Hey lookit, its chapter seven wow, chapter seven I didn't think I would last this long. Big grin. Not a lot to tell you lot 'cept the surprise is coming along quite nicely, at least I think it is. Just a reminder/note: Sam is Poison Ivy, Zoey is Zantana, Barbra is Batgirl, Haley is Harlequin and Selene is Catwoman. Just for those of you who didn't know or forgot.
Of Witches And Ghosts
Chapter seven: signs and the road to market.
Sam was eating breakfast with her Grams when the first sign came, but Sam being Sam, was cautious.She was just finishing of her toast when the radio switched on by itself startling them both.
"I don't believe you know me although you know my name
I don't believe the thoughts I have are only mine to claim
I don't believe that magic is only in the night
I don't believe I'd love somebody just to pass the time-"
The radio blared with static for a moment before continuing.
"I don't believe that beauty will ever be replaced
I don't believe a masterpiece will ever match your face
The joker's always smiling in every hand that's dealt
I don't believe that when you die your presence isn't felt."
The radio went dead once more and Sam exchanged a look with her Grams. Sam excused her self from the table quickly, while her Grandmother might think the radio strange Sam felt differently, Sam knew Zoey chose that song, if it was Zoey. It could have been a demon sending her those dreams, messing with her head; but how would a demon know about that song.
Danny was waiting for her again when she left the house, today he was accompanied by Tucker who was doing… something-or-other on his PDA which Sam suspected was somehow grafted to him. Just as they reached school Valerie jogged over to them and the group exchanged a series of 'hello's and 'morning's. Then came the second sign. Tucker's PDA sent out static for a second before the second song blared to life.
"And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am."
The PDA gave off a second wave of static before resuming whatever it had been doing.
Three out of four teens looked at each other, then Tucker spoke up.
"Technus must be loose." Sam looked at him startled.
"Who's Technus?" She scanned their faces waiting for an explanation.
"He's a ghost who manipulates technology." Valerie explained.
"And, my arch nemesis," Tucker added.
Sam noticed Danny looked worried, he was also being very quiet about the subject. What worried Sam was the fact she knew that look. She'd seen it on the other girls of the circle, heck she'd probably worn it to. Over the years the girls had dealt with the police a quite few times, especially when a demonic serial killer was on the loose. That look was the look the girls got when they heard the police's theories and knew, not just suspected but knew that the police were wrong. So why was Danny wearing that look? What did he know that made him positive it wasn't this Technus? Her charge was turning out to a bit of an enigma.
The third sign came sometime during her English class with Mr. Lancer. The PA crackled to life and the third song poured from it into the classroom.
"Everywhere I go
Every smile I see
I know you are there
Smiling back at me
Dancin' in moonlight
I know you are free
'Cause I can see your star
Shining down on me."
Once more the static crackled on the airwaves before silence took over once again, only to be interrupted seconds later by the class's uproar. Theories flew around the class room, most involving the ghost, Technus, that the others had mention that morning. But Sam knew the truth, now she was sure. No demon could have possibly known to use, not just those songs, but those verses, even the song during breakfast, the chorus had been cut exactly like Zoey's song mix. Years ago Zoey had taken her favourite versus from her three favourite songs and cut them into her own mix. It had been the first thing on her Ipod. Sam made her decision right then and there; if Zoey was still alive, in some shape or form, then the circle of five still existed and Sam still had her duty. Sam smiled and thought about calling Barbra to tell her the news when she noticed Danny, Tucker and Valerie with their heads close together. Sam used her witch's sense to tune into their conversation, filtering out the background noise as only a circle witch could. The conversation came into clarity as Mr. Lancer walked over to the trio and crouched down by their tables. An uncomfortable act in his slacks, Sam was sure.
"So what's going on? Is it that Technus fellow again?"
Danny shook his head.
"I don't know if it is a ghost. My ghost sense hasn't gone off, and… that thing in the gym yesterday, the one that nearly killed Sam, it wasn't a ghost. Actually…" Danny trailed off.
"Actually…" Valeria prompted. For a moment Danny looked uncertain, and then he spoke.
"Sam called it a heat fiend." The teacher looked at him strangely.
"Sam? As in Miss Manson?"
Wait a minute that didn't make sense.
"Yep," Danny replied with a nod.
She'd told Phantom what it was called, not Danny.
The group of four looked at her surprised to find her looking at them with a shocked and slightly confused expression on her face.
After school Sam left for home as quickly as possible, ignoring Valerie's requests for her to wait up. She broke into a run a block from the school glad that no one was on the side walk. Sam made it home in almost record timing, running up to her room she instantly began to riffle through her belongings, searching for the first item she had ever been given by a demon of any sort; the one item that would let her get to where she wanted to go: to market.
"I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA!" Kalush shouted. The girls exchanged looks trying their hardest not to laugh at him.
"WHAT AMUSES YOU MORTALS?" Anger oozed form the ten foot, silver eyed Daemon, his voice booming like thunder, shaking the earth around him. A year after they had received the book the girls had fought a lot of demons, but Kalush was the first Daemon the girls had ever met.
"I'm sorry but," Sam stifled her laughter as the others lost control and burst out laughing, Haley laughing so hard she fell over.
"Ahem- you called yourself 'the alpha and the omega,'" once more Sam had to stop and compose herself.
"Come on, that is just so cliché, I mean, how can you expect us to take you seriously enough to vanquish, sorry." Sam tried to look serious and failed miserably. Kalush's demonic form began to glow and the girls sobered immediately, taking up fighting stances, ready to attack or dodge. The light surrounding Kalush coalesced and formed a solid shield between him and the girls. Sam shut her eyes and opened her senses, feeling and seeing the area with her minds eye, a trick the others had not quite mastered yet. Sam felt the light dissipate and tentatively opened her real eyes. Sam's jaw dropped at the sight before her.
