"There we go." T.J said adjusting a metal buckle on to Manny's belt.
"What is this thing?" Manny asked.
"It took me nearly all night but i managed to charm your belt buckle to serve as a concealment for your demonic and spiritual energy." T.J said.
"So how can I use my powers if they're kept in that buckle."
"You can only access them if the seal is removed."
"okay then remove it."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because your powers are still unstable and looking through the book I learned that if you continue to use powers like this both your spiritual and demonic energy will drain your life force so until they are stabilized they will remained sealed inside your buckle. I will only undo the seal if it's absolute emergency."
"So you're saying that if Manny uses his power before they stabilize he'll die?" Frida asked.
"Well it's a slow process. Each time he uses his powers while in this state the energy of his spiritual and demonic D.N.A will drain parts of his human D.N.A to keep itself going. Due to being a halfling Manny was born with a spiritual/demonic soul and a human body so when the spiritual and demonic aura drains parts from his human D.N.A it weakens his body and once the energy burns itself out his body will be too weak to sustain his soul and he'll die."
"In that case I don't think Manny should his powers at all." Frida said.
"What? No way! Without my powers I'm no different from a human."
"And what exactly is wrong with being human?" Frida asked upset.
"Yes do tell." T.J said.
"I'm curious." Andrea said.
"Don't take it like that. There's nothing wrong with humans it's just now I've become the laughing stock of my family. I can just picture Nicholas here right laughing his head off at the fact that I'm now more pathetic than ever in his eyes. Well I wouldn't say laughing his head off he doesn't exactly have a sense of humor."
"We understand how tough this is for you Manny." T.J said. "But it's for your own good."
"Well how are my powers going to stabilize?"
"With time and patience but you could start by controlling your anger."
"My anger?"
"Yes. Like most paranormal beings your powers are tied to your emotions so if you get angry enough you could break the seal on your belt and not only destroy yourself but anyone near you as well."
"Hate to interrupt." Sandra said. "But Frida I'd like to have a word with you and your mother."
"Okay."
Frida was seated in the living room with Carmela and Sandra.
"Carmela now that you've allowed Frida to continue her training I think it would be best if she went and stayed at the Santo Order." Sandra said.
"What's that?" Carmela asked.
"It's the church and school where I was brought up after my parents died. It's run by a group of nuns who train healers like Frida and exorcists like T.J. They're highly trained professionals and excellent teachers."
"And you're suggesting I send Frida to live there? For how long?"
"I don't know but if we want to keep her powers from fading too soon we'll send her as quick as possible."
"Mother is this really necessary? Can't you train her?"
"Carmela my powers are gone and I'm much too old. Had you started Frida's training when she was seven like we normally did in our family she would've completed her training by the time she was thirteen but now she's almost sixteen and if she doesn't get proper training from a professional she may lose them."
"But to send her away."
"It won't be forever."
"Wait a minute Grandmami I don't know if I want to go. What about my friends?"
"I'm sure T.J and Andrea can come if they wish. After all Andrea is a devil slayer and T.J is a shaman though nowadays he'd be known as an exorcist."
"But what about Manny?"
"Uh...That's a problem. I'm not sure if they'd accept him right away after all even though he is half human he is also half demon."
"He's half spirit!"
"Well technically all spirits were once demons until they turned away from the devil and began following God so to the nuns of the Santo Order they're no different from demons."
"Well if he doesn't go then I won't go."
"Frida I'm sure he'll be fine without you for a little while." Carmela said.
"No trust me he won't and besides he was raised in a church so this probably won't be too different for him."
"I suppose but what do I tell Emiliano?"
"Tell him you sent me to that boarding school he always wanted me to go to. He'll fall for it."
"I'm not sure about this. What if something happens?"
"I garauntee you dear they'll protect Frida with their lives and besides you that the women in our family are quite hard core."
"I'll still have to discuss it with my husband and the arrangements will probably be very hard to make."
Frida told her friends the news and asked if they would like to come with her.
