Disclaimer: Characters off BtVS belong to Joss Whedon etc, not to me.
Authors note: Sorry I took so long. I'm running out of ideas for this story. If there's anything anyone would like me to write into it please suggest it.
OK, I've skipped a couple of months ahead, just so the kids aren't going to stay 5 forever.
CHAPTER 21 Giles smiled approvingly down at Tara. The child was progressing well in her magickal studies. He expected it would not take her more than a few months longer to catch up with Willow.
Willow had more power than Tara, but it had still taken her almost four months to learn what Tara had in two. But to be fair to Willow, Tara had been at a more advanced stage when Giles had started teaching her. The two girls were probably about even really.
Giles shook his head at himself. He really must stop comparing the two to each other. It wasn't fair to them.
"You can put the cup down now," he told Tara. "We've done enough for today"
Tara gratefully stopped levitating the cup. It was way harder to keep steady than a pencil, and she kept getting distracted. She didn't know how Willow could manage it so easily.
"Can I go get ready for the party?" she asked excitedly. It was Buffy's birthday and they were all going to have a party this evening, to celebrate.
"Of course," Giles said, smiling at her excitement. "You don't have to get permission for things like that, remember"
Giles was trying to break Tara of the habit of always asking if she could do things. A magick user needed to think for their self, to know if they should or should not do something.
Tara grinned at him. "I know" she said, "I just forgot."
She ran off to find the others and get ready.
Giles looked after her. The child's confidence was really improving. When she had arrived here she had practically never spoken unless someone asked her something. Now, she was turning into a right chatterbox around people she knew. As far as he was concerned this was a very good thing. He had been slightly nervous that Tara would not become friendly with the other children, that her shyness would prevent them from becoming good friends. But once she had been around for a few weeks her confidence had gradually built and she had forged a strong bond with the group, especially Kendra.
That had surprised him. Kendra had withdrawn from the group in recent months, and had been spending much time alone, or practicing with Sam Zabuto. To Giles it seemed like the girl was uncomfortable with so many people around. She had been withdrawing ever since the arrival of Willow, nearly a year ago.
But the shy young witch and the quietest of the Potentials had been playing together. He suspected that Kendra was teaching Tara some use of weapons and Tara showing Kendra some of her skills in magick.
Normally he would have discouraged such exhibition, but he found the two seemed to be helping the other in both their learning and finding their place in the little gang, so he had to approve.
Tara ran excitedly to find Kendra. "I did it!" she exclaimed proudly. "I floated the cup and I didn't drop it once!"
Levitation was the hardest thing she had learnt yet. She'd been practicing for ages, and today was the first time she'd actually managed to do it without losing control.
Tara grinned. Today was a good day. She had a party to look forward to tonight, and she'd finally managed to float the cup.
"Go you!" Kendra grinned back at her.
Kendra was glad that Tara had come to study here in Traverston. Tara was a little calmer than all the others, and didn't have as much fun getting into trouble.
Kendra had been finding that the tricks she and the others played on people hadn't been as fun as they used to. She guessed that the fact they got found out a lot more might have something to do with that. Since the gang was getting pretty large now it was harder for them to hide themselves, and to do things without people noticing. A gang of five- year old kids running around giggling isn't exactly an easy thing to miss.
She missed when it had just been her, Faith and Buffy. Ever since all the others had arrived she had felt left out.
Not that she didn't like the others or anything. They were all her friends, she just didn't really have a best friend any more. She was a little lonely. Even though there were really more people than ever around.
"You coming to get ready?" Tara asked her friend, bouncing a little in excitement at the thought of the evening. Tara had never been to many kid's parties, but she had loved every single one she had been to. The last had been Willow's 5th birthday, and they had had a lot of fun. She couldn't remember any time she'd had much more fun.
"Yep!" Kendra said. She was excited too. She enjoyed parties, and really liked the ice-cream that Giles got in whenever it was theirs. It was yummy. And they didn't get sweet stuff that much because Giles said it was bad for them. Kendra didn't see how that could be true. Brussels sprouts tasted icky, so they should be bad for you. Sweet things were good. Yet Giles made them eat yucky vegetables and said they were good.
The two raced each other back home, eager to get ready and wrap Buffy's present.
Authors note: Argh, I really am not happy with where I'm ending this chapter, or how. But if I put the whole thing in one chap it would probably be another month or so until you get the next one, not to mention really long. So I'll post this one now, and write the next one, which is on the same day, about the party, hopefully not in the too distant future.
