Spellbound Story Hour

Sky

"But I'm right. I'll say it again, she's 13! We've got a teacher, at least 7 different mages and witches from different world counting me, a military leader, a knight, a spaceman, we have everything! And you put the girl who couldn't find her way out of a cardboard box in charge!" He face palmed.

"And she's also the one who brought us here, and who has the ability to send us back where we came from is she tried hard enough. She bears the weight here, and she should be the one to decide what happens next. If she refuses to, we'll have to find another solution. But I can assure you, I would rather see my motorcycle in charge than you," he said to Dexter.

"And, if you were referring to me as the 'spaceman', then you're sadly mistaken... I am a super soldier and military tactician, but I have never been to space."

 

"Yeah whatever spaceman." Dexter said in reply to Sky. "And for the record if I was leader at least some of you would be left alive. Roxy's probably gonna lead us right into the brick wall of nuclear power plant." Dexter sighed bowed his head in defeat. "But fine go ahead and lead. I'll follow but once were all 6 feet deep don't start crying maggots to me."

 

Roxy and Adelie

"What's my age have to do with this?" Roxy said, turning on Dexter. "Teenagers aren't third class citizens like everybody thinks they are! Well...at least not some..." She stared warily at the group. "But kids even younger than me have accomplished huge things! You can't underestimate age."

Adelie stepped up again to the plate, her interest peaked. "So, let me get this straight. You've been trying to find these parents of yours and have had no luck. Why is the enemy hiding? Is he...or she...a coward?"

Roxy shook her head. "I don't think so, according to Tina whoever it is, probably is after us. We had to fight off a helicopter awhile ago."

Adelie's eyes widened. "That's perfect! Did you get any evidence from it? Someone with a helicopter must be a some kind of big shot, right?"

"Well, we had to retreat...it was getting dark and most of us were too drained of energy." Roxy said, looking at the ground.

"Ok..." Adelie said, her patience running thin. "So you haven't been looking for the obvious? Hm. Have you been attacked since then?"

"No, thankfully." Roxy said.

Adelie made a fist, flames igniting. "Thankfully? Finding your parents by endlessly searching is wasting your time. If want to find the enemy, you've gotta lead them to you."

Roxy's gasped. "Are you crazy?"

"Girl, you're desperate! What else can you do?" Adelie scoffed. "And how else are you gonna find them if you aren't going to lead?"

Roxy's eyes narrowed. "Hey! Who said I wasn't?"

"As a volleyball captain, I know a leader when I see one." Adelie said, giving her a look over. "And you, sweetheart, need to learn the basics. Badly."

 

Sal, Lissa

Lissa and Sal had been quietly conversing on witchy topics--which moon phase was more powerful, which animal was a better companion, etc etc--when Lissa overheard Adelie. "Excuuuse me, Sal, I got business to take care of", Lissa said sweetly, giving her a friendly wink. Sal just shrugged, disaffected.

Lissa twitched over to Adelie, a sleek feline skulking at her side. "Hey, volleyball captain", Lissa said. "Roxy has more magic than you have in her little pinky finger. I'd say you wouldn't want to piss off a witch, 'specially a Xalider witch. And, even more importantly, you don't wanna piss off ME." She grinned and her silver-blue eyes swam with murky shadows and light. "I don't see the difference between good and bad so well, and I might just slip up and turn you into a toad. Understand, miss smarty patootey?" As if to punctuate her point, Needy the cat hissed and crouched low, one green eye and one blue glaring up at Adelie.

Sal grunted. "She's got spunk", she gurmbled to herself.

 

Bella: Peeved

"As a volleyball captain, I know a leader when I see one." Adelie said, giving her a look over. "And you, sweetheart, need to learn the basics. Badly."

Bella pressed her hands against her ears, her patience flayed raw with the endless rounds of bickering. Her glamours ruptured as her songs enguld the group, her feet flying effortlessly into her dark waltz. Huge coils of water rose out of nothingness. Twirling about, she condensed the energy, before snapping her hands down savagely. A horrendous CRACK! drown out all the surrounding conversation as her water weaves recoiled like a bullwhip.

