“Alright calm down, there’s probably a simple and logical reason for this…” Warez tried convincing himself. But before he could collect his thoughts, his roomy Jahgon burst through the door.

“Warez I heard you scream, is everything—“ Jahgon's eyes narrowed as he stared at the Blastoise, his hand instinctively reaching for his staff. "Who are you and what have you done with Warez?" he demanded.

Warez stood and held his hands up, "Wait, it's me, Jahgon! It's Warez," he insisted.

Jahgon didn't budge, his grip tightening on his staff. "Prove it," he challenged.

"I—I can explain," Warez stammered, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. But he sheepishly put his hand behind his head, “Hehe, ok so the truth is, I have no idea how I ended up like this.”

“Really?” Jahgon became expressionless, almost uninterested in what the creature had to say next.

Warez continued, "It's just... I found this tie with a sapphire on it, a light was cast all around me, but nothing happened at the time. Then the next thing I know, I woke up as this, and with my pajamas ruined" he said, gesturing to his ripped pajamas.

Jahgon hesitated, studying Warez carefully. He knew his roommate well enough that Warez had a knack for getting himself into peculiar situations. With a sigh, he lowered his staff slightly. "Can you ever once in your life go on an adventure where this kind of bullshit doesn’t happen," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Warez chuckled nervously, "Well, you know me! I'm just a regular dragon who likes to collect shiny objects and accidentally turns himself into water types. It's not like I planned this or anything!"

Jahgon rolled his eyes, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Of course you didn't," he said sarcastically. "And I suppose that tie just happened to be lying around, waiting for you to pick it up and transform into a giant turtle?"

Warez shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Hey, stranger things have happened! Remember that time we went on that hiking trip, and I accidentally stumbled into a hidden cave filled with ancient artifacts?"

Jahgon's eyebrows shot up. "The one where you nearly got us both killed because you couldn't resist touching everything?"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that statue would come alive, chase us, and shoot lasers that vaporized anything it came into contact with?" Warez protested, holding up his hands defensively. "Besides, it made for a pretty exciting hike!"

Jahgon groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Exciting is not the word I would use."

Warez just grinned, unrepentant. "Adventure is where you find it, my friend!"

Jahgon shook his head, leaned his staff against the wall, and sighed. "Alright, War…stoise. Let's figure out how to reverse this... whatever it is. You’re lucky it’s only a transformation and not some cataclysmic phenomenon."

Warez nodded confidently, "Well, it could’ve been a whole lot worse. My skin could’ve started melting off or something. But I'll just teleport back to that world and figure out how to reverse this. Easy peasy!"

He placed his hands together, concentrating hard as he tried to activate his teleportation abilities. But after a few tense moments, nothing happened. Warez furrowed his brow, trying even harder, but still no luck.

"Come on," he muttered, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "Work, dammit!"

Suddenly, panic set in as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Jahgon! It's not working!" Warez exclaimed, "I can't teleport! I'm stuck like this!"

Jahgon's eyes widened in concern as he rushed over to Warez's side. "Okay, okay," he said calmly, trying to soothe his friend. "Let's not panic, what about your other mancer abilities? Maybe one of them will work."

Warez hesitated for a moment before nodding. "R—right," he said, holding out his hand and concentrating on his pyromancy. But no matter how hard he tried, no flames appeared. He switched to his astrapomancy, attempting to have lightning crackle across his fingertips, but again, nothing happened.

Warez's face paled as the realization set in. He stumbled backwards, falling to his knees as he clutched at his chest. "I can't feel the mana flow through me like I used to..." he whispered, his voice trembling with genuine fear.

Jahgon rushed to Warez's side, kneeling beside him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Warez, it's going to be okay," he said softly. "We'll figure this out together."

But Warez barely seemed to hear him. Warez's body shook as he curled into a fetal position on the floor, tears streaming down his face. "What if... what if my powers are gone for good?" he choked out, "I'm a mancer without magic. I'm nothing."

Jahgon's heart ached at the sight of his friend in such distress. He gently pulled Warez into his arms, holding him tightly as he rocked back and forth. "Shh, it's alright," he murmured soothingly. "We'll find a way to fix this, I promise you. You're not nothing, Warez. You're my best friend, and I won't let anything happen to you."

Warez clung to Jahgon like a lifeline, burying his face in his chest as sobs wracked his body. He felt lost and helpless, unsure of what the future held for him now that his magic was gone.

The next day dragged on slowly, with Warez barely moving from his bed. He stared blankly at the ceiling, his mind consumed by thoughts of his lost powers and the life he'd left behind. Jahgon tried to coax him into eating something nutritious, but Warez insisted on eating junk food, hoping the fleeting pleasure would distract him from his despair.

On the following day, Warez mustered up the energy to attempt some training, hoping to take his mind off his predicament. But as he tried to run a mile, he found himself huffing and puffing after just a few blocks, his new heavy body struggling to keep up. When he attempted a simple flip, he landed with a thud, realizing that even basic movements were now beyond his capabilities. Warez's heart sank as he came to terms with the harsh reality that his old life may never come back. He couldn't run, jump, or use magic like he used to.

But by the fifth day, something changed. This wasn’t the usual cheerful dragon he once knew, and he wanted to change that. Like a flick of a switch, Warez decided to quit wallowing in self-pity and make the most of his new situation. He woke up with a renewed sense of determination, put on the tie he'd found in the chest, and was surprised when it magically gave him a matching blue hat and shorts.

Feeling a little more cheerful in his new attire, Warez, who now decided to go by Warstoise to truly mark a new era of his life, made his way to the outside world, ready to face the day head-on.

🎨 anonymous 🎨