Transformation and Shadows
"So, what do you need from me, Lucas? I've got to get back to the bar, you know." Mira pouted, giving me a mock glare. She had every right to be annoyed—I just asked for her help without any explanation, dragged her along, and flew her to the lake where I'd been training earlier this morning.
"I swear I don't just randomly grab beautiful women and whisk them away like a dragon," I said, waving my hands in mock panic, trying to match her playful frustration.
"Could've fooled me," she teased, giggling behind her hand like some elegant princess—quite the contrast to the punk girl she used to be in her prime.
"I'll deal with the consequences of my actions," I nodded solemnly, trying to mirror her refined demeanor. But then, I dropped the act and got serious. "Anyway, I'm looking for someone to teach me transformation magic. I heard you're somewhat of an expert, even though you're not an active mage anymore. I apologize for snooping around, but please, teach me."
Mira's playful expression faded, replaced by something more serious. It wasn't cold or unkind, just... focused—probably the most serious I'd ever seen her.
"Oh? And why do you need to learn transformation magic?" she asked, her voice no longer playful.
Since I already knew more about her past and secrets than I had any right to, it was only fair to be honest. I'm not the type to keep everything close to my chest. Sure, I can keep secrets, and I will when I have to, but I don't see the point in hiding everything from these people.
I took off my hat, revealing my ears. She gasped, her eyes widening in surprise—recognition, maybe even familiarity, flickering in her gaze.
"Wha—? Is this some kind of Take Over magic?" she asked, her instincts kicking in before she shook her head. "No, of course not. I would've recognized it. You're not even using any magic right now. So, how?"
"Dunno," I replied, shrugging slightly. "It's something that awakened in my blood, as far as I can tell." I gave her the truth, but not all the details. No need to be a blabbermouth and overwhelm her with unnecessary information.
"I get it. It's probably some kind of blood mutation, maybe from non-human ancestors," Mira nodded thoughtfully, finally relaxing as she met my gaze. "But why transformation magic? The pointy ears are unique, sure, but it's not something people are going to mock you for. Honestly, they're kind of cute."
"Thanks for the compliment, but I've got my reasons," I replied, nodding as I mulled over my words. "Pointy ears, like you said, scream non-human blood. And the fact that I wasn't a mage before all this—before awakening my grimoire and this new blood—people are going to start asking questions. They'll wonder about the connection between my newfound magic and the ears."
I paused, thinking about the darker possibilities. I don't know if there's a magical Illuminati out there or other shady groups, but I do know Oración Seis exists, with their love for twisted experiments, like that Time Mage, I think her name was Ur something, the daughter of that Ice Mage that taught Gray.
Or was that just some fanon? Hell if I know, and honestly, I don't care. I'm not interested in being some lab rat.
"That's why I don't want that kind of attention until I'm stronger and have better control over my magic," I explained, feeling the weight of my words settle in.
"That's smart. Cautious and paranoid, but smart," Mira said, finally looking convinced, though her smile held a trace of sadness. "We're similar in that regard. Something like this happened to me years ago, and the people around me... well, they didn't exactly react kindly."
She spoke vaguely, as if she didn't want to get to details
, but it was useless—I already knew her backstory.
"When I was learning to control my magic, I picked up transformation magic to blend in. You have no idea how relieved I was when I finally mastered it."
She sighed, her gaze distant as if she were lost in memories.
"So, will you teach me?" I asked, my voice laced with hope.
Mira's usual sweet smile returned as she nodded. "Sure, I will. But it's not going to be easy."
Five Minutes Later
"Impossible," Mira gawked, staring at me like she was seeing her reflection in a mirror. And honestly, that was pretty apt since I'd transformed into her, down to the sultry smile she'd never actually used in the anime.
I even added a fake blush to my cheeks, just to mess with her.
"How? It's supposed to be easy, sure, but it takes hours, if not days, to get to this level." Mira's hands checked over my body—well, her body, since we even had the same dress. I'd nailed her voice too.
I suspect my perk had something to do with how fast I picked this up. After all, my perk, "Skill Beyond Belief," literally states: An elf is perfection, at least according to Elves. Everything they do or make is just a little better.
When I punch someone, I punch better than normal. When I walk, I walk better. And when I train or study? I do that better too. It's like an experience multiplier. But when it comes to magic? It's an 8x multiplier, while everything else is set at 2x.
And with my natural talent in magic, boosted by this elf blood? Damn, I'm practically the definition of talent over hard work. It almost feels like cheating since it's the Grimoire that gave me these abilities, not something I earned on my own.
