A weekend. A whole weekend. Jaybird fidgeted with a wand they'd made and caused a little twirl of sparks in the air.

"He'll be back soon. You know he has a late class on Fridays." Puff held out her phone with one wing and cracked her beak open in a smile before taking a picture. "Just me waiting for the cutest guy ever to come home. Aaaaaand post."

Twisting, Jaybird looked over the couch at where Puff was sitting. "'Cutest guy ever'?"

"He is, isn't he?" Puff asked.

Jaybird took a few moments to let their blush really take hold before nodding. "I just—"

"Tell him, not me." Puff got up and walked around the couch to sit on the opposite end from Jaybird. "There. Now, when he gets back, we can sandwich him in the middle with cuddles."

When the back door opened, Jaybird giggled at Puff's excited squawk. "Kaz? We're in here."

Hanging his coat up, Kaz walked into the living room and spotted the ambush waiting for him. It was a trap he was pretty okay with, so he walked to the couch and sat down between the two. Jaybird was first to snuggle closer, then Puff leaned over too. "How were your days?"

The weariness in Kaz was a warm and cozy kind that made Jaybird latch on a little tighter. "I managed to score Friday afternoons off, so I got home earlier and had a nap."

"Fairly quiet day. Jaybird had their morning wand-making tutorial and managed to turn out a pretty good intermediate wand. Of course I took a picture of her casting a spell behind me and posted it. Everyone wants to know what filters I'm using." Puff leaned closer and pressed her beak against Kaz's neck, feeling as his face reshaped into that of a bald eagle in response to her holding out her phone for another selfie. "Thanks."

"I still can't believe you don't get in trouble for that." Kaz eased his head back to his human self and turned to Jaybird and slipped one arm behind them. "She's your familiar. You're supposed to keep her in line and ensure the status quo is maintained."

"Oh, no. She's your familiar's girlfriend, and you egg her on by shapechanging for her selfies—this is definitely your fault." Jaybird stuck their tongue out and blew a raspberry before giggling and leaning into Kaz's hug.

"Hey, I'm right here you know." Puff was tapping away on her phone, replying to comments about her most American picture yet. "They really liked the bald eagle."

"I've been researching birds and cats a lot to play around with other griffon types. I like the cheetah-falcon, though. I feel so fast like that."

"Don't you have a new Actualizing Magic Forms thing starting next week?" Jaybird asked. "I didn't really like that undead one. I guess it had the pluses you were talking about, but I couldn't read any emotion from you at all."

"Being able to affect fate and read the future has its advantages, yeah." Keeping his tone a little dry, Kaz chuckled when he said it. "I don't know who I have next."

"Maybe a cute succubus?" Puff asked.

"I don't think succubus was their thing. They kinda looked—" Kaz froze and tried to remember what sex the demon or angel had looked like. "Uh, come to think of it, I don't know if they were guys or girls. The demon and the angel, that is."

Puff tapped the underside of her beak with one feather. "Wait, what pantheon are they from?"

"Uh…" Kaz wracked his brain, trying to remember features of the pair that would make sense. "The angel had six wings and the de—"

"Abrahamic," Jaybird said. "Cheru—No, Seraph. Seraphic angels have six wings."

Kaz looked at Jaybird with some surprise. "How do you remember all that?" They just shrugged. "Okay, so what's the deal with them? Are they guys, girls, or—"

"Both and neither. Angels don't have any sexual presence except pronouns, and demons can swap around depending on how they feel they can do the most"—Jaybird held up two fingers from each hand for air-quotes—"evil."

Puff beak-winged—which was her best attempt at a face-palm. "I don't know why so many religions fixate on that. Good people can do bad things while bad people can do good things. It's almost like it's all shades of gray and stuff. And don't get me started on all the prayers people say."

Grinning, Kaz poked Puff on her wing. "Hey, you're cute when you philosophize."

Swinging her head around, interrupted in her personal little tirade, Puff cracked a smile. "I'm always cute."

Yawning in Kaz's head as she woke from a catnap, Miaow purred a laugh. ᱿She really is.᱿

"Miaow agrees," Kaz said. "Anyway, so I could become a neutral angel or swinging demon? This might not be so bad."

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Kaz just stared at the two. One had skin so white they were actually glowing and the other looked like the typical example of a 15yr old boy's idea of a succubus, but there was thick black tar dripping from her arms. "What do you mean, 'no'?" he asked after a moment.

"You cannot become an angel. Only almighty God can create a full angel. Others"—gesturing to the rest of the class, the angel didn't take his focus off Kaz—"emulate our form. It is superficial. You become fully what you shapechange into."

"Sweetie, you can become a demon if you want. I can show you how, but I'd need to swallow your soul to do it. I peeked, of course, and ooh-boy I don't think I am up to the task. I can give you the number of a demon who—"

"You will not make agreements to trade your God-given soul to one of these monsters," the angel said, cutting in. "I will not allow it."

Glaring at the angel, the demon rolled their eyes over to Kaz. "It won't hurt—eventually. I bet you'll love it."

"Castella, we agreed not to tempt mortals while here. The only reason you are here is by His grace that mortals should be allowed a choice. Back off, beast, or I will send you back to—"

"Aphrael, you said yourself that he is allowed a choice. I am giving him a choice. Surely not even you would choose to cast aspersions on the old-man's name by claiming his word holds no weight?"

"Look, I get it. You don't want me becoming an angel and you"—Kaz actually smiled at the demon—"would do just about anything to have me become a demon; which probably means I shouldn't go along with it. That's cool, I'll ask the prof for another two choices."

Aphrael jumped-in before Castella could get a word out. "I am glad some mortals these days have a sense of right and wrong."

Reaching out, Castella passed a slip of paper to Kaz and curled their tail up in an imitation of a telephone before mouthing, "Call me." Their smile widened when he tucked the piece of paper into his jacket pocket.

Ignoring the judging stare of the angel, and the lusty smirk of the demon, Kaz walked over to where Medusa was discussing things with Nixe. He waited for the professor to turn to him before saying, "They said I can't become an angel, and I don't think it'd be healthy to have my soul ripped out to become a demon."

"Oooh!" Eyes brightening, the Nixe studied Kaz again, this time focusing on his spirit. "I see why, too. Medusa, you don't know, do you?"

"Just tell me what you see, Gis."

"He doesn't just mimic shapes with his transformation, he becomes them. He has no fixed reference." Gisela pursed her lips a little. "I can take him on next, since I'm already done with the one other that signed up with me."

