Part 4 - After School Interlude with Mom

The Friday rush hour traffic home was worse than usual, but Amanda didn't mind. Going nowhere slowly meant she had time to continue pondering just what she should do with her current problems. Or maybe it would be better to say 'consider what she should do with her current challenges' since they all seemed to revolve around her daughter. Yes, 'challenges' were better. Christie was definitely a challenge, but she was NOT a problem. Never that.

The possibility that Charlie might have to experience a mandatory gender transformation was something she had known about and been thinking about since before her son's birth. What's more, in what she could only now consider colossal arrogance on her part, she'd THOUGHT she was well prepared to deal with the eventuality. After all, Amanda had been through it, hadn't she? Darned right she had, and she'd handled all that male 'fitting in' nonsense just fine. Heavens, her Mom had taken to her transformation so well she'd decided to live the rest of her life as a female!

Oh yes, but Amanda and her Mom had been stupidly arrogant and had been absolutely blindsided when Christie's first four months as a girl had been nothing remotely close to what they had been prepared for or expected. Nothing!

Boy-girl issues from the female perspective? Not for HER girl! For one thing, Christie didn't have much contact with boys outside of the dojang, where the Kims kept the boys pretty much in line. Except for that damned Tad troll; he'd gotten his sorry ass kicked by her girl!

Girlfriends and girl pack dynamics? Christie didn't care about them and was relatively insulated from most social issues typically affecting young women. Almost every girl she interacted with was a Taekwondo student, too. They knew the rules and abided in the etiquette of the dojang. Nasty girls, like the snotty cliques that ran in most high schools? Oh, now that was a scary thought! Amanda did not even want to THINK about how Christie might deal with them. She wouldn't understand or care about the 'normal hierarchy and rules' that let those girls get away with their crap. No, not at all. Christie would likely just make up her own rules for dealing with them. Probably quite harshly.

Body issues? As if Christie could care - at all - if some other girl's boobs were perkier than hers and if another girl had better legs. Not that any of that crap mattered - Christie was darned attractive with a beautifully toned body, but Christie. Simply. Didn't. Care. Christie had only two real issues with her body. Periods, and she was the only girl alive who kept two calendars. One to track her cycle and another to count down the months till CHARLIE wouldn't have to deal with Aunt Flo anymore. Her other body issue was that hers couldn't yet do what her mind knew how to do.

That problem was another one that would resolve itself when she completed her trial, but that posed another, more interesting question. Would Charlie be a 1st Dan black belt getting ready for his 2nd Dan test, or would he still be a, what was it called? Oh yes! A 1st Geup Red Belt preparing for his black belt test. Amanda suspected the latter just because nothing else had favored her girl so far in this experience.

Well, at least Christie liked fashionable clothes, and she didn't mind shopping - too much - so some of those Mother-daughter experiences Amanda had often daydreamed of over the last 16 years were coming to pass. Amanda relished her girl-time with her daughter and was honest enough to admit she'd miss those times when Charlie returned. Ah, such was the way of life in a sorcerer's family.

Charlie's return was something she expected would happen, if not on this upcoming birthday, then certainly on the one the year after this one. According to their family's lore regarding such trials, that was the usual pattern. Initially, there was an acclimation period when teens got used to their new gender and place in society. These usually lasted for one to two months or three months on the outside. If Grandfather Kim's observation that Christie's trial dealt more with adjusting to losing something fundamental to her self-image.

WAIT A MINUTE! Amanda's mind flashed in a sudden epiphany. Maybe that was the key, Amanda realized. For most kids, gender was that type of fundamental identity issue, and dealing with that change was the first challenge of their trial. For Christie? Her problem had been losing eight years of focused, dedicated training, as both Charlie and Christie! That was what challenged her! Amanda's child - male or female - had never cared about the social aspects of school or any other environment. At least, not so long as she'd been able to dance or kick ass!

