Something Wicked - Another Brick in the Wall

[Nina]

"It weren't like that Hank," said Dylan defensively, "I mean he dint come into town and start killin people left and right. He come and grab a room at the old boardin house, and put in a big order for supplies all the normal dry goods and stuff. It's just that while he was there folks usually young'uns went missin. Taint like today people was as knowledgeable, we was superstitious even people like us." 

[Shameless]

"Sorry Dylan, didn't mean it to sound like an attack.   Just mean that if he was comin regular, people had to be suspicious. "   It was true he didn't know what life was really like back then, Dylan did.   "So how do we fight a vampire?  Because what we just tried didn't look like it worked so well, and I don't think Evelyn can do what she did too many times.."  he looked at Evelyn for confirmation, and offered her his fries if she was still hungry.

[Nina]

"Y'all need to learn to do it, all of you can," Evelyn said as she pushed the offered fries away. "Like I said before all those things people call psychic its all natural magic witches can do, you just have to practice."  She pauses to spoon up some Frosty. "What do you know about Vampires Dylan?"

 

Dylan scratched his chin, "I don't know I was only about ten maybe twelve when Obadiah came to town when I seen him. When mawmaw found out we seen him she made us stay home until he left. Told us them vampire stories. Tell you the truth I don't remember what it was she told us back thin I been watchin all these movies and it's all mixed up in my head."  Dylan frown and shrugs.

 

"If he is something supernatural why didn't the circle do anything about him," questioned Evelyn?

 

"They wasn't a circle back then. On account of the feud." Dylan glances sideways at Silas.

[Malachite]

Silas slipped an arm around Dylan and said softly, "Well, there's no feud now and there is a Circle. That guy is terrifying, but if he's going to be going around attacking people, killing people, we need to stop it." 

Dylan could feel that Silas was still trembling, still in shock from just how badly his attempt at a spell had gone, but now there were people in danger - people of Blairsville, their people - and that meant doing something about it. "We should practice. Maybe at the lodge by the lake, after school? Evelyn, do you have a spell book of things that work or something? So . . . um, that. . . doesn't happen again?" 

[Nina]

Evelyn frowned at Dylan's answers, she had hoped for more. In response to Silas she said, “I don't think your spell failed, after all none of us were effected by that aura, except Keith,” she cut her eyes to Keath, then back at Silas as if making a point. “But,” she continued, “it is dangerous to cast a spell without preparation, you have to know exactly what you want the magic to do, and you have to build your spell with that certainty.” She reached over and gave Silas' shoulder a squeeze, seeing how her words could be a criticism.

 

“As for the rest of it,” Evelyn focused on Roach, “we need to find out abut this Obadiah Swain. Roach you did really good with tracking down Ms. Solart, think you can research this Swain figure?”

[SalmonMax]

"I, uh...yeah..." Roach was uncharacteristically out of it following the close encounter, and she looked at Evelyn.

 

"That guy...was like right on top of us. Without the spell, he'd have pretty much just murdered us, yeah? I mean, none of us are good enough with magic to stop an angry vampire in his tracks."

 

She shakes her head. "I got so into it all, I didn't stop to think. If the good shit is real, the bad shit is three times as real. Jesus, that almost cost us. So how do they work? Crosses? Garlic? Sunlight? Insert Twilight joke here?"

 

At Evelyn's confused hesitation, Roach said, "And by 'how do they work' I mean 'what kills vampires?'"

[Nina]

Evelyn watched Roach wide eyed then shook her head, "I don't know. Until Dylan called him that i had been like you and thought the were just superstition." She pushed the empty Frosty cup away, "I will take a look in uncles library tomorrow he has to go to Atlanta, maybe I'll find something there."

 

"Why don't you ask your uncle he probably knows," Silas asked?

 

"She can't," Dylan answered before Evelyn could, "none of you can. Remember I told you, you can't involve your families, y'all are the Circle, drawing them into Circle business weakens the Circle."

 

Everyone glances at Keith.

 

[Shameless]

Hank sighed.   This was going to be a problem, involving Keith would put him in danger, and now evidently weaken the circle when they needed strength more than ever. Still it was done now, the way forward would be to arm themselves with the proper knowledge, and he set his mind to that task.  "Ok, would you like some help?   I can  come over and look with you if want."

