Chapter 71: The Mask's Appearance

"So let me get this straight, you are a sorcerer..."

            "Yes."

             "...being able to use magic and stuff..."

             "Yes."

             "...and you know this because you remember your past life?"

              "Yes."

             Rick was crossing his arms with one finger constantly tapping. His eyes closed and his forehead knitted his wrinkles which were seen as clear as day. He must be thinking hard about what I just said. He opened his sharp menacing eyes and looked at me for a while before he covered his face with his hand and began to sigh, but to me it was more like exhaling than sighing.

            I know it must be hard to swallow the fact, I know I would too if I was him. I only planned to tell him I could use magic but then he started bombarding me with questions such as how and when I learnt it, that I had to tell him the truth.

            "Well putting that aside, we should think about how we're going to handle our situation."

            "Putting it aside....do you even believe the crazy confession I just made?"

            "Exactly because it's crazy is why I'm putting it aside"

             I felt like a nerve seemed to bulged on my forehead, I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists in respond, I know he was right but he does know how to make a girl angry. "Then do you have any idea what we should do now, Genius? You did call yourself that before." I scoffed.

             Rick seemed to take notice of my challenged tone at him and he began to have the same expression as me, only more noticeably scarier with his darkened face. Our eyes were locked as sparks begin to fly, and I'm not talking about one of those romantic sparks because it certainly isn't.

           Lady Claudia....I think there's something you need to know. 

            A voice stole my attention away, I looked at my still flipped open phone. The screen changes from her yellow pair eyes into a footage I recognize was the back gate of the school. There were kids being escorted with armed men, their heavy clothes made me realize they were the authorities. I was relieved there were still children that were safe. I turned to Rick, thinking he might be as relieve as I am but he still wore the same expression while he watched the footage with me.

            I turned toward the footage once more and held my breath when I saw one of the officer suddenly toppled with a gush of blood pouring out from his mouth. What's more, the unbelievable part was it was the children who attacked them. The attack shocked the police, they soon became too rattled to retaliate against them and had a hard time fighting back.

            I wasn't sure how to conclude this footage, but I couldn't just keep watching. I need to find a way to help them from themselves. Rick held me back when my hand has tried to reach out for the window. "Stay calm Claudia, do you even have a plan?" He didn't ask what I was thinking or tried to hold me back and instead cut to the chase. He knew how I feel and I'm sure he felt the same way. We both don't want to sit still and watch a massacre.

            "I'll think of something on the fly."

            "...and you think that's going to work out?"

            "It's how I get by most of the time so yes...I think it'll work out."

            "You know there's a TV station there filming right outside, are you okay telling the nation you're...what do you call yourself...a sorcerer?"

              I winced a bit at that statement, it's not like I would go as far as to abandon them so I can  keep my secret. "I don't have time to think about that, I'm not sure how they're doing it but forcing children kill people isn't something I will stand by for!"

            "That's why I said calm down, if you are if you say what you are, can't you just change your appearance then?"

             "....now that you mention it I guess I can....not, the spell takes too long and if I don't go now, some of the police and the children are going to get injured or worse killed."

            Then you might need to go now because some of them are trying to climb up the gate. 

            I looked again at the footage and it was just as Zilla said. I clicked my tongue and continue climbing out the window but again Rick held me back. I’m at my limit. "If you don't want to help me fine, but don't get in my way!" the words came out rougher than I expected. I knew that not anyone would want to risk their lives to fight but it was evident to me that I was...disappointed that he wouldn't risk his life like how I would. . He wasn't my Master anymore, but it’s hard to shake the feelings of him being the same kind and wise person, and seeing that footage with that straight face also weighed along with my anxiety.

            Rick wasn't fazed by my tone. He pushed me aside and climbed out before me, he pulled me out and asked me to sit on the ticklish green grass. He was giving a weird order so I followed because of my curiosity. He told me to wait and he climbed back in and I heard the sound of rustling inside. A minute later, he climbed back out with a janitor's jacket and jeans and a mask. My attention was more focused at the mask he was holding since it was the same kind of mask Dale gave me on my birthday, the only difference was rather than white it was a golden colour.

            Rick put it on my lap then he held my temple with both his hand. I became more confused than before. My mouth was about to ask before he cut me off, "For the time being if you want to go out you'll have to change your appearance and fighting with a kid's body is tough so I'm going to age you okay?"

             "You're going to WHAT?"

              Rick didn't need to explain, his eyes turned fiercer as he concentrates, shutting my mouth in return. My body felt something was changing, heat churned around my stomach area and immediately swirled to the ends of my torso.  I felt pain but only a little. My heart was beating wildly, I felt the muscle and bone forcefully pulling on each other, and felt my body heating up causing her to sweat vigorously. I felt different, more accurately I was becoming different. I looked down to see my arms longer, my thigh bigger, the increasing weight around my chest and although Rick was standing, I was becoming taller than him and my clothes were starting to restrain  me. Eventually, the pain stopped and Rick turned away. "Hurry and change to that!"

            I nodded absentmindedly when I knew he wouldn’t see me, I started to understand why he would take out the clothes and so I went inside again and changed. Before I could change, my eyes lock onto a cracked mirror beside the door and saw my gasping face at my older self. Examining it closely, I could tell I was in my late teens, my face was longer and my dimples was more evident, my eyelashes was longer making my eyes looked wider, and my hair had reached down to my waist. I slapped myself not to get distracted and changed from my ripped uniform. I'm glad it didn't shred apart just like how they showed in cartoons because that would be embarrassing. After I changed, I hid my uniform in one of the boxes and climbed out once more.

             "By the way, what's with the mask for?"

             "Well your appearance changed but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to let the world know your face. Think of it as a precaution."

             I looked at it without hiding I was uncomfortable, but he did have a point. "Out of all things it has to be an owl, what is this? A curse?"

            "Did you say something?"

            "Nothing. By the way, what about you? You don't want to be made public as much as me yet you're going to sit and watch while I fight?"

             "Just so you know, I plan to support you way at the back so no one sees me, and if it makes you feel better, I can't use two kinds of ability at the same time."

             "So there's a weak spot after all, though your ability still is overpowered."  I sighed and reluctantly put the mask on my face and tied the black rope. I blinked a few times so I could get used to my narrow surrounding, but I guess it's one of the prices on hiding your identity. "Now then, I think it's time I become a superhero don't you think?"

             "Not yet Claudia, I need your...." Rick gulped and scowled, showing the wrinkles between his eyebrows, "Spirit...to check on the data of the kids there and figured out their abilities, better if you could find its weakness."

            I see he has a hard time accepting spirit exist, let alone ask help from one. "You heard the boy Zilla, go do your thing!"

            Understood Lady Claudia.