At early as seven in the morning, Alexander and Marcus set out to S S A T, with their bags crossed on their necks and a brown local jar of water. Their heads were wrapped up with some fine robes with lots of goodies trapped in another bag they planned on giving the shape-shifters.
"Hold on Marcus, do you really have any experience with shape-shifters because I'm nervous." Alexander asked, his curiosity picked.
"Alexander.... " Marcus smiled.
"You worry too much. I don't really have any experience per day, but I've encountered one or two of them. One thing I know is that they can transfer to anything you can think of including a tiny butterfly."
"Wow!"
"Of course, so anything you don't like, just whisper it to me silently without making a noise because they might be the fly that perches during two conversations and once they get angry, we will definitely go in for it, so please." Marcus begged, knowing how forward his friend could be.
Alexander exhaled, shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, I can do anything as long as they are able to make us shift, you know?"
Marcus nodded.
Like for us to get into Vipers Academy, maybe as a butterfly or probably taking the appearance of a student there already, so we can easily find out their requirements, come back, raise the money, then return to our normal selves just like the magician said, at least by this time, no one would question us because they already have our details.
Alexander explained, his eyes keen on the target.
"Honestly, it's really overwhelming to see that even Vampires who are their students still have to pay first before stepping their foot into school, what the heck?." Marcus complained, as both dragged their feet.
"Just imagine, I heard you just have to log onto the school website, look at it, pay all the necessary bills, then register to get your printable ID before you can be allowed to enter the school. The protocols are really too many," Alex grumbled.
Marcus added,
"That's not even the case, you need connections to get to Vipers Academy, or magic, according to history, because it's a rare school.
"Hmm! You're right, if it wasn't for the fact that I really want to experience and be among my kind and, most importantly, find true love, I would have just stayed back with my school mother, but it's fine,"he took a deep breath, "we are already going, let just keep going."
Alex shrugged again."
They got to a tree, vertically gifted. Its branches spread apart like a roof. The leaves were dry as the stem made a weird, sinister sound. Both withdrew back a little.
"What could that be?" Marcus asked.
"I should be the one asking you. I just pray it's our prey. I am hungry already, I need to eat."
"That's all you know. Eat! eat !!eat!!! We have something to deal with and all you say is food? Alex, are you really being serious right now?"
"It's okay Marcus, there's no reason to fight, we are in this together."
"The magician gave us a map to locate the place. I think it's with you. He equally talked about a tall tree," Alex reminded.
Marcus took out the map from the bag as they both looked through it.
"Wow! We are almost there. That's the tall tree." Marcus said, pointing to the map."
Suddenly, a strong force like a chilly breeze flew through them, the map dropped. Both frantically turned their necks.
"What's that!?" Marcus snapped.
"It's so chill..." Alexander added.
"Hey! Look there, Marcus," he pointed.
"Over there! Do you see that; something keeps changing?
"What's that? I can't see anything."
"Looking for me, a voice said behind them."
They turn to see it's a headless chicken.
"Oh!, a mistake, the chicken said, as it changed into a mermaid in the water close to where they were standing.
They jerked, their eyes opened, as they drew closer.
"Oh no! Not again....., a mistake. Give me a second, I'm coming!!!!!!" It shouted, flapping its tail before changing to an Elephant, then bounced twice.
"Hey!!! " Marcus and Alexander shouted as they fell to the ground.
Finally, it changed to a short fat shape-shifter with a long stick and huge ears. His feet were placed on each other in a resting position. He cuddled the stick in between his hands as he addressed the two visitors.
"Hmm! We don't allow intruders on our boundary, so what are you both doing in S S A T ?."
Both raised their heads from the ground.
"This is fascinating but at the same time painful."
Alex muttered beneath his breath. Marcus heard him.
"Shut...., Remember what we discussed. You shouldn't talk ill about that."
"That's true though."
Are you both ready to talk?
They raised their heads after their silent whispers. "He's gone". They said at the same time.
"No I'm here!." The shape-shifter snapped from behind.
"I'm right here, no I was right there, in the middle of both of you, the fly you saw on the floor while whispering , that was me!"
"Ooops!!," they voiced.
"I heard it, but you're lucky, especially you ." He said, pointing to Alex. "You're glad your friend reprimanded you immediately."
"Now move it, the one and only Trickytee can't be around and peasants will sneak in. Now move it, take this way!" He yelled, directing both of them; anger laced on the line of his expression.
Alex looked at Marcus, both locked eyes.
"What do we do?" Alex whispered.
"Just keep moving, obey him, we are here for something. Don't question him." Marcus bit his lips as he tried to talk to Alex.
While they followed him much deeper into the forest, their hearts held up so much fear. Alexander, on the other hand, couldn't get over the fact that he had actually met creatures that possessed something way beyond human imagination, also like him.
