The Secrets Last Stand
:.Kody's Pov.:
My arm still hurt a while after we got back to the house. Dad has been trying to get us ready by teaching us all of our powers. I had no idea how I got my air powers to work, it kind of just happened. I was trying to get it to work again but no matter how many times I tried, nothing happened.
"Kody, concentrate. You can do this." Dad said. I took a deep breath and turned to face him.
"Dad, I can't get it to do it again. I keep trying but nothing is happening." He came up next to me and closed his eyes. All the sudden, he opened them and threw a fire ball. It hit the target he set up behind his house to practice with. Hayden was waiting in the house for her turn.
"You just need to use your trigger." He said, turning to face me. I threw my hands up in frustration.
"I don't know what my trigger is, dad. If I did, I would have hit that target already." And as I said it, water flew from my hand and hit the target. I was shocked. I looked at my hand and tried again and again. Every time I did it, water hit the target.
"See? You found it. Your trigger is obviously an emotion. All of ours are. You just needed to find the right emotion. What were you feeling when it happened?" Dad asked. I was still in shock that it actually worked. I finally looked up at him and shock my head.
"I...I was feeling frustrated and stressed. Maybe a little scared that it was never going to work. I'm not sure which. I was feeling all three." I explained. Dad nodded once before looking back at the target.
"Well, hopefully, it was fear. It's the easiest to trigger in a situation. Okay, think about something that really scares you. Anything. I don't care if it's something stupid like spiders or the boogeyman. Just use something." He said. I nodded before closing my eyes and thinking of something that scared me. I tried something my adoptive grandmother used on me as a child, the boogies. The boogies was something my uncle and grandmother came up with to keep me out of trouble. If I was bad, the boogies would come on a train that rode my childhood home and take me to Toledo.
But when I tried to use my powers, nothing happened.
"Alright, look. Mine is triggered by anger. So I think of something that makes me the angriest and my powers work. Now, what are you most afraid of?" I thought deep and hard about my worst fear. Then I remembered something I've always been afraid of.
"Well, my whole life, my worst fear was dying in a tornado." I explained.
"Really? After everything, that's your worst fear?" I just shrugged. "Okay, give it a shot." I closed my eyes as I thought about what it might feel like to be in a tornado and I felt my heart begin to race a little but when I tried it again, nothing happened.
"Alright, there's something in you that worse than that. You need to find out what it is. But not now. Now it's Hayden's turn. You try and figure it out. Think about it and we'll try again." I nodded and walked to the house. I told Hayden it was her turn. As I watched her hit the target each and every time, I realized then that she was the stronger one of us. She is the one who is going to defeat the Council. Not me.
After Hayden was done, it was time for dinner. Which I cooked so I didn't have to watch anymore. I made taco chicken, something I came up with living with my adoptive family. I just use taco seasoning to flavor the chicken. It's one of the only things I can actually make.
"Something smells good." Hayden said, walking in the house and dad agreed when he walked in behind her.
"Kody made dinner." Vincent said from his spot at the table. Hayden stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face him.
"Please tell me you helped." she said. Vincent smiled up at her.
"Nope. She wouldn't let me. She said she knew what she was doing. And given by the smell, I'm going to agree." I smiled down at him as Hayden grabbed his attention back.
"Um, Vincent this is Kody's cooking we are talking about."
"I made taco chicken." I intervened.
"Oh, okay then. Why didn't you say so." she said, walking back to the bedrooms.
"Love your faith in me, Hayden." I said under my breath as I started making plates. I set the table and got everyone a drink. Once everyone came to sit, I sat down. I quietly picked at my food and dad seemed to notice.
"Okay, Kody what's bothering you? You barely speak to anyone, you hide away and you've been drinking. I never asked but I'm asking now, what is it?" No one ever asked me what happened at Ralph's when I went to talk to Ian. I just came home and began hiding. I never told them anything.
"Ian tried to give me a ring." I said. Dad chocked on his food and Vincent started hitting his back. Once he stopped chocking, Hayden spoke up.
"When?"
"About a month ago but it didn't mean anything. He tried to give it to me so I could sell it or even keep it but I didn't want something that didn't mean anything. So I left it there when I left it behind." I explained.
"So it wasn't a proposal or anything?" She asked. I shook my head.
"No it wasn't." I thought for a minute. "Look, I've been thinking. When this is all over and we defeat the Council, I think I'm going to go back to my old life." I explained. I looked at dad and saw so many emotions cross his face before he settled on understanding.
