A/N: Hello peeps. Sorry, I know it's been a long time. If anyone wants to look at my megar homepage so far, please do so (www.essenceofoddness.com). Okay, so this is the second chap, please R&R.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. If you don't sure, I'll be your friend. Wink wink I'll give you a dollar. Wink wink. I won't infringe anymore copyright laws. Wink wi—well, maybe not, but…

"Kit, give me a hand with –"

"Yeah, the grill. I know."

Kit Rodriguez traipsed down the stairs, but at the bottom, he was tackled by something large and furry. "Hi, Ponch," he said, scratching the big dog behind the ears.

Can I have a hamburger?

Kit laughed. "Popi is having trouble with the grill again. When I get it lit, ask him if you can have a burger. Until then…"

He let the sentence hang and walked out into the garden. Spring was in the air, in the vibrant green

of the trees, the incessant chatter of the sun-warmed rocks (which he could hear with his wizard's ear), and the swearing of his father as he struggled to light the grill, using some words that not even a wizard could understand.

"Damn thing," said Kit's father, backing away from the grill, moping his sweaty face. "Have a go at it."

Kit probed his memory for the spell that he had used the last spring when his dad was having

trouble with the grill, and began to recite, describing in Speech exactly what he wanted done. Sure enough, as soon as he finished, the grill lighted, and he slumped against a tree, temporarily drained from the wizardry, which had used up some of his personal energy. His father, meanwhile, rushed enthusiastically to the grill and began to cook the hamburgers.

When he had gotten his strength back, Kit walked back into the house to find his sister, Carmela, having a fight with the television. Carmela wasn't a wizard, but she had picked up on the Speech from Kit. Lately, there had been a wizardry leakage in the house; Ponch was discovering new universes,

Carmela was using Speech, and the TV showed alien cable channels from time to time if it got angry at anyone.

At this moment, 'Mela was sitting on a lumpy couch, yelling at the remote, "Go the right effing channel or else, you stupid hunk on silicon!"

Kit rolled his eyes, and was about to point out that the remote wasn't going to do anything until its batteries got replaced, when the phone rang.

Kit's mama picked it up in the kitchen, listened for a moment, and called to Kit, "It's Tom."

Tom Swale and Carl Romeo were the Advisories in Kit's area, the ones who had to help wizards whenever they had a problem. "Kit?" said Tom's voice through the phone.

"Yeah," said Kit, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Listen, I know you and Nita wanted to get started on the Martian project, but could you come over here first? I think I have an assignment for you two. Give her a ring for me, okay?"

"Sure," said Kit, and hung up. I wonder what assignment is so important that we have to get it directly from the Advisories, mused Kit, as he reached out with his mind, trying to connect with Nita.

The bond of a wizardly partnership can be a very strong thing. Kit and Nita had been able to contact each other telepathically, using mindtouch, as wizards called it, ever since they started their Ordeal. Now, they were both a bit out of practice, but, Kit reasoned, still searching for her mind, it was quicker than teleporting to Mars for her. Aha,he thought triumphantly, finally touching Nita's mind.

Nita?

Silence. Kit tried again.

Nita?

This time there was an answer: Mmmh!

That's the greeting I get?

Sorry Kit. You surprised me, that's all. We haven't done this for a while. So, what's up?

Tom and Carl called. They want to talk to us. Pop back and meet me at their place in ten minutes, kay?

Make it five, responded Nita enthusiastically. This atmosphere is giving me a rash. I think I screwed up on the protection spell.

She severed the connection, and Kit, after calling good-bye to his parents, bounded out of his rickety screen door and started on the jog to Tom and Carl's.