This Chapter is by far the shortest, and took the longest to write. What a combo. I needed this chapter to end where it did, or I would NEVER have gotten it out. So I hope everyone likes it! REMEMBER TO COMMENT!
Chapter 9: Makeup
The fire blazed for almost an hour before we decided to leave. The other wolves had joined Jacob. Their plan was to scatter the ashes in the woods. A few even decided to keep some of the ashes as mementos. Jacob declined. I think imprinting on Renesmee had made him soft about his treatment of vampires, and the ashes smelled really bad.
Our car ride was quick and silent. Edward sped home as fast as he could. We kept the windows rolled up tight. The sun beat down on the windows, holding us prisoner in the sanctuary of our vehicle. I kept wondering about the Voultri. If they were really after us again, could we avoid an inevitable fight? With as many Voultri members as there is, and as many 'Cullens' as we have, there was bound to be casualties, on both sides. After being so close to my family, I couldn't't imagine life without any of them. I could tell by looking at Edward, that he was thinking the same thing. Before we moved to Marks, the family had a discussion about splitting up. Having some of us claim to be newlyweds and living in the next town or so. It would help keep the number of new students in school down. We had, of course, decided against it. The only solution that I can think of now, would be to move again. But if we're being spied on, is there anywhere we could move?
We pulled into our house. The sun was still fairly high in the sky. We walked in calmly, so we wouldn't scare Renesmee. We looked around and spotted Alice and Jasper sitting in the living. Jasper was keeping the house atmosphere calmed. They looked up at us.
"What happened?" Alice asked, she tried to sound worried and anxious, but Jasper kept the question sounding curious.
"Vampires were spying on Jacob and his pack. They attacked us." I whispered.
"They also knew everything about us. They have been spying on us also." Edward stated, calmly.
"We can't hide from the Voultri." Alice started, "They can track us." I nodded.
"There's nothing, really that we can do."
"That's exactly what Carlisle said today." Jasper added. "We are going to be fine. And we need to keep the worry to a minimum, for Renesmee." I looked around. I didn't see any sign of Renesmee.
"Where is she?" I asked.
"She's fingerprinting down in the basement with Esme." Alice chimed. "Science project." As if on cue we hear a small explosion in the basement. Esme and Renesmee came running out of the basement door, covered in white powder, smoke following them up. The powder was the same color as their skin. The only way we could tell they were covered was their clothes. They looked almost ghostlike.
"Are you two all right?" Edward asked, fear edging into his voice. Esme coughed.
"We're fine, dear. Renesmee was letting the super glue fumes rise in the container. She accidentally tripped and knocked over the container with the super glue and one of Carlisle's medical bottles and the solutions burst." I smiled. Renesmee did get my clumsy gene, after all.
"But what caused the powder?" I asked. Renesmee was trying to shake the powder from her hair.
"It's from Aunt Alice's powder. We were using it to collect the bumps on the fingerprints." Renesmee explained, rubbing at her powdered arm. "This stuff is sticky."
Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmet appeared while Renesmee explained what happened. Carlisle muttered the name of the medical bottle that caused the burst. He explained that the smell could cause headaches if inhaled by humans too long. Esme dashed downstairs and gathered the broken bottle into a bag.
"I'll throw this away outside. I don't want any of it to cause Renesmee a headache." She walked outside.
"I'm sorry about your powder, Alice." Renesmee smiled. "I can get the rest of it to you in a few minutes." Alice smiled.
"It's just powder. I can get more." Suddenly Esme screamed.
~*~
We all dashed outside to see what was wrong with Esme. Carlisle reached her first. She had her hands out in front of her. She had made it to the trashcan at the end of the driveway.
"What wrong?" Carlisle had turned to his familiar doctor tone.
