***
You've probably seen plenty of situations where the underdog is befriended by the class hotshot who sticks up for him, right? No? Please keep reading.
For example, a hotshot who, in certain situations, saves the underdog and makes him his only real friend. Do you recall anything similar in books or on T.V.? Maybe?
Hmm, okay, another example? The hotshot of the school is crazy famous but truly lonely deep down while hiding his bunny costume fetish. But the underdog discovers the hotshot's secret and reveals to him his obsession for decorating miniature houses. So they both end up sharing a secret while developing a friendship on common ground. Sound familiar yet?
Finally, ring a bell? Does it? Excellent, because that isn't the situation here. Sorry.
I am already destined to be the underdog in this story, and Marcus, poor, poor Marcus, is barely brave enough to go to the toilet on his own. So much for my chance at a hotshot buddy.
***
"Uh, yes... yes, ma'am."
Marcus's response was timid, and I could tell by the way his eyes shifted behind his glasses, glancing around the room and then to the floor, that this kid had probably seen the inside of a locker more than the underside of a woman.
"Perfect, Ceil Jankins, meet one of your new housemates. This is Marcus," Alma pointed out.
I nodded at the kid cause that's what he was, a kid, maybe 19, 20? Even though I was only four years older, he had the demeanor of someone much younger.
"Since that is settled, Marcus, what did you need, dear?" Cora asked him gently as she stood up and walked over to the door.
"F-final exam re-take," he said hesitantly, handing her a vanilla envelope almost crumpled to pieces from his nervous grasp.
"Oh! Wonderful, I will take a look at it and let Lucious know sometime later today. I hope you pass this time, Marcus. It's such a shame to keep taking it, you know?"
I looked at Cora and almost blurted, "13th time!" but instead sat silently in awe that someone was worse than me at taking tests.
"Yes, Ms. De...valley," he responded, nodding at the floor.
"Alright, now, if you don't mind waiting outside for a moment, I will have you escort Mr. Jankins around. First, he will need to know where the basic classes are and where the dorm is located."
Marcus nodded quickly and glanced at me before shutting the door. That glance was pitiful. He barely looked at my knees.
"Ciel, please take this," Cora said, walking over to a bookshelf behind the sofa and retrieving a small box.
"It's a Demonizer ring. It will size itself to your finger and can't come off unless you remove the finger or it recognizes you have reached the first stage of Grand Master."
"Unless I remove my finger?"
Alma smiled wickedly and nodded, saying, "Yes, and if things don't work out, I will be the one removing it for you."
Cora huffed, "Oh, Alma, you've only ever had to do that a few times. I am sure Mr. Jankins will be fine," she continued, looking at me, "Anyhow, the ring will hide that you are human around most demons. It can give you a set of horns and a tail if you picture them in your mind and mask your human scent. Just make sure that you eat also. Demons, as you already know, will mimic human behaviors, but we don't get colds, and our stomachs don't growl."
I sighed. This was a lot more than I thought I was getting into.
I waited a moment, looking at the ring before Rose urged, "Put it on, Master. Rose thinks it will look very nice!"
Her smile forced me to do it, so I slid it over my middle finger on my right hand. It was gold with a very red stone. Seeing it made me tempted to pull some kind of superhero move from a movie I'd seen.
It sized itself exactly as Cora said. It wasn't too snug and not too loose.
"Now try thinking of demon horns, like Rose's," Cora suggested.
Rose had hers out, and they were magnificent, so I closed my eyes and envisioned spirally large pointy sharp horns coming out of my head.
I didn't know if I should have expected to feel something, but when I heard all three of them start laughing, I opened my eyes and asked, suddenly worried, "What? What's so funny?"
"Oh, Master, they're so cute! You have baby horns! Awe, Rose loves them!"
I reached up, feeling nothing there at first, but then I felt them and yelled, "I don't have horns! I have nubs!"
The Director of Hell snickered, "Oh, they're horns, just tiny ones. Here, allow me to help," she said, laughing before getting a mirror off Cora's desk.
My hair is pitch black, so I didn't see anything at first, but the moment I took the small mirror and tilted my head, I could see them. Small, smooth horns, like little cones protruding from between my hair. That is NOT what I had envisioned at all!
"What the HELL!? That's not what I pictured!"
Alma laughed, and Cora sighed, saying, "The ring never seems to work quite right. However, the important thing is you appear to others as a demon. Now, maybe the tail will be a different story?"
I disappointedly shook my head as I eyed the small little horns in the hand mirror. They made me feel as inadequate. I was hoping for a free ego boost. Big horns must mean something, right?
Taking a deep breath, I set the mirror down, defeated, and asked Rose, "Can I see your tail again, please?"
Rose smiled and stood just a moment before her long sleek devil's tail sprouted out under the short uniform skirt.
"Thank you, Rose," I said before tearing my eyes away from the curvaceous cheeks peeking out too.
Closing my eyes again, I envisioned a thicker tail almost as long as Rose's. However, I didn't want it to be too long or too short, just proportionate.
Again, I felt nothing but the Academy Director whisper, "Oh my," while Alma, the Director of Hell, gasped.
"MASTER! Your tail is so BIG!" Rose shouted, making me open my eyes and immediately stand.
It wasn't a problem trying to see it. The thing was something similar you'd see on prehistoric reptiles! Black and slightly scaly, the thick base part that I could feel with my hands coming out from the top of my now ripped pants made it hard to sit back down. I had to lean forward practically. The thing wasn't long either but short with a tip ten times smaller than Rose's.
Cora stood and came over for a closer look,
"Well, the positive side is your academy uniform will be adjustable, but dear, be careful where you put that thing. It's substantial for a tail."
"Large? I look like your friendly singing dinosaur! How did this happen? It's nothing like I imagined," I said, exasperated while responding to Cora.
"It's okay, Master. Everyone's tail is different! I like your tail and your baby horns!"
I was so embarrassed, but when the Directo of Hell casually asked, "You know what they say about big tails, don't you?" I grinned, suddenly not feeling so bad.
"Not that I think it applies to you, Ceil Jankins. Regardless, to get rid of it and the horns, just do the opposite, envision them gone. Also, there is a uniform in Cora's supply closet. Get changed and go with Marcus. I have things to do."