Too late. The sigils blaze with light. A faint whoomp sounds, soft but final, like a cork being popped in reverse.
Beth exhales as her swollen belly visibly flattens. The faint violet glow vanishes from her skin.
Dakota (eyes wide):
“What the @#$%?!”
Under her blouse, a curve begins to form. Subtle at first. Then undeniable. Her trim waist pushes forward, slow but unstoppable, rounding beneath her hands.
Dakota:
“What did you do?!”
Her eyes are wide as the bump surges outward to a clear six months’ size, shifting her center of gravity.
Beth (gives a serene sigh of relief):
“Oh, thank heavens. I thought that imp was going to start singing again.”
Dakota (blinks):
“Imp?”
A faint giggle echoes from inside her belly.
Dakota (stumbles back from the rune circle, hands cradling her newly rounded belly):
“You transferred your pregnancy into me? You’re not allowed to do that! It’s…it’s illegal! Or…unethical! Or…well, it’s definitely something! Don’t you have a hippopotamus oath or something?”
Beth, now slim and radiant, adjusts her robes with the grace of someone who just dumped their problems on someone else.
Beth:
“Oh hush. It’s a Diony imp, not an apocalypse fetus. You’ll be fine. Honestly, I envy you. You wear it well. Do you know how hard it is to find someone with the right arcane resonance and sturdy hips?”
Dakota (sputters):
“I am not going to waddle around campus six months pregnant-!”
Zzap!
A flash of magic ripples from Beth’s fingertip to Dakota’s boots. They vanish instantly, leaving her standing in just her socks…which unravel into glittery thread and then vanish too.
Dakota (yelps):
“Hey! My shoes!”
Beth (eyes twinkle):
“Correction: barefoot and pregnant. It’s a classic aesthetic. Matches the energy.”
Dakota (pure barefoot rage):
“You can’t just dump your belly on me! I’m not your magical maternity storage unit! My back already hurts, my center of gravity’s off, and the first person to offer me a chair is going to get-“
Beth (raises a hand, nails glowing with quiet threat):
“Careful now. Keep protesting, sweetie, and you may just find your maternal blessings expanding in ways you really won’t be able to hide. Permanently. Let’s not test the thresholds of arcane lactomancy, hmm? Diony imps love milk. Copiously.”
A beat. Somewhere inside Dakota’s belly, the imp hiccups again. Dakota closes her mouth.
Beth (smiles sweetly):
“See? You’re going to make a lovely vessel. And don’t worry…you’ll learn to center the weight. There’s a calming spell in the Restricted Section. Page 172, ‘Wombborne Weaving’. Don’t worry- it’s not locked out to you anymore. And Chapter Three of ‘Mage-Midwifery in the Modern Age’ covers posture, by the way. You’ll want to get started.”
Dakota storms off, or at least tries to. Her brisk pace transforms into an awkward, sway-backed waddle, with every step reminding her that her center of gravity has been relocated without consent. She scowls as her bare soles slap softly against the stone corridor. Each cool tile is a fresh indignity.
Beth (flips open a narrow, rune-etched ledger, makes a tidy note with a quill that glows smugly):
“Successful transfer. Vessel adapting. Emotional resistance: high. Footwear: removed. Threat of lactation effective.”
She taps the page twice, and it shimmers shut with a self-satisfied snap.
This is the opening scene for an ongoing saga I’m working on. The setting is Spellthorn Academy, an arcane institution with a prestigious history and a colorful, trouble-prone cast of rivals. Sort of a Harry Potter in Chrystal Heights thing. It’s rambling and weird and I have no idea where it’s going. You might want to avoid this altogether, come to think of it.
Welcome to Spellthorn Academy
Opening Scene Title: The Quiet Trap in the Stacks
Location: Spellthorn Academy Library – Early Afternoon
Tall arched windows cast a soft golden glow over the ancient shelves, which shift ever so slightly when no one’s watching. A few tomes float lazily overhead, humming quietly to themselves. The air smells of parchment, candle wax, and something vaguely floral- maybe illusion magic.
Mood: Calm, Gently Scheming
A peaceful afternoon for studying…or for springing a low-key arcane betrayal cloaked in helpful friendliness.
Characters Present:
Beth Arclight: A composed 24-year-old librarian associate mage, six months pregnant from a summoning ritual gone wrong. The Diony imp in her womb radiates chaotic energy. She’s mastered the spell of pregnancy transfer- a subtle, targeted spell requiring proximity, misdirection, and the right kind of distraction. Today she has a plan.
Dakota Bellamy: A bright, cautious, 22-year-old fourth-year student. She’s sharp, observant, and (sort of) respectful of rules. Especially in libraries.
