Synopsis: Terri prepares herself for the final showdown!
Accidental Magic

By
Allystra Krane
edited by Sephrena Miller
Chapter Sixteen

The Last Normal Day, Part 2

---

"You can what?"

"I said," Cindy repeated for the third time, not having convinced the room on the previous two attempts, "I can do magic!"

"But how?" Allyssa snapped.

"The feeling Terri gave me on Saturday, the one deep in my tummy. After we left here, I tried to invis myself again. I felt that feeling leave doing it, but when I woke up the next morning, it had returned."

"I can't believe it," Allyssa stated, dumbfounded.

"What's the big deal?" Terri asked. "Every time I do magic I get that feeling."

"Yeah, but she shouldn't," added Cathryn. "Apparently you just made her into a user."

"Wow, really?" Cindy exclaimed.

"Well, it did feel like most of the mana I was giving kinda bled back out into the air. It wasn't like I kissed Allyssa. It was much tougher just to get any to hold."

"Interesting," Cathryn said.

"It wasn't my idea!" Terri remarked, trying to pass the blame, "Lexi told me to do it!"

"Don't blame young children for your problems," Cindy scolded with a waving finger. "Even if she is smarter than you."

Terri wanted to get angry over this statement, directed at her intelligence.

In the span of less than a second, her mind visualized an event where Allyssa and Cindy both shouted random mathematical equations and Lexi would be attempting to answer them before she herself would interrupt faster with the correct answer.

She wasn't even aware she had zoned out of the conversation until Lexi walked over and took her hand.

This broke her train of thought, sending the passenger cars into the ravine, so to speak.

"Uhm, are you okay?" Cindy asked, sounding quite concerned.

"She just went daydreaming for a moment," Lexi answered. "Probably someplace where she isn't compared to me."

"Something like that," replied Terri. "Though I'm sure if I described it to you, you'd find some way to get there and take it over."

"Never," Lexi said. "Did you know that while you zoned out, you were smiling ever so slightly? You smile, genuinely smile, so infrequently that I'd never take away its cause."

"As sweet as that sounded, it nearly made me vomit." Terri said, motioning down her throat with a finger.

"Cut that out!" Cindy said. "You sound like an eight-year old Boy!" she exclaimed.

"Don't say that too loud or in front of the wrong people or some of the real pervs will be after her," Allyssa said. "Try simply telling her how immature and unladylike that was."

“Hey!" Terri interrupted, "I may have said I planned to look this way, but I never said anything about acting like one."

"It's a package deal, you can't choose what part or parts of being female you want to use and which parts you will throw away."

"Like either of you two are real paragons of 'Typical' female behavior."
 
 
Cindy and Allyssa both turned to look at the two sources of the same exact quote.

Even Terri had surprised herself, having cupped her hand over her mouth while watching Lexi's stunned expression.

"That was just creepy," Cindy said. "How'd you two do that?"

"No idea," replied Terri. "I think we just happened to be saying the same thing."

"It wouldn't be so bad if you two didn't look so much alike," Allyssa added. "Anyone who didn't know would think you were mother and daughter."
 
 
Terri was going to say something snarky, but was interrupted by Lexi musing out loud, "I wish Terri WAS my mother."

"Why would you say that?"

Lexi just looked at them both with a look of total innocence. "Because she treats me like her little sister."

Before any retort could be made, Terri scooped up Lexi from in front of her and had her in her lap.

"I think... I wish I could have a kid just like you."

Terri couldn't see Lexi's face, but even while clearing the tears, she was shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, but that just isn't possible. Not if I have my way," Lexi said.

"Why not?!" Terri snapped back. "You want me to be a girl, but now I can't have children if I wanted?"

Lexi wrenched herself out of Terri's grasp, dropped to the floor and fled from the room, saying only, "You don't understand."
 
 
"Uhm, well," Cathryn interrupted the awkward moment, "Not to change the subject or anything, but the council is on their way over."

"What do they want?" Terri snapped, annoyed. She wanted to run after Lexi, to hold the girl and promise her the world to make her happy. But something inside her stopped her. A feeling she couldn't explain, told her to stop.

"The Council would like you to voluntarily submit to a series of trap spells," Cathryn replied, watching Terri's expression."

"What will they do to me?"

