Vylt: The New Dawn

Chapter 8: The Magic Training Begins

My sleep was disturbed by a rumbling noise. I rolled over as much as my wings let me and opened my eyes to see Allison staring at the window. I couldn't tell if she was sad or simply lost in thought. The angle didn't let me see. Looking at the window myself, I noticed it was still somewhat early. Probably just past noon.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, getting her attention.

"Hey, little one," she cooed. "How are you feeling? Is the pain gone?"

Oh right, that happens when I sleep.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

It's faint enough, anyway.

She sighed. "I'm glad. They told me you'd be okay, but you squirmed a lot and didn't wake up at all. I was worried they were wrong."

"Don't worry, they know their stuff. It was rather nice to fall asleep peacefully for a change." A second grumbling made Allison's hunger clear. "Shall we go eat something?" I suggested while stretching. I didn't know how long it had been since I fell asleep, but I felt hungry too.

She nodded and lifted me from her lap. I was disappointed when she continued holding me instead of placing me on the floor. She sat me on her left arm as she opened the door, and I instinctively held onto her shoulder to avoid falling.

"I can walk, you know," I protested.

Allison giggled and used her right arm to secure me after exiting her room. "You're simply too cute to let you go!" Noticing my discomfort, she smiled and added, "It's also faster if we go like this."

I could only pout at her. Teasing aside, she had a point. Given our clear size difference, there was no way I'd be able to keep up with her on foot unless I ran, and I preferred to avoid any unnecessary pain. Although that didn't make being carried around like a baby any less embarrassing.

Dr. Blake was the only one at the table when we arrived. Once we were close enough, he stopped eating and stood up to introduce himself. He welcomed Allison to her new home as she finally set me free. Anna and Lily arrived shortly after, showing how nice our timing had been. With the four of us ready, we went to get our food.

It didn't take long for Allison to find the first complications that came from being a giant outside of her room. For starters, she had to sit on the floor so the table was within decent reach. Not that there were any chairs big enough for her in the cafeteria. Then, since the special sized dishes and silverware they ordered for her hadn't arrived yet, they had to improvise by giving her kitchen tools like a carving fork and a serving spoon. The kitchen staff didn't look too happy about sharing those.

Getting clothes was an even bigger issue. The giant gown she wore was only a temporary solution after all. Fortunately, it was long enough to reach her ankles, preventing anyone from getting a free glimpse from below. In fact, it looked more like a plain long dress than a typical hospital gown like mine. Despite the inconveniences her new size brought her, she never stopped smiling and even joked about it whenever she got the chance.

After lunch, Dr. Blake returned to his office as usual, whilst the rest of us were left free to do anything we wanted. Because of this, Anna suggested going outside to show us the latest project they had been working on.

Walking out to the back of the building, we were met with a huge terrace full of wooden furniture that matched perfectly with the surrounding forest. It was entirely fenced except for a section in the middle. This opening connected to a wide flagstone path that led to the forest. It was as if we were suddenly transported to a resort.

We walked along that path as Anna explained that Dr. Blake had decided to revamp the place so it could be much more than just an investigation centre. After what happened with Lily, he wanted to give us a place where we could feel at home and protected. Because of that, once he was given the green light, he dedicated an important percentage of his income to make the place friendlier for those who no longer had a place to go back to. It made me wonder how much the government paid them.