BLOODLINES
A Son Chi-chi and Arcadia Silver Production
Chapter Five ~
All the Z-Senshi had decided that it would be best, in wake of the reccent events, to stay over at the Son house that night. Everyone slept where they could find room in the crowded house, but everyone got a good nights sleep.
Right at this moment, Bulma was musing over the pics from last nights fiasco with her husband and Kalin. Before her were several scattered photos and a video cassette. The photos in question had been circulated through the group earlier that morning for every to see. Most of the pics brought several rounds of laughter. In all the weirdness of yesterday, it felt good to laugh.
"Hey Bulma!"
The current president of Capsule Corp. turned to Chi...Aerin's youngest son. "What is it Goten?"
"I was wondering if maybe we could.....um, watch the tape?"
Several eyebrows lifted and a few eyes sparkled with amusment. Bulma felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "Well, Vegeta's not up yet, so why not?"
The crowd cheered and began to follow Bulma to the living room, they had just passed the stairs when everyone heard footsteps echoing from above, Bulma knew the pattern of those footfalls.............
Bulma turned on her heels and dashed back for the kitchen, the tape and pics in hand, if Vegeta saw them in her hands......
Everyone followed her back, guessing who was coming, they ran back and sat down in their chairs while Bulma stuffed the items under her chair.
In seconds, the Prince of All Saiyans waltzed, or stomped, into the kitchen. "Woman," he directed his gaze at Bulma, "where is my food?"
Bulma looked up innocently from her coffee, "Well, there's coffee, and cereal, or you can have some toast, if you want."
One of Vegeta's bushy eyebrows quirked, "What is wrong with you woman? What are you hiding?"
Bulma felt all the color drain from her face, swallowing hard, she smiled, "What are you talking about? "
Now Vegeta knew something was up, she didn't go on a tirade when he called her woman (which she always did.) and when he questioned her about it she didn't fire back an insult. He stepped closer to her, "Don't give me that. What are you hiding? I demand to know!!!"
While this was going on, the rest of the team were trying to blend in as close as they could to the walls, as much as they wished they could help, Bulma was on her own.
Quietly, so he wouldn't notice, Bulma was pushing the evidence further under the table, away from her. "I don't know what your talking about!!"
Vegeta leaned over so that his face was inches from hers, "I'll give you one last chance. What are you hiding?" Bulma held his gaze as steady as he could, but in the back of her mind, she was begging the powers above to help her.
Now here's the funny thing, somethimes if you pray hard enough heaven will answer your prayers, and other times, it seems like no-one is listening. Fortune was smiling on Bulma that day, for heaven choose to do the former instead of the latter.
"Well if it ain't Bunny-Boy!!! Whats up doc?!" The tension that had been building up to this point vanished as Kalin whisked into the room, smiling merrily.
Vegeta turned on his heels, "What are you doing here?? I didn't think old hags like you came out during the day." If the insult actually hurt her, she didn't show, the words just bounced right off her. "Ahh, is the widdle wabbit cranky? Did the widdle wabbit not get his carrot today?"
A lovely shade of crimson was making it's way up Vegeta's face by this time. That vein that always popped up when he was angry was trobbing like it would explode any second, and his fists were balled up tight. Obviously he thought the last comment to be a threat, "You wouldn't dare." he hissed.
Kalin dropped the sweet exterior quickly, her smile melting into a glare that rivaled Vegeta's. "Like I didn't dare the last time? Bring it on Monkey-Man."
The tension suddenly took hold again as silence overshadowed the room. Any second now, Vegeta was going to Final Flash Kalin or end up as another animal. Everone braced for impact when a thrid voice floated down from the stairway, "Knock it off you two. Sit down or no breakfast."
The two battling egos backed down so Aerin could get to the table. For a while they stood facing each other before parting to different sides of the room. Each muttering curses on the way.
Aerin seatted herself at the table after she poured a cup of the slightly cold coffee. Adding no sugar or cream, she drank it down straight in one gulp. She got herself another cup, this time putting in the usual condiments. She took the next few minuets stirring the light beige liquid to order her thoughts. Breathing deeply, she addressed the silent, anxious crowd.
"Guys, Kalin and I have been discussing things. We decided that it's best if you knew everything. Well, Kalin can explain this better than me..."
Heads turned to the matronly woman behind Aerin. "To put in simple terms, we're going on a trip. Pack up because we're heading for the Commonwealth."
Bulma looked confused, "Whats the Commonwealth?"
"The Commonwealth is the sacred meeting grounds for the magic clans. In the past it was the meeting grounds on holidays, but un the last few years, it hasn't been used because nobody could leave their posts."
