Chapter 5 – Magical Photography

A few blocks and a few more turns led me to a small shop squished between some high rises and cast in the shadows of all the tall buildings behind and in front of it. This was the type of place that was easily looked over. It was no wonder we had missed it in our search.

The windows had heavy black out curtains, likely to aid in the photography taking that was this person's main income. I had no doubt that that they were probably enchanted as well to help keep destruction from untrained children's magic from getting out of hand.

I shrugged and put my cigarette out on the heel of my palm, putting the remaining half in the metal case I kept just for my cigs. No point in wasting half a smoke when they just kept getting more expensive. I walked up and pushed open the heavy wood door. I figured that was just another defense against magic or something. The inside of the shop had decorative panels for pictures set all along the walls and hung in racks where they couldn't find space on the floor. I heard murmuring in the back, so assumed that this person, Ms. Cloud, must have other customers in the back. To keep myself occupied, I decided to look around. Some of these back drops were quite intricate while others where a simple solid color. There had to be a couple hundred just in this room. Who knew how many there were stored in the back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realized anybody came in. Is there something I can help you with sir?" I heard an uncertain voice call out.

"Actually yes. I heard you offer monster magic lessons." I opened, not turning around or knocking down my hood yet as I had left it up.

"That's right. Do you know someone looking at the moment? I don't have any students currently as I just opened recently." She rambled slightly, then caught herself.

"Do you only offer training for children, or just adults as well?"

"Um, well, as I said, I don't have any students at the moment, so I don't see why taking an adult as a student would be a problem." Now she was definitely uncertain.

"Alright." I turned smiling in a somewhat disarming manner, though it usually had an off putting effect with my cracked skull. "How much would these classes cost?" on the last two words my new piercing clicked and pulled on my teeth, messing with the words a bit and causing them to slur slightly.

Her eyes widened as she took in that I was actually a monster, not a human, and took in my face. "Uh, it depends on how much previous training they have." Her eyes never left my face.

"Well, let's quit beating around the bush. I'm the one looking for training and I have no previous training. Due to circumstances I never had access to my magic until certain recent events. Now it keeps flaring up and I need to know how to keep it under control. I can't work when my magic keeps appearing unbidden."

"Hmmm. So since you're an adult and starting at basics, the first lesson will be one-twenty-five and after that they will be seventy-five for each consecutive session. Sessions would be an hour long and at least once a week." She had looked down to a planner book that was laying on the counter and seemed more composed when she wasn't looking at me.

"That sounds reasonable. What times do you have available?" I asked. I had to make sure that it would work with my work schedule.

"Well, I have mornings and evenings open during the week or anytime during the weekend." As she finished, she looked up and jumped a little at seeing I had come over to the counter to examine the planner as well.

"The week days won't work, but I'm free every weekend. What is your earliest time?"

"Well, currently I have seven in the morning as my opening time. Would seven fifteen work for you on Saturdays?"

"Can we do both Saturday and Sunday? I want to get a handle on this as fast as possible. I'm looking at getting into college in the next few months and if I can't control my magic it will make attending a very hard thing."

"Sir, magic training can't be rushed. If it is, the consequences can be quite disastrous, especially amongst adults. That is not to say that I can't work with you two days, but I don't think that two consecutive days would do much."

I sighed deeply and ran a hand over my face, then back over my head, knocking the hood back and showing off even more of the crack that ran over my crown. It looked worse the more you saw because it didn't stop but actually branched out. "Very well, put me down for Saturday mornings at seven then."

"Alright. Can I have your name please?" she asked. The question was normal enough procedure, but the way she looked at me seemed like she was hoping for more.

"Gaster Sans Junior." I told her.

Her eyes went wide and a hand crept up to cover her mouth as her wide eyes started to water.

"You okay girl?" I asked, worried about her reaction. Maybe it was because she had seen the news recently and just realized she had agreed to take on the son of a mass crime boss. "Shit." I muttered under my breath. "Look, if you don't want to take me on it's no biggie. I'll find someone else."

