W.I.T.C.H. A SLICE OF LIFE
Chapter 2: We'll "Owl-ways" Love Your Hair, Cornelia!
Cornelia couldn't believe her good fortune! Her dad's college friend came by the other day for a visit, and being the manager of a very fancy restaurant in a luxurious hotel, he was able to reserve a table for her and her family! It was practically impossible to get a reservation at the Fleur de Li, considering that the wait list is 10 months long! Her father's friend had invited the Hale family and even allowed Cornelia to bring her boyfriend, Peter, along for dinner, followed by a lovely dance on the floor! And tonight's the night!
Maybe I'll get Peter to waltz with me! Cornelia thought as she took a turn around a corner.
Tonight's the night! Cornelia had already spent the morning shopping with Taranee who helped her picked out the perfect dress that will make Peter's eyes widen like an owl! Now all Cornelia has to do is get her hair done at her favorite salon. It's got to match her beautiful green dress. As luck would have it, the salon is having a huge discount for only one day and today's the perfect day to get her hair done!
"It's going to be wonderful!" Cornelia sighed dreamily, walking into New Look, her favorite hair salon.
"Ah, good afternoon, Cornelia!" chirped Jean-Paul. He had been Cornelia's favorite hair-dresser for years. He was practically like family. This man works magic! He even was able to give Martin Tubbs an incredible new look when Cornelia and her friends were trying to help him with his school campaign against the Grumper sisters. *
"Hello, Jean-Paul," Cornelia smiled, taking an empty seat in front of a mirror.
"So what will it be this time? A trim? Your hair has gotten a little longer than when I last saw you," Jean-Paul asked, draping a cloth around Cornelia's neck to protect her clothes from fallen hair.
Cornelia giggled. "No, I want you to style my hair please, fit for a princess going to the ball tonight!"
Jean-Paul's eyes beamed. "Aaah! Wonderful! What's the special occasion?"
Cornelia couldn't help it as she happily told her hair stylist her plan for this evening.
"Ah, how romantic!" Jean-Paul smiled, wetting Cornelia's hair before taking out the flower-scented shampoo and conditioner bottles. "But, no! I don't think you should go as a princess, but better! My dear, Cornelia! When I am done with you, you will walk out of here looking like Persephone the Greek Goddess of Flowers herself!"
Cornelia smiled as she leaned back and enjoyed the process.
"Do your magic, Jean-Paul," she smiled. "I want Peter to be in absolute awe!"
LATER…
Across the street, there was a café where a girl was sitting, waiting for her brother to show up. Kimi Watsuki sipped her cappuccino and took a small bite out of her muffin glanced at the clock. It tells her that Kyochi was five minutes late. Kimi had been sitting in the outside garden section of the café so that her twin may better spot her while coming. Glancing around, Kimi wait patiently as she noticed that she's the only remaining customer. The Watsuki twins had planned on spending time together by exploring other parts of Earth. While it was getting late here, it will soon be sunrise in Great Britain, their next destination today. After hearing about its historical landscapes, culture, and cities, the twins decided to go themselves. After all, they've been hearing legends of a king and his Knights of the Round Table, a village full of little people living under the earth called Hobbits, a perceptive and intelligent homicidal detective partnered with a doctor, an enchanted castle that's been turned into a school for young wizards and witches, and even stories of a man who travels through time and space in a blue box.
Perhaps this world is more magical than it may appear, but Kimi highly doubt that such things do exist. Perhaps all of those tales have faded away into myths and urban legends or are merely fantasy epics the Earthlings have dreamt of. But upon hearing of them, Kyochi had wanted to see London and Kimi decided to indulge her brother by agreeing to go with him. She hasn't exactly told him that all of those stories may be fictional…but then again, the twins are aliens with magical powers and the Earthlings would consider them fictional…and not to mention that the story about the man and his magic blue box is most likely real compared to the other stories.
Kimi did recall coming home one day to see a mysterious man paying a quick visit to the Jade Dragon, her host mother and mentor, before running out into the garden where he parked his "POLICE Public Call BOX". The man winked at Kimi before going in, screaming, "ALLONS-Y!" The box made a loud, whooshing sound before it disappeared in a flash of pure, glowing light.