[Dawn OOC]

"I'm not going to fuck things up for you guys," Keith insisted, jarred out of his fugue by the sudden attention from everyone.

 

"Not intentionally," Quinn said softly, looking sick. "But we're already doing it with Dylan, and we can't put the shoe back on the horse. We just have to keep others out of it. Hard rule from now on."

 

"You can't, I dunno, magic us, and make Dylan and I forget about it?" Keith frowned. "Would that solve the problem?" He winced and shook his head. "Jesus, this is crazy. I sound crazy. This is fucked."

 

"Evelyn, what can we do about having involved them?" Quinn asked directly.

[Nina]

Evelyn shook her head, "Their involvement isn't a problem, Keith isn't a practitioner and most likely never could be and whatever magical talent Dylan had in his youth died when he did. 

 

The proscription is for blood relative who are also practitioners. Their involvement can muddy the waters, and give outside forces influence to be used against us. We have certain inherent protections because we make up the Circle, protections others won't have. so we need to be careful."

 

Hank looked thoughtful, he cocked his he ad to the side and looked at Evelyn, "But before the other day, you seemed to be telling us without telling us that we shouldn't keep things from other. I don't understand how we can do both."

 

Dylan answered before Evelyn could squeezing Silas' hand. "Secrets aren't good, they serve a purpose but often lead to lying and deceit, things that are bad. things that give those outside forces inroads."

 

"Telling someone you care for a truth isn't involving them, asking them to help is. that's the line we have to tread," said Evelyn with a smile at Keith. "And sometimes we do need help from non-practitioner sources. We can offer protections of our own devising for them."

[SalmonMax]

"Can't ask our families for help?" Roach asked in wry deadpan. "Oh no. What will I do? They're usually...so helpful."

 

Then she looked at Evelyn and asked in a more serious tone, "It doesn't count as 'keeping something from them' bad karma if they just never ask, right?"

[Shameless]

"Everyone learning how to provide those protections is a pretty good idea, even if it takes multiple members of us to perform.    Warding our homes and families is likely something we should get done."   

He looked to Evelyn.  "Though, would producing so many wards  not draw the attention of others sensitive to magic?"

[Nina]

Evelyn piled her empty food containers on the tray and pushed back from the table shaking her head, "Magic isn't like that. At least not for us, to find magic we have to use spells to find existing magic, we don't get itchy palms, or funny ringing in our ears. But yes I can show you some easy protection wards you can use around your houses and cars and things. we can do that tomorrow.  If everyone wants to meet at the river house." She looks at Silas as if waiting for him to giver permission.

 

"Yeah sure," he said quickly.

 

"Good Let get back to Walsh road then. We'll meet tomorrow about nine sound good?"

 

Nod went around the table. Then Evelyn looked at Roach, "See what you can find out okay?"

 

Roach nodded but remained silent.

 

They tossed their trash and climbed back into the truck and headed home to Walsh road.

 

Spoiler

ok left it there in case anyone want to do a good night post to their dates. Max if you are going to have roach do a spell get with me in PM. i'll give it a day or so then if y'al aint posted will move us on

 

 

[Shameless]

As they made it back to the road they lived on, Hank walked Evelyn home.   There'd certainly been alot of craziness tonight, and he wanted to make sure she got home alright.   It was surprising, she walked at his side, with one arm looped through his, and smiled.  "Tonight was really something wasn't it?"    He asked softly.

"It was, Hank, The movie was fun, being with everyone was fun.   Seeing how you all reacted to save each other, that was a magic in and of itself."   "Yeah, once you're part of the group, the group stands with you, in case you missed it.   And you, Dylan, for sure are part of the group now.   Keith, maybe."  He smiled back at her.  "Thanks for saving us.  There's still so much we don't know, but I know most of us want to learn."

When she smiled back at him, he grinned back.   They walked on in silence, and he had taken her hand in his, enjoying the warmth he felt.   At the door to her home, he hugged her gently, which she returned.   Perhaps it was surprising, but he didn't try to kiss her.   Instead, he simply asked.  "Maybe next time, we can see a movie just the two of us?"  

Evelyn smiled back at the earnest young man, and nodded.   "Like an actual date?"  her tone was almost teasing, and Hank seemed to miss it or just not care.   

