Friday 13 January 2006, Luna Nova
"And as the week went on I tried as hard as I could, although in one of the potion classes I ended up blowingup the room again, which was knocking my confidence, but in my head I thought that it might just be a signthat I still have difficulties and I might have a chance of unlocking the power hidden inside me in the Polarisfountain and that's what I'd been preparing to do after school, I was going to make the best of that Friday, Imight get to be at least a better witch that way."
Finally the lessons come to an end, I was almost asleep in class, but this week I only had one disaster in potions class yesterday, I'm sure that was the last one and from now on I'll be a better and more focused witch, even more so with my potential unlocked, I have the confidence in myself that I can go as far as I want to go.
I leave the room and walk down the corridors to my room, where I pick up my replica of Claiomh Solais, so that maybe its magical potential can be unlocked, that's what I'm going to do, I'm going to get a more functional replica of this thing, even though it's useful as a wand, I want it to do more cool and special effects.
"Looks like someone's in a good mood today, are you going out on another Friday with Croix?" Becca asks and I shake my head in denial.
"It's not that big a deal, it's just more time studying, I need to improve like a witch, after yesterday's embarrassment I'm not going to be like this any more, I have to promise to improve so I can beat myself" I tell them.
"Look, good luck, but all I'm saying is that you don't need that much for it, anyway I wish you all the best and that you succeed, but are you going to tell me that you won't also take the opportunity to try something with Croix?" I'm just going to leave the room all embarrassed.
The two of them just laugh, but I don't care, my focus is now on something else, something much more important, this time I'm going to the Polaris fountain, but first I'm going to surprise Croix, her room is near the ruins, so maybe I can play a trick on her.
I head off along Luna Nova's hidden path, without anyone finding out, I walk secretly, which brings me to the ruins and I'm already taking a deep breath, looking at the scenery with the sunset and the thrown things, I'm whistling already calling for Arcas, waiting for him to come.
"Arcas!" I shout his name.
Soon I hear the footsteps of the little bear that has reached me, I crouch down and stroke its head, which then licks my hand. We walk through the ruins to the part where the bedroom windows are, very close to where Croix is, which I use herbology spells to make some roots grow, creating a path for us to climb up to the window of our friend's room.
"All right, now we're going to give Croix a little surprise" she has no idea what she's going to see when she opens the window.
We go up the path we've made in a spiral with the roots, branches and leaves, going very carefully, since her room is on the third floor of the dormitories, at the top of the plant I've made to climb, I signal Arcas to be quiet, and then I approach the window, luckily almost all of them are closed, so no one will see me doing this. It's still winter, so I approach the window and knock on it a few times, giggling. I imagine that she's going to open it, a little shocked, and I lean against it, as it opens outwards.
Then she opens the window and is startled by how sudden it is, now she's seen something she didn't want to see, my presence next to Arcas, luckily Croix's mates weren't there, who'd have thought she'd be in for a surprise.
"Hey Croix, let's go out and have a look round, today we're going to the Polaris fountain" I say to her as Arcas sniffs around inside the room.
"Chariot, do you realise the risk you're taking? If anyone catches you with that magical bear they'll punish you and the worst could happen to Arcas, my mates haven't even got home from school yet, but they'll be here soon" she said and I just shrugged.
"I just wanted to surprise you, today I'm going to put into practice everything we learnt in the extra lessons, I wanted you to see me at my full potential" I said with a smile on my face and she immediately rolled her eyes.
"Ahhhhhh, all right, I'll just get on with it, I don't have much to do and if my mates catch me with that magic bear I'll be in the worst of it too" Apparently I've convinced her, she's just going out of the window with me and she's a bit scared.
Arcas is sliding down the plant that I made along the spiral path, calmly, and I'm then holding Croix's hand, standing right behind her, who is getting a scared look on her face, but I'm just having fun sliding down the plant, it's good that it's more slippery for that, I could even hear her screaming and when she got down there she looked scared.
"I never want to go down the window again, next time wait for me and I'll go the normal way, it's scary" She looked like she didn't like the slippery adventure at all, how cute, she doesn't like slides apparently.
"It was fun, there's no point in denying it, it wasn't that bad, it just wasn't the most fun thing in the world, but come on, the Polaris fountain awaits us, I'm going to reveal my potential as a witch" I say with great motivation.
