*Chapter 3: A New Life Here*

The Mystic quickly sat crossed-legged on the floor of the stall and waited. Within a few moments appeared Blaine and Wes ever beside him. The stall came open and the two men stepped aside to reveal two women. The women smiled at him kindly and the Mystic felt his head cock to the side. The two women looked were dressed like maids for they wore the exact came twill bustle skirt, with a long sleeved white blouse that had a lace up section on the bust and aprons with black boots. The only difference was the color of the material. The lighter, tinier skinned woman's skirt was pink and her apron was red and flowery while the darker, larger skinned woman had a purple skirt with grey and white stripes. "Why Master Blaine… I see that he's in bad condition but he looks downright adorable." Said the lighter skinned woman.

The other woman nodded. "All he needs is a good bath, some food and some clothing and he'll be just fine."

Blaine closed his eyes and sighed. "Get on it then. The ironworker will be here soon to put the bars on the door so go off and take him down to the pond to be cleaned. We've got a lot of work to do."

"Of course Master Blaine." The women said together as they walked into the stall.

The darker woman curtsied slightly and bowed her head. "Hello Mystic, I am Mercedes Jones."

The lighter woman did the same curtsy and introduced herself. "And I am Rachel Berry." After the curtsy the woman continued. "We're Master Blaine's head maids and will be practically your ladies in waiting." She giggled at the Mystics confused expression.

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Come on sweetie. Time to get cleaned up." She moved over to lift him and the Mystic moved away to a corner, shaking his head.

The women paused and looked at each other, smiling faintly at each other. Wes groaned. "Come on ladies. Stop your silent conversation and get him cleaned up."

Mercedes glared back at Wes. "We're getting to it Wesley. He's just very humble and he doesn't want to go flash himself to us women." Looking at the Mystic she asked "Am I right?" The Mystic nodded once. "See?" She said as she quickly glanced back at Wes as she and Rachel untied their aprons.

Together the women tied their aprons around the waist of the malnourished Mystic. The aprons were fixed so that one apron would cover the back and another to cover the front. Rachel then lifted the Mystic onto his feet and she chuckled to herself. "It is true. Shifters to stand on their toes." She said softly as she looked at the feet of the Mystics.

"They also walk on their toes." Mercedes added as she and Rachel each took an arm and pulled him out of the stall. They were walking out towards the barn doors when Blaine added one more command.

"And make sure you cut his hair." The Mystic's eyes widened slightly. All he's ever known was long hair. His hair being shorter would have to have some getting used to.

The three walked out of the barn and towards the back where the Mystic could see more of the human called Blaine's property. He did not have a lot of acreage, but then again most humans don't nowadays with all their repopulation. He saw a smaller barn where the horses and other 'normal' animals stayed in. It was about a typical size of a barn and probably contained twelve stalls on the inside. Once the trio made it out a good ways away from the Mystic Barn Rachel giggled absently to herself.

"I still cannot believe that he loves me Mercedes."

"I can't believe it either honey." Mercedes joked receiving a glare from Rachel.

"I'll have you know that Finn Hudson is a very romantic person."

"Ah… Yes. Because saying 'I love you' via a message is so romantic."

"It is!"

"Honey… It would have been much more romantic if he risked life and limb getting his butt over here to deliver the message to you in person. That would show some bravado and romance." The Mystic nodded in agreement. "See?" Mercedes asked with a grin on her face as she pulled slightly at the Mystic's arm. "He agrees."

Rachel sighed dramatically. "But he can't do that because it would be dangerous for him if he was caught by McKinley-hating Daltons."

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "You're making this much more dramatic than it is." Mercedes sighed. "You just be thankful that not one of you is a Mystic. Now that would be dangerous."

"I am thankful for that!"

The Mystic sighed. He really hated the time he lived in. Not only had it just been four generations from the most wonderful, peaceful, loving time the world has ever seen, it was not the most wonderful, peaceful, loving time the world has ever seen. Just four generations ago the problems between a Mystic-human relationship would not have existed at all. Just four generations ago the selling and trading of Mystics had been deemed illegal. Just four generations ago lived, arguably, one of the greatest royal couple the world has ever had. Just then they three reached a good sized pond and by the water's edge was a wooden tub that looked to be placed there for the sole purpose of showering.

