Carter called his brother Steve but there was no answer. Carter needed to talk to someone to help him figure out what was going on so he
headed out to the University to visit his brother.
He got there and found it very strange. Steve was gone but he left his wallet behind. There were books all over the place and it looked as if
Steve had left in a feverish hurry.
Carter began looking at the books but that is where Ryan began using his magic. Steve was a novice who had only recently began to learn
magic. Ryan didn't know much magic either but he'd learned magic since he was little so he had more experience and practice. Ryan used all
his magic to reach across the distance to Steve's dorm room. Ryan changed the books that Steve had been reading, changed them so that
Carter would read what Ryan wanted Carter to read.
The books no longer had any information about Ryan and his family but instead, the books pointed to the Cost family and Carter's family as
both having a magical heritage. Neither Carter's nor Steve's dad had any magical heritage but they shared a mom in common and it was
through her that both Steve and Carter had a magic heritage. Or at least that is what Carter read in the books that Ryan had altered.
With this new information, Carter began to wonder if Steve was behind Ryan's changes to begin with. But then Carter had an even worse idea.
What if Vinnie discovered Steve's magical ability and had done something to Steve and would soon be coming after Carter as well. Carter
decided that he'd better study magic so he could protect himself from Vinnie. So Carter kept reading the books that Ryan had altered.
Carter cast what he thought was a protection spell but what he really cast was a spell that gave Ryan even more direct control over Carter.
Carter then immediately got up and left Steve's dorm. He went to Ryan's instead and gathered up his magic books. Carter began reading them
but because of the mental link to Ryan, Ryan was the one who got the information. Carter wasn't even aware what he was doing and couldn't
remember a thing he read afterward. But Ryan accomplished his goal. Ryan had even more magic spells at his disposal.
The next day, Carter started bragging to Horst, "Vinnie isn't the only one with magic now. I just learned some magic."
Horst said, "Are you going to restore Ryan?"
Carter said, "I don't know how to do that yet. By the way, it's my turn to wear him."
Horst said, "We never planned on taking turns. I just wanted a chance to wear him once before we restored him. We plan on restoring him,
don't we?"
Carter said, "Eventually, but how would you like to wear someone else instead?"
Horst asked, "What do you have in mind?"
Carter said, "See those guys playing basketball. They're playing knockout. I'll change their game so that whoever gets knocked out turns into an
article of clothing. The winner of the game, you and I can then pick out clothes from the losers. If none of the losers became what you wanted,
just ask and he can be changed into what you wanted."
Horst asked, "Won't the other players stop playing when they see each other turning into clothes?"
Carter said, "Nope, they will think it's strange but they won't be able to stop playing and when there's only one player left standing, he'll have a
desire to wear some of his former friends."
Horst asked, "Will you restore them later?"
Carter said, "Eventually."
In reality, Ryan was doing all the magic and controlling the show. He just let Carter think he was in control. Ryan surprised himself by how
much he got off on controlling people but letting someone else be believed to be in control.
Eric got the basketball. His friend Josh was standing in front of him ready to aim but Eric beat him and made the basket. Eric turned and said,
"Ha, I got in first." Then Eric gasped as he saw Josh seem to shrink and his clothes landed in a pile where he had stood.