Forever Etched

Chapter 2 Masters Morning

The sun peered through the curtains of Ariels expansive guest bedroom. Challery always loved the feeling her friends house gave. It was magical, mystical and smelled like a river or forest. Plus the hues of green really helped to give her that cosy vibe. There were eight bedrooms for each member of her family, an amazing gaming room, a massive and modern library and a 2030 themed mini cinema. The family was well off and maintained their wealth with the chain of tech businesses Ariel's dad owned.
"Wakey, wakey sleep head," Ariel rubbed her tail as she purred up against Challery's leg. The feeling of the fur tickled and jumped Challery complety. Ariel quickly decided to shapeshift and jumped back into human form.
"Hey bestie. What are we eating this morning? Pancakes or you're in a mouse hunting mood? I could never tell..." Challery said in a croaky voice looking under the orange lamp shade for her glasses.
Ariel was also bipolar. They talked about everything under the sun and always had from the time they were four-years-old. Even when she found her soulmate and accessed her powers she was still an amazing friend to Challery.
"Ha. Ha. Very funny. We'll get some blueberry pancakes and if you feel to eat cat food sure," Ariel teased back.
"No way!" Challery tossed a pillow at Ariel who nabbed it mid air with her pretty pink paws. What was funny to see was the fact that her amber nailpolish stayed on even in her cat form and made her look quite like an artsy sophisticat.
"Goodmorning you two. Someone said catfood?" A grey and brown tiger cat stalked into the bedroom licking itself then darted towards Ariel.
Ariel's  boyfriend Jasper was full of himself. He started to kiss and pet Ariel in a loving way.
"I heard you have a big day today CM. Hopefully you find Mr perfect in NY," he said with his gold chain dangling around his neck.
"I would really love that. But you know to seize a day a girl must first prepare face for it. Imma go take a shower."
The cats didn't seem to take notice of Challery as they playfully nipped and knawed at each other. Little sparks of fire came up on the carpet and floated up towards the high ceiling like pink dust. Which always reminded Challery of frosting for some reason. The smell lingered in the air and then seemed to vanish.
Everything in Ariel's guest bathroom was ocean themed. Which Challery found interested because she always spoke of this fear of large expansive bodies of water. Ariel lost her abilitity to shape shift as a fish after she made out with a boyfriend before finding Jasper. She one time explained to Challery that the power will comeback but upon the birth of their first child. However, she could still shape shift into many other animals. Challery hopped out of the warm shower and made her way back down the wide hallway. Everything with Ariel's family home was so big and wide. High and bright. It was almost like spending the night at a hotel.
By the time Challery got down to the kitchen Ariel's entire family was there-all in human form. Tall brolic Jasper rocking an amazing ocean blue shirt which went well with his sky blue eyes, Ariel's triplet sisters Asha, Ashley and Asé who looked like Indian models with their chestnut brown eyes, her younger brother Aden and her parents Mr and Mrs Low. Their family seemed huge but the house always had a quiet to it. There was a low buzz of chatter and some jazz music played on a LCD player above the counter top. Jasper helped himself and Aden to a glass of milk. The triplets shared pistachio flavoured scones  and Challery helped with the fruits. Mrs Low got around to plating everyone with chunky bits of bacon, burger and beef. While her husband sat on a bar stool reading the paper from Monday.
Breakfast was a real scene. Later the girls retired to Ariel's room. It was difficult to get rid of Jasper who was always poking his head around the door but then mumbled something about having to fix his dirtbike. He moved in with the Lows since laying eyes on his beautiful Ariel who also claimed that she couldn't live with out her lifeline. They both carried a paw-scratch on the tip of their ears. A mark that they cherished.
"So what do you really have to prepare today?" Ariel asked as she undid her dark brown ponytail.
"Well, the school sent the ticket to NewYork. I got it in my email this morning at breakfast. So all that's left is packing for the two years  I'll be there and looking for places of interest."
"Okay that means we're going shopping then."
"Uggh do we have too?" Challery was in a chill mood she felt like spending her day off from MMedia by daydreaming about her soul mate and reading up on the multiverse.
"Like duh we have to CM. This is a big step for you. Besides I really want you to see this store that the triplets opened downtown. Tripple A have been doing really well."
"I guess." Challery played modest around her super rich friend who never allowed her to.
Challery saved up to pay for her Masters over the last three years and never bothered to ask her dad for anything.
"I'll text the driver to pick us up for 10," Ariel said looking out the window towards LakeCity. 
"Let's play Cat-Catcher," Ariel said playfully.
"Girl, we haven't played that in a minute."
"Come on its easy and it will help you sharpen you're powers. I'll shapeshift and you'll try to shock me."
"I don't know Ari!"
"Shh! It'll take five minutes."
With that Ariel was back into cat form.
Challery pointed at the cat and tiny electric shocks flew into the atmosphere.
Challery jumped all around the place hiding and jabbing at the electrical currents.
The driver beeped the horn below.
"Come on let's go. Its time to shop for school, Ariel said.
"I call this the Masters Morning!"