Summary: Grimmjow makes the mistake of distracting Amaya while she's practising a spell and is turned into a panther cub as a result. The problem? Amaya doesn't know how to change him back! Hilarity ensues. Written for writer's block. Rated for language.

Pairings: OC/Uryuu, Ichi/Hime, Ren/Ruki

~Thinking~

"Talking"

Oops

Amaya's eyes narrowed as she read over the words on the aged parchment. She'd found her grandmother's old spell books and hadn't been able to resist reading them, even though her grandmother had told her specifically not to touch them. Amaya was only an apprentice Mage and as yet did not have the skill required to control the power that was involved in using these advanced spells.

"I can't believe Grandma doesn't trust me with these," Amaya muttered angrily as she turned a page. "I'm stronger than she was when she was my age. Most of these are boring, anyway!"

She looked up as the doorbell rang and put the dusty old book down to answer it. Instantly recognising the orange blur behind the frosted glass she squealed happily and hurried to open the door.

"Hi Amaya, good morning!" Orihime beamed.

"Hey Orihime, I've been waiting for you!" Amaya grinned, nearly dragging her guest inside. "Where's Rukia? I thought she was coming, too?"

"Rukia said she'd be along in a little while," Orihime explained as she took her shoes off. "Mmm, something smells really good!"

"Yeah, I just got my muffins outta the oven," said Amaya proudly. "Grandma's own recipe!"

"Oooh, I can't wait!"

The two girls chatted away as Amaya led the redhead through the front foyer and into the spacious living room where the dusty old spell books were spread over the coffee table.

"Oh jeeze, I should've put those away before you got here," Amaya said apologetically as she smacked her forehead.

"What are they? They look so ancient," Orihime asked.

"They're my Grandmother's old spell books," Amaya explained as she began closing and stacking the books. "I uh, borrowed them before she left for Scotland."

Orihime was immediately intrigued. "Wow, can I see?"

Amaya hesitated for a moment before she answered. It was against the rules to show spells to anyone who wasn't a Mage or otherwise spiritually gifted lest the secret that magic existed accidentally got out. But then again, Amaya thought, Orihime's pretty good at keeping secrets. She kept the fact that Ichigo was a Soul Reaper a secret, after all.

"Sure, I can't see why not," Amaya shrugged as she sat down on the couch next to her friend. "We can flip through them while we wait for Rukia."

"Great! Thanks!" Orihime said as she picked up the nearest book. The title was so worn with age that she couldn't read it properly. "Wow, so this is what spells look like..."

"Well, these are more like instructions on how to use the spell," Amaya explained. "It's not all just chanting nonsense words and waving your hands all over the place. You need to be able to control the flow of power required and focus it in order for it work. That takes a lot of concentration and skill."

"Really? Can you show me?" Orihime asked eagerly. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

Amaya smirked, suddenly feeling a bit naughty and daring. "Okay, let's try one!"

They flipped through the book for a few minutes until Amaya found a spell that stood out. "This one!" she determined, grinning, as she pointed to a spell that had pictures of a grown man changing into a baby.

"What kind of spell is it?" asked Orihime.

"It's a de-aging spell," Amaya answered, studying it carefully. "When used correctly this spell will enable the Mage to transform any adult, including animals, into an infant for a period of three days (unless a counter spell is used). The purpose of this spell is to slow down or stop an enemy without causing any lasting damage." Let's try it!"

"Are you sure it's safe?" Orihime asked apprehensively.

"It should be," Amaya said as she looked over the spell again. "It looks easy enough. I'll test it out on that rotten cat Duchess."

Hearing her name, the tortoise-shell cat wandered into the living room, looking curiously from Orihime to Amaya, and mewed softly. Amaya sent the cat an evil grin.

"Oh Duchess, come heeeere," she said in a dangerous singsong voice.

The cat narrowed her eyes suspiciously but went over and jumped up on the couch next to Orihime, curling up beside her and purring loudly when she was petted.

"The spell won't hurt her, will it?" Orihime asked, still hesitant.

"I doubt it, Mages are forbidden to use spells that cause harm," Amaya said, though she secretly hoped it would hurt that stupid cat. "Just keep her there until I've gathered the energy I need. It should only take a minute..."

Meanwhile in the skies above Amaya's Uncle's mansion, a Garganta opened and an exasperated Grimmjow stepped out. He was supposed to have checked in with Ichigo and Renji an hour ago to discuss Hollow management but he'd been chasing the annoying brat Nel Tu after she'd poked him one too many times while playing her new game, "Poke the Kitty". The little monster was fast for her size and Grimmjow had eventually given up the chase when he'd realised how much time he'd wasted. Now he was probably in for a lecture from Ichigo about punctuality.

"Great, just what I need," he muttered angrily as he made to head towards Urahara's shop, but paused when he sensed a spike of Spiritual Pressure. Where had that come from? A Hollow? No, it didn't feel like a Hollow. "Wait a second, I know this Spiritual Pressure," he thought out loud. "It's that Quincy kid's girlfriend. What the hell is she up to?"

Feeling the Spiritual Pressure spike again Grimmjow's curiosity got the better of him and he headed towards the mansion to investigate.

"Okay, I think I've got it now," Amaya said as she held a glowing ball of Spirit Energy in her hand. "Better move over, Orihime, just in case."

The girl nodded and moved away from the couch. The cat looked up at the loss of petting and froze when her eyes landed on her master's niece.

"Now, hold still Furball while I do this," Amaya smirked evilly and began to chant, "Fill ar ais arís le do óige, bí arís naín, an clog aisiompú mé, agus dul ar ais do lámha ama."

Just as the spell was about to come to completion and the flow of power peaked, Grimmjow suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, what the hell are you doi-"

Both girls screamed with fright and Amaya released the spell before she could stop it. There was a huge flash of light and a huge cracking sound like a whip before everything went quiet again. The silence that followed was deafening as Amaya and Orihime stood in the middle of the room in shock.

"What just happened?" asked Orihime, trembling with fright.

"I dunno," Amaya answered shakily. "Did the spell work? Where's that stupid cat?"

It didn't take long for them to find said feline cowering under the couch, shaking like a leaf and still fully grown.

"She's still an adult," Orihime remarked. "The spell didn't work."

"I guess not," Amaya agreed, sounding relieved. "Uncle would never forgive me if anything happened to her. I was doing just fine until Grimmjow... wait a minute. Where is Grimmjow?"

Both girls jumped when they heard an odd, mewling squawk emit from the doorway. Where Grimmjow had been standing was a pile of clothes that he'd been wearing. Amaya and Orihime exchanged a fearful glance.

"You don't think...?" Amaya couldn't bring herself to finish the question.

They both rushed over to the pile of clothes and hesitated before grabbing the hem and lifting it up. Instead of Grimmjow, there was a little white ball of fur with four black paws and a little tuft of sky blue hair. The thing uncurled itself to reveal a tiny, fluffy and adorable panther cub with cyan eyes.

"Is... is that Grimmjow?" Orihime asked in disbelief.

"Merow!" said the cub, sending them a glare that was frighteningly familiar.

Amaya's eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth. "Oh shit!"

TBC

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