to help out. No promises, other than that I will not knowingly get you into trouble over it."

"Thank you." David rose from his seat, and turned to go.

"And David?"

He turned back to face her.

"I've been married four times. I stopped being 'Miss" Lengel a long time ago. The next time you need to talk to me on a personal level, you can just call me Emile."

"Thank you... Emile," he said in response.

"Have a good night," she told him.

He responded in kind, and left her office. She leaned back in her chair.

So, what can I do about this?

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~
~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~