"But Kody, you belong here, in this life. Both of you do." I took I deep breath before continuing.
"Dad, I...I've never dealt with as much pain and loss like I have here. I've been kidnapped, lied to, almost killed, and had my memories stolen. I even lost my boyfriend to evil. Not to mention, I couldn't save mom. I can't go through anymore. Like said, I will help defeat the Council but I am going back to my old life and I want to forget this one."
:.Hayden's Pov.:
Vincent and I tried to finish eating while listening to dad yell at Kody for her decision.
"Vin, she used to love this life. It was everything she's ever wanted. We need to get her to see she's wrong." I said. He took a bite of his food and looked up.
"With everything she's been through the past two years, do you blame her? I mean for wanting a normal life? Hayden, if this is what she wants, you have to let her go."
"No, I don't." I got up from the table and stormed down to her room, where the yelling was coming from. The door was locked, but I just unlocked it.
"Hayden, wait." Vincent yelled afte me. I ignored him and shoved the door open.
"Kody, you're not going back. I'm not letting you throw all of this away. A year and a half ago, you were fighting dad to let you stay."
"Yeah, well, I didn't know then what I know now. Hayden, I don't want to remember feeling this way. And I certainly don't want to continue drinking to get rid of it. I will help defeat the Council but I'm not staying. I've made up my mind. I'm sorry." She then walked passed us and straight out the back door. We tried to follow her but she disappeared.
:.Kody's Pov.:
I found myself sitting at the top of the ferris wheel at our local amusement park. The park was closed for the season so no one was around. I just looked out onto Lake Erie and thought about what happened back at the house. Everyone was so mad at me for this but I can't continue to live like this. It hurt too damn much. I just want to forget about everything I lost, I want to forget about Ian.
"I thought I'd find you here." I jumped and screamed. I turned to see Ian sitting next to me. After I calmed down, I moved to the seat across from him.
"What do you want?" I asked, coldly.
"Your dad came to the house looking for you. I told him I might know where you are. And I was right." He explained with a smile. I looked back out to the lake. "Don't look so smug. How'd you know I'd be here?" I asked. He sighed and leaned back in his seat, making the car sway a little. When he finally looked at me, I remembered.
"You used to tell me that you loved this place. That you hated roller coasters but loved the ferris wheel because you love it when it would stop at the top and you could see over the lake. It relaxes you and I also remember when I brought you here, the smile on your face when you saw the water. You always loved the water, Kody." He explained. He didn't look so smug anymore. I found myself crying again. I didn't want to cry infront of him. I didn't want him to see his effect on me that it still hurts me.
"My dad sent you. Didn't he?" I asked. He seemed to know about my decision.
"Actually, no. I heard his thoughts. He did try to punch me though. Ralph held him back and Vincent made the shot. I must have pissed a lot of people off." I leaned forward in my seat and looked him right in the eye.
"You hurt Hayden, twice. She almost died. You dislocated my shoulder and you were part of the plan that got my mother killed. Yeah you pissed off a lot of people." I could tell he didn't want to be reminded of what he did but too bad because I have to live with it.
"You can't leave." He said.
"It's my choice..."
"That effects everyone. You're taking the easy way out. You're not facing your problems, you're running from them." He yelled. Why was he reacting like this? He doesn't care what happens to me or my family.
"I'm not running from anything"
"Well, you're sure as hell not facing anything. Look, our kingdoms need you..."
"That's exactly my point. Everyone is expecting me to save everyone. I can't do what he wants me to do. I can't even get my powers to work and I'm supposed to defeat the Council. I don't think so." As I finished, I noticed that the car we were in was now on the ground. I around to see Hayden and dad standing next to the controls.
"You're scared. And I understand why but you need to face the fact that you belong here." And with that he was gone.
:.Ian's Pov.:
After I left Kody, I found myself back at my dad's. I felt horrible because I caused so much pain. Not only for Kody but for Davien and Hayden too. I don't think I'll ever be welcomed back into the home again.
Kody decided to go back to be a normal human girl. She wouldn't even remember me, how much I loved her. Hell, she doesn't know that now.
That's when I lost it. I started trashing the house, throwing things, breaking anything I could. Seeing her so upset and I'm not able to do anything about it, it kills me. I tried like hell to never make her feel that way but in the end, it wasn't enough and I failed. She may never forgive me for what I've done.
Once I finished, I looked around and sank to my knees. She hated me and I loved her. I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't believe it was all my fault. I needed to fix this and soon because I can't lose Kody. I just can't.