"Yeah, an actual date."  He answered her.

"I wouldn't miss it."  she said before heading inside.   That left Hank alone outside, and he turned to head back home.   Just outside the gate, he thrust his arm in the air in victory, a big grin on his face. 

[Asarasa]

Sitting in the bed of the truck as they drove back to Walsh Road, Jo leaned low against Darryl, her head on his shoulder. The newest boy to the neighbor didn't get the sense the girl was scared, precisely, but there was a vulnerability to the towering, Amazonian blonde he hadn't witnessed before. Magic or no, Jo was proud of the work she done forging her body and finding it so... so damned useless dealing with a dang bloodsucker was a blow to her pride. She had never really felt threatened, physical like, by any boy or even full grown man, really, sure in her size and strength to defend herself. But if some guy could be a vampire, but did mere mortal muscle mean?

 

When Keith rolled to a stop in front of Darryl's house - Hannah's former home, Jo unlatched the tailgate, then sat with Darryl on the edge of the cargo bed. Strong arms looped loosely around his waist, she pressed in close to give her boyfriend a lingering, forceful kiss. When Keith banged impatiently on the rear window for them to hurry up, Darryl could feel her lips twist in a smirk as she raised a hand behind his back to give her brother the finger, and finished their kiss.

"Meet yah early at the River House, 'fore everyone else, D? After mah mornin' workout and run," Jo suggested with a conspiratorial grin when Darryl hopped out of the truck.

"You betcha," Darryl replied with a smirk and a pair of finger guns that turned into a pair of thumbs pointing at himself. "This guy would never miss the opportunity."

Leaning on her arms on the back of the truck, Jo watched him saunter into his house with a smile.

 

Keith eased the truck in the driveway, as though trying to slip it in unheard. The engine ticked as it began to cool. Jo leapt over the side of the bed, straightening her green dress, brushing off gravel and dirt she'd missed before. Keith climbed out of the driver's seat, closing the door near silently save for a muted click with a practiced motion. Brother and sister walked up to the front door side by side.

"Yah can't tell nobody, Keith," Jo growled at her brother, glowering down at him. "Not even, Craig."

Keith glowered right back up at his younger sister who had a full head of height on him. "I was never gonna," he countered. His eyes flashed, lips curving in a tight smirk. "Just like you ain't either. Not even Ryland."

His smirk widened in satisfaction at the contrite look on Jo's face. All her brother's knew their sister's favorite was Ryland. "Ah was never gonna, neither," the huge girl protested, not entirely honestly. "We can talk 'bout it tomorrow, maybe."

"Riiight."

 

Keith slid his key into the lock and led the way into the Johansson house. Banner stood from where he'd been laying in front of the door, giving them a chuff. Jo scooted over to him to ruffle his ears. "Missed you, boy."

[Nina]

III

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon...

 

Sunday morning dawned bright and cheerful with birds singing. The parents of the various Walsh Road Kids were not surprised that the kids decided to go the river. They were always going off to do something an almost always together. It was not enough for any of the adults to voice and concerns but inn many adult minds there was a nagging feeling that some sort of trouble might come of this one group spending so much time together. One oddity was when Keith Johansson told his dad he was going down to the river with the others. Usually, the twins did most things together but apparently Craig was not invited, so disgruntled he took off to hang out with some of the football teams in town.

 

Like I said it started off as a perfect sunny day and one by one the kids made there way to the river cabin. When everyone but Roach had arrived Evelyn went up to Keith, “Can you park your truck across the road at the entrance, that way no one can drive up on us.” Keith said yes and while he went to move the truck the rest of the Kids went down to the boat ramp.

 

Evelyn took her jeans and shirt of revealing a nice one-piece swimsuit in a light lime color. She took her sneakers off and went barefoot. “Alright we are going to start with some basic internal magic, what the normal world calls psychic powers. I hope everyone brought a suit, cause you are going to get wet. Why don’t you all change while I put up some wards to keep prying eyes away.

 

Spoiler

Get Ye to the River!

