HELLO PEOPLE OF THE EARTH. No, I'm just high off finals ending, but depressed. *sigh* I'm having a bipolar moment.
Anyways! This is my first story that's going to be beta-ed by my awesome new beta, Mint Pizza Queen! Hopefully this turns my stories to the better. (I almost said to the side of the Force. TOO MUCH SCI FI INDULGENCE.)
This story features a large cast of characters, very few of which are mine. Let's name them! Rachel Catherine Marks, Perry and Marlena Halliwell, Pansy Halliwell, Priscilla Halliwell... Yeah. Maybe one or two others.
Disclaimer: Shit. If Charmed were mine, don't you think I'd be busy writing a spin off for Chris and Wyatt?
The teenage girl swore quietly as she fell on the ground, cursing her slow feet for not responding, not moving fast enough. Attempting to get up again, the girl swore once more as she realized that her ankle was twisted. Throwing slightly fearful glances over her shoulder, the girl dragged herself into the corner of the alleyway and called quietly. "Dad… This would be a good time…" She heard a thump. "Dad! This would be a really good time!" she hissed.
The teen sighed in relief as the familiar blue orbs condensed into the shape of a man, around forty years old. Brown eyes took in the blonde haired teenager sitting on the grimy floor, face smudged and dirty. A wry smile appeared on the man's lips. "What have you gotten yourself into this time, dear?"
"Nothing bad, dad," The teenager smirked. "Now can we please get out of here?"
The older man nodded, holding his hand out to his daughter and pulling her to her feet gently. The girl winced and shifted her weight onto her right leg. Her father resisted the urge to laugh, despite his daughter's pain. This was her third injury in two weeks. "You need to stop hurting yourself."
"Then I need to stop being attacked," the girl retorted sharply, although she didn't mean to. The pain from her ankle was making her irate.
"Touché." Father and daughter dissolved into blue orbs, leaving behind a dirty alleyway.
-o-o-o-
As soon as the orbs had disappeared, Rachel Marks collapsed onto the couch and put her sprained left ankle up. "Daddy," she whined, "Please? It's starting to hurt a lot more." She knew her dad wouldn't ignore her pouting. It worked every time.
Simon Marks smiled at his daughter. She was unexpected, and yet he wouldn't change that for anything. He walked over to the couch and held his hands over Rachel's ankle. Rachel sighed in relief as the familiar golden glow flooded out of her father's hands. The glow died a few moments later, and Rachel smiled, relieved.
"Better?"
"Definitely," The blonde haired, brown eyed teenager got up slowly. "Sorry I took you from your meeting."
"I'd rather make sure my girl was okay." Simon kissed the girl's forehead and hugged her tightly. "Rachel, dear. I have some news."
"Erm. What kind of news would this be?" Rachel pulled away from her father abruptly, staring at him with slight panic in her brown eyes.
"I was talking to Gideon, remember him? The Elder who runs Magic School?" Simon waited for his daughter's nod before continuing. "He thought it would be good for you to maybe…" Simon bit his lip.
"Maybe what, dad? What?" Rachel pressed.
Simon let out a breath. "That maybe you should attend Magic School." He saw Rachel starting to protest and grabbed her hands. "No, just hear me out. I've been doing my best to train you, Rachel, but I don't know everything." He sighed. "You need to be around kids your age, not stuck with your old man."
"You aren't old, dad," Rachel pulled her hands out of her father's and hugged him again. "Would I still be able to see you?" Rachel was intrigued by the idea, but wanted to know more.
"I'd try to come and see you as much as possible. If you have a holiday, maybe you can come home for a bit." Simon smiled lovingly at his daughter.
"Or I can just orb home for dinner every night." Rachel grinned slyly, before Simon smacked her lightly on the arm. "What?"
"We both know that you can barely control that."
"I'm getting better! I am fourteen, after all." Rachel smirked. "Or I could…"
"No." Simon hugged his only child tighter. "You know you can't tell anybody about that."
"Doesn't the school have defensives? Will it like, kick me out or something? I don't want to have to orb myself while I'm falling or getting electrocuted or something of that nature."
"No, no. You're good, Rachel. No matter whom your mother was or what she's done." Simon's eyes glazed over for a second. Blinking rapidly, the witch-whitelighter beamed at Rachel again. "Now, go. Pack up. I'll drop you off tonight. Apparently the term starts next week, but I want you to get settled and know where you're going." Simon snickered. "We don't want you getting lost again, like last time I tried to send you to a magical school. How long were you stuck in that closet?"
"Nyeh!" Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "For the record, it was NOT a closet, it was a classroom! An abnormally small classroom!" she grumbled.
"Whatever you say, Rachel." Simon smiled at Rachel. "Go get cleaned up. You have a smudge…" Simon paused, trying not to laugh. Rachel had dirt smudges all over her arms, neck, and face. "Um. Go shower."
"Yes Dad." Rachel grinned, orbing up to her room. Simon's knees gave out, and he landed on the couch with a sigh.
-o-o-o-
Rachel let the warm water run over her, breathing in the wet steam. She was scared; scared but excited to be going. On one hand, she was terrified. She hadn't really been around people who were the same age as her, and it had always just been her and her dad.
But on the other hand, it was Magic School. She'd be able to have some privacy there (Simon rarely left her alone; she'd usually end up in tight situations and he'd just continue to tell her 'I told you so'), and she'd meet new people. That would be cool. She was eager too; eager to learn new spells, new potions, and how to control her powers.
Maybe she'd find someone who'd accept her for what she was. She shook her head. That was a longed for dream.
That's exactly what it was, though. A dream, an impossible dream that filled the emptiness inside. Who would want to spend time with a half demon, anyways?
Apparently, the group of demons that had been attacking her over the past year. She had heard her dad talking to Paige Matthews a couple days ago about it. From what she gleaned by hiding in the closet (she really hated closets), the group was connected to the mother Rachel never knew. As soon as Paige had orbed away, however, Simon had crossed over to the closet and upon throwing open the door, out came a guilty looking teenager after falling off the stacked suitcases onto the carpet. He had yelled at her about the importance of not spying and all that crap. Rachel had tuned it out, not really paying attention until he had yelled that she was going to end up just like her mother.
Oh, had her heart plummeted. If her father hadn't heard the strangled groan that emitted from the teen's throat and figured out how much that hurt her, then surely her disappearing with tears running down her face did. She didn't come home till late that night. Incredibly late, with her hair looking like a crow's nest, her arms and face streaked with mud and dirt and blood.
Rachel cut off the shower. She was done thinking about this.
IT'S SIMON MARKS! I don't know, I just found his character freaking hilarious and had to put him in here. Yeah, I'll be making lots of obscure references in here. Whoever guesses right gets a shoutout next chappie and a virtual cookie! WHOOO VIRTUAL COOKIE! This chapter: What episode did we first see Simon in?
Obviously, a ginormous virtual cookie and hug go to my beta, Mint Pizza Queen. She helped me with figuring out some stuff! LOVEEE YOOOOU!
I'm absolutely high off this being my second to last day of school. CHEERS!
Review please!
(And yes, next chapter I shall be starting up the end of chapter character chats. If you want to bother Simon or Rachel with meaningless questions, they'll answer them!)
Rachel: WHY are you having readers send us meaningless questions? I feel offended.
Me: Don't be offended, dear Rachie. O.o Uh oh. We're both Rachel.
Rachel: Smart one.