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# (Not Pony) WWEAAGI: Chapter Two

By: Saatchi on Jul 12th, 2013 | syntax: None | size: 21.45 KB | hits: 50 | expires: Never
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1. The cell that Joolira spent the night in was neither roomy, nor was it five star in quality. In fact a sewer would have achieved higher standards of cleanliness and comfort. Rats wouldn't settle in Joolira's cell, as it was, quite frankly disgusting, hard to believe that just above it was the immaculate Chamber of the Council Elders. Joolira had heard muffled whuspers during the night, ocassionally she thought she heard her name mentioned, but she could never make out what followed. The night had dragged on and on, twice she had attempted to sleep and twice she had failed. Her captors had neglected to provide a bed for her, and as a result she had to make do with a filthy, stone floor. After the second failed attempt at sleep, she had huddled herself into the corner, tucking her legs up to her chest, and resting her head on her knees. She remained in that corner for the whole night, moving only to adjust herself.
3. When company finally arrived, she was displeased to find that not only was it her saviour, bringing her a jug of water to use, but it was actually a pair of guards, with orders to bring her to her trial. She sighed and stretched her legs out, stretching her arms out to the side. She'd almost forgotten how good it actually felt to move, her bones and joints relished in the movements audibly cracking and slotting back into their respective places. She groaned pleasurably, which soon turned into a sigh as the pleasant sensations calmed to nothing. Once her stretches were complete, she turned her head to watch the guard again, refusing to get up and greet them.
5. "What do you want? Was I being too loud?" snorted Joolira, sarcasm practically dripping off her words.
7. "Let's see you keep that attitude in front of the Council..." retorted the guard, unlocking the cell door.
9. Joolira remained still, simply grunting in response to his words, turning her head to stare at the stony walls. The guard stepped into the cell, his hands reaching behind his back. He unhooked a thin, slender object from his back, the end of the object curled around in a loop. He used the staff as an extension of his arms, reaching the looped end towards Joolira, rather than physically grabbing her. The loop slipped easily over the imp's head, dropping no further than her shoulders. The guard reached along the staff and twisted the middle section round and round, causing the loop to tighten around the imp's neck. Joolira didn't respond, her night of no sleep had all but exhausted her, leaving her unable to do much, other than sigh or snort.
11. "On your feet!" commanded the guard.
13. Joolira didn't comply, she didn't take orders from anyone, let alone some lowlife guard. So naturally the guard fell back on the only follow up plan that he knew, violence. He took a few steps back, so that his fingers were now clasped tightly around the end of the staff. Then it one swift movement, he pulled his hands back, yanking Joolira onto the hard floor, even managing to scrape her a couple of feet. Still Joolira didn't respond, but she did sit up on her knees, her hands placed on her thighs.
15. "Will you stand on your own? Or am I going to have to drag you down to the courtroom?"
17. Joolira sighed, obviously this guard was anxious to take her to the trial, and any chance she had at stalling for time was just going to end in him dragging. So it was with great reluctance that she carefully stood up, her legs quivering slightly as she took her first steps towards the cell door. She felt weak, both in body and spirit, her mind was telling her how stupid this whole thing was, it was only a bit of fun. Her body on the other hand was relaying the same message over and over again, trying to force her to eat something. She would have happily rectified these feelings of hunger, if her captors had actually been nice enough to provide her with a meal of sorts. As she was led through the cold, dark tunnels that led away from her cell, she couldn't help but smirk at the thought of getting revenge on her captors. Oh she was going to enjoy watching them squirm once the jury sided with her, and that it's ruled that she was just having fun. She was going to have so much fun, taunting and teasing them for their mistake.
19. As they rounded a corner light streamed into the tunnel, momentarily blinding the pair of them as they exited into the Council Chambers. For Joolira it was her first time setting foot in these walls, and maybe once she got out of here, she would introduce a foot to these walls. Her grin widened as she fell into a fantasy, oh what it would be like to tear the roof of this place and stare at those frightened faces. Sadly, that dream would have to wait, as upon entering the chambers, her ears were assaulted with the insults of a hundred angry villagers, the species of whom spanned far and wide.
21. "Witch!"
23. "Heathen!"
25. "Demon!"
