A Change of Heart

by SewerDweller

Collection Day

Hours passed, and it was lunch time and Clypeus met up with Tegula. They both had a sandwiches with an apple and a drink, the two searched for a place to sit. Elytra was busy talking to Coxa and her gang and they seemed to be having a good time. The tables started to get crowded, and the two were basically forced out of the lunch room.

"What happened with Elytra? Why isn't she joining us?" Tegula asked sitting in the hallway by the water fountain.

"Coxa had the fucking nerve to talk to her, and be fucking nice to her in some acting class. Now she's basically friends with those fuckers." Clypeus stated with a shiver.
"Well it still was better than art. Abeille got pissed that I told her group about the other worl-" Tegula started to say before Clypeus shushed him. The hallway changed from being a isolated place as Clypeus sensed something. He pushed his tray away from him as he stood up and Tegula followed him. Clypeus's breathing changed as the two kept walking down the hall and by a hallway opening was two humans making out and he grinned to Tegula. Without thought Tegula and Clypeus opened their mouths to steal the love from the two and the ones sucking face slowly stopped, ignoring the two and they slowly leaned against the wall before sliding down to sit. After a bit Clypeus and Tegula ran off back to their lunch, grinning.
"Tegula, we can still suck love from these creatures." Clypeus said with a laugh and thought for a moment. He held his hand out in front of him and thought about changing to be a different human "Tegula tell me if I change." he ordered as nothing happened to his arm.

"Dude, you changed. Your face and hair is like Coxa's." Tegula muttered with a grin.
"Seriously?" Clypeus asked and before they knew it he changed back to himself.
"Yea but now you look like yourself again,"
Clypeus tried again, but it didn't work. He asked Tegula to check when he changed again and nothing worked. "Fuck we're out of magic." He said with a sigh taking a bite from his sandwich.
"No, only you're out of magic. I might have a bit left." Tegula said and he tried transforming but only his arm would transform for a few seconds before going back.
"Tegula, do you have any idea what this means?" Clypeus asked and Tegula shook his head "We ditch school for the rest of the day, and try and find a magic amulet shop."
"Do those exist?"
"If the portal exists, it could."
"Alright, should we tell Elytra?" Tegula asked and Clypeus glared at him and took his sandwich.
"Hell no, Elytra is not apart of this trio anymore. It's just us now, if she gets weak and crawls back to us then we could possibly let her back in." Clypeus said bluntly eating Tegula's sandwich. Tegula gave a forced smile and nodded hoping it would satisfy him.

"We'll leave when the bell rings. They're basically programmed on that thing." Tegula stated as the two got up and entered the cafeteria where they set their trays down and Elytra approched them.
"Guys, sorry I ditched you but Coxa is awesome!"

"It's fine Elytra, could you ask your group of dumbasses if there's a magic amulet shop?" Tegula asked and Elytra nodded and seemed to disappear before reappear.

"Yea, in the downtown area there's one. Why?"
"No reason, now go back to your group. We'll meet you outside this thing once the classes are over." Clypeus said as Elytra walked away and the other two walked the other way out of the cafeteria. They walked back to the two and they were asleep in the hall, they paid no real attention to the two. They were useless now.

The two walked towards the front of the school and waited for the bell to ring. Once the bell rings the two walked out of the building casually, as the halls were flooded with students. Elytra searched for friends as she walked to her next class, one she was suppose to have with Tegula but had the company of Coxa and her friends to keep her company.

"Do you know where we are?" Tegula asked as the two walked, the school getting farther with each step. Clypeus just shook his head but kept walking.

"We'll find it Tegula. It's downtown somewhere,"

"Unless Coxa lied to Elytra who lied to us." Tegula stated and Clypeus froze. "Struck a nerve."

"No you didn't dumbass. I didn't think that Coxa might be a lying bitch."

"Or Elytra. She might be a lying bitch as well." Tegula muttered as Clypeus punched his arm.

"If she is then she'll stay here." Clypeus replied with as he kept walking and Tegula smirked. The rest of their walk was mostly silent but with a few arguments of which road to take to try and find the downtown area.

An hour later the two arrived at downtown. There were cars and shops and for a weekday afternoon it was a bit busy. Adults shopped and ate food and some walked with the tiniest of children. Tegula looked at shop windows to see trinkets and little gifts for sale he was ultimately fascinated. "Clypeus, these things are so tiny. What the hell is the use for them?" he asked looking at a window of a tiny village with a train going up a mountain.

"I don't know, something stupid probably. Maybe it keeps them entertained or some shit. Let's go we aren't going to keep Elytra waiting." Clypeus muttered grabbing Tegula's arm and yanking it with him.

"Wow you sure care a lot about Elytra lately, almost like you care." Tegula stated before getting punched in the arm. The two walked until Clypeus stopped in front of a dark shop that seemed so sketchy compared to the rest. It had a sign on the window that read 'Chrysalis Magic Amulets' in a green formal font. The two walked in and a bell rang and a tall woman stood at the counter on her phone, and glanced at the two coming in.