"There you go, Kaz, Gisela can take you for the next two weeks. If you want to explore Nixe further, I can allocate another week or two for you." Medusa cursed in her head at bringing the angel and demon in. Diametrically opposed religious zealots were terrible to have around at the best of times, but to have someone choose to try both had made it all the worst—it set their opposing ideals directly at odds. "You'll have myself next, regardless."

"All settled? Great. Come on." Reaching out for Kaz's hand, Gisela drew him out the door of the classroom and into the morning sun. "We're going to the river."

Kaz paused for a moment, fighting the Nixe's tugging motion. "The river?"

"The river is the life of a Nixe. Water spirits, remember?" At the look in Kaz's eyes, a flash of fear, Gisela paused. "Is something wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, Kaz started walking beside Grisela. "It was months ago now. A yokai found me near a river and killed me."

Pausing herself now, Gisela looked at Kaz and tried to discern if he were lying, but there was no hint of falsehood in his expression or aura. "And you did some research on Nixe and found all the old tales of us drowning people?" When Kaz nodded, Gisela sighed. "Okay, let's skip the river and go somewhere for a drink. Do you have a preferred bar nearby?"

"I'm only nineteen, I can't exactly drink yet." It was all Kaz could think to say, but with Gisela not taking him to a river, he felt calmer.

Giving him a raised eyebrow, Gisela sighed. "Well, the Jolly Soul won't ask questions. Come on."

Getting taken to a bar as part of his classes was not something Kaz had planned for, but he let himself be led to a figurative watering hole rather than the real thing. Inside the bar it was immediately apparent why no questions would be asked—he was the only human in the place. A glance revealed several yokai, elf-like creatures, many with animal features, and the barmaid wore a dripping red hat above a low brow.

"There are our kinds of people here, Kaz. You may have started human, and still look it, but your soul is so much more." Leading the way up to the bar, Gisela gestured to the barmaid. "Robin, I'll take a water and Kaz here will have—?"

"Same, I guess," Kaz said.

Stomping over toward Kaz and Grisela, Robin narrowed her eyes at Kaz for a moment, then laughed. "Right. Two waters." He'd seemed like a mage at first, but there was so much wolf in him that she was almost tempted to put some blood in his water just to see if he'd complain or compliment her. "Don't see many like you around here, Kaz. What type o' skin-walker be ya?"

A little surprised when Gisela set a twenty on the bar—to pay for water—Kaz answered with a hint of honesty. "Norse."

Whistling, Robin smiled widely, not caring if her saw-tooth-sharpened teeth showed. "Fancy. Not many of them walk this world. Take a seat anywhere, you're good here." She set two mugs of crystal clear water down on the bar, took the twenty, and put a ten in its place.

Kaz was aware he was way out of his element here, but focused on not starting a fight with the barmaid who looked like she could bench-press him even in his wolf form. "Thanks," he said and took a sip of the water.

There was water and there was what Kaz was drinking. It was pure, completely unsullied by anything a man has ever made. It was the pinnacle of clean, natural water. Just a sip relieved tensions Kaz didn't even know he had and left him making an appreciative noise. "Wow."

"Never had water from The Dagda's cauldron before? There's a reason it's not free, pup. Drink well," Robin said before turning to another customer.

Dagda. The word meant something to Kaz, but he wasn't sure what. "Can we go somewhere quieter to chat?"

"Over here." Leading Kaz to a booth, Gisela sat down carefully and slipped along to the window-side of the bench seat. When Kaz did the same, she took a sip from her glass and sighed happily. "Tell me about this yokai that killed you."

"I can't talk of what came after it, but I was going on a date when an idiot thought it would be a good idea to knock me out. It kinda worked for him, but I fought back and he ran. That's when she came." Kaz sipped more of the water, finding the relaxing calm it gave him help in retracing bad memories.

"Does she have a name?"

"Yui." When he said the name, he spotted Gisela twitch. It was a clear tell that she knew of them. "You knew her?"

Gisela nodded. "Past tense, huh? I take it whoever was watching over you dealt with that old bitch?"

"Not a friend, then?"

"She gave water spirits a bad name. She strangled a selkie one day. We all kept clear of her section of the river. Are you sure she's dead?"

"I have it on good authority that she did not have a benefactor to retrieve her soul from the afterlife." Kaz took a far deeper drink of the water now and, without meaning to, let his form flow into that of a Garappa. "Man that's good."

"You really aren't trapped in one shape, are you? It's fascinating to see your spirit warp and reshape along with your form—though I can still see a wolf in there. You know any actual Garappa around here?"

"Eisaku. We spend some time fishing together now and again."

"That old letch? Just don't become anything female while he's around." The moment she said it, Gisela saw a wry smirk form on Kaz's face. "Oh no, you didn't?"

"He tried to drown me. This was before I had much control—and I became a mermaid so I could breathe underwater. I got out before he managed to do more than chase me. He's not so bad once you get to know him." Kaz hoped against hope that his association with Eisaku wasn't going to mean he acquired a similar rumor about himself.

"You swim with a Garappa, yet you fear to swim with me?" Pushing her chest out a little and trying to look more innocent than she had any right to, Gisela rolled her eyes. "Understandable, though. Particularly if you have, as you said, gone fishing with him."

It took Kaz a moment to realize she was using a double entendre. "Wait, no, it's just fishing. The guy is nuts about it and I wanted to see what it was like."

Reaching across, Gisela poked Kaz's nose with her finger. "That was too easy. Relax, Kaz, I don't think Eisaku would even know what to do with a woman if he managed to catch one."

Wanting to get away from the topic, Kaz moved back to the previous one. "So if Yui gave water spirits a bad name, I take it you don't spend all day trying to encourage virile young men into drowning themselves?"

"Unless you want to, no thanks. Killing humans and mages is nothing but work. Authorities start poking around and it's just not worth it. Hey, before you finish that glass, do you want to try changing?"

Looking her in the eyes, Kaz let out a long, low breath. "Is there any trick to it? Becoming a Draugr took some effort."

"Shouldn't be harder than any other form. The trick is in the magic." Reaching out a hand, Gisela offered it palm up.

Hesitating for a single second, Kaz took a deep breath and reached out to take her hand. She was relaxed and leaking her magic through the touch. It felt warm, wet, and inviting. Taking a slow, deep breath, Kaz pulled a form like Gisela's, but more like Miaow's human shape.

