Michael's smile widens as he finally creates a stable shield. The spell is spread wide enough to be considered a tower shield, with its oval shape rippling slightly as Michael moves it around himself. Scy and Jamie have been watching Michael's efforts and their eyes are wide as they watch the massive shield hover around their previously mageless friend.

"What the hell- How did you do that?!" Scy questions.

Jamie doesn't say anything, but the both of them are so intent on the oversized shield that they forget the mild changes in Michael's physical appearance. Michael dispels the shield with a smug smile before writing down some things on his notebook for them.

"It was pretty difficult to get it right, but the trick was creating several tendrils of magic connecting my skin to the shield itself." Michael explains proudly.

Jamie shakes his head as he tries the same method, and succeeds. Scy takes a little longer, but he manages to replicate the large shield spell using the method Michael found. Michael is relishing his success when both Scy and Jamie stop casting their spells as if being startled.

"You've created quite the spell, but that's not the spell I taught you, is it?" Professor King says lowly from behind Michael.

Michael whirls around to look at Professor King, and tilts his head side to side as if weighing the lion headed man's words. There's some truth to this being a different spell, but it serves the same purpose. Professor King raises an eyebrow for a moment at Michael's subtle physical changes, but doesn't comment on them.

"You might be right Professor, but it does serve the same purpose." Michael reasons.

Professor King lets out a low chuckle before clapping a hand on Michael's back in a fatherly manner. The large pawlike hand is only briefly touching Michael before Professor King moves away from the group.

"That's true. Just experiment responsibly." Professor King warns.

The other two look at Michael with incredulous expressions before shaking their heads.

"You've got serious balls..." Scy mutters.

"What? I wasn't being unreasonable." Michael replies.

"Most students find Professor King too scary to talk back like that, albeit David does so frequently." Jamie explains.

The three of them glance over at David, who has managed to create a rather dangerous looking shield which shifts and tears itself up constantly. The thing probably takes a lot more magic power than the normal shield, and it looks dangerously volatile.

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"Well Professor King is actually a pretty reasonable guy." Michael shrugs.

The other two frown at that, but neither of them have any reason to believe otherwise beyond rumors and Professor King's intense aura.

The class winds down with almost everyone mastering the shield spell, and some students put their own spin on the spell much like Michael did. The bell toll signals the end of spells class; Professor King reminds them to practice responsibly whilst the students rush out of the classroom toward their next class.

~

"Hm. I don't look that much different."

Michael is closely inspecting his face in the bathroom after spells class, and his subtle change in appearance isn't as obvious as he'd feared. He turns to leave the bathroom when someone else enters, and the two of them collide.

"Sorry-" Michael starts.

"Can it, mageless." David growls.

David is standing there with an irritated scowl on his face, and one hand lifted to channel that terrifying shield spell he created in Professor King's class. The flames are hot and threaten to sear Michael's hair as David brings it closer to him.

There's a moment of shocked silence before Michael leaps back whilst channeling his own magic to create an expansive translucent shield. The large shield spell moves with Michael's mind as he blocks David's flaming shield from coming any closer.

"What? Afraid of a little fire?" David sneers.

"Yes?! Are you insane? You could kill someone!" Michael retorts angrily.

Those words bring a twisted grimace onto David's sharp features, and the boy's signature goat horns sprout from his skull as his unique shield spell grows larger. David growls like a beast whilst stomping forward a few steps; His flaming shield pushes against Michael's own shield.

"I'm sure you know a lot about killing, mageless." David growls lowly.

Michael's spell wavers against David's intense flaming magic, but holds up enough for Michael to stand his ground. Sweat beads on both David and Michael's faces as the heat from the volatile shield turns the bathroom into a sauna.

"What the hell does that mean?!" Michael shouts back.

David's horns lengthen slightly as he summons a ball of flames in one hand whilst maintaining his shield with the other hand. He lifts his arm up menacingly while the ball of fire grows larger by the second. Michael's face pales as he realizes David intends to kill him here and now.

"Enough." Professor King roars.

David's wrist is gripped by Professor King's pawlike hand, and with a rush of humidity the bathroom is dispelled of magic. David's body trembles slightly as Professor King keeps a strong grip on the unruly boy's forearm.

"You've gone too far, David." Professor King growls.

"Whatever. Just fucking expel me already." David snarls back.

Michael isn't sure what to make of David anymore as the boy clearly wants to kill him, yet acts casually when caught red handed. Professor King drops the boy's arm before scowling at him with contempt in his eyes.

"Upside Academy doesn't give up on students that easily, David." Professor King rebuffs him.

David rolls his eyes at the lion headed professor which earns him an animalistic snarl straight from the lion's mouth. Michael can feel the hot breath even from where he stands, and finds the sight of Professor King's huge fangs overwhelming.

"You're coming with me to the headmaster's office." Professor King says.

"Thank you-" Michael says quietly.

"Both of you." Professor King cuts him off.

Michael's eyes widen a bit at Professor King's words. He meekly nods his head as there's no arguing with someone who can dispel all his magic as effortlessly as breathing. David snorts at the exchange which earns him a glare from Professor King.

Professor King carefully grips both boys' wrists before magic power wells up in the three of them. Michael finds the sensation stifling, but he hardly has time to complain as the trio abruptly vanishes in a shower of golden sparks.