"Come on honey." Mercedes said to him. "Time to make you all handsome." The women led him to the tub that was already filled with water. He cautiously got in and shivered slightly at the cold water. He sat in the tub, the aprons floating to the water's surface. Rachel worked on tying the aprons from his waist as Mercedes prepared the lye soap, two washcloths, and filled the two buckets with water from the pond. Rachel tossed aside and that was when the shifter noticed a stump nearby that had a towel and other things on it. He tried to get a better look but then a bucket of water was dumped on him, causing him to shiver and the water that was already in the tub to overflow. "Plan of action: clean him up, wash his hair, cut his hair, style it, wash him again to get the stray strands of hair off and then get him clothed and ready to eat back in the stall."

"Sounds like a plan Miss Jones."

Soon the Mystic was being attacked by these two women with lathered up washcloths that were being scratched up against his skin and causing him to wince. They took their own sides scrubbing every inch of his torso, arm, and face, moving his body parts around to get to spots and most importantly working around the collar on his neck. He felt limp and numb as the women then simultaneously reached into the water and pulled his legs out of the water. He fell backwards into the tub, his head dunking underneath the water momentarily before coming back up. By this time the women re-lathered their washcloths while his head was underwater and were scrapping his legs down as they hung over the side of the tub. Then he was suddenly handed the bar of lye soap by Rachel.

"Rub this in your hands and wash yourself down there since you're too humble to let us to it for you." Both she and Rachel stood and turned around. "Stand before you do so you don't wash it off immediately." The shifter stayed still for a moment before standing and doing as she instructed. Once he was done he sat down quickly in the tub, causing some of the water to splash out of the tub.

The women turned around and re-lathered the washcloths once more to run them over his lower back and bottom while also doing some quick passes back over his body. Once they were done they tossed the washcloths aside and took turns lathering up their hands with the soap. Then they attacked his head and started to scratch their fingers into his head and rake their fingers down his hair. He winced and whimpered as the women continued re-lathering their hands and continued their onslaught of pain upon his head. After minutes and minutes of cleaning his hair the second bucket of water fell upon his hair and Rachel went over to the stump while Mercedes refilled only one of the buckets. They came back to the tub simultaneously and in Rachel's hands were the towel, scissors, shears and small knives of different blade types.

Mercedes took the towel from Rachel and handed it to the Mystic. "Stand up and wrap it around your waist." The Mystic did as he was told, quickly standing and wrapping the towel around his waist in one fluid movement. Mercedes then tipped over the tub and the water spilled out completely before she turned it completely upside down. "Sit." She ordered and he once again did as he was told.

The women stood and stared at the shifter while they talked over an array of hair styles. They got into arguments once or twice but soon they smiled and shook hands before coming over to him. Mercedes did the honors and cut off the Mystic's past-waist long hair at the base of his neck. Rachel came in then with the shears and started cutting away at the hair on the back while Mercedes moved to do his hair in the front, cutting down his bangs to a small length so it no longer was in his eyes. Soon the knives came in and the women began styling his hair using some of the knives to thin out his hair in some places in the front while they used this other really small one to scratch at the hair on his eyebrows to clean them up. Soon they were done, they placed all their things down and the two stepped back to look at him, smiles upon their faces.

"We did good girl." Mercedes said as she took one of Rachel's hands.

"Yes we did." Rachel grabbed the bucket then and walked over to the Mystic. "Stand and give Mercedes the towel for a moment." Standing the shifter turned sp his back faced the women, removed the towel and handed it back to Mercedes. Soon the bucket of water fell upon his head cleaning him clear of the loose strands of brunette hair on his shoulders and backs but this time he did not shiver, he was expecting it this time.

