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Lauren: *yawn* "Just...five more minutes...alright?"

Heather: "Lauren, don't you think it's about time you got up? I mean, you've been sleeping on my couch all morning and-"

Lauren: "All morning? W-what time is it?"

Heather: "Well...my phone says it's about...ten-forty right now, so-"

Lauren: "What? I-It's THAT late? Ah, crap...I was supposed to meet Eleanor around nine! *sigh* Alright, I guess I'm just gonna have to skip breakfast and head over there right now! See ya!"

*FWASH*

Heather: "Lauren, wait! You're still wearing your...*sigh*...aaand she's gone..."

---------------

*FWASH*

Lauren: "S-sorry I'm late, Ellie! I-"

Eleanor: "Well, it's about time you showed up, Lauren! *sigh* Let me guess...you were up all night playing one of your little video games again?"

Lauren: "What? N-no, it's...it's not like that, Ellie! You see...I, um...well, I was-"

Eleanor: "It's ok, Lauren...I already know all about your conversation with Heather last night..."

Lauren: "Wait...h-how do you-"

Eleanor: "She called me about an hour ago. Apparently, she felt bad that you overslept because of what happened, so...she called me to apologize. Naturally, I told her she didn't need to apologize for anything, but-"

Lauren: "Wait...if she had time to call you, then...why didn't she just wake me up instead?"

Eleanor: "Oh, she tried, all right - more than once, if I'm not mistaken - but apparently you were just so tired that....well, she finally just gave up..."

Lauren: "Heh...yeah, we talked for quite a while last night...anyways, I'm guessing you're...not...mad at me, then?"

Eleanor: "Lauren, it's pretty hard to be mad at someone who genuinely cares about her friends the way you do...although, I do wish you had changed into something a bit more...appropriate...before coming over..."

Lauren: "Huh? What are you...oh, right! I'm still wearing my pajamas, aren't I? *sigh* Guess I better fix that so we can-"

Eleanor: "It's fine, Lauren. You really don't have to change right now...after all, we're...not...going to be doing any magic today..."

Lauren: *sigh* "Ok, so...what are we gonna do, then?"

Eleanor: "Well, it’s been quite a while since you and I had time to just talk about…whatever, so-“

Lauren: "Y-yeah...that's fine...there's...actually a few things I wanted to talk to you about..."

Eleanor: "I see...alright, then…what is it you're wanting to talk to me about?"

Lauren: "Ok, so...first, I wanna thank you again for helping me out with the April Fool's 'prank' a few weeks ago...turning me and my sister into 'amputees' for the day ...it was a very...interesting…experience for the two of us. Honestly, I...I think my sister actually enjoyed it as much as I did, which was…kinda surprising, you know? Anyways, that brings me to my first question: we were kinda wondering if...there might be a way for us to...maybe...do that again?"

Eleanor: "Lauren...let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly: you and your sister...you actually want to have one of your legs 'magically amputated' again?"

Lauren: "I know, I know, it sounds...weird, but...I mean...as long as it's just a...temporary...thing, then-"

Eleanor: "Heh...trust me, Lauren…it’s not as weird as you think...I mean, we're dullahans...doing 'weird' stuff is...well, it's just a natural part of who we are! However, I specifically said I would only help you do it once...using magic to 'alter' you and your sister - even if just for a day - takes a lot out of me, so if I have to keep doing it every time the two of you want to-"

Lauren: "Actually, I think I might know a way around that..."

Eleanor: "Oh, really? Well, then...what exactly do you have in mind?"

Lauren: "Alright, so...you don't wanna have to keep using magic on us every time we wanna be 'altered,' right? Well, what if - instead of using the spell on us directly - we actually infused the spell into a piece of jewelry? Maybe something small and easy to put on...like, say...a bracelet?"

Eleanor: "Hmm...so your idea is to create an enchanted item, then?"

Lauren: "Exactly! I mean, just think about it...creating an enchanted item is a one-time thing, so we'd only have to use the spell once per item, right? Plus, once we've actually created some enchanted bracelets, all we'd have to do is put 'em on and the magic would immediately take effect, right? And since enchanted items recharge their energy automatically, we'd be able to re-use them pretty much whenever we wanted...right??"

Eleanor: "Heh...well done, Lauren...you managed to figure it out sooner than I expected..."

Lauren: "W-what does that mean?"

