Hey again. Updates and tidbits at the bottom. ^_^V Thanks for reading!
At any rate, here comes the *gasp* PLOT! (In actuality, it's been here all
along. BWAHA!)
Enjoy. I want 20 more reviews (even if from the same ol' people) before I
update again, pretty please? (That's a total of 65)
disclaimer-time! I don't own any of the characters portrayed in this
story, those and part of the overall plot belong to the beloved Diane Duane and
Harcourt publishing, as I understand it. I do this out of love for her work, and
as it is non-profit and for sole enjoyment of her fans, I ask that you don't go
vindictive on my butt and sue me into the next existence. Thankies!
/disclaimer
------------------------------
"Okay," Nita sighed at last. "Shall we try
it?"
"Yeah," Kit said after checking the variables one
last time. "I think we're ready. It's getting easier to do this, don't you
think? Though the problems are getting more complex."
"Carl and Tom said we'd find our 'groove'
eventually," Nita agreed, pulling out her rowan wand.
Kit pulled out the old rusty TV antenna he always used for
his wand. While Nita's specialty was anything growing and especially green,
Kit's happened to be in all things mechanical. Of course, Nita had changed her
wand out a couple times as its energy was sapped, but Kit's held up under the
elements, with occasional plugs of power.
With a quick look at each other, they began to spell, drawing
out their diagrams on the grassy bank of the Provo River, near Kamas, Utah.
Stringing out long sets of syllables in the Speech, they started in on the basic
overview of the spell before going in to detail the specific components,
matching each others pace perfectly, a result of their longtime wizarding
partnership.
Kit came briefly out of his trance to glance at Nita. She's
so beautiful. Suddenly, he found himself stumbling over the syllables as his
heart spasmed.
Nita slowed, waiting for Kit to catch up, ignoring the sick
feeling in her stomach. Probably shouldn't have eaten so much of Carmela's...
whatever-it-was. She held a hand out to her partner. C'mon, Kit. Relax, she
sent to him, though she was far from relaxed herself as their hands touched.
Sorry, Kit muttered mentally, picking up in the spell
where Nita had leisurely continued.
Finally, they came to the final wizard's knot tying the spell
off and setting it to work. He took Nita's other hand in his, and spoke with her
the final touches. "So mote it be!"
The spell, the diagrams, the entire stream flared to light
briefly, a signal that the spell had taken. It hadn't been difficult convincing
the stream to go along with the spell--the Provo, all of the rivers of Utah and
the mid-United States, in fact... they were all worried about their wild fish
populations, and willing to do something about it.
"Wait till the fisherman and researchers see this!"
Nita grinned, the adrenaline from the spell still pulsing through her veins as
she "felt" the death in the stream receeding, slowly but surely.
Kit still hadn't let go of her hands. "They'll be either
ecstatic, or completely confused."
"Probably both," Nita said, blushing. She abruptly
doubled over with pain.
"Neets?" Kit asked, unsure. "Are you okay?
What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure," Nita panted, biting her lip at the
pain shooting through her stomach like nails. "Hurts," she choked,
falling to her knees.
"Neets!" Kit cried, catching her arms to steady
her. "We need to get you home."
"I wouldn't suggest it," a voice said quietly.
Kit spun around. "You!"
The Lone Power stepped softly through the grass toward the
pair. "You've ruined yet another lovely plan, children." He knelt
beside Kit and Nita, brushing back the girl's hair almost tenderly. "And
now, if you move her, how do you know you won't be giving her to me sooner than
expected?"
Kit dragged Nita backwards, finding his partner completely
unconscious. "Get away from her," he growled, with more bravery than
he felt just now.
The Lone Power held up his hands, offended. "You think I
did this?"
"Didn't you?" Kit queried, pulling Nita closer. Please,
Neets, you have to wake up. I need you...
"Of course not," the Lone One replied, standing and
brushing off his jeans. Kit was surprised not only by his answer, but by his
form: that of the man he and Nita had first seen during their Ordeal, but
instead of a business suit wearing jeans, a Grateful Dead T-shirt and hightops.