When Kimi asked the Jade Dragon who that man was and what was that small, blue structure he went into, the Jade Dragon smiled and merely replied, "Even I don't know his real name, but he was a temporary member of the Gemini Council after he helped saved us from a hostile invasion. However, he got bored of wearing the robes of Kandrakar after a day and decided to keep running through time and space. He does drop by once in a while, and every time, I see him with a different traveling companion."
"That blue structure with the little lantern on top? Is that his time traveling machine?" Kimi asked.
"He called it the TARDIS, and yes, it allows him to walk through time and space."
"If you don't know his real name, then what was his title as a member of the Gemini Council?" Kimi asked.
Jade laughed. "We suggested the title Time Walker*, but he said that it was currently taken by someone else in another dimension and asked us to just call him…"
"The Doctor…" Kimi sighed in the present day, staring down at her cup of coffee. She wondered if he was the same man as the one who traveled in a blue box that the Earthlings have been talking about…his TARDIS was most certainly blue…but then again, so was her hair.
"Doctor who?" said a voice behind her.
Kimi turned around to see her brother. Smiling, she got up to give him a hug, but suddenly recoiled back when something pecked her. Kimi gasped, and glanced at her brother to see that he wasn't alone. On his shoulder perched a fluffy looking creature with a pair of big eyes and a beak.
"What is that?!" Kimi cried.
Kyochi laughed before grabbing a piece of crumb from Kimi's muffin on the table to feed the fluff ball. It hooted happily as it nibbled the treat. "I believe it's called an owl, Kimi. More specifically, I believe this is a northern saw-whet owl."
"I know what an owl is, Nii-san! What I wished to know is why you have it on your shoulder!"
"I found it," Kyochi replied simply, stroking the little owl on his head. The owl seemed to enjoy it as it gave a few soft hoots. "I was exploring the forest earlier today and came upon this little creature. It was injured but I used magic to restore its broken wings. I encouraged him to fly back home but he doesn't seemed to want to. I supposed he thinks I'm his savior now."
The owl hooted in agreement and fluffed its wings excitedly. Glancing at Kimi, Kyochi said, "I think I'll call him Dr. Hoot. You did give me the idea just now, little sister."
"Kyochi, don't tell me that you're planning on keeping it!" Kimi glared, crossing her arms with a disapproved expression.
Kyochi laughed. "Why not?"
"We're going to London right now and you honestly thing that you can just walk around with an owl on your shoulder for the natives to see?"
Kyochi smiled at the thought. "Why not? They'll think I'm a wizard. Perhaps I shall conjure up a black robe and a staff to go with Dr. Hoot?"
Kimi rolled her eyes. "You've been reading one of those Harry Potter books again, haven't you? You may be a real magical, but the last thing we need is for the natives to see you walking around as one!"
"It will be alright," Kyochi assured her. "Irma-san mentioned that the Earthlings our age tend to walk around in eccentric and colorful outfits based on their mythical heroes. All the while attending festive events where they mingled with fellows worshippers."
"They're called cosplayers, Kyochi, and the events you're talking about are called anime expos and comic conventions," Kimi shook her head. "The point is, we're going on these trips to learn more about the Earthlings and the last thing we need is to be inconspicuous."
"I can always teleport Dr. Hoot home first," Kyochi suggested.
"Kyochi! We're not keeping that thing! You have to take it back to the forest!"
Kyochi smiled sweetly as Dr. Hoot landed on Kimi's shoulder. She gasped at first, but then realized that the owl was only snuggling against her cheek, hooting affectionately in the comfort of her long hair.
"Come now, Kimi, show some tenderness," Kyochi replied. "Even you have a heart for animals, and this poor little creature has no family to return to. He even likes you and your hair."
Kimi sighed. "Well, he is smarter than any other owls I've seen, not to mention quite affectionate," she said. "But Kyochi, you already have a pet back home on Lusteria! Are you not worried that Silverlore will devour this little owl?"
Kyochi laughed. "Silverlore is an alien metallic dragon, Kimi. Need I remind you that he doesn't eat organic beings but rather, he feeds on energy crystals?"
