Cat to the student

PART 3: Friends?

I wake up, Mokka also conveniently gets up the same time as me.

Her movement causes me to fall of the bed. 

Ow, well, i'm still good.

"Good morning."

"Rise and shine, Evan, today is my assignment! If I fail this, I probably won't go to the next year..."

She seems genuinely nervous. Well, she also wants to get me back home, and I accepted her deal, i'll help her.

"Its ok, Mokka, i'll do what I can. So, what do I have to do?"

"Just do as I say, ok? Familiars are graded based on the animal, their physical condition and their obedience, and I think a cat will get me a passing grade for the animal, its up to me to keep you in a healthy condition, but the obedience is to you."

"Alright, i'll behave and listen to you while i'm like this. Just remember that this is not permanent!"

"Yes, I know, after I send you back, i'll summon a normal cat familiar and no one will ever know it was you."

I nod. She gets her dress and hat on and crouches to me, pulling out her wand.

"Oh, and before we go, i'll have to do this."

A ray from the wand hits me and suddenly I feel like I lost my ability to speak.

"I can't have my familiar talking, that would mean I used magic on my familiar, and that is cheating!"

I try to object, but all that comes out of me is a soft, helpless "Meow...".

Dammit! Now i'm back to just meowing and hissing, unable to speak a single word.

She picks me up and heads for the door.

"I also have to do some classes before my assignment, so you will have to sit through those while I follow my lessons with my classmates, who all probably succeeded and have a real familiar. But there is nothing to worry about, just stay put until you have to come up, and you will be ok. Now lets go to class!"

I give her a wink to show that I got it.

Still, being a cat feels... strange. 

I never had a cat or any pet of my own, and i'm very uncertain about the coming situation.

Me, all alone with only Mokka by my side, between real magic animals and other people I don't know, and all while i'm a cat.

I never anticipated a situation like this.

Its just a day, Evan, just play along, and all will be back to normal.

Mokka's confidence is there, and I just hope it is not misplaced. 

All I can do now is stay put in her arms and hope for the best.

She is walking through the hall again, just like yesterday. This time its less crowded. And more silent too.

I wonder what Mokka's classmates are like...

Suddenly I hear that someone is running. Behind us.

"Hi Mokka!"

A girl looking almost identical to Mokka runs up to us. the only difference is that she is wearing bright yellow clothes instead of brown ones. Instead of beads, she has ornaments shaped like the sun dangling of her hat.

"Oh, hi Sunny, coming with me to class?"

A friend of Mokka's? And she is nearly identical, just... Yellow. Sunny, huh?

"Yes! And check this out!" 

She whistles and extends her hand pointing her finger.

Suddenly, a little green parakeet comes flying in and lands on the finger she is pointing with.

"This is my familiar!" She says, beaming with pride.

"What is yours? You did summon one yesterday, right?"

"Cool parakeet, Sunny! Well, I have this little gray cat here as my familiar."

She comes to me. 

Oh great, here comes the moment of truth. Sunny just showed of her little parakeet, just a little bird, but she acts like its the cure for cancer. And then there is me, just a plain grey cat.

Lets hope this won't get too messy. Is what I think as she looks at me.

"Oh. My. GOODNESS! That is so cute!" 

Sunny grabs me from Mokka with force and starts cradling me in her arms, fast, it feels like a rollercoaster that never ends.

"Who's a good kitty? Who's a really good kitty? You are! You are!"

She flips me over and pets me over my white belly.

Oh no, this is completely not what I expected! I'm being bombarded with hyperactive affection!

Sunny is completely overjoyed!

I try to endure the overwhelming attention from her, but its a lot to handle.

Mokka steps in an grabs me back.

"Sunny! Calm down! My familiar is still very shy, ok? Its only really comfortable with me."

I close eyes and purr to blend in with the statement.

Phew, back in Mokka's care. That was intense.

Purring to blend in seems to have worked for now. It scares me how good I can act like i'm a cat in this form.

Oh, ok, Mokka, i'll stay calm. But you can't deny your familiar is absolutely cute!"

"I know, Sunny, I know, now lets get to class, we can't be the last ones, that is bad for our reputation among the teachers."

And so they walk of, me in Mokka's arms and the little green parakeet on Sunny's shoulder.

Wow, Mokka has a wild friend, and there is an entire class of friends?

I better brace for the other friends they have.