by Saless
Chapter 90
“Someone what?!” Terri exclaimed, completely missing the second part of what Erica said as she latched onto the first. “Are you alright Sarah?” she said worriedly.
Sarah smiled weakly, “Yeah, I'm okay. He didn't get far, thanks to Tiffany.”
“Wait a moment, didn't you say Tiffany killed her attacker?” Jason asked. Erica nodded. “Is that why this FBI agent is harassing Tiffany, because he suspects her?”
He does suspect Tiffany of killing John. Vash said.
“Apparently.” Erica replied.
“But he also suspects Sarah of being involved somehow in his death, and also in that thing in the hills. He's been trying to get me to spy for him. I pretend to, but I haven't told him anything.” Tiffany said.
“And he doesn't know that Tiffany is our friend yet. She was only friends with Sarah before, but she came to us when he started putting pressure on her.” Jill said.
“So what did happen in those hills?” Jason asked curiously.
Erica glanced at Sarah, who nodded encouragingly, “Well, we were practicing. We thought it best to do so somewhere isolated so no one would see and we wouldn't damage anything or anyone.”
“Practicing? What were you practicing?!” Terri exclaimed.
Erica glanced around and saw a soda can sitting on the ground not far from them. Think it's safe for a small demonstration? she thought to Sarah.
Yeah, there's no one around. Sarah replied. “This is one of the things we were practicing.” Sarah said, and pointed at the can. Once she was sure they were watching she fired a very small, pale blue magical blast at the can, knocking it dozens of feet away.
Erica's parents both gaped open mouthed at the can, and then back at Sarah. Shaking his head to clear it, Jason said, “What just happened?!”
Sarah explained, and their story came out in bits and pieces after that. Terri finally just asked them to go back to the beginning so it'd make sense. They each took turns adding in their experiences as the story was told, but Erica and Jill did most of the talking. When they got to the wizard's tower Vash made an appearance, which had even more impact on them than everything else.
Finally they'd caught up to the present. After a long silence as Terri and Jason thought about everything they'd been told, Terri said, “You weren't kidding when you said odd things were going on in your life!”
Erica smiled wryly, “No, I wasn't kidding at all! The funny thing is, the most troublesome part of the whole thing is the most mundane.”
“This FBI agent, right. That could be tricky, depending on his situation.” Jason said.
Erica nodded, “Yes, I was hoping you might be able to get some information on him, so we'll have some idea what we're dealing with. And any ideas you might have on how to deal with him would be great, too.”
“Sure, I'll look into it. In the meantime, I think Tiffany should stop pretending. He really doesn't have anything on her since she came to you as she did, and there's no chance of proving she killed John without the body. Just keep Kelly out of sight until she's changed back.” Jason replied.
Tiffany laughed at that, “That won't be hard! She refused to go with me to buy her some clothes. Even after I brought them back from the store she still didn't want to go outside for any reason. She's not exactly feeling adventurous right now.”
Sarah looked worried upon hearing this, “Maybe I should go over and change her back tonight.” she mused.
“I understand you're worried about your father, Sarah, but I think you should let her think she's stuck like this for a little while.” Terri said to Sarah's surprise. “This is a great opportunity for her to learn what it's been like for you all these years. Not too long, or she might get depressed like you were, but a few days should be safe enough.”
“I agree.” Jason said. “Your father's proven himself to be a dangerously violent man. If you change him back too soon he won't learn anything and continue his old habits. Perhaps to the extent of outing you to the police or this Marvin Garner. Give him a little time to stew on this, and maybe he'll learn something worthwhile. If he doesn't, you might have to consider wiping his memory of this incident and your magical abilities in order to keep yourself safe. Assuming you're capable of that, Jill?”
Could I do that? Jill wondered to Vash.
Possibly. There's a possibility you might do more damage than intended, however. I could do it without damaging any other part of his mind or memory, though. I've done things like that before for my old master. Vash replied.
“It looks like Vash or I could do it, but it would be safer for him to do it. If I did it I might do more damage to Kelly's memory than intended.” Jill said.
“It's good to know we have that option.” Erica said. “I was worried about that. Still, I'd prefer it if Kelly could actually learn to appreciate what Sarah's been through and stop being a threat on her own.”
