Mana Pool Snippets - Keystone

Part 1

“You’ve had your face in that book ever since we got back. And you can do that down here. I don’t mind you two talking. As your boyfriend, you need a break.” It may be good advise for Katie, but considering that Scott could not use magic for a while (his mana heart that produces terran magic was damaged), he could not understand Katie’s long-lived fantasy come to life.

Katie had to think for a moment, and she agreed. It pleased Scott that he kissed her forehead. Besides, she knows more about the winery, good enough to help watch the phones. Still, Arana, Katie’s red-winged hawk totem, came down to talk, but through telepathy Katie mastered.

From the sportscast, the vast array of alien species changed from shot to shot. Scott was amused; some he recognized from the Endeavour, many were new. Scott took note that these Howler Cycle races are like NASCAR, but involve deadly weapons and simple objectives to gain points, including time markers and crippling rival riders.. A fight broke out half way the race between two aliens on the black tarmac, near a white-light power stream. Jaruka called one a Skrilgax, a naga-like magical species, and a humanoid Octocre that just snapped the opposing rider’s arm in three places. Odd how it looked, but the terrans and totems could not help but watch.

In the middle of Jaruka explaining the rules and various species--in between cheers and hollers at his favorite riders--a loud crash came from the kitchen.

“Whoa,” Scott yelled, but dubbed down to a whisper. “The hell was that?”

Katie stood up from the couch, knocking over the phone and notebook. Arana was behind her, startled that she flapped her wings. “Sounds like the window. I’ll check it out,” she whispered too.

Scott stood. “Uh, remember last time you used offense magic,” he said. “Either a stranger or it’s Jacob ditching school again. I’ll check it out.”

“But you have no ma…”

“I’ll be fine. Trust me. I have Jaruka to back me up.”

Jaruka slowly looked up at Scott with a glare, whispering, “Are you mad? I never miss these races.”

“So I have no real backup?”

“You fired a rifle and nearly killed an immortal. You can handle it.” Jaruka took another drink.

Scott rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll bring Keeji.”

Keeji huffed, protested for a second to sleep some more, but got up. Seemed that he was pretending to sleep.

“And turn the sound down,” Scott asked Jaruka, and he did by half.

Since the Wave and the countrywide zombie attack, Jonathan placed weapons everywhere. Guns he kept close, but others like baseball bats, like the Louisville Slugger Scott grabbed from the fireplace. Scott became used to them. Katie fussed over them saying that her magic can protect the family and can enchant the weapons for a better “oomph,” but seeing holes in walls from unpracticed offense spells, non-magic attempts were the winner.

He and Keeji slowly made their way to the kitchen, but kept out of sight. He felt Katie’s eyes on him; Jaruka, not so much. Rummaging sounds were heard, most likely from the fridge. A Jacob thing, he always comes home from school for a snack. Or a homeless person needed food. If a terran, even more trouble. Back against a wall, the noise stopped. Scott told Keeji to peek around the corner. The fridge door was slammed shut, footsteps, and a door slam. Scott lived in the house long enough to tell it was the pantry door.

Keeji yelped and backed away.

“What did you see?” Scott asked him.

The husky’s eyes were big as Ping-Pong balls and his tail was between his legs. “Not Jacob. Definitely not. It’s terran girl with big hair, and covered in dirt.”

Dammit, Scott thought.

“You just make a serious mistake,” Scott started. “You entered a house with two terrans and a grump with a bad temper. Just come on out and let’s talk.”

Scott caught Jaruka giving the evil eye, like peering into Scott’s soul from that remark.

Short pause, then a young girl’s voice came. “Scott? Scott, is that you?”

Scott blinked. “Yeah that’s me.”

“It’s Andrea. Remember me? I-I need help. Please.”

Fear in the child’s voice. Being cautious and protective of Katie, Scott cannot help but bring aid. Andrea especially, she is the daughter of a close family friend of the Walsh’s. 

“Oh my… Katie, it’s Andrea,” Scott said and turned into the kitchen, but stopped.

He has not seen Andrea since last summer but still remembered who she was. Looking at the young girl, Scott thought it was not Andrea, an impostor to say. Her black hair that used to be clean and straight was tangled, unruly, and caked with dried mud. Even her clothes showed the same condition, including the rips on her jeans and Adventure Time t-shirt. The sandals on her dirt-coated feet were crying to be thrown with the garbage.

Keeji was right about her being a terran. Besides from the scrapped and scabbed two-foot tail and armor plating, and hopefully the elf ears under the hair, it was Andrea. The brown eyes could not be faked.

Yet as Scott stood there shocked, Andrea screamed. Her bare arms ripped with blue Celtic symbols, then without uttering a word, raised her hands and casted her spell.

Scott ducked away in time before the kinetic blast his face. His own tail wrapped around him from fear. The spell sailed over the lounge area and crashed into the wall, knocking down a few pictures from the nails.

Keeji screamed and ran up the stairs. “Armed terran in the house!”

Scott took a breath from the shock. “Andrea calm down, it’s me. Remember? Katie’s boyfriend?”

“Can’t be. Scott is not a terran. And he’s chubby.” True, Scott was on the heavy side before transforming into a well-fit terran man.

“I know. Scared myself too, but it’s really me. Forget the terran thing now. Just settle down and let’s talk.”

Katie came up beside him. “Andrea is that really you?” She asked from her cover.

“Is that you, Katie?”

“Yes it’s me. Relax, Andrea. Katie’s here to help.” If any person could calm Andrea, it’s a familiar, caring voice of the Walsh family.

Scott heard Andrea’s voice soften, then the sound of mana charging died. “I can’t tru… No. How can I be…” The couple understood that self-rambling she was not alone.

Scott announced they were coming around, and Andrea allowed it. Katie gasped at the sight. As did Andrea seeing Katie.

“Oh my God, what happened to you?” Katie asked.

Andrea flexed her palms. Her face changed in an instant of sadness. Tears started tricking down Andrea’s dirt-covered cheeks. It broke Scott’s heart to see that. “P-Please… help me,” she begged, wiping the tears.

Footsteps came from the second hallway toward the kitchen and a large weapon pointed down at the little girl, inches from her face. The sides and the barrel glowed neon green. From sadness to shock, she looked up at Jaruka, who was at all pissed at the situation.

“Better not cast another, this is my friend’s home,” he said with a rumbling voice.

A second later, Andrea feinted on the tile floor.

Scott and Katie’s jaws were open.

Jaruka lowered and powered down his custom plasma rifle, sighing. “What? She was disturbing the race, and I did a good deed,” he said. He shook his head and walked off, back to the living room.

Quickly the couple went to Andrea. She was out cold; no matter of words or shaking could make her come back.

“Geeze. What are we going to do?” Scott asked.

“Help me with her, we need to figure out what happened,” Katie said. They picked her up and set her on the other end of the couch. And with much talk, Jaruka packed his things and stood far from the living room as the couple tried waking up the little terran.