*****
Beth stands behind the front desk, her figure mostly hidden by the long, dark folds of her enchanted robes. One hand rests casually on the swell of her belly—six months along and lightly pulsing with Diony imp mischief. She mutters a silencing charm under her breath just as the imp hiccups, nearly jostling a bookshelf thirty feet away.
Across the room, Dakota steps lightly between the aisles, arms stacked with tomes on foundational spellwork. She looks focused, unaware.
Beth (warm, friendly, totally not scheming):
“Dakota, sweetie? Would you mind lending me a quick hand?” She motions Dakota over with a radiant smile. “You have just the kind of magical signature I need for a stability test. Harmless little rune charm- takes two minutes, tops.”
Behind the desk, Beth’s fingers flick through invisible sigils, quietly weaving a pregnancy transfer matrix into place.
Dakota (blinks up from her books, then smiles politely):
“Sure, Beth. Just let me put these on the return shelf first.” She trots over, her leather boots scuffing softly against the polished stone floor.
Beth (nods approvingly):
“Wonderful. Come here- now just stand on that faintly glowing circle. Don’t mind the shimmer; it’s just a stability sigil.”
Dakota (glances down at the delicate whorl of violet light pulsing on the floor):
“Wow. That’s some serious rune layering.” She steps into it. “What is this for again?”
Beth (smiles, gently positioning her behind the desk):
“It’s for catalog calibration- helps with attunement drift in older enchantments. You’re helping real library magic here.”
Beth guides Dakota’s hand to a glowing rune-stone. The air tingles. The sigils flare faintly. A warm current passes between them.
Dakota (squinting):
“Is it supposed to feel warm?”
Beth (smile bright, unwavering):
“Perfectly normal.”
Inside Beth’s belly, the Diony imp stirs excitedly. The transfer matrix flares to life.
Location: Northern Woods – Arcane Ruins at the Tree of Echoes
The forest grows thick and tangled as one approaches the old tower ruins. Moonlight glints through twisted branches. At the center of a natural clearing stands a massive, humming tree wrapped in glowing violet runes. The ground vibrates with subtle, ancient song- one that pulses in the bones.
Mood: Mystical Temptation / Magical Unease
The deeper Dakota walks into the forest, the clearer it becomes—nothing here is entirely safe. Or entirely honest.
Panting, cloak clutched tight, Dakota steps into the clearing. The humming from the massive tree reverberates through the earth and into her legs. Her belly shifts with every step, the magical diaper still softly crinkling beneath her robe.
Dakota (breathless):
“Please let this Lys person be real. Please let her not be another diaper-happy spell freak…”
A figure steps out from behind the tree as if conjured by that very plea. She is tall, with wild silver-violet braids, robes that shimmer like starlight, and a smile that promises either salvation or extremely creative mischief.
Lys (smiling):
“Well. You made it. Waddling through Beth’s bindings isn’t easy. I’m impressed.”
Dakota tenses.
Dakota (suspicious):
“You… know Beth?”
Lys (laughing):
“Oh, intimately. We’ve shared spells, secrets, and more enchanted baby bumps than you’d believe.”
Dakota takes a step back, heart sinking.
Dakota (coldly):
“You’re in on it.”
Lys (grinning):
“In on it? Darling- I refine it. Beth handles the front. I... specialize in magical backloading.”
She raises a hand, conjuring a small orb of shimmering light that pulses to match Dakota’s aura. It floats lazily, rotating just above Dakota’s head.
Lys (mock-consoling):
“You see, girls like you are always this close to humility. If you’re not nurturing in the front...you’re producing from the rear. Balance, as the ley lines say.”
The orb flickers. Dakota’s belly tingles—then momentarily calms, as if something has stabilized.
Dakota (whispering):
“What…what did you just do?”
Lys (with a wink):
“Calmed the imp. Temporarily. You’re magically overloaded. I can offer… relief.”
She twirls her finger. The orb splits into glowing egg-like motes, softly orbiting Dakota like fireflies with opinions.
Lys (tempting):
“I can give you control. Stability. No more leaks. No more waddles. But magic flows, dear. If it can’t go one way…”
She gestures delicately toward Dakota’s backside.
Lys (softly):
“…it goes another. Say yes, and you’ll never feel helpless again. You’ll always be… producing something.”
Dakota:
“What are you saying…exactly?”
Lys (predatory smile):
“I’m offering you a trade. Your pregnancy…for…an egg-nancy.”
Scene Title: Damage Control in the Restricted Section
Location: Spellthorn Library- Deep Restricted Section
This part of the library hums with latent enchantment. The air is heavier, charged. Shelves curve oddly, as though trying to hide their contents. Some books have teeth. Others whisper warnings when touched.