Chest heaving, she rolled up the weave threads, releasing them back into the surrounding air. "Enough! All of you. We know Roxy is an inept leader, but this mess is at her door. However, we aren't going to get anywhere acting like this. We have the data we need. Sky do you still have Jonquil's bag? Let's get the lay of land before we go charging off half cocked."

 

Pickles who was still introducing himself to people walked up to Sal. She certainly dressed odd but he didn't pay any mind to it other then a brief glance.

He gave her a friendly smile and patted her on the head. "Well aren't you an interesting little girl. Hopefully you'll make friends with Roxy she could use friends her own age to." Pickles snapped his fingers. "Oh where are my manners. I'm Pickles." He said bowing to the little wish as everyone else was caught off guard by Bella.


Dexter blinked at Bella with surprise. "I say she should be leader." Pointing at the girl who's tempered flared.

 

Sal, Lissa

Sal blinked at Pickles. "You're being nice to me", she said slowly. "Is this some kind of game? No one is nice for no reason." She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

Bella made some water slap the ground and Lissa practically jumped out of her skin. "Goddarnit! Do you have to play with water at a time like this? I swear to Hecate!" Lissa flapped a hand and an Egyptian turtle glyph glowed on her palm. It detached from her skin and landed on the wet spot on the ground, soaking up all the water. Then the turtle glyph disapeared in a flash of light. "Hmph! Didn't know I could do that", Lissa said triumphantly, smiling ear-to-ear. Needy purred with satisfaction at well.

 

Sky

He tossed the bag back to Bella.

"There you go, but," he said, then held out his hand. "I think I can do one better." His palm started to glow and projected a map down onto the pavement, compete with a pin showing their location.

"I just hacked the cities wifi network and police mainframe," he announced matter of factly.

 

Pickles raised an eyebrow at Sal's comment. "You are correct a lot of people aren't nice for no reason. But they should be don't you think? Besides I'm a hero so you and everyone else being happy or safe is enough reason for me to be nice." He had only known them all for over 20 minutes and he was already acting like he'd known them forever.

"So come on don't frown try and smile." He said happily.

 

Sal, Lissa

"Sm-smile...?" Salemaiah was flabbergasted. She couldn't tell if Pickles was playing a joke on her, or if her was serious--or if he was insane. "I don't smile, hero guy. And...are you for real? No, of course you're not. No one even speaks to me, unless they need help fighting some kind of monster. So, who set you up to this, huh? Was it Adelie? I'll have her head for this!" Sal glared over at Adelie, fists clenched, then looked back at Pickles. "Well? Spit it out, I don't have all day", she barked.

Lissa wondered back over to Sal and started giggling hysterically. "Did you say someone would lose their head? That's such a funny thing to say!" Lissa cackled like an old lady and her cat made little mrrph sounds. "Besides, that would be too much blood everywhere! Maybe we could just give her a second head? That's double toruble, ha!" Lissa slapped her knee and held out her hand to her cat. Needy gave her a high five and then Lissa conjured up another throne to sit on.

 

Lores: Three Cheers for Logic

"I just hacked the city's wifi network and police mainframe," he announced matter of factly.

Mimi joined the two Darkkin beaming. "Handy trick, that."

Bella nodded in agreement. "Nicely done."

Jonquil remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"Any indicators of what we're looking for?" Mimi asked.

 

Pickles laughed in an incredibly sincere way at Sal. "I promise with all my heart that I would never take advantage of someone like that. Feelings aren't a thing to mess around with. I'd never be nice to someone for some prank. " He continued. "You'd have to force me to do something that cruel and I'm a hard man to force."

Pickles went on. "So come on gimme a big smile. I bet its pretty. Hey if Lissa and me smile would you do it to?"