But I'm not dumb enough to reject the Celestial Grimoire out of some misplaced guilt. A gift is a gift—you take it without hesitation or guilt.
"When you demonstrated, I memorized the runes from your magic circle," I explained, my voice coming out weird—feminine and cute, while my internal voice was still male. It was strange, to say the least.
"And my imagination and memorization skills are pretty good too. See?" I said, covered in a puff of smoke as I transformed into Lucy in just two seconds. This time, I added more details than when I'd first transformed into Mira.
"But you're already at the third stage," Mira said, her voice full of disbelief.
I remembered her explanation about the stages of transformation. There are five in total. The first stage is a failed transformation, like the one Happy pulled off in the anime, where only Lucy's face transformed while the body stayed the same.
The second stage is partial transformation, where you only change into the target's form but leave out the finer details like clothes, voice, and magical energy.
The third stage is where I am now—transforming into Mira with as much detail as possible after keenly observing her. My understanding of the female body didn't hurt either; it's useful to have knowledge on the subject when dealing with transformation magic.
As someone from the modern world in a past life, I've got a lot of information and knowledge on female anatomy and how it functions. So, my transformation was semi-perfect. In this form, I can do everything mundane that Mira can do.
I've got her voice, her grace, and her balance. And most importantly, I've got her boobs, and it's taking everything in me not to cop a feel like a total creep in front of her.
"So, this is the third stage? That was fast." Mira remarked, her eyes widening in wonder as she examined my transformation. She compared our limbs, carefully measuring both width and depth, her gaze finally settling on my human ears instead of the elf-like ones. "You've got a solid grasp of the basics."
"So, what's the next step, Mira?" I asked, shifting back into my own form. "I was kind of hoping I'd hit the complete stage already, but I guess even my talents have limits."
"Now that you're at the third stage, the final step is mastering the details and functions. If you transform into a bird, you'll need to understand how birds fly to actually take to the skies yourself, or if you turn into a fish, you'll need to be able to breathe underwater. It's about fully becoming whatever you're transforming into, inside and out."
"But I've already done that," I said, waving my hand and speaking in Lucy's voice.
"You may look like her, sound like her, but to reach the final stage, you have to become her completely. Transforming into another human is easier, but because you're a different sex, your body still has some key differences. You might look like Lucy on the outside, but inside, you're still Lucas," Mira explained, pulling out a light pen and sketching a stick figure while she gave her lecture.
"I think we've got a bit of a misunderstanding here," I said, shifting back to my own form. "Yeah, I actually reached the fourth stage on my first try. When I transformed into you, I could feel my magic altering my hormones, changing my genitals, and even replacing organs like ovaries and a womb." I added, a slight look of discomfort crossing my face. Did my knowledge of DNA and chromosomes help me achieve a perfect transformation? It felt like Ben 10, my body morphing inside out. And I had feeling that even for short time, I was Lucy, a female by all function and ability.
What would happen if I turned into an animal? Would my understanding of biology extend to non-human transformations? And if I transformed into something like a fish, would my brain also change, trapping me in that form until I either ran out of magic or got eaten by a bigger fish?
"I've been homeschooled by the Celestial Spirits. Trust me, I know my biology inside and out," I replied with a confident nod.
"That means…" Mira trailed off, processing what I had just said.
"That's a monstrous level of skill in magic," Mira exclaimed, her voice tinged with awe. "Transformation magic is a small branch of magic that most experienced mages have already mastered, but learning it at your speed is unheard of." She continued, thankfully filled with curiosity and wonder rather than suspicion.
That's Fairy Tail's optimism and truthfulness—or naivety—for you.
"So, what happens if I turn into an insect? Wouldn't my brain change too? I mean, I wouldn't be able to think like a human anymore, right?" I asked, raising my hand as if we were in a classroom. To be honest, Mira would make a fine teacher—a sexy teacher that everyone in school would dream about.
"Of course not, silly," she giggled before vanishing in a puff of smoke, only to reappear as a giant ladybug with a surprisingly expressive face—not creepy or horrifying, but rather like something out of a children's book.
"See?" the bug-Mira said, her voice buzzing like an insect as she flew around me with surprising agility, turning into a blur before landing on top of my head.
The urge to swat her away was strong, but I resisted like a champ.
"Even if your brain changes because of the transformation, your mind is still protected by the magic. The runes in the magic circle are a list of enchantments, and one of those enchantments is mind protection, along with many others that serve as failsafes."
