“Your bad!?” You nearly scream, standing up and cupping your new breasts. “Is that all you can say about this?”
The headmistress held her hands up in helplessness. “To be honest, I’d assumed you would choose some kind of were-creature or something more popular. Dryads, however, are mono-gendered and rather specialized in magic. That limits both our options. But I wouldn’t worry too much, if I were you. Once you acclimate to your new body, I’m sure you will be fine.”
“Acclimate? What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, you’ll find out in a moment. Your powers should be manifesting now.”
Before you can get angry at either this turn of events or the headmistress’s blasé attitude, the sensations hit you. You can feel some kind of connection with all living things in the vicinity, from the headmistress herself to the potted plant on the shelf behind her. Beyond the wall behind you, you can detect the secretary typing at her desk. Reflexively, she pauses in her typing but quickly resumes her activity. Then, you realize that it’s more than sensory. You can actually manipulate it to a degree. Well, not the headmistress or secretary, of course. They seem to have some kind of invisible shell around them that keeps you from doing more than look. The plant, on the other hand…
Flexing mental “muscles” you had never had previously, you coax the plant to grow bigger and produce flowers. To your delight, the plant obeys, spilling over its pot and sprouting vibrant purple blossoms all over. You reach out a hand, calling out with your magic.
The headmistress, now almost ignored in front of you, smiles with mild amusement as her plant stretches a long vine across the room to touch your offered hand before wrapping around your wrist in an almost loving caress.
“Impressive, considering that ferns don’t grow flowers or vines.” Her words break you out of the trance that you had not been aware of entering. “Now, if you are done exploring your new abilities, I would appreciate it if you would return my plant to its original state.”
You nod and open yourself back up to the sensations, your eyes dilating again as you speak to the plant. A bit sadly, you encourage the plant to do as requested. Soon, the plant is once again a nondescript fern in a pot.
“Good,” the headmistress says. “You are coming to terms with your new form already.”
You frown at this statement, but you can’t deny its truth. While you know you ought to be unhappy about being stuck as a girl, you find that this body now feels natural to you. Not to mention that using your dryad powers had felt incredible! “I guess. Sorry about my outburst.”
The woman waves her hand. “It’s entirely understandable, and not uncommon among newcomers. A word of warning, though. You may want to refrain from doing that in crowded areas. It is a bit impolite to peek at people’s auras without permission.”
If your bark had the ability to do so, you would blush. “Sorry, Ma’am.”
“Just be careful. You’ll learn and adjust. After all, that is what you are here for. Better to make mistakes within these walls than out there among humans.”
At this point, something she said comes back to you. “You mentioned newcomers. Are there others like me?”
“That is confidential information. In fact, you will be unable to tell any of your fellow students about your human origins. This is for your own protection and that of your schoolmates. Is this understood?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good. Well then, I had better let you get settled in your residence and start classes. If you have additional questions, feel free to ask me or any of the staff. For now, enjoy your time at Aristotle Academy.”