"No, no, that's not it at all. It's just," she paused, eyes not leaving my face. "I never thought that I would find you. And definitely not this fast if I did. I just moved back and this is only my third week being open."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked. The idea that people were already looking for me was not surprising, especially if that temmie monster was still spreading rumors, but she didn't seem to be the type to run in those circles, but you could never be too sure.

"It's Clara. We were best friends as kids. When I moved away we wrote for a while and then at some point I stopped receiving your letters." Her voice dropped as she looked away. "I figured you had just gotten bored with writing to someone you didn't know anymore or something."

My brow furrowed. The name sounded familiar and the mention of writing letters faintly stirred memories, but nothing I could clearly remember. "When was this? I faintly remember things, but nothing is jumping out to me." I explained to her.

"Oh, it was about eleven years ago or so. Oh, I know, here's a picture my mom took of us together. I was going to hang it on the wall behind the desk to remind me of her since she stayed back in Phoenix." She pulled an old photograph from under the counter and handed it over. In it was a small girl that vaguely looked like her now and a small skeleton that I guessed was myself from years ago. In the background I could recognize a fountain in central park.

Laughing I asked, "So that's us? Dang, I actually look kinda cute." I reached out, gently taking the photo from her to look at it closer.

"Yeah, my mom says we were inseparable. I have a few memories from back then and all the letters we exchanged. Whenever I feel I'm forgetting too much, I refer back to them to remind myself why I wanted to come back." She smiled sadly, looking down at the desk with watery eyes.

"I don't have anything to refer back to unfortunately. I have faint memories of having a friend as a kid, but I can't remember much. Your name does sound very familiar though." I offered.

"Didn't you keep any of the letters?" she asked, sounding confused.

"I ended up having a rough time of things for a few years. I've just started getting back on my feet recently. I don't have anything from when I was young." I offered. I didn't want to go into the full details, but felt compelled to share at least a small bit of detail with this girl who shared a past with me.

"Oh." She was at a complete loss for words now and I could see her searching for something to say. "Does you dad have anything somewhere. Actually, how is he? Mom asked me to check on him if I ended up finding either of you."

Well, apparently she hadn't seen the news about my dad. Time to pop that balloon. "He's locked up. We don't really talk anymore. We haven't talked for a few years actually."

"Oh" again, she lost her voice.

"You're just striking out at every turn, sweetheart. Don't try probing too much into my past and just stick to what you remember. It's safer for you that way anyway. If you want more info on my father, check the news. They just bagged him recently so it shouldn't be too hard to find the case and reports." I dodged.

"Um, right. Sure." We just couldn't shake the awkwardness.

I handed back her photo. "So you still cool to give me some training in this magic stuff?" I asked, getting back to the reason I was here. Hopefully it would break the tension and turn the topic away from too personal questions.

"Oh!" she started, jumping and taking back the photo as she snapped out of her own thoughts. "Yeah, Saturday at seven, right?"

"You serious, you're fine training me even though we have this history. You sure you're not cracked in the head?" I made a show of looking around her head.

"Nope, I think that's you." She rolled off easily, then clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I didn't,"

I cut her off with a laugh. "Okay, I walked right into that." I couldn't believe she rattled that off so easily and with a straight face.

She slowly smiled as she realized I wasn't offended. "I have no problem helping you learn to control you're magic." She kept her eyes down as she spoke slowly and carefully. "I chose to offer that service alongside my photography business and I swore I would help whoever came to me. There are too many people who refuse to teach and then turn around and place blame afterward when something goes wrong. Personal matters aside, this is a business transaction and I will treat it as such." That last part had a bit of bite and I had to force myself not to flinch. I know it wasn't directed at me, but it still hurt.

"Well, got any tips for me to get through the week?" I asked, half joking.

"Just breathe. Honestly, three quarters of controlling magic is in controlling your own emotions. If you can control your breathing and keep calm, keeping a hold on your magic so it doesn't flare up will be a piece of cake." She was all smiles again.

