A Boy, a Dog Girl and Bell's South: Part One

The flying carpet sailed over the forest for over and hour, the air cool in the sky as it turned from red and orange to bright blue. Zack sat close to Honey, her hands tightly gripping him.

“So…Honey is a girl now because of you?” Zack asked, finally breaking the silence.

“Yeah. I’m…medical magic is hard. A wizard has to have a clear vision in their mind of a body. I don’t know dogs, so I whipped up a human body quickly,” Chista said, awkwardly shrugging.

“So…you didn’t know how to make me a dog?” Honey asked, tilting her head.

“Nope. Zack was easier. I basically copied him. However, doing you both at once, some of you leaked into him.”

“Which explains the hair and muscles,” Zack said, running his hands through his blonde hair.

“But how did you know what I would look like as a person?” Honey asked.

“Well, I didn’t. I had to copy the body of the closest person available, and…”

Zack’s eyes snapped between Chista and Honey. Their hands. Their bodies. Their chests. Even their faces, while different, had a certain level of similarity to them.

“Holy…she’s you!” Zack said, pointing at the wizard girl. She nodded, not sure if she was entirely proud.

“Partially. Yeah. I hope you don’t think it’s creepy,” Chista said, looking down, hoping to avoid the angry screaming she imagined was coming. Instead Honey grabbed her in a tight hug.

“Sister! Oh my gosh, it’s like we’re sisters now! This is the best! I have a sister, I can talk to master, I’m flying! I love you!”

“Can’t breathe…dog girl…crushing my…lungs…” Chista coughed out.

“Yeah, she’s incredibly enthusiastic. Enjoy your monster, Frankenstein,” Zack said.

“Franken…what?”

Chistos burst out laughing, long and loud peals of laughter echoing through the sky. Then, as it tapered off, he leaned forward.

“My new friends, look over there. Bell’s South is coming into view. Take your first look at your new home.”

Zack and Honey looked off into the distance. They could see large buildings peeking through the trees, the largest of which showing themselves behind an enormous wall which stretched for miles around the small city. In the center of it all they saw a massive golden bell shining in the sun.

“Wow…” The word slipped softly from Honey’s mouth.

“Those bandit assholes thought they could raid here?” Zack asked.

Chistos’ hand dropped onto Zack’s shoulder. “One of the first lessons you need to learn about how our world works. Many think wizards are weak if they get past our magic. Ridiculous.”

“So when he said fight like a normal person…”

“Some people think we’re arrogant,” Chista said, her eyes shifting away. “We provide so much to the world. Still…”

“Now is not the time for harsh words, dear daughter. I think they have had enough unpleasantness for a while.”

The carpet began to lower, skimming the trees, headed for a gate. Honey grabbed Zack’s hand, smiling at him.

“Home,” she said brightly.

*

“I think we’ll walk the rest of the way,” Chistos said as they stepped off the carpet. He looked back at the gates where the 20 foot tall cyclops statues had scanned them with a red beam.

“I don’t have magic cancer or anything, right?”

“Yes, each person who comes through the gates of Bell’s South gets free cancer!” Chista walked over and flicked him on the forehead.

“Ouch! Hey, I don’t know! I’m still getting over magic and flying rugs and dog girl resurrection!”

“Kids.”

They looked to Chistos, his arms crossed, his gaze stern.

“Yes, father,” she said with a sigh.

“I’m not gonna call you father. But…fine. I’ll shut up,” he grumbled.

Chistos nodded. Then he motioned to the flying carpet. “Go home. Clean yourself. I don’t want you tracking dirt all over.”

The carpet shot down the street, turning sharply around a corner and disappearing.

“It’s gonna take a long time for me to get used to stuff like this,” Zack said.

“Come, children! And if you have any questions on anything, please let me know,” Chistos said, walking on the sidewalk confidently, arms behind his back, robe flowing behind.

Zack certainly had questions. The buildings looked like a cross between medieval architecture and modern convenience, brick and wood merging with strange glowing pipes which webbed between the buildings, powering lights and signs. The streets were filled with cars which resembled steel carriages, covered in the same glowing pipes and occasionally belching out colored steam from underneath.

“Hey! Quit your rubbernecking!”

Looking down, Zack saw he had bumped into a three foot tall orange lizard woman, staring up at him with her hands on her hips, scowling.

“Oh, um…sorry…lizard lady…” Zack said awkwardly.

“Lizard?!” she hissed.

“Please don’t make kobolds mad,” Chista said, pulling him quickly away.

Honey held Zack's hand tightly, swinging it happily as she walked, her head snapping towards each new thing which got her attention.

“Look! Car!”

“Look! Food!”

“Look! Dog!”

She crouched before a small Pomeranian on a leash which a nicely dressed woman was leading. The tiny dog yipped at Honey and she barked back. The woman and dog walked on, confused.

“Sorry! It’s her first time talking to a dog as a person!” Zack called back.

“She was rude anyways,” Honey said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Acclimating you two is going to take a while, isn’t it?” Chista asked.

“I dunno. We’re doing pretty good overall, right? Plus…”

Zack went quiet, thinking. Chista leaned forward.

“Plus what?”

“I’ve always been good at adapting. In a lot of ways, I was the adult in my house. My dad was…well, barely my dad. My mom was a mess for a while.”

Chista’s face changed, sympathy taking it over.

“Hey! Knock it off! I don’t want you feeling sorry for me. Everything I’ve ever done was because I chose to do it, including helping my mom and saving you. No pity.”

“No pity,” Chista said, continuing into their new lives.