Learning to Dress

When I finally woke up again I was surprised to see Doctor Mac standing over me, practically watching me sleep. Unsure of what to do I waved.
“Oh good morning Sophia, ready to start your next big day?” I nodded, what else could I really do after all. “I forgot to make you take one of these yesterday, swallow this pill sweetie.” She placed a pill in my hand, I swallowed it as I was told, I had something on my mind I wanted to ask. I reached for my notebook and began writing on it. “CAN I LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE?” I felt this was a pretty clever idea, surely it would make communication easier.
“It was considered, but management did not feel like it would be that useful if you were the only one who knew it. We can’t expect your future teammates to all have to learn it just for you, now can we?” She actually chuckled at that, I felt like that would be sort of the necessity of working closely with someone who can’t talk, but whatever. Honestly it felt like I was losing my voice in a way, at least for now I have my notebook.
I climbed out of bed, holding my notebook at my side as I looked up at Doctor Mac. She was taller than me obviously, but I have a feeling I’ve lost some height in this new body. “Okay Sophia put your notebook down and then raise your hands up, let’s get you out of this nightdress!” I do as I’m told and place the notebook by my feet and raise my hands up into the air. Doctor Mac slips my nightgown off of me, the first time I’ve seen myself without it since I first woke up. I notice I have bandages wrapped around my chest. Doctor Mac retrieves something from her bag and returns with it. “Okay we got to get the bandages off you, your body should be all settled now.” She begins unwrapping my chest, pulling the wrapping off and balling it up in her hands. She then holds out a bra towards me, “Put this on, let me know if it feels too tight we can adjust it if need be.” I fidget with it, the clasps not seeming to want to snap in right to my annoyance. Doctor Mac comes up behind me and helps me. “They can be a little tricky at first but you’ll get used to it, don't worry.” She spun around, “Now let’s see what we can find in the closet!”
She led me marching over to the closet where she threw the door open and began looking through the clothes inside for what she wanted to put on me. While she is digging around I stare at myself in the mirror hanging off the door. So this is really me now, I place my hand on my cheek looking myself over. My long black hair is so foreign to me, I’ve got a bit of bedhead right now, but I’m sure there has to be a brush somewhere around here. I don’t think I have deaged at all, I still seem to be around sixteen years old I think? I might not be the best judge of girls though, but surely I’m still around the right age. I lean forward admiring my newly acquired freckles, I didn’t have these before, I actually find them quite cute. It’s a weird feeling staring at yourself and finding yourself pretty, in the past I don’t think I ever really thought much of my appearance, perhaps since I look like someone else now I can’t help not viewing it as someone else. I do think I look a bit too skinny, I might be malnourished actually? When was the last time I actually ate something? Surely I had fluid IV stuff in the hospital, but I didn’t eat yesterday for sure, that’s sort of weird isn’t it? Well, Doctor Mac is a doctor, surely she would be on top of that if it was an issue.
Speaking of Doctor Mac, she had found something she liked and was now wiggling her fingers excitedly towards me as she approached, ready to snatch me up. “Look at this jumper skirt Sophia, wouldn’t it look so cute on you! We can layer it with this blouse, oh you’re going to look so cute!” 
There is no place to run, I’m cornered against the door corner as Doctor Mac practically leaps onto me pulling the outfit over me and begins dolling me up. Before I knew it I was wearing it all and Doctor Mac was onto messing with my hair as she chatted to me although one sidedly. “We can’t have you look too good today for your debut, I mean you’re going to look adorable, but your best we save for the future since we don’t wanna everyone thinking they’ve already seen your best.”
I want to ask about what she means by debut and to whom, but I don’t have my notebook. She continues brushing my hair, “Management thinks you’re making really great progress Sophia, really they’re super impressed, that’s why they wanna move up the schedule a little to try and awaken your powers today.” I’m excited about the talk of powers again.
Doctor Mac begins painfully tugging at my hair braiding it, I raise my hand and shake my open palm trying to show it hurts but she doesn’t let up tugging. I really have always taken for granted my voice and the ability to make yourself heard. It’s crazy how easy it is to ignore me now, or maybe that’s just Doctor Mac being so lost in her braiding work she isn’t really paying attention to me.
Doctor Mac ended up tying two small braids in the front, and then two larger ones in the back. She left my hair brushed and loose around her braids, I thought it looked pretty, kinda like a fantasy look maybe. She clapped her hands together, “Now how about we do some makeup? What do you think of that?”
