Chapter 33 : It always starts with a training montage (It isn’t paranoia if they’re really out to get you)

 

The Thompsons’ home living room, the Thompsons’ home, Forest Hills, Queens, New York, 26th of January, 14:39

 

The Ancient One was still explaining the theory behind what she thought Cindy and Gwen would be able to do if they managed to build their matrices when Flashy and Liz’ came back downstairs.

 

Feeling them move a bit earlier via my telepathy, I had hesitated to bring back my touch-TK disguise and dismissing Iris for a bit for Liz’ benefits, but my own laziness and my peacefully dozing of symbiotic half, the magic mumbo-jumbo having done a number on her and Jessica, made me forget the idea.

 

Understandably, Liz’ is now looking at my snow white mane, golden matte skin and half-asleep Iris with wide eyes, having stopped herself on the threshold, when Flashy steps next to her.

 

“Smooth.” He drawls archingly in my direction, prompting me to give him a lazy wave over my shoulder, Jessie perking up to look at him from her comfy position next to me.

 

His interruption also halts the current conversation to my relief, because I can only handle so much esoteric knowledge at a time.

 

How sorcerers put up with that for years is beyond me.

 

The little strained smile Cindy is sporting proves that she shares my sentiment, but, if I have to judge by the intense focus Gwen was previously showing, it’s too late for her.

 

Cindy said yes, and she’ll have to do it.

 

The munchkin had been the second quietest of the bunch, absorbing everything the Ancient One had said with rapt attention, only trumped by Jessica since she actually managed to fall asleep.

 

“Yes, that’s me, Aria, sporting fifty percent matte gold skin, fifty percent curly polar whiteness, and one hundred percent bored to sleep symbiote.” I answer while rolling my eyes.

 

I turn myself back to him.

 

“You took too long, and I’ve been subjected to more alliterations and assonances than I ever had, and needed, in my entire life because of it.” I glare at him with narrowed eyes.

 

“I don’t really see the problem ?” Flashy answers, a little taken aback.

 

“Chaotic Compendium of Cataclysmically Correlated Curses by Christian Columbus.” I answer calmly, pronouncing each word with a perfect diction.

 

Flashy visibly winces as the Ancient One chuckles, muttering ‘that one is particularly good’ under her breath.

 

“Point taken.” He deadpans, before turning himself toward the Ancient One, “I’m sorry, we haven’t been properly introduced, this is Elizabeth Allan and I’m Eugene Thompson.”

 

The Sorcerer Supreme politely nods.

 

“You may call me the Ancient One, my name having lost its meaning centuries ago.” The sorceress answers grandly, flourish aplenty.

 

I can’t help myself but to roll my eyes.

 

“Don’t ask.” I deadpan in Flash’s direction, and his mouth clamps shut.

 

Turning myself to face Liz’ fully, who’s still a bit lost in all of the craziness surrounding her.

 

“So, this is how I truly look when I’m not hiding it, generally at home, and this one,” I gesture toward my lazy cat of a sister, “Is Iris, my blood-sister and symbiote.”

 

“Greetings, Liz’,” Mumbles Iris, the dregs of sleepiness showing in her star-filled voice, “I’m Iris of the Klynthar, and Aria is my host.”

 

“As you can easily deduce, we share my body.” I explain easily, my hand losing itself in Iris’ tentacly hair, trying to wake her up a bit by way of more intense scritches, “Iris is the one that made Flashy’s return possible.”

 

That makes Liz’ do a slow double-take.

 

“Oh,” She starts, blinking, “Then, I would like to thank you, Iris.”

 

With how star-struck you are, I bet you want to.

 

“You’re welcome.” Iris lazily answers, leaning herself a bit more in my ministrations.

 

“She’s not always that reserved, the discussion went a bit over her head and she started dozing off.” I awkwardly explain.

 

“Too many magic words.” Iris mutters, starting her slow nuzzles in the crook of my neck, her hug tightening.

 

“We can agree on that.” Answers a yawning Jessica as she stretches a bit.

 

Jessica’s attitude makes Gwen scrunch her nose a little at her, and I let out a slow chuckle.

 

“I find it uncommon that a sapient magical life form of all things shows so little interest in magic proper.” The Ancient One points out, expression a little put upon.

 

“Well, she does take after me, so…” I answer, expression growing amused.

 

Magic is interesting, sure, but the learning curve is a bit of a turn off to me.

 

And I may have transmitted that sentiment to my sister.

 

“Magical life form ?” Gwen asks curiously.

