[15.1] A Bug Infestation

I woke up with a bright smile. I stretched, "Ahh! It's finally the weekend! I finally get a break from all of those annoying children!"

Zephyr stretched out on the bed in his fox form, "I wouldn't say that. The day just started."

I ignored him and jumped out of bed. I pulled my wand out from under my pillow and waved it. I was instantly cleaned and my long flowing hair was brushed. I smiled smugly as I looked at my reflection, "Heh. Magic makes everything easier. I wish I would have come to this world sooner."

"Magic doesn't make a world perfect." Zephyr propped his head up, "What do you plan to do today?"

"I don't know. Maybe figure out teleportation. Why? Are you interested in learning with me?"

"Hah! No way! My master was terrified of teleportation. If my master didn't want to do it, then I certainly won't."

I rolled my eyes, "Why is everyone so scared of using teleportation? The Headmaster used it like it was nothing."

"My master lost her toe the first time she tried it. No amount of magic could bring it back either. The worst part isn't that you could lose a limb, but rather that the darkness is so intense and deafening that it can drive you insane. When you are teleporting, it feels like your body is being stretched one way and your mind is being ripped the other way."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. We traveled with him before and it felt like that."

"Then just imagine having to keep your focus while that is happening." He let out a yawn, "Trust me. If my master didn't dare attempt it, then you shouldn't either."

I clicked my tongue, "Or maybe your master is not as great as you think."

He jumped up in a fury, "Take that back!"

I stuck out my tongue and grabbed a book, "I'm going to go learn how to teleport now. Unlike you, I'm not a coward!"

As I walked out of the room, he shouted after me. "Just you wait! You will lose more than your toe!"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, right."

I summoned my ice chunk and stood as it moved for me. I flipped open the book and started reading the page. Truthfully, I didn't understand a word it was talking about. It was mostly physics and mathematical theories that made my head spin.

Why couldn't they make a Teleportation for Dummies?!

...Perhaps I should write a few books. Obviously, I have already mastered magic, so writing a book shouldn't be too hard. If that piece of garbage could write a complicated book on teleportation, surely I can write one too.

But I wonder what made the Headmaster learn teleportation if it was so deadly?

I tilted my head, "Should I ask?"

"Ai, ai, ai! So this is the girl that started living here."

I paused mid-flight and noticed a small ball of light hovering by the railing. The ball moved around before coming to rest on the wood.

*POOF*

Suddenly, the ball of light transformed into a tiny human with wings and pointed ears. She had green spikey hair and ribbons wrapped around her like some kind of outfit.

My mouth dropped.

She tapped her chin, "She's weird… Why does the master like her so much? She seems a bit dull to me."

The book dropped from my hands and landed on the ground with a heavy thud.

She jumped, "Ai, ai, ai! She's not only dull but clumsy too! Uck! I should tell the master to return her back to the pound. She smells terrible!"

I ignored the tiny voice and ran up to her to see her more clearly.

She leaned back, "Ai, ai, ai. What is she doing now? This creature is weird!"

I raised my hand.

She looked at me closely, "...Why am I getting goosebumps?"

I threw my hand down as quickly as I could in order to smash her. She shrieked and jumped to the side, dodging my palm.

I frowned, "D*mn bug! I missed!!!"

She shrieked, "BUG?!"

I looked at her once more with my hand raised, "Stay there you cheeky little fly!"

Her eyes shrank back as I charged at her to squash her. She dodged me in a panic, "DOES SHE SEE ME?! HOW COULD SHE POSSIBLY SEE ME!!!"

I shouted back, "Stop running away and let me smash you already!!! I'm not scared of insects, but talking flies are breaking the natural order of things!"

I pulled out my wand and summoned a giant golden flyswatter.

She shrieked, "WHAT THE HELL?!"

As I went to swat the bug, she summoned a beam of light and shot it towards the net, shattering it.

My eyes widened, "This bug can use magic!!"

"I'M NOT A BUG!"