Eleanor: "Lauren, what I told you before...that using the spell took a lot out of me...and that I'd only do it once...that wasn't entirely true..."

Lauren: "Wait...so you...lied...to me?"

Eleanor: "Not exactly...you see, I was certain that after experiencing being 'altered' for the day, you'd be quite interested in doing it again; however, the idea of having to use magic on you every time you wanted to be 'altered' was...well, I'll admit it's not something I was looking forward to. Fortunately, I realized I could use this as a way to teach you a few new things about spatial magic and-"

Lauren: "So...this was all another one of your lessons, then?"

Eleanor: "Correct! By telling you that I'd only use the magic on you once, it effectively created a problem for you to solve, and I knew that - given how much you enjoy using magic - you'd start working on a way to solve the problem almost immediately. Honestly, I...well, I thought it would take you months to find the correct answer, and yet you somehow managed to figure it out in only a few weeks..."

Lauren: "Well, it's like you said...I was really wanting to do it again, so I started doing some research and...wait...Ellie, how do you know that my idea - you know, making an enchanted item - is the 'correct' answer to the problem? I mean, the only way you'd actually know that it would work is if you-"

Eleanor: "-is if I’ve already created one, yes?"

Lauren: "Ellie, are you…are you saying you've already made me a-"

Eleanor: "Not quite...*sigh*...while it's true that I've already created an enchanted bracelet - one designed to replicate the effect I used for your 'prank' a few weeks ago - I'm afraid you won't be able to use it. You see, enchanted items have to be synced to an individual's unique genetic signature before they'll work...this ensures that only the person the item is intended for can use it...and given that I synced the bracelet in question to my genetic signature years ago, I-"

Lauren: "Y-YEARS AGO?? So...the whole 'magical amputation' thing...you mean you've actually done it before?"

Eleanor: "Oh, don't act SO surprised, Lauren! Like I said, us dullahans are known for doing 'weird' stuff and-"

Lauren: "Ellie, you think you could, you know...put the bracelet on? Like, right now?"

Eleanor: "Heh...I had a feeling you would say that...hmm...well, it has been a month or two since I've last used it, so...alright, I guess I can demonstrate the bracelet's ability for you!"

PART 2

Description

Lauren: *yawn* "Just...five more minutes...alright?"

Heather: "Lauren, don't you think it's about time you got up? I mean, you've been sleeping on my couch all morning and-"

Lauren: "All morning? W-what time is it?"

Heather: "Well...my phone says it's about...ten-forty right now, so-"

Lauren: "What? I-It's THAT late? Ah, crap...I was supposed to meet Eleanor around nine! *sigh* Alright, I guess I'm just gonna have to skip breakfast and head over there right now! See ya!"

*FWASH*

Heather: "Lauren, wait! You're still wearing your...*sigh*...aaand she's gone..."

---------------

*FWASH*

Lauren: "S-sorry I'm late, Ellie! I-"

Eleanor: "Well, it's about time you showed up, Lauren! *sigh* Let me guess...you were up all night playing one of your little video games again?"

Lauren: "What? N-no, it's...it's not like that, Ellie! You see...I, um...well, I was-"

Eleanor: "It's ok, Lauren...I already know all about your conversation with Heather last night..."

Lauren: "Wait...h-how do you-"

Eleanor: "She called me about an hour ago. Apparently, she felt bad that you overslept because of what happened, so...she called me to apologize. Naturally, I told her she didn't need to apologize for anything, but-"

Lauren: "Wait...if she had time to call you, then...why didn't she just wake me up instead?"

Eleanor: "Oh, she tried, all right - more than once, if I'm not mistaken - but apparently you were just so tired that....well, she finally just gave up..."

Lauren: "Heh...yeah, we talked for quite a while last night...anyways, I'm guessing you're...not...mad at me, then?"

Eleanor: "Lauren, it's pretty hard to be mad at someone who genuinely cares about her friends the way you do...although, I do wish you had changed into something a bit more...appropriate...before coming over..."

Lauren: "Huh? What are you...oh, right! I'm still wearing my pajamas, aren't I? *sigh* Guess I better fix that so we can-"

Eleanor: "It's fine, Lauren. You really don't have to change right now...after all, we're...not...going to be doing any magic today..."

Lauren: *sigh* "Ok, so...what are we gonna do, then?"