27. It was upsetting to see all these people turning on Joolira, some she had never even seen before, and yet here they were, passing judgement on her. She bowed her head and sighed, her confidence faltered slightly, but she did not let it distract her from her how much of a breeze this trial would be. She was led up to a stand at the centre of the room, placed before an enormous bench, the likes of which, spanned the entire length of the chamber. Joolira took her place before the bench, and was relieved to find the loop was loosened and eventually removed from her neck. The guard however, did not abandon her, instead he remained by her side, and was even joined by a second.
29. "All rise, the court is now in session. Honourable judge Partex presiding," a voice called out.
31. Joolira almost collapsed at the sight of the judge and the jury, her heart jumping straight into her mouth. Sitting across from her, posing as part of the judge and the vast majority of the jury, were the very same members of the Elder Council that captured her. The white robed councillor that had appeared to be their leader sat as the judge, whilst the others made up their spaces on the jury. It was at that moment that Joolira felt her confidence just melt away, like all hope had left her body. This was already shaping up to be a corrupt and unfair trial.
33. "This is the case of The People of Alcabai versus Joolira the Sea Witch. The defendant stands accused of seventy five cases of property damage, and endangering the lives of others, how do you plead?"
35. "Not guilty, 'your honour'," answered Joolira, mockingly.
37. "Very well, let's not waste any time then, bring in the first witness," replied Partex
39. As the witness, a small, black furred cat, with narrowed and beady eyes, made their way in front of the imp, Partex took down his hood, giving Joolira her first glimpse of her enemy. He was reptilian, his entire body covered in thick, dense scales. His eyes were black as night, and sat either side of his pointed face. Joolira couldn't make out whether or not he was looking at her, or whether he was looking elsewhere. Whatever he was looking at, it certainly pleased him, his thick white teeth could be seen through his partially parted lips. The defendant took her place in front of both the judge and Joolira, her back towards the imp, her head towards the bench.
41. She began to rattle off a tale of how she had been at home on the day of Joolira's 'fun'. She recalled seeing a flame appearing to rise out from the surface of the water, and she ventured outside to get a better look at it. She made her way down to the docks and out onto the pier. There she saw that there was something attached to the flame, and that the flame appeared to be hair. She remembered seeing two deep red eyes, like twinkling rubies next to come out of the water. She had stood there, completely shocked and unable to move. Chaos had broken out all around her, everyone was abandoning their jobs and racing home to their loved ones. Yet she remained there, as the beast continued to advance towards the village, all the witness could recall was that the following moments were a blur. She remembered seeing the ruins of her house, and that her family was nowhere to be seen. She then abruptly cut off her story and lowered her head. The sounds of sniffling and sobbing were made clear to the court, and she was lead away by an escort.
43. "That story was complete nonsense! I don't even have red eyes, they're green!" scoffed Joolira.
45. "Can you actually see your own eyes when you become this, this beast?" asked Partex.
47. "Well...no...I can't," mumbled Joolira in response.
49. "Then how can you be so certain that you didn't have red eyes during this escapade?"
51. "I can't," replied the imp, sheepishly.
53. "Let it be heard by the jury, that the defendant cannot disprove any element of the previous witnesses statement. Now, bring out the next witness," ordered Partex.
55. The second witness, a gruff looking bulldog, took centre stage, alongside an older, much frailer canine stood with him. The bulldog straightened out his tie, and coughed, before beginning to recount his story.
57. "Since the rumours of Joolira's presence in our waters, the fishing industry has suffered heavy losses. Our fish are being scared away by this menace, lurking in our depths, taking what is rightfully ours for herself."
59. "Hey! I don't even eat fish!" protested Joolira.
61. "We've seen what you eat, anything and everything. Now please hold your tongue until the witness is done." scolded Partex.
63. "Thank you, your honour. However, in light of her recent rampage across the city, she destroyed the water treatment facility down by the docks. Gallons upon gallons of untreated sewage is being leaked back into the sea, causing our fish even more pain. Fish are the primary exports of this village, and if we can't catch as many, how will we survive? Our very way of life is being threatened, and it's all because of her!"