Now Pan questioned, "Posts? What are you talking about?"
"As more of the Tenacks, or signs of the the porphecy, came true, posts were asigned to each member of each clan. They watch and keep an eye out for what might be a sign and keep that area safe. In the last month the final Tenacks have shown themselves, the elders are finally calling the clans back to the Commonwealth. The time has come, the final test is coming. That's why I'm here, to escort all of you to the Commonwealth."
A kind of subdued silence followed, everyone sat in his/her seat and contemplated this news. Some wrung hands, others hung heads, all in dismay and worry. Evil Shenlong was the last battle they ever had to fight, ever. After him, no more evil would plague Earth. But now this..........
"I don't believe you." Piccolo spoke from the doorway. He had been standing there for a while listening to the conversation.
Aerin nodded her head, "The only way to find out the truth is to come with us Piccolo, I'm sure that Kami would be very interested in this."
The mention of the last guardian of Earth caused a reaction in the Namek, his lips gave a slight twitch and he frowned. A big surprize considering the Namek's usually stolid nature. He stepped further in the door, dragging his cape behind him. He paused at the edge of the table, casting his cynical glare on the two witches. "I still don't beleive you. Wouldn't Kami know about this propechy? Wouldn't he have told us if he did?"
Aerin, surprizingly calm, cast him an equally cynical stare back. "This propechy goes back far before Kami's time as guardian, even further back that of the very first guardian of Earth. These things were forseen at the very dawn of time, when life first started in the universe. When mankind set his first step on the Earth, the prophecy was millenias old. My clan has an old addage, 'Men and beasts lie, but stars and prophecy never do'."
Piccolo continued his sour expression, "Fine, I'll go with you, not bacause I think your telling the turth, but to be sure you don't try anything." With that, he whipped around and stalked out of the house, cape flying behind.
Great, Aerin thought, we haven't even started on this trip, and we already have someone against us, and I'm sure Vegeta is the same way. **sigh** Fabulous.......
Kalin, already seeing fatigue in Aerin's eyes, took command, "Okay folks, the trip to the Commonwealth is no walk in the park. It's a long way, and we can't fly there, and a car can only get us so far, the hardest terrain will be tackled on foot, so pack as much food as you can carry and not be weighed down. We'll use today to pack, prepare, and make arrangements for those of you who have jobs. Go home, sleep, and get ready. Pack enough clothes and supplies for two weeks or more, we will be staying. Everybody got that?"
Grunts, nods, and a few other gestures responded for the group. Then in groups, they split up. Many headed for cars and trucks that would take them home. Gohan rose to his feet, for so early in the day, he was exhausted.
What he wanted most right now was a couple of double bacon cheeseburgers, Videl, and his bed. He motioned for his family to follow, that was until Kalin asked, "Just where do you think your going?"
"Home," he said, "especially my bed."
Kalin put her hands on her hips and shook her head, "No your not, neither are you." she replied, switching her gaze from Gohan to Goten, who was slinking away to his old room. Both of them looked shocked, "What do you mean?" they asked in unison.
"You mean you don't know? This 'pleasure trip' may come down to a battle, a fight in which your ki-using abilities will be of no use. Both me and your mom think that you should try your hand at magic. We will need all the help we can get for the simple fact that we don't know exactly what we're up against." She sauntered off to the other room, "Your crash course in Magick 101 begins at 11:00 sharp."
Gohan, not for the first time that day, banged his head on the table.
"So Daddy and Uncle Goten are gonna learn magick?"
"Yeah, that's what Ch..Aerin says." Videl and Pan were in Gohans old getting their stuff ready. They had to run home, pack for the three of them, call the high school and notify that Pan and Gohan would be gone for a while, cook some food, bring it to Bulma so she could capsule it, and do a dozen other things. This was going to be a _relaxing_ vacation....
Pan looked down at her feet, quietly scuffing the carpet with her toe. "Mom?" she asked.
Videl looked at her daughter, "Yes honey?"
"Can I.....stay here?" she requested hopefully.
Videl turned on her child angrily at first, but as she saw Pan looking guiltily at the floor, she started to think. The news that Aerin was a witch had an affect on Pan too, this meant that she was half human, quater saiyan, and quater witch. And come to think of it it would be easier on her too, Pan had as much kitchen savvy as her father and grandfather, not to mention that she couldn't pack her own lunchbox with out disaster. And if her foresight was correct, Gohan and Goten would need a support group all their own before they came home. "Very well, you can stay."
