Momo: Mages of Pure Heart

Chapter 1: Magic Cat Academy

"Well, I thought you all would get here a lot later."

The three members of the Sheriff's Department had just arrived in front of a fancy window-lined stone building. Standing before them on the grassy courtyard decorated with ponds, trees, and garden flowers, the purple-robed chameleon Camille had just greeted them, her yellow-robed apprentice Honey standing next to her wordlessly.

"Uh, why exactly are we here?" Badgerclops questioned warily.

"Badgerclops, weren't you paying attention?" Mao Mao groaned, pinching his eyebrow ridge in familiar exasperation. "We're here as guests at this prestigious academy, invited to provide our endorsement to the wonderful students there."

Adorabat huffed, puffing her cheeks while she hovered in the air, flapping her wings next to Badgerclops. "Why'd we have to go to a school? School's boring!"

"Because, Adorabat..." Mao Mao clarified to her with eloquence, "...because..." he paused, taking a moment to think, but his mind blanked out. He turned to Camille and Honey. "What's this school for again?"

"Why, it's a MAGIC SCHOOL!" Camille suddenly exclaimed with mania while throwing her hands up. "An academy for semi-institutionalized training in the nature-defying arts!" Without dropping her smile, she leaned closer to the group in a partial-whisper. "But be warned, many apply but few enter, and even fewer graduate!"

Adorabat suddenly squeed in elation. "Eeee! A magic school! That's like, the coolest kind of school ever! Can I get in?"

"Ah, no," Mao Mao responded monotonously, grabbing hold of one of Adorabat's legs before she flew too far. "First of all, you're too young, and SECOND, this is MAGIC! And there'll be no use of those sparkly weapons of mass destruction while I'm sheriff!"

"Aw, phooey!" pouted Adorabat.

"Hey, show some respect," Camille put her hands on her hips. "I went to school here a long time ago and Honey here's a recent graduate."

"Yeah, look at how that turned out," Badgerclops whispered to Adorabat.

"Yeah, good for you two," Mao Mao replied dismissively, "but I will say this – just because we're here doesn't mean these students can try anything, especially using their educated hexes for EVIL!"

"Dude, come one. You do stuff like golden fire and energy in our monster fights a whole lot," Badgerclops mentioned. "You sure that's not magic?"

"Those techniques came from years of training and inner focus on the spiritual energies from within," Mao Mao countered. "Nothing magical about it!"

"Whatever you say, man."