"For one, any spells you DO know how to cast will go off wildly, that or explode in your face with colorful but harmless showers of sparks."

"Oh don't forget the mana sinks," Allyssa added. "The same reason that ol' stink bottom wants you, we figure that we will overcome your regen rate and it'll make him run out too."

"You going to be there too Ally?" Terri asked, only half-listening. "You should get in on that mana thingy."

"I want to be there too Terri," Cindy added. "You're my friend now and I may be able to help."

"If you want to help, Cindy," Terri replied. "Maybe my mother's old friends can teach you some magic. They thought they were here for me, but it'll do you more good."

"We didn't sign up for that," Cathryn protested.

"But you will do it," came Augustine's voice preceding her entrance into the room. "Allyssa and her coven as well. We'll need everyone we can spare on this."
 
 
Terri watched Augustine, both out of fear and respect. This woman had authority and did not fear using it.

"Are you seriously considering sending Children into battle against that bastard and whoever is willingly following him, do you?" Cathryn snapped back, standing up to confront Augustine's presence.

"Their elevated emotions will enhance their spell's impact," Augustine replied

"With only a greater chance of backfiring!" snapped Cathryn again. "What you are asking of these girls is possible suicide!"

"Nothing I would not commit to myself," Augustine deadpanned, and then turned to Allyssa. "Are you willing to be part of this?"

"I am," Allyssa answered.

"So am I," Cindy added.
 
 
Augustine turned toward the cheerleader with interest. "I was under the impression that you weren't a user."

Terri watched Cindy try to posture herself courageously, as Augustine stared her down. "Due to events that occurred this weekend, it would appear that a vortex has enough mana to force certain pathways to open and I was made one." Cindy said.

"Interesting,"

"Oh, I should also mention," Allyssa began, interrupting Augustine. "That Terri has an effect on regular users too. When she pushed mana into me last week, she overflowed, so using Cindy's comment as reference, my 'pathways' were widened and I have almost forty percent more by my estimation."

"How does this 'Push' happen exactly?" Augustine asked with one eyebrow raised.

She looked back and forth between Allyssa, Cindy and Terri, who were all blushing, and appeared to come to her own conclusion.

"Oh, do not tell me it involves sexual congress of some type," Augustine sighed, putting her hand across her eyes.

"Just kissing actually," Cindy managed to squeak out, trying desperately to defend her actions.

"Well, that pretty much leaves out repeating the process on me," Augustine commented.
 
 
Terri was still sitting in the periphery, at least figuratively. It was something she had not experienced recently. She was able to intently watch the goings on and had managed to contribute very little if anything since Augustine's arrival.

"So what do I have to do?" Terri asked, deciding that silence might actually commit her to something painful.

Terri was scared, but she didn't want to die. As she looked into Augustine's eyes, she sensed that that the older woman could see through her and knew the fear she was having.

"Terri, why don't you and I go for a walk together?" Augustine asked, holding old her hand.

Terri took it, then there was a popping noise behind her, causing Terri to look around, only to find they were no longer at her house, but on a beach somewhere in Hawaii, as best as Terri figured.
 
 
"Uhm, where are we?" Terri asked.

"You don't recognize the beach? Before they filmed the Seventh season of 'Survivor' down here, I used to come here all the time."

"You're just making all that up," Terri replied, looking the least bit skeptical.

"Seriously, look over there," Augustine said, pointing to a circle of stones and a lean-to shelter that had been abandoned.

"Whoa, so why'd you bring me here?"

"Well, I can tell you have some reservations about the plan," Augustine said as she lifted a foot to take off her shoe.

"Yeah, if Allyssa hadn't mentioned how many times I have been compared to the witch under Dorothy’s farmhouse."

"Ahh, so you know the story then," she said with a sigh. "Would it make you feel better to learn that eight other people were all launching spear-based attacks at the same time and mine was the 'Lucky Shot', as it were?"

"No, that doesn't help much," Terri replied. "Sorry."

You know that this 'event' goes down in the next couple days, right?"

"Yeah, it's tough trying to ignore the inevitable," Terri replied.

"You want to switch to something more beach- friendly?"
 