Too big, Kaz realized, and adjusted his overall shape down a little. The feel of her magic grew stronger as it found an answer in his own magic—his own aquatic-aligned magic. "Wow."

"There you are. Going for a bit of a short-stack, aren't we?" It was hard for Gisela not to smile at the buxom, short Nixe sitting across from her.

"This is the body shape my familiar uses. Her shirts have more room in the chest than mine, so I had to adjust myself a bit smaller. How short am I?" Kaz looked around for a mirrored surface, but couldn't find one.

"Your familiar?" Nixe looked around but, being unable to see anything or anyone that would count as a familiar, she turned her gaze back on Kaz. "What familiar?"

"Miaow is a Bakeneko without a body. She lives inside me and takes control of things when I'm sleeping—or when it seems like a useful or fun time to." Kaz gave her a mental nudge. ᱿Hey, we're talking about you, and Gisela is confused because she can't find you.᱿

᱿Mmm, of course you're talking about me. Isn't that all anyone does when I am having a nap—talk about the most important feline in the world?᱿ Even Miaow knew she was laying it on thick, but she was quite surprised to wake up and find Kaz wearing a female body. ᱿This is cozy. Water spirit? Finally letting your feminine side free, Kaz?᱿

᱿Har har. Come out and say hi to Gisela.᱿ Kaz focused on the frame of mind he needed to give control to Miaow and, a moment later, he felt himself slide out of control of his own body.

"Ooh, I like this a lot." Miaow reached her hands up and cupped her breasts, then slid down her sides. "I'm a bit shorter, but I know a wing I will fit under just nicely like this—Oh! Hello, I'm Miaow, Kaz's familiar."

"I've seen mages with all kinds of familiars, but this is the first time I've seen one inhabiting the mage themselves. Can he hear us?" Gisela could tell the moment Miaow had taken control since it had looked like Kaz had become possessed.

Miaow shook her head. "No. I keep him locked up in a prison inside his head, bound, hobbled, deaf, and blind."

The delivery had been so smooth that Gisela was halfway to believing it until Miaow's face pulled into a bigger smile. "You almost had me there. Well, if he can hear me, I will need to start this lecture on how to use Nixe magic. Try the water."

Looking at the water, Miaow gave it a sniff. "Sorry, I don't do water. That's Kaz's thing."

᱿You should probably let me back out again, I am meant to be in class today.᱿ Kaz nudged Miaow.

"And now he wants to drink the water. He really is such a bother. Very well, if you really want it that much." Miaow was already giggle-purring in Kaz's head as she shoved him into control again and sought out a cozy and dark corner of his mind to stretch out in. ᱿You need to stop cutting into my naps so much.᱿

"Don't get a cat," Kaz said, delivering Miaow a mental raspberry. He picked up his glass and took a sip—and almost melted in bliss. After several moments of just experiencing every cell in his body absorbing the energy in the water, he took another sip, and another, and soon had an empty glass and a big grin on his face. "Wow."

"Now that you're boiling over with pure water magic, how do you feel?"

"Like I could swim forever." Kaz knew what feeling drunk was like. Having grown up in a small town and with a permissive and freedom-loving father, he had drunk beer often enough to know how it impaired. "Can I do magic now?"

"Nope. No magic and no going near streams until that has worn off you. Much as I wanted to see you enjoy your water magic a little, I won't overturn years of my reputation just for a laugh."

The words broke through the little buzz Kaz was feeling. "Your reputation?"

"I have not killed a single person, human or mage, who didn't attack me first. It's why I was so angry with Yui, but my code means I can't seek her out to kill her. Well, couldn't. Doesn't matter either way now."

Kaz sobered immediately. The way he saw it, she was trying to be good, but in doing so had left a nasty monster at large—that had killed him. He was angry, but he'd already seen what most people thought of when they saw a water spirit. "You could have killed her."

"Absolutely. I could have summoned all the might of the river and robbed her of all her power, then left her to die. I'm an old spirit, Kaz, the power I wield would shock many mages—which is why I won't use it. Not here. Not now."

"But you did once?" Kaz asked.

"Nothing like what you're probably worried about. I got a little boisterous in my youth and felt I deserved to be worshiped and loved. When people didn't immediately follow the whims of a trumped-up little sprite, I sang and sang and called entire towns to the river."

Kaz just let that absorb into him. The knowledge that the nice spirit who'd so sworn off killing that she had let a monster live that had killed him—had also killed whole towns just because someone didn't want to worship her. "It's one thing to think about people who have done those kinds of things and another to have you admit it. Mal, for example. I know she can't have been a good person to become who and what she is now, but she's been nothing but fair to me—even more than fair.

"I can't accept her as someone I consider a friend and then refuse you. Gisela, I want you to teach me everything you can. Show me this power so I can understand how easy it is to let it go to my head."

Blinking in surprise, Gisela shook her head as Kaz's intent became clear to her. "You're a strange mage, Kaz."

"Yes. Finally, someone realizes it." Kaz leaned back in his chair a little and was reminded that he was in a female form with no bra on. "I really need to get into the habit of making smaller boobs."

----------------------------------------

The closer he got to the river, the more Kaz could feel it calling to him. He took step after step until he was standing at the edge of the river. "I just need to put my things into my storage holes." He kept staring at the water while he loaded his keys and phone into his jacket pockets.

"You could just ask the river not to get your clothes wet," Gisela said as she stepped into the water.

"That works?" Kaz looked at her just as Gisela stripped her shirt and skirt off. He quickly looked away.

"Nope, but I would have gotten a great laugh out of it. The river is nice and loves us, but it only knows how to flow and how to make things wet. Keeping things not-wet is beyond it." Letting the water welcome her, Gisela let out a relieved sigh. "Now you be nice to this one. She's not used to you and might feel a little overwhelmed."

"You're talking to the river, right?" With his things stowed and his clothes piled on the bank (with a spell to keep them hidden), Kaz stepped one foot into the water and felt exactly why Gisela had entreated gentleness. "It's alive."

"The whole world is alive. Every elemental-focused creature will find their particular affinity more-so, but I have lived long enough to know those of earth, fire, air, and more all find this same wonder in their own element. Come in, Kaz, and be welcome."

Standing naked with just his feet in the water, Kaz felt all his misgivings wash away. He tipped forward and let himself splash down into the stream and felt it pour around him. The water was so welcoming and supportive that Kaz swam around in it as easily as he had in his mermaid form.