"Kalush?" She asked warily.
"Sam, I can't see." Haley whispered, echoed by the others. They must not have shut their eyes in case Kalush attacked. But surely the light had not been bright enough to blind them.
"Human eyes can't handle the intensity of the light's frequency."
Sam glared at the boy now standing in Kalush's place.
"Can their eyes be fixed?" Sam took in the boy's appearance; black baggy jeans, loose black shirt, black sneakers. His hair was a silvery white and his eyes were the same demonic quicksilver Kalush's were. He chortled.
"You and your friends threatened to vanquish me, I'm going to ignore the part were you told me I wasn't worth it; what makes you think I would help you or tell you anything that could in any way, shape or form result in a desirable outcome for you?" The boy, who could only be Kalush's human form, walked forward until he was only centimetres away from Sam.
"Because I still have the vanquishing potion and if you don't tell me, I will put you in a time shatter halfway through you vanquish."
"Eternal perpetual vanquish," Kalush smirked and leaned closer, Sam refused to even flinch.
"That's demonically cruel, Vivasha." Kalush whispered as his eyes scanned Sam's face; she tried to move back only to find herself stuck in place.
"You should have read your little book more carefully Vivasha, the 'a' in my species name is not a spelling mistake, it puts me in a whole other ballpark from even the high level demons. You can't vanquish me with a little potion; none of my kind can be vanquished." Kalush stroked Sam's cheek with the back of his hand; Sam tried with every fibre of her being, ever ounce of power she had to knock his hand away, but to no avail.
"There's a tincture made from ColdWarp, a plant that can be easily bought at the Demon's Market, it can cure their sight," Kalush stepped back casually gesturing to the four girls behind Sam who were also held in paralysis. Keeping his voice low he continued.
"The recipe should be in that book of yours, this will grant you access to the market but I've been out of the game for a while so I don't know what the current asking price is. Good luck Vivasha." Kalush, with a smirk planted firmly across his face, threw a ring on the ground at Sam's feet, release his hold on all five of the girls, who promptly slumped to the ground, and before Sam realized it, Kalush was gone leaving only the entry ring.
Sam opened a draw and there on top of the book was the entry ring Kalush had given her so long ago. She still had no idea what Vivasha meant, all she knew was that it was ancient Daemon and when the creatures at the market had found out Kalush had called her that they were more than willing to help her out. Slipping on the market entry ring Sam checked her clothes, artefacts and her potion pouch, the market was neutral territory but you could never tell who might be trying to disrupt things. Sam left the house and let the ring pull her to the closest entrance to the market, which turned out to be a ring activated portal in a thicket of trees hidden in the forest area in the park. Sam stopped in front of the portal and took a deep breath, she hadn't been to market in months, before Zoey had die- no, before she had become a guardian. Sam let out the breath she had been holding and stepped through the portal, a tingle running through her body as she emerged onto the dusty streets that ran through the market. At once her senses were assaulted with the sounds and colours that were ever present along with the smells of the herbs and potions and even a few food items sold at stalls placed along the paths. A wave of memories spilled quickly through Sam's mind as she walked down the path directly in front of her, weaving her way through the bustling crowd. A few beings shouted greetings to her and she waved back; a few even stopped to offer their condolences about Zoey. Before long Sam found herself before the herb booth that stood outside one of the few actual buildings. This was the store she often visited when she needed rare potion ingredients and information. Sam rapped on the wooden bench and a slim blue woman emerged through a bead curtain leading into the building.
"Poison Ivy, it is good to see you again, I offer my condolences for Zantana." Sam smiled, she had long ago gotten used to the market folk calling herself and the others by their witch's names.
"Thankyou Zulu, but you can rest assured that Zantana is not 'dead as a doornail,' as a matter of fact she's still in the protection business." Zulu raised her delicate eyebrows.
"Truly Vivasha?" Sam sighed, one of these days she would find out what that meant.
"Truly Zulu, I have it on good authority that Zantana is in fact on her way to becoming a guardian now." Zulu smiled, she had always like Zantana.
"I am glad, now what can I help you with." Sam rolled her eyes at Zulu.
"You know, for a Naiad you are awfully business orientated. Actually I need some information on demonic rifts." Sam noticed the uncomfortable look that flashed fleetingly across Zulu's face.
"Zulu, what is it?" Zulu bit her lip, a habitual thing she did only when she felt she was going to say something that one of the circle members wasn't going to like.
"There is one person who knows a lot about rifts, especially demonic ones but, I don't think you'll want to see him."
"Him?" Sam thought she already knew were this was going.
"Kalush." And she was right. Sam sighed once more and rubbed her temples.
"Where can I find him?"
"In the south park; just past the dwarves' amulet store." Sam nodded her thanks and turned to leave but was stopped momentarily by Zulu's voice.
"Ivy, it really is good to see you again."
Sam wove her way once more through the crowds looking for the silver haired Daemon she hadn't seen since he had kissed her four months ago.
Ooooooooh! Lookit plot twist, Hahahaha-ahem. So new characters; don't worry this isn't going to become Danny Phantom OC…….. What the Hades, Hell and Sokar was with that show, seriously, worst soap ever. Now, cookies for anyone who can name: not only the titles of all three songs but the artist as well. Second song is probably the easiest. Not only have those songs been stuck in my head for week but they also seemed somewhat appropriate. And remember: if there's anything you don't get ASK! No one got any where by letting themselves be kept in the dark. Any one else ever notice written grammar and spoken grammar have differences?????????????? Wow… 40 KBs. That makes this chapter the second longest, chapter one was 40 KB too. But this one came second so…