I shook my head, I was done with having to sit around being her doll for now. She did not acknowledge this answer and ended up doing a light eyeshadow as well as a light pink lipstick just along my lips. She tried to do some foundation blending over my freckles but I admittedly fought harder to make myself understood that I liked them. She seemed to like seeing me have a personal stake in my appearance so she backed off.
“Okay Sophia I think we are already! Let’s have you slip into these flats and we can head out!” I did as she said and pulled the shoes on, clicking them together with a sense of amusement. “Your first time leaving the nursery, how exciting! Do a good job and we might be able to move you into a team dorm as soon as the end of tomorrow! So no pressure but also do your best!”
I nodded excitedly as I could. I made sure to grab my notebook before we headed out, tucking it into a bag Dr.Mac had given me. Doctor Mac opened the door and we exited out into the hallway outside. It seemed like there were many rooms like the one I had been in inside the nursery. I thought about pulling out my notebook to ask if there were many nurseries around the world, but didn’t feel like it mattered enough to go to the trouble of stopping and pulling it out.
We continued down the hall until we reached an elevator. Doctor Mac slid a keycard into a scanner and the Up and Down button lit up on the elevator. “Next stop testing area!” She cheered to me, selecting the down button. The elevator arrived with a beep and the doors parted for us. We entered inside as Doctor Mac selected the floor we were headed for. It wasn’t marked “Testing”, it was marked “B2”. I guess she had to memorize all the floors and what was on them. There were a ton of buttons, they went up to 30, so that must mean there are thirty floors, but then there were also Bs and Ts!
The elevator moved, a slight vibration shook through the pod with each floor we passed. The elevator came to a stop, the top of the door flashing “17”.  “Looks like we will have company Sophia, be on your best behavior, kay?” I nod, I’m excited to see another person besides myself and Dr. Mac.
The doors open and two figures are on the other side beginning to step in. Another white coat doctor I imagine is the adult figure, but the slightly shorter figure I imagine is a magical girl! She looks older than me, but not more than a year or two. What stood out about her was that she was covered in bandages, from her head to her every other opening in her clothes. She had very short shorts on, exposing what would be her thighs if it weren't for the bandages. She was wearing a low hanging t-shirt as well, again only showing off more bandages. Maybe she had been really badly injured during a fight with the Spawn! I tried to recognize her as she stepped into the elevator, I suddenly wished I had memorized more than just the biggest names in Magical Girls.
“Morning Davis, taking Miss Tikki here for some check ups?” Doctor Mac said, greeting our new arrivals.
“Yeah, she might be able to finally remove some more bandages, at the very least we can swap out some for cleaner ones.” The male doctor said.
I stare too much at Tikki as she takes notice of me, “Heya kid.” She looked over to Doctor Mac, “She looks brand spanking new, huh?”
Doctor Mac smiled, “We’re on our way now for her to undergo testing to see if we can get her powers to manifest.”
Tikki smiled, or at least her bandages around her mouth bent in a smiling manner. “Good luck kid, knock 'em dead!”
I squeeze my eyes, nodding, changing into a more bow-like motion. I try my best to say thanks. Tikki lets out a snicker of amusement, “Cat got your tongue kid?”
“Apologies Tikki,” Doctor Mac steps in, “Sophia here can’t talk. Mute as they come. If a cat’s got anything it's her vocal cords since she didn’t come out with any.”
“Ah shit kid that sucks!” Tikki responded, patting my shoulder with a bandaged hand. “It’s gonna be cool though, I’m sure it’s only up from here.” She gave me a thumbs up to which I responded with one as well.
The elevator dinged, stopping at “B1”. 
The male doctor shot Doctor Mac finger guns, “That’s us, good luck you two!” Tikki exited the elevator behind him, turning back and doing a sign with her hand. The elevator doors closed and we began moving again. I wish I knew what the sign she did meant, maybe on the side I could be learning sign language even if the management doesn’t think I need it.
“Tikki’s bandages are crazy huh?” Doctor Mac said, “She’s a real powerful Magical Girl actually, S- rank believe it or not. But you just don’t see her on TV very often, it’s really not fair. Her merch exists but it’s few and far between too.” Dr.Mac seemed to be a fan. “Believe it or not she actually was part of Elemental Guardian Vontavia before Bian- I mean Guardian Black, joined and then became the leader.”