Gisela let loose a laugh and dove after Kaz. Her lesson plan had been surrendered to the whims of a Nixe who had found water for the first time. Time seemed inconsequential as they swam and cavorted. Eventually, though, she followed Kaz as he drifted up to the shore and slid onto his back to stare upward at the sky. "Feel better about the water?"

"Yeah, but a water spirit killed me. I don't know if I can ever face that without flinching—but the river itself isn't the problem now." Waving his hands at his sides, Kaz felt like the water had swam with him, a duet of dance that hadn't been with Gisela. "And you. Though, I'll still be wary when I'm not a water spirit myself."

"Understandable," Gisela said.

Nudity was quickly becoming a taboo that Kaz didn't find so important. He lay there, breathing slowly, feeling his body move in response to all the little metabolic processes it required to function. The water, too, sometimes moved him—playing with his legs and tempting him to slip back fully into its embrace.

At last, watching the sky color itself with reds and oranges, Kaz sighed. "I need to go home."

"You'll need to spend time getting used to the magic—letting it become part of you. I would suggest remaining in this form."

Turning his head to look at Gisela, Kaz really looked. Her body was that classic, curvy kind of beautiful that would always draw straight men and gay women alike to look just a little longer than they intended. "If you just want to see me like this more, I should warn you I'm spoken for."

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Gisela had lived long enough to not show outwardly that one of her ploys had been foiled. "No, I mean it. If you have water you could sleep in, I'd suggest that too. You attract magic to yourself constantly, Kaz. Like this it will be a lot of water magic—which is what you're supposed to be learning how to use."

"Okay, so I can't shapechage at all?" Kaz asked, sitting up and then rising to his feet.

"Try to avoid it, though sleep is the most important time. Sleep until we meet tomorrow." Rolling over to her front to watch Kaz, Gisela licked her lips when he couldn't see her expression.

"Okay, but if something happens and I have to wolf-out, I'm gonna do it and worry about training afterwards, okay?" Remembering what Gisela had said, Kaz didn't ask the water to leave him but rather snapped his fingers to use a mild heat spell to dry off.

Reaching into his coat pockets, Kaz fished around for some clothes to wear. He ended up going with the shapeshifter classics of a big, baggy shirt and stretchy shorts. The shirt was too big on him, but not by much, and the shorts (once over his hips) needed to be tied-in a little to fit snug without falling down. Underwear wasn't going to work, so he instead just pulled his coat over the top and then worked a quick spell to make himself less visible to normal folks. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

As he walked away, Kaz had his sixth sense spike—he knew she was watching him intently as he left the river. Ignoring her gaze, he made his way up to where he parked his car, climbed in, and drove home.

Opening the door of the house, Kaz had a sinking feeling that he'd have to go shopping for yet more girl clothes. "Anyone else home?" There was no answer. Letting out a sigh, he walked to the back door of the house just in time to see storm clouds rolling out over the city.

Kaz pulled out his phone and opened Mager, then sent a message to Jaybird and Puff:

> Looks like rain. Do either of you need a ride home?

Waiting for an answer, Kaz stared at the pool and felt the water calling to him. There was no sign of Eisaku, but he had a fair idea that the Garappa would be in the depths somewhere. "Might as well let the old perv have some good dreams."

Kaz just pulled off his jacket and hung it on the back door of the house when his phone pinged a reply.

> Sorry, babe. Jaybird is meeting their family today, and no other mage is allowed to be along for the whole secrecy thing. Want to send me a sad selfie?

Holding out his phone, Kaz swapped to the camera app. He turned the quality low and pouted at the camera. Snapping a picture, he added the caption, "Sad little water nymph wants her cuddle-buddy," and shared it privately with Puff.

> Aww. You are going to break so many hearts with that. Not allowed to shapechange?

Kaz slipped his shirt off, replying with one hand as the tent-sized garment was stuffed back into a jacket pocket.

> She said she can't teach me unless I build up water magic. Apparently I'm going to be sleeping in the pool tonight.

Another message beeped and Kaz saw it was from Jaybird.

> Sorry, Kaz. I didn't even know about this until about half an hour ago. I've been running around trying to stop various members of my family from killing each other… If Puff wasn't here, I'd be screaming in the corner. Love you!

Kaz replied in kind, set his status to away, and slipped his phone into another reality so it wouldn't get any messages. "I think I'll keep the shorts."

"'Eisaku,'" the garrapa said, as he watched a water Nixe approach his lake, "'it must be your birthday.' Is that you, Kaz, or has my fortune finally turned around?" Eisaku was sitting on the side of the pool just out of view from the back door, his eyes fixed on Kaz's chest.

"It's me, Eisaku. Stupid homework assignment." The same feeling he'd had at the river now assuaged Kaz. It reinforced his opinion that Gisela had been paying close attention to him. ᱿And sorry, Miaow, but I'm going to have to spend the night in the pool as a Nixe.᱿

᱿I want a fish. A big fish. Something I can sink my teeth into and enjoy. And let Eisaku know that if he tries anything, I'll cut him in half.᱿ Miaow was tired, but she was always ready to negotiate. ᱿I hope this is worth it, because this stuff is cramping my style.᱿

"Miaow said she wants a fish. Mind if I do some fishing?" Kaz asked.

Eisaku smirked as wide as his face would let him. "Kaz, if you come dressed like that, you can catch as many fish as you want."

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Sitting on the edge of the water in the early morning, Miaow chewed on the fish Kaz had caught for her with just her feet dangling in the water. She was surprised that Eisaku had left her alone for the most part. "I guess if you turn boobs into part of the landscape, even that old fish will find them boring after a while."

᱿Amazing, really,᱿ Kaz said, waking up in Miaow's head but not pushing for control of his body. ᱿How does it feel as a Nixe?᱿

"I hate it. Everything feels wet and the wetness seems to be inside me too. When this is over, Kaz, you're going to be a catgirl for a month." Miaow poked out her tongue and scooped one eye, then turned the fish and got the other. "This is a good fish."

᱿It's a deal, I guess. I don't have any catgirls for my class, but we've got time to have a little fun trying out new looks.᱿ Kaz wished he didn't know what fish eyes tasted like. He also wished he didn't know what they were like when they popped in his mouth.

"I like that perspective. We do have plenty of time. Still, even being wet and soggy inside and out, you're spending more time getting in touch with your feminine side." Next Miaow went for the spine of the fish, biting out parts of it and chewing vigorously to grind them up. "Cats don't have the right teeth for grinding these bones up, you know? It makes them a bit of a delicacy for me."

