"So," Nia said as she shifted enough that she was sort of facing me while we sat together on the love-seat. "The familiar stuff will probably make more sense if we start with some general knowledge first. That way you'll have some context when we get into the specifics."
"I'll try not to make it too much like one of Professor McLean's boring lectures," she smirked.
I rolled my eyes then smiled, "Nia I could happily listen to you read last week's weather forecast if it meant I got to spend more time with you. And if you were having fun doing it, of course."
It only took a moment for both of us to realize what I just said, and just like that we were both blushing.
"Alright then," the gorgeous fae said after clearing her throat. "So first off, we've already talked a bit about the 'magical realm' and the 'mundane world'. Those are general terms, an easy shorthand way to differentiate between where we are right now and what most humans refer to as 'the real world'."
At that point I raised my hand up, like a kid wanting to ask her teacher a question.
Nia smirked, "Yes Kiki?"
"Does that mean we're in an alternate universe?" I asked. "Or another dimension?"
She shook her head, "Not really. We don't use these terms but I think it'd be more accurate to say we're in a sort of pocket reality here?"
"Kenrei's Cove is just one of many such places," she added. "There are other fae enclaves hidden around the world. I don't know how many, but they're all referred to collectively as the magical realm. They're not connected to each other though, and I don't know where the others are. Only that there's more places like this out there."
My eyes widened as I mumbled, "Wow."
Meanwhile Nia got on with her lecture, "It's important to understand terms like magical and mundane are just words, convenient labels we've applied to the different realities. And those labels describe conditions in general, they're not absolute. What I mean is, although we refer to the human realm as mundane, that doesn't mean there's no magic there. Or that magic cannot work there."
"Likewise," she added, "This realm being called magical doesn't mean mundane machines or technology won't work here... Yes Kiki?"
I'd raised my hand up again to ask, "Does that mean my phone works here?"
"Yes and no," she replied. "It will turn on, you'll be able to use any apps or functions that are local to the device. There's no service here though, and when the battery runs down you won't find anywhere here to recharge it."
She added, "You'll also find a lot of locals won't be very happy with you if they see you using it out in public. Especially if you're doing something problematic, like taking pictures of them or their homes or that sort of thing."
Then she noted, "Those sorts of restrictions work both ways. So although magic in general does work in the mundane world it can sometimes be more difficult to use, or come with other challenges that vary depending on specifics. And people over there are just as liable to get upset with you if they catch you trying to use it on them."
"You have another question?" she asked after I raised my hand once again.
"Are there magical police? Or some other force or something, to ensure magical people don't expose themselves, or other supernatural people, or the magical realm?"
Nia nodded, "Yes. For a few centuries the humans had their own methods for handling careless fae or other supernaturals. Little tricks like torture, execution, and burning at the stake. Nowadays the primary mechanisms are social ridicule or just being dismissed as crazy. Tougher cases frequently get imprisoned, either in a jail or a mental hospital."
That made me shudder, "So basically if I'm your mousekin familiar then I can't go back to the mundane realm? My ears and tail and everything would get me caught."
"Not at all," she replied. "You didn't see my true self until I brought you to the crossroads, remember? I appear differently in the mundane world, and you will too. Your mundane form might not be quite as tiny as you are right now, but I expect you'd make an adorable petite college coed."
"Huh," I mumbled as I started thinking about that. Only for a moment though as Nia continued with her lecture.
"Moving on, now that we've talked a bit about the realms we have to talk about the inhabitants. Although bear in mind these are generalizations, every individual is different."
"Humans tend to be the least-magical of the races," she continued, "That said, some humans can be very magical indeed. And as mother made clear last night, just because someone looks human doesn't mean they don't have something magical in their heritage."
Nia went on, "Fae in general tend to be much more magical than humans, but again that's a generalization and actual ability and talent varies widely from person to person. Same goes for beastkin, and other supernatural races. There's strengths and weaknesses each species is known for, but individual variations are almost always more important."
"Which brings me to the main point of the lecture," she stated. "When we describe someone as being 'magical' in this context, we're referring primarily to two traits. First is the ability to control and manipulate 'magic'. Second is the ability to harness or even produce 'magic' in the raw."
I forgot to raise my hand this time and just blurted out, "What is 'magic' in this context? I'm sure you have a definition, right?"
My best friend smiled, "That's an entire semester right there. Super brief version, think of it as another force of nature. Like gravity, or electromagnetism. It exists, and some people can sense it, gather it, and manipulate it so as to achieve their goals."