 
Terri turned to inquire as to the nature of the last comment, only to find Augustine had lost her blouse and slacks and was wearing a sun dress and a large floppy hat. Her fingers were ready to snap and Terri figured it was a spell.

"Ahh, no thanks." Terri said. "My suit might be mad if I get you to change me."

Terri saw the look on Augustine's face as she kissed her own shoulder. It took a moment of rearranging and a slight drop in height while the suit reclaimed her boots and became a one-piece tank swimsuit and a gauzy cover up.
 
 
"You have a symbiote suit?" she asked.

"A gift from Allyssa," Terri commented. "Though I haven't met another so I can grow one for her in return."

Augustine nodded. "Nice work, by the way. You must have a photographic memory. You don't normally see that level of detail. You were spending a bit of time looking at pretty girls on the internet before this happened, didn't you?"

Terri just blushed and nodded. "But it wasn't for the reasons other boys do, at least, I don't think it was, not anymore anyways."

"I suspect as such," Augustine said with a chuckle. "Back to the reason I brought you here and away from everyone else."

"Terri," she continued, "Your Grandmother was my best friend and it hurts to think that she hid her ability from me all that time."

"Why would she do it?" Terri asked. "I don't understand what the big deal is."

"No, I suppose not," replied Augustine. "I suppose she thought I would turn her in."

"Turn her in?" Terri asked. "For what?"

"A precognitive of her ability would have been in high demand and the last three with even half of Agatha's power were made to shape events around the world. It is basically the worst government job possible. She hid it so she would have a life."

"Would you have turned her in?"

Augustine turned and toward the surf. She waited several seconds before answering.

"Come walk with me," she said and Terri caught up with her and they began strolling barefoot down the beach.
 
 
"The world that we live in is full of lies and half-truths. Do you know that, to the government, I am a podiatrist?"

"A foot... doctor?"

"Yes, being on the council pays money, money which is collected from taxes. Taxes that everyone, user or not, pays."

"How can that be?" Terri asked. "How could they acknowledge the existence of magic?"

"They don't. They just have funds from the general operating expenses earmarked toward 'Enforcement, detention and cleanup.' Since users are few and rarely step out of line in a way that requires our direct intervention, we find ourselves with time to research new spell variations."

"But back to your earlier question, would I have turned her in? When I was young and rash, I did many things that I now regret. I stepped on a lot of toes trying to climb up the ranks. I guess she must have seen me do it, or else she would have told me."

"Oh," was all Terri could say.

"All that changed thirty years ago," Augustine went on to say. "The last vortex changed my life forever."

"How come?"

"Well, because I killed the last vortex. And then I was told that his family had tried to keep him hidden away. Your grandmother wept for days, but I could not console her in any way. She charged me with keeping that secret."

"That's why she has been manipulating things to keep you alive," continued Augustine. "Because the only thing worse than losing your child and being unable to stop it, is to watch your child lose theirs."

Tears were welling up in Terri's eyes, the idea too painful to imagine.
 
 
"Do you get it?" Augustine quietly demanded. "The only two people on this planet that know the truth, stand here, on this beach, right now."

"The... Last vortex, was... my Uncle?"

"His name was Andrew, and yes, he would have been."

"Agatha told me; so that I could understand the pain she was going through. I demanded we check your mother to make sure she wasn't a vortex as well. But in return, she made me promise to keep her secret about whose child the vortex was and to keep her daughter out of our world. I made that promise and I have kept it until now."

"So, why are you telling me all this?" Terri asked.

"Because Agatha wants you to live and I intend not to disappoint her."
 
 

~*~
 
 
Terri stood in the middle of the Council's library, while Augustine, Allyssa, Cindy, the rest of the Council and Terri's boarders stood on the other side of the room facing her. The table had been whisked away, leaving a large open area, perfect for what they were about to do next.
 
 
"So what do I have to do?" asked Terri, showing only a little boredom.

"I am sorry for what you are about to feel," Beatrice said as she opened the scroll she had been holding and began the spell.

As the spell went off, Terri felt like she had been punched in the gut. She doubled over and collapsed to the floor with a noise that mimicked being shot. She assumed the fetal position in only a moment, gasping for air.

"Terri!" screamed both Allyssa and Cindy, as they watched their friend hit the tiles.

"What the Hell did you do to her?" Cindy brazenly demanded of Beatrice. "How come you didn't warn her?"
 