 

I shut my eyes, groaning.

 

“If I start explaining it, it’s going to take a while, do I really have to ?” I whine aloud.

 

The Sorcerer Supreme’s chuckles prompts me to open one eye in her direction.

 

“I’d suggest you hold that line of inquiry for later, since we still have to introduce all of you to Master Drumm.” She sagely points out to the others.

 

Right, I almost forgot about it.

 

I immediately rise up, stretching.

 

“Alright, onward we go.” I say pepily, finally having something more constructive to do than listen to stupid book names.

 

“I’ll show Liz’ out.” Flashy says, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

 

“Oh, right.” I blink, “Everyone says ‘Goodbye Liz’.” I tell the class with a clap of my hands.

 

I'm graced with multiple chuckles.

 

“Cya.” Jessica says as she rises with a lazy wave.

 

“Bye Liz’.” Cindy nods toward the interested.

 

Gwen actually makes the effort to step toward her for a quick hug, muttering something along the lines of ‘we’re going to talk about this later’ under her breath really quickly, and if Liz’ expression is anything to go by, the girl totally knows what she’s about.

 

I suspect that Gwen herself is going to be severely teased in return too, but I’ll let the blond learn that by herself.

 

On our mind-link, Iris chuckles as her hug tightens a bit, coincidentally, or not, squeezing my corset harder too.

 

I blink the heat rising to my cheeks as I pull the chestnut-haired girl in a hug of my own.

 

“Bye Liz’, take care and come back soon.” I tell her with a wink while locking eyes with her.

 

Liz’ flushes a bit, stammering a ‘bye everyone’ before going toward the exit rather stiffly.

 

When I take measure of the oblivious expression Flashy is sporting, I can only chuckle lightly, shaking my head, my curls following the motion.

 

“See her out,” I tell him with a smile, “You’ll find us in the basement.”

 

***

The Thompsons’ home basement, the Thompsons’ home, Forest Hills, Queens, New York, the same day, 14:47

 

“What did I miss ?” Flash asks as he joins us downstairs.

 

The girls, Iris and I are watching the Ancient One as she finalizes the cast of the anchoring spell atop the metallic plate covered in sigils I brought back yesterday.

 

With a final flourish that my untrained eye finds suitably impressive, the sorceress finally ends the litany of spells needed to create a semi permanent doorway between our house and the Sanctum.

 

It serves a double purpose : to have an easier way of access to the Sanctum during weekdays and, if push comes to shove, as a fallback position if the Thompson house is one day attacked.

 

I’ve also negotiated for some warding to be set up around the house, nothing major, just the kind that warns of an intrusion and generally incites people not to pay too much attention to it. Mr. Drumm is supposed to handle that part later in the week.

 

“Not much, really.” I answer while looking toward Flash over my shoulder, “Unless you actually understand sanskrit.”

 

He blinks slowly, arms folding over his chest.

 

“I mean, I feel like I could ?” He hesitates.

 

“If you download a dictionary directly to your brain ? Totally." I nod easily.

 

Everyone apart from Iris and Jessie throw us a look at that.

 

“Flash’s circumstances are a bit particular, we’ll elaborate once we cross over.” I wave the question away with a dismissive gesture, turning my attention back to Jessie. “Now, Jessie, I know that I’m going to ask you something you aren’t going to like, but you’re going to say, begrudgingly, ‘yes’ when you remember what I promised you earlier.”

 

I look at her archly and she whines.

 

“But I wanted to come too !” She says with the strongest pout she can manage.

 

“I know.” I answer while nodding sagely.

 

“Fine !” Jessie grumbles, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Master.” She says with a light bow of her head toward the Ancient One.

 

“You don’t need to use my title, young Jessie, you’re not part of the order.” The sorceress concedes magnanimously to the younger girl.

 

“Not yet.” Jessie answers with a little smile before scampering toward the exit.

 

The sorceress slowly blinks as everyone looks in my direction with interrogative looks.

 

“What did you say to her ?” Flash asks the Ancient One, brows furrowed.

 

“The Sorcerer Supreme answered her heartfelt plea to be teached magic by what can be considered a strong ‘maybe’.” I answer in her stead, my expression a little amused.

 

As he steps next to me, Flash winces a little.

 

“Oh, you shouldn’t have done that.” He says while sighing.

 

“No, she shouldn’t have.” I confirm with a sagely nod, my lips curling up.

 

“And why, pray tell ?” The sorceress answers, a little put upon.