"You're going away?" Manny asked.
"You can come with me if you want."
"No I can't."
"Why not? You were raised in a church."
"But that Santo Order is different. They don't exactly forgive demons and spirits, in fact they kill them. Why are you going to this thing anyway?"
"My grandma says that I'll be able to learn how to use my powers better, the also teach slayers and exorcists so T.J and Andrea could get better training too."
"She's right." T.J said. "I have read much about this church and they've successfully trained hundreds of healers, exorcists, and devil slayers for centuries. So I must go to further educate myself."
"Oh would it also have anything to do with the fact that the organization has plenty of young and attractive nuns for you to leach on?" Andrea asked suspiciously.
"Of course not." He said clearly lying.
"But they don't trust spirits and I bet a half spirit is no different." Manny said.
"You can't really blame them after all spirits are pretty much demons themselves but they follow God instead of Satan."
"Yeah well some of them didn't choose to be like that! Not all demons were once human who committed an evil in life, some were born like that!"
"Manny I understand your frustration with that but you must understand humans can't take risks with demons and devils. Most of them are immoral, unempathetic, evil, creatures who live to torment the innocent and destroy the good. While there are some demons born like that God gives them the choice to choose weather to remain demonic or to become spiritual and as sad as it is most of them choose to remain evil. Your family which consists of a few spirits are the very few in this world."
"Manny you have to come." Frida said. "I mean who else is gonna calm you down when you lose you're temper."
"I don't know."
"Okay maybe this might change your mind. Frida is the only one wjho can remove your seal." T.J said.
"What?"
"Me?" She said. "Why me? I don't even know how."
"I'll tell you later."
"Fine I'll go but I won't like it." Manny groaned.
"I'm going too." Andrea decided. "If these people can train me to kill demons and devils better than my own father could I might be able to save Carlos."
"Great so you're all going now comes the tricky part. Getting my father to let me go without him figuring out what's going on." Frida said.
"Why not tell him the truth?" Andrea suggested.
"No way! My father thinks I'm defenseless against anything if he knew about this he'd probably lock me away forever. I'm gonna tell him one day just not for awhile."
"And by awhile she means never." Manny said.
"Quiet you! Anyway I gotta get home with Mom and break the news to him."
When Carmela and Frida got home they told Emiliano that Frida would be attending a "boarding school" that would teach her law, order, and how to be a cop. Carmela really didn't want to lie to her husband but her daughter and mother insisted. Emiliano was a very sharp man and not easy to fool unless of course the person trying to fool him was his wife or any of his children so he believed their little fib and was overjoyed that Frida was getting into the family business which she was but not the business on his side of the family.
"I'm so glad you're finally going to be a cop like me." He siad. "I'm so proud. So when will you be leaving?"
"Mother thought it would be best if she left after her sixteenth birthday." Carmela said.
"Sixteenth birthday? That's in three days. We better make the most of your stay here Hija."
"Yeah Papa. For the next three days I'm all yours and Mama's." Frida said.
For three days Frida spent it with her parents. They went out to eat, went to a movie, and went hiking. Frida enjoyed spending time with her parents and she felt bad about leaving them for a few months but she wanted to get better. She decided not to tell her father that Manny was coming too but instead made up a little lie about him going to live with a recently discovered distant relative of his. When her sixteenth birthday came to pass she invited Manny, Andrea, T.J, her sisters who were on college break, and her grandmother to attend the party.
"So our little sister is finally getting into the family business." Anita said.
"We wish you the best of luck." Nikita said.
"Here take our lucky badge just tobe safe." Anita said. "Consider it a birthday gift."
"Thanks."
"Open my gift Frida." T.J said handing her a box. She opened it and inside was lingerie in response she slapped him, Manny punched him, Andrea kicked him, and Emiliano sicked the police dogs on him. "Can't you people take a joke?!"
"Here's my gift Frida." Andrea said. It was an arrow carver, just what she needed when she ran out of arrows.