So, if Amanda accepted Papa Kim's observation about Christie's unique challenge, her daughter had acclimated in mere weeks, as demonstrated when she'd dropped Madame Renee Coulter like a bad habit. Then? She'd just moved on to finding her new niche, or in her case, back into the martial arts. That still stung a bit, Amanda admitted. Just like Mrs. Pettis, Amanda had liked the idea of a ballerina in the family. Well, at least for however long she had a daughter in her family to be a ballerina.

The second key event in a young transformed sorcerer-to-be's development would be those first tiny flashes of magic, which usually popped up towards the acclimation period's completion. Amanda's more significant problem was if Grandfather Kim's other observation was correct. If Christie's final sparring moves against Tad were somehow magically enhanced, Amanda had no idea how to train Christie to use that power. Heck, she didn't even know what she would see from her daughter in that case! Historically, her family's first sparks of energy were sparks of emergent fire magic. Both Amanda's and Rebekah's first manifestations were fire magic, and they'd been waiting to see the same thing from Christie. Oops, again there, Moms, Amanda thought ruefully.

So, here she was, stuck in a miserable traffic jam with her mind racing about like a rat in a maze, trying to decide just what to do next and what would be best for her daughter.

Okay, she growled inwardly. Their first priority has to be dealing with those advanced Taekwondo forms. Regardless of whether she was using her nascent power to do them or not, Grandfather said he didn't think Christie was physically ready for them and might injure herself trying them. Thankfully, she had Papa's offer to talk it over with her daughter so Amanda would not have to come off as being an unreasonable Mother. Christie was the Kims' eager student, and she would accept their counsel on any matters related to the martial arts and safety.

On the other hand, how would Amanda address the possibility that Christie was using her nascent sorcery to enhance herself physically? There were two similar cases reported in their family's records. Sadly, neither entry had included anything about how to develop those powers safely. Furthermore, there had only been one possible display of this emerging power; whether or not to start her daughter's sorcery training or not remained a question. If that flying kick combination against Tad-troll hadn't been power-enhanced, they still had no evidence that Christie's power had begun to emerge. If she didn't have any ability yet, there wasn't anything to train her with or on. Frustrating.

Just then, the traffic slug began to move more quickly, requiring Amanda's attention to return to the task of getting home in one piece. For now, the best path would be for the Kims and McKellars to stay on the course already set. The Kims would keep a closer eye out for unusual abilities in the dojang. At the same time, Rebekah and Amanda would remain on the lookout for other more traditional indicators of emerging magic. Until they had a solid indication of actual power, the training decisions could and probably should wait.

Amanda relaxed just a bit as she took the exit for her subdivision. At least she had a plan now. She'd just have to stay vigilant and be ready to respond as her child's very atypical trial progressed.

~-~

Amanda decided to park in the driveway just in case something came up before bed. Inside her house, Amanda sniffed appreciatively at the homey aroma of tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices wafting in from the kitchen. Christie must have been experimenting again, and whatever this was smelled great! Unlike a few earlier attempts.

She shed her light jacket, purse, briefcase and - oh, thank you, god - her high-heeled shoes in the foyer before padding off in search of Christie. Amanda was just about to walk into the family room when she picked up what sounded like angry mutterings inside the room. Peaking around the corner, she came upon a scene her memory told her she'd seen often in the past but, in truth, was seeing for the very first time.

PICTURE: Christie Reading in the McKellar Family Room

In the center of the family room floor, in a full ballet split, sat Christie leaning over on her elbows, poring over a book. And not entirely happy with what she was reading if the imprecations coming from her daughter were any indication.

"Damn, that sucks. 'Anyone fighting on campus will be subject to suspension - period.' Even if you were only defending yourself, Mom would probably have a damned cow if I got suspended.

"Damn bitches know that, too! One of the reasons they run in packs. Well, there's always off-campus if it comes to that.

"I wonder if a pain-compliant restraint hold would be allowed? 'Just escorting her to the office, Mrs. Davis. Oops, did I just break the conniving little snot's arm? Guess she needs more calcium in her diet.' It probably wouldn't be allowed, either.