"When I was a kid, I learned Transformation from the tenth edition of the Grimoire. Luckily for you, it's been updated to the fifteenth edition recently, so the magic circle I've taught you has many more functions, like automatic cancellation if your life is in danger, like if you are about to eaten as bug by a bird, extended transformation periods, and reduced magic usage." She continued as she leaped off my head and transformed back into her original form.
Ah, magic circles. Fairy Tail never really explained what those magic circles were or what their purpose was, but after arriving in this world, I finally understood.
You see, a magic circle is like a phone—an empty phone without any apps. When we add runes to those circles, it's like coding with ones and zeros, but the code is meant to manipulate reality. When these runes and circles work together, a spell is cast by the user.
For example, in ancient times, the first Celestial Spirit Wizard created the Gate spell and its magic circle, then recorded it in the Magic Tome. When his descendants, like the Heartfilia family, began using Celestial Spirit Magic, they used the same formula, and their children did the same. By the time it got to Lucy, the runes in the magic circles had evolved over the centuries, much like software updates by genius mages, one after another.
The same goes for every other magic in this world. No one is born with a magic circle or their own spells. They only have magical energy in their bodies, which can still be used, like strengthening themselves or turning into an uncontrollable element depending on their affinities, but it's not a spell without a magic circle.
For example, Natsu's Fire Dragon Roar is a spell, but the random fire he spews from his mouth or the fiery aura he uses are just his magical energy being used without a proper spell.
Sure, people can still throw magical energy and elements around, but without studying spellcraft, no one can properly use magic—or at least none of the mages I've met so far.
"So what's the limit of this magic? And why haven't people abused it by transforming and committing crimes in disguise if it's such an easy spell to learn?" I asked, genuinely curious. This magic wasn't like the Henge Jutsu in Naruto. This was Transformation Magic for a reason, not an illusion. This magic completely changes your mass and matter while it's in effect. So, for all intents and purposes, if I transform into a bird, I am a bird.
"Learning this magic is like learning to ride a broom. It's hard at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes easier. But most people, and I mean most, only reach the second stage and don't bother to master it because they focus on their main magic. As for crime, people can't mask their magical energy. When someone is transformed, it's detectable to any good mage with magic sense, so people consider this magic useless when dealing with mages."
Uh huh. So people can detect a fake based on magical sense. But what if I had skills like Presence Concealment or some other method to hide my presence and magical signature?
Rolling...
You rolled: Light Sphere [Re:Zero]
A pretty little gem. The Light Sphere is a relic stolen from a great spirit beast in the distant past, similar to the one used by Zarestia. When you hold this gem and draw on the power within it, you can attain half the power of one of the Great Spirits of the elements—Fire, Water, Wind, or Earth. This power greatly increases your physical abilities and allows you to command your chosen element to such an extent that you could destroy half a city in a single attack. While drawing on the gem's power, you take on some monstrous traits similar to the beast the gem is based on, and you'll find yourself filled with bloodthirsty urges, though they are not uncontrollable. The gem's power lasts only a few hours before needing a few days to recharge.
Cost: 300CP
Roll Failed - 100CP banked
Total: 200CP
Goddammit, I missed the chance to summon Puck or any other of those three fuck-all elemental monsters that are Great Elemental Spirits.
"Why do you look sad all of a sudden?" Mira asked in confusion as I quickly regained my usual spunk. No need to be sad about failed rolls. I'll eventually roll something good.
"No, it's just how people underestimate Transformation Magic. They could literally transform into a bird and fly, but they still use trains and other vehicles," I said, quickly changing the subject.
"Oh, of course, they'd use trains! You can't maintain a transformation for too long. Traveling as an animal is a distant dream. You'd need practically unlimited magical energy to maintain it. Even an S-Class mage can only stay transformed for about 24 hours before it wears off," she said, giggling at my stupefied expression. I wasn't dumbfounded because of the time limit—my mind was screaming,But I have unlimited magical energy!
But I didn't bother mentioning that. I didn't want to brag, and we're not close enough to start revealing our secrets
After practicing some more under Mira's guidance, I managed to transform into an eagle, a parrot, a pirate, a shark (which was a stupid thing to do on land), Happy, and finally ended my practice by changing into a very small housefly. It was a surreal experience as everything felt like it was in slow motion, which is apparently what happens when you're a tiny flying insect.
Thankfully, Transformation Magic came with enough protection runes to save me if I got splatted as a bug or if I was about to be eaten by another insectivore.
After some time, I flew back into town with Mira. Her initial fear turned into excitement as she made me fly around Magnolia for more than an hour. She visited many shops and beauty parlors, covering every corner of the town, saying she got a whole day's worth of work done in just a few hours with my help. At least the goodbye kiss on my cheek made the whole thing worth it.