I closed my hands and then shot them open trying to mimic a firework to show my surprise and amazement. “Poor girl’s powers come with some..restrictions, so management felt it best for her to not be so on the front line and focus more on smaller battles on lower rank teams.”
I reach for my notebook, finally about to pull it out to ask “Do you have any merch of Tikki before the bandages?” but alas the elevator beeped letting us know we were now finally at “B2”.
“Here we are! Let’s go dazzle the crowds Sophia!” Doctor Mac cheered, marching off out of the elevator. Crowds!? No one ever said anything about crowds! That better be a metaphor or something! I hop out of the elevator trying to keep up with her pace.
We walk down a hall and past a number of doors. We end up passing by an open room of people in lab coats sitting at computers, I wonder just how many people work at the nursery. I then wonder if the nursery wasn’t the whole building but just part of it and I just assumed it was the whole building? We reach a door along another hallway that Doctor Mac stops at, inserting her keycard again and opening the door. It’s not much of a room, just a chair, some computer things, and a floor with lots of markings.
Doctor Mac motions for me to take a seat in the chair, once I’m seated she begins brushing at my hair with her hands, giving me any last touches. “Okay Sophia it’s time, you look great and I totally have faith in your performance today!” She pulled me back up to my feet, “Now stand right here on this marking, it’s a platform so don’t freak out when it starts moving. Just stay in the center and you’ll be just fine, it’s gonna take you to the test room.” She lightly pulls my face to look at hers, “Now I won’t be in the room with you, but I’ll be watching with the other doctors and scientists in another room, so don’t be scared that anyone has abandoned you.”
 I nod showing I understand. I move my feet so that I’m standing centered in the middle of the platform. I give Dr. Mac a thumbs up showing her I’m ready. “You’re going to do so well I just know it! Okay, remember don’t be scared, and believe in yourself!” Doctor Mac steps out of the room leaving me on the platform. I wait for something to happen, assuming it might take a moment for everyone to get into position for whatever this test is. I realize Dr.Mac never told me what it was we were testing or how? All she told me was that it would help awaken my powers, that’s a little scary honestly.
There was a sudden rumble from under me, I almost leapt in fear when it happened before remembering it was a moving platform. I thought it would be rising upward, but instead it was lowering slowly downward. It was a consistent slow descent, but before a minute had passed the floor was at my chest, my shoes standing in another room entirely below the first one.As it lowered more and I began to be more and more in the room below I began hearing a strange sound. A growl? Or perhaps growl doesn’t cover whatever this was, it was a sore throat like moan mixed with a hum? What was in the room below me?
My neck began to pass through the floor level, I could begin to make out general things about the room below. For one it seemed much much taller than the one I had just been in. It was as if I was standing on a tall peak of a hill inside the room, slowly headed towards the ground level. It was bright inside, there were lights and the walls seemed painted light blue with clouds as if we were outside. That seemed charming as a first impression.
The floor passed by my head and I was now fully in the new room. I didn’t leave the center of the platform but I did lean forward to try and see what was below. It went down a fair amount before you got to the ground, and ground it was! There seemed to be grass down there! How fun I thought as I got inches closer. I kept peering down looking for the source of the low humming growl. I was another two feet lower before I noticed something moving below. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small, it seemed larger than me for sure. At this distance I could only really tell that it was bigger than me and very much moving.
The platform lowered another foot, I leaned forward to try and get a better look and almost leaned too forward losing my balance, I slammed my foot down catching myself and correcting my position. The sound of my flat hitting the platform floor was certainly heard by the thing below. It immediately leaped at the base of the platform clawing at the pillar as if trying to climb up to me. It looked up at me, fully noticing me now, and I fully now knew what it was.
I couldn’t not recognize its distinct look, the new reports were practically always on when they first started appearing. Even now four years later the larger ones make appearances on the news, and that’s not even covering the stage concerts Magical Girl’s host where they reenact their battles. I’d taken a picture with someone dressed as a mascot version at a theme park once. I was a Magical Girl now, of course I knew that meant facing one eventually, I just didn’t think I’d face one before I even started training. I’d never seen one in person, but the pulsating red glow oozing across veins in its faceless head, the black charcoal animal-like body, there could be no other like it. Clawing and growling at the base of the pillar was the distinct appearance of a Spawn.