"Damn it. I don't want to have to stalk those bitches' sorry asses to make my points! I just want to be left the hell alone!"

"Well," Amanda called out sharply from the room entrance, trying not to laugh. "I guess my concerns about your fitting in with the high school female social structure were not entirely groundless. What are you reading so angrily and why, Christie?"

Christie sprung from her split, coming quickly to her feet. "Mom!!" she yelped, "Umm, hi. I didn't hear you come in. Oh, My, look at the time! I need to run and check my soup!"

"NOT SO FAST, YOUNG LADY!" The 'Mother VoiceTM' commanded. "I asked you a question, I believe."

Stopping short, Christie slowly shuffled back toward her Mother, reached down to pick up the book and offered it to her Mother. "I was rereading the school's Student Code of Conduct, Mom."

"Hmm, Yes, I see. And I must say, you are likely to correct in your estimation of my reaction to a suspension, although I'd like to think I'd show more decorum than 'having a cow' might indicate. And precisely why, may I ask, were you so interested in the specific sections that could get you suspended?"

Christie's mind raced as she tried to come up with something her Mother might reasonably accept, but nothing came to mind. "Aw, crap, Mom. When in doubt, tell the truth. The bitches on the competition dance and cheer squad aren't taking my polite 'no, thank you' for an answer in their drive to recruit me. They're starting to get pushy and ramping up to more intimidating tactics. I've tried turning the other cheek and ignoring them, but this afternoon, in the locker room? One of them swatted me on the cheek - umm - on my bottom cheek, and I almost decked her! Only she had her pack with her. That little dust-up would have come down to my word against all of theirs. I am getting so sick of their shi. . .errr their stuff!"

Nodding her understanding, Amanda smiled. "Does your soup need attention just now?" Blushing hotly, Christie slowly shook her bowed head. "Okay, take a seat, grasshopper, and talk to the master. . .errr, mistress of female non-martial combat arts."

When they were both comfortable, Amanda led off. "Okay, you do not want to be on this team, and you've said no, but these girls are still pushing you. Have I got that right?" At her daughter's nod, she continued. "I'm assuming this escalation has not come to the attention of, oh, I don't know, maybe the responsible adult?" Amanda asked, tongue firmly planted in her cheek.

Christie gave a tired sigh. "As if that would do any darn good! Ms. Wilson and I refuse to call that woman Coach. She is the one pushing them on me. She's got it into her head that I am all her fantastic group of girls needs to make them a state championship team - again! Wouldn't put it past her to be helping them come up with their nasty little ploys, too."

"My, my. We do NOT LIKE this woman, do we?"

Her daughter nearly snarled at that. "No. We. Do. Not. First, she's completely useless as a classroom teacher. I don't think she's even read the health textbook she passed out to us. Half of what she puts out during class time is confused, and the other half, if I am to believe the darn book, is just flat wrong! She's got a teaching job because her competition dance team and softball team are winners and the School Board likes that. At least Renee Coulter was competent. Second? Mom, I honestly don't care about or enjoy competing. It's not why Charlie or I did. . .err, do martial arts, and it wasn't why Christie did ballet. It's about the art and doing it well that moves me, even when I was Charlie."

"I take it you received no satisfaction from this Wilson person when you approached her about her team's behavior?"

"None at all. Ms. Wilson just told me she was confident I'd come around and sooner would be better for everyone - especially me."

Amanda's eyes went fire hot as she scowled at that. "Oh, she did. I see. Okay, grasshopper, just keep saying no. I will deal with Ms. Not-Coach Wilson on Monday."

Christie liked that idea. "Are you going to use power on her? Can I watch?"

Her Mother snorted and then fluttered her fingers as if flicking away a fly. "Pfft! As if I'd use my power on something so insignificant. No, there are other, more satisfying ways to deal with the Ms. Wilsons of the world, my dear."

"Well, would you please enlighten your daughter, Mom? My preferred solution would get me suspended, likely expelled and possibly kicked out of the dojang!"