Mood: Panicked Determination / Arcane Dread
Dakota’s humiliation is fresh, her belly heavier, her shirt warmer. But she’s not giving up- not yet.
Beth’s humming disappears down the rows of ancient tomes, replaced by silence- and the faint patter of bare feet on cold tile.
Dakota clutches her now even rounder belly. Her breasts feel awkwardly full, warmth spreading in pulses. A faint tingling at the tips warns her: she is one surprise away from soaking her shirt again.
Dakota (whispering in panic): “Okay. Okay-okay-okay. Damage control. No enchantments, no rhyming, no verse. Just…fix this. Quietly.”
She waddles toward the back of the library, cheeks flushed as each footstep echoes wetly in the silence.
Dakota (half-breathing, half-chanting): “I am not going to be Beth’s barefoot baby factory. I am not going to leak through my shirt again. I just need one good counterspell. Or a potion. Or a black-market mage with no moral compass.”
She slips into the Restricted Section, passing under a flickering sign marked: “Faculty Access Only: Biothaumaturgy & You”
Shelves loom higher. One sneezes. Another chuckles.
Dakota ducks behind a crooked bookcase, trying to look less cursed than she is.
Dakota (rummaging): “Let’s see…‘Undoing the Undone’…’Mystical Reversal for Idiots’…Oh my god, is that ‘The Sorceress’s Guide to Fertility Enhancement’?! Nope-nope-nope…!”
She freezes as her hand lands on a dusty tome with silver etching that shimmers faintly in her palm: ‘Anchors, Vessels, and Magical Misdirection: Surviving Arcane Overload’.
Dakota (hope rising): “Yes. Please. Give me a loophole. A backdoor. A non-leaking way out of this.”
She sits with a soft huff, trying to ignore the moist squelch beneath her shirt as she cracks open the cover.
Title Page: *"For those trapped by wombbinding, forced nurturing, or other long-term arcane fertility effects."
Dakota (wincing): “Oh no. That’s a whole category?!”
Location: Spellthorn Library – Arcane Reference Desk, Late Afternoon
The golden light of the sinking sun filters through enchanted windows, casting long shadows between towering stacks. A silence heavier than usual settles over the chamber- one that seems to watch.
Mood: Hopeful Rebellion / Magical Comeuppance
Dakota creeps barefoot toward the front desk, heart hammering, belly swaying slightly with each cautious step. Her toes whisper across the tile, her eyes fixed on the object gleaming just beside a leather-bound copy of ‘Moonbound Matroncraft: A Practical Guide’.
Beth’s pendant.
Dakota (hushed to herself): “Okay. Symbolic object… properly worded phrase… keep it simple, keep it focused. No exploding nipples. No fire. No Beth.”
She snatches the pendant, its gold chain cool in her hand, and presses it to her belly. Her breath hitches, but her voice rings steady with defiant spellcraft.
Dakota (firmly): “By bond wrongly borne and arcane deceit, return this burden to its rightful seat.”
A surge of magic ripples outward like a pond ripple. The pendant vibrates, warm and thrumming.
A glowing tether of light rises from the charm. Then- *snap* - it whips backward, slamming back into Dakota’s belly like a rubber band snapping.
Dakota (yelping): “Wait…wait…no no no- ohhhhhh…!”
Her belly expands visibly- heavier, rounder. Her balance shifts. Then- a warm trickle.
Dakota freezes. Her hand flies to her chest just in time to feel a betraying wetness seeping into her shirt.
She looks down in dawning horror.
Beth (from behind, serenely smug): “Oh, sweetie. Did you really think I wouldn’t install a reflective rebound ward? This isn’t my first magical maternity exchange.”
Beth emerges from between the stacks, her robes immaculate, her hands folded primly. Not a trace of pregnancy on her.
Beth (chiding gently): “Now you're not just a vessel. You’re an anchor. Much more stable. And…charmingly leaky.”
Dakota lets out a soft, involuntary squeak, the sound escaping her as her hand hovers over the warm, spreading stain on her chest. The realization hits her all at once: Beth meant every word. The barefoot. The belly. The leaking. It isn’t a threat—it’s a curriculum.
Beth (sweetly, her tone a syrupy lullaby of mockery): “Oh, that little squeak? Adorable. Really fits the aesthetic you’re growing into. You’ll want to practice that, cutie- people just love a flustered, glowing girl with no shoes and too much milk.”
She steps closer, brushing a strand of hair from Dakota’s forehead with the unsettling gentleness of someone who knows they’ve won.
Beth (softly): “You see, Dakota, you did have a choice. You could’ve gracefully borne the responsibility. Maybe even impressed the Arcane Review Board. But now?”
