The Bear and The Rabbit
It was a normal day for Maladek the Wizard. The sun shone through the smoky clouds outside, the breeze light enough for the windows to be open and the sound of the vod soothed the wizard as if it were a lullaby. He sat in the master bedroom, the illusion of a small bedroom gone and replaced with that of a grand, penthouse hotel room paved in gold.

'That was another good stream.' Maladek said to himself, leaning back on his retractable golden throne that levitated in front of the desk. He stared at the ceiling, gazing up at the constellation of stars and the darkness they lived in above his head. Twinkling above him, he wondered if someday he could harness just a little bit of their power. Even just the energy of a dying star could make him more powerful than anyone in the world that dared to challenge him. A usefulness for something that would die anyway.

He heard the smash of plates from down below. Sighing, he paused the vod of himself playing Clone Drone and snapped his fingers, and the room shifted around him. Green and gold colours twisted, as if they were being sucked in small holes, quickly until it flashed back and unravelled itself into a white, silver spotted marble room dotted with wooden furniture carved from the finest dead Treant around.

Maladek found himself sitting in one of the Treant chairs staring at the broken china plates a few feet away, shattered like splinters across the floor. Frowning he looked up, the remaining stack of china plates balancing precariously on the side of the silver counter top. With a point of his finger, the plates pushed themselves back against the wall without so much as a clatter. There could only be one person to be so careless as break a set of china from Hayleck.

'SYLVIAAAAAA!' Maladek yelled, his voice booming throughout the dining hall, various hallways and almost all the rooms in the building as he touched his throat with the point of his index finger, amplifying his voice. He waited for the rush of footsteps and clinking of heels from his companion, however after a few minutes he frowned once more.

There was nothing. No calling in reply, no magical aura or any strange creature to inform him that she had gone out. There was only a light thumping sound coming from the corridor, and that could not be the woman at all. For one thing, it was quite fast and, as he knew quite well, Sylvia the Witch wasn't fast. She took her time walking, talking, eating...most things. The second thing was, nothing had ever thumped in his wizard emporium.

Jumping from his seat, he carefully tip-toed around the broken china and out into the corridor. He followed it until he reached the curved stairs up to the second floor, and looked up to watch a small, lemonade pink rabbit hopping up the stairs one at a time. Maladek stared wide eyed only for a moment before bounding up the stairs to stand face to face with the creature.

'Little ruffian, how did you get into my private wizard emporium.' Maladek grumbled, picking it up from the scruff of its neck.

'M-Maladek!' The rabbit cried. Maladek smirked.

'Aaah I see! Another wizard, is it? Who are y- no, who sent you. Nobody would be so ridiculous as to enter my wizard emporium unannounced!'

'I-It's Sylvia! Please don't zap me!' It cried.

'Sylvia?!' Maladek questioned. There was a pause. 'If it IS you...what does my room look like?'
'It's...it's gold and green! With a levitating chair and a computer set up that once had water cooling, then it went back to fan cooling!'

'Hmm...'

'A-and you love playing the kazoo whilst you sellout! Nobody can sellout as much as you do, nor create donation wars or even crown kings? You even hate brus-'

'That is enough! I know it's you.' Maladek said, carefully placing the bunny on the ground. 'How are you now a rabbit?'

'I don't know.' Sylvia explained, her eyes welling up with tears. 'One minute I was in the kitchen, admiring the plates from the castle, and the next I shrunk down into this! I ran to find you, but it's hard to move around in this body...'

Maladek thought, resting his palm underneath his chin as he scanned his mind for anything that could help him reverse the magic upon Sylvia. Transforming into an animal against their will, Maladek did not know of such a thing. However, of their own will, he knew very well of the magic of druids that allowed them to shape shift into different forest creatures at will. They were the ones that allowed him to craft furniture from a tree that disliked its own kind.

'Sylvia, are you related to any sort of druid?' He asked. 'If so...then I think-'

'Maladek! No!'

Maladek looked at Sylvia, and for the first time in a while he was truly befuddled. She and he were of equal height, if not he was just that bit taller. He gasped and brought his hands in front of them; what he saw were a set of furry, brown forelegs and black paws. 'What?! How is this possible?! I am not the prodigy of any sort of druid, let alone the type of wizard vulnerable to being transformed by magic!'

The pink bunny began to tear up as she gazed at Maladek's cuddly bear form. She felt the urge to hug him, to comfort him, but she knew that if the grand wizard did not know what was happening, especially if it included being forcefully transformed, then his rage could not be comforted. He would walk to the end of the world to find out what had happened to him and get himself back into his rightly self.

He could not afford any distractions.
Her ears twitched, then, there was another sound of smashing. This time, the beautiful stained-glass window at the other end of the corridor broke into ruby and emerald pieces as a large winged creature flew inside. The wolf-like pegasus whipped its head round to the couple as its majestic large white wings tipped in grey beat down rapidly, slowly descending onto the floor.
Maladek watched the creature carefully, wincing as the royal red rug covering the glossy, diamond floor unravelled itself with the gusts that burst from the creature. He positioned himself in front of Sylvia, folding his arms as the creature’s black paws touched the floor, wings slowing to a halt until eventually they spread out proudly.

'An unusual type of pegusi if I've ever seen one.' Maladek remarked as the creature’s wings folded behind its body, eyeing the purple gem dangling from its neck that began to glow. 'Now to find out why a beast like you decided to break your way inside my private wizard emporium...'