 

[Shameless]

Hank was there, complete with the Backpack of Preparedness as it had come to be called.  He had all manner of things in it, to cover nearly any mundane situation they might find themselves in.  He'd known about going to the river so he already had his swim trunks on, and set his bag on and removed his shirt.   While he wasn't some ripped adonis, he was physically fit, and lean.   He'd removed his socks and shoes, putting them aside and placing his folded shirt atop the pile.   

His bag was waterproof, so he'd be taking it down with them.  He grinned at Evelyn, as they waited for the others, "That swimsuit looks really nice on you."  he said quietly, he knew she was going to work on warding, and nodded.  "Anything I can help with?"

[Asarasa]

Jordan was ripped, an imposingly statuesque and athletic Amazon of a teen girl. She'd had visible abs since she was like, ten, their number and definition increasing each year. And like she did pretty much all summer, every summer, when she thought she'd be near the water, she was wearing a swimsuit under her clothes. With a wink for Darryl, Jo peeled off her urban-camo print crop-top and booty-scrunch biker shorts, revealing a sporty two-piece swimsuit of dark-blue trimmed in white that flattered her dark blue eyes, pale blond hair, and tanned skin.

 

Quinn felt her cheeks redden when she caught Jo's wink and smirk as she and Darryl sauntered down to the dock after Evelyn and Hank. The same inadvertent blush of embarrassment and irritation when she'd arrived to the River House with Keith and the others and found Jo's cyclocross bike already there, leaning against Darryl's lime-green dirt-bike. She'd immediately looked towards the River House, but had found Jo and Darryl innocuously sitting on the porch, idly chatting, though Quinn hadn't and didn't believe that had been all they'd been doing.

"This inner magic stuff, it don't need blood or other sacrifice and such?" the huge blonde asked, plopping her clothes and shoes down in a pile at the foot of the dock, then quickly plaiting her hair in a tight French-braid to help keep it out of her face in the water. Jo hadn't practiced her magic much, focused more on the Crossfit Games and Darryl. Though she had managed a spell on acorns she was proud of, that she added to her protein shakes to give them a boost and help with post-workout recovery. She watched closely as Evelyn started making the wards, better at learning by watching and doing than by just reading or hearing about it. "Can Ah try makin' one of the wards, after yah show me how?"

She could think of one or two other uses for a ward that kept eyes away, Jo though, giving Darryl at her side a coy glance. Banner prowled down after his mistress, though stopped back a few yards the ground sloped down, the higher ground giving the big Kangal shepherd a better vantage. He laid down, head on his paws to keep his characteristic wary vigil, tongue lolling out to the side, still recovering from his run with his mistress on her bike.

[SalmonMax]

Roach...was late again.

 

She hated to show up empty-handed. In fact, for over an hour she'd debated whether or not to join the others at all. Her spell...basically the same one she'd cast for Solart...hadn't worked. Nevermind slow search bars, this time the only thing she'd accomplished was making a mess on her monitor screen. The 'offering,' the blood, hadn't burned away. She'd had to scrub it off herself.

 

What had gone wrong? Roach didn't know. This wasn't like a computer program where she could debug the thing. A spell followed a certain logic, but she didn't understand it well enough to be able to deconstruct the process and look for mistakes. It just hadn't worked. So she had nothing. And Roach was under no illusions about how this worked. She was a hard person to like...she had to pay for herself with utility, or why would anyone want her around? Showing up like this...they'd really let her have it.

 

Maybe better just not to go. What the hell did she want with a trip to the river anyway? She'd just text them, suffer the slings and arrows from afar, and find something else to do. Something more her style.

 

Ugh. But that felt like cowardice. Sweet stingy battery acid on the wound.

 

So Roach did show up, late, to the river, clad in her usual black T-shirt and a pair of cutoff jeans shorts. No swimsuit hidden under any of it. She figured she'd deliver the news, laugh off whatever feeble pokes they took at her from it, then head on out again. Let them see how this wasn't even a thing for her.

 

She shaded her eyes as she surveyed the splashy teens in the river, coming up to the bank.

 

"Hey everyone. I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that my spell didn't work...I dunno why. Maybe this vampire is protected or something. The good news is...I was lying. There's no good news. Also, river sharks are real. Watch out."

[Nina]

Evelyn ignored Hank as she concentrated on the warding spells. He, they, were not ready yet for that level of magic. She finished just as Roach made her appearance, and as she past Hank on the way to the top of the ramp she squeezed his arm comfortingly. 

