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"Should we stay home today?" Tiffany asked as she handed the refilled glass of water to Jill.

"That's right, you're supposed to work today. And you have that appointment, too, Sarah." Mike said.

"And you have classes Mike. You guys go ahead; Vash and I will take care of Jill." Erica said.

"After what just happened you want us to just go to work?" Tiffany asked incredulously.

Erica shrugged, "We still have to pay the bills, right? Until we get our little business up and running you can't afford to lose your jobs. Even then, if we don't make enough."

"I guess you're right." Tiffany agreed. Mike left to go teach his classes, and Tiffany drove Sarah to work.

"We're a little late, aren't we?" Tiffany said as they got out of the car.

"If anyone asks just say we got caught in traffic. With what happened downtown I don't think anyone will question that." Sarah replied.

"Good point. I wonder what people will make of it?" Tiffany said.

They got to work and no one asked them why they were late. But at lunch everyone who usually ate out stayed in to eat, or more accurately to talk.

"Did you two see the news this morning?" Tina asked.

Before either of them could answer Kris walked in and said, "I did! Do you think it's some kind of publicity stunt or something? It must have been CG, right?"

"No way!" Tristan replied. He was normally very quiet, and this was the first time either of them had seen him stay in at lunch. "My dad's a fireman and he saw that thing with his own eyes!"

"Besides, would they have blanked out the coverage if it were fake?" Tina said. Tiffany flinched at that, but only Sarah noticed.

"Oh please!" Kris whined, "Fire doesn't act like that! It had to be fake!"

"Maybe it's magic?" Tina suggested weakly.

Kris just snorted at that, and Tristan said, "There's no such thing as magic. But it was a really good trick! I think it had to be a holograph."'

"But what about the firetruck? It caught on fire, didn't it?" Tina said.

Tristan dismissed that with a wave, "It was probably rigged."

Tina lapsed into silence after that, and Tiffany and Sarah were afraid to say anything. They finished eating quickly and went back to work.

The rest of their work day was normal, at least until Erica arrived to take Sarah to her appointment. Tiffany wished her luck and Erica drove her to the doctor's office. She didn't say anything on the drive over.

"Have you got that form?" Erica asked as she got out of the car.

"Right here." Sarah replied, patting her purse. Before she knew it Sarah was in with the doctor. They talked a lot about her childhood, and her parents, but in the end he signed the form. But he also asked that she come back in a couple of weeks. Sarah reluctantly agreed and made an appointment before going back out to join Erica.

"How did it go?" Erica asked.

"He signed the form, but he wants to see me again in two weeks." Sarah replied.

"Good." Erica said as they left the office.

"Good?!" Sarah exclaimed.

Erica sighed, "Sarah, you've had more trauma in your life than some combat vets! I know you can't talk about the magic side of things, but there's plenty of non-magical stuff you can still talk about, and should. You can't just bottle everything up and hope it goes away."

"I guess." Sarah replied, unconvinced. Erica sighed again, but let it go.

Sarah told Erica about the lunch time conversation at work on their way home. "How's Jill doing?" Sarah asked when they arrived.

"She's fine. Vash and I managed to convince her to stay put. We were afraid that if she went back to her apartment that she'd start painting, and then she'd over exert herself using her telekinesis again. So Vash has been sitting on her." Erica replied.

Sarah smiled at that and opened the door. Jill was lying on the couch with Vash on her stomach. "Hi Sarah, how was your appointment?" she asked.

Sarah shrugged, "Okay, I guess. I got the form signed, anyway."

"She's unhappy because he wants to see her again in a couple of weeks." Erica added.

"It's a good thing, you'll see." Jill said. "I sent Mike to get some things from the grocery store, he should be back soon."

"Okay, Tiffany will be here soon, too." Sarah said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine! I've been resting all day, thanks to these two." Jill replied.

You needed it. Vash said.

There was a knock at the door. Erica checked and then opened it for Mike. He was carrying a couple of grocery bags, so Erica helped him carry them into the kitchen and put things away.

A few minutes later there was another knock, this time it was Tiffany. "How did your appointment go Sarah?" she asked as she stepped inside.

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Is everybody going to ask me about that? I have to see him again in two weeks, but he signed the form so I can get my new ID, okay?"

Before Tiffany could answer there was another knock at the door. "Are we expecting anybody?" she asked.

Sarah shook her head and looked to see who it was. There was a tall woman standing there with silvery white hair, wearing a white Victorian dress with black ribbon and lace accents. She shrugged and opened the door.

"Hello traveler." she said. "May I come in?"

Sarah felt like a veil had suddenly been lifted and she could feel this strange woman's presence so strongly she staggered back a step. "W-who are you?!" she exclaimed, gripping the doorknob to steady herself.

"Sarah?" Erica said, stepping up beside her. "Are you okay? Who's the Gothic Lolita?"

"Hello Null. My name is Mana. May I come in?" the woman said.

Erica glanced at Sarah, who shrugged and stepped back. "I guess so." Erica said.

Sarah numbly closed the door behind her and said, "What are you?!"

"I am Magic. I'm afraid it's my awakening which is causing the rise of magic in your world. May I sit?" Mana replied.

"You're awakening?" Jill asked. She seemed almost as stunned as Sarah. Vash stood up to get a good look at Mana and promptly fell off the couch. "Vash?!" Jill exclaimed.

I'm alright. I've just never encountered anything like her before! I don't know what she is, but I feel as if she could crush a god with a thought. Vash replied in awe.

Even Mike and Tiffany seemed a bit shocked by Mana, but Erica was unaffected. She glanced around at her friends and fiance in confusion and then turned back to Mana and said, "Go ahead and sit down, I'll get some chairs from the kitchen."

Mana gracefully sat down in the recliner and waved towards Erica and Sarah. Two more recliners identical to the one she was sitting in appeared behind them. "Thank you." she said.

Mike and Tiffany sat on the couch with Jill, who had picked up Vash and put him back on her lap. Once she'd made sure Sarah sat down alright, as she still seemed a bit stunned, Erica took a seat and said, "Why is everyone acting so odd?"

"I'm afraid that's my fault. I dropped the spells that hid my presence from them. Perhaps I should put some of them back up." A moment later Sarah shook herself and seemed to come out of it. Jill and Vash reacted similarly, and Mike and Tiffany just blinked like a bright light had just been dimmed. "Is that better?" Mana asked.

"Yes, thank you." Sarah replied.

"You were saying something about your awakening?" Jill asked.

Mana nodded, "Yes. I was...asleep, for lack of a better word, for a very long time. While I slept magic went dormant, or at least became more difficult to access. Now that I'm awake again, magic is awakening as well. This is one of the worlds where magic had gone completely dormant. It has reawakened slowly, but those with magical abilities are already noticing the difference. Others who had no ability to use magic will soon be able to."

"What did you call me?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, I called you a traveler. It just means that you travel between universes, as I do." Mana replied.

"So is this awakening how Sarah developed the ability to open portals to other worlds?" Erica asked.

"Only partially. Her powers would have surfaced regardless, they would just have taken a little longer. Her powers aren't reliant on magic, though she uses it rather extensively." Mana said.

"How do you know that?" Erica asked suspiciously.

"I've been watching you. I came here to see what I can do to make the awakening of magic go more smoothly. It was her portals that attracted my attention to this world to begin with. When I realized she was an Omnisoul I knew I needed to make sure she wasn't a threat to this world." Mana explained.

"Omnisoul?! What is that?" Erica asked in confusion.

"It's a bit complicated, but basically it's the reincarnation of a universe." Mana replied.

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 To Be Continued…

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