Present (Lucas POV)
I yawned, turning another page of the history book on the table inside the Guildhall, ignoring the brawl beside my bench. I had a casual ward up, a spell I managed to create by combining my knowledge of Skyrim magic with the magic of this world, finally grasping the essence of magical defense.
I'm grateful for that skill perk, even if it increased my "elfyness," as a certain rogue elf from Dragon Age: Inquisition would put it. Thankfully, I got past that phase like an emo phase in my last life pretty quickly. Even my ears are mostly normal now, though they still have a slight point. With my unlimited mana regen, I can keep my elf ears hidden until I can handle S-class threats with my pinky. I don't want unnecessary attention in my prologue and training arc. I'm not Subaru, dammit.
"Hey there, bro, what's up?" Lucy said cheerfully, finally separating from the recently formed Team Natsu after she was done brawling. She's not nearly graceful enough to act like nobility or a princess—she's more of a "Get yo hands up" type of person in this life, kind of like Edolas Lucy from the anime. I wonder what Edolas Lucy is like this time around, and if my counterpart exists or not.
"Hello… Earthland to Lucas, anyone home?" she asked, poking my cheek, earning an irritated stare from me.
"Don't be chummy with me, you left me," I said, grabbing and twisting her nose, earning a satisfying yelp as she batted my hands away with some difficulty.
"Ow! Don't be so dramatic. I told you I was going to do a few jobs with Natsu," she said, pouting and trying to charm my grouchy mood with her cuteness. Too bad for her (and me), it wasn't going to work (it's working). Shut up, brain, don't fall for her charms.
"You've been hanging around with him a lot these days," I countered with a teasing smirk. "Aww, is someone having her first crush?"
"No," Lucy said, her smile slowly fading as she looked over at Natsu across the guildhall, then back at me with a deadpan expression. "Just no. Even if Hell froze over, no. He's not my type."
Oof! Friend-zoned at its finest. Strangely, I'm fine with this.
"Anyway, I think I've smothered you enough this week. Not socializing with others isn't healthy," she said, casually grabbing and eating the snacks I'd brought for my study session. Ah, is this what they call elder sibling privilege?
"Anyway, sorry for running off without any notice. I'll try not to do that," she continued as I closed my book—technically the guild's book, but it's mine until I put it back.
"No problem. So you don't mind if I go on a job on my own, right?" I asked.
"Absolutely not!" she snapped, then quickly calmed down sheepishly. "What I mean is, go out as a party, not alone. I'm not gonna cuddle you all the time, you know, now that you're a strong mage on your own." She nodded.
"So, I can go on a job with Erza? I was trying to learn something from her since she's the strongest fighter I've met here," I asked, my tone more eager than I intended.
Oddly enough, Lucy didn't seem upset by that. She smiled and shot me a thumbs up.
Rolling…
You Rolled: Pegasus Boots [Legend of Zelda: Hero of Worlds]
Increase your speed drastically, but sacrifice your control almost completely for a wild charge.
Cost: 200CP
Roll successful. Purchase the roll?
Hell no! I'm not wasting 200 CP for super speed boots…sorry, let me rephrase that—I'm not wasting 200 CP for uncontrollable super speed. I don't want to go "SPLAT!"
100CP banked
Total: 300CP
"Hey guys, what's up?" I greeted as I jumped onto Shadow Gear's table. Levy greeted me with a smile while Jet and Droy stiffened, like I was the devil himself. What's with these two? They used to be annoyed with me for hanging out with Levy, but now? Now it's like they're scared of me.
"Hey, Lucas, buddy, how's it going?" Droy asked, his voice unnaturally chipper, weirding me out even more. Where'd all that hostility and jealousy go?
"It's fine, but are you two free today? We should go train more often," I suggested, thinking back to our first job together.
At first, these two were all confident—arrogant even—treating me like some rookie, much to Levy's disappointment. But as the mission dragged on, I started casting more and more spells. It was just a simple monster extermination, so nothing too crazy. Still, watching me use multiple types of magic without even breaking a sweat freaked them out for some reason.
"Yeah, we just remembered we had some shopping to do! See you soon!" Jet blurted out at superspeed, grabbing Droy and bolting out of the guildhall, leaving me standing there, utterly confused.
"What did you do to them?" Levy sighed, clearly exasperated as she watched her teammates flee.
"I don't know. Ever since we trained together after that monster hunt, they've been avoiding me like the plague."