Eleanor: "Well, it’s been quite a while since you and I had time to just talk about…whatever, so-“

Lauren: "Y-yeah...that's fine...there's...actually a few things I wanted to talk to you about..."

Eleanor: "I see...alright, then…what is it you're wanting to talk to me about?"

Lauren: "Ok, so...first, I wanna thank you again for helping me out with the April Fool's 'prank' a few weeks ago...turning me and my sister into 'amputees' for the day ...it was a very...interesting…experience for the two of us. Honestly, I...I think my sister actually enjoyed it as much as I did, which was…kinda surprising, you know? Anyways, that brings me to my first question: we were kinda wondering if...there might be a way for us to...maybe...do that again?"

Eleanor: "Lauren...let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly: you and your sister...you actually want to have one of your legs 'magically amputated' again?"

Lauren: "I know, I know, it sounds...weird, but...I mean...as long as it's just a...temporary...thing, then-"

Eleanor: "Heh...trust me, Lauren…it’s not as weird as you think...I mean, we're dullahans...doing 'weird' stuff is...well, it's just a natural part of who we are! However, I specifically said I would only help you do it once...using magic to 'alter' you and your sister - even if just for a day - takes a lot out of me, so if I have to keep doing it every time the two of you want to-"

Lauren: "Actually, I think I might know a way around that..."

Eleanor: "Oh, really? Well, then...what exactly do you have in mind?"

Lauren: "Alright, so...you don't wanna have to keep using magic on us every time we wanna be 'altered,' right? Well, what if - instead of using the spell on us directly - we actually infused the spell into a piece of jewelry? Maybe something small and easy to put on...like, say...a bracelet?"

Eleanor: "Hmm...so your idea is to create an enchanted item, then?"

Lauren: "Exactly! I mean, just think about it...creating an enchanted item is a one-time thing, so we'd only have to use the spell once per item, right? Plus, once we've actually created some enchanted bracelets, all we'd have to do is put 'em on and the magic would immediately take effect, right? And since enchanted items recharge their energy automatically, we'd be able to re-use them pretty much whenever we wanted...right??"

Eleanor: "Heh...well done, Lauren...you managed to figure it out sooner than I expected..."

Lauren: "W-what does that mean?"

Eleanor: "Lauren, what I told you before...that using the spell took a lot out of me...and that I'd only do it once...that wasn't entirely true..."

Lauren: "Wait...so you...lied...to me?"

Eleanor: "Not exactly...you see, I was certain that after experiencing being 'altered' for the day, you'd be quite interested in doing it again; however, the idea of having to use magic on you every time you wanted to be 'altered' was...well, I'll admit it's not something I was looking forward to. Fortunately, I realized I could use this as a way to teach you a few new things about spatial magic and-"

Lauren: "So...this was all another one of your lessons, then?"

Eleanor: "Correct! By telling you that I'd only use the magic on you once, it effectively created a problem for you to solve, and I knew that - given how much you enjoy using magic - you'd start working on a way to solve the problem almost immediately. Honestly, I...well, I thought it would take you months to find the correct answer, and yet you somehow managed to figure it out in only a few weeks..."

Lauren: "Well, it's like you said...I was really wanting to do it again, so I started doing some research and...wait...Ellie, how do you know that my idea - you know, making an enchanted item - is the 'correct' answer to the problem? I mean, the only way you'd actually know that it would work is if you-"

Eleanor: "-is if I’ve already created one, yes?"

Lauren: "Ellie, are you…are you saying you've already made me a-"

Eleanor: "Not quite...*sigh*...while it's true that I've already created an enchanted bracelet - one designed to replicate the effect I used for your 'prank' a few weeks ago - I'm afraid you won't be able to use it. You see, enchanted items have to be synced to an individual's unique genetic signature before they'll work...this ensures that only the person the item is intended for can use it...and given that I synced the bracelet in question to my genetic signature years ago, I-"

Lauren: "Y-YEARS AGO?? So...the whole 'magical amputation' thing...you mean you've actually done it before?"

Eleanor: "Oh, don't act SO surprised, Lauren! Like I said, us dullahans are known for doing 'weird' stuff and-"

Lauren: "Ellie, you think you could, you know...put the bracelet on? Like, right now?"

Eleanor: "Heh...I had a feeling you would say that...hmm...well, it has been a month or two since I've last used it, so...alright, I guess I can demonstrate the bracelet's ability for you!"

PART 2