Note: parts are inspired by a magic show called Play Dead starring Todd Robinson, and produced by Teller of Penn and Teller. Never saw the show live so it wont be exact
Jade sat by her desk with her chin resting in the palm of her hand. There was an odd number of students since Taylor had demonstrated with the teacher. Afterwards they were ask to wrote out what they wanted to do, and after reading hers Miss Mona told her not to pick a partner. Was it that weird?
She had originally been somewhat self conscious about writing it down but if everyone was turning into something, she could pick this right? Her fear was that some people might find it too creepy or gorey. Her intent was more spooky but still.
Jade was a typical goth girl. She dyed her hair crimson, wore dark makeup with a black shirt and skirt. Her wore stocking that looked similar to fishnets, but on closer expectation had skull and cross bones woven in to the design. Looking down on the phone in her lap, which Miss Mona thankfully didn't notice and seeing the design helped inspire her artistic choice.
Samantha's show was impressive but Jade felt a bit left out. It was then Miss Mona approached her. "Is everything alright?"
"I just don't get why I can't work on my project. If it was a bad idea I could come up with another."
"No, don't worry about that Jade." Miss Mona told her. "We just had an uneven number and I had someone special in mind to help you."
Miss Mona was about to elaborate when she heard a noise. One of the boys had gone over to the Venus de Mona and was taking a selfie with his hand on her exposed breast. The boy then stuck out his tongue and learned in to take another of him licking it.
"That is enough Daniel!" Miss Mona shouted. " if you are going to act like a child then you can be one." With a wave of her hand Daniel began to shrink. His face rounded as he gained baby fat and it became obvious that he was getting g younger. Went down to 12....10....8, all the while his clothes shrinking with him constantly changing to fit. He finally stopped at four. "And as an added bonus, how about a lesson to show more respect for your female classmates." With that his hair grew and styled itself in pigtails, and his clothes changed into a pink dress.
"You turned me into a girl!" He shouted, pointing out the obvious.
"That's correct. I hope a few years growing up again will teach you to be more mature." Miss Mona said with a stern voice.
"Years! But aren't you going to turn us all back?" She asked.
Miss Mona smilled. "Not you." Before there could be anymore discussion there was a knock on the door.
Mr. Rivera peaked his head in. "Is this a bad time?" The older science teacher had a head full of gray hair, and had gained a decent gut in his later years. He had also gained wisdom and was the only teacher to teach all grade levels of science in high-school. On top of that he was Jade's favorite teacher and she smiled seeing him.
"On the contrary you came at the perfect time." Miss Mona told him. "Danielle here needs to be switched over to elementary school, so I will need to take her to the office. Do you mind watching my class?"
Miss Mona had already made sure the other teachers were affected by her spell and that none of them would find any of the transformations suspicious. "Not at all. Would you like me to wait for the presentation you asked me?"
Miss Mona smiled. She didn't actually need to be in the room to witness it. She breathed out, blowing a little magic his way. The spell filled him with all the steps he wanted to carry out and made sure it all seemed logical to him. "No need to wait on me. In fact I think Jade would be disappointed, since she was just telling me she couldn't wait to get started."
Jade was shocked to hear about this. She was happy to finally get to do something, but hadn't expected her partner would be a teacher from another class. Though considering what he taught, it did start to make sense.
"Jade." Miss Mona called to get her attention. "You'll find everything you will need in the supply closet, there is a sticky note on it that says Rivera Presentation. Make sure to help out anyway you can and do everything Mr. Rivera tells you."
Jade smiled. "I will."
"That goes for all of you." Miss Mona added. "Unless any or you want to to join Danielle here in pre-school." With that she escorted the little girl out of the class.
"I'll get the supplies." Jade announced as she went to the closet. It was a struggle to keep from running. She was ecstatic to finally try out her project. She found a large metal tub that was suspended, and had an apparatus attached to wheels. Inside was some containers of liquid and a large pan close to the length of the tub, and well as a stick with a hook on it. She saw the sticky note and wheeled the whole thing into the class.
Once there she saw Mr. Rivera entertaining the class with one of his dramatic improvisations while wearing a brown wig. Jade noticed the mannequin that was Sasha was currently bald.
Mr. Rivera appeared to be impersonating a surfer dude until he saw Jade. "That was quick." He said as he placed the wig haphazardly back on the mannequin. It was crooked and the long part covered the featureless face. "Now Miss Mona wanted me to talk about how science and art can go together. I think the best example of this is chemicals." Mr. Rivera pulled the pan out and placed in next to the wheels the tub was suspended over. "Chemcials were used to develop pictures before the digital camera was invented. This was considered both a science and an art." He took out the pole next and handed it to Jade. "There are also chemicals that can help break down rocks and smooth out the edges of stones like the marble over there."
Mr. Rivera hesitated. "Is that Taylor?" Several of the students nodded. "Can anyone guess what one chemical that breaks stuff down is?"
Not expecting a chemistry question in an art class, they students were unprepared and remained silent. "Jade?" Mr. Rivera asked.
