Equestrian Girl

by HorseStories

IV:Duḥkha

House wasn't the right word. Even mansion didn't quite cover it. The building in front of her could only be described as a palace - which, Shim supposed, was probably exactly what they preferred it to be called.

Five stories of classical architectural beauty surrounded by breathtaking countryside, with a fleet of sleek cars parked outside for a modern touch. It was the picture of luxury and extravagance, yet it filled her with a sense of unease for reasons she just couldn't quite place.

It had taken her nearly an hour to get here, most of that spent driving down increasingly narrow countryside roads clogged with sheep, tractors and potholes. She was frankly amazed her car had survived the journey. The Quartzes sure liked their privacy. As if to drive the point home, The entire complex was surrounded by a brick wall topped with iron spikes. It might as well have had Piss off! written on every square inch of it.

The entrance was staffed by a bored-looking security guard, leafing through a magazine. He raised his eyes as she pulled up to the gate, his eyes running up and down the chipped paint, dented body, and slovenly driver. Meeting Shim's gaze, he gave her a smirk, before throwing his magazine onto his desk. "I think you might be lost."

Shim gritted her teeth. "I'm here to see Beatrix."

"Beatrix?" The guard sat upright, surprised. "Right, of course. You have any I.D.?"

Shim held out her driver's license. The man glanced over it. "Sunset Shimmer. My apologies, the princess did mention you'd be visiting. I just didn't expect..." He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he stepped out of his booth, rummaging around in his pockets for a pair of keys. He fumbled with the lock for a few seconds, and the door swung open.

Returning to his booth with a somewhat sheepish look on his face, the Guard gestured for her to continue. "I'd, uh, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to the princess. You understand."

Shim sighed. "Sure. I'm guessing you don't see a lot of wrecks at this gate."

"You could say that." The guard muttered, snatching his magazine up. "When Beatrix told me you were coming, I assumed you'd be... well, I assumed you two would have more in common."

"More in common?"

"You'll see what I mean." He opened his magazine once more. "You shouldn't keep her waiting. You can park wherever, but my advice is put it somewhere out of sight. Valentina would have a fit if she found that pile of crap sitting on her lawn. No offence."

Shim could see where he was coming from. Still, she didn't plan to be here long, so she opted to park with the rest of the fleet. Nothing to worry about. She was just an overly-enthusiastic student looking to flesh out her thesis with some classical literature.

The front door was just as impressive as the rest of the building, nearly 10 feet tall, with the family crest intricately carved into it. Before she could even raise a fist to knock, the door swung open, causing Shim to stumble in surprise, nearly falling backwards.

In the doorway stood a beautiful young woman - probably younger than her. A wide, slightly manic smile adorned her face, showing off a set of crystal-white, perfect teeth. "Miss Shimmer! The gatesman just called to tell me you'd arrived. I hope you had a good trip." Her pronunciation was perfect.

Shim smiled back, suddenly wishing she'd worn something nicer. Or at least, something that she hadn't dropped half a pizza onto a week ago. "Hey. Beatrix, right? Nice place you got here."

Beatrix nodded, pulling the door open further. "Thank you. Please, come in. I'll show you around."

The interior was even more breathtaking than the exterior. Works of art lined the walls, stacked up almost twenty feet to a marble ceiling with further artwork carved into it. In the centre, a crystal chandelier the size of her car illuminated the entire room. Every square inch of wall not occupied with art was taken up by a doorway leading to further rooms. Shim's jaw physically dropped in astonishment, causing Beatrix to giggle.

"Oh, this is nothing. Wait until you see the library. Or the morning room. Or the music room. Or maybe the observatory..." she trailed off. Shim knew she was being teased, but she couldn't help but be impressed. Taking a momentary pause, she cast her eyes back to Beatrix, who had started shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot.

She was no less decorated than the room around her. Her hair was long, white and immaculately styled, presumably professionally. Her clothes were simple, but they looked expensive - designer, probably. A plain gold collar adorned her neck. Most unusually, she wore a leather belt around her waist, upon which rested a small silver knife. Catching her eye, Shim quickly looked elsewhere.

Shim decided to break the silence. "Anyway... Thanks again for letting me visit. It's a huge help."

Beatrix waved her hand dismissively. "Please. Like I said, you're the one helping me out. Take as much time as you'd like. I'd be happy to help."