65. The bulldog pointed a finger at Joolira, waggling it accusingly. His speech was met with raucous boos from the onlookers. Judge Partex allowed them to show their distaste for a few minutes, before silencing them. The bulldog then left, leaving the other canine behind. The older, kinder looking canine peered over the top of his glasses at Joolira, his frail lips curling into a smile. He began to tell a story of his younger days, back when he was a captain of a small fishing vessel. He recounted the days, sometimes even weeks that he spent out at sea with his crew. His wife at the time would often worry that he had been lost at sea, and would never return home. The feeling happened to be mutual on the witnesses end too, he often worried that something had happened to his wife. It was only through Joolira that his nerves were able to be calmed. On the quieter days, when the fish wouldn't bite, Joolira would enlarge herself and swim under the boat. The observant members of the crew would notice her, and she would pass by others. For the man himself, Joolira reminded him of his wife, that fiery red hair was shared by both. He almost wished that the imp would come aboard, but after what she did to the village, he had become less attached to the idea.
67. Before he could explain what else Joolira had done for the fishing folk of Alcabai, he was escorted out of the room. The judge prepared to speak, but Joolira cut him off.
69. "He wasn't even finished speaking!" she cried.
71. "The man was clearly delusional, all that time out at sea must have been detrimental to his mental health. I'll see to it that his comments are stricken from the record."
73. "That's absurd!" protested the imp.
75. Partex continued on without even acknowledging Joolira's outburst. "All the evidence has been heard. The jury will now retire to make a decision. Court adjourned."
77. As they lead Joolira away, she was seething, if her genetic make up had allowed it, her face would be as red as a beetroot by now, with the possibility of steam coming out of her ears. This was an unfair process, she was being put through a corrupt court that was teeming with corrupt officials. Her chances of getting out of this as a free imp, were going up in flames the longer it went on. She needed a quick route out of here, but she could no longer rely on the proceedings to accomplish that for her. She scanned the room that she had been brought into, looking for anything that would aid an quick escape. As it transpired, there was only one door in and out of the room, no windows, one table, one chair and a light. So much for useful items. One of her escorts returned to her side, and placed a cup, and a series of berries onto the table in front of Joolira.
79. "Sit down. Eat that. Don't say a word."
81. Joolira was puzzled, first they kept the Council Chambers a dry zone, so as to prevent her from using her power, and yet this guard offered her a cup, filled with the stuff. At first she thought there was a catch, there had to be. She brought the cup to her nose and gave it a couple of sniffs. Naturally water was odourless unless something had been added to it, and she was pleased to find that there was no strange smell coming from the cup. So this was in fact, regular water, and that meant that these guards had slipped up, and were about to pay dearly for it. Joolira quickly downed the water, pretty much throwing it down her throat. She scoffed the berries along with the water and sat back, her hunger now briefly appeased, all she had to do now, was wait for the magic to happen.
83. Except, that moment never came. She sat in the chair, her hands planted firmly on her belly, rubbing it softly as it gurgled in response. That however, was the extent of what happened as a result of her little binge. Her body didn't grow, she didn't feel any more powerful, she just felt full. Something was definitely wrong with the water she had drank, it had been spiked with something, an untraceable substance, outside the realm of pills and potions. There was only one possible solution, they had used something that didn't physically exist. Joolira had a hunch that it was magic that they used, but just to be sure, she decided to break one of her orders and speak up.
85. "What did you do to this water?!" demanded the imp.
87. "How stupid do you think we are? We were told about you and water, so we had the Council Mages enchant the drinking water. You can drink as much of this stuff as you like, but you're not going to be able to absorb it for your little magic tricks," sneered one of the guards.
89. Joolira swore under her breath, it seemed that no matter what breaks she managed to get, they always seemed to have a way of beating her back down again. It made sense in this corrupt environment, what may seem like a chance at freedom, would soon end up as just another way to make her realise how futile it was to have hope. She sighed and got up from the chair, sending the guards leaping for her restraints.
91. "I've finished. What happens now?" asked the imp.
93. The guards tightened their restraints around Joolira and took up their places in front of her. They didn't actually respond to what Joolira had asked them, but their movements said it all. She was being led back down the same corridor that they had only just traversed a few minutes earlier. The same gilded hallways, the same statuesque pillars holding up the ceiling and the floors above them. They were still as empty as before, with everyone else still packed into the Council Chambers. As they neared the chambers, the court was buzzing with activity, people were talking loudly amongst themselves, some throwing wild accusations about like it was nothing. Though once Joolira re-entered the room, everyone hushed up. The accusations stopped, the chatter became whispers, and everyone's eyes turned to face the accused. As she approached the stand, her ears twitched as she heard a hushed 'oh damn'. She struggled against her restraints to find where the noise had came from. She caught sight of a grey canine, bobbing his head up and down in the seats. But what really caught her eye was the colourless liquid that was running through a crack in the wall that boxed the seating area in. She willingly allowed herself to be turned around with her smirk soon returning in the process. It would have appeared that she might finally have caught the break she so desired.