"Christie, I haven't been idle since you first told me of her interest in you as I thought I had heard some rumors about her in the past. I think Sir Francis Bacon first wrote that 'Knowledge, itself, is power.' I'm just going to demonstrate that truism to Ms. Wilson." Amanda said with a wicked smile on her face. "Trust your Mom, girl. I've got this."

"Okay, Mom, and thanks. Anything else? I need to cook the pasta for the tomato and lentil soup."

"Oh, that sounds and smells lovely, but. . . " Amanda's voice trailed off, and then she shrugged. "You just had to lead off with that 'tell the truth' line, didn't you? Darn. Okay, here's some truth. As you well know, I always have worried about you and your Taekwondo - even back when you were Charlie." Christie nodded. "And I've been seriously stewing over it ever since you had that match with that troll Tad. Anyway, long story shortened, I imposed on Grandfather Kim and went to see him and talk to him about you and how you're doing."

"Mother! You didn't!" Christie gasped out accusingly.

Amanda nodded, then pointed her thumb at herself and said, "Mother here! So, yes, I did. We got to talking about you and how well you're doing. Well, I got so proud and puffed up. I wanted to brag on how hard you have been working, so, umm, so I showed him this video I took while you were working out last week. You were so determined to do it correctly and worked diligently."

"What did you show him, Mom?"

"Umm, Grandfather called it, now let me think. . . Not sure I quite remember, but it sounded like Corduroy Pump? Poof? Something like that."

"You recorded me working on the Koryo Poomse? And showed it to Grandfather?"

Amanda nodded, looking a little abashed. "He said that it was a very advanced exercise - one they don't teach until students are working towards their red belts. He . . .uhm . . . He was concerned that you might not be physically ready to do that exercise and that you might injure yourself trying. He said he was going to talk to you about it."

"But, I've been performing that Poomse for more than a year!"

"Christie, Charlie had been performing it for more than a year. You're not Charlie, and while you are in superb physical condition thanks to your years of dance, being in shape for ballet is not the same as being in shape for the martial arts. Or at least, that's what Grandfather told me. Something about specific ligaments that needed work and fine muscle control, but he worried you might injure yourself doing that on your own right now."

Christie sat there for a few moments before shaking her head and looking defeated. "I understand. It's not like it's the first thing I've encountered that Charlie could do and I can't. I'll talk to Grandfather tomorrow before class. Well, since he knows about Charlie and me, he might have some better insights into how I should go on from here. Darn it, Mom! It's just so frustrating. I can see it all so very clearly in my head. I know how my body, arms and legs should feel when I correctly do a move or a form. It's just that sometimes? I can't get my body to do it."

"I won't say I know just how you feel because I don't. My challenges during my trial were so much more basic than what fate seems to have in store for you. Just know that I do check on your progress regularly utilizing an augury. Everything I am permitted to see says you remain on track and working your way through your lessons. I want you to know I'm proud of how well you've handled all this."

Christie leaped from her chair to embrace her Mother. "Thanks, Mom. I try not to bitch . . .complain, but this is all just so hard to understand. You say there's a purpose to all this, and I believe you. I just wish it would stop taking its bloody sweet time getting here!"

Amanda held on to her precious daughter, her precious child, for several beautiful minutes before Christie stood back up. "Go fix your face and finish dinner, dear. And then? How about a movie on the big screen? Your choice."

"Sure, Mom. Dinner in ten minutes, but I'm not the only one who needs a little cosmetic repair."

'Smartass! Git, you!'

~-~

Amanda sat patiently in her car, waiting for the flood of kids leaving Dolley Madison High School to ebb, and was pleased to catch sight of her daughter and her best friend, Valerie, hurrying off in the direction of the nearby Kim Dojang. Starting her car, she moved to a Visitor parking slot in front of the main entrance, turned off her car, and made her way into the school. Amanda had planned this excursion carefully, phoning ahead to get a parent-teacher conference scheduled with Ms. Wilson through the main office earlier in the day. She signed in at the main office, got directions to the P.E. Offices and strode off to do battle. This was going to be fun!

