Chapter 2: "Now, from the top. And remember, posture counts!"

Three weeks ago I had been a normal person in a normal world.  I had moved out of my parents' house half a year earlier and worked a menial retail job at a soulless megacorporation.  I won't tell you the name of the store, but you've probably shopped there at least once in your life.  I was being ground down by the responsibilities of adulthood, and all my high school dreams and aspirations had disappeared.  On a typical day I got up, showered, went to work, spent 4 to 8 hours doing a job I loathed, went home, watched some anime, then went to sleep.

I hated it, but I didn't see a way out.  I spent all my time earning money to pay off my bills, and by the time I was done with work for the day I was too exhausted to do anything else.

And then one day, sitting in my car, staring through the windshield at the far wall of my garage, I made a wish.  I didn't expect anything to happen because of it, but I felt the urge to make it anyways.

Of course, if I'd known what the wish was going to set in motion, I might have seriously reconsidered making it.

"I wish that something would happen to kick me out of this rut.  Anything.  I want to live a different life, in a different place.  I want to be a different person.  I want to go somewhere they don't have cars or car payments or mortgages.  Somewhere my unique abilities are needed." 

I snorted.  "Hell, I'll settle for somewhere I actually *have* unique abilities."

My eye happened on an anime DVD case I'd left in the car.

"Something like that show," I continued.  "A magic academy where I'm the special chosen one with powers unseen since ancient times, summoned by a teenage witch just coming into her powers."

Unbidden, words came to me. I had never heard them before in my entire life, but I spoke them without hesitation.  "I invoke the threefold pact, in accordance with the rules imposed by the Order Triune.  Let my soul inhabit your world, let my body be reborn, and let my heart sing with joy as I become yours.  I forfeit my life as myself, to be molded as you wish."

I felt a sharp pang of terror at the thought of being molded by some unknown entity, but whatever compulsion had gripped me hadn't ended yet and I could only stare at the garage wall in horror as my mouth concluded, "Let the pact be sealed."

And then I was somewhere else.  I stood in a circle of light.  Beyond that was darkness.  A doctor stepped into the light.  Well, I assumed he was a doctor.  He wore a lab coat over a dress shirt and had a stethoscope draped around his shoulders.  He smiled cordially at me.  "And how are you doing today?" he asked. 

I stared at him.  Was he addressing me? 

"Well, that's all right," he said, not waiting for a response.  "You won't remember this conversation anyways."  From nowhere he produced a glowing gold ring about half a foot in diameter and moved to place it on my head.

My hand shot out and grabbed the doctor's wrist before he could complete that action. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I yelled.  The doctor jumped in fright and tried to pull away, but I had his wrist in a vice grip and refused to let go. 

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"You're- you're aware?!" he blurted.

"Damn right I'm aware!  And you're not wiping *any* of my memories!"

The doctor pulled some more, but he wasn't very strong and I refused to let go.

"This isn't right!" he said in a panic.  "You shouldn't be doing this!  Just let me put this control spell on you and you can go!"

"Like hell I will!" I yelled, furious.  "I am nobody's bitch!"

**STOP.**

A deep and powerful voice called out, more felt than heard.  The doctor and I both froze in place.

**Stand back, weak one.  I shall handle it from here.**

The doctor yanked his arm away from me and backed away, bowing as he went. 

"Of course, your mightiness. Thank you, thank you for assisting this unworthy one."

**Yes, yes.  Now go.**

The doctor backed past the edge of the light and disappeared in the darkness beyond.

**You provide an interesting challenge, little one** the voice said.  **You have been summoned, and you accepted the summons.  The words you spoke were very clear.  You promised to give yourself over to us, to use as we see fit.**

I snorted.  "Like hell.  Those weren't my words.  I never made that promise.  That was somebody else speaking through me.  Hell, near the end I even tried to stop, but you assclowns wouldn't let me!"

There was a pause.

**Nonetheless, you made the vow, and you must honor it.**

A glowing ring appeared in the air in front of me.

**Put it on.**

I felt a compulsion to do as the voice said.  After all, it wasn't that big a deal, right?  Just one little ring on my head, then all my problems would be gone, and I could obey somebody else.  Wouldn't that be nice?  I wouldn't have to worry about thinking for myself ever again.

I felt my hand twitch and start to reach for the ring.  I jerked my hand back to my side.

"Never!" I yelled.

**YOU WILL PUT IT ON!**

The mental pressure became an onslaught; a torrent of subtle persuasions and direct commands.  I tried to keep my arm at my side, but I found my hand drifting to the glowing ring.

**Yes, that's it...**

I reached deep within myself and called on reserves of willpower I didn't know I had.

**I REFUSE!** I yelled with my voice and my mind together.  As I did, the ring dimmed and the mental pressure diminished.

**WHAT?! NO!**

**I REFUSE!** I yelled again.  The ring dimmed again and the mental pressure was almost gone.

**STOP THAT!** the voice bellowed in a panic.

**I REFUSE!** I yelled for a third time.  Something inside me wrenched free. I could feel the magic around me.  I felt the summoning spell that had originally called me here, straining against invisible bindings that prevented it from completing its mission.  I flexed my mental muscles and the binding dissolved, catapulting me into a completely new world.

As I flew through time and space, I swore I could hear a faint **NOOOOOOOOOOOO!** from somewhere behind me.