Even while he kept wondering where Trickytee was taking them to, he found the constant urge not to turn back and refused not to continue the journey. As it stood, he was in great need of a life far beyond what seemed to have been orchestrated by his school mother and every other human out there.
"Where do you think he is taking us? Are we safe?" Marcus whispered to him as they continued on their journey.
"I don't know. But I'm ready to find out." Alexander responded, his eyes not leaving the shape-shifter. He heard Marcus let out a sigh. "Don't tell me you're suddenly scared? Are you thinking of backing out now?" He opened up and asked him. Marcus was forced to take a quick stop and stare at his new-found friend in great surprise.
"Come on, let's go. We don't want to miss him." Alexander chuckled amidst his words as he watched his friend. And Marcus did as he was told and followed him.
"Tell me, why did you have to stare at me like that?"
"Because you said the unthinkable!" Marcus almost screamed.
"I'm sorry. But I just wanted to be sure because you equally sounded like someone who was scared." Alexander responded.
"I know I -"
"Hold on." Alexander stopped him from speaking immediately. His hands set out in a pause. Marcus also stopped like him in movement.
"Where did he go?" He asked as his eyes roamed around the forest, searching for the shape-shifter who had been right in front of them, leading them.
"Oh, shit! He was right there in front of us. Where did he suddenly go?" Marcus opened up, a sudden confusion and fear washed up in his voice.
Immediately, Alexander let out a loud, angry scream. Not just his voice, but the anger which was eminent in his voice had a full effect on the trees as they shook with full force.
"If you hadn't distracted me with a conversation, we wouldn't have lost him." He turned towards Marcus, as he yelled.
"Wait, what? You're going to pin this on me?" Marcus asked in amazement.
"It's all your fault!" Alexander yelled again as he turned around aimlessly, his hands traveling from his head down to his face.
A sudden wave of silence engulfed both of them as they stood, turning around in a bid to search for the shape shifter who had just unexpectedly disappeared.
Alexander was angered, but still, he was so determined to find the shape-shifter. There was no way he could let his chance of a better life slip through him.
"Both of you are quite the loud type of all the people who I've encountered on this journey." They suddenly heard and stopped on their track.
"What did you say?" Alexander turned to Marcus, wearing a quizzical look on his face.
Marcus, on the other hand, shook his head negatively, signaling to him that he wasn't the culprit as he must be thinking.
"Look below, idiots." They heard a hiss this time, and did as instructed.
"Oh, God." Both of them took a quick jump backwards, with horror bedridden on their faces.
The snake let out an unusual loud hiss as it crawled closer to them.
"Did this snake just ask that a few seconds ago?" Alexander asked as it pointed towards it, still taking slow steps backwards in disbelief.
"As you can see, it was," Marcus responded. "We're in the land of shapeshifters afterall."
"Hey, you. Listen." Suddenly, dear Alexander summoned courage to speak out. His voice came out rather serious and ice-cold. "I think it's time you quit changing into different things or forms and let's get down to business. We get you're a shape-shifter. It's no longer necessary to make a clear point about that," he said again.
Immediately, Marcus ran to his side and pinched his hands, trying to bring his friend back to his senses.
"I'm fully aware of what I said, don't peel off my skin." He gritted as he spoke back, while turning to look at Marcus.
"Well, I think you're forgetting the fact that we came here for something important, and to get that, we need to paint ourselves the best human there is out there." Marcus whispered.
Alexander, on the other hand, seemed more stubborn than anyone could imagine as he maintained his Stoic expression.
"I can see you have a sharp tongue." The shape-shifter, still taking comfort in the form of a snake, opened up. "But, let's see how far that can get you." it said.
The both of them turned to look at each other in wonder at what he meant by such a statement which he had just made.
However, before they could make a turn back towards the snake, it was quick enough to fly its way towards Alexander, aiming to feed its poisonous venom into his blood.
"I've always hated snakes." Alexander growled as he caught onto the snake quickly, tightening his grip on its neck, and squeezing hard. However, he managed to keep his inner vampire in check despite being furious.
The snake struggled to free itself from Alex's grip, with its tail wiggling uncontrollably.
"Alex stop." Marcus yelled at him. "You would end up destroying everything. Get a hold of yourself." He begged.
Alexander was too stubborn to listen even at the moment the shape shifter changed back into the form of an old woman.
"Please, my son. Don't kill me." The old woman begged as he kept on squeezing.
"Nonsense. You can't deceive me no more." Alexander spat.
Marcus hit him hard on his hand, but he was just to strong to break his reform.
"You're going to ruin everything you stupid boy. Stop." Marcus continuously hit him as he spoke.
Due to the fact that they were to keep their identity hidden, Marcus couldn't make use of his vampire strength and stop his friend.
"Please. I'm dying." The old woman choked.
Shockingly, Alexander felt his grip on her loosen, and she fell to the ground.
"No. I didn't let you free." Alexander opened up to say in bewilderment.
"Well, I did you stupid boy." Oscar, who was watching them from his mirror said.