As she hovered over the edge of the railing, I lunged out. "HAH! I GOT YOU NOW!"

She flew up quickly, avoiding my outstretched hand. Before I could curse, I plunged over the side of the railing and fell to the ground. I screamed as I flailed, "SNOW SNOW SNOW!!"

I fell face-first into a giant snowbank at the very bottom of the stairs. I groaned as I crawled out.

I thought snow was supposed to be soft...

I looked up to see the bug gloating while sticking her tongue out at me, "Haha! You didn't catch me!"

I cracked my knuckles, "I WILL smash you!!"

"EEK!" The bug flew away quickly, "Leave me alone, you crazy creature!"

I brushed the snow off of me while muttering to myself, "I need to find high-quality bug-catching equipment. It's obvious that this bug will be hard to exterminate."

I ran through each room, frantically searching through cupboards and desks for any kind of net. However, I could find nothing as I searched. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, "Should I just go into town and look for some equipment?"

That's it! I will go ask the Headmaster to take me into town.

I used my ice-lavator to travel up the stairs and paused in front of his office door. I cleared my throat, brushed down my hair, and straightened up my dress. I opened the door and walked in with an elegant expression. I stood in front of the Headmasters desk looking as prim and proper as I could.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "What is it?"

I cleared my throat, "I want to travel to the city today."

He looked at the papers piled up in front of him, "I am far too busy to go today."

"...Can I go alone?"

He nodded, "Sure."

I nearly fell over, "T-That easy!?"

I thought he would say no!!

He hummed to himself, "Usually, I wouldn't let a child go alone because it's dangerous. However, since it's you, I'm not so worried."

I rubbed my nose with a smug grin, "I am pretty strong, aren't I?"

He frowned, "...However."

I froze, "However?"

"I'm more concerned with you causing problems."

"I-I won't cause any problems!!!"

"Hm. Well, you better not. If you do, you will lose this privilege."

"I won't." I used my fingers to make an X over my heart, "Cross my heart and hope to die."

He raised his eyebrow, "What is that? An enchantment?"

I frowned, "No...It's a- ugh. Nevermind."

He nodded and pulled something out of his desk. It was a simple gold bracelet with a faint blue glow around it. He placed the bracelet on me, "Wear this. If you are ever in trouble, contact me."

I looked at it on my wrist in confusion. How can this little thing contact him?

He explained, "If you rub it and call for me, I will hear it."

"Oh… So it's like a cell phone."

"...Sure?"

I smiled at him, "I will contact you if there are any issues."

Like if I end up in prison again and need someone to bail me out.

"Why do you want to go into town?"

I grinned, "I want to buy some bug-catching equipment."

"And how are you going to get it? Do you have any money?"

"Uh…"

He frowned, "...Were you going to steal it?"

I looked away with a guilty face, "N-No…"

He sighed and handed me a coin purse, "Here. Take this with you."

I grabbed it from him with a bright smile, "Yay!!! Thank you!"

My eyes glistened. Money money money money!

As I played with the coin purse and started walking out of the building, Zephyr suddenly appeared in his human form. He looked at the coin purse greedily, "Oh, oh, oh!!! He gave you money!!"

I held it out of his reach with a frown, "Yeah, and it's all mine so f*ck off."

"Don't be rude." He jumped up in the air to grab it, "You have more than enough for me to get a few snacks with!"

I rolled my eyes, "I thought you wanted to stay home and sleep all day?'

"That was before he gave you money! Now come on! Don't be stingy!!"

"Alright, fine! Just stop pulling on my hair!!"

After we walked out of the building and down the cobblestone path, I paused. I glanced at him, "...Do you remember how to get into town?"

He snickered, "You forgot? What a stupid human!"

I frowned, "Do you know, or not?"

"...I don't."

I tapped my chin, "I guess we could just walk and see where we end up?"

"Eh? Walk?"

I snickered, "Good point."

I waved my wand and summoned an ice chunk that lift us into the air. As we started moving, I heard a familiar and particularly annoying childish voice. "Oi. Where are you two going?"