"Do you really think you'll make it? It's a legendary place and I don't mean to belittle you, but you're a novice witch, you still have a long way to go to improve, it may not be hidden potential, I theorise that it's just a lack of dedication to magic, but in any case I'm with you, I'll help you achieve that potential if that's what you think will help you improve in class" I at least hope so.
We walked through the ruins, looking at the surroundings, with Arcas protecting us, as well as his mum who appeared to accompany us, which was no problem at all, we even felt safer, it's good that the other bears didn't even show their faces, less bad, so at least we can feel some security.
And we walk along, looking carefully to make sure there's nothing stopping us, it's good that Arcas is a bit bigger now, I can already see the staircase nearby, it's on a path full of ruins, which is going to be difficult to get to without the floor giving way beneath us and causing the greatest destruction.
"Are you sure you want to go there Chariot? This place is falling apart, any little thing and it all comes crashing down on us, I don't mean any offence, it's just for safety's sake, I don't know if I'd walk in such a place, even more so on a staircase" I don't care about that, it's going to be my potential for magic, the ordeal must be overcoming fears, I'm sure.
"I'm more than sure, I know I can do it, you'll see a renewed witch walking down that staircase" I say confidently.
"Well, I don't want to go, I don't feel like I need to unlock any potential, especially as my potential is here" said Croix pointing to his head, being his usual nerdy self.
I get closer to the staircase and even find it a little difficult to climb up, but I'm helped byArcas's mum to reach the wall and then Arcas himself gives me a little push upwards so that I can put my knee on one of the steps, so that I'm standing up and I can feel that the ground is a little weak and about to give way, but I'm already here and I'm not going to look back.
Now it's all or nothing, I'm not going to look down, I'm just going to look up, and I can see the fountain up there all beautiful with its beauty, appearing in front of my eyes, I even hold my replica of Claiomh Solais tighter.
"Now it's your turn Chariot, show your potential" I say to myself as I get to the top, even a little excited.
I put my feet close to the fountain as I climb up the stairs, very lightly, which, apparently, being a skinny girl helped a lot, who would have thought it would be so useful, I just need to eat a bit more, I don't want to be this bag of bones that I am today all the time.
I stand in front of the fountain, very excited, which I'm sure will be my chance today, there's even a sparkle in my eyes, I'm just not sure what's going to happen from now on, am I going to make it, it looks like it's just a fountain, is it the water? I don't know.
"Polaris Fountain, show me how I can unlock my potential" I shout at the fountain, but nothing happens.
I don't know what to do... I'm totally confused, I've focussed so much on being a better student that I've taken my mind off thinking about how I can just get along in the Polaris fountain, how I could have been so stupid... I get close to the water to take a drink, but just as I'm about to put my hand in I realise that there's a barrier preventing me from getting close.
It hurt, I went with my dry hand to get the water, which made me feel frustrated, could it be that I'm not ready yet? That must be it, I even look down at myself, if before I already felt like an inferior witch, now it only gets worse, not even the Polaris fountain accepts me.
"Chariot du Nord! Chariot Du Nord! You are not yet a witch deserving of the potential of the source of Polaris, make this deserved potential count, be a better witch, focus more on your studies, focus more on helping people, on the person you are and maybe you'll be able to come back here in a few months, remember that, and your path to the source of Polaris will surely be opened" Said a voice that was not Woodward's, nor anyone I know, but it was a female voice, I even looked around.
I'm really intrigued by this, there's no one around, just a voice that seemed to come from my head, is it not enough that I'm without potential and I'm hallucinating? Damn it, I thought it might all work out, but I'm still going to embarrass myself at school.
I turn round and take a deep breath, I don't think I've succeeded I'll have to do more for real, if that's the case I'll take Croix's advice and see if my problem isn't just that I'm new to magic, but I've seen that I can also help people, I huff and get up off the floor, now let's go back.
"I will return to the source of Polaris, as a new witch and you will see that I am not as inferior as you think, I will still give pride of place as a witch, you will grant me this potential" I say to myself, looking back.
I walk down the stairs, a little frustrated and discouraged, but that's the way it is, I'm going to have to do everything from scratch, I certainly have a lot to improve, as a witch and as a person, I walk until I get to the bottom where I sit on the last step and I can see that Croix has a worried expression when he sees me a little discouraged and discouraged.
"You didn't make it, did you?" I shake my head.
"You can tell me you warned me, you can tell me, I've already accepted that I'm a fraud as a witch..." I say a little sadly.