 

Roxy

Roxy cleared her throat. "I know I'm not the best leader, but like always I'll try my best, ok? I'm sure you all will do the same." She looked over the group and gave a sickly sweet smile, making up for her lack of retorts.

"Any indicators of what we're looking for?" Mimi asked.

Roxy slid off her bubblegum pink backpack and shuffled through her junk to pull out a cream colored folder. Held inside were nearly a dozen or more typed sheets.

"Remember this?" Roxy waved it at the darkkins. "Some of my dad's records that Dexter stole from the Shady Law Firm. I looked through them a bit, but from a first look there wasn't much but names. Hundreds of clients."

Roxy stepped up to Jonquil, who had been surprisingly quiet. "But, isn't there something to a name? Especially one in particular that keeps popping up?"

 

"well which name pops up? Don't keep us in suspense." Pyria said growing a tad impatient. "Come on, time is not going to wait for us."

 

Sal, Lissa

"Just give him a smile, Sally", Lissa said, "it won't kill you, geez." Needy hopped onto Lissa's lap and curled up into a tight purple-black ball.

"It just might kill me", Sal grumbled. Then she gave Pickles a serious look. "Listen. I don't have time for games. Don't take it personal, okay? Now, if you'll excuse me..." Sal stalked off in a huff, realized she didn't know where she was going, then changed direction and went to stand by Lissa's black throne chair. Lissa grinned up at her, but Sal ignored her and stared moodily into the distance.

 

Roxy/Adelie

"Well, if you really wanna know..." A grin spread across Roxy's face; she'd always loved suspense. But the looks she got in return completely ruined the fun.

Roxy sighed. "Fine. It's the name Silas Rivera. Sounds kinda familiar, but I don't know why..." She flicked the folder on the ground in front of Jonquil's feet.

With a french-manicured fingertip, Adelie pointed. "Didn't suit-guy over there say he hacked into the police stuff? Even though that's like...illegal."

"Yeah." Roxy said quietly. She was already growing sick of Miss Know-it-All.

"Then if you're so interested, look up the man's record. Unless the name is an alias, then we're really screwed." Adelie said. Her gaze shifted over to Sal, looking as gloomy as ever.

"Aw, what's the matter Sal? I thought you'd be happy. You fit in perfectly with this crowd. I mean look," she pointed at the darkkins, "Those girls over there are short just like you. And that one has the same frown as you. It's like you were destined to be BFFs!"

Her glare turned on the creepy girl with the cat. "And you--don't think I didn't hear you. I will say what I want. Besides, we've all got power, even me." To prove her point, Adelie spun a ball of fire to sit in the palm of her hand. "Being a witch doesn't make you anymore special than the rest of us."

 

"Hey....I know a Sila's" magnolia suddenly said. "he helped me out before, a kind man he was. Are you sure we are talking about the same guy?"
She asked her interest now perked.

 

"Hey....I know a Sila's" magnolia suddenly said. "he helped me out before, a kind man he was. Are you sure we are talking about the same guy?"

Tina crossed her arms and her eyes squinted in a glare. "The Silas we met attacked me with a knife. He claimed to be one of us who had been pulled out of his world by Roxy." She looked over at the young witch. "If it's the same guy then that means he's been following you from day one. He may very well be the one who kidnapped your parents."

 

Dexter smirked. "Figure's the great Queen Magnolia would hook up with a filthy thug." He said laughing. Dexter was so pleased that Magnolia had misjudged someone.

Pickles smiled at the name as if recalling something. "He sounds interesting."

 

"I don't remember that Silas much, the Sila I know helped me when I was crossing the street, even drove me places in his horseless carriage. If he was the same man why would he help me? That doesn't add up now does it? They must have been different people then." Magnolia concluded

 

Sal, Lissa

Salemaiah just continued to frown at Adelie's remarks. Lissa on the other hand, jumped out of her chair and levitated closer to Adelie, her eyes shining and a toxic green nimbus surrounded her hands. "I didn't say I was more special than you. I was just warning you against offending a witch. But, since you brought it up--I do believe that I am more special than you. You're boring, you're the status quo, you're a pretty face and that's it. I bet you were a big shot back at your highschool, eh?"