"Thanks."
"Here's mine dear." Sandra said handing her a journal. "A diary, something to write your adventures in."
"Thanks Grandmami. Do you have a gift for me Manny?"
"Yeah but it's not ready yet but don't worry I'll get it to you before your next birthday."
"I hope that doesn't mean you forgot and plan to give it to me the day before my next birthday." She joked. "Thanks for the gifts everyone. I'm going to miss you all so much when I leave."
"We'll miss you too." Emiliano said.
She said goodbye to her sisters, her grandma, and her friends even though she'd be seeing them again soon. She then went upstairs to her bedroom and began to pack her bags. She packed her clothes, boots, her arrows, her diary, her badge, her arrow carver, holy bow, gospel gun, and holy bullets. Once everything was packed up she got ready for bed.
"Honey?" Her mom said. "I forgot to give you my gift."
In her hand a was a white bundle. She placed it in Frida's hand, she unwrapped it and found a sliver Spanish comb encrusted with sapphires inside.
"It's a family heirloom." She said. "It's tradition that the youngest daughter of our family receive this on her sixteeth birthday. I got it on mine, your grandmother was an only child but she got it on hers, your great grandmother got it on hers, and same with your great-great grandmother."
"Mama I can't take this."
"It's tradition and I want to see you wear it one day."
"Thanks Mama I'll keep it with me always." She placed the comb in her bag.
"You have no idea how worried about you going to this place but you're not so little anymore are you?"
"No Mom."
"I'm so proud of you." She said hugging her. "And I know you'll do great but you will call me once a week right?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good. Goodnight dear I love you."
"I love you too."
The next day Emiliano drove Frida and Manny who was hiding in a second suitcase she brought along up to the train station. After a tearful goodbye from her father she and Manny went to meet T.J and Andrea and got on the train. It took them the whole day to get to the Santo Order and it was evening by the time they arrive. Sister Josephine (Remember the white haired nurse from Dia de los Malos that's who she is) the head hancho of the organization was expecting them and went to greet them.
"You four must be the new recruits Sandra told me about." She said.
"We are." Frida said.
"Are you Frida Suarez?"
"Yes."
"It is a privilege to meet the granddaughter of one of the best healers this organization ever knew. So who are the others?"
"This is Andrea Monterio she's a warrior and training to be a devil slayer."
"My father was Pedro Monterio, he was a famous devil slayer back in Brazil." Andrea said.
"We've heard many things about him and we know what happened to his son. We're very sorry but I can assure you we'll do everything in our power to help you find him."
"Thank you."
"And this is Tulio Julian the second, call him T.J." Frida introduced. "He's a shaman."
"Pleasure to meet you young man but nowadays shamen have become exorcists and we have plenty of instructors who can teach you."
"Sweet, so tell me Sister Josephine how many younger nuns do you have here?" T.J asked.
"About twenty-five but you should know that they all have no intention of having any romantic relationships with a man and you should also know we do not tolerate lechery here." She said sternly. "So watch yourself."
"Yes Sister."
"And this is Manny Rivera." Frida introduced lastly. "He's a very good friend of mine."
"Nice to meet you- Huh."
"What?" Manny asked.
"You look familiar." She said. "Do I know you from somewhere?"
"No."
"I swear I've seen that chin somewhere before. Oh well, now before you all get comfortable you all must step through this." She pointed over to a detector machine. "This machine detects demonic aura, you'd be surprised how many demons have tried to sneak in here."
Manny swallowed hard, he hoped that he would be able to slip under the machine undetected. When Frida went through it remained quiet same with T.J and Andrea when they went under. But when Manny went under a red flashing light went off along with an alarm.
"We have a demon!" Sister Josephine cried. "Code red! Code red! Code red! There is a demon on the premises! Take evasive action! This is not a drill! I repeat this is not a drill!"
Before Manny could blink a bunch nuns came running out of the church carrying gospel guns, holy bows with arrows, bibles, and crucifixes. They surrounded him and pointed their guns, aimed their arrows, and held up their bibles and crucifixes at him. Manny froze looking both scared and confused by the events that just took place.