"Anyways back to the lesson," she stated, "In general terms, most fae have some natural talent for manipulating and controlling magic, and some are better at it than others. When someone decides to study and train to improve those talents, we call them a witch. However, despite their knack for working with magic most fae aren't very good at gathering or producing it themselves. So they're limited in what they can achieve, and often find their progress stymied when they run into their natural limitations."
After pausing for a gulp of her not-hot cocoa she went on, "Conversely, most beastkin have a natural talent for raising or producing their own raw magical energy. But they tend to have much more trouble controlling and manipulating that magic to do what they want with it. Or in short, fae are generally good at figuring out the intricacies of spellcraft and enchantments, but typically lack the power to do much of either. While beastkin tend to have better access to raw magical power, but often lack the delicate control required to make good use of it."
Her eyes were on mine as she elaborated on what I'd just realized, "Since both groups have opposing strengths and weaknesses, the quickest and easiest solution is to team up. Beastkin bring the raw power, fae supply the control and finesse, and together they learn to achieve great things."
"Which is why witches need familiars," I stated. "And why familiars need witches, I guess?"
Nia smiled, "That's a gold star for Kiki. However there's more to it than that."
"Even if fae naturally suck at raising or generating their own power," she explained, "They can get better at it over time. Think of it like swimming or whatever? It's not hard to figure out how to do it, like enough to keep your head above water. But the more you do it, the more you train and practise and exercise, the better you get. Sure there's always some variation, some folks are naturally better than others, but that goes for anything. And in the case of magic, the more and closer a witch works with her familiar, the better she can get at building and accessing her own reservoir of magical power."
I remembered to raise my hand but still blurted out my question before she called my name, "And that works both ways too, right? The familiar can learn better control and skill and stuff, the more she works with her witch?"
"That's correct cutie," she smiled again. "In this case I'd liken it more to a creative skill, like drawing. It may seem insurmountable at first, especially if you compare yourself to someone who's already got several years of practice behind them, but anyone can learn to draw. It just takes time, and commitment, and lots of practice."
"A good teacher probably helps too," I commented. "Like if you don't vibe with someone it's a lot harder to work with them."
My gorgeous fae friend nodded, "Correct. That's why it's very important for a witch and her familiar to get along, and to trust each other. Which is another reason I've been so reluctant to do it. Because like I said, so far it's just been people my mother found for me."
I nodded slowly as I considered everything I'd learned in the last few minutes. It felt like a lot, yet at the same time I suspected we'd barely scratched the surface.
Eventually I looked up at her and asked, "So um, you made it clear all that stuff you just said was general. What about specifics? I mean, what about you and me specifically?"
"Actually," I added with a frown, "Am I even a good option for you? Like I'm not really a mousekin, right? So how do you know I have any of that raw magic potential stuff? What if we teamed up then it turned out I was a dud?"
Nia smiled as she shook her head, "You're not a dud cutie. You heard what my mom said last night when we first got here. You've got loads of potential, you'd make an excellent choice for my first familiar. You and I could do amazing things together."
"Yeah..." I nodded slowly. My cheeks coloured as I added, "She also said I'd make an excellent pet, and that I'd be easy to tame."
She agreed, "Yeah. So um, I already covered some of this stuff this morning. The partnership isn't just some kind of business transaction, and it's not like being study buddies at college. It's a witch and her familiar. Mistress and servant. Domme and sub... owner and pet."
My cheeks got even hotter as I asked softly, "Is that um, are those terms just metaphorical? Or I guess I mean uh, is there meant to be the sexual undertones to that as well?"
"Yes," Nia stated softly. "Sex isn't a strict requirement, but I understand it can help. Especially when it comes to building rapport between the two. But um, yeah. Not required, not necessarily expected, but definitely allowed, and possibly encouraged."
We were both blushing brightly at that point, but instead of dwell on the awkwardness I decided to let that topic go and moved on to some other questions I had.
I took a deep breath or two then asked, "You mentioned that I might get turned into a mouse at times. Is that something you'd control? Or would I be able to decide when to change back and forth, from mouse-girl to mouse?"
"It sure looked like Sara was in charge of her own form earlier," I added. "That's why I'm curious."
Nia grimaced slightly, "Sara's got at least five or six years' experience as my mother's familiar. And my mother's got a few decades' worth of experience when it comes to taming and training her familiars. So the answer is yes, but not right away. You'll learn how to change your own form someday, but it'll take time."
I nodded slowly, "Ok. So then I have to ask, if you turned me into a mouse and sent me off on some mission or task or something, would there be some other magic or something to keep me safe? Like I don't want to get eaten by a cat or some other predator. Or stepped on, or..."
My voice trailed off when I noticed the look she was giving me.