95. "All rise for the honourable judge and the returning jury, as they deliver their final verdict," announced one of the guards that flanked Joolira.
97. The reptilian councillor took his place on the elevated platform at the front of the room, whilst the multiple species that made up the jury took their places alongside him. Everyone's eyes looked up and down the jury, waiting for one of them to speak, or at least acknowledge that they were waiting. None wanted to hear the verdict of the jury more than Joolira, she already knew what they were going to say, the false jury members made up the majority. Which meant that they were most likely to side with whatever their reptilian leader had chosen, which wasn't likely to side in her favour.
99. "How does the jury find the defendant?" asked the reptile.
101. "We the jury, find the defendant, Joolira, the self proclaimed Witch of the Sea, guilty on all accounts of property damage, and endangering the lives of others."
103. "Joolira, in light of the jury's decision, I sentence you to life in the offshore rehabilitation clinic known as Teraban Island, with no chance of am early release or parole."
105. Joolira leapt up onto her stand, her finger pointed accusingly at the judge and jury. The guards by her side pulled back on their staffs and Joolira was pulled back, sending her tumbling onto her back. She lay there dazed, but quickly resumed her pointing, kicking and screaming at the corrupt panel.
107. "You haven't seen the last of me! I'll be back, and when I find you, you'll all pay for what you done here! Mark my words!" bawled the imp.
109. "Get her out of here!" commanded the reptile.
111. "On your feet, now!" barked her escort.
113. "Oh you're going to have to drag me, kicking and screaming, because I'm not going anywhere!" retorted Joolira.
115. The guards grunted and started to walk backwards, the loop around Joolira's neck tightening to a point where it was hard to breathe. Joolira tried not to think about that, instead she focused on that sweet, sweet water. She continued to mouth off obscenities and threats, even as her hair began to dampen. That feeling of wetness trickled down to her scalp, running across the back of her head and down her back. She repressed her urge to grow and show off, she needed to remain as inconspicuous as possible. It was quite a trial to put on such a show and still suppress her urges. She tried to maximise her surface area, to absorb as much of the liquid as possible, to build her power to higher levels. She was eventually dragged past the water, she stretched out her toes, taking up a few slivers of water, before being dragged from the room.
117. She barely noticed the rest of the journey back to her cell, she was too exhausted to even care. She didn't take note of the faces that watched her from the sidelines as she was dragged to her cell. The bright colours of the walls meshed with the dark and gritty walls of her cell within seconds. The guards shoved her into her cell and locked the door behind her. She crossed to her corner and slumped into it, bringing her almighty show to a close. The two guards sneered as they made their way back down the corridor.
119. "I'll be back in the morning, don't try any funny business!" yelled one of the guards.
121. Joolira didn't care about anything that was happening in the near future, it was the now that posed the most interest to her. She was finally free to give in to her desires, it was just a shame that nobody would be around to see it. Unhindered by the lack of people present to watch her, she allowed herself to grow, making sure she didn't go overboard. She just enjoyed the sensations, how good it felt to have her body expanding once more. Her hands rubbed over her soft and squishy thighs, sliding over to her hips. She sighed as she felt them expand into her hands, threatening to swallow them up. She eeped as her butt expanded, covering more of the cold floor beneath her, and giving her quite the shock. She lay her legs out straight, tilting her head back as they grew longer and smoother. Her feet grew larger, and plumped up significantly, her tiny little toes becoming fatter and softer. Her head inched higher and higher up the brickwork, but still she remained focused. Her hands slid up her stomach and clutched onto her ample bosoms. She moaned softly as she felt them press into her palms, becoming rounder and much more sensitive with each passing second.
123. As her feet began to press against the other wall of the cell, she forced herself to cease growing. It was a tough task, even tougher than trying to keep herself from starting to grow. Her body had gotten a taste or growth once more, and it yearned for more, but Joolira had other uses for the water she had absorbed. Now, she wasn't the most adept of spellcasters, but she was able to perform some very simple magic tricks, though most only worked to scare the public. However, she realised that her enemies would notice the once three feet tall imp, now standing at around five feet, which is why she would use the rest of the absorbed water to trick them. She began to channel the magic power that dwelled within her, and began to craft an invisible second skin. To those that viewed her after this spell, she would appear as she had always been, a simple three foot tall imp, with fiery red hair. But to herself, and those that she felt were worthy of seeing her new form, they would see her as the five foot tall variant. She curled her legs back up and crossed her arms, resting her head against the wall.