 

At the top of the ramp, she faced Roach, “Don’t worry about it roach we can work on it later. Right now, we have other things to work on.” Evelyn looked Roach up and down and shook her head, “You should have worn a suit.” With that she lifted her and turning around,  swept her arm toward the river sending Roach catapulting through the air to splash out in the water.

 

Jo burst out laughing at the sight of Roach arms windmilling as she splashed into the cold water, then she noticed Evelyn looking at her, “Don’t you…”

 

“Shouldn’t have laughed,” Evelyn did the same gesture and Jo was picked up and flew off and into the river beside Roach. Evelyn did not wait instead moved rapidly now with both hands and every one of the Kids except for Keith and Dylan felt and invisible force grasp them and throw them into the river.

 

Keith stood his mouth gapping open not really believing what he had just seen, Dylan just stood amused then stripped off his shirt and jeans and wearing just his boxers ran and jumped into the river, to swim over to a sputtering Silas.

 

Evelyn stepped up to the edge of the water. This is the one of the most common and useful of the inner magics and all it takes is thought and will and your own inner power. Anyone can do this even Keith, “ She smiles back at him,” but we are witches we can do so much more.”

 

Evelyn held her hands out low to her sides and with palms up made a slight lifting motion and she rose off the ground to a few feet above the slopping ground.

[Shameless]

Hank accepted that she hadn't needed his help and that she hadn't answered likely because she was concentrating, so when he along with everyone else got tossed into the river he came back up and sighed, seeing her floating.   "Now that's pretty impressive.   How long do we gotta train to do that?"   

He chuckled as he drew up into the shallows of the river, standing on the sandy bottom.  While everyone was surprised, they could all swim, so nobody was in danger of any kind.   Hell alot of them had learned to swim together years ago.   

 

[Malachite]

Silas came up sputtering but fine, swimming with the ease of long practice and a youthful, toned body. When Dylan made his way over the Walsh boy got a mischievous glint to his eyes; he ducked under the water just before Evelyn started her levitating spell. Under the water he touched on the floor of the lake and shot upward under Dylan. He caught his boyfriend around the legs on his way up and propelled both of them up over the surface of the lake enough to dunk Dylan at least a little like the rest of them had gotten from Evelyn. 

 

He was laughing and wiping water from his eyes when he finally joined the others in watching the flying girl with wide eyes. “Holy sh-, wow! Can you teach us that?”

[Dawn OOC]

Quinn hesitated as the others started to strip, but she’d only worn the one suit. Asking herself if she’d made the right choice seemed stuipid when she’d basically locked in her choice by only bringing one suit. The suit itself had seemed like such a good idea when she’d spent the last of her Christmas money on it, picking it off Amazon earlier this year. It had been sexy but her, and the first time she’d picked a swimsuit without her mom’s input. Now, she wondered if she should have gotten something less risky.

 

Taking a deep breath, she pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it on the ground. She was wiggling her jean shorts down her hips when she heard Keith whistle. Glancing over her shoulder, she asked sharply, “Really?”

 

Keith’s eyes roamed over the navy blue and white bikini -- ignoring the horses running across the right breast -- and said, “You look amazing in that.”

 

“Did your mom really let you leave the house in that?” Roach smirked as she added, “Holly’s slippin’.”

 

Quinn rolled her eyes and ignored them both as she dropped her shorts on her shirt. She was headed for the dock when she was grasped and thrown into the lake, coming up coughing. Choking water out of her throat and tubes, she squinted up at Evelyn with rage-filled eyes, only to fall silent in shock, staring at the flying girl..Then Silas did his ambush of Dylan, and Quinn’s heart compressed painfully.. It was just one more sign of how much Dylan had replaced her in Silas’s life, and suddenly Quinn wanted to be anywhere but here.

 

Too bad she was trapped.

Edited June 17, 2021 by Dawn OOC
code correction

[Asarasa]

Jo hit the water with a tremendous splash, with her surprise at being thrown into the river unable to tuck into a ball or maneuver into a dive. But she recovered smoothly, letting herself sink to the bottom, flipping over, and then with a powerful kick, shooting back up to the surface. With long strokes, Jo swam for the small dock, her deep blue eyes wide as she looked up at Evelyn floating above the ground.