"Look!" Esme urged, and she raised her hands so that we could see. Her hands were still covered by the powder. She thrust her hands out into the light. Nothing. She rolled up her sleeve to expose an unpowdered arm. Her sparkly skin shimmered. But the powdered part of her arm looked dull. Carlisle took her arm and rubbed it. Nothing. He examined the skin again. Rosalie dashed inside and grabbed a glass of water. She poured it over Esme's arm. Nothing. No glitter. Carlisle rubber her arm, harder this time, and her skin started to return to it's glittery self. Renesmee walked into the light. Her dull glitter was gone. She looked positively human. Rosalie stared at Esme and Renesmee's dull skin, hungrily.
"You look human!" she gasped. Esme smiled and walked into the light. She was directly in the sunlight.
"I'm as normal as the Ogdons." She smiled. I couldn't fathom why anyone would want to be like the Ogdons, but Esme's joy was apparent. Emmet took a deep breath.
"And you don't stink. You smell the same as you always do."
"That's because our scent is so strong." Carlisle concluded.
"Could we turn this into an airbrushing system, Carlisle?" Alice asked. "We would be able to go to school in the sun, and attend field trips and be around people in the sun." She was gushing now. Rosalie's eyes were vibrant. It was obvious that she longed for the powder.
"We'll have to experiment with it some more, but I think Esme and Renesmee may have found something that all vampires will be needing." Carlisle nodded at Renesmee with approval.
~*~
"So, Renesmee discovered a miracle solution to hide your shiny skin?" Angela had a way of making our conversation sound like Renesmee has found a cure for acne. It was 3:30 and the school was empty. I had opted to stay behind and help Angela take all of her books to her vehicle. I nodded.
"That's amazing." I had explained to her about the wolves and Voultri and the spies, and I thanked her soundlessly for calling at the precise moment she had chosen to call.
"The vampires would have killed us had the wolves not heard your ringtone." I had chosen to leave out the fate they had chosen for me. It was too disgusting to even articulate.
"What about Edward? Wasn't he there?" She asked.
"Of course. We never go far from each other." I explained.
"Couldn't he have fought them?" Edward was indestructible in her eyes. She must have viewed all of us in the same light, except for me. Now matter how much I have changed, she will always view me as clumsy Bella.
"There were three of them. They were poised to kill. By the time Edward lunged, I would have been a goner." Angela looked uncomfortable with the idea of her friend being attacked over the weekend. I tried to change the subject.
"When is the main council members coming to interview us?" She smiled.
"They are coming the weekend of Halloween. They even cancelled appointments so that they would be here before Halloween."
"Do they not like Halloween?" I asked.
"No, it's just a superstition, bad things happen on Halloween." I raised my eyebrow at her. She shrugged.
"I think they are more afraid of how your family might act if they visit on Halloween."
"Actually, we plan to go trick-or-treating with Renesmee and Jacob. Renesmee is still technically only five." Angela laughed
"I forgot that. I hear Mike Ogdon plans to ask her to the autumn festival." She put her finger to her lips. "Shhh.. don't tell anyone I told you." And she giggled.
"You've changed a lot since high school." I laughed and rolled my eyes. Then I frowned.
"Autumn ball?"
"It's a tradition. They always have a dance the week before Halloween. I heard the teachers talking about who will be chaperoning. I guess the new teachers automatically get to do it, or they are being mean and making the new teacher take the chaperoning shift." Angela had a habit of rambling when she was nervous. " I really don't know much about stopping a fight if one ensues. I was really hoping that you and your family would come to help me keep the peace. I thought Alice could warn me if a fight was going to break out, and Jasper could keep the situation under control." Angela blushed.
"I will ask them. It sounds like a good excuse for Alice to shop." I admitted.
"It's a big costume party. Everyone will be dressing up." She smiled.
"Sounds like I will be there. Alice wouldn't allow us to miss this for anything." I shuddered at the thought of Alice's shopping frenzy. Angela must have known what I was thinking.
"So, what are you going to be?" She asked.
"Whatever Alice decides." I sighed.
So far so good. I am starting my writing on the party. Spring break kicked my butt so I should be back to full swing tomorrow or so.