125. "See you tomorrow boys..." she mumbled, before catching up on her sleep.

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The cell that Joolira spent the night in was neither roomy, nor was it five star in quality. In fact a sewer would have achieved higher standards of cleanliness and comfort. Rats wouldn't settle in Joolira's cell, as it was, quite frankly disgusting, hard to believe that just above it was the immaculate Chamber of the Council Elders. Joolira had heard muffled whuspers during the night, ocassionally she thought she heard her name mentioned, but she could never make out what followed. The night had dragged on and on, twice she had attempted to sleep and twice she had failed. Her captors had neglected to provide a bed for her, and as a result she had to make do with a filthy, stone floor. After the second failed attempt at sleep, she had huddled herself into the corner, tucking her legs up to her chest, and resting her head on her knees. She remained in that corner for the whole night, moving only to adjust herself. When company finally arrived, she was displeased to find that not only was it her saviour, bringing her a jug of water to use, but it was actually a pair of guards, with orders to bring her to her trial. She sighed and stretched her legs out, stretching her arms out to the side. She'd almost forgotten how good it actually felt to move, her bones and joints relished in the movements audibly cracking and slotting back into their respective places. She groaned pleasurably, which soon turned into a sigh as the pleasant sensations calmed to nothing. Once her stretches were complete, she turned her head to watch the guard again, refusing to get up and greet them. "What do you want? Was I being too loud?" snorted Joolira, sarcasm practically dripping off her words. "Let's see you keep that attitude in front of the Council..." retorted the guard, unlocking the cell door. Joolira remained still, simply grunting in response to his words, turning her head to stare at the stony walls. The guard stepped into the cell, his hands reaching behind his back. He unhooked a thin, slender object from his back, the end of the object curled around in a loop. He used the staff as an extension of his arms, reaching the looped end towards Joolira, rather than physically grabbing her. The loop slipped easily over the imp's head, dropping no further than her shoulders. The guard reached along the staff and twisted the middle section round and round, causing the loop to tighten around the imp's neck. Joolira didn't respond, her night of no sleep had all but exhausted her, leaving her unable to do much, other than sigh or snort. "On your feet!" commanded the guard. Joolira didn't comply, she didn't take orders from anyone, let alone some lowlife guard. So naturally the guard fell back on the only follow up plan that he knew, violence. He took a few steps back, so that his fingers were now clasped tightly around the end of the staff. Then it one swift movement, he pulled his hands back, yanking Joolira onto the hard floor, even managing to scrape her a couple of feet. Still Joolira didn't respond, but she did sit up on her knees, her hands placed on her thighs. "Will you stand on your own? Or am I going to have to drag you down to the courtroom?" Joolira sighed, obviously this guard was anxious to take her to the trial, and any chance she had at stalling for time was just going to end in him dragging. So it was with great reluctance that she carefully stood up, her legs quivering slightly as she took her first steps towards the cell door. She felt weak, both in body and spirit, her mind was telling her how stupid this whole thing was, it was only a bit of fun. Her body on the other hand was relaying the same message over and over again, trying to force her to eat something. She would have happily rectified these feelings of hunger, if her captors had actually been nice enough to provide her with a meal of sorts. As she was led through the cold, dark tunnels that led away from her cell, she couldn't help but smirk at the thought of getting revenge on her captors. Oh she was going to enjoy watching them squirm once the jury sided with her, and that it's ruled that she was just having fun. She was going to have so much fun, taunting and teasing them for their mistake. As they rounded a corner light streamed into the tunnel, momentarily blinding the pair of them as they exited into the Council Chambers. For Joolira it was her first time setting foot in these walls, and maybe once she got out of here, she would introduce a foot to these walls. Her grin widened as she fell into a fantasy, oh what it would be like to tear the roof of this place and stare at those frightened faces. Sadly, that dream would have to wait, as upon entering the chambers, her ears were assaulted with the insults of a hundred angry villagers, the species of whom spanned far and wide. "Witch!" "Heathen!" "Demon!" It was upsetting to see all these people turning on Joolira, some she had never even seen before, and yet here they were, passing judgement on her. She bowed her head and sighed, her confidence faltered slightly, but she did not let it distract her from her how much of a breeze this trial would be. She was led up to a stand at the centre of the room, placed before an enormous bench, the likes of which, spanned the entire length of the chamber. Joolira took her place before the bench, and was