Pan threw herself on her mother and hugged her tightly, "Thanks Mom!!" She let go and ran down stairs to help Kalin and her grandmother. Videl smiled at her, "Just like Goku sometimes..."
Kalin and Aerin waited in the clearing they had been in the day before, waiting for Gohan and Goten to arrive. Before they got there, they discussed the lesson plans.
"What should we start them off with?"
"Something simple, what about telekineses?"
Aerin though a minute, "That sounds good, after that?"
"Mmm, maybe get them going on the quads? Or maybe summons?"
"Quads first, when they get to the bi-level, then start on summons. But at ALL costs, avoid assention magick."
"I figured the same thing, wait till their more.....comfortable with their heritage before we start THAT."
"I don't see why they bother with that stuff, there hasn't been a witch in any of the clans capable of assending in centuries....shhh, here they come."
As the last sylable died on her lips, their two charges landed in the clearing. They shifted their weight for a few moments while Kalin readied herself. "Okay, now that your here, we can start. Aerin you may take your leave." Aerin nodded and turned to walk for the forest.
"Whoa Mom!! Where are you going???" Goten cried. Aerin looked back, and had to bite her lip to avoid laughing at the panic-stricken faces.
"I'm going off on my own. I need to get my 'flow' back. It's been a long time since I practiced my magick. Kalin will come get me if you need me." She smiled and vanished among the trees. Kalin watched her go, a mixture of pride and sorrow playing her features.
"Well, let's get started!!!"
This can't be too hard...
Three Hours Later...........
"Aerin??..............Aerin?!............AERIN!!!!!!!!!" Kalin trooped through the dense underbrush savagely. Vine, grass, saplings, and ferns were pounded in the dirt with quick shots of flame from Kalin's hand. She charged around the forest, calling her god-daughter's name over and over again. Finally, she caught her a little south of the Son house, practicing.
"Kalin, what's wrong??" she asked, alarmed at Kalin's appearance, her face was flustered, her hair had bits of twigs and leaves poking hanging in it, and she was mad.
"What's wrong?!? What's wrong?!?! I'll tell you whats wrong!!! Those two boys are NOT your children, they are adopted!!!" she vented her rage. She took the next few moments to catch her breath and allow the red flush on her face to fade.
"No matter what I do, no matter what I try, they can't do nothing. I don't see with their incredable bloodlines how they can be so inept!"
Aerin tilted her head upwards to the mid-day sky, pondering something. While she thought, Kalin went on.
"I mean, if they were one-eighth, or one-fourth I might understand, but their half-blooded. And from the High Heavens Clan too, we're revered as some of the most powerful spell-casters in all of the clans. Their the great-grandsons of the High Preistess no less, this is a disgrace!! Absolutly un-real. Poor Selene was hoping for some-one to be able to take her place when she retired, she'll be so devastated..........."
"Kalin...."
"I mean please, it's not that hard to do, why, you had mastered the quad system by the time you were five!! And already a competent summoner...
"Kalin.." she repeated.
"Kalin WHAT?!??!?"
"Why don't I teach them?"
"Huh?"
"Why don't I try it, I am their mother after all..."
"Why not," Kalin sighed in defeat. "It can't hurt to try.....
Gohan and Goten sat down, each casting the small rubber ball at their feet venomous glares, all morning they had tried to move that thing telepathically like Kalin showed them. They concentrated, and focused until their heads ached and vision swam. Kalin, furious, had ran off into the woods a while ago to retrieve Aerin.
A crashing to the right alerted them that Kalin had returned with their mom in tow. The duo burst from the bushes and cleaned themselves of dirt and leaves. Much to their relief, Kalin plopped herself down where she stood and let Aerin approach them.
"I hear your giving Kalin a hard time....." she said with a smile.
"Mom, we tried, honestly we did, but this is to hard!!" Goten lamented.
Aerin switched her line of vision from them to the ball for a split second. With out warning, the ball flew up into her waiting hand. Gohan and Goten let their jaws drop in amazement. "H-h-how did you do that?"
"You mean you found telekinesis hard? I could levitate when I was still in my crib!!" she forced shock into her voice. "Whats wrong with you??"
"Mom, we did what Kalin told us, we tried to move it with our thoughts....nothing happened."
Aerin looked confused. "Just your thoughs?...Is that all she told you?" The boys nodded enthusiastically. Aerin spun around to face Kalin.
"You told them to use just their thoughts?" Kalin got the same look as Aerin and nodded as well. She wasn't getting what Aerin was driving at.
"I'm afraid Kalin didn't give you the complete instructions. She forgot to mention something."
