Although you do not feel particularly uncomfortable, you do begin to panic a bit, in sheer disbelief that you have been trapped inside an egg. Perhaps sensing your heightened heart rate, Ms. Vargaz speaks up.
"Now now, keep your head about you. It'll take longer for you to return to human form if you're all discombobulated," Ms. Vargaz says dismissively. "Just carefully sense each of your limbs, each part of your body, each organ, each cell, and will it to remember its human origin. Don't worry, the memories are there, just like blueprints."
Unable to do much else, you try to follow directions. Since you are inside an egg, you cannot even draw in a breath or close your eyes, as there is nothing to breathe and your eyes are already closed. Instead, you focus, trying to recall what it felt like to be human. Is there even a way to "feel" human? Do you really remember exactly what you looked like, head to toe? How long had it been since you really, REALLY looked at yourself? Would you know if you remembered it wrong?
"Concentrate!" Ms. Vargaz states sternly, realizing your mind is beginning to wander. Startled, you collect your thoughts and try to "sense" yourself back to human form as she ordered. You are not certain if it is just in your mind, but you feel a warmth easing into each bit of your body, almost like drinking a hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. You shudder a bit, and suddenly you find yourself on your hands and knees on the floor atop a pile of your clothes, panting like you had just run a marathon. You are so surprised and shaky that you do not even have the wherewithal to be embarrassed that you are buck naked.
"Not bad," Ms. Vargaz mutters as she walks around you, scrutinizing your body. Her brow furrows as she notes your exhaustion. "Looks like merging with an immature creature draws more energy than I thought."
Her evaluation barely registers, but at the end you hear her say, "Get dressed." Bashfulness finally overcoming tiredness, you get up and dress yourself as quickly as possible, then look to Ms. Vargaz, who is still squinting at you.
"It appears you will have to provide your linked form with more magical energy at the moment, at least until it hatches," she finally says, pondering. "Probably 12 hours a day, I would say."
"12 hours of...what?" you finally have breath enough to ask.
"12 hours in your linked form," Ms. Vargaz replies tersely.
It takes a minute for you to make sense of what she is saying. Even then, you're not sure you heard her correctly.
"You mean...I have to be an egg 12 hours of the day??" your voice raises an octave.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," she waves you off, walking to a shelf and pulling down a dusty old tome, then flipping through it to apparently verify some theories. "The majority of it can be while you're sleeping, just take a little extra time to recharge every day."
"But...someone could walk in on me, or notice..." you worry. "And my clothes...what happens if I don't spend 12 hours as an egg?"
"You'll probably revert involuntarily, so try to be disciplined about the matter," Ms. Vargaz says shortly, not even bothering to look up as she traces some of the writing on the page with her finger.
"Revert...wait, how long do I have to do this for??" you sputter.
"Just until your linked form hatches," Ms. Vargaz replies, finally turning her attention back to you. "That should stabilize the connection and the energy required."
"How long is that? And what am I hatching into?" you ask, half in disbelief at the questions you are now asking.
"We'll find out when it happens, dearie," Ms. Vargaz says with a fairly satisfied smile, while you find yourself flabbergasted. Exactly what have you gotten yourself into? "Oh don't look so down, dearie, it shouldn't be too long now that you are providing it with energy."
You want to ask more questions, but at that point the antique grandfather clock out in the parlor gives five loud ominous deep rings, and you realize you need to leave to be home in time for dinner. How are you going to deal with this insanity when you go back to the real world?