Chapter 4b - In which we meet three very strange people
Several hours later, in a student flat in Manchester… "Someone's tapping on the window, I swear it." "Kai, we're four floors up, who would be tapping at the window, superman?" "It could be an owl." "I'll get it." The second, female, voice exclaimed loudly, a split second before the other two. An arm pulled back the curtains from the window, and threw it open wide. Moon-drop buzzed past the arm and continued into the flat. "Moon!" cried the first voice, identified as Kai. "It's mine." "It can't be, if it was for you she would have sent the little guy to your flat." Cried the second voice excitedly. "Jewel, give Kai the letter already," sighed the third voice, male and put-upon. Jewel stood by the window clutching the letter behind her back. Kai stood opposite her, wand drawn. The boy sat at a desk covered with books. "But AJ it's much more fun this way," pouted Jewel. She read the letter aloud, whilst Kai stood pouting at her and generally behaving like a petulant two year old who's favourite toy has just been taken away.
Jewel grinned "Hey guys, blah, blah, blah, wanted to know if we're planning to meet up in the Alley on Saturday? I'll bring Nick, and he can try and stop me from blowing all my money on useless junk. blah, blah. Will you be able to make it? Kai, Jewel, AJ, Josh, Remi, Alex and Wil. LYL Tairra xxx P.S. I had another one, this year is going to be very, very interesting!"
Kai swore. "Oh fuck. She's had another dream. We're screwed. Do you think there's anyway we can talk to her now? I mean, we can't phone but, oh, there has to be a way." "Calm down Kai, she's been having the dreams for years and no one's died yet. 'Sides, we're gonna meet her on Saturday right?" AJ told the distressed girl who had started pacing. Ignoring him, she continued walking up and down the corridor frantically muttering under her breath. "She could've stayed with me, I'd look after her, but no, she has to go and be born one of only two w'amphrii's on the planet. And she's the only one who can truly prophesise the comings. Damnit! we're gonna end up dead soon enough. I need to talk to her Now." Kai finished her tirade and headed for the door. AJ jumped from his seat to grab her, but Jewel got there first. She grasped Kai's shoulder and spun her around, then pinned her to the door in one swift movement. Inhuman strength pressed into Kai's shoulder, effectively numbing it, and rendering her arm useless, all without pain, Jewel had been practising. "Don't run off half-cocked Kai, we're gonna see her on Saturday anyway. That's only a few days away, you can mull over the consequences in the mean-time, and talk to yourself all week until you know exactly what to say. Your girl will be fine, Alex won't let any harm come to his baby-sister, nor will Wil, he won't let family get hurt, and Nick'll be doing his best too if he knows she's had another one. Josh and Re will be the same, she's practically family to them as well, and their closer to her than us. And I'm sure you'll find some long distance spell that'll help her. AJ and me will help too of course, but you've gotta calm down." Jewel let go of Kai's arm, and two sets of concerned eyes watched her rub the feeling back into her arm. "I really wish you wouldn't do that J. It always gives me pins and needles." Kai sighed and trudged back to the table and scrawled a reply on the paper. She turned it over, and then back. "Alex and Wil haven't seen this yet, it'd better go straight on to them." She handed the paper to Moon-drop and then whispered to him. He zoomed off through the window and into the afternoon sunshine. She sighed loudly and looked at the others. "I'm gonna get all this bloody work out of the way, so I won't worry about it when I'm with Tairra." She sighed again and turned to the table. "I just have five essays and a practical to do, it'll be done in no time." She sighed again and picked up a quill and a scroll of parchment and set to work. Jewel and AJ grinned behind her and walked to the table, sitting down and proceeding to get on with their work too.