"What was that?" Kalin asked from the back.
"She forgot to talk about your sparks." Kalin's widened in surprize, then she got that look on her face that poeple get when they forget something simple or do something stupid. She smacked her palm to her forehead.
"Sparks?? Whats that?" Goten asked with his usual naive look.
"I think it's best if I show you and explain it." She sat down indian-style in front of them. holding out her arms away, an expression of calm crossed her face. Softly at first, but gaining strenght by the second, Aerin started to glow, from the inside out, like she swallowed a stadium light. The light began the focus and center itself in the chest, seeping away from the other parts of her body. Her hair flew about her face from the force of her energy. Finally the light had concentrated itself til it was no more that a small, but intensely bright, sphere of energy. It held itself there for a few moments before fading away. Aerin slumped forward as if she were going to kiss the ground any second. Gohan and Goten sprang up and caught her before she hit the ground. She leaned into her sons' arms while her world righted itself. Once the landscape stopped twirling, she sat back down.
"What was that??" Gohan asked.
"Just what I told you, my spark."
"Huh??" Aerin looked up at their frightened, but puzzled faces. She mustered her strengh and stood up, only to collapse into Goten's arms again.
"Ya better take it easy Mom." Gohan advised. He picked her up and walked over to a towering silver birch, where he sat her in the shade. Goten followed and they both sat infront of their mom to wait for her to explain what they had just saw.
"Well, as you know," she began. "All living things have ki energy. that's what makes them living things. But do you know where that energy comes from?"
They both shook their heads.
"The universe. All living things get their energy from the universe. That's where the sparks come in. Sparks are, in a way, a small part of the universe that each living creature carries inside them, when that force is chaneled, ki-energy is the result. But not all people call them sparks, some call them centers, lifeforces, ect. but we witches refer to this power as The Spark of the Divine, sparks for short. but sparks are not only a source of power, the are a unifier (sp?). They tie the mind, body, and soul together. They connect us to each other and to the universe itself. That's where a witch gets it's power. We use our sparks to call up power from the universe, which flows back to our souls, through our sparks again and to our minds, where it is focused, then to our bodies, thus calling up magick."
The boys sat, drinking in this new knowledge, somehow they had visions of old ladies standing at black cauldrons, stirring up odd and horrible potions, muttering things like "wool of bat, tongue of dog" and laying hexes on poor children. Now that they knew the truth, those cliches seemed, well, cliche. Old wives tales spun from fear, misunderstanding and ignorance.
Gohan looked up at his mother and smiled, "When you first told us you were a witch, I didn't know what to think, but now that I know the truth...." he paused. "I'm ready to take this trip to the Commonwealth."
Aerin nodded and smiled, "I'm glad your on my side boys, as you know, Piccolo is already against me, and Vegeta probably is too. I'll take all the allies I can get." She paused looking up at the sky. "I think we'll stop for today, it's getting on in the day and we have our own things to pack and food to cook. Come on Kalin, let's....go.."
Under the shade of a pine, Kalin was sitting down indian-style, her head forward til her chin touched her chest, lightly snoring.
Aerin nodded, "Hehe, I'll wake sleeping beauty so we can go." She pulled her self to her feet, her dizziness gone. She bent over Kalin's form, poking her in the shoulder, until she saw something, something familiar.........
"Pan?" Gohan called from where he stood. Sheepishly, the quater-saiyan made her way into the clearing, she came to a halt infront of her father and uncle.
"Pan, what are you doing here? You're supposted to be helping your mother.....are you listening to me?" Pan snapped her gaze from the ground, to her father, and back to her shoes.
"Uh, grandma..."
"Don't look at your grandma, she's not gonna get you out of explaining..."
"I think I'm a witch..."
"Why aren't you...WHAT???"
"Grandma, I think I'm a witch........"
**Dramatic Chord** Well, thats your 11-page long chapter four. This took me over two weeks to write, my computer broke down for two weeks and I've had trouble getting anything done, Gomen nasi to those who waited patiently.
I got to see the Final Fantasy movie on opening day!! I waited for over three hours to see it, but it was worth it!!!
Many thanks to all the regular reviewers, Saiyan Princess Chi-chi, Lady Xnightshade, Reb, Chibi Tenshi Senshi, and all you others. Thanks to you I'll be reaching the twenty review milestone very soon, yeah I so happy!!! Also thanks to Jagged_edge, who I've happily spent many hours IM-ing.
The next chapter should be out sooner than this was, barring unforeseen circumstances. Til chapter four..