I smiled in return, finding her enthusiasm infectious. "You really are passionate about teaching. I think this is gonna work out. Thank you." I offered my hand to shake and close the deal.

She took it and shook, still smiling, until she looked down. Then her smile wavered for a second, almost taking on a melancholy look before returning to forced cheer. "Well, see ya in a week I guess."

"It's a date." I grinned and started toward the door, completely missing the way her face flushed.

"Okay then." There was a loud bang in the back that made both of us jump and she spun around. I heard her groan as a black and white reverse tuxedo cat came flying out of a room. "Fitzgerald! What did you do?" she yelled at the cat and after throwing an unsure glance at me, took off to the room. Outside of it, her shoulders slumped heavily.

"Everything okay?" I called.

"Yeah, he just knocked over some stuff. I'll get it later." She eased the door closed.

"Well, I'll get outta your hair then. Chao." I waved with one hand, pulled my hood back up, and made my way back into the chilly streets outside. The wind had picked up and the thought of calling Harold was extremely enticing, but I shoved it away and forced myself to start walking. It was only four city blocks to the subway, then another four to his apartment when I got off. I could handle the wind. I refused to go completely soft.

When I got home, Harold was up, though still just in boxers and a robe. "Hey man, I finally found a teacher. They're on the other end of town, but pretty cheap. I'll be going to see them every Saturday morning starting next week to start my lessons." I reported as I shed my by now chilled jacket and shoes.

"It's too early to be getting so much done." He groused and wrapped his robe closer to him as he flopped on the couch. He was so lazy on weekends.

"Harold, it's three in the afternoon. The day is over half over, I really didn't get all that much done." I was glad that all the talking with Ms. Cloud had helped me work on my speech. I wanted to keep the new addition to my mouth to myself for now. I figured it would be pretty easy considering most of them didn't even realize that I normally had a conjured tongue to begin with as Harold had pointed out but if I started slurring for no reason, they were sure to catch on pretty quick. Especially Lucy.

"Yeah, but you was up a long time ago. Who gets up that early on the weekend if they don't have to?" he complained. It wasn't like I'd made him get up with me. "And you're just a teen. Seriously, what is wrong with you?"

Remembering the joke from earlier I replied, "I'm cracked in the head, that's what."

"That was horrible."

"But you're smiling." I retorted.

"Yeah, and I hate it." He groused and searched for the tv remote in the couch cushions.

"Have you had food yet?" I asked. I was starved.

"No, I just got up."

"Lazy bones." I quipped.

"Uh huh."

So I set about making pancakes and hash browns. They were a relatively easy breakfast that was filling and tasted good and were good for a meal at any time of the day. Once they were finished I plated the food and set it up on the table in front of the tv and forced a plate onto Harold's lap. He ate without even looking at it as his eyes flickered between awake and sleep, edging more to awake the more he ate.

"Thanks Gaz. That was pretty good. You didn't burn them this time." He laughed.

"Hey, I've been getting better!" I defended.

"Yeah, instead of charcoal flat-bread, I get pancakes. That is great, honest. Though I must say that you could stand to learn a few new recipes, even if my stomach may not survive it."

I nearly stuck my tongue out, but stopped myself and went to my other normal resort and just flipped him off as I gathered the dishes and took them to the sink to be washed. I heard him snort behind me before the tv started blaring the latest on the soccer game for today.

The week both flew and dragged by as I anticipated and worried over how my first magic lesson would go. From the looks from Lucy and Sharron kept throwing me, they were onto my less than legal additions and the lack of magic outbursts were proof enough that something had changed. While I had been improving my control without the new jewelry, the additions certainly helped. My improvements were only to the point of being able to usually dismiss the magic once it was noticed and to summon it on command. The outbursts I couldn't yet control completely, or really at all and the colors I had no clue as to their meaning.

I was reasonably worried about how it would go. Should I wear the inhibitors? Was she any good at magic training? Would I be able to learn enough in the two weeks before I had to leave for school? Finally Saturday came around and I had to go face music.