 
But Allyssa hadn't even made half the distance, when Terri's hand slammed against the tile, and she began lifting herself off the floor.

With gritted teeth, Terri said, "Ugh! That was unexpected." She tried to smile, but she knew it looked forced.

"Are you okay?" Allyssa asked, grabbing a shoulder to help her to her feet again.

Terri waved her off by saying, "If all of them are going to be that strong, I best not stand up."

Allyssa wouldn't let it go through, but she turned back toward the group with a hate-filled expression, needing answers.

"Why the hell are we using something so powerful?"

"So that it will have the greatest effect," was Beatrice's answer. "That is the most refined version of the sink we have. It should be able to drain a normal user in three or four seconds."

Terri nodded. "I can feel a pull, like something is tied me to someone over there. It's not bad, just strange."

"Really, do we need to put her through that each time though?" Augustine asked. "She is still a child."

"Well," said Beatrice, only to be interrupted by Terri. "Do it!" she stammered back. "The pain is already going away. I'll be ready for the next shot in a moment."
 
 
In reality, her nerves were still sending signals that she was being burned alive, but Terri refused to let it faze her.
Allyssa stomped over toward Beatrice, peeling the scroll out of the other woman's hands. "This is torture, you can't possibly ask anyone to do this!"

"Allyssa," Terri said. "You and Cindy might want to use it now, so you can leave right away."

Allyssa turned to look at Terri, shock in her eyes. "You can't be serious?"

"Just do it," Terri said. "I've been through worse before and I am still here. Do it, before I change my mind."

Allyssa held the scroll off to Cindy, who just looked at it. "Oh, no way are you making me hurt her first."

Allyssa sighed and unrolled it, closing her eyes as she fought back tears; she blinked several times before reading the words aloud.
 
 
Terri once again felt the invisible fist in the stomach, but this time she recovered quickly, only straining out a growl, her knees already on the pavement, so she bucked forward and her hands hit the tile once more.

Terri could hear Allyssa sniffling her nose on the other side of the room, but she closed her eyes and said aloud with a wheeze, "NEXT!"

"Let's take a break," said Augustine. "We didn't plan for the toll it was going to take on Terri, or us."

"No!" Terri snapped. "I'll rest when we're done, or I'm dead, dammit!"

Cindy was shaking her head. "I can't, I can't do it..."

Allyssa looked at Augustine. "She'll pass out after this one, I'm sure of it."

"What's taking so damn long?" Terri growled again. "My vision has nearly cleared up. Cindy take that scroll!"

Terri could barely make out Cindy's form from the mass of people in front of her. She watched as Cindy was handed the scroll so Terri closed her eyes to await the next painful slam.

She was not disappointed as the last word escaped Cindy's lips and she saw stars as the violent, invisible attack once again used Terri as a punching bag.
 
 
She couldn't even hear Cindy crying out as she ran for her, the sound of her own heartbeat ringing too loudly in her ears.

Terri felt the shocking, wracking sensation subsiding quickly, as if she was recovering faster this time.

She felt hands on her as both Cindy and Allyssa picked her off the floor and onto her knees again.

"You two should go," Terri said wearily. "I'll be fine. I'll recover afterward."

"No," said Allyssa, "We're not leaving you here alone."

"I promised I wouldn't hurt you again and I broke it," Cindy let go with a sob. "I can't go, knowing you'll be writhing in pain on the floor."
 
 
Terri looked up at Cindy, her eyes unable to focus. "Please, just go," she said. She did not want her friends to see her like this. In truth, she knew she had felt worse. Years of constant suffering had hardened her to the point where this new sensation was hardly bothering her. But she did not want them to take pity on her.

"Just Go!" Terri shouted, jerking her arms away from both girls.

Suddenly there was a blinding flash to right, followed by her legs regaining strength, her vision clearing up and all instances of pain seeming to melt away.
 
 
Terri turned to her right, to find Allyssa looking down at her hands with eyes that were white and glowing, devoid of iris or pupil.

"What's what's happening to me?" Allyssa shrieked.

"Bollocks!" screeched Augustine. "She's become a Spirit Caster!"
 
 

~*~
 
 
To Be Continued...
 
 
End of Chapter Sixteen