"Really?" Shim hadn't been expecting this warm a welcome. "Are you sure I'm not imposing? I mean..." She glanced around at the silent labyrinth of a house. "Are... is... is it just you here?"

Beatrix paused, before shaking her head. "Not exactly. My cousin's staying over tonight, but he's gone out." She spat the last word out with surprising bitterness, something she must have realized, because she blushed apologetically afterward. "Sorry. Maxwell's quite... well, he likes to cause trouble." She sighed, before fishing in her pockets and pulling out a keychain.

As she picked through the keys, she continued. "Let's see... My mother's normally here, but she's overseas. The help's here, but I sent half of them home. Don't need an entire kitchen staff when it's just me. Ah." Beatrix held up a thick bronze key. "Shall we?"

Shim nodded, uneasiness deepening.

---

The library wasn't as big as she'd imagined, but it was dense. Every topic under the sun was covered, neatly organized and categorized. Shim had laid her bag down on the first surface available, only for Beatrix to click her tongue in disapproval.

"You've come all this way, you might as well see the real good stuff."

The 'real good stuff' turned out to be an iron door with three separate locks arranged in a row. Beatrix used her keyring to unlock the rightmost lock, before pulling out her purse and pulling two more keys from it.

"Officially, we have three keepers of the record. The head of the house - my mother - is always one, the heir is always one, and one volunteer. But, with my mother overseas, she entrusted her key to me. And I made sure my older brother gives me his key any time he so much as takes a step out that door."

"He doesn't mind?"

Beatrix sneered. "He's probably glad to be relieved of the responsibility. Besides, I don't think he's read a book in years." A loud click signalled the door was unlocked. Beatrix swung the door open, beckoning Shim inside. The air was thick with the smell of aged leather and paper. More bookshelves lined the walls, and in the centre of the room was an ornately carved wooden table with matching seats.

"Well, this is it." Beatrix snatched up a chair. "Help yourself."

Shim laid her bag down on a nearby table. "Don't I have to wear gloves or something?"

"Used to, but not any more. Apparently it just damages the pages. There's a handwash station over there, though."

After thoroughly cleaning and drying her hands, Shim nodded gratefully at Beatrix, and began to pour over the selection of books surrounding her.

Although she had one particular volume in mind, Shim's curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself pulling unrelated tomes from the shelf. A handwritten copy of Solar Vortex's On the Motion of the Heavens, a unique blueprint for a helium-powered balloon...

"No fucking way."

"What?"

Shim had to stop herself from yanking the book straight off the shelf. "Principal Mathematics of Nature? Is this..."

"The original, yeah. Nearly bankrupted us, but my mother just had to have it." She sounded concerned. "Be careful with it. They might actually notice if that one gets damaged."

Shim gingerly slid the title off the shelf, and carried it with exceeding care over to the table. Beatrix watched her with amusement. "Well, it's nice to see someone appreciates it."

Shim returned to the bookshelf, running her eyes over it for any sign of Cwalu aet Cwalu. Nothing. Death of Death? Still nothing. She started again, disappointment mounting.

"Looking for anything?" Beatrix had been watching her for some time. "I can help, if you like."

"No. No, it's fine." Shim returned to the table, pulling up a second chair.

Beatrix idly surveyed the titles Shim had pulled off the shelf. "Solar Vortex. I used to love reading his books when I was younger."

"Really?" Shim was surprised, and unable to hide it.

Beatrix nodded enthusiastically. "You know most medieval physicians were monks? In fact, most literate people were clergymen. They learned to write by studying religious texts, and they replicated the same poetry in their writing." She tapped Sunset's copy of Principal Mathematics of Nature. "Even later authors have that... lyricism. It's beautiful." She coughed. "Well, I think it is, anyway."

Shim wasn't sure how to respond. "I didn't realize you were interested in this kind of stuff."

"Well, I volunteered to take care of this library since I was sixteen. I've probably read every book in this collection twice since then. Pretty much every topic under the sun is covered here, and a few that aren't." She waved her hand. "Sorry, I'm rambling. I'll let you get on with it."

Shim spent the next half an hour engrossed in her little collection. Every few minutes, Beatrix would interrupt with a question, or an observation. In all honesty, Shim would have preferred to read alone in silence, but she was a guest. She supposed the very least she could do was respond politely.