relieved to find the loop was loosened and eventually removed from her neck. The guard however, did not abandon her, instead he remained by her side, and was even joined by a second. "All rise, the court is now in session. Honourable judge Partex presiding," a voice called out. Joolira almost collapsed at the sight of the judge and the jury, her heart jumping straight into her mouth. Sitting across from her, posing as part of the judge and the vast majority of the jury, were the very same members of the Elder Council that captured her. The white robed councillor that had appeared to be their leader sat as the judge, whilst the others made up their spaces on the jury. It was at that moment that Joolira felt her confidence just melt away, like all hope had left her body. This was already shaping up to be a corrupt and unfair trial. "This is the case of The People of Alcabai versus Joolira the Sea Witch. The defendant stands accused of seventy five cases of property damage, and endangering the lives of others, how do you plead?" "Not guilty, 'your honour'," answered Joolira, mockingly. "Very well, let's not waste any time then, bring in the first witness," replied Partex As the witness, a small, black furred cat, with narrowed and beady eyes, made their way in front of the imp, Partex took down his hood, giving Joolira her first glimpse of her enemy. He was reptilian, his entire body covered in thick, dense scales. His eyes were black as night, and sat either side of his pointed face. Joolira couldn't make out whether or not he was looking at her, or whether he was looking elsewhere. Whatever he was looking at, it certainly pleased him, his thick white teeth could be seen through his partially parted lips. The defendant took her place in front of both the judge and Joolira, her back towards the imp, her head towards the bench. She began to rattle off a tale of how she had been at home on the day of Joolira's 'fun'. She recalled seeing a flame appearing to rise out from the surface of the water, and she ventured outside to get a better look at it. She made her way down to the docks and out onto the pier. There she saw that there was something attached to the flame, and that the flame appeared to be hair. She remembered seeing two deep red eyes, like twinkling rubies next to come out of the water. She had stood there, completely shocked and unable to move. Chaos had broken out all around her, everyone was abandoning their jobs and racing home to their loved ones. Yet she remained there, as the beast continued to advance towards the village, all the witness could recall was that the following moments were a blur. She remembered seeing the ruins of her house, and that her family was nowhere to be seen. She then abruptly cut off her story and lowered her head. The sounds of sniffling and sobbing were made clear to the court, and she was lead away by an escort. "That story was complete nonsense! I don't even have red eyes, they're green!" scoffed Joolira. "Can you actually see your own eyes when you become this, this beast?" asked Partex. "Well...no...I can't," mumbled Joolira in response. "Then how can you be so certain that you didn't have red eyes during this escapade?" "I can't," replied the imp, sheepishly. "Let it be heard by the jury, that the defendant cannot disprove any element of the previous witnesses statement. Now, bring out the next witness," ordered Partex. The second witness, a gruff looking bulldog, took centre stage, alongside an older, much frailer canine stood with him. The bulldog straightened out his tie, and coughed, before beginning to recount his story. "Since the rumours of Joolira's presence in our waters, the fishing industry has suffered heavy losses. Our fish are being scared away by this menace, lurking in our depths, taking what is rightfully ours for herself." "Hey! I don't even eat fish!" protested Joolira. "We've seen what you eat, anything and everything. Now please hold your tongue until the witness is done." scolded Partex. "Thank you, your honour. However, in light of her recent rampage across the city, she destroyed the water treatment facility down by the docks. Gallons upon gallons of untreated sewage is being leaked back into the sea, causing our fish even more pain. Fish are the primary exports of this village, and if we can't catch as many, how will we survive? Our very way of life is being threatened, and it's all because of her!" The bulldog pointed a finger at Joolira, waggling it accusingly. His speech was met with raucous boos from the onlookers. Judge Partex allowed them to show their distaste for a few minutes, before silencing them. The bulldog then left, leaving the other canine behind. The older, kinder looking canine peered over the top of his glasses at Joolira, his frail lips curling into a smile. He began to tell a story of his younger days, back when he was a captain of a small fishing vessel. He recounted the days, sometimes even weeks that he spent out at sea with his crew. His wife at the time would often worry that he had been lost at sea, and would never return home. The feeling happened to be mutual on the witnesses end too, he often worried that something had happened to his wife. It was only through Joolira that his nerves were able to be calmed. On the quieter days, when the fish wouldn't bite, Joolira would enlarge herself and swim under the boat. The observant members of the crew would notice her, and she would