FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

*BOOM!*

I awoke with a crash, nearly falling out of bed. My heart is pounding as I fumble for my glasses and turn on the light.

"What the heck was that?" I say drowsy.

I get up and get some clothes on before going down the steps. I cautiously looked out the window, not sure what would be out there. Everything was strangely quiet. Shouldn't there be other people out there investigating?

I slowly open my door to see a human man standing right outside it. In some kind of blue robe and a wide grin on his face. I start to slowly close the door, ready to lock it. He leans onto it, holding it open.

"Aw, don't be like that. I came all this way for you." He says in a cheery voice.

"Me? Do I know you?" I responded.

"Nope! But that doesn't matter because I have a proposition for you and a gift." I keep trying to close the door, but he effortlessly pops it back open and walks in.

"C-could you please leave?" I didn't know this guy and breaking in like this is not making me want to hear him out.

"So soon? Don't you want a chance to make your dreams come true?"

"I don't think I'm interested." I was getting tense as I thought about what to do next.

"Come on. It's not everyday someone comes along and is willing to impart some magic on you."

I take a look at him now in the light. He had a blue robe, a blue hat like a wizard, and black gloves. Outside his crazy get-up, he seemed to be barefoot, very strange for a human. All I could think is that some kind of delusional crazy person invited himself into my home, and I wanted to try to get him out without escalating.

"Magic? Magic isn't real." As much as I fantasized about having magical powers, but that isn't reality.

"But what if I told you it was?"

"I would have to say you were a liar-" He raised his hands, and he made a ball of light before it exploded into sparkles.

"What do you say now?"

I was stunned by what just happened. It had to be some kind of trick.

"Ready to listen now?" Is what he says as he helps himself to a chair as I still just stand there. "I could bore you with all the details, but to keep things brief, I want you to become my apprentice"

"How? What? Huh?" I get out still reeling.

"You were the one that noticed me; that means you are perfect for this. Little trial run."

"You just happened to find the one you were looking for on your first try?"

"Nope! I had to make a loud crash that only the magic-sensitive could hear a few times before I found you responding to it." That explains why there was no panic.

"Why me?"

"Why not you? I've been looking for someone to give this gift to for a long time. It seems like fate that I found you tonight."

"I don't know; this all seems a little much."

"I won't ask much of you. I don't even want to really interfere with your life that much. I just want you to take this and try to use it." He pulls out a small metal box. It doesn't seem to have anything special about it other than it being on a strap.

I was still unsure, but I didn't see any other way to get this guy out of here other than going along with what he wanted for now.

"There you go. That box will allow you to do magic too! As soon as you learn how to use it, of course. There is only one major rule: Never open the box."

"What is inside it?"

"You aren't really ready to know. Just know that it will be a source of magic you can tap into. So keep it nearby at all times, and I would avoid letting others touch it, because they might open it or carelessly use it."

"I-"

"Well, that will be enough for you. I want you to try to use it, and I'll check back on you at some other time." Without waiting for some kind of reply, he uses some kind of magic and is gone in a poof.

I stare at the empty spot for a while, then to the box. This all has to be some kind of dream, right? I walk back up the stairs to my room, uncertain about what comes next. I sit down at my desk and look at the box. It looks like it would be very easy to open, with largely just a lid keeping it shut.

What do I do now? He didn't even tell me how to use this thing. I hold on to it and try to focus on something to happen. I can feel some tingling at my fingertips, but I'm not sure what that means. I close my eyes and focus hard. I can feel something changing.

When I open my eyes again, I see that my fur is now pink.

"That isn't right. But I did something." I focus hard again, and now my fur flips to a dark green. "A nice color, but not mine." One more time I focus on how I used to look, and soon my fur is back to its normal dark color.

"I did it." I feel strangely drained after that. "I should get back to bed; I can worry about all this tomorrow." I get ready for bed and lay down, uncertain about what I'm going to do. Could I even throw the thing out and be done with it? What happens when that guy comes back? I lay there, my mind buzzing with thoughts, before I finally get too tired to stay awake.