Infuriatingly, Beatrix didn't move once. Not to get a drink, or take a phone call, or even to use the bathroom. Instead, she watched Shim with an eagle eye, like a mother bear monitoring her cubs. Shim didn't feel she was under suspicion. On the contrary, Beatrix had been nothing but welcoming. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage.

Pushing the book in front of her aside, Shim yawned, stretching her arms above her head. Giving Beatrix her best smile, she leaned in. "Come on, you clearly like complaining about your family. Who else pisses you off?"

Beatrix blushed. "It's not like that. I know I sounded like a bitch earlier, but most of them are good people. It's just..." She sighed. "When I said my family's big on tradition, I meant it. I know, you probably think I'm a spoiled brat. And you're right. But honestly, I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat."

"Really?" Shim hadn't expected her to be this upfront with her. Beatrix nodded, a glum look on her face.

"Everything just has to be done according to what some dead guy decided on a thousand years ago. I wanted to go to university too, but because I'm the oldest daughter, I've got to marry the heir to another family to honour a covenant with them. Or some bullshit like that." The bitterness in her voice was clear.

"My older brother has to marry their oldest daughter too, but I doubt it bothers him. Spends all his time snorting coke in private jets and banging prostitutes in luxury resorts. But as long as he stays out of the papers, nobody cares. And when he's done with that, he'll come home, marry her, knock out a few heirs, and nobody'll bat an eyelid."

This was a lot heavier than what Shim had signed up for. "Wow. You ever considered... you know, telling them how you feel?"

Beatrix nodded. "Only every single day since I was a kid. But I was wasting my breath. Honestly, I don't mind the guy too much. He's smart, funny, not hideous. If things were different, he'd be the kind of guy I'd go for. All in all, I think he's more upset with the arrangement than me."

"Are you sure?" Marrying a beautiful heiress to a multi-billion dollar empire didn't sound too bad to Shim.

"Oh, yeah. I heard his father spent some big bucks to keep a story about him and a few heavily-oiled gentlemen out of the press a few years ago."

"Oh. Right."

"Yep." The gloom in Beatrix's voice was evident. "I just hope I don't throw up when we exchange vows of fidelity."

Shim couldn't resist asking more. "So... why don't you just... you know, tell them to go fuck themselves? I mean, is it money?"

"Well... I mean, they're family." Beatrix sounded wistful. "I suppose they aren't as bad as I make them sound, really. My brother's a good person, despite everything. My mother, too. After my father died, she took on a lot of his work, and still found time for us."

"Do you have a lot of siblings?"

Beatrix nodded. "Aside from Arthur? Two younger sisters and another younger brother. No such obligations for them. Still, I don't envy them being stuck at that godforsaken boarding school."

Shim scratched the back of her head, desperate to lighten the conversation. Personally, she couldn't understand why Beatrix would abide by such strict family ties, especially when she seemed so miserable. Then again, she didn't exactly have a wealth of experience in that matter. She knew she was a guest, but couldn't help but be frustrated at how sullen Beatrix was determined to be - though Shim couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

The gears in her head continued to turn as she considered new options. If - if - the book was in their possession, and it was a genuine book of magic, and they knew that, she would need to express an interest in such matters before she got anywhere. Maybe Beatrix would bring it out, just to impress her.

"So... you mind if I ask a frank question?" Beatrix looked surprised at this request, but merely nodded, interest clearly piqued.

"That whole thing about you being descended from Marius III... is that true?" Beatrix visibly clamped up the moment the question dropped from Shim's lips.

"It's true."

Shim pressed on. "How do you know?"

Beatrix shifted in her seat, visibly uncomfortable. "My family maintains an extensive record of our ancestors. I've seen it myself. Every single person from my mother to Marius III is catalogued."

"Really?" Shim was skeptical, but the things she'd seen in the last hour left her in no doubt the Household of Quartz would do something like that. "What about the rumours about him and magic?"

Beatrix forced a uneasy smile. "Come on. You're a scientist, right? Magic doesn't exist."

"A scientist wouldn't discredit the existence of something out of hand. Plenty of physical phenomena are unexplained. Who's to say there aren't other forces at work?"

Beatrix closed her eyes, as if annoyed with the direction this conversation was taking. "Look, Marius isn't - wasn't - a sorcerer. I think you've been reading too many fantasy books."

Shim grinned sheepishly. "I guess. Sorry, I kind of got carried away there. I... I've just always been interested in magic. I guess you're right. Too many fantasy books." She rose to her feet. "Well, I suppose I'd better get going."