pass by others. For the man himself, Joolira reminded him of his wife, that fiery red hair was shared by both. He almost wished that the imp would come aboard, but after what she did to the village, he had become less attached to the idea. Before he could explain what else Joolira had done for the fishing folk of Alcabai, he was escorted out of the room. The judge prepared to speak, but Joolira cut him off. "He wasn't even finished speaking!" she cried. "The man was clearly delusional, all that time out at sea must have been detrimental to his mental health. I'll see to it that his comments are stricken from the record." "That's absurd!" protested the imp. Partex continued on without even acknowledging Joolira's outburst. "All the evidence has been heard. The jury will now retire to make a decision. Court adjourned." As they lead Joolira away, she was seething, if her genetic make up had allowed it, her face would be as red as a beetroot by now, with the possibility of steam coming out of her ears. This was an unfair process, she was being put through a corrupt court that was teeming with corrupt officials. Her chances of getting out of this as a free imp, were going up in flames the longer it went on. She needed a quick route out of here, but she could no longer rely on the proceedings to accomplish that for her. She scanned the room that she had been brought into, looking for anything that would aid an quick escape. As it transpired, there was only one door in and out of the room, no windows, one table, one chair and a light. So much for useful items. One of her escorts returned to her side, and placed a cup, and a series of berries onto the table in front of Joolira. "Sit down. Eat that. Don't say a word." Joolira was puzzled, first they kept the Council Chambers a dry zone, so as to prevent her from using her power, and yet this guard offered her a cup, filled with the stuff. At first she thought there was a catch, there had to be. She brought the cup to her nose and gave it a couple of sniffs. Naturally water was odourless unless something had been added to it, and she was pleased to find that there was no strange smell coming from the cup. So this was in fact, regular water, and that meant that these guards had slipped up, and were about to pay dearly for it. Joolira quickly downed the water, pretty much throwing it down her throat. She scoffed the berries along with the water and sat back, her hunger now briefly appeased, all she had to do now, was wait for the magic to happen. Except, that moment never came. She sat in the chair, her hands planted firmly on her belly, rubbing it softly as it gurgled in response. That however, was the extent of what happened as a result of her little binge. Her body didn't grow, she didn't feel any more powerful, she just felt full. Something was definitely wrong with the water she had drank, it had been spiked with something, an untraceable substance, outside the realm of pills and potions. There was only one possible solution, they had used something that didn't physically exist. Joolira had a hunch that it was magic that they used, but just to be sure, she decided to break one of her orders and speak up. "What did you do to this water?!" demanded the imp. "How stupid do you think we are? We were told about you and water, so we had the Council Mages enchant the drinking water. You can drink as much of this stuff as you like, but you're not going to be able to absorb it for your little magic tricks," sneered one of the guards. Joolira swore under her breath, it seemed that no matter what breaks she managed to get, they always seemed to have a way of beating her back down again. It made sense in this corrupt environment, what may seem like a chance at freedom, would soon end up as just another way to make her realise how futile it was to have hope. She sighed and got up from the chair, sending the guards leaping for her restraints. "I've finished. What happens now?" asked the imp. The guards tightened their restraints around Joolira and took up their places in front of her. They didn't actually respond to what Joolira had asked them, but their movements said it all. She was being led back down the same corridor that they had only just traversed a few minutes earlier. The same gilded hallways, the same statuesque pillars holding up the ceiling and the floors above them. They were still as empty as before, with everyone else still packed into the Council Chambers. As they neared the chambers, the court was buzzing with activity, people were talking loudly amongst themselves, some throwing wild accusations about like it was nothing. Though once Joolira re-entered the room, everyone hushed up. The accusations stopped, the chatter became whispers, and everyone's eyes turned to face the accused. As she approached the stand, her ears twitched as she heard a hushed 'oh damn'. She struggled against her restraints to find where the noise had came from. She caught sight of a grey canine, bobbing his head up and down in the seats. But what really caught her eye was the colourless liquid that was running through a crack in the wall that boxed the seating area in. She willingly allowed herself to be turned around with her smirk soon returning in the process. It would have appeared that she might finally have caught the break she so desired. "All rise for the honourable judge and the returning jury, as they deliver their final verdict," announced