It had been a long day for Morgana Faye. Aside from negotiating with Kyūri Sensei, she'd been spending much of her time manipulating two governments into setting up this student exchange program. She did this by conjuring forth the image of relevant American and Japanese politicians and bureaucrats in her scrying pool and placing geises on them that directed them to start an exchange program containing the intended schools.
Stokerville High School was so far the only American school included, though Morgana was considering eventually expanding the program to cover other American schools with magical presence such as Fort Hyde High School if the the program was as enriching for Stokerville as she hoped. On the Japanese side, Morgana naturally directed the government officials to include the mysterious sumo heya known as Kyodainayokai-beya, as well as Inamura High School to get some kitsune into town, Toyoda High School for some tanuki representation, and Takarazuka Music School for some culture. Given that all the male roles in the Takarazuka Revue were performed by women in drag, Morgana imagined that the famed Japanese theater troupe would feel right at home amongst Stokerville's overwhelmingly lesbian youth.
It was a very tricky geis that Morgana was placing on the bureaucrats. They had to be made to think that they had actually come up with the exchange program months ago and that it was fully implemented. Otherwise, Ellie, Beck, Kristi, Harper, Brianna, and Joelle would have to wait around half a year before shipping out for Kyoto. Even with Vivi and Dani helping her, it was a draining spell to cast over and over again. After that, Morgana had to glamour several copies of the necessary paperwork into existence. Last of all came geises on the Rubensteins, Brownings, and Dixons to convince them that they remembered Ellie, Harper, and Brianna being accepted into the student exchange program and them giving their blessing months ago.
Morgana sank into her chair and poured herself a glass of the 1683 vintage of Chateau Margaux that her mother had left her. As she savored the first sip, the voice of Vivi rang out unwelcomely. "Hey, I just thought of something, Mom. What about the Hamiltons? We haven't figured out how to get them on board with Beck going overseas."
Morgana groaned. "Damn the Vordenburg extended family! I know they mean well, but damn if they don't complicate everything they touch almost as bad as the Van Helsings or the Harkers! Well, I can't geis them. It'll mostly be up to Beck to get their mother to agree to this."
"There has to be a way to help them at least a bit," said Dani.
"I can conjure up an official-looking letter for Beck to show their parents," said Morgana. "I can't think of a way Kim Hamilton's immunity to geises could see through that. The message is physically real, after all. No tricks of the mind involved." The witch waved a holly wand over a sheet of paper, mumbling an incantation. It soon changed into a realistic government letter announcing Beck's acceptance into a student exchange program with Japan.
By some happy coincidence, Beck walked into the store just as Morgana finished. "Hi, Morgana! Busy day?"
Morgana laughed mirthlessly. "To put it mildly! My apprentices and I have been knocking ourselves out trying to get you, Ellie, Kristi, Harper, Joelle, and Brianna into Kyodainayokai-beya!"
Beck smiled at the school's name. They knew enough Japanese to know it translated into "Enormous Yokai Sumo Stable." It was a name that promised everything they were looking for in a heya. They glanced down at their flat, toned belly, picturing it with an enormous gut for Brianna to jiggle. "Did it work?"
"Kyūri Sensei's fine with it as long as you treat the art of sumo with respect and do everything he asks you to do," said Morgana. "He will not hesitate to expel you with extreme force if he has any reason to think that all sumo means to you is a round belly for your girlfriend to play with. Treat sumo with reverence and listen to him if you want to earn a bowl of his chankonabe, for he WILL make you earn it first."
Beck nodded. "I will."
"Tell the others the same thing," Morgana instructed. "I also took care of the government and school bureaucracy. The last hurdle's your parents. Unfortunately, your mom's immune to geises, so she'll be harder to deal with than the others' parents were. As for Kristi and Joelle, they're lucky enough to be grown women who can make their own educational decisions. I think you'll have to talk with your mom. It could help if you show her this." Morgana handed the fake acceptance letter to Beck. "It says that, on account of your grades, you were chosen to study abroad in a prestigious Japanese private school for a year and that you're expected to leave the day after tomorrow."
"I'll be sure she sees it," said Beck. "I'll be seeing you later this evening. I actually came in here to tell you that the pack's gonna drop by to customize all the new body hair we've grown since our first shifts. I mean, look at this!" Beck lifted up their bare arms to reveal two massive tufts of long, thick brown hair exploding from their armpits. "Cool, huh? They couldn't be better for a non-binary with a kinda masculine presentation if they fucking TRIED!! Of course, I'd like to be able to grow better whiskers on my chin and upper lip, but that's why we're coming around later. Some want more, some want less, and some are good as they are. Bye!"
Beck headed straight home, eager to sort things out with their mother. They entered the house to find their mom pacing, a frustrated look on her face.
"Was I really that late coming home?" sighed Beck.
"It isn't you this time, Becky," said Mrs. Hamilton. "Oops. Beck, I mean."
Beck could tell their mom was upset. She only slipped up and called Beck by their old female nickname, "Becky," when she was under a lot of stress. "It's okay, Mom. I know what you meant."
"Thanks," said Mrs. Hamilton. "It's Renata this time. She's not back yet. She always at least calls by now. Think you could find your twin sister for me?"
"I'll try," said Beck. "I really need to show you this, though." She handed her mother the letter. "It says my test scores last year got me accepted into a student exchange that'll let me spend a year in Japan."
Mrs. Hamilton stared at the letter. "It's giving you awfully short notice. It wants you to leave for Kyoto the day after tomorrow." She stared some more. "It looks authentic, though."
"Can I go?" asked Beck, tugging nervously on their navel piercing. "I'd really love the experience."
"I don't know if I want you so far away," Mrs. Hamilton mused. "Especially not considering... recent developments. On the other hand, this really IS a once-in-a-lifetime chance. It'd probably be educational to immerse yourself in a foreign culture..."
Beck's face grew anxious. They leaned in toward their mother. "Does that mean that I can write back and tell them that I accept, Mom? Please?!"