"R-really?" Beatrix jumped to her feet, startled. "Are you sure? I mean, you've barely been here an hour. I can show you around some more, if you'd like?"

Shim slung her bag over her shoulder. "Nah. I mean, thanks, but I need to get back home. I appreciate you letting me visit, but you don't really have what I'm looking for, so..."

"W-wait!" The desperation in Beatrix's voice hurt to hear, but Shim knew she was about to crack. "Magic! You said you were interested in magic, right!?"

Shim paused. "Well, yeah."

Beatrix began rummaging through the bookcases on the walls. "I can... here!" She delicately slid a book off the shelf. It was bound in black leather, with stellar constellations painted on the front. She pressed it into Shim's hands. "Celestial Intelligencer, handwritten." Her face was creased with anxiety. "Seventh century. My family collects magic books like they're going out of style, I could-" Shim slowly handed her the book back.

"Already read it. Hell, I think I've read every book on Astrology ever written. Please, I've taken up enough of your time as it is."

Beatrix laid the book down slowly, a series of conflicting emotions crossing her face. Shim took another step towards the door.

"Please don't go."

It was quiet. Pathetic. It took all of Shim's effort to maintain her composure. "I'm sorry to leave you alone, but I have to-"

"I can..." She bit her hand, muffling a scream. "I've just... I've really enjoyed talking with you."

"Don't you have other friends?"

Beatrix shook her head, paused, then nodded. "No. Well, yes. But they're not going to want to talk about some old books, or bitch about their family." She groaned. "I just wanted to talk to... anyone about something different for this afternoon."

"Look, maybe another time. I've really got to be going."

Beatrix looked like she was about to cry. Shim turned away once more.

"Wait." The word was heavy, filled with anguish. "I... I have something you'd be interested in."

Shim slowly turned around. "What?"

"Just... promise me you won't... FUCK!" She took a deep breath. "Stay right there."

Turning around, Beatrix knelt down, as if looking for something hidden. Laying her hand on one of the wooden panels that buttressed the bookshelf, her mouth moved as she silently mumbled words Shim couldn't make out. As she did, the wooden panel opened - except it opened in a way Shim couldn't understand. The wood seemed to melt away with a splintering sound, evaporating into thin air, to reveal a hidden space. Nested within was a chest, roughly the size of a football.

Unlike the main door, however, this chest possessed no locks. Where a lock would normally have been, there was a single plain gold disc. Beatrix picked the box up, and carried it over to the table with exceeding care, resting it down gingerly. Reaching to her waist, she drew the knife she wore on her belt, causing Shim to take a step backwards.

"What are you-"

Ignoring her, Beatrix raised her hand and drew the blade across her index finger, before pressing it tightly against the chest's golden seal. A soft pop filled the room as the chest sprung open. Beatrix sheathed her blade, before pulling out a handkerchief and cleaning the residual blood off her finger, which had - miraculously - already healed.

Reaching inside, she pulled out a small crystal orb clasped within a gold frame, which she weighed in the her palm of her hand for a moment before turning to Shim once more. "Give me your hand."

Shim, who had been watching these events unfold with mounting incredulity, attempted to take another step backwards, only to find her way blocked by an invisible wall of force. "What the-"

"Give me your hand, now. Final warning." Beatrix's ice-blue eyes were gone, replaced with orbs of pure green light, from which a thick purple smoke poured. The menace in her voice left Shim under no doubt that Beatrix would kill her immediately if she did not comply.

Reaching out a shaking hand, she made contact with Beatrix's fingers. The moment she did, a sharp pain shot through her, as if hundreds of volts were pumping through her entire nervous system. Her vision flashed, first white, then red, as the strength immediately drained from her body. Somewhere in the background, she could hear a voice muttering in a language she did not understand.

And then, as soon as it had arrived, the pain was gone. Shim's knees immediately gave way underneath her, and she fell to her knees. As her vision slowly stabilized, she could make out the form of Beatrix kneeling over her, silently focusing on her. Her eyes were even brighter, and the smoke had only increased in intensity.

"Hold still. It's very important I get this part right. I promise, I'm not going to hurt you." The voice was soft, kind, welcoming.

Shim could only mew pathetically in response, her arms and legs steadfastly refusing her brain's screaming directives to fight or flee. Beatrix slowly nodded, and her eyes faded back to their normal colour, smoke dissipating as quickly as it had arrived. "All right, that should do it."

