Demons, Witches, and Toads (BoyxBoy) - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"I'm not so sure this was the best solution..." Wheeler said slowly.
"Well do you have a better idea?"
"No..."
"Then shut up."
Mulock was back in his human form and currently holding a vine which had been clumsily tied around the snoring boy's ankle. The unfortunate bully floated above them now like an oversized balloon.
"Alright," Mulock muttered, "now get the illusion dust and let's get on with the plan before you can screw anything else up."
"Okay," Wheeler replied, removing the fairy belt once more. "Got it. What do I do next?"
"Sprinkle a little on yourself and then picture the boy's appearance in your head."
Wheeler nodded, beginning to open the tiny pouch.
"And make sure you use the right one this time," Mulock snapped. "I swear to God if you accidentally use the love dust I might actually carry through with my threat to eat your stupid toad."
Being as careful as humanly possible, Wheeler slowly reached inside the miniature pouch, sprinkling a little pinch of the sparkling dust over his head. He then proceeded to squeeze his eyes shut, picturing the bully's face in his mind as clearly as he could.
Wheeler immediately began to feel rather strange, like his entire body was expanding. Slowly he looked down at his hands, letting out a small gasp despite himself at the fact that they were now twice as large.
"Whoa...!" He anxiously glanced at Mulock. "Do I look alright? I didn't mess anything up, did I?"
The demon's gaze raked over him before giving Wheeler an indifferent shrug. "You look fine enough. He should have student identification papers on him. Check his pockets and grab them so you can get into the academy."
"Why don't you do it?" Wheeler asked. "You're closer."
"Because I am most certainly not sticking my hand in the pockets of an unconscious child," Mulock replied sharply. "It's creepy."
"Okay fine," Wheeler mumbled, reaching up to fumble through the floating boy's pockets himself. "Although I wouldn't exactly call this guy a child. How old even are you?"
"Well, I died at eighteen," Mulock said. "And I lost track of how long I was actually in that bottle. Being stuck in a tree does that to you. I imagine it must have been at least a couple centuries."
"Wait, you died?" Wheeler asked in surprise.
"Yep," Mulock replied, sounding surprisingly nonchalant despite the subject matter. "All demons are just souls that committed a momentous, horrible sin while they were alive."
Wheeler's eyes widened. "So what did you do...?"
"As if I'd tell you that," Mulock answered dryly, shooting him an icy glance.
Wheeler swallowed hard. "Sorry, I didn't realize it was such a sensitive subject--"
"Let's just get back to the plan, kid," Mulock interpreted.
"Wait," Wheeler protested, "why do you keep calling me kid when you're only a year older than me?!"
"Did you miss the part where I was alive for centuries?"
"Yeah," Wheeler said, crossing his arms, "but I feel like it doesn't count if you were just trapped in a bottle the entire time. You keep acting like you have all this worldly experience but really it seems you're just a kid too--"
"As I was saying," Mulock muttered, cutting him off, "we need to get back to the plan. You know, the semi-important thing that your entire future may depend on."
Wheeler blinked. "Oh right, the plan!"
Mulock groaned, rolling his eyes as Wheeler quickly shoved his hand back into the boy's pocket.
"You need to go soon or the guards will start questioning why this kid never came back," Mulock pointed out.
"Gotcha," Wheeler answered, giving him a thumbs up.
Mulock shot him a blank, unimpressed stare. "You know what that means, right?"
"Err...not exactly--"
"You need to hurry this the hell up."
At last Wheeler's hand closed around a thin sheet of paper with the academy's seal on it. Above it the name 'Robin Wires' was printed in thick black letters.
"This must be his identification," Wheeler exclaimed, glancing it over.
"Okay, good. I'll deal with the kid. You go back to the academy. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"And no more screw ups."
With that the two went their separate ways; Wheeler to the academy and Mulock and his balloon boy towards God knows where.
***
After a short walk, Wheeler arrived back at the academy gates. He tried to bite back his nerves, acting as casual as possible as he showed the guards Robin's paperwork. He hoped they couldn't tell how sweaty he was, or how frantically his heart was thrumming in his chest.
The female guard's eyes flitted over the paper in his clammy hands before finally giving him a small nod.
Wheeler managed to hold back his sigh of relief until he was finally inside the gates.
He looked around the courtyard now, taking in its beauty along with the breathtaking stone building overlooking it —the imperial magic academy itself.
A welcome station had been set up on the grass outside the academy, a long table filled with snacks and desserts for the incoming students.
Wheeler's eyes grew wide. "Look at all of that, Mister Pumpernickel," he gasped, moving closer. The toad, whom Wheeler had skillfully tucked into his shirt pocket, poked his head up now. Wheeler's eyes were practically sparkling as he approached. Laid out on the table were silver trays stacked high with pastries oozing with cream, tarts filled with fruit, and small bite size cakes with frosting spilling over the edges.
"Have you ever seen such an amazing array of sweets?" Wheeler breathed. Mister Pumpernickel let out an excited croak.
Wheeler reached forward and then instantly froze.
No.
It couldn't be.
On the table was a sign with the most horrible words he'd ever read in his entire life.
'Please take only one of each.'
That wouldn't do. Hardly anyone was even eating them. He couldn't let all these amazing desserts go to waste, not when they were just sitting there calling to him.
Wheeler glanced around quickly, making sure no one was watching, before he grabbed a handful of pastries and stuffed them into his bag.
"So far so good," he whispered, nervously glancing back over his shoulder. "We might as well take a few more while we're at it, right?"
Mister Pumpernickel croaked in agreement, urging on this misbehavior.
As Wheeler was mid reach for the cakes he suddenly saw a group of girls coming towards him. And at the back...oh no.
With a dress as frilly and puffy as the last one, her golden blonde curls bouncing as she walked, was the girl from the exams.
Wheeler let out a low breath. It would all be okay. He looked completely different. As long as he didn't draw attention to himself there was no reason for her to even look his way.
He didn't move as he waited for her to pass, his hand still awkwardly hovering above the cake tray.
She seemed quite enamored in her conversation, and as she finally strolled past him Wheeler let out a small sigh of relief.
"Jeez, that was a close one, wasn't it Mister Pumpernickel?"
The toad let out a relieved croak.
And that's when the girl suddenly stopped in her tracks, spinning around to face him in a blur of pink frills.
"You," she snarled, pointing an accusatory finger directly at Wheeler.
Wheeler awkwardly pointed to himself as well. "M-Me?"
"Yes you!" The girl snapped. "I don't know how you did it but it's you! I'm sure of it! You're the toad boy!"
The girl was glaring at him, fire blazing in her eyes.
Wheeler swallowed hard.
Oh no.