It was impossible for Kaz to stay mad at Miaow. They were both together and both supporting each other, and that meant taking a lot of things the other did with as much aplomb as possible. ᱿No rush. Sun's barely coming up and I don't start classes until ten.᱿

Eisaku shot out of the water like a rocket leaving a submarine, landing neatly on the grass beside Miaow—his own fish in hand. "A nice morning for fish."

"You got that right, Eisaku. How have you been enjoying the bigger lake?" Miaow didn't really need to make room for him, he just plonked himself down beside her, legs likewise hanging in the water.

All the fun of ogling Kaz/Miaow was lost when they didn't care. It was, somehow, even worse that this wasn't a form either had planned. He took one look at the large breasts on the undersized female frame and let out a sad sigh. "The lake's nice, but you could at least pretend to hide your breasts from me."

Miaow looked down at the body Kaz'd made. "Why?"

"You're both terrible." Opening his mouth, Eisaku bit his fish in half and started chewing it contemplatively. When his thoughts, and the fish in his mouth, were done, he swallowed. "The least you could do is arrange a nude pool party for me."

Finally, left with just the head, Miaow started crunching her way through that too. "Mmm. I'll see what I can do," she said between mouthfuls. "Not sure if it would be topless, but I'm pretty sure we could swing some cute visitors to have a pool party."

Biting his lower lip in excitement, Eisaku almost forgot about the other half of the fish he was eating.

"I'm not sure how many would be female—or human—but there's likely to be someone you'd be able to pester." Miaow chewed her way through the rest of the head and, grinding away on the bone in her mouth, tossed the tail and fins into the water.

Freezing, the fish almost in his mouth, Eisaku stared at Miaow and started to whine. "That's probably the best an old Garappa like me can expect. Still, having a safe home makes up for the lack of nubile young ladies to chase around."

"Kaz is building a bit of a haven here, isn't he?" Miaow asked.

Eisaku nodded. "Griffons, Garappa, and a lovely feline living in his head." Compliments, he well knew, were free and were far more effective on Miaow than Kaz. "I have to wonder what he'll be inviting over next."

Miaow laughed. "If I told you who he was going to visit next weekend for training, you'd not leave such an open-ended invitation to the gods of fate lingering on the air, Eisaku."

----------------------------------------

Their meeting place seemed cemented now. Kaz stepped into the bar and gave a friendly smile to Robin as he walked up to the bar. "Water, thanks."

Robin spent a few moments looking at Kaz, reading his aura, before she finally asked, "Do I know you?"

It dawned on Kaz that his transformations were that singularly perfect that he could fool just about anyone. "Kaz. I was here with Gisela yesterday. I have to wear this form because she said I needed it to learn how to use Nixe magic."

Now that Kaz had mentioned it, Robin could see wisps of the male mage in the perky female Nixe before her. "Huh, you're pretty good at that sort of stuff, huh? Could you do a Redcap?" She actually found herself biting her lower lip—being the only Redcap in a city was tough, being the only lesbian Redcap in a city was annoying.

Picking up a vibe that was equal parts self-deprecating humor and fervent wish, Kaz held up his hands. "Sorry, teacher's orders. She said I need to stay like this until our lesson today. After the weekend might be okay, if you just want to—uh—see what I can do." Kaz tried to stop himself from talking.

Pouring a potent water, Robin slid it across to Kaz. "I bet you'd make a cute Redcap, too." She inhaled and let out a sigh. "And you have a girlfriend. Elf?"

The accuracy of Robin's nose was a wake-up call to Kaz. He nodded. "Half-Fey." Taking the water he pulled his wallet out and slipped a ten across to Robin.

"Such is life. You want a blood chaser with that?" Robin nodded at the water.

"She won't, Robin. Kaz needs to focus on water, not blood," Gisela said, walking up to the bar and sitting beside Kaz. "You spent all night like that?"

"Don't even start. Yes, alright?" Kaz wasn't quite sure why he now felt antagonistic toward Gisela. "Sorry, I need to chill a little. Spending so much time as something I'm not used to is a bit irritating."

"That doesn't speak well for the rest of your two weeks like this."

"I mean, I need to shapechange into other things. For one, the full moon is in the second week. This weekend, specifically, I have to go and visit someone for private tutoring—and I can't go like this." Kaz gestured to himself as he reached for the glass.

"Well, you'll just have to explain to—Who was it you were going to for tutoring?" Gisela asked.

Finishing a long sip of the water, Kaz looked up toward Robin first and winked so that Gisela couldn't see it. "A dragon."

Robin's surprise almost matched what she saw on Gisela's face. She couldn't hold in her laugh, though. "When you said you were a Norse skinwalker, I was surprised. This? This makes me take you a bit more seriously. Going to a dragon in this form would be asking to be ripped apart."

"You could have mentioned that." Gisela would have pouted, but she'd already spent effort to restore her expression to some semblance of normality. "If you could at least spend the night before any of our lessons like this, that should be sufficient."

"I did just mention it," Kaz said, still looking back at Robin, who was now outright smiling at him.

"Well, fine. Today we're going to practice Nixe magic. I have acquired someone to help with it." Recovering, Gisela started to reverse her opinion on Kaz—he was a prickly person and not at all as loose with his morals as a shapeshifter with his power would have led her to believe. "Thalia?"

Stepping out from behind Gisela, Thalia stared at the sight of another Nixe. "Yes, goddess?"

Slumping her shoulders, Gisela ruined the moment by turning. "Thalia, I'm not a goddess and you're not a priestess."

Dipping into a curtsy, Thalia bobbed her head. "Of course, my lady."

With Kaz and Robin both now smirking behind her, Gisela reached up to massage her forehead. "Thalia, remember why I invited you here?"

"To bask in the wash of your waters is all I desire," Thalia said, smiling beatifically.

"Trouble with your worshipers, goddess Gisela?" Robin asked.

"She. Is. Not. My. Worshiper!"

"Well," Kaz said, "the way I look at it, you don't get to decide that. If she worships you, she's your worshiper."

Closing her eyes and letting loose an inarticulate whine, Gisela said, "Please, Thalia, can we not play games today?"

"There!" Thalia giggled and reached her hand out to boop Gisela on the nose. "You finally said please. Mom said I should always make you say please to me, because then you keep a sense of perspective."

Gulping down the water, trying to savor it, Kaz felt a shiver of power run through him. "Thanks, Robin. If you do want to hang out, gimme a message." He drew his phone from a pocket, turned the screen on, and brought up his phone number.