~Arcadia Silver
A Son Chi-chi and Arcadia Silver Production
Chapter Five ~
All the Z-Senshi had decided that it would be best, in wake of the reccent events, to stay over at the Son house that night. Everyone slept where they could find room in the crowded house, but everyone got a good nights sleep.
Right at this moment, Bulma was musing over the pics from last nights fiasco with her husband and Kalin. Before her were several scattered photos and a video cassette. The photos in question had been circulated through the group earlier that morning for every to see. Most of the pics brought several rounds of laughter. In all the weirdness of yesterday, it felt good to laugh.
"Hey Bulma!"
The current president of Capsule Corp. turned to Chi...Aerin's youngest son. "What is it Goten?"
"I was wondering if maybe we could.....um, watch the tape?"
Several eyebrows lifted and a few eyes sparkled with amusment. Bulma felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "Well, Vegeta's not up yet, so why not?"
The crowd cheered and began to follow Bulma to the living room, they had just passed the stairs when everyone heard footsteps echoing from above, Bulma knew the pattern of those footfalls.............
Bulma turned on her heels and dashed back for the kitchen, the tape and pics in hand, if Vegeta saw them in her hands......
Everyone followed her back, guessing who was coming, they ran back and sat down in their chairs while Bulma stuffed the items under her chair.
In seconds, the Prince of All Saiyans waltzed, or stomped, into the kitchen. "Woman," he directed his gaze at Bulma, "where is my food?"
Bulma looked up innocently from her coffee, "Well, there's coffee, and cereal, or you can have some toast, if you want."
One of Vegeta's bushy eyebrows quirked, "What is wrong with you woman? What are you hiding?"
Bulma felt all the color drain from her face, swallowing hard, she smiled, "What are you talking about? "
Now Vegeta knew something was up, she didn't go on a tirade when he called her woman (which she always did.) and when he questioned her about it she didn't fire back an insult. He stepped closer to her, "Don't give me that. What are you hiding? I demand to know!!!"
While this was going on, the rest of the team were trying to blend in as close as they could to the walls, as much as they wished they could help, Bulma was on her own.
Quietly, so he wouldn't notice, Bulma was pushing the evidence further under the table, away from her. "I don't know what your talking about!!"
Vegeta leaned over so that his face was inches from hers, "I'll give you one last chance. What are you hiding?" Bulma held his gaze as steady as he could, but in the back of her mind, she was begging the powers above to help her.
Now here's the funny thing, somethimes if you pray hard enough heaven will answer your prayers, and other times, it seems like no-one is listening. Fortune was smiling on Bulma that day, for heaven choose to do the former instead of the latter.
"Well if it ain't Bunny-Boy!!! Whats up doc?!" The tension that had been building up to this point vanished as Kalin whisked into the room, smiling merrily.
Vegeta turned on his heels, "What are you doing here?? I didn't think old hags like you came out during the day." If the insult actually hurt her, she didn't show, the words just bounced right off her. "Ahh, is the widdle wabbit cranky? Did the widdle wabbit not get his carrot today?"
A lovely shade of crimson was making it's way up Vegeta's face by this time. That vein that always popped up when he was angry was trobbing like it would explode any second, and his fists were balled up tight. Obviously he thought the last comment to be a threat, "You wouldn't dare." he hissed.
Kalin dropped the sweet exterior quickly, her smile melting into a glare that rivaled Vegeta's. "Like I didn't dare the last time? Bring it on Monkey-Man."
The tension suddenly took hold again as silence overshadowed the room. Any second now, Vegeta was going to Final Flash Kalin or end up as another animal. Everone braced for impact when a thrid voice floated down from the stairway, "Knock it off you two. Sit down or no breakfast."
The two battling egos backed down so Aerin could get to the table. For a while they stood facing each other before parting to different sides of the room. Each muttering curses on the way.
Aerin seatted herself at the table after she poured a cup of the slightly cold coffee. Adding no sugar or cream, she drank it down straight in one gulp. She got herself another cup, this time putting in the usual condiments. She took the next few minuets stirring the light beige liquid to order her thoughts. Breathing deeply, she addressed the silent, anxious crowd.
"Guys, Kalin and I have been discussing things. We decided that it's best if you knew everything. Well, Kalin can explain this better than me..."
Heads turned to the matronly woman behind Aerin. "To put in simple terms, we're going on a trip. Pack up because we're heading for the Commonwealth."
Bulma looked confused, "Whats the Commonwealth?"
"The Commonwealth is the sacred meeting grounds for the magic clans. In the past it was the meeting grounds on holidays, but un the last few years, it hasn't been used because nobody could leave their posts."