"I'll say," Levy muttered, picking up a history book I'd returned. She's the unofficial, but very real, librarian of our guild. "That fear can't be natural. Fess up, buster—what did you do?"
"Nothing, I swear. They were just feeling down after our job, whining about how their magic is 'so weak compared to others' and how 'life is so unfair,' blah blah blah. To boost their confidence, I trapped them in an illusion and made them fight Flash, the fastest man alive, and Poison Ivy, the greatest plant manipulator I know," I explained, feeling pretty damn proud of myself. Trapping someone with a weak mind in a nightmare is so easy, and since I learned it myself, I was quite pleased with the results.
Too bad it's like charm magic. Once someone realizes it's an illusion and stops fearing it, it's broken instantly, and they gain resistance. Of course, it's so weak anyone can learn it since its tome is available in any library or magic shop. Makes sense though—can't have powerful magic just lying around for anyone to grab.
"Never heard of them," Levy deadpanned.
"Of course you haven't—they're fictional," I grinned, loving the look of exasperation on her face.
"Anyway, forget about those two. Remember our first job together? I recall someone promising not to let others hold her back anymore and genuinely growing as a mage," I teased, snatching the book from her hand. She glared at me, annoyed.
Suddenly, her hand shot out, and a big red block of letters—STEAL—impacted my chest. I flinched, only to realize I was completely unharmed. The book was gone from my hand, now back with its rightful owner.
"Who said I've been slacking?" she asked smugly, her annoyed expression replaced by a lopsided grin.
"Bravo," I clapped, genuinely impressed. "You managed to create a new spell. See? Didn't I tell you that magic operating from mere words is too broken if you use it creatively?"
"Yeah, yeah. Now why are you bothering me today?" she asked, cutting straight to the point instead of messing around like usual.
"Well, I was planning to ask Erza to take me on an A-rank job for training under her supervision. And I thought, why not bring my good nerdy friend along too?" I spread my arms and preened like a peacock. Yeah, I know I'm acting like an idiot, but idiocy spreads in this guild like a damn common cold, so sue me.
"And you want me, said nerdy friend, to tag along on this A-class job where we could possibly die horribly if we're careless?" She took off her glasses and stared at me like she could see into my soul.
"Uh-huh." I nodded, still wearing that same goofy smile.
"Fuck yeah!" she hollered, earning sputters and coughing from the surrounding guildmates, who weren't used to hearing swearing from most of the female mages—much less Levy.
Truly, my influence is adding color to this girl's life,I thought smugly.
Before we knew it, we were already hounding a certain redhead, bribing her with strawberry cake.
"So they are the rumored kids," Phantom Lord's master, Jose, intoned as he exhaled a cloud of smoke, casting his cigar aside. He tipped his fedora, his eyes narrowing as he studied the photograph of the Heartfilia siblings with a chilling detachment.
"Gotta say, Mr. Heartfilia, if your children had joined any other guild, they'd be not this high on my shit list." His voice was smooth but carried a subtle menace, directed at the stern-faced, impeccably dressed man in the photograph.
"Then it's fortunate for you that you'll be putting an end to this charade and returning my daughter, won't you?" Jude Heartfilia's voice was as frigid and unyielding as Jose's, a testament to his unflinching resolve. Despite being a non-mage, Jude carried himself with an audacity that suggested he saw himself as equal to one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
"Of course," Jose chuckled, though his laughter was laced with a sinister undertone. "After all, your generous donation to our humble guild is quite appreciated." He sneezed inwardly at the thought. The money was mere icing on the cake, a paltry bribe compared to the pleasure he'd soon have in dismantling Makarov's guild and claiming the title of the best guild in Fiore for himself.
"Now, as confident as I am in my men, I've learned not to underestimate my targets. What should I expect from your children?" Jose's voice took on an edge of genuine curiosity.
"My daughter is a Celestial Spirit mage. Without her keys, she's powerless, but don't mistake her for weak. She'll fight to the end," Jude replied, pushing his glasses up his nose with a deliberate gesture. The glint from his glasses seemed to intensify the darkness around him.
"Bear in mind," Jude continued, his tone growing colder, "there will be hell to pay if even a single hair is harmed on her head. If you have to break a few bones or even cripple my useless son to get her here, so be it. Just bring him along, and Lucy will come running."
"Damn," Jose muttered, a rare flicker of genuine pity in his eyes. It was cold, even by his standards, to see the stark bloodlust in a father's eyes for his son, juxtaposed with the overt adoration he reserved for his daughter.
Truly, the aristocracy was a breed of its own—one corrupted beyond redemption.
Sorry for the long wait.