“Well,” Jason said, “this has certainly been an interesting day! But it looks like I'm going to have a very busy day tomorrow, so I think we'd better get going.” With that they returned to his SUV and Tiffany left in her car. Back at the apartment there were some tearful goodbyes, and Terri promised to be in touch to help plan the wedding, and then they were gone.
They all went over to Mike and Jill's and watched a movie and relaxed for a while, and then they all called it a night.
The next day was much easier on Sarah and Tiffany, since they'd gotten enough sleep this time. During their lunch break Sarah asked, “How's Kelly doing?”
“Well, I think she'd been crying before I got home last night. That could just be because of her marriage falling apart, though. She does seem less terrified by me, which I guess is a good thing. She's still not inclined to be seen by anyone, but it's only been a day, so that's understandable.” Tiffany replied.
“I hope we don't have to wipe her memory.” Sarah said worriedly.
Tiffany gave her a hug to reassure her and said, “Don't give up too soon! It's still early days and she might come around, yet.”
“I hope so. Do you think there's any chance of us being a family again?” Sarah asked wistfully.
Tiffany looked sympathetically at Sarah and shook her head, “I don't think you were ever really a family. Not like a family should be, at the least. I think you and your mother are going to do great, but I just can't see her getting back together with your dad. Attacking her twice is a bit much to overcome, especially after finding out he'd beaten you for years. I think you should be happy to have a good relationship with your mother again. Maybe, just maybe, you might even develop a good relationship with your father if he comes around, but that's the best you're going to get, I think. Sorry.”
Sarah sighed and looked down. “I guess I knew that, but I really wanted to be a real family, like Erica with her parents, and Mike with his. Even Jill has a better family life, and her dad died years ago!” Sarah said sadly.
Tiffany nodded, “I know exactly how you feel. I sometimes saw kids with their families that were really happy when I was growing up, and often wondered what it would be like to have a family like that. My foster parents never did anything bad like your father, but they weren't exactly loving, either. It was more like a job to them. Believe it or not, I kind of envy you. Not the thing with your father, but at least you've got a mother.”
Tiffany looked away as she finished speaking, but not before Sarah saw the tears in her eyes. “I'm sorry, Tiffany, I should be happy for what I have. Here I am griping about my parents and you never really had any!” Sarah said and hugged her.
They cried on each other's shoulder for a minute before Tiffany got herself back together again. “Sorry. It doesn't usually get to me like that. I guess we were both envying Erica's family a bit there.”
“Yeah,” Sarah said with a wan smile, “I guess we were.”
To Be Continued…
Comments
I Have Trouble Imagining...
...Kelly losing her fear of Tiffany, which she has for valid reasons, except possibly as a Stockholm Syndrome type of thing. Even there, I don't believe that identifying with one's captors actually reduces one's well-placed fear of them.
If anyone cares, I suppose selectively blanking someone's memories isn't as bothersome to me as implanting false ones. But it still makes things with Marvin upsettingly easy to deal with if every time he sees our heroes go through a portal or zap a tin can they can simply blank it out -- unless, of course, he's simultaneously transmitting the image via cellphone to the Web or something like that.
(Marvin merely documenting it by camera or video recorder, or sending it to someone like his co-worker, could be overcome without excessive effort; they wouldn't even have to worry about remaining secret from him while they were destroying the physical evidence since they could wipe out his memory of that later on. Public exposure, on the other hand, would require a more expansive effort to minimize things by "exposing" them as hoaxes or special effects.)
Eric
Ah, but unlike Kelly, Marvin
Ah, but unlike Kelly, Marvin is part of a larger organization! Presumably he has filed reports, kept notes, etc. Simply wiping his memory wouldn't necessarily solve the problem. That's not to say it might not still work if they went to a lot of effort to clear up all the loose ends he'd leave behind, not the least of which being a FBI Special Agent with swiss cheese memory! That kind of thing could actually attract more attention, instead of less.
