If anyone reviewed me, thank you. Now, the final chapter in my seemingly incredible and dramatic story. This story's been an adventure to write, and I thank everyone who read it and joined me on the adventure. (Bowing) Enjoy this last chapter, and please review. If enough people demand it, there may well be a sequel. But I need you, my readers, to make it happen. (Even if you don't, I will.) Enjoy.

Chapter 10: Teal Cloaks, Tea Cups, and Speculative Gossip
Later, that same afternoon, Marie's grandmother sat with her gossips around a table at a cafe, sipping tea with the rest of them as they discussed the fiasco at Notre Dame.

"I never would have put it past that child to do what he did," said one, "That Tobias is the son of one of the best-known witch hunters, you know."

"Serves them both right, I say," said another, "but it's the queerest thing: Marietta tells me they searched the whole church over for Tobias but found only a baby lying in a black robe too big for him."

"That's just what comes of delving into Black magic with no knowledge of the consequences," said a third, "it must have backfired. If I'm not mistaken, Marietta said the boy's own snake bit him comatose."

"Well, I for one," said the next, "am of the opinion that any child who bewitches pets against their masters is not trustworthy." A wise younger woman glanced at Marie's grandmother, Marietta.

"What does Marietta say?" she said so they'd hear her, "She lives in the environment in question, and saw everything with her Gift. We have always trusted her judgment. What do you say, Marietta?" The others quieted themselves. Marietta sipped her tea thoughtfully before speaking. Then she calmly put her cup down and spoke slowly and clearly.

"If there was any bewitching on any pet," she began, "it was all the doing of the boy himself. He used his own snake as an instrument against the witch's pet. She was his icon, his trademark of what he was out to do. He took care of her like any pet, but what he lacked was love for his pet. If he'd cared about his pet anywhere near as much as the witch did for hers, the snake surely would not have turned on him." She took another sip of tea.

"As for the matter of the babe," she continued, "Leilani was correct: The boy's magic did, indeed, backfire on him. I've learned many things in my years of magic, and one of them is this: There are enough variations of Black magic to make your heads spin, and one of them is Revenge Black Magic. Tobias, in a nutshell, sold his past life for the power to wreak his vengeance on the witch who'd driven his father insane. The way the spell worked was he would be granted immeasurable power for his mission. If he'd succeeded in killing the girl, he would have kept his power and his past life; that is, his memories, personality, thoughts, feelings, ambitions, even his literal life. Of course, if he failed, which he did, he would pay the price of his past life and be reborn a baby as naked and helpless as the day he was first born, his entire memory wiped from his mind. This is exactly what happened. Now he'll grow to be a whole different boy. He'll have no recollection of his first life, and he'll have no Dark power, for when he paid his life, he also surrendered his magic." The other women thought and murmured on this.

"But who is taking care of him?" the second one asked.

"The boy's mother came to pick him up," Marietta smiled, "The archdeacon admonished her to raise him far away from magic. They are to live here in Paris." They all sipped. There was no doubt they'd remember his attack, but for everyone's sakes, they would never utter a word about it to him or anyone else. There were some things best left untold to the innocent.

"Extraordinary children, those Teen Titans," said the young wiser woman named Galani as she smiled, "They are like a family to themselves. Never have I seen such a dedicated friendship. And that blonde young man, the witch's brother—"

Beside Marietta, a teal-colored-cloaked figure was having tea with them, but had said nothing. The figure's eyes snapped wide open as Galani finished, "—the way he fought for his sister brought tears to my eyes." The figure's olive-skinned (that's pale, right?) hands put her cup down gently. Her anime-drawn eyes, as teal as her cloak, (and as her hair, which went down her thighs) quivered as she looked at Galani on Marietta's right.

"The brother wizard is a blonde, you say?" she asked quietly yet urgently, "They are brother and sister?"

Unlike Marietta, Galani was surprised to hear her voice. She was sharply reminded of an angel.

"Yes," she answered, flustered, "The witch that nearly died had long, brown hair and green eyes. Her brother fought Tobias tooth and nail to save her. They are with the Teen Titans. Did you not know any of this?"

"Where are they?" the teal woman ignored her last question and asked with sudden emotion in her voice, "Where do they live? I must know."

"They live in Jump City, in America!" Galani told her, "Is something wrong?" The woman stood and laid a franc on the table.

"Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle," she bowed, "and thank you for the tea, Marietta. I am sorry, but I must go."

Then she quickly left as swift, as silent, and as lithe as a cat, her feet blurred like a Jedi when they use the Force to run. Her thigh-length teal hair flew behind her as her hood fell back to reveal her naturally pale face (not too pale, mind you; an attractive pale). You wouldn't think a woman could run like that in high heels, but hers had straps that kept them to her feet. Whatever it took, she had to find the Teen Titans.

THE
END

Author's Review:
Well! I finally got an ending I could be satisfied with! I couldn't be happier with it! I think it's awesome! But what do y'all think? Good? Great? Not? Anyone dying to know who this teal-cloaked woman is? She was inspired by Sailor Neptune, but her hair is straight, as opposed to Sailor Neptune's fluffy. Other than that, she's just about the spitting image. If you review, I'll write a sequel! L8R, gators!

Yours,
-samuraistar