"I don't think so Chariot, you just have to focus more, I'm going to help you, let's study more together, focus more on the lessons, maybe you can improve, let's not stay the same as before this spring, tomorrow we'll study too, Sunday the same, it sounds boring, but let's help each other, OK?" I nod and she touches my face.
"I just wanted to be a better witch, I see everyone being more skilful than me in many classes and me being the shame of the class, all because I wasn't able to learn magic from an early age and have the best classes outside of the basics, if I had the intense training you had with my mum Laura I wouldn't be in this" She holds my hand and even sits down next to me.
"Even your mum Laura suffered a little, Chariot, not everyone is born being the best of witches, she must have an area of magic that's a disaster, but anyway, don't expect so much, let's take a break, how about a walk around town?" I accept, it might even help to lighten the mood.
"You really like taking my money, don't you? What do you want today?" I say, laughing, and she even makes a guilty expression.
"Sorry, I didn't realise it was such a hassle to spend so much on these things, if you want I won't order any more" I even feel bad about it and try to lighten up.
"That's not what you're thinking Croix, I don't feel bad about it, I'll gladly pay for a better meal, let's go to Pizza Hut today, it's been a while since I've seen a pizza enter my stomach, let's enjoy the day, since that part we can forget a bit" I say to her who even stops looking like she's done something wrong.
"Are you sure? It doesn't really bother you? It's just that I barely earn any money from what I do and I end up spending all the pocket money I get from my mum, so I'm thinking, you who worked hard to get your money and I'm here just taking advantage" I nod.
"I'd already spend the money eating something other than the menu here, which looks like we're back in the days of the great Irish famine, it's potato and more potato, I really don't mind taking you out for something different, by the way the source told me something, I can come back when I become a better witch, so you were right, my potential can still be discovered by myself, if I dedicate myself to it" I say even leaving the stairs and then being hugged by Croix.
"Thank you for being my friend, I really love how I can feel safe with you, I don't know, I really like you Chariot, you're a person with a really pure heart" She's cute, but that pure heart is an exaggeration, I make my slips too.
[...]
We arrived in the city, and I made a point of taking the replica of Claiomh Solais with me. As we walked through the streets, I saw an old lady who was having difficulty crossing, so I took out my staff and used my magic to make her float to the other side, and so we continued on our way, now I'm in pure goodness, I'm sure I'm going to make a difference.
We continue walking, I try to get more bouncy and excited, since I'm really looking forward to going to Pizza Hut, but apparently there isn't one, this town has a McDonald's, Burger King and even a Subway, but there isn't a Pizza Hut, what the hell, I really thought there would be something like that at least, apparently I was wrong.
"Chariot, are you sure there's a Pizza Hut in Glastonbury?" I'm scratching the back of my head.
"I remember seeing one" I say a little confused.
"The one that closed last year?" I'm a donkey.
"Wait? That Pizza Hut closed down? That's why I didn't see him" I say, feeling a bit stupid.
"It's closed and they've already demolished it, which must be why you couldn't find it, but what now? Where are we going?" She asked and I had an idea.
"We're going to visit my old work, I used to live there and my friend, a former Luna Nova student, can help us" I say excitedly.
"I'm curious now, you didn't say much about that part" Now you're going to find out a lot.
We walk towards where the shop is, I even know where it is, we walk through the streets, arriving at The Last Wednesday Society, it's really close to the square where Luna Nova is, I remember looking at it from afar, I go in and ring the bell and as I go in I see that Trisha looks different, she has facial hair, her hair is shorter, I don't understand anything, but it must be her style.
We go and sit down at the tables to be served, here at least there's a marvellous burger and I'm sure my friend made a marvellous one.
"I think someone looks quite different here, who would have thought that testosterone could change a lot over time" said Croix with a smile on her face.
"Trisha sees the house speciality for us and you look different..." I quickly have my mouth covered by Meridies and I don't understand anything.
"Hey mate, what's your name now, just so I don't get it wrong, I can tell there's been a few differences" she said, and what do you mean mate? It's Trisha with a beard.
"Oh you know what I mean Croix, it seems that Chariot hasn't noticed any changes yet, but I started a few months ago, still doing a lot of hiding, I'm not Trisha anymore, my name is Chum now" Ahhhhh she's like Croix only reversed.
"Chum? So what should I call you? You're a boy now? That's what I understood, I'm sorry if calling you that other name bothered you" I say a little embarrassed.