Authors note: Sorry I took so long. I'm running out of ideas for this story. If there's anything anyone would like me to write into it please suggest it.
OK, I've skipped a couple of months ahead, just so the kids aren't going to stay 5 forever.
CHAPTER 21 Giles smiled approvingly down at Tara. The child was progressing well in her magickal studies. He expected it would not take her more than a few months longer to catch up with Willow.
Willow had more power than Tara, but it had still taken her almost four months to learn what Tara had in two. But to be fair to Willow, Tara had been at a more advanced stage when Giles had started teaching her. The two girls were probably about even really.
Giles shook his head at himself. He really must stop comparing the two to each other. It wasn't fair to them.
"You can put the cup down now," he told Tara. "We've done enough for today"
Tara gratefully stopped levitating the cup. It was way harder to keep steady than a pencil, and she kept getting distracted. She didn't know how Willow could manage it so easily.
"Can I go get ready for the party?" she asked excitedly. It was Buffy's birthday and they were all going to have a party this evening, to celebrate.
"Of course," Giles said, smiling at her excitement. "You don't have to get permission for things like that, remember"
Giles was trying to break Tara of the habit of always asking if she could do things. A magick user needed to think for their self, to know if they should or should not do something.
Tara grinned at him. "I know" she said, "I just forgot."
She ran off to find the others and get ready.
Giles looked after her. The child's confidence was really improving. When she had arrived here she had practically never spoken unless someone asked her something. Now, she was turning into a right chatterbox around people she knew. As far as he was concerned this was a very good thing. He had been slightly nervous that Tara would not become friendly with the other children, that her shyness would prevent them from becoming good friends. But once she had been around for a few weeks her confidence had gradually built and she had forged a strong bond with the group, especially Kendra.
That had surprised him. Kendra had withdrawn from the group in recent months, and had been spending much time alone, or practicing with Sam Zabuto. To Giles it seemed like the girl was uncomfortable with so many people around. She had been withdrawing ever since the arrival of Willow, nearly a year ago.
But the shy young witch and the quietest of the Potentials had been playing together. He suspected that Kendra was teaching Tara some use of weapons and Tara showing Kendra some of her skills in magick.
Normally he would have discouraged such exhibition, but he found the two seemed to be helping the other in both their learning and finding their place in the little gang, so he had to approve.
Tara ran excitedly to find Kendra. "I did it!" she exclaimed proudly. "I floated the cup and I didn't drop it once!"
Levitation was the hardest thing she had learnt yet. She'd been practicing for ages, and today was the first time she'd actually managed to do it without losing control.
Tara grinned. Today was a good day. She had a party to look forward to tonight, and she'd finally managed to float the cup.
"Go you!" Kendra grinned back at her.
Kendra was glad that Tara had come to study here in Traverston. Tara was a little calmer than all the others, and didn't have as much fun getting into trouble.
Kendra had been finding that the tricks she and the others played on people hadn't been as fun as they used to. She guessed that the fact they got found out a lot more might have something to do with that. Since the gang was getting pretty large now it was harder for them to hide themselves, and to do things without people noticing. A gang of five- year old kids running around giggling isn't exactly an easy thing to miss.
She missed when it had just been her, Faith and Buffy. Ever since all the others had arrived she had felt left out.
Not that she didn't like the others or anything. They were all her friends, she just didn't really have a best friend any more. She was a little lonely. Even though there were really more people than ever around.
"You coming to get ready?" Tara asked her friend, bouncing a little in excitement at the thought of the evening. Tara had never been to many kid's parties, but she had loved every single one she had been to. The last had been Willow's 5th birthday, and they had had a lot of fun. She couldn't remember any time she'd had much more fun.
"Yep!" Kendra said. She was excited too. She enjoyed parties, and really liked the ice-cream that Giles got in whenever it was theirs. It was yummy. And they didn't get sweet stuff that much because Giles said it was bad for them. Kendra didn't see how that could be true. Brussels sprouts tasted icky, so they should be bad for you. Sweet things were good. Yet Giles made them eat yucky vegetables and said they were good.
The two raced each other back home, eager to get ready and wrap Buffy's present.
Authors note: Argh, I really am not happy with where I'm ending this chapter, or how. But if I put the whole thing in one chap it would probably be another month or so until you get the next one, not to mention really long. So I'll post this one now, and write the next one, which is on the same day, about the party, hopefully not in the too distant future.