Okay, with laughing at Roach, Jo didn't blame Evelyn for throwing her in the water. But she hadn't even been so one-sidedly manhandled like that in her life, even when she was trying out wrestling last year and it seemed each month she went up another weight class, unable to make weight. Well, maybe when she was just a little kid and her father would make a stirrup with his hands, and at her insistence, he'd throw her into a lake or pool.

Strongest girl in school, strongest at the Crossfit Games even, Jo couldn't help but wonder just how much Evelyn could lift with her magic. Jo wondered how much she could lift herself, once she was shown how. Would her natural and hard wrought physical strength make any difference? She couldn't help feel a spike of pique that as much as she trained and exercised, that the red-haired girl could lift more, was stronger, than her, with just a wave of her hand.

 

It was still cool though, as was the floating. Jo would never use her magic to cheat during a competition, but it could sure be fun during a solo run. Or not so solo run, she added, with a glance at Darryl. Jo stalked through the shallows, water streaming from her taut, muscled form, humour and eagerness dancing in her eyes and on her lips.

"Ah'll admit, Ah'd had that comin'. Now show us all how, too. 'cuz, one way or 'nother, yah goin' in the water, too, Eve."

[Nina]

Evelyn chuckled as she settled back to the ground, “Yes, I’m going to show all of you it’s not as hard as you think. I will be honest I cheated a little, things like what I did just now take a lot of energy but knowing I was going to be doing this today I prepped and stored energy so I wouldn’t be shot in the first few minutes. And yes, I will show you how to do that as well.”

 

She turned back and walked up to the top of the boat ramp where she turned again to face the river and sat down with legs crossed. “Gather round.”

 

Once everyone was sitting, she began. “Everyone is born with a little magic and as a baby you are able to do all of these things, I am going to show you, but as we grow older and get our heads filled with other things we tend to forget all of this. At least most of us do. We will start with what the books call telekinesis but really its just the magical force of moving things…”

 

Over the rest of the day Evelyn taught and showed her Circle how to do the things she could, to use their own inner magic. She taught them to move things with a thought and a gesture, how to read another’s mind and speak to them without using their voice, how to make a flame. It was tiring these things all used a great deal of inner energy, but Evelyn showed them how to meditate to regain that energy quickly and how to store energy for later use as well. It was a good day and by the time the sun was setting each and everyone of them had accomplished the basics of inner magic.

 

Happy and satisfied they all went home ready for  Monday morning.

 

Spoiler

Ok all of you can now do little inner magics which are basically telekinesis, limited telepathy ( you need to be looking in your targets eyes) , and even a bit of Pyro and cryo. there is no system for this really a spell is not needed but it is taxing. you can do all three but each of you is good at only one. so each of you needs to choose one which when you use that magic you succeed on a 5 or 6. the others only work on a 6 and the roll to use these at this time is always disadvantaged.

 

The next day...

 

Roach had had a bad day. She was still smarting over the failure of her spell and the excitement of learning the inner magic stuff faded after she got home, and no one had mentioned her spell or offered to help her try it again. Not even Evelyn. Then the usual crowed of Neanderthals and Cheerbitches, sensing her mood decided that today was a good day to pick on the weird girl.

 

And now this.

 

“Rochelle,” MS Solart’s sweet Georgia twang rang out just one minute shy of the bell, “ Would you mind staying after the bell a little bit.” The teacher smiled and to Roach, whose heart was suddenly in her throat, that smile looked like a sharks.

 

The bell rang and the kids rushed out her friends who shared the class hesitated and Ms Solart made a shooing motion, “Y’all run along, and don’t worry I’m not going to eat her or anything.” They shuffled out and Solart went to the door closed it and brushed two fingers of her left hand against the door and muttered something Roach couldn’t make out, then she came over to where Roach sat and sat on the desk next to her.

 

The older witch looked at roach with pursed lips and then shook her head. “Don’t worry honey, like I said, I’m not going to eat you, your still too young for that.” She laughed a little. “But,” Solart leaned over  and rested her hand on Roaches arm which was on the top of the desk, “I just want to help you out and show you that I am not what you think I am.”