All of a sudden, Sunset felt power flood back to her limbs, and she scrambled to her feet, heart pounding in her ears. Beatrix took a step closer, and slowly guided her back to her chair. In a state of shock, Shim didn't resist, but merely allowed herself to be seated, trying to find the words to express her astonishment. "What... the hell... was that?"

Beatrix took the seat opposite her, clearly exhausted, but with a sympathetic look on her face nonetheless. "Sorry to be so dramatic, but I needed to keep you... well, under my control." She sighed. "I've placed a charm on you that will prevent you from discussing these events with anyone else. That means spoken, written and digital words, visual depictions, gestures and silent theatre." Shim raised an eye, causing Beatrix to scoff. "I have to be thorough."

Shim wasn't too pleased to have been - charmed? - against her consent, but she knew now wasn't the time for argument. "How did you do all of that?"

"Magic." Beatrix cringed as she said it. "So, uh, yeah. Magic is real. And I can do it."

Shim shook her head. "That's... You can't seriously expect me to believe that. This has to be some kind of trick, an illusion-"

Without warning, every single book on the bookcases around her jumped out of their shelves and began to dance around, opening and closing in tune with each other, before spinning around the room and rearranging themselves in colour-coded order. Beatrix looked even wearier, and her breathing had become noticeably ragged. "Please don't make me do anything more, I'm exhausted as it is."

Shim merely squeaked in response.

Beatrix continued, her voice a drone. "Like I was saying. Magic is real. This..." She held up the crystal orb, which she hadn't let go of since it had first entered her possession. "...is a kaduceus. Well, it's an enchanted object that can channel magical energy, but we call it a kaduceus. This belonged to Marius III. Because I'm the current female heir to his throne, it belongs to me, until I'm replaced. Honestly, an enchanted stick would do just as well, but my family's fetish for ancient heirlooms once again knows no bounds."

"What... what else can you do?" Shim had found her voice once more. Beatrix considered this question, rolling the crystal sphere back and forth in her palm.

"Well, you've seen my telekinetic abilities already. That trick with the books was pretty much my limit. I'm quite adept with charms... which, I suppose, you've also seen. I can heat or cool objects down. I can enchant kaducei. I can control animals... well, some animals. Not dogs, at least not yet. Cats, though." She gave Shim an odd look, as if disarmed by her response. "I... have to say, you're taking this much better than the last one."

Shim's eyes narrowed. "The last one?"

"I - I didn't kill him!" Beatrix stammered. "I just... wiped his memory. A bit. By the way, if you like, I can do the same for you when we're done. It's not much fun having a secret you can't tell anyone. As in, physically can't."

"I think I'm good, thanks. Where did you even learn to do all this?"

"My mother. She taught me. She taught all of us." Beatrix rested her kaduceus on her lap, looking down at the sphere with the loving gaze a mother might give her newborn child. "But I was always the best. I suppose I took it more to heart than my other siblings."

"So, what about her? Where did she learn to do all this?" Her curiosity getting the better of her, Shim leaned in to closer examine the kaduceus on Beatrix's lap. Beatrix pulled away momentarily, before relenting, and allowing her to see it closer. Laying her hand on it, Shim was surprised to find it was warm to the touch, and seemed to be holding back substantial internal pressure. "And... do you tell people often?"

Beatrix shook her head. "Hardly ever. The last one was a guy like you, big occultist. I thought he'd react, well, like you did. But he just called me a witch and tried to run away. I knew I couldn't just bind his tongue and let him escape, so..." She mimed a snipping motion with her fingers, clearly upset at the memory.

Shim glanced upwards. "Well, I mean, you are kind of a witch, aren't you?"

Beatrix shot her a glare. "Call me a witch again and I'll pull your entrails out through your mouth. I am a magician."

"Yes ma'am. Magician it is." Shim wasn't sure if the threat was genuine or not, but she wasn't in the mood to push boundaries. "So, if you learned it from your mother, where did she learn it?"

"Where do you think? Her parents taught her, and her parents taught her... and so on. My mother says we've been mages since Marius III, but I doubt that." She cocked her head to Shim. "God, you look awful. I hope you didn't-"

Whatever Beatrix was going to say was cut off by a horrific screeching sound outside. Both girls jumped out of their seats, Beatrix with poise, Shim by falling over backwards and pulling herself up for the second time.