Now Pan questioned, "Posts? What are you talking about?"
"As more of the Tenacks, or signs of the the porphecy, came true, posts were asigned to each member of each clan. They watch and keep an eye out for what might be a sign and keep that area safe. In the last month the final Tenacks have shown themselves, the elders are finally calling the clans back to the Commonwealth. The time has come, the final test is coming. That's why I'm here, to escort all of you to the Commonwealth."
A kind of subdued silence followed, everyone sat in his/her seat and contemplated this news. Some wrung hands, others hung heads, all in dismay and worry. Evil Shenlong was the last battle they ever had to fight, ever. After him, no more evil would plague Earth. But now this..........
"I don't believe you." Piccolo spoke from the doorway. He had been standing there for a while listening to the conversation.
Aerin nodded her head, "The only way to find out the truth is to come with us Piccolo, I'm sure that Kami would be very interested in this."
The mention of the last guardian of Earth caused a reaction in the Namek, his lips gave a slight twitch and he frowned. A big surprize considering the Namek's usually stolid nature. He stepped further in the door, dragging his cape behind him. He paused at the edge of the table, casting his cynical glare on the two witches. "I still don't beleive you. Wouldn't Kami know about this propechy? Wouldn't he have told us if he did?"
Aerin, surprizingly calm, cast him an equally cynical stare back. "This propechy goes back far before Kami's time as guardian, even further back that of the very first guardian of Earth. These things were forseen at the very dawn of time, when life first started in the universe. When mankind set his first step on the Earth, the prophecy was millenias old. My clan has an old addage, 'Men and beasts lie, but stars and prophecy never do'."
Piccolo continued his sour expression, "Fine, I'll go with you, not bacause I think your telling the turth, but to be sure you don't try anything." With that, he whipped around and stalked out of the house, cape flying behind.
Great, Aerin thought, we haven't even started on this trip, and we already have someone against us, and I'm sure Vegeta is the same way. **sigh** Fabulous.......
Kalin, already seeing fatigue in Aerin's eyes, took command, "Okay folks, the trip to the Commonwealth is no walk in the park. It's a long way, and we can't fly there, and a car can only get us so far, the hardest terrain will be tackled on foot, so pack as much food as you can carry and not be weighed down. We'll use today to pack, prepare, and make arrangements for those of you who have jobs. Go home, sleep, and get ready. Pack enough clothes and supplies for two weeks or more, we will be staying. Everybody got that?"
Grunts, nods, and a few other gestures responded for the group. Then in groups, they split up. Many headed for cars and trucks that would take them home. Gohan rose to his feet, for so early in the day, he was exhausted.
What he wanted most right now was a couple of double bacon cheeseburgers, Videl, and his bed. He motioned for his family to follow, that was until Kalin asked, "Just where do you think your going?"
"Home," he said, "especially my bed."
Kalin put her hands on her hips and shook her head, "No your not, neither are you." she replied, switching her gaze from Gohan to Goten, who was slinking away to his old room. Both of them looked shocked, "What do you mean?" they asked in unison.
"You mean you don't know? This 'pleasure trip' may come down to a battle, a fight in which your ki-using abilities will be of no use. Both me and your mom think that you should try your hand at magic. We will need all the help we can get for the simple fact that we don't know exactly what we're up against." She sauntered off to the other room, "Your crash course in Magick 101 begins at 11:00 sharp."
Gohan, not for the first time that day, banged his head on the table.
"So Daddy and Uncle Goten are gonna learn magick?"
"Yeah, that's what Ch..Aerin says." Videl and Pan were in Gohans old getting their stuff ready. They had to run home, pack for the three of them, call the high school and notify that Pan and Gohan would be gone for a while, cook some food, bring it to Bulma so she could capsule it, and do a dozen other things. This was going to be a _relaxing_ vacation....
Pan looked down at her feet, quietly scuffing the carpet with her toe. "Mom?" she asked.
Videl looked at her daughter, "Yes honey?"
"Can I.....stay here?" she requested hopefully.
Videl turned on her child angrily at first, but as she saw Pan looking guiltily at the floor, she started to think. The news that Aerin was a witch had an affect on Pan too, this meant that she was half human, quater saiyan, and quater witch. And come to think of it it would be easier on her too, Pan had as much kitchen savvy as her father and grandfather, not to mention that she couldn't pack her own lunchbox with out disaster. And if her foresight was correct, Gohan and Goten would need a support group all their own before they came home. "Very well, you can stay."