She leans in, her voice a conspiratorial whisper as her eyes gleam with magical satisfaction.
Beth: “Now you’re a magical wet-nurse-in-training until further notice. Magical law is very…sticky about feedback loops.”
Beth lingers just long enough for Dakota to squirm. Then she grins and adds a final dagger.
Beth (grinning): “And don’t even think about containment charms. That little spell hiccup made sure your ‘blessings’ are fully expressive. Hope your wardrobe’s absorbent.”
Beth turns and walks away without a care in the world, humming a tune that sounds suspiciously like a lullaby.
Beth (cheerfully over her shoulder): “Library hours resume tomorrow! Try not to soak the spellbooks, sweetie!”
The infirmary is a cozy little corner of Spellthorn—half herbal dispensary, half magical triage bay. Ivy grows out of the stonework. A skeleton wearing a nurse’s hat nods at passersby. Madame Greela, the campus nurse, doesn’t even look up from her tea as Dakota waddles in, belly first.
Madame Greela: “Let me guess. Librarian magic. Transfer spell. Unwanted pregnancy with a minor chaos entity.”
Dakota (blinks): “Umm…yes…how did you…?”
Madame Greela (finally looks up): “Dear, I’ve worked here forty years. You’re the third this semester.”
A pause. Then: “The first barefoot, though.”
Greela sets her teacup down with a clink and waves a wand that looks suspiciously like a knitting needle over Dakota’s belly. A soft pulse of amber light ripples across her skin. The imp hiccups again—this time with a tiny magical burp that briefly turns the room lavender.
Greela doesn’t flinch.
Greela: “Well, he’s settling in nicely. Strong magical aura. Hints of grape fizz and poor impulse control.”
Dakota (huffs): “I didn’t ask to carry him!”
Greela (arches a bushy gray brow): “No one ever does, dear. That’s how librarian mages keep their robes so trim. They delegate.” She leans in and pokes Dakota’s belly lightly. “You’re young, healthy, and magically compatible. This one’ll be a breeze—relatively speaking. No tentacles or wings so far.”
Dakota (eye twitches): “Grrrrr. I don’t feel ready for this.”
Greela (stands): “You don’t get ready. You study. There’s an entire shelf in the library’s restricted section on imp gestation. And don’t look at me like that. If Beth marked you as a vessel, you have access now.”
She hands Dakota a foot balm enchanted to warm on contact.
Greela: “For the floor. And your pride.”
Dakota takes it reluctantly.
Greela (sips her tea again): “Now off you go. Back to the library. Get familiar with your... occupant.”
Location: Spellthorn Library – Restricted Section, Later That Night
Dust thickens. The magical lighting dims to protect the older tomes. The silence is broken only by the occasional squeak of enchanted bindings… and Dakota’s increasingly frustrated huffs.
Mood: Containment, Desperation, Escape Planning
Dakota stands before a dusty mirror hidden behind an old bookshelf labeled "Thaumaturgical Ethics (Outdated)." She yanks uselessly at the magical diaper still snugly hugging her hips. Its containment glyphs pulse softly- protective, smug, and completely unwilling to budge.
Dakota (grumbling and straining):
“Come on, this isn’t even fair! I didn't agree to enchanted padding! What kind of spell just assumes your dignity is optional?!”
She grabs a spell-etched letter opener from the desk nearby and slashes downward. The blade sparks, bounces off harmlessly, and makes a sound that could only be described as a soft, magical giggle. Dakota freezes.
Dakota (flatly):
“Did it… laugh at me?”
Suddenly a cramp twists her lower abdomen. Not from the imp. Lower. Her eyes go wide.
Dakota (heart pounding):
“Oh no.”
She bolts barefoot toward the nearest restroom, belly swaying, each step punctuated by a distinct crinkle. But as she crosses the threshold, a glowing glyph on the diaper flares…and her legs lock.
Dakota (panicking):
“Oh, gods. It’s not just containment. It’s control. No bathroom. No modesty. Just…magical motherhood on rails.”
She slides down against the wall, face hot, hugging her belly, the humiliating truth sinking in like a weight she can’t remove.
**********
After Dusk:
The sky dims to violet. In a borrowed cloak with the hood drawn low, Dakota slips out the side door of the library. The bump beneath the fabric sways. The padding beneath her robes rustles softly with every step.
She moves toward the edge of the northern woods, away from the paths, away from the rules. Behind her, a faint magical breeze stirs the ivy along the library walls. A soft, unheard laugh carries with it.
Dakota (gritting her teeth):
“I swear, if Lys turns out to be some barefoot maternity cult dropout, I’m throwing myself into a ley line.”