Mercedes took over then and started to rub the Mystic dry while Rachel went off somewhere. When she came to his front the Mystic crossed his legs in an attempt to block him from her. She chuckled at his shyness. "Either we do this now, and quickly, or you can just stand out here butt naked for a while longer." Reluctantly he allowed her to him dry. Once she was done Rachel appeared again holding two very simplistic articles of clothing, a peasant shirt and Capri pant. Mercedes took the pants and slipped them onto the Mystic first to have him from standing in the cold air. While Mercedes bent to tie the ties at the ends of the pants Rachel slipped the shirt over the shifter's head and she began to tie the ties at his arms. Mercedes, done with the pant ties moved up to tie the ties at the bottom of the shirt while Rachel worked over Mercedes and tied the ones on the bust of the shirt.

Now completely done the women backed up once more and sighed. "Well…" Rachel sighed once more. "What a remarkable change."

Mercedes stretched her arms over her head and yawned. "Yes, no one would know that he's the same poor shifter in that pathetic cage at the auction now."

"Well… Maybe. He's still skin and bones and he's still really bad looking and—"Mercedes nudged her in the arm to shut her up. The Mystic looked at them in confusion. Could it have really made such a big difference?

Mercedes smiled at his confused expression and moved away from Rachel and gently swayed her arm to motion to the pond. "Go and look for yourself shifter."

The shifter sighed and slowly walked over to the water and stood by the water's edge. Looking into the still reflection of the pond he saw a boy with unhealthy pale skin, glasz eyes, wet short brown hair that was swooped over to one side with slightly pointed ears. For a moment he thought he was looking at a human and that the pond water was showing him what the humans at this estate wanted him to become but the longer he looked at the reflection the more he realized that the reflection was in fact him. Clean, clean, cut hair but most importantly clean. He blinked at his reflection and suddenly started to cry. Behind him he heard the women intake air and move to stand behind him though they did not appear in the reflection.

"Oh… Don't cry." Rachel said. "If-If you don't like your hair it'll grow back…"

"Yes and then we'll style it differently." Mercedes nodded, feeling concerned for the Mystic before her that was crying.

The Mystic sniffled and shook his head slowly as he turned around and straightened his back. The tears in his eyes made his eyes look a startling baby blue as he looked at the two human women before him. With tears streaming down his cheeks and a smile on his face, at that moment he dropped his guard completely for these two women and put his trust in them as he went over to hug them both, first with Rachel and then with Mercedes. The women gasped as he hugged them but he was not done. With one last final tear of happiness he dropped to his knees, extended his arms out, hand over hand, and bowed so low his breastbone nearly touched the ground.

*Chronicle of the Mystics*

Meanwhile the ironworker of Dalton began to walk away from the stall door he was working on, counting his money as he did so. Wes inspected the enchanted black bars that stuck up from the wood of the doors and stopped only an inch from the border of the opening. The bars, welded with a solid form of magic repellent, the same kind that lines the corners of each stall in the Mystic Barn, were shimmering slightly from being brand new. Soon the magic repellent's light will fade away and the bars will look normal but the enchantment will always be there. "Master Blaine… Now that the bars are up, will you remove the shifter's collar?"

"Of course." Blaine replied as he watched as one of his guards for the Barn placed the Mystics' food in the stall along with some water. His guards for the Barn have the hardest job on the estate for they have to stay inside the barn watching the Mystics. There are some posted outside as well but the inside and outside guards always switch places at midday. If Blaine ever hears about someone who did not go inside for his second shift he will fire them and hire someone else. Not only that but the poor guards only have one real break for lunch and that is when they are outside. The guards get switched out at ten at night for dinner/breakfast, whatever the case may be and then return ten in the morning allotting only twelve hours of break for sleep or for personal affairs. Once the guard left Blaine continued. "He can't be a human with a collar around his neck."

"That would mean that you would have to have something commissioned to ensure he won't shift and then run away."

"I'm already on that Wes."

Wes chuckled. "You have everything planned out don't you Master Blaine?"

"Completely Wesley." Blaine smiled at him. "I can't be in a seriously insane bet without planning everything out."

Wes laughed. "Yes well, make sure you allot for any disasters." The men continued their conversation as Rachel, Mercedes and the Mystic came back into the Barn. Wes was the first to say something as they approached. "Why ladies! You did an impeccable job! He almost looks worth the 2100 pounds Master Blaine paid for him!"

