The girl carefully sat up in the gurney, revealing a purple dress as well as that had her Soul Gem turned into a blue gemstone set in gold that was secured to the front of her dress in the middle of her chest, leaving a small gap that revealed the top of where her breastbone met her collarbone.
There was some intricate gold embroidery done on the sides of her dress that Dave couldn’t quite make out.
She also had sleeves that started halfway down her upper arms and flared out at her elbows and ended about halfway down her forearm.
Dave wasn’t sure if the dress meant anything, or if it was just something that was part of her ‘transformation’ but he had to admit that if he was younger, significantly younger, he probably would find the dress rather appealing on her.
“Does being a magical girl come with any perks?” she asked, looking like she was considering getting up from the gurney, but was weighing the pros and cons of such a choice.
“Well, let’s discuss that while we wait for the doctor to come in and see how well you’re doing,” Dave said, unsure if he really should stop her.
“What do you mean?
I feel much better already, so why should I care what the doctor has to say?” “Try de-transforming,” Dave suggested, pretty sure that since she transformed, she should be able to undo it as well.
Otherwise, he had a feeling she’d have a hard time explaining her sudden change in appearance, including the color change of her hair.
Besides, he was pretty sure that her healed injuries probably wouldn’t be as thoroughly healed when she went back to being just a regular girl.
Though, while it was possible that she’d be just as she was now, Dave had a feeling it wouldn’t be quite that simple.
Although, part of him wondered if maybe it was just the euphoria of changing that made her able to ignore her current injuries.
“Uh, how do I do that?” Dave opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he realized he didn’t have a clue as to how to explain how she should do that.
However, before he had a chance to even ask the voice, or look like he didn’t have a clue, her body glowed and her outfit disappeared, briefly showing her bare body before the hospital gown appeared again on her, making Dave wonder what would have happened if she hadn’t been covered by a blanket when she’d transformed in the first place.
Plus, he could see that her chest was noticeable bigger, making him wonder if she regressed her age when she transformed.
“Oh, I get it now,” the girl said, sounding rather pleased with herself, though her face contorted into a grimace as she started moaning in pain, her hands moving to her face to cover her nose.
Dave figured he should ask the voice about de-transforming later.
That way he wouldn’t have to hope that any other magical girls he may or may not create wouldn’t luck out and figure it out on their own so quickly.
As he knew he lucked out that this girl was able to figure it out on her own.
Which brought to mind another point for him.
What was the girl’s name?
“So, what’s your name?” Dave asked conversationally.
“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself before asking me my name?” the girl asked suspiciously, pulling the thin hospital blanket over her body as she lay back down on the gurney.
“I’m Dave,” Dave said, not caring to argue with the girl.
He just wanted to stop thinking of her as ‘the girl’ and think of her by her name.
“I’m Hailey,” the girl mumbled, not looking very happy for reasons Dave could only guess at.
“Though, what kind of name is ‘Dave’ for a stuffed animal?” “Um, I’m actually a human who turned into a stuffed animal,” Dave replied.
Hailey’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Dave rather suspiciously.
“Really?
How were you able to tell that I could become a magical girl then?
Can you turn back into a human?” “Of course,” Dave said, ignoring the first question.
“Uh, voice?
Turn me back please?” *Huh?
Oh, yeah, I have no idea how to do that.
You’ll have to figure out how to do that on your own.
Plus, I’ve helped you all I can, so this will be the last time I’ll talk to you.
As you finished the tutorial and are ready to be a magical girl’s mascot in the truest sense.* the voice said, making Dave feel like the floor dropped out from under him, leaving his to fall for who knew how long.
“Uh, are you okay?” Hailey asked, looking at Dave as she poked him in his side.
“I have no idea how to turn back into a human,” Dave lamented, not caring if anyone heard him at this point.
He wasn’t sure if anything really mattered now that he was stuck as… he didn’t even know what kind of stuff animal he was, aside from being a bird!
“Wow, so you expect me to believe that you know what I can do as a magical girl when you don’t even know how to turn yourself back into a human?
How’d you manage to turn yourself into a stuffed animal then?” Dave sighed.
“A voice told me that it could do that so I wouldn’t be seen as a creepy homeless man hanging around girls as I tried to convince some to become magical girls,” Dave said, not seeing a point in keeping any of this back.
“Now the voice said that since I completed the ‘tutorial’ phase, that I’m good and don’t need it to say anything more to me, so it’s not going to talk to me again.” “Wow, so magical creatures can get bullied too,” Hailey remarked absently, petting Dave, like he was an actual animal.
Dave hated that he felt so comforted by Hailey’s touch, even as he leaned into it.
It made him feel so good that he wasn’t sure what he’d do if he didn’t get to feel that every so often.
“Well, wait for the doctor to see how your injuries are faring and maybe you’ll be able to get out when your father comes to visit again with your sister.”