"It's been quite a difference over the years Chum, I remember you beat me in the 2004 broom relay and now you're working here, it's a coincidence that it's where Chariot used to stay" said the bespectacled one - it's amazing how well they get on.
"I started working here when I graduated, then Chariot went to study and I got a full time job, I do a bit of everything and I still go to the doctor, I started Testosterone as soon as I turned 18, I still took it hiding from everyone, I always took my hair off and tried to keep a feminine appearance, but now I'm totally taking on the real me" Is Croix liking him more? The two of them seem to talk so well and I'm just dumbstruck.
"You're not alone in this Chum, we're on the same team, this girl you're talking about also takes doses of oestradiol every week, maybe she's noticed a few times that my leg hurts when I walk, but anyway, I'm glad it's working out for you, now you can assume who you really are, good luck with that, you're the second person from Luna Nova who knows about this secret of mine" Wow, she revealed it easily to him, how strange.
"Really? I thought I was great for hiding something, but nobody at school suspected anything, but now that you've told me, I can see it, well that was great Croix, I'm surprised you're being like that, anyway I'm going
to work, we'll talk more later" Ugh finally, now that he's a boy he's caught Croix's attention, I thought she really was a lesbian.
I even stare at her, she looks like she's seen a relative, it's like a look from someone I don't know, I don't know what to say, could Croix be discovering something else, now that the... Chum's a boy, it's all so different, he's really had a big sudden change from one state to another, I'd really clap my hands for that.
"You know, Chariot, it's marvellous when you meet someone like me, it gives me a feeling of security, I feel like I've found a distant brother or sister, in a world that doesn't even want us to exist" You could see all the inspiration.
"You really enjoyed seeing him like that, didn't you?" I shouted.
"Finding people like me is always a wonderful feeling, I feel less alone, I don't know how to put it, but you wouldn't understand Chariot" You really wouldn't.
"Think he's cute?" Chariot! Don't tease me, what's on my mind, she even looks at me and giggles.
"Chariot... Hahahahaha, he's a boy, I wouldn't like him if he was painted gold, why did he get like that out of the blue? You got jealous" I didn't, that's rubbish.
"It's nothing like that, I just find it curious, you've got on so well out of the blue and you're telling your secret so quickly" I get a bit embarrassed.
"It's the security of having someone like me around, you wouldn't understand, it's like finding another lesbian girl, or finding a witch living in a world where witches have to live in hiding, I guess that's the best way to describe it" I just nod my head.
"So this is the world as we know it?" I'm starting to laugh, we're going to relax a bit together, but I'm not jealous.
I even see her chatting on her mobile phone for a while, she must be typing, I don't know how she has the patience to press the numbers over and over again and still come up with something, well I just smell the food being fried on the griddle, the onions, the potatoes, wow that's quality food, even more so because it has salt, unlike what they have in Luna Nova.
I can't help but be intrigued by this, it seems that this feeling of getting to know someone in this way is more intense, Chum is a boy, Croix is a girl, they shouldn't be opposites, the two of them are being different things from what they started out
[...]
The food is ready and wow, how I've missed these huge glasses full of coca cola, I'm dripping with desire, the burgers, the chips, he even sits with us at the counter, so I guess we'll have a lot to talk about, Croix really seems very excited about it all.
I'm just going to eat, I think I'll listen to more of them, because there's not much to say about my time here at The Last Wednesday Society, apart from the fact that I cleaned a lot of floors
"How long have you been injecting yourself Croix? Because I remember you since you started having pains in your legs, it seems like a long time" Chum asks.
"I've been in the magical part of the transition for a good few years now, I've had the support of my adoptive mum since I ran away from home, at first it was just a couple of years of social transition, which came in 2002, on my 14th birthday, when I received my first needle, still taking mundane oestradiol, which I stayed on for two years, as the whole process recommended, when I turned 16, I had to decide whether to continue with the mundane method, maintaining the reproductive system and saving myself until another time for a more mundane transition, or go for the magic method, and I chose the latter. I've been on it for over a year now, and I'm already feeling the changes, it's changing a lot more, the bone structure itself is feeling the effects, the height you've gained can be lost, it's an even more painful process, but I'm getting there, I've already dropped a good 3 centimetres since then, having grown to 1.77 was a tremendous pain for me at the height of the transition, I hope to at least stay at the 1.70 I've been promised I can be, plus down there the change is gradual, I lose functions and something starts to develop inside, which will need to make way later, it's a strange way, But it works, when I turn 20 the new magical reproductive system will work exactly like a female reproductive system and I'll even be able to get pregnant like my adoptive mum managed, she's already told me that it's a smooth surgery and that it heals really quickly thanks to magic" Woah, so she's really changed, well that's complex and really interesting.