The women gasped. "You take that back Wesley!" Rachel scolded. "He looks absolutely amazing!"

"And not only that," Mercedes said, "he's such a darling! Even if he doesn't look like he's worth 2100 pounds he sure is worth that much to me!"

Blaine chuckled. "Care to explain to me what happened while you bathed him that mad you like him so much."

"We already liked him." Rachel stated. "We love him now."

"Oh?"

Rachel nodded. "Yes, oh. He was so happy with what we did to him that he gave us hugs and then bowed to us."

"In the Mystic/shifter way too." Mercedes added. "I felt so honored."

The men looked at each other and then back to the Mystic. "He certainly looks better." Wes commented once more.

Blaine on the other hand cocked his head slightly as he watched the shifter look at the unicorn across the way. He had seemed to completely forget about the humans' presence there and that was because he had. Blaine looked at the unicorn and then back at the shifter as they stared at each other. By this time the others were quiet and were also watching the interaction between the two Mystics. The unicorn walked up to the door and once again placed her head out. She nicked and neighed at the shifter. The shifter smiled softly and cleared his throat before he too started to nicker and neigh at her. The humans' eyes widened as he did so because it sounded just like a real horse. Meanwhile the unicorn slightly reared and neighed happily, as if she was laughing at that was because she was. The shifter's smile broke out into a grin and he nickered once more. The unicorn in return neighed shyly and backed out from the door before she turned around in her stall. The shifter's grin softened to a smile as he silently turned towards the stall door where he noticed the bars. He jumped back slightly and poked at the bars that seemed to have magically appeared. They shocked him slightly and he pulled back. He noticed the light and rolled his eyes. Magic repellent and because it is new it shocked him. When the light goes away so will the shock when he touches the bars. He walked into the stall and jumped again in surprise as he saw the food in one corner of the stall. Blaine jumped in there, ready to start to training for the shifter to become a Mystic.

"Now shifter, next to your food are utensils called a—"

Blaine did not get to finish as the shifter sprung out towards the food and started to eat it greedily while all the time being careful to keep clean so that he did not force his new human friends to have to wash him again. Wes chuckled as the Mystic continued to eat. "That was very curt."

Blaine's eyes widened and he looked at Wes. "Say that again."

Wes squinted his eyes at his master in confusion. "That was… Very curt?" Wes repeated slowly.

"That's it! We'll name him Kurt! With a 'K' of course. It'll be short for Kurtis!"

The shifter stopped suddenly and snorted loudly. He turned around and shook his head viciously at Blaine. Rachel and Mercedes laughed. "I don't think he likes the name Kurtis." Mercedes chuckled.

The Mystic nodded at Mercedes. Rachel giggled. "I think he liked Kurt though." Once again the shifter nodded.

Wes smiled at the shifter and his new budding personality. His smile then fell. "What about a surname? Every human always has a surname."

Blaine thought about that, a finger tapping his chin. "Anderson."

"Say what?" The women asked as they looked at him.

"His name will be Kurt Anderson. I'll say he's a cousin."

"That's not going to work…" Wes said. "Will it?"

Rachel groaned softly. "Well… They kind of look alike?"

Mercedes shook her head. "Mm-hm. No way guys. He does not look like Master Blaine at all."

"It will work." Blaine said as he finally closed the stall door and locking it with a key, the same one that locks or unlocks all the other stalls as well. "He'll do great."

The Mystic, now Kurt Anderson, blinked and look down at the floor in thought. Smiling he looked back up at Blaine and nodded once which earned him a big smile from Blaine. Kurt smiled at the others before continuing to eat once more. Here in the Anderson estate in Dalton, with these kind people that he is learning to trust more and more with every passing moment besides being locked in a stall with magic repellent all around the stall, he is slowly coming out of his shell, a shell that has been built up from years of neglect. Here, in this stall, he has a new life, and he was not about to ruin that chance to start over.

*Sighs* Chapter 3 done. I've decided I'm just going to finish this story no matter what cause it keeps jumping around in my mind and it'll only go away once I finish it so… Let's see if I can finish it before school starts again in two weeks. So finally the shifter gets a name. I've been putting that off. Whatever.

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