1

Beginnings

"Hey you get back here you have to pay for that. You cant just take what you want!" Screamed the angry baker. A small girl with a tattered cloak ran past holding a loaf of bread tight to her chest. Marina reached out with her magic and picked the child up with levitation. As the girl struggled to get out of reach of Marina her cloak falls off revealing a girl with short brown almost black hair, wearing a tight navy blue tank top, tight tan pants reaching only just below her knees, socks that overflow a little bit over her sneakers, and oversized gloves. A small boy runs over and sweeps up the cloak and disappears before the girl can oppose him.

"What's your name and why are you stealing food from the baker?" Marina casually asks holding back the angry lug of a baker.

"It's name is Felicia and it's been stealing from me almost everyday!"

"Mink," Marina refers to the baker. "I asked the girl." Marina taps the edge of her glasses as number and letter figures appear only visible to her on the inside of her glass lenses.

Her magic exceeds that of even the scanner and my powers. She could be the key to winning against this evil. I'll put her in the class with three of our stronger students she can learn something from them about her powers I only hope that they'll deal with a child so ignorant of her magic.

"I'll pay for the food she's stolen, and let her answer the questions this time." Marina drops the girl and she lands in a puff of dirt, sitting Indian style with her arms folded across her chest. "What's your name girl?" Marina asks getting a little impatient.

"Look he told you that my names Felicia isn't that good enough for you? And I only steal what I need to survive. If I could pay him I would 'cuz I don't like being chased but I don't have any money." She shoves the bread into her mouth hurriedly piece by piece. Marina puts two gold coins into Minks hands Mink looks down at the two coins and his jaw drops in awe as Marina pulls Felicia to her feet.

"Would you like to come with me were having a ceremony tonight and you can have as much food as you like." Marina smiles softly knowing that this would peak the girls interest. Felicia blinks vigorously.

"You've said the magic words I'll follow you wherever you want." Felicia adds excitedly. Marina nods.

"Good, I still have some shopping to do." The two head off for a small roadside shop filled with candles, incense, wands, and other magical items Felicia looks around and fiddles with a small bag of stones.

"One more thing, why do you want me to come with you anyhow?" Felicia questions. Marina nods again.

"I knew you would ask that. I'm a teacher. I teach people, but mostly children to use the magic they have locked deep inside them. You have a great deal of magic locked inside you and something is going to happen very soon and you may need to be in touch with that magic to save the people you love from a great evil."

"Oh." Felicia sets the small bag of stones back down and just stands pondering as Marina pulls her from shop to shop.