What Robin really wanted wasn't on the cards, but there was a new thought brewing. Grabbing her pad, she scrawled his digits down. "You ever done any hand-to-hand combat?"

Kaz, surprised, shook his head as she grabbed his phone and quickly put her own number in.

"If you want to learn how to use a Redcap form, we can have some fun and you can pick a few things up." Robin passed his phone back, not resisting the urge to let her brilliant white fangs show in her grin. For a moment she felt surprised at the intensity of her emotions—then she saw blood dripping on the bar.

"Your hat…" Kaz watched as Robin reached up, lifted free her hat and held it over the sink—and wrung over a gallon of blood from it. "Red… cap?" His mind raced. He couldn't remember any information on them, but seeing all that blood made his wolf-side get excited—dangerously excited.

"I'll call you tonight, Kaz." Robin slapped her hat back on her head and stepped back from the bar. While it had been a while since she'd gotten laid, a Redcap's desires always leaned further into fighting. In Kaz her soul recognized another monster that could get truly, truly angry. Now that she recognized that, just being near him was intoxicating.

Seeing Robin's state, Gisela wanted to be far away from the bar. She grabbed Kaz by the wrist, then Thalia too, and dragged them out the door and into the cool air of morning. "Kaz, if you ever see Robin's hat like that again, either get ready for a fight or get away. Actually, just run."

"She's a Redcap, what's that mean?" Kaz asked.

"Fey. Unseelie Fey. Redcaps were shock-troops for the Dark Court. Robin was—still is—one of the scariest fighters you'll ever find. Once she enters her killing dance, nothing will stop her. She will rip and crush and tear until nothing stands but her." A shiver ran down Gisela's back at the thought of it. "I'm sure your school's library will have information on her."

That surprised Kaz. Normally only gods or particularly impressive spirits got their own entries in books. If Robin had one, he thought, that meant she was probably extremely skilled. "She offered to teach me how to fight."

"Take the offer. Take it and learn all you can from her. She's lived longer than any mortal and most of that time has been spent fighting for her life—until she came to America. Few are the Unseelie who will travel over so much water." Leading the way back to the river, Gisela could feel her own potential grow just from walking in its direction. "Hold at the bank ahead. Thalia, are you sure you're okay for this?"

Touching Gisela's arm, Thalia nodded. "You'll be there to catch me if things go too far?"

Inhaling the trust of the girl, Gisela nodded and took her hand. "I would never let anything hurt you—even if you are an impudent little devil sometimes." Thalia's giggle was music to Gisela's ears. "The powers of a Nixe are several, but the one we are so well-known for is calling people to their doom. Touch Thalia's arm."

It was Kaz's own little nightmare, turned on its head. He looked at Thalia, took a slow breath—and then reached out to touch her arm. "Uh, was something meant to happen?"

"Thalia, what's the first rule with a Nixe?" Gisela asked.

Closing her eyes and shifting from side to side, Thalia recited, "Don't let them touch you. Human bodies are mostly water—making contact with a Nixe gives them control over you." She looked down at Kaz and winked. "But if they're really nice, and Gisela says they're okay, it's fine to."

"So do I have to do anything?" Kaz asked, his hand still on Thalia's arm. "I don't feel anything."

Moving from Thalia's side, Gisela walked to stand behind and to one side of Kaz. "Relax and let me awaken your magic."

For a moment Kaz felt uncomfortable. He and Jaybird might not be doing anything more than cuddling, but being faithful to them was still important to him—and the way Gisela was reaching into his magic made him shiver. "C-Careful. Don't touch the magic in my right arm."

Gisela wondered if she should do just that. She needed Kaz to relax completely, but just as she was about to touch his magic she felt what it was, let go of him, and jerked backward as if it had actually flowed into her. "What is that?!"

Letting go of Thalia, Kaz looked at Gisela and sighed. "I told you to leave my magic alone. That is pure death magic. You didn't actually touch it, did you?" He knew she hadn't, since she was still alive, but Kaz was annoyed that she'd tried to even after he'd warned her.

It took Gisela a few moments to get herself back under control enough to speak. She looked at Kaz with a little fear now. "Why are you full of death magic?"

"I'm not." Kaz shrugged. "I'm only half-full of death magic."

Gisela could put two and two together. Kaz had mentioned Norse ties, and there was a goddess in the Norse pantheon that wielded life and death magic. "I didn't fully understand. Okay, let me try again and I promise I'll focus on your left side."

Raising an eyebrow, Kaz nodded. Gisela rose a little in his estimation of her at that moment. He could understand her panic and terror of death magic, but she'd made the choice to try again. "Why did you need to touch all my magic?"

"Because this is an old ritual used to teach a Nixe their magic. It requires the teacher to synchronize all the new Nixe's magic to their target. That won't be possible for you without killing me and Thalia, so I'll improvise." It was madness, in Gisela's estimation. Only teaching him to use half his magic was worse than useless, but she'd promised to teach him and she couldn't even begin to try to instruct him in using his death magic. "Are you ready?"

"You're nicer like this, Gisela. Less cocky and pushy. I'm ready."

Miaow sat back from the magic working going on. She was apart from Kaz's magic, but she still could watch it work. Right now she was watching Gisela reaching into Kaz, through Kaz, and wearing the magic of his left side like a long glove. ᱿Curious.᱿

᱿Coming up with ideas, Miaow?᱿ Kaz asked.

᱿Maybe. I could probably use something like this to possess someone else. The hardest part would be squaring-off our connection.᱿ Not wanting to touch the odd magic-working, Miaow kept her attention on it nonetheless.

When Kaz felt a new connection with his magic, he realized that it was Gisela reaching through him to touch Thalia. First spot to touch was the girl's arm, then upward to shoulder, neck, and jaw. Kaz was directed up still and deeper until his magic flowed into her head.

"It's like a wave of warmth to her. Your life magic is pure enough, Kaz, that there would be no sense of threat at all." Gisela demonstrated the first tug. It was a simple thing that just told the target to come.

The magic was simplicity itself. Kaz wrapped his magic—full of water and life—around Thalia's mind and coiled it tighter and tighter, then tugged.

"Ooh, that's really good." Thalia relaxed and let Kaz's magic wrap her up in a soft blanket of warmth. She walked toward him one step at a time—eyes locked on his. "Can you stop now, please?"

It would have been easy for Kaz to just keep going. Her mind couldn't escape and he could guide her to the water and—and— He released the magic, dispersed it completely with a grunt and a lupine growl. "I don't like this."