Knocking on the open office door's frame, Amanda got the coach's attention. Ms. Wilson smiled, rose from her desk, and came over to greet her visitor, right hand extended. She wasn't a tall woman, although she had evidently replaced her trainers with three-inch heels for this meeting. Amanda thought she had probably been a flyer during her cheerleading and dance days. Probably had fallen on her head more than once, too.

"Hello, you must be Christie McKellar's Mom. I'm Patricia Wilson."

"Yes, I'm Amanda McKellar," taking the proffered hand and giving it a perfunctory shake, "Thank you for making time to see me this afternoon. I wanted to speak to you about your cheer and dance team."

"Oh? Please have a seat. How can I help you?"

"You can tell the girls on your team to leave my daughter alone. She will not be joining your team and has told them so politely on numerous occasions, but they don't seem to understand that 'no' means 'no. 'Rather like horny teenage males in the backseat of their Mother's car on their first date. I want YOU to put a stop to this nonsense, TODAY."

"Mrs. McKellar . . . Amanda . . ."

"Mrs. McKellar, please."

Ms. Wilson's eyes shot open, and her mouth made an 'O' before she swallowed and continued. "Mrs. McKellar, then. The girls are merely trying to recruit your daughter. I understand she's no longer involved with ballet. Joining my team would be an ideal opportunity for her to continue her dance participation, to make new friends, you know, to become an important part of an important school team. She'd also earn stature among the students in the school."

"Ms. Wilson. My daughter is heavily involved in a martial arts program. She does not have any spare time for your team practices or competitions. Furthermore, I would have to sign off on the school's permission documents to permit her to participate in your sport. I will not allow my daughter to join any team with you as the coach."

"Mrs. McKellar, I must protest. I am a highly regarded coach with multiple state place winners on my record. I am one of the very best."

"I've had you investigated, Ms. Wilson. Six of your girls have been injured during practice or performing in the past five years. Three of those girls are still unable to compete, even after more than a year off. According to my sources, your routines border on the extreme, especially for a high school team. Do you win? Yes, you do. When no one gets hurt, that is. Did you know that, among your peers, it seems to be common knowledge that you have your eye on a college coaching position? I can only assume that you're trying to ride these girls to that end."

"That is NOT true, damn you!"

"Well, we will see what the school board thinks of my findings. Unless you turn your girls off my daughter and leave her alone yourself, my boss' law office will courier those records to the school board offices under their official letterhead by noon Friday. That is not a threat, Ms. Wilson, and furthermore, I understand my daughter has the extreme misfortune to be in your so-called health class. Understand that I review ALL her homework. If you should attempt to retaliate against my daughter through her grades? I will also have the evidence to take that up with your principal."

Wilson sat heavily in her chair and stared at Amanda. "You think you've got this all worked out, don't you?" She finally blustered.

"Oh, I do indeed, Ms. Wilson. Damn it, woman, you're supposed to be a coach! You are supposed to teach those girls more than just how to perform in your sport. You're supposed to be teaching life lessons to help those young women grow up to become better people."

"And yet, you'll let your daughter fight in martial arts competitions, but you won't let her dance on my team because THAT is unsafe? How do you think that will sound to the school board when you take this fabrication before them?"

Amanda stood and stared down at the woman behind the desk. "You see, Ms. Wilson, just as I had you professionally investigated, I did the same with the Kims. Their reputation is spotless. There have been no significant injuries among their students in dojang-sponsored events for more than ten years. I've seen how they actively intervene to prevent injuries. If you were only half as good as they are, I might relent IF my daughter wanted to join your team. She doesn't, by the way. Have a good day, Ms. Wilson. I do hope we don't need to discuss this any further." And then she turned on her heel and walked away. She thought she heard something crash hard against the office wall as she stepped into the school hallway and smiled.

It had been fun.

~-~
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