"Attention demon!" Sister Josephine called. "You are trespassing on holy ground! Leave the premises and return to hell from hence you came or we'll be forced to open fire!"
"You've got to be kidding me." Manny scowled. "Can't I get a break?"
"Wait! Stop! Hold your fire!" Frida called.
"Please let us explain!" T.J said. "He's not exactly a demon."
"What are you talking about? The machine detected a demonic aura in him."
"It's like this."
Ten minutes later...
"This...This is unheard of!" Josephine said. "Who on earth are you boy?"
"I'm Manny Rivera." He said.
"And?"
"And I'm the son the of the white panther spirit Rodolfo Rivera and his human wife who must remain nameless."
"That's why you look so familiar!" She said. "It's been a long time since I've seen that man but I'd know his large chin anywhere though I thought the next time I'd see it it would be on his face not his son's."
"You knew my father?"
"I knew him when he and that devil of a father of his attacked this church twenty-nine years ago! Took us years to repair the damage!"
"Uh...Sorry."
"My God you look exactly like he did at that age, well the hair and eyes are different but that face, that body, and that great chin! Oh dear lord! Why are you here? To finish your father's work?"
"No ma'am, heck I don't even know the man. I just came to keep an eye on Frida."
"Well I hate to disappoint but this is the house of God and it is not welcome to unholy creatures of the devil."
"He's not an unholy creature of the devil." Frida argued.
"With all due respect Sister if you were to deny him the church you would be going against God himself." T.J said. "At least give him a chance."
"Very well but only because it's what the lord would have wanted. Now then let me introduce you all and give you a tour." She lead them inside the building and escorted them to their rooms while explaining how things worked here.
"We go by a strict schedule here and very strict rules. Number one our weapons are tools to be used to destroy demons not toys so don't mess around with them. Rule number two the practice of devil worship or any unholy practice is forbidden here. Rule number three no one is allowed out of the church after dark. Rule number four money that we raise here is used for charity work not personal gain so no stealing or pocketing it. Rule number five no unnecessary violence or killing around here we fight to protect ourselves and others and we only kill animals for food or in defense. And rule number six no sexual relationships. Boys and girls sleep in separate rooms and the rooms are in a separate hallway. They do share the same bath house but different genders shower at different times and if I catch any pervy snoopers I'll see to it that they are greatly punished. Curfew is seven o'clock pm and lights out ten o'clock pm."
She took them to a room in the first hallway where the bedrooms for girls and women were.
"This will be yours Andrea and you will be training under the teachings of a slayer from Japan Takeo and his son. (The Seventh Samari) They'll teach you fighting techniques and use of weaponry that I doubt even you are aware of."
"Thank you ma'am." She said.
She left her and went to a bedroom not too far from hers.
"This will be yours Frida. You'll do must of your teaching with me and my sisters. We'll teach you healing methods, medicine making, and ways of blessing objects, people, animals, and paranormal beings."
"Okay then."
Sister Josephine then took the boys to the second hallways where the bedrooms for boys and men were.
"Here is your room Tulio Julian, it shall be the farthest from the ladies rooms."
"Aww man." He mumbled.
"Tomorrow you shall be studying with our top exorcist Father Anthony (El Cucharon) he'll teach you how to remove demons from human bodies and expel them from the earth. Get some rest."
She took Manny to the second to last room in the hall.
"Since you won't be taking any of our classes, you'll be working with Tonio our mechanic and housekeeper."
"Housekeeper? Do I look like a maid to you?"
"If you're going to stay here you'll have to either take the classes or work. Tonio is quite old and there are somethings he can't do by himself anymore such has fix and repair our weapons, design new weapons, create barriers, not fix the plumbing and mop the floors."
"Great." He said rolling his eyes. "Fine, what time do I start?"
"Six o'clock am so get plenty of sleep tonight."