one of the guards that flanked Joolira. The reptilian councillor took his place on the elevated platform at the front of the room, whilst the multiple species that made up the jury took their places alongside him. Everyone's eyes looked up and down the jury, waiting for one of them to speak, or at least acknowledge that they were waiting. None wanted to hear the verdict of the jury more than Joolira, she already knew what they were going to say, the false jury members made up the majority. Which meant that they were most likely to side with whatever their reptilian leader had chosen, which wasn't likely to side in her favour. "How does the jury find the defendant?" asked the reptile. "We the jury, find the defendant, Joolira, the self proclaimed Witch of the Sea, guilty on all accounts of property damage, and endangering the lives of others." "Joolira, in light of the jury's decision, I sentence you to life in the offshore rehabilitation clinic known as Teraban Island, with no chance of am early release or parole." Joolira leapt up onto her stand, her finger pointed accusingly at the judge and jury. The guards by her side pulled back on their staffs and Joolira was pulled back, sending her tumbling onto her back. She lay there dazed, but quickly resumed her pointing, kicking and screaming at the corrupt panel. "You haven't seen the last of me! I'll be back, and when I find you, you'll all pay for what you done here! Mark my words!" bawled the imp. "Get her out of here!" commanded the reptile. "On your feet, now!" barked her escort. "Oh you're going to have to drag me, kicking and screaming, because I'm not going anywhere!" retorted Joolira. The guards grunted and started to walk backwards, the loop around Joolira's neck tightening to a point where it was hard to breathe. Joolira tried not to think about that, instead she focused on that sweet, sweet water. She continued to mouth off obscenities and threats, even as her hair began to dampen. That feeling of wetness trickled down to her scalp, running across the back of her head and down her back. She repressed her urge to grow and show off, she needed to remain as inconspicuous as possible. It was quite a trial to put on such a show and still suppress her urges. She tried to maximise her surface area, to absorb as much of the liquid as possible, to build her power to higher levels. She was eventually dragged past the water, she stretched out her toes, taking up a few slivers of water, before being dragged from the room. She barely noticed the rest of the journey back to her cell, she was too exhausted to even care. She didn't take note of the faces that watched her from the sidelines as she was dragged to her cell. The bright colours of the walls meshed with the dark and gritty walls of her cell within seconds. The guards shoved her into her cell and locked the door behind her. She crossed to her corner and slumped into it, bringing her almighty show to a close. The two guards sneered as they made their way back down the corridor. "I'll be back in the morning, don't try any funny business!" yelled one of the guards. Joolira didn't care about anything that was happening in the near future, it was the now that posed the most interest to her. She was finally free to give in to her desires, it was just a shame that nobody would be around to see it. Unhindered by the lack of people present to watch her, she allowed herself to grow, making sure she didn't go overboard. She just enjoyed the sensations, how good it felt to have her body expanding once more. Her hands rubbed over her soft and squishy thighs, sliding over to her hips. She sighed as she felt them expand into her hands, threatening to swallow them up. She eeped as her butt expanded, covering more of the cold floor beneath her, and giving her quite the shock. She lay her legs out straight, tilting her head back as they grew longer and smoother. Her feet grew larger, and plumped up significantly, her tiny little toes becoming fatter and softer. Her head inched higher and higher up the brickwork, but still she remained focused. Her hands slid up her stomach and clutched onto her ample bosoms. She moaned softly as she felt them press into her palms, becoming rounder and much more sensitive with each passing second. As her feet began to press against the other wall of the cell, she forced herself to cease growing. It was a tough task, even tougher than trying to keep herself from starting to grow. Her body had gotten a taste or growth once more, and it yearned for more, but Joolira had other uses for the water she had absorbed. Now, she wasn't the most adept of spellcasters, but she was able to perform some very simple magic tricks, though most only worked to scare the public. However, she realised that her enemies would notice the once three feet tall imp, now standing at around five feet, which is why she would use the rest of the absorbed water to trick them. She began to channel the magic power that dwelled within her, and began to craft an invisible second skin. To those that viewed her after this spell, she would appear as she had always been, a simple three foot tall imp, with fiery red hair. But to herself, and those that she felt were worthy of seeing her new form, they would see her as the five foot tall variant. She curled her legs back up and crossed her arms, resting her head against the wall. "See you tomorrow boys..." she mumbled, before catching up on her sleep.