As for Kelly, what's that saying...familiarity breeds contempt? Something like that. Anyway, people can get used to anything, and once you're used to it it doesn't frighten you anymore. Or as much, at least. ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
But What If Kelly
Wants to STAY a girl? She very well might decide that being a girl, like Sarah is just punishment for hurting Sean and her wife. It'd be neat if Kelly became a Warrior rincess for Sarah after going through a portal. It can very well be that Sarah is the result of her parents having a recessive gene that manifsted in Sarah's porting ability and copy power with the side benefit of enhancing-activating a person's magical or mutant power.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
The source of Sarah's powers
The source of Sarah's powers is a closely kept secret, something which I had planned out before I posted the first chapter. The only person I've told is my father, and him only because he doesn't read this story. My mother does, so, of course, she doesn't have a clue! ;) As for Kelly, well, anything is possible... ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Speculating is fun
That makes speculating about it even more fun! If we knew you'd reveal it in the next few chapters we could just wait and see ...
(My current theory is that Sarah is a reincarnation of magic on Earth just like Mana is on her own world.)
That said, I do hope you're going to reveal the source at the end of the story ... just not too much sooner.
--- Martin
Yes, it is
I enjoy speculating on other people's stories, and I also enjoy reading speculation on my own! :) I'm not quite sure when I'll reveal the source of Sarah's powers, but it may be well before the end. That depends largely on whether I, or my readers, think there's still anything left to write about at that point. I hadn't originally planned on it continuing beyond that point, but then, there's lots of things in this story that I didn't plan on! ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
The Quiet before another Storm?
Saless,
Whatever happens in the next chapter I will be looking forward to it. This is a very enjoyable story and I find myself looking forward each day to the next chapter. The only problem is when I get busy and fall behind the catch up is a lot of reading.
Things seem to be getting pretty stable. What happens when Erica goes back to school? What powers is Sarah's mom going to develop. What will be the next crisis?
Thanks for sharing.
As always,
Dru
As always,
Dru
Storm? Crisis?
Would I do that to my precious characters?! ;) I'm glad you're enjoying my little scribblings Dru, thank you! ^_^
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Eeeeevil Authoress!
Yes, you would.
While grinning gleefully
And giggling madly, even!
Because you know everyone would approve. ^_~
Faraway
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Other possiblities
One, ex-dad is a jerk to the core and will do something stupid again necessitating either killing her or making total swiss cheese of her mind. Sort of a three strikes your out for wouldbe murderers.
I agree genetics come into it but whose? We can be fairly sure Sarah is her mom's child but is ex-dad the father? We know nothing of their courtship and marrage. How soon after the marage was he, now she born?
Also beyond recessive genes, some aspects of inheritance involve more than one gene Maybe only mom had a major magical gene component and dad, whoever he is, supplied the rest. Plus is mom , well, mom. I have big questions about Venus. The gods can often alter their appearance. Is mom Venus or a close relative of her's from Olympus *slumming it* on Earth?
As to the FBI man, a unknown for now but grabbng at straws. He may just be a red herring of Saless's to hide the real danger.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
I Believe That Saless Said That
In time, all of her stories would in time, intertwine, So if Sarah is a version of Mana, so could be Kitty Hawk, as well as Amy who learned how to change her body through karma. If all four ladies are manifestations of Mana, then each represent a different aspect of Mana, Mana is pure magic, Amy is Karma, or Soul Magic, Sarah is telepathic or Mind Magic, and Kitty Hawk is Telekinetic or Physical Magic
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Not quite...
All of my stories take place in the same reality, which is made up of infinite universes. However, I did say that CoM and VC would intersect, and VC and POWYHL have already done so. I currently have no plans of having Kittyhawk get in on the action, but you never know! ;)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
But at least
Sarah has Erica....Tiffany has no-one (apart from Kelly and how long will that last?)...Maybe its the romantic in me but isn't it time she got lucky in love....Mind you she would have to watch the knives!!!!
Kirri
Lucky in love?
Oh, boy, I started thinking about that and very quickly the possibilities made me dizzy! Just thinking of some of them and my head hurts! I know of a couple (no pun intended) I'd really hate to see happen, though. Besides, I don't think Tiffany is that stupid.
Somehow I missed this when I looked earlier. When some things in the next chapter didn't make sense to me I jumped back and found this. Was Erica's dad a judge, or just a lawyer? He and her mom both are pretty open-minded, even before Sarah's little "demo".
They know they can survive