Beatrix seized her by the arm, kaduceus tightly gripped in the other hand, and pulled her out of the room into the main library, the door slamming behind the, by virtue of some unseen force. Releasing Shim once they were both clear, she paced slowly out of the main library. Shim followed closely behind, not wanting to find herself lost.

As they approached the main hall, the door burst open violently, and a young man staggered in. Upon catching sight of him, Beatrix's tense form relaxed, and she lowered her kaduceus, her mask of concern replaced with one of anger.

"Maxwell! What the hell was that noise?!"

The young man glanced up, his handsome features twisted by his obvious intoxication. "Fuck. I jus' crashs'd into someonsh' car. The fucked up red one wit' the blue door."

Shim's eyes shot open. Her car? Beatrix, too, was clearly aware of this, and she exploded.

"What?! That's my guest's car, you fucking ape!"

"Calm down!" Maxwell howled, clutching his ears. "Tell them I'll pay for it. Jushh..." He grasped at a nearby mantel for support, finally noticing Shim standing behind Beatrix. "Fuck it, jus' take one of the on's outside. I'm goin' to bed."

With that, he staggered into another room, ignoring Beatrix's furious protestations. Turning to Shim, fists balled, she began to profusely apologize, only for Shim to cut her off.

"Please, it's not your fault. There's a bus a few minutes from here. And a new car? I can live with that."

Beatrix waved her hand. "Forget the bus. You heard him. Help yourself. Keys should be in the ignition. Any of the ones with the MX licence plates are fair game."

Shim glanced outside the window at the row of luxury cars. Was she really being offered one of those? "I - I don't know..."

"Please. He deserves it. I'll get him to pay your insurance, as a bonus." Shim was once again taken aback by the generosity - although, she supposed, Beatrix wasn't exactly giving away her own money.

"So, you don't want to talk any more?"

Beatrix shook her head. "Not while there's... other people here. I'm taking liberties with family secrets as it is. Besides, I have to give my cousin a piece of my mind. But... call me soon. Yeah?"

Shim nodded, struck numb by the sudden turn of events. "Uh, of course. Thanks again, I guess."

As she shut the door behind her, Shim could hear the first of Beatrix's bellows shake the house to it's very foundations. Maxwell was certainly right about one thing - her car wasn't going anywhere. Sunset felt a sense of loss as she looked at the twisted mass of steel and glass that had served her so well for so long.

That feeling didn't last long. In fact, it lasted about the same amount of time it took for her to recline in the leather seat of one of Maxwell's cars. After taking a moment to admire the interior, she reached for the ignition and twisted the keys. The engine roared to life, settling to a smooth purr in seconds. Glancing out the window at the remains of her old wreck, she raised her fist in a mock salute before backing out of the drive.

Comments

[Emtu]

Calling it now: The charm doesn't recognize the other Sunset as a different person, so they can discuss everything that happened just fine.

[HorseStories]

10083093
Not quite, but a good guess. I feel that'd be too much of a cop-out.

[DeathKing]

I'm surprise you don't have more views. Also have a like.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Most unusually, she wore a leather belt around her waist, upon which rested a small silver knife.

"Did I mention that I'm not a witch?"
"I... don't think it came up?"
"Just making sure."

The original Principia? Dang. Good taste.

Watching Shim play Beatrix is a delight. She may be a shut-in academic, but she's still a Sunset Shimmer. Making people dance to her tune comes naturally.

Beatrix's ice-blue eyes were gone, replaced with orbs of pure green light, from which a thick purple smoke poured.

Always a sign of good things and zero negative consequences.

I've placed a charm on you that will prevent you from discussing these events with anyone else.

Here's the question: For the purposes of the charm, does another version of herself count as "anyone else"?
... Oh. Well, I can think of a few other possible bypasses.

Beatrix shot her a glare. "Call me a witch again and I'll pull your entrails out through your mouth. I am a magician."

"The entrails thing really isn't helping your case."
"Sass like that gets me in a gut-tugging mood."
"I thought you said you were almost wiped out."
"I'll manage."

In an case, Shim made a friend! And hopefully she'll keep that friend friendly, sicne doing otherwise could carry some truly terrible consequences. Looking forward to more.

[bailey_chap]

"What?! That's my guest's car, you fucking ape!"

Huh, that's a weird insult.