Hightops? That's it. I'm burning mine. "Well,
then, how do you know moving her will complicate whatever she has?"
"I don't," the Lone One admitted, further startling
Kit. "But I am merely making a suggestion."
"Of course," Kit said skeptically. "Well, I'm
just going to have to chance it. And if we see you again, it'll be too
soon."
"Who knows," he answered, smiling, though it never
reached his eyes.
He seems so much more different this time. Stranger,
almost helpful. Well, I know what his help means. Kit shivered, and grabbed
his necklace, pulling on the bead that would take them to Nita's house.
Nita came to just outside her home, shaking her head and
waking to find herself in Kit's lap. She blushed furiously, wincing at the
soreness in her stomach. "What happened?"
Kit's eyes held more than a little fear in them as he hugged
her fiercely. "You suddenly collapsed, screaming, and..." Should I
tell her? Do I really need to worry her? He looked at her questioning face. But
miscommunication is what got us into the last mess. "The Lone
One showed up."
"What?" Nita hissed, gripping Kit's arm a
little more tightly than she'd intended. "Why?"
Kit shook his head. "I'm not sure. He told me not to
move you in case... I think in case you
died. And commented on us screwing another of his precious plans, and then
denied having anything to do with whatever it is that caused you such pain. And
I said 'if we see you again, it'll be too soon', and he said 'who knows', and he
was dressed in jeans and hightops."
"Hightops?" Nita repeated, staring at him like he'd
grown an extra head.
"I swear it," Kit replied, standing and helping her
up. "Are you okay now? You had me scared to death."
Nita blushed. "Um... I think I know what it was. I need
to go talk to my mom for a sec, though."
"Sure," Kit said worriedly, and watched her go
inside. Powers, please let her be okay. It can't be something like cancer, it
just can't. Powers, don't take her from me... not before I've gotten to
say my piece...
Nita came out a half-hour later with a hot water bottle
pressed against her stomach. "I'm fine."
"What was it, Neets?" Kit asked anxiously,
following her toward the Rowan tree spanning her backyard and into its branches.
"It was..." she blushed hotly again.
"Well..."
"Nita, you're driving me insane!" Kit wailed, fear
and irritation battling across his worried mind.
"It was my period, okay?!" Nita blurted. "Mom
got really bad cramps when she was a kid, and that's what it was."
Kit had the grace to blush. "You passed out,
though," he pointed out, turning his back to her to hide his embarrassment.
"Yeah, well... Maybe it has something to do with
spellworking during... yeah."
Kit stared hard at the leaves in front of him making their
way lazily to Liused's leaf pattern below. "I'm sorry. I'll..." He
hopped down from the tree. "God, I feel stupid now."
"Why?" Nita asked, joining him. "You had no
way of knowing, really."
"Carmela's never passed out like that. I though you were
going to die..." that word threatened to suffocate him. "If I lost
you... I don't know what I'd do."
Nita blushed further, unable to speak.
It's getting harder to do wizardry with her, Kit
realized. I keep worrying about her feelings, about my feelings for her...
just like this last time. How many times has that happened? It's dangerous, not
being able to work with your partner fully. I feel like I'm holding back.
"I have to go," he muttered, walking off, not bothering to use a
spell.
Should I follow him? Nita wondered, indecision making
her sick inside, in addition to the stomach pains threatening to come back. She
chased after him at last. "Kit, wait." As she grew level with him, she
couldn't help noticing the hunted look that still hadn't left his eyes.
"Mom's going to take me to the doctor, just in case."
Kit looked startled. "Ew... doesn't that mean..."
"Yeah. My first gynecologist appointment. Not fun."
"My sympathies." Kit flashed her a quick smile he
didn't quite feel, then turned on his heel and stomped off toward home.
~
"Oh, honestly," Nita muttered, rubbing her
stomach absently as she watched him leave. "Why now?" Things were
just getting good...