Having seen the labels on the containers she had a good hunch of what he wanted to hear. "Sulferic acid?"
Mr. River smiled. "Correct. Sulfuric acid breaks down many many things and is used to make others. It help with oil refinery, as well and produces certain types of fertilizer like Erica is standing in." The class turn to look at the girl still in the pot. Her partner Chris was watering the dirt at her feet, while she waved. Her arm seemed a little stiff as she did.
Mr. Rivera continued. "It is a dangerous chemical however and must be handled with care, as it does melt most objects you place in it." Mr. Rivera pulled the containers out of the tub. "Obviously certain things can be made to hold it. Now for to show you how strong it is, I need something to use as an example." Mr. Rivera pretended to think about it but Jade was pretty sure he already knew what he wanted to use.
"Jade, do you mind stepping in the tub for the example?"
And there it was. Her chance to take part in the transformation class.
"Stop!" Tabbie yelled from the back of the room. "You can't!" Everyone stared at her as if she suddenly grew a third eye....though that probably wouldn't be so strange now. She looked around the room a little scared. "It's dangerous!" This was all she could force herself to say.
"True." Mr. Rivera responded, and pulled out a silver ribbon. "Here Jade, tie this around your neck like a collar. Its a special ribbon Miss Mona had sent down to me when she requested my help." Mr. Rivera relieved her of the pole as he handed it to her.
"What does it do?" She asked as she tied it around her neck.
"It won't be affected by the sulfuric acid and I can pull you out with this hook without burning myself. Thank you Tabitha." Mr. Rivera called out to Tabbie, though the look on her face said this wasn't exactly what she had meant.
Once the ribbon was secure, Jade used a chair to climb up to the tub. Mr. Rivera offered his shoulder. She rested her hand on it and she stepped into the tube. He made sure to keep a firm grip on the edge of the tub so the wheels wouldn't swivel as she climbed in.
Jade lowered herself. It was long enough that she could stretch her feet out in front of her while she sat there. She also noticed that she could lay back. The width was the perfect size to accommodate her as well. It was like it was made for her.
"Now Jade, Miss Mona told me that for your project you wanted to do something to help me out in class. Are you ready?"
"Yes sir!" she said with a smile.
"All right, lay back for me." Jade did as he instructed. Once out of sight Mr. Rivera unscrewed the first container and began to pour it in, make sure to pour up and down the length of the tub.
Tabbie gasped but everyone ignored her, paying close attention to the experiment. Now sound came from the tub as he continued to empty the first container but there was some smoke rising. "Now as I said it can be very destructive and can really other gases as Jade is demonstrating."
Mr. Rivera finished the first container and opened the second. He began pouring it as Miss Mona returned. She scanned the class, noting the enraptured looks on all the faces except Tabbie. Tabbie in fact looked pale. Well, if Miss Mona needed anymore evidence that her spell had missed Tabbie, then she sure had it now.
Mr. Rivera shook out the last drops of the second container of sulfuric acid, before putting it down and picking up the pole with a hook. "Now let's see how Jade is doing in there." Mr. Rivera looked in the tub and then shook it a bit. Everyone could hear the sloshing of the liquid. He carefully put the hook in the tub, and gently lifted it out.
Attached to the hook was the silver collar wrapped around the vertebrae of a skeleton. The head laid limply to the side, the skull and all the bones bleached white. Mr. Rivera carefully pulled her out, making sure he kept the skeleton over the pan he had placed down earlier.
He placed the pole into a slot Jade had not noticed, which allowed it to stand straight up without anyone holding it. Jade hung from her collar, bones clattering as he set her up, remnants of her acid bath dripping off of her into the safety pan.
"So this week in my biology and anatomy classes we will be discussing bones. Jade was kind enough to suggest we use her for the class skeleton, and that earns her an A on all related assignments. I'll leave her hear to dry but if you want see Jade later this week just stand by my room."
"Wait that's it?" Tabbie nearly shouted. "You just killed her!"
"No he didn't." Miss Mona said. "He transformed her, just like you transformed Samantha into a piņata. "
"Meltong someone I. Sulfuric acid is not transforming! And skeletons aren't art!" Tabbie argued.
Miss Mona smiled. "On the contrary, many ancient cultures considered the human body to be a work of art. And all change can be seen as a transformation."
Mr. Rivera joined in. "Besides Jade doesn't seem upset. She's smiling." He pointed at her skull. "See, you can see all her teeth." A couple of kids chuckled
"She can't smile, she has no lips!" Tabbie insisted.
"She was smiling when she went in." Erica offered. That had been true.
"Thank you Mr. Rivera for helping us today. I'll make sure you receive your new skeleton when it's dry."
"Please do. She's one of my best students." With that the teacher left.
"Alright, that's all the time we have for today. The bell is about to ring. For those of you who haven't finished we can pick up tomorrow." The students started to move to put away their supplies. "Not you Erica. You're a project now, so you will be staying here over night to settle."
The class continued to get ready while Tabbie stood stun at the skeleton that had been Jade. Miss Mona sighed. Oh Tabbie, what am I going to do with you