"Welcome to Chrysalis's magic amulets. We sell amulets of all magic power." she said flatly and Clypeus leaned against the counter, looking at the human version of their queen.

"Hello..Chrysalis. My friend and I are looking for two amulets. For magic." He said and Chrysalis set her phone down and smirked.

"What kind of magic amulets? One to transform once you get magic? Magic sensing?" She asked grabbing a key and unlocking the glass cabinet.

"We ma'am are changelings." Tegula said and she stopped and looked at them confused.

"Are you kids alright?" She muttered.

"Yes, but what we mean is. We need something that can store the love we take from the others and shapeshift." Tegula explained and Chrysalis took out two amulets. They were dark magenta in a shape of a heart with a hole in the middle in the shape of a hearth. They seemed to be made of crystal with the outside surrounded in silver where a clip was located on the back.

"Will these suit your needs? These amulet clips collect love as you would normally collect it and stores it. Once you transform a bit of the love goes away and once the amulet is full, supposedly the amulets disappear and these powers become a part of you."

"Are these true?" Clypeus asked and Chrysalis shrugged and nodded.

"Yes. I promise." She replied with nobody knowing if she was lying or telling the truth. "I like you two, so I'll make you a deal. I watch of course but you two find love to take and if the amulets work and you can do your shit magic then you get them, but if it doesn't work then you can have them for a big discount. We don't take broken amulets." She said and Tegula nodded.

"Wait, how much will they be after the discount?" Clypeus asked.

"20 bits,"

"Each?" Clypeus asked and Chrysalis nodded. "Deal." he added as she gave Clypeus an amulet and he put it onto the left lapel and the three walked out. Clypeus put his hands in his pocket as a couple walked by, and he opened his mouth a bit to suck some of their magic. The amulet seemed to fill up with a bit of a magic before in an instant it disappeared. Clypeus looked at Chrysalis and sighed. "Chrysalis, it doesn't work. It filled up with magic but in an instant it went away."

"Hmm yes a deal is a deal." She muttered as she pushed the two back into the store. "I have another deal, buy all three and pay only 100 bits." she offered and Clypeus digged into his pocket and pulled out a bit of money, only about 20. "That will only pay for one," she mumbled angrily as Tegula also dug into his pocket.

"Chrysalis, could you change one of your clips into a necklace?" Tegula asked and she groaned taking one and going to alter it. Tegula took out a small bag of bits and put them on the counter. She came out and opened the bag setting the necklace down. "Well, thank you for shopping. Do you want a bag for these?" she asked and Tegula put the amulet clip on.

"Yes, I'd like my bag back with the money." Tegula said and Chrysalis shrug and dumped all the money out before putting the necklace in the bag and sliding it acros the glass counter. Tegula took the bag and put it into his pocket and the two walked out.

"Clypeus, as much as I hate you why the fuck did you purchase these amulets if they're broken?"

"You didn't question it in the shop, hell you even asked one to be changed into a necklace amulet instead of a clip for Elytra." He stated and Tegula rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, why the hell did you buy it? I'm glad I stole money from one of those dumbass art kids to pay for it." He asked putting his hands in his pocket and fiddling with the money bag.

"Simple, you saw when we walked out I put my hands in my pocket. Well when that lovey dovey couple walked by I sucked a bit of magic out of them and just transformed my hands and arms and the magic just seemed to disappear." Clypeus stated and Tegula smirked. "So when you call me a dumbass, remember I got us a way to transform for more than a few minutes." Clypeus said as they walked.

When the two got back to school, Elytra was standing by the portal, and Coxa with her group of friends walked away as Elytra looked at the two. She crossed her arms and looked at them and walked towards them. "Hey Elytra, how ar-," Tegula said casually as Elytra cut them off.

"Where the hell were you two? I was standing outside in the front looking like a fucking idiot not knowing that you two dumbasses ditched me and I was standing, luckily Coxa was there to keep me company." Elytra said.

"OH, I'm sorry Elytra that you ditched us for Coxa and her gang and only approached us after school angry." Clypeus said sarcastically. "Let's go find a place to live for the night, and we can talk about what we missed." he said bluntly walking away.

"No. I want you two to talk to me like I'm an actual person. Coxa does it with her friends." Elytra stated.

"Elytra, shut the hell up about Coxa. We aren't friends." Clypeus stated and Tegula looked at Elytra who looked like she was going to break down into tears.

"I know more than you two about this world, so don't underestimate me. Now I think I'll go stay with Coxa because she understands me. Goodbye you fucking dumbasses. If you see me tomorrow, stay the fuck away or you'll regret it." Elytra stated walking through the two and catching up with Coxa.

"We don't need her Tegula. Let's go." Clypeus muttered as he walked, and Tegula followed him.

"Clypeus, where will we go?" Tegula asked and Clypeus didn't answer for a bit.

"I think I'll try to find my hive. Apparently we kinda exist in this world." Clypeus said as they walked down a street.