Jack

Shahryar

Another morning, another day. I rose from my bed, yawning, and looking down at
the gorgeous woman beside me. Ah, I never got tired of her. How the hell I managed
to snag the infamous Mad Maddie is still beyond me, but I managed to somehow
do it, and now the NOT class professor lives with me and my daughter. I brush her
soft red hair out of her face.
Come on, Mads. Youve got class to teach, and Ao has to get to school or Franken
will chuck more knives at her.
Mmmm, but I dont wanna
When do you ever? She was never much of a morning person. Come on. Aos
cooking sausage, I can smell it already.
I pat her shoulder and float out of bed, snapping my fingers as my clothing flies
onto me and my hair ties itself in its customary ponytail. As I float into the kitchen,
drawn by the scent of breakfast meat in classic cartoonish fashion, I kiss the small
girl cooking on the cheek.
Morning daddy.
Good morning, Aodhnait. Thanks for getting breakfast. I can never stop gushing
about how cute my daughter is. Little button nose, five feet tall, long brown hair.
Allah, I feel like Maes Hughes.
Let me guess, Ms. Sullivan is still in bed?
I said you can call me Maddie, Ao the woman in question stumbles out of the
bedroom, her hair still messy. She sits at the table and lets her head fall to her
arms, eyes closing and snores resonating through the air. I roll my eyes and pour a
cup of coffee, leaving it at her place, where she instantly perks up.
Maybe someone should stop having five Yebisu before bed. I poke her side.
Maybe someone should quit yapping and get me some sausage. She sneers at me
before letting a small smile creep onto her face.
Dad, are you taking another mission with Gage today?
Nah, the Jolly Green Giant is going on a date with your partner, remember? Gage,
my partner, was almost six foot ten, with somehow naturally occurring neon green
hair and amber eyes. He was built like a twig, but he was versatile- something that
a multiform like me can appreciate, as its hard to stay tied down to one weapon

form for too long. His love of cosplay certainly helps, given my abilities are powered
by imagination.
The girl hes dating tonight, as well, is a fair meister for my daughter. Serena is soft
spoken, but she always looked at people with her hawk-like eyes as though they
were prey. Well, she used to, before she met Aodhnait. The two of them really
helped each other out of their respective shells, even before I adopted Ao.
I heard a bump, followed by an Ow. Must be Gage making his regular hit-thethreshold ritual. I quickly gobble up my food, making sure the other two are set.
Mads, well see you at the school. You gotta straighten that hair.
Ehehehe fuck yourself. She flips me off, and my vision goes blurry for a moment.
Huh, that was weird. I shake the cobwebs out of my mind as I finish cleaning up the
pan and plates. The kids in my class can go one day without ogling me.
Mads, dont skip. Stein will strap you to a lab table to teach there for a week if you
do.
She groans and leaves to change as I float next to my daughter to meet my tree of
a partner. He seems older for some reason nah, must have been seeing things.
Hes the same as he ever was.
Hes soon.
Huh? Now Im hearing things too. Jeez, maybe I shouldnt have beer before bed.
You guys read the last chapter Stein gave us? Gage sheepishly rubs the back of
his head.
You didnt read, did you? Aodhnait crosses her arms in front of her. Wait, shes
staring straight at me and looks a lot older No, shes young, tiny, and cute again,
looking annoyedly at Gage. What is going on?
No I was up playing BlazBlue again
Classic Gage. Have mac and cheese last night too? I float up to eye level with him.
I may only be 64, but I can get there with my magic.
It was Wednesday, right?
And now he looks older again, and scared of something. Then back to normal. This
is getting really weird.
How much longer do we have? he says in a serious voice to Aodhnait.
Oh come on, we have like 20 minutes before- I started to say before being cut off
by my daughter.

Not much. Get the chamber ready. She says to him.

Aodhnait?
What is it daddy? she smiles at me.
Something weird just keeps happening to me I float down and stand next to her.
Oh. Well, Im sure it will be fine.
Yeah, youre right, honey.
Daddy?
Hmm?
I love you. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek.
I love you too-
And I woke up, surrounded by the same surroundings Ive seen for the past hell, I
dont know how long Ive been in here. Maybe 900, a thousand? Eleven hundred?
Well. Im back here again trapped again, a genie in a bottle
I curl up and cry for the first time in what feels like a millennium.