10 Minute Tales

Jun 3

Eventually, Felicia tired of the television. She got up and switched it off, striding over to her bedroom with a yawn. One last glance at the flower reassured her that it was healthy, so she switched the light off and threw herself into bed. Sleep came quickly, a wonderful change of pace, but her dream was unusual. She stood in a large field with gentle hills. Flowers covered them as far as she could see; she could spot plenty of Cinniúi flowers, but there was every other type of flower she could think of, and many she didn't recognise. She wandered through this place, looking around in wonder. The dream was unusually realistic. She could feel the gentle drift of the wind through her short, auburn hair. She could feel the plants brushing gently against her legs, smell their beautiful fragrance. She was enraptured. She knelt to look at a particularly large flower, a rich blue Cinniúi. It had a particularly potent fragrance, one that enticed her, made her reach out for it. She stopped when she saw her own hand, though; where once she had fair, untanned skin, now laid a deep emerald colour. She recoiled her hand, looking at herself. It wasn't just the hand; her whole body was changing colour! Her breathing sped up as she started to panic, rubbing at the colour in a vain attempt to get rid of it.

"You can relax, sweetie." a voice chuckled to her. She spun quickly. Towering above her was a massive woman, her skin a brighter green than Felicia's. Long, blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders and hung just below her breasts. "This is who you're meant to be."

"I'm not ready for this!" she whimpered.

"My dear, if you weren't, you wouldn't be changing at all." Felicia tried to say something else, but her tongue was extending out of her head, becoming a long, leafy vine. She stumbled backwards, tripped and fell. Looking down at her legs in panic, she saw they were fusing together, becoming almost... a stem. She could see the flowers parting around her, leaving space enough for her own, ever-growing flower that stretched out from where her ankles once were. This flower, her flower, was a brilliant pink. Her breathing grew faster as she looked up at the giantess before her. To her own surprise, her panic was fading. The woman was no longer terrifying, but... soothing. Calming. She was meant to be there, as was Felicia herself. She stood up, a fluid motion she would never have been able to do with her old self. The giantess nodded and smiled.

"I... I'm not ready yet." Felicia corrected herself.

"Not yet." the giantess agreed. "But soon."

-----

She awoke with a gasp, sitting up wildly. A hand flew to her chest, clutching her pyjamas as she breathed wildly, taking a moment to realise where she was. She was still in her flat. She looked at her arm quickly. What little sunlight there was showed that she was still herself. She sighed in relief, shoulders drooping as her panic gave way to exhaustion. She let herself roll onto her back, her head hitting the pillow as she closed her eyes again. What was that? A nightmare? But she didn't feel scared by it. Her dream-self had embraced the change, even though it had robbed her of everything that she was. She wouldn't have enjoyed that. She sighed quietly as she rolled onto her side, intending to go back to sleep. Her alarm rang in but a moment, making her flinch in surprise. She groaned and sat up again, slower this time, and swung out of bed. One sleepy hand fumbled at the alarm, switching it off. Her morning routine was no different; shower, breakfast, teeth, dressed... she realised that it had to be different soon. The flower had drunk a lot of the water, so it would need topping up. She frowned as the dream came back to her memory. She usually forgot dreams before she had breakfast, her head quickly filled with thoughts of the business before her. Today, though, the dream stayed with her, as welcome as a weed and as ready to choke the life from her thoughts. She hadn't dreamt that vividly since the flower had come to her home... come to think of it, the story the florist had spun her seemed just as dubious. No doubt he stocked them regularly, spinning that story about fate to secure the sale. She huffed, annoyed now as she poured some more water for the flower. She'd have to work, but she would remember to go back to the florist. She had questions, and for the first time in years, she knew she would get the answers.

-----

I didn't know she had left the building until she triggered one of my sensors. It looked like a simple page of a nondescript newspaper, but I had used some arcane ink from the Keepers to write a simple tracking charm on it. I looked down as the crystal rang, quickly swinging my scope to look at the paper far below. Sure enough, she was walking out of her apartment, swinging the gate closed almost angrily. This surprised me; she was such a calm, meek person last night. Why was she acting like this? I held up the communication crystal.

"White Mask here." I announced. "Target is on the move, but she's demonstrating unusual anger. No discernable reason yet." I moved the scope up, looking into her kitchen again. "Cinniúi flower still present in her apartment, she isn't taking it with her yet."

"Follow her." my boss replied. Her voice, as smooth and beautiful as it was, was enough to set me on edge. She only spoke for the most important of causes.

"Following." I replied, pocketing the crystal and swinging the rifle onto my back. Now I knew where she was, it would be easy to track her. I took a running jump and sailed from one building to the next, crossing over her head quickly and easily. She wouldn't spot me. She wasn't attuned enough. I glanced at her room again, at the slight blob of pink within it. She wasn't attuned enough yet.