"Yes, I've seen this magical transition, I can't wait to turn two in the mundane to go for it, with me there's no surgery, from what I've seen it only grows and develops from what's inside, until it comes out, gee Croix, I didn't know about this side of you, but then you befriending the little cookie witch was unexpected, is she doing well in Luna Nova? She arrived here as one of the most needy people, it was obvious how desperate she was for shelter and also a job, so much so that my boss took her on very easily when he saw what she could do" Now is the part where I get into the story and even become more helpful.
I'm also thinking in my head about this Croix thing, is she going to develop something, she already has the secret there and I thought she just had to have surgery, this thing about her getting pregnant afterwards is interesting, so it means that the fertility stone could work, it really could work, I'm very happy about that. Now I'll swallow my food, because I want to talk a bit about my time here in England.
"Well, you talk a lot about these different subjects, but I want to talk more about my time here, I really came here desperate, but I always did everything I could, when I came back from school I'd make sure everything was in order, I learnt how to make a lot of food, I also offered new things to the restaurant, everyone liked it a lot" I say all of this already feeling a bit like myself.
"Ah, you've really innovated with your knowledge of French cuisine, you could even pass on some recipes later, we miss the dishes you used to make, but anyway, Chariot was always energetic, even exhausted from school she'd go round the tables offering the dishes as if she were in a Disney musical, it's bizarre how she has this energy, so much so that the place was always full because of her, this thing about having an energy about you, it captivates people" I always try to be as lively as possible.
"Did she really have that princess look? So she was singing while showing the plates?" I see some giggles and I see Chum nodding.
"So she was the attraction of the place, she captivated everyone, when she wasn't dancing ballet on the tables, she was playing something and she knows how to play very well, I learnt to play the guitar with her, I got all curious and she started teaching me with the guitar and at Christmas I gave myself a guitar, you want to see me play later" We nodded.
"I can already tell by the way you look that you're going to release some metal" said Croix.
"I'm definitely going, under that apron there's a Slayer t-shirt, so you can expect good things here, at least I've learnt the basics of some of them, I'm trying to see if I can play better because I'm still at the beginning, Chariot on the other hand knew how to break it down when it came to solos, look at that, there was a day at Halloween when she went all goth, that's a rare moment to see and we loved it, we didn't know about that side of her until she came to do the biggest show" Ahhh shame on you, not that photo of me all goth.
"What a cutie, she looks beautiful like that too, gee Chariot, she could look like that more often, that day I was in Samhaim, if I'd known things were on fire at The Last Wednesday Society I'd have come here" Meridies said.
"We wouldn't even be able to, remember that at the time Luna Nova's student witches were forbidden to go, with the exception of me because I live here, so apparently they wouldn't meet unless they broke some rule, now without Chariot the permission has even changed, but I really think this girl has a beef with Luna Nova, I remember the story she told about the little witches from Cookies and there, I'm with you for a witch revolution anything" I even smile.
"Well, we're going to cause this revolution, we're going to come up with some nice Chariot performances on stage, we might even do it not this weekend, but the next weekend, I don't know, I can improvise a stage and the rest, Luna Nova can kind of complicate things for us" said Croix.
"I'll help in any way I can, I can find a way to get around the rules and keep everything in a grey area" Oh how wonderful, what used to be a shy Trisha who spoke almost nothing is now a very cool Chum who's going to help us with my career, I even forgot about that.
The food has even become more appetising with this good news, it will undoubtedly help us a lot with everything that's happening ahead, I really didn't expect that they could improve so much, now I just have to find a way to present and show this revolution on stage, I'm sure that from now on I'll win over more audiences.
"The source of Polaris was not a success and here's another secret revealed, Chum from The LastWednesday Society wasn't always a guy, that portrait of the winners from 2004 has him in the middle, overthe years he's transitioned to be what he is today and how incredible his help was, because in my first
presentation in 2006, I was able to attract attention, it was my time to become the great Shiny Chariot, itwouldn't be long before I caught the eye of someone who started to launch my career."
See you, fountain witches...