Dairine tromped down the steps, letting the screen door slam
behind her with a BANG. Nita ached for that bang to be accompanied by a small
moan and something surprising, and a floating ball of light...
"Hm. Kit leave already?" Dairine was rifling around
in Liused's leaf pattern.
"Hey! Dair', you can't do that! You're messing up the
entire process!" Nita rushed forward to grab her sister.
Dairine simply side-stepped Nita, who almost went crashing
into the leaf pattern herself. "I need them for a spell."
"What kind of spell? It can't require you to destroy
Liused's hard work!" Nita immediately sent a wave of profound apology to
her long-time botanical friend.
Dairine shrugged. "That's none of your business. Now
hasn't Kit asked you out yet? I figured that's what was making you so
huffy." She scooped up more leaves.
"Dair'," Nita growled, pushing her sister as
far from the pattern as possible in their yard. "You of all people should
know that Kit and I are just friends. Partners. Comprendé?"
"Well, at any rate, you might want to check your status
in the manual. Something very interesting, I must say," Dairine
responded loftily, cradling her leaves to her chest and sneering as she
effortlessly evaporated.
"Show off," Nita muttered, wishing for that kind of
power again, and flicked her hand into her claudication, yanking out her manual
and flipping to the section in the back, where wizard statistics were displayed.
CALLAHAN, Juanita L.
243 E. Clinton Avenue
Hempsted, NY 11575
(516) 555-6786
power rating: 7.02 +/- .5
status: active
assignment: subject classification withheld, in partnership
(see RODRIGEZ, Christopher)
period: indeterminate
Nita stared. That last time her assignment classification
had been "withheld", she'd been on a quest to save her mother from the
tumor taking over her brain. Classification being withheld did not bode well at
all. But at least this time she wasn't alone. However, the assignment indicator
had never actually said "in partnership" before, let alone with whom.
Nita sent a tentative tendril of thought to Kit. Kit?
Embarrasedly, Here.
Take a look in the manual. At my status. Yours, too.
A long pause, then sudden surprise. Kit paused again as Nita
shifted anxiously, shivering in the sudden wind. Finally, Kit said hurriedly, I'll
be right over.
The roiling feeling in Nita's stomach was back even as Kit
appeared at her side. "Looks like we owe Carl and Tom a visit."
Then the rain began to fall.
---------------------------------
Heheh. Not as much of a cliffhanger as I was GOING to do, but I felt a bit bad
about my plans. Anyway, yeah, that's the introduction of some of the plot, so
watch out! I'll try not to let this get too scary/angsty etc., cause that's just
silliness. But expect some fun and some frolic and some tragedy and some closure
for all you fluffers.
Thanks SO much for reviewing! I'm looking for another 20 before I post again,
somewhere around 65 reviews. If anyone wants to get in contact with me, I'd love
to chitchat or whatever. My AIM name is: cerenacat.
And, just for GinnyWPotter... It's the tidbits!
Nita: *looking a bit skeptical in her swimsuit, shifts* Um...
Kit: *walking in, in trunks* Why...?
Kenz: No! SHHHH! You'll ruin the suspense!!!!!
Kit: *stare*
Nita: *stare* Erm...
Kit: Hey, Director-Chick... could you explain why we're doing this?
Kenz: *off in her own world* For my wonderful wonderful FANS! They LIKE me! They
really LIKE me!!
Nita: Wrong. They like us.
Kenz: *glares and summons Authorly power*
Kit: *clamps a hand over Nita's mouth*
Kenz: *points* Get in. NOW.
Nita and Kit: *obediently get in the gigantic bowl of lime jello*
Kenz: Now... um... eat yer way out.
Nita: *drowning*
Kit: *gagging*
Kenz: *sweatdrop* Ahem... that's okay! We'll just do a sidestory on Ronan till
they recover! Heheheh... heh... hehhh...
So yeah, expect illustrations next round. Woot! And thanks to LoudMouthJoey for
putting me in his favorite stories section! See ya' in a few!
3,
- MKD 9.5.02