 

“Because you’ll have to deliver, now, and I’m going to support her motion in front of her mother.” I elaborate, my smile growing.

 

“You will ?” Flash, Gwen and the sorceress blurt out together, eyes shifting between each other when they take notes of the synchronicity they just showed.

 

“Jessie is developing the start of a hero worship toward me.” I point out, one arm folded under my chest and gesturing with my other hand, “It’s only a matter of time before she does something stupid in an attempt to emulate me or Flash once he regain some of her esteem, no offence intended.” I say with a nod in his direction.

 

After a quiet mutter of ‘none taken’ since he knows he used to be a bit of an ass with her, I carry on.

 

“So, I’d rather have an eleven years old getting taught by experienced teachers about the arcanes so she learns to defend herself if she ever needs it instead of looking after her each of her waking moments because I’m scared she’ll do something extremely stupid and potentially lethal.” I elaborate.

 

I gesture with my two arms around me.

 

“There’s nothing ‘normal’, or either ‘mundane’, in this house since yesterday.” I articulate slowly, an edge of steel in my voice, my eyes darting toward my ‘twin’, “You sort of made sure of that when you asked your parents to take me in. It’s ok, I don’t blame you and I could’ve said no, but since I didn’t, I’m going to make sure that my favorite munchkin gets at least a chance to run away when shit hits the fan.”

 

In the corner of my eyes, still locked onto Flash, I can see Gwen scrunching her nose a little.

 

“It’s important to protect the spawns well.” Iris adds sagely to my diatribe after a beat.

 

The pseudo-Apocalypse sighs loudly, facepalming with one hand.

 

“Fine, but you’re the one handling the talk with mom.” He capitulates, his hands slowly sliding on his face.

 

I snort.

 

“Yeah, I kind of figured that part out.” I anwer with a little smile.

 

“You realize that it relies on me actually going on with that plan as well, right ?” The Ancient One points out archly, “And she is still a little young.”

 

“A tutor available each time we’re using the Mirror Dimension.” I offer her.

 

Considering that someone from Kamar’Taj is going to be benched while we’re inside of it each time anyway, the request isn’t even that costly to her.

 

She pauses, considering.

 

“Jessie will have all the leeway she wants to go study in Kamar’Taj proper once she’s old enough.” I add, “Consider it like teaching a promising student before university.”

 

Gwen nods slowly at that, more to herself than anything else.

 

“If she slacks even once, I’ll rescind the offer.” She decisively says.

 

I nod, and so does Iris.

 

“I’ll make sure she’s aware of that, and that I’ll be extremely cross with her if she manages to annoy you.” I smooth out.

 

The Ancient One pinches the bridge of her nose artfully, sighing lightly.

 

“Dealing with you is a challenge, little Outsider.” The sorceress complains, shaking her head slowly.

 

I chuckle lightly, [Mirth] flowing from Iris’ side of our mind-link.

 

“You do know that it sounds suspiciously like a compliment when said by the most powerful sorceress on earth, right ?” I tease her.

 

She harrumphs before stepping through the portal that just snapped in existence atop the anchor as she neared it.

 

Iris let out her little bell-like laughter aloud as we all steps through the red-orange ring across space with various degrees of cautiousness, ranging from very tense for Jessica to zero fuck given for Iris and I.

 

The New York Master is already talking with the Ancient One as we reach them, and we wait patiently for their talk to end.

 

To my right side, Cindy is acting like a bumpkin coming to the big city for the first time in her life, taking all the details of the manor in, while Jessica is looking toward the ebony skinned stranger with a wary expression.

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To my left, Gwen is focused and attentive, probably eavesdropping a bit on the two Masters’ talk, while Flash has his arms folded across his chest, still looking somewhat pensive.

 

I elbow him lightly, which prompts him to look in my direction with an eyebrow raised.

 

“What’s on your mind big guy ?” I ask him bluntly.

 

He ponders for a beat.

 

“I guess I’m still a little on the fence about the fact that my sister is going to learn magic.” Flash concedes after a moment.

 

“Understandable.” I tell him softly, “But, if I’m right about what is coming, you’ll be extremely happy she did.”

 

“And if you’re wrong ?” He asks me archly.

 

“Two possibilities : either she can spend her life doing something people would kill for, or, as the aussies say it so well, we’re all up shitcreak without a paddle.” I answer with as much levity as I can.

 

Instead of getting miffed by my swearing, Gwen goes very still at my admission.

 

Yeah, you should be anxious, Gwennie.

 

You really, really should.

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