Blinking away the magic that'd been clouding her thoughts, Thalia walked up to Kaz and hugged him. "Thank you for letting go."

Not sure what to say, Kaz just patted Thalia on the back. "You're, uh, welcome. Is mind magic really what Nixe are all about?" The last he directed over Thalia's shoulder to Gisela.

"No. You can control water in all kinds of ways. It will work best, however, if you feed the water a sacrifice." Gisela gestured at Thalia. "Thank you for not making me step in. Despite your protests, and what I've heard about you, I don't believe you're an evil monster."

"Who were you talking to who said that?" Kaz asked.

Gisela reached out a hand to Thalia, touching her to make sure there wasn't a trace of Kaz's magic left. "One of your teachers, actually. I suspect he was the reason your divine and profane friends weren't as interested in mentoring you."

Only one name came to Kaz's mind, "Shenlong?"

"Bingo. Something about you being abhorrent and a bloodthirsty werewolf." Kissing Thalia on the cheek, and earning a giggle from her, Gisela sighed. "Werewolf, yeah, but where did he get all the bloodthirsty stuff?"

"Kinda my fault, kinda his. Students are given a curse to make them more loyally finish their schooling—so it can be removed. He wanted to give me something that would impact my personal shapeshifting style, so he made me into a werewolf, where the wolf side of me will eventually take over.

"I asked some friends for help and learned to hunt safely without fear of killing anyone." Kaz kept his description bereft of names. "But I might have tweaked his tail a little by telling him, when he asked me how I would stop myself from killing, that I would just go hunting instead."

"Karma, Kaz. You seem fairly neutral to me. That's dangerous because you can have stories made about you by both sides. You do know that some beings firmly believe there are sides, right?" Untangling Thalia from Kaz—when Thalia was the one doing the hugging—was no small feat. "Thalia, please let go of her."

"Him," Kaz said. "Definitely still a him, despite my appearance."

"That's… going to be confusing." Gisela tapped her chin, trying to think of a way around it.

Jumping-in before Gisela could say anything else, Kaz said, "Too bad. I'm a guy, always was and me shapechanging doesn't alter that."

᱿I get that now. When we first started this agreement, I thought I could tempt you into debauchery. You're a bad influence on me, Kaz.᱿ Miaow softened her words with a giggling purr.

᱿Yeah, but that's why you're the best cat there is, Miaow. You actually changed some habits to accommodate me.᱿

With a soft hiss, Miaow shuddered at the comment. ᱿Please, Kaz, never tell any other felines I did that. I'd never live it down.᱿

᱿Silly kitty, that's why I like you so much.᱿ Kaz noticed the pitch of Miaow's purring grew deeper as he tried to get back to the outside world and its events. "So, what can I do with water?"

The water magic wasn't anything spectacular. Kaz had seen witches and wizards perform far more impressive things, and he doubted the rest of the week would impress him much.

----------------------------------------

The night after his last lesson for the week with Gisela, on Thursday, Kaz called Robin. It had been something he'd been wondering about, particularly with how he'd left her bar earlier in the week, but he hoped she'd still have the offer open.

"Kaz?" Robin had barely caught her phone on the fifth ring—one before it would have gone to the message bank. "What's up?"

"Well, you offered to give me some fighting tips, but then I wasn't sure if I'd worn out my welcome when your hat started—"

"…bleeding. That was my fault, Kaz, though it did have to do with you in a way. There aren't many creatures that'd risk coming to my bar who could stir my blood like that, but when I realized that you could become a Redcap every bit as strong and nasty as me, I got excited." Robin had her eyes closed, focusing on the chill waters of her homeland—to try to keep from getting excited again. "So, if you're asking if I want to have the best time I'm likely to get this century—yes."

"Won't it be dangerous?" Kaz asked.

"With just our fists? Nah, we couldn't kill each other like that if we tried. We'd need blessed scythes to have a hope of that, and I keep mine buried deep. So get your arse around here and we can have a bit of fun when the bar closes."

"Okay. Uh, I guess I'll come over now." He hit end-call on his phone and slipped it into his coat's pocket dimension. "It's weird how comfortable some creatures are with tech."

Puff, who'd overheard him, poked her head into the living room. "It's because it's so neat! Can you believe my parents wouldn't let me have a phone until I moved out and found Jaybird? Well, they probably still don't want me to have one, but now they can't stop me."

Looking up and around to see Puff, Kaz let out a laugh. "Puff, you were born to have a social media presence. Anyway, I'm going out to learn how to fight."

"Oh? Found someone to teach you? What are you going to use, swords?"

"From what Robin said, we'll be using our fists." Kaz pondered saying it, but figured Puff could be trusted with the information. "She's a Redcap."

Puff almost dropped her phone. She stared at Kaz and asked, "You're going to go and learn to fight from—from Robin the Redcap?"

"Yeah. I'll be a Redcap too. She said we wouldn't be able to kill each other like that."

"That wasn't what I was worried about, Kaz. Robin has history. She—" Puff had to take a breath and remind herself that Kaz was very new to the magic world. "Just be careful."

"Even if she has a reputation for violence, I'm going to be talking with a dragon on the weekend—I need the practice." Kaz tried to view the world with optimism, but at the same time he had to face facts that the world wasn't safe and he needed to know how to defend himself. "If you need a hand with anything, just give me a call."

"Oh." Puff waved a wing at Kaz in frustration. "Go. Have fun."

Standing up, Kaz kissed Puff on the cheek—earning him a blush from her. "Be back soon."

᱿I love it when you make her blush.᱿

᱿Miaow, I just love seeing her happy. Blushing is a bonus.᱿ Kaz left Puff standing there, her cheeks red enough to show through her feathers, and headed outside to his car. The drive to Robin's bar slipped by easily, doubly so now he'd worked some enchantments onto his mini so that other motorists would get out of his way.

Robin could feel when a being like Kaz entered her bar—and now she'd felt him several times, she could identify him exactly. There were only her two last barflies left drinking while she was cleaning up, but she still felt an almost electric kind of excitement rush through her. "Hey, Kaz. Want a drink before we start?"

Not a virgin when it came to alcohol, Kaz didn't want anything that might cloud his focus. "Uh, just a beer."

Pouring Kaz a beer without a second thought to his age, Robin raised an eyebrow to him. "Want a kick of something to make you howl?"

"Blood? Yeah, I guess." It didn't disgust Kaz as much as he thought it would have just a year earlier. "What's it from?"

