Sigma and Fang stood up leaning threateningly toward each other. Both manifested their true natures baring
growing fangs and claws, and fur and scales.
"Hey, guys, calm down," Devin said stepping between the growing roommates. He had been a big guy, but with
them transforming they had each grown 2 feet taller and both towered over him. Devin could feel their hot
breaths on his head and shoulders as he raised his hands to each one's chest to hold them apart. "Come on
guys, this isn't funny."
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."
"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."
The draconian and lupine natures were in total control and Devin through he might get ripped apart. He
couldn't believe how quickly this had escalated. How were they going to get through the school year? Then he
noticed Tim. Tim was sitting crosslegged and rocking backing and forth violently banging his head against the
stone wall behind him on the windowsill. He was muttering with his unblinking eyes bugging out. All his
roommates were freaks, thought Devin.
"Little peace and quiet. Little peace and quiet. Little peace and quiet," repeated Tim in his mantra as he
banged his head.
A flicker of flame leapt from Sigma's maw.
There was a crashing silence. The two monster freshmen had suddenly stopped growling. Devin had been focused
on them, and now he realized why they had quieted so much. A little peace and quiet indeed. Devin looked
around at the cavernous room around him, and at the two stone statues of a werewolf and a dragon. He was
still himself, but he couldn't be more than 4 inches high, and the statues were probably about 5 3/4 inches.
He guessed judging by the chair leg towering over them. It had been about 1 3/4 inches square at the base,
and if it remained that size then his measurements were pretty accurate. He shook his head and looked up at
terrified Tim who was leaning over them.
"Oh, no I did it again! And on my first day too! I know what I'll do!" Tim said loudly to himself.
"Hey, wait, just change us back," Devin squeaked.
"Oh, right, like I can do that. Oh, you can talk? My action figures usually cannot talk. That's new."
"I'm not an action figure. I'm your roommate Devin!" squeaked Devin.
Tim carried tiny Devin and his frozen roommates into his bedroom. He dropped them on the bed.
"Whoa! Watch it, Tim!" Devin said tumbling roughly on to the bedspread.
"Ah, here it is!" Tim exclaimed, as he lifted a glass terrarium out of the now open case.
"What the antidote?" Devin asked as he stood straightened his clothing.
"Hah! You're serious? No, it's your new home," Tim explained. He set the terrarium on his desk, and then put
Devin into it. He next positioned his Sigma Dragon figurine, and his Fang Wolf figurine on his shelf next to
the terrarium.
Devin squatted down on a rock and looked around the habitat. It was a jungle and beach motif, like you'd have
for a lizard or snake. Those ate small insects and rodents, and right now Devin was probably at the bottom of
that food chain. He didn't see anything other than plants or rocks at present though. Tim proceeded to
unpack his bag. There were all sorts of action figures. He lined them up on the desk next to Sigma and Fang.
It suddenly hit Devin that all those figurines were people that had been quieted by Tim. He was getting pretty
nervous. He tried to think of a spell that might help. Someone would come looking for them he was sure.
"Oh, I better get their stuff out of the rooms before my new roommates get here," Tim said jumping up.
"New roommates get here?" asked Devin to the suddenly empty room.
In about five minutes, Tim was back carrying tiny baggage. Apparently, everything that Sigma, Fang and Devin
owned at shrunk with them. He emptied his hands on the desk top into a small pile of toy luggage. Devin
shook his head.
"So a little help here!" Devin shouted.
"Oh, yes, I cannot have you running around clothed in my terrarium when my new roommates get here," Tim said.
"I'm your roommate, Tim! What are you talking about?" Devin shouted.
Tim snapped his fingers and squinted his eyes, suddenly Devin was naked.
"Wait I thought you didn't know any spells! How did you shrink us and make my clothes vanish?"
"I don't know any spells, Devin. I just think really hard and stuff happens. That's why I'm here. I need to
learn how to control it. Now, let me check these books. I think a brownie, sprite, fairy or elf might be
what I'll change you into. Or maybe a salamander or newt or...hm," Tim muttered as he started to flip through
Hexum's "Compendium of House Pets and Familiars."
"How about just making me big again?"
"It doesn't work that way, Devin. I'm sorry. You see when I shrank you, I also deleted you from this universe.
No one will remember you ever existing. You're an anomaly. You used to exist, and you still do but not as
what you were before. The timeline has already corrected itself, and it's dangerous to mess with the
timeline. Maybe after I finish my Causal Reality class, I'll try putting you back, but for now. Ah, here's the
perfect shape for you."
Tim held the book up to the terrarium and Devin stared at the larger than life color picture.
"Oh, no, not that!" Devin shouted.
Tim looked at the book, and looked at Devin. Then he closed his eyes, bit his lip and concentrated.