Pan threw herself on her mother and hugged her tightly, "Thanks Mom!!" She let go and ran down stairs to help Kalin and her grandmother. Videl smiled at her, "Just like Goku sometimes..."
Kalin and Aerin waited in the clearing they had been in the day before, waiting for Gohan and Goten to arrive. Before they got there, they discussed the lesson plans.
"What should we start them off with?"
"Something simple, what about telekineses?"
Aerin though a minute, "That sounds good, after that?"
"Mmm, maybe get them going on the quads? Or maybe summons?"
"Quads first, when they get to the bi-level, then start on summons. But at ALL costs, avoid assention magick."
"I figured the same thing, wait till their more.....comfortable with their heritage before we start THAT."
"I don't see why they bother with that stuff, there hasn't been a witch in any of the clans capable of assending in centuries....shhh, here they come."
As the last sylable died on her lips, their two charges landed in the clearing. They shifted their weight for a few moments while Kalin readied herself. "Okay, now that your here, we can start. Aerin you may take your leave." Aerin nodded and turned to walk for the forest.
"Whoa Mom!! Where are you going???" Goten cried. Aerin looked back, and had to bite her lip to avoid laughing at the panic-stricken faces.
"I'm going off on my own. I need to get my 'flow' back. It's been a long time since I practiced my magick. Kalin will come get me if you need me." She smiled and vanished among the trees. Kalin watched her go, a mixture of pride and sorrow playing her features.
"Well, let's get started!!!"
This can't be too hard...
Three Hours Later...........
"Aerin??..............Aerin?!............AERIN!!!!!!!!!" Kalin trooped through the dense underbrush savagely. Vine, grass, saplings, and ferns were pounded in the dirt with quick shots of flame from Kalin's hand. She charged around the forest, calling her god-daughter's name over and over again. Finally, she caught her a little south of the Son house, practicing.
"Kalin, what's wrong??" she asked, alarmed at Kalin's appearance, her face was flustered, her hair had bits of twigs and leaves poking hanging in it, and she was mad.
"What's wrong?!? What's wrong?!?! I'll tell you whats wrong!!! Those two boys are NOT your children, they are adopted!!!" she vented her rage. She took the next few moments to catch her breath and allow the red flush on her face to fade.
"No matter what I do, no matter what I try, they can't do nothing. I don't see with their incredable bloodlines how they can be so inept!"
Aerin tilted her head upwards to the mid-day sky, pondering something. While she thought, Kalin went on.
"I mean, if they were one-eighth, or one-fourth I might understand, but their half-blooded. And from the High Heavens Clan too, we're revered as some of the most powerful spell-casters in all of the clans. Their the great-grandsons of the High Preistess no less, this is a disgrace!! Absolutly un-real. Poor Selene was hoping for some-one to be able to take her place when she retired, she'll be so devastated..........."
"Kalin...."
"I mean please, it's not that hard to do, why, you had mastered the quad system by the time you were five!! And already a competent summoner...
"Kalin.." she repeated.
"Kalin WHAT?!??!?"
"Why don't I teach them?"
"Huh?"
"Why don't I try it, I am their mother after all..."
"Why not," Kalin sighed in defeat. "It can't hurt to try.....
Gohan and Goten sat down, each casting the small rubber ball at their feet venomous glares, all morning they had tried to move that thing telepathically like Kalin showed them. They concentrated, and focused until their heads ached and vision swam. Kalin, furious, had ran off into the woods a while ago to retrieve Aerin.
A crashing to the right alerted them that Kalin had returned with their mom in tow. The duo burst from the bushes and cleaned themselves of dirt and leaves. Much to their relief, Kalin plopped herself down where she stood and let Aerin approach them.
"I hear your giving Kalin a hard time....." she said with a smile.
"Mom, we tried, honestly we did, but this is to hard!!" Goten lamented.
Aerin switched her line of vision from them to the ball for a split second. With out warning, the ball flew up into her waiting hand. Gohan and Goten let their jaws drop in amazement. "H-h-how did you do that?"
"You mean you found telekinesis hard? I could levitate when I was still in my crib!!" she forced shock into her voice. "Whats wrong with you??"
"Mom, we did what Kalin told us, we tried to move it with our thoughts....nothing happened."
Aerin looked confused. "Just your thoughs?...Is that all she told you?" The boys nodded enthusiastically. Aerin spun around to face Kalin.
"You told them to use just their thoughts?" Kalin got the same look as Aerin and nodded as well. She wasn't getting what Aerin was driving at.
"I'm afraid Kalin didn't give you the complete instructions. She forgot to mention something."