Setting the beer on the bar, Robin reached up to her hat—that she felt moistening—and squeezed a small runnel of the blood it produced into his cup. "It'll be a mix of those I've killed. You get a bit of everything that way."

Kaz's nose flared at the smell of the drink. The blood on Robin's hat didn't have a particular smell, but when she'd spilled it into the drink—human, wolf, and more besides that he couldn't identify. It should have disgusted him, but his wolf side adored everything about it. Lifting the glass, he took a long pull from it. "There's power in this."

A tall, willowy man who was sitting in the bar a little further along said, "There's power in the blood of any creature. Drinking the jungle juice from Robin's hat? Lad, I'm amazed you didn't howl and run out of here on all fours." Downing his drink, he turned the glass on its side. "Thank ye, Robin," he added as he made his way out.

Kaz, still trying to get his head around the potent mix of blood he'd just drank, watched the other patron leave the bar. "So, uh?"

"Finish your drink. I still have to shut down the lines and get things closed up." Robin did, however, enjoy the way Kaz'd reacted to the blood. It inspired her to work a little faster. With the last of the chairs on the tables, the beer lines full of cleaner, and with all the ice machines checked over, she started turning the last of the lights off. "The advantage of being a Redcap is no one ever tries to bully me to stay open."

"I lack the bark right now to have that kind of influence." Kaz finished off the last of the beer, not feeling any ill effects of the alcohol, but able to sense his predatory instincts piqued by the blood. He passed the glass to Robin. "Where are we going to do this?"

"Parking lot will be best. I can turn the lights off so no one sees a thing, and there's not much to break out there but our jaws." It was hard to distinguish libido from anticipation of violence sometimes, but Robin was firmly set on the latter. "Come on."

Feeling a little apprehension, Kaz followed Robin outside. He'd worn a loose shirt and his elastic-waisted shorts—standard fare for a shapeshifter expecting to work out their skills. "So, uh, what kind of fighting will it be?"

"The great thing about being a Redcap, Kaz, is you look mostly human. There are some tells—the hat, of course—but for the most part you just have denser bones, heavier muscles, and regeneration so strong that you will put yourself back together faster than a healing spell. Boxing, Asian martial arts, even hand weapons are good tools for a Redcap." Robin's excitement was now all flowing toward fight rather than sex, as was evident by her cap's leaking. "Before we start, feel free to take a swing. It will give you an idea of what a normal human has to deal with against a Redcap."

"Wait, you mean just punch you?" Kaz's father's logic on fighting women was don't, but even so, taking the first swing was out of the question. While his brain was processing that, he saw Robin swing at him. Barely dodging it, he tried to knock her arm wide with one arm and swing back at her stomach.

Her arm, despite him having all the leverage to shift it, didn't budge an inch. As for his punch, while her flesh had felt soft enough, it didn't seem to do more than make her smile. "Hey!"

"Come on, Kaz. Now you know how out-classed you are as a human, step up and take a swing as a Redcap!" Robin's feet itched to dance and her blood was thundering. She wanted to punch and batter and smash him so bad, but she wanted to feel the same back—and he couldn't do that unless he was like her.

Becoming another sapient creature took either expansive imagination or having an example close at hand. Kaz tried to focus on all the anger and bloodlust he'd heard was a Redcap's birthright, all the strength and solidness Robin had spoken of, and the resilience, and embraced the form before him.

Rather than become an exact clone of Robin, or even a masculine version of a Redcap, he instead picked a middle ground. Not a shortstack again, and not heavy-chested. He went for reasonably flat-chested, feminine, with a little extra reach in his arms—and drew that form over himself.

Staring in open amazement, Robin had expected Kaz to get close to the essential being of a Redcap—she didn't expect him to become one pure and complete. A red hat atop his head looked dry, though. "Haven't you ever killed something?"

"Not—" Kaz cleared his throat and coughed. The tone was lighter than normal, not the breathy and heavy sex appeal of Miaow's form or the solidness of his shortstack Nixe. "Not yet, but I have been working on a target with a br-brother." Flexing his fists, Kaz could feel how much more solid he was now. He might have made a bit of a tall beanpole of a woman, but he sensed violence—and swung a fist at Robin.

The punch came fast and strong, Robin tried to block it and felt a crunch in her arm. "There you go! Come on, more!" By the time she'd drawn her arm back to return the favor, the bones were reknit.

Kaz spent too much time dodging, he realized after a few more exchanges. Robin blocked more than dodged, and despite him feeling bones break several times, she was always swinging back again quickly. Wanting to test out the regeneration of a Redcap, on her next swing, he used his forearm to block it—and felt the shot of pain/adrenaline mix as both bones snapped.

Seeing Kaz start to fight properly, start to embrace the violence, made Robin's blood run red-hot. She started swinging blindly, taking hits from him as well as giving back. Pain blossomed again and again, she gave as good as she received, and it made her feel alive.

All the while, getting beaten and giving a beating, Kaz started to fall in line with Robin's movements. When she shifted one way, he moved in a different way that let him shrug her blow off and come in with his own.

It became like a dance. The pair of them moving around, responding with flowing movements to each other's slightest adjustment. Their fists rained blows upon the other, noses, jaws, ribs, and arms were broken almost as often as fingers.

Blood splattered the concrete in so many places that it became meaningless. Their footing should have been compromised, but even that added to their dance.

At last, though, Robin had to step back. The movement stole Kaz of his momentum—just as she intended. Her heart was pounding and her blood roared in her ears. She wanted more. She needed more. "Kaz, that's enough!"

The words—so different to their voices, joined in grunts of pain and exertion—startled Kaz from his dance and he blinked and lowered his fists. "What?"

"It's past midnight and I know you have school." Stepping back toward Kaz, one hand offered open and palm sideways, Robin gripped his hand and pulled him close for a hug. "That was amazing."

Kaz found himself needing the hug. It brought him back to reality and slowed his fight-or-flight response that was entirely that of a Redcap. "Y-Yeah. I've never felt so alive."

They were words that sang to Robin's heart. It took every ounce of the self-control she had left after stopping the fight to not kiss him, to not beg him for a night together doing more than punching. It hurt, and the pain wouldn't be fixed by regeneration. "It's been good, Kaz. I need a break, though. Next week?"

"Yeah." Kaz got halfway back to his car before he remembered what he was currently in the form of—shrugged and drove home as a Redcap.

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This story is released under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license. If you are paying money to see this or the original creator, Damaged, is not credited, you are viewing a plagiarized copy of the story.