They continued to debate back and forth for several minutes. All the while, Cornelia just finished getting her hair done across the street. Beaming with glee, Cornelia couldn't help but sway her head so that her new hair style would dance in the wind. Jean-Paul definitely worked his magic. With all of these intricate curls in her hair, Cornelia felt like a goddess!
"If this doesn't make Peter fawn even more over me, I don't know what will!" Cornelia smiled, admiring herself in the window's reflection. Suddenly, she noticed two familiar faces behind her in the reflection. "It's Kimi and Kyochi. I wonder what they're doing here."
Cornelia decided to turn around and give them a shout of hello. But they don't seemed to hear her.
"Nii-san, I know that you're compassionate for this orphaned animal, but you need to give me another reason that will change my mind or else I'm sending it to the animal shelter," Kimi threatened.
Before Kyochi could say anything, Dr. Hoot glanced his head when he heard Cornelia's voice. With great excitement, the owl took off from Kimi's shoulder and flew across the street.
"Dr. Hoot?"
"Where is it going?"
Cornelia gasped when she noticed a flashing ball of feathers coming for her. Suddenly, she felt something heavy on her head and…oh, my gosh! It's moving!
"AAAAAAAAHHHH! THERE'S SOMETHING IN MY HAIR! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET! IT! OF!"
Dr. Hoot hooted several times, trying to make himself comfortable in this moving bundle of golden straw. Never had he seen such a beautiful nest!
Kyochi gasped and tried to call him back while Kimi just stared at the scene with wide eyes. Apparently, Cornelia's hair not only made her look like a goddess of nature, but it also attracted nature!
Quickly, the twins dashed across the street. By the time Kyochi wrangled his owl out of Cornelia's hair, it was too late. All of Jean-Paul's hard work destroyed in seconds as Cornelia's hair is now covered in feathers. Kyochi apologized to her with great humility, trying his best to calm Cornelia down as the Earth Guardian screamed and cry in hysteria.
Not understanding what it just did, Dr. Hoot landed on Kimi's shoulder, nuzzling against her face and her hair.
Kimi smiled and stroked the owl under its chin. "You and I are going to get along just fine, Dr. Hoot," Kimi smiled. Glancing back at Cornelia, Kimi smirked, "Don't be such a child, Cornelia. I'm certain that even with bird feathers in your lockes, Peter will owl-ways love your hair."
Cornelia glared at Kimi, silently cursing Irma for teaching her bad puns.
Glancing at her brother, who seemed very embarrassed, Kimi smiled, "I think Dr. Hoot will make a fine addition to our family, Nii-san. Come, let's go to London now. We don't want Cornelia here to be late for her evening with Peter, do we?"
And with a flash of light, the three of them disappeared, leaving Cornelia on the street fuming.
"DAMN YOU, KIMI! YOU AND YOUR OWL!"
Author's Note: Been wanting to write this owl chapter for years and now I finally can! Yes, the perceptive detective Kimi was thinking about was Sherlock Holmes and the school for wizards and witches is Hogwarts from Harry Potter. And yes, I love Doctor Who, especially the 10th Doctor. (I like the 11th Doctor, too.) Well, since the Doctor does travel through time and space, why not the dimension of the Guardians to Kandrakar? Don't worry, he will make a small cameo in a later chapter of Dreams of Lusteria. And I thought it be funny if Kyochi named his new pet owl Dr. Hoot after Kimi mentioning the Doctor.
Jean-Paul is not an OC. He really does appear in the W.I.T.C.H. comic issue #69 New Frontiers when Cornelia dragged Martin Tubbs to the hair salon to give him a new look, hoping that it would help his image for his school election against the Grumper sisters.
When I said Time Walker, I don't mean that terrible 1982 movie or something. It's actually a title for Professor Paradox from the animated series Ben 10: Alien Force, who can also travel between time and dimension…without a TARDIS. Greg Weisman, who helped wrote and produced season 2 of W.I.T.C.H. worked on the Ben 10 series.
Note: Good news, my uncle was able to retrieve my lost files so now I don't have to start writing my next chapter of Dreams of Lusteria all over again. It's still going to take me a while to finish it. But do keep an eye out! And yes, I'm still writing A Slice of Life!