"Kiki if I actually turned you into a mouse I'd be terrified to let you out of my sight for exactly those reasons!" she exclaimed. "None of this 'secret mouse mission' stuff! Maybe, and I mean maybe, if you were comfortable and wanted to try it, then we could experiment somewhere safe. Like let you run around on my bed or something. I don't even know if I'd be comfortable holding you in my hands, I'd be scared of accidentally hurting you!"
"Oh," I blushed. "So um, no letting me ride around on your shoulder then? Or in your blouse pocket, while you're going out around town and stuff?"
Nia laughed, "You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you cutie? I'm sorry! Honestly the only reason I mentioned the mouse thing was to try and scare you off. I didn't think you'd be into it!"
"I'm not!" I insisted, while my cheeks heated up all over again. "Or not entirely! But seeing Sara change back and forth got me thinking. And how your mom was giving her pets and scritches and stuff."
My friend smirked at me, "You want to know what it feels like being a mouse, so I can pet your little tiny mousie head? Do you also want to know what it's like to get picked up by the tail? Do you really want to ride around in a pocket next to my boob all day long?"
"No!" I tried to protest. "Ok maybe a little? A tiny bit!"
"Just a tiny mouse-sized bit," she giggled, which left me flustered and pouting.
It took another minute or so for both of us to calm down from all that. Then Nia sighed, "Mouse or not you'd basically be my pet. As well as my assistant."
"I'd still be your friend though, right?" I asked. "I mean, it wouldn't all be magic and study and stuff. And would I be able to keep attending college?"
She nodded, "Yes, and yes. Like I said from the start, I don't want to jeopardize our friendship. Our relationship would definitely change, but I'd do my absolute best to ensure it only got better. And like my mother said, college is doable but we'd have to figure some stuff out with magic. Same with your ID and stuff like that. As for your appearance you'll have a mundane look so folks didn't see you as a tiny mousekin, the same way people don't see me as a fae."
"Some people will still have questions though," she warned me. "Friends, classmates, maybe some profs. People who knew you well enough before are going to know you're different now. And if you're my familiar they might also notice our relationship's changed to something more than just friendship. Although we could probably get around that by just saying we're a couple."
My cheeks were on fire again as I asked, "You mean like girlfriends?"
Nia started blushing again too when she realized what she'd just suggested. She didn't back down though, she just nodded slowly as she reached for her drink. "Yeah cutie. Girlfriends in public on the mundane side of the veil, witch and familiar everywhere else."
"That um, sounds really nice actually?" I mumbled. Then before I had a chance to think about what I was saying I pointed out, "Owner and pet would work on both sides too."
Due to poor timing my friend nearly choked on her cocoa, but luckily she survived. She sputtered a bit though before giving me another look, "You're not wrong cutie. And I'm starting to think you might be into that."
That was my cue to do the sputtering and squirming. The smiles and blushes faded though as I finally cycled around to the original problem that set all this in motion in the first place.
"What about my dad?" I asked nervously. "Will this keep me safe from him? Or will it just put you in danger too? And how will it help me find somewhere to stay? Somewhere safe?"
Nia reminded me, "If you're my familiar then you're basically my property for the duration of the pact, so you'd be moving in with me. That also makes you my responsibility, it'd be up to me to look after you and keep you safe. And considering my mom's the most powerful witch around, there's no way in hell she'd let anything happen to me or my familiar."
"Don't worry about Ivy," she added. "She's fae too, and I'm pretty sure she's on mom's payroll. As a spy or chaperone or something. I'm confident she'll suddenly decide to move out, or we'll suddenly find a better deal on a bigger place, with plenty of room for you to move in. And you won't have to worry about rent or anything, that's all my responsibility. Which means mother will take care of that too. Trust me, mom's so desperate for me to find a familiar I'm sure the only reason she hasn't tried to bribe you yet is she hasn't had the chance."
By the time she was done I was staring wide-eyed at her as all that sank in. "Wow. So if we do this I get free room and board, protection from my dad, the works? I don't even have to go looking for a job or anything?"
"You'll have a job," she corrected me. "Being a familiar isn't all cuteness and ear-scritches. It'll be like doubling up on our studies, when we're not working on our college classes we'll be working on our magic instead."
I grimaced, "Ok but that still sounds better than flipping burgers or getting exploited by some gig economy nonsense. So um, what do you think? Are you up for this? Because I think I am."
Nia took a deep breath, then nodded. "Alright Kiki. I'm still a little scared, but yeah. I think I'm ready. And I want to do this. With you."
That put a smile on my face. Not because she was ready, but because she wanted it. And even better, she wanted it with me.