'Maladek the Wizard.' The wolf-like pegasus named softly, stepping forth. 'It's Phoenix Flame.'

'Phoenix?!' He questioned, staring into the demonic red eyes of the creature. The right-hand man of the chosen king, Phoenix was someone not to be trifled with, though for what reason Maladek did not know. But he knew that he had a certain amount of power over him; he knew that a single kazoo solo could sweep him off his feet. 'But you're a-'

'Winged Wolf.' He corrected, a tinge of pink appearing by his cheeks as he turned his head away. 'Though, I didn't expect you to be a bear Maladek. Neither Sylvia a bunny.'

'Neither did I.' The wizard agreed. 'But perhaps...perhaps I unlocked some sort of magical ability that turned me into this thing. It's quite possible. The most reasonable explanation as well.'

'Is...ummm....i-is there a reason why you came in through the window, Phoenix?' Sylvia squeaked, peaking her head above Maladek's shoulders. Phoenix nodded.

‘I could not spare the time with the pleasantries. I apologise about the mess, but I came because of your fursonas.'

'Fur-sonas?'

'Yep. It's why you're both animals. People have fursonas, animal versions of themselves, and use them as their sort of persona. A pink rabbit and a small bear...quite cute for a couple I can say.'
Then it was Maladek's turn to blush as his face reddened. Rare occasions have people from his stream acknowledged his partnership with Sylvia, rarer even to comment on their relationship. The witch hid behind Maladek again, also embarrassed by the comment but also realising the meaning behind their chosen forms.

'I wondered whether you wanted to know the secret for turning back.' He summarised.

'Of course I do!' Maladek burst out. 'I do not want to be a cute...cuddly...bear forever! I cannot sellout out like this! What will my patrons think of me in this state?'

'It would be better if we were back to our normal, I think.' Sylvia added in almost a whisper.
Phoenix's face turned into a frown as he stared at the two, cuddly animals. But after a moment he let out a sigh.
'For you two, they way to transform back is to share a kiss.'

'A kiss? For us? Does it not mean that there is another way to turn back?'

'Another way?'

'Well.' Maladek hesitated. 'I personally have never kissed a rabbit before...and I do no think I would like to try to either.'

'Nope. For you two, you'll have to share a kiss. There isn't any other way,' Phoenix said with a grin. Then, his deep red eyes flashed neon green. 'unless you want to die.'

Maladek's eyes narrowed as Phoenix staggered, shaking his head as if a bucket of water had just poured on him. He wasn't sure whether to take Phoenix's words as a potential threat against their lives, or whether his knowledge of the fursonas truly meant that they were under restrictions in 'special circumstances'. The grand wizard chose to think the latter as he turned to Sylvia rather uncomfortably.

'To die as a petty animal or return as a gnome knowing that I kissed you in front of a loyal apprentice,' Maladek thought aloud, almost mockingly. 'I do not know what could be worse.'

'Really...?' Sylvia asked in a whisper, her face saddening at the thought of Maladek dying in front of her.

'There is nothing worse than death, fool.' Maladek sniggered. Then he leaned in, both of their black, wet noses touching as they performed, what's known as, the Eskimo kiss. They nuzzled their noses together, in turn creating a flash of white light that blinded Phoenix slightly. The witch and wizard found themselves surrounded by magic, a tingling feeling rising from toe to shoulders as the light turned a baby pink.

Then it ended. The light dimmed down and Maladek the wizard stepped back in his normal form donned in his grey robes and wizard hat. Sylvia turned away, covering her mouth with a knuckle dressed in a pink, long sleeved dress similar to a nightie as Phoenix nodded in approval.

'You shouldn't change that often, but just be careful.' Phoenix advised. 'If you don't get used to your form, when it happens again and you're not safe-'

'Do not worry Phoenix. I think now I know the basic gist of this 'fursona' business, next time I shall be prepared for the unusual transformation.' Maladek interrupted, whipping his hand out in front of him acting like a stop sign. 'Now, after you've cleaned up the mess you've made, I've got no further business with you.'

‘Sorry about this, but I must go. The King is expecting me…as he is you Maladek.’ Phoenix growled, the head of the Winged Wolf whipped round to look back at the gaping hole, his ears perking up. ‘He may be able to arrange something with your window. As for your fursonas, I like them. But I like you both as people too.’

Maladek watched the creature take off, a fierce gust of wind blowing the rug, and shards of glass, further along the corridor as Phoenix flew out through the gap in the wall, leaving the pair to contemplate their next move.

'Well, if the King has summoned me then perhaps he has plans.' Maladek though aloud. 'Sylvia! Take care of this mess please!'

'B-But Maladek-'

'No excuses! You already broke some of the finest china with your transformation. And as you know quite well, broken glass and china can be dangerous.' He said as he opened the door to his room. 'Once you've cleaned that up, I shall order another window...and I am sure the King will have no troubles in paying for its replacement.'

Maladek closed the door on Sylvia who could barely open her mouth to speak. Her cheeks still tinged pink as violet coloured magic began swirling in her palms, cackling like lightning. She then placed them on the ground, two circular glyphs covered in elven runes appearing on the ground in front of her. Out of them stepped forth large sets of armour, held together by an invisible entity wielding long, spiked pikes from their gauntlets.