"Stop it, Lissa, she's on our side", Sal grumbled without much conviction. Part of her thought Adelie deserved it.

Lissa gave Sal a sugary sweet smile and then turned back to Adelie. "Looks like my witch sister over there just saved your ass." Lissa lowered her hands and the poisonous glow faded. She levitated back to the ground and twitched away, but her head turned completely around so that she was still watching Adelie. "I got my eyes on you...", she said ominously.

Once she was sure Lissa wasn't going to attack someone, Sal said to Magnolia, "It's too much of a coincidence that you met a Silas and we are looking for one at the same time. I doubt that they were two different people." She looked Magnolia up and down, taking measure of her.

 

Roxy: Decisions

Roxy kept quiet and listened as the others recalled the name. Magnolia's words caught her attention out of all. Had the queen been so naive to go around Salem and Boston with a random stranger? Apparently.

"This just keeps getting more confusing..." Roxy muttered, shaking her head. "I mean, if this guy was the one who took my parents, then why did he have so many appointments with my dad? They must have known each other really well. What could he want?"

Adelie cast a glare right back at Lissa, before turning again to the conversation. "Probably to not go to prison. So, are we gonna go or what? We can't stand around here all night! It's getting dark, not to mention we’re on the clock. Who knows what Saya is up to.”

Roxy sighed. “We need to find out more about this Silas guy before we can get moving though.” She turned to Sky, “Didn’t you say you had wifi?”

A moment later there was six screens projected onto the ground. "I've found records of Silas in several different databases," Sky said as they appeared on the ground beneath them. Pictures, a birth certificate, social security number, maps, census records, employment and medical history, it was all there. "What would you like to know?" he asked.

Roxy was almost overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information; all they needed in a blink of an eye. "Well for starters, we probably need to find out if we can contact him..." she said slowly. "Seems kinda risky, but don't you think an address or phone number would help?"

"I can't find a local address, or a phone in his name. But I found a burner phone that was purchased with his credit card. The number is unlisted, but if I trace the transaction and cross reference it with the manufacturers activation number..." as he spoke the projector showed him working, accessing databases and breaking through security like it was nothing. "Here. 312-555-4331," he said. "I've also taken the liberty of triangulating between the three closest cell towers." The map showed a small red dot, blinking.

"Wow, thanks Sky." Roxy said in awe as she studied the dot. It was heading towards Beacon Street. She sent a questioning look towards her allies. "What do you all think? Good guy or not, should we pay him a visit?"

 

Josh wans; t really paying attention, he was staring at Jonquil, he found her, strangely pretty. Skinny teenager with a small fro, glass's vs a elegant looking young woman. "Oh what the hell, nothing wrong with being friendly." he thought, drumming up his courage she walked up to her.

"Um...hey, you seem very quiet." An akward moment passed, "So, ya it's pretty crazy all, this stuff. Do you have a name?"

"Well what are we waiting for lets go!" Magnolia said, "i want to see if it is the same guy."

 

"What do you all think? Good guy or not, should we pay him a visit?" Roxy asked.

Tina pulled her katana out of it's sheath, examined the sharpness of it's blade, then resheathed it. "It's about time we went on the offensive." She smiled dangerously. "Let's find the bast**** that took your parents."

 

Dexter looked up and then at Tina. "What's wrong with you? You can't say bastard without the censors?" He asked with a grin.

Dexter stood up and yawned. He was bored at the moment so he decided to agree that they should get the show on the road. "Lets just go see this guy. Worst case scenario he pulls a gun and shoots Roxy....or would that be best?" He said with a laugh. Dexter of course didn't mean that. He just liked poking fun at Roxy. Like a very annoying and sick minded older brother.