"Here you are, boys. Time to put on your school uniforms," Penelope said leading Vinnie into a room with a single twin bed. She snapped her
fingers. Vinnie felt a strange sensation as the jockstrap he was wearing disappeared. Ryan was standing next to him, naked. He covered his
crotches, blushed and backed into a corner.
Penelope chuckled. "Your clothing is in the wardrobe. Dress and report to the administration office to get your class schedule."
Vinnie and Ryan looked at each other with their jaws hanging open. They looked back toward the closing door, and then to the wardrobe.
"What do we do?" Ryan asked.
Vinnie shrugged, "Get dressed?"
He opened the wardrobe. They cringed. They were soon dressed in crushed velvet short pants with suspenders and frilly white shirts, knee
socks and buckled shoes.
"We look ridiculous!" Ryan exclaimed.
"Well, maybe I can change you back into a jockstrap. It would be a lot more comfortable than these Y-fronts they keep bunching up and giving
me a wedgy."
"Loosen your suspenders," Ryan suggested.
"Thanks," said Vinnie.
They stepped out of the dorm room.
"I wonder where the administration office is?"
Instantly a painted wooden sign appeared in front of them with an arrow pointing the way.
The two soon found themselves in an early 20th Century style office with mechanical typewriters, and women in long dresses behind the
counter.
"Ah, the new students!" exclaimed a cracking voice behind them.
They turned to see a teenager dressed in a suit with a pocket watch chain sticking out of his vest.
"Allow me to welcome you," he exclaimed.
Ryan sneered, "How come you don't have to wear the Lord Fauntleroy uniform?"
"Ah, because I'm the principal! Merle N. Magus at your service!" he said extending his hand. "And you Ryan also don't have to wear the Lord
Fauntleroy uniform. Whoever heard of clothing wearing clothing."
Merle waved his hands and Ryan's clothes flew off of him and back toward the wardrobe they came from.
Ryan covered himself and said, "That's okay, I'll wear the uniform."
Merle asked, "Why? It's time you came to terms with who you are. I know all those movies you are used to watching portray magic as this really
powerful stuff that let's you do what you want but unfortunately, there are costs to having magic. The more powerful you become, the more
costly it is. Ryan, my boy, you are more powerful than Vinnie is. Vinnie wouldn't have even been brought here if it wasn't for you. But the cost
to you of having so much power is that you have lost your humanity and become Vinnie's jock strap."
Vinnie broke into loud guffawing, "Is this some sort of joke? I can't believe that I'm listening to you say all this nonsense. You cannot be more
than 13!"
"Ah, but you're off by a couple thousand years. When I was an old man, I was known as Merlin the Magician. Hung out with those knights in
Camelot. Anyway, one of the good things about living backwards in time, is you know what happens before it does, because it happened in
your past. Problem is you keep getting younger and you can't be sure exactly on the timeline where you're at. It can be most disconcerting. Why
just two years ago I was shaving, and now I barely have any pubic hairs!" Merle said shaking his head. He grabbed a couple of index cards out
of the air and handed them to Ryan and Vinnie. "Here's your schedule, best get to class."
"But, sir, I'm naked."
"Nonsense, Ryan, you probably just want to be in Vinnie's pants. But for orientation, Vinnie we require you to take your jockstrap along so that
he can be inspected. We want to make sure there are no problems with the magic. Then you can put your package back in Ryan for
safekeeping."
"Ryan's not my boyfriend," Vinnie said firmly.
"That's why there's only one bed in our room!" Ryan asked enraged, "You thought we're boyfriends! I'm not gay!"
"Of course you're not gay." Merle said. "Whoever heard of a gay jockstrap? The single bed is for Vinnie. We figured he'd be wearing you to bed."
Ryan protested, "No, no, this can't be right."
"Oh, still in denial." Merle said knowingly, "Well, you'll get used to it. I know. Ryan, you will turn out to be a great magician. Vinnie, you'll learn a
little magic but never be nearly as powerful as Ryan. But I know that there will come a time when you Ryan, will willingly return each night to let
Vinnie sleep in you and do other things in you. You'll resist for a couple of years but eventually, you'll realize that you belong to Vinnie now."
Coach Grimmwad came in then, "I'm looking for the new student, Vincent Cost. He's late."
Merle said, "He's right here. He's still having trouble adjusting to all he's learned so go easy."
Coach Grimmwad said, "And this must be his jockstrap." Coach cast a spell and Ryan found himself suspended in air and no longer able to
cover himself. Coach continued, "He's certainly a big jockstrap, maybe a little too big for you, Vincent. But perhaps you'll grow to fill him
someday."