"What was that?" Kalin asked from the back.
"She forgot to talk about your sparks." Kalin's widened in surprize, then she got that look on her face that poeple get when they forget something simple or do something stupid. She smacked her palm to her forehead.
"Sparks?? Whats that?" Goten asked with his usual naive look.
"I think it's best if I show you and explain it." She sat down indian-style in front of them. holding out her arms away, an expression of calm crossed her face. Softly at first, but gaining strenght by the second, Aerin started to glow, from the inside out, like she swallowed a stadium light. The light began the focus and center itself in the chest, seeping away from the other parts of her body. Her hair flew about her face from the force of her energy. Finally the light had concentrated itself til it was no more that a small, but intensely bright, sphere of energy. It held itself there for a few moments before fading away. Aerin slumped forward as if she were going to kiss the ground any second. Gohan and Goten sprang up and caught her before she hit the ground. She leaned into her sons' arms while her world righted itself. Once the landscape stopped twirling, she sat back down.
"What was that??" Gohan asked.
"Just what I told you, my spark."
"Huh??" Aerin looked up at their frightened, but puzzled faces. She mustered her strengh and stood up, only to collapse into Goten's arms again.
"Ya better take it easy Mom." Gohan advised. He picked her up and walked over to a towering silver birch, where he sat her in the shade. Goten followed and they both sat infront of their mom to wait for her to explain what they had just saw.
"Well, as you know," she began. "All living things have ki energy. that's what makes them living things. But do you know where that energy comes from?"
They both shook their heads.
"The universe. All living things get their energy from the universe. That's where the sparks come in. Sparks are, in a way, a small part of the universe that each living creature carries inside them, when that force is chaneled, ki-energy is the result. But not all people call them sparks, some call them centers, lifeforces, ect. but we witches refer to this power as The Spark of the Divine, sparks for short. but sparks are not only a source of power, the are a unifier (sp?). They tie the mind, body, and soul together. They connect us to each other and to the universe itself. That's where a witch gets it's power. We use our sparks to call up power from the universe, which flows back to our souls, through our sparks again and to our minds, where it is focused, then to our bodies, thus calling up magick."
The boys sat, drinking in this new knowledge, somehow they had visions of old ladies standing at black cauldrons, stirring up odd and horrible potions, muttering things like "wool of bat, tongue of dog" and laying hexes on poor children. Now that they knew the truth, those cliches seemed, well, cliche. Old wives tales spun from fear, misunderstanding and ignorance.
Gohan looked up at his mother and smiled, "When you first told us you were a witch, I didn't know what to think, but now that I know the truth...." he paused. "I'm ready to take this trip to the Commonwealth."
Aerin nodded and smiled, "I'm glad your on my side boys, as you know, Piccolo is already against me, and Vegeta probably is too. I'll take all the allies I can get." She paused looking up at the sky. "I think we'll stop for today, it's getting on in the day and we have our own things to pack and food to cook. Come on Kalin, let's....go.."
Under the shade of a pine, Kalin was sitting down indian-style, her head forward til her chin touched her chest, lightly snoring.
Aerin nodded, "Hehe, I'll wake sleeping beauty so we can go." She pulled her self to her feet, her dizziness gone. She bent over Kalin's form, poking her in the shoulder, until she saw something, something familiar.........
"Pan?" Gohan called from where he stood. Sheepishly, the quater-saiyan made her way into the clearing, she came to a halt infront of her father and uncle.
"Pan, what are you doing here? You're supposted to be helping your mother.....are you listening to me?" Pan snapped her gaze from the ground, to her father, and back to her shoes.
"Uh, grandma..."
"Don't look at your grandma, she's not gonna get you out of explaining..."
"I think I'm a witch..."
"Why aren't you...WHAT???"
"Grandma, I think I'm a witch........"
**Dramatic Chord** Well, thats your 11-page long chapter four. This took me over two weeks to write, my computer broke down for two weeks and I've had trouble getting anything done, Gomen nasi to those who waited patiently.
I got to see the Final Fantasy movie on opening day!! I waited for over three hours to see it, but it was worth it!!!
Many thanks to all the regular reviewers, Saiyan Princess Chi-chi, Lady Xnightshade, Reb, Chibi Tenshi Senshi, and all you others. Thanks to you I'll be reaching the twenty review milestone very soon, yeah I so happy!!! Also thanks to Jagged_edge, who I've happily spent many hours IM-ing.
The next chapter should be out sooner than this was, barring unforeseen circumstances. Til chapter four..
~Arcadia Silver