More Tales from the Guilds Ch. 01

"In the next room? By myself?"

"Yes, Captain. You have my word."

"Very well. Tonight, if you don't mind?"

"As you wish, Captain."

Why tonight? Angua smiled grimly to herself. Because the moon is new. Under a full moon I must change. Tonight I have control. Let's see if little Manngang is protean tonight. If this works, maybe next full moon I can take him chicken hunting. After all, I do pay for them and it will let him get back at them for pecking his feet!

*****

"Now Manngang, this is how it's supposed to go. You take off your clothes and sit in this chair next to the wall. On the other side of the wall, in the next room will be two chairs and in the room beyond that will be Captain Angua. I'll call up both your morphic fields and shine moonlight on them. If you change, the door has a lever instead of a round knob. You'll be able come out of the room and show us."

"An' how do I change back?"

Professor Capstick stroked his beard. "You should change back as soon as I take the moonlight off the morphic field simulacrums. And then once you get some practice changing, like next full moon, you should be able to do it all by yourself."

"Is anyone gonna change the knob on my bedroom door?"

"Oh yes," Professor Emergent-Weatherwax assured him, "The Archchancellor told Modo that it needs to be done tomorrow. Pruning the roses can wait."

"Oh, then I guess 's alright. All the doors at home have levers."

"Well, of course they would. Opposable thumbs are so handy most of the time but for a wolf they are an obstacle. Now, I'm going to leave you alone here and go next door. Just make yourself comfortable for a few minutes."

When Aloysius entered the next room he found Phoebe waiting for him. "Captain Angua is ready, Professor."

"Ah, thank-you so much for that," Capstick replied and began the ritual again. Sure enough, in a short while both empty chairs were occupied by vaguely human, translucent forms. He opened the jar of preserved moonlight and shone it on both morphic fields. Angua's instantly became a handsome wolf perched casually in the chair but Manngang's still struggled. It knew it was supposed to be something else but . . .

Angua's simulacrum hopped down from its perch. Manngang's might not know what it should be but Angua definitely did. It walked over and grasped an arm-ish protrusion with its teeth and gently pulled. Suddenly, she was holding a squirming puppy by the scuff of its neck. She dropped it to the floor and at once the little thing danced around her, jumped up against her, licked and sniffed her ear and made all manner of infant canine noises.

Aloysius shut the box and they both returned to human form. "I believe we've done it!" he remarked happily, "Now go tell Manngang to put on his pants and tell us how it went on his end, if you would be so kind, Professor."

Manngang was ahead of them. Barefoot and in nothing but his trousers, he rushed into the classroom where the two professors stood.

"That was fun! Can we do it again?" his babbling excitement went on for some time.

*****

Deer Mum,

I can Change! Captin Angua and Professorer Kapstik helpt me. I hav bin triing very hard and practsing a lot. Tomorrer is full moon and Captin Angua says she will take me chikken hunting. She knows a place ware we can go. She even promist to pay for them.

Luv,

Manngang

*****

"I'm sorry, Archchancellor, but I really don't have any explanation. Once the pup could Change and sneak out at night to get chickens on his own, his magical abilities seem to have vanished." Professor Capstick was baffled and disturbed.

"Well, don't let get t'you, Professor, I'm sure there's a perfectly sound explanation for it somewhere. T'be honest, the Differently Alive are relieved, especially Lady Margolotta. His Lordship says that she's been seriously concerned about the situation and has sent her personal railcar to fetch the lad back. I'm sure his mother will be glad to see him return though the rest of the students are a bit bent out of shape. They really wanted him to keep magicking up those brownies."