This choice: Cathrine's surprise visit. • Go Back... Just then, the door bell rang. You, your mother, and Hayley turn to the front door annoyed. "Perfect timing!" you all said in unison. You turned to each other, surprised, then shared a low laugh, at least the ice had been broken.
The door bell rang a second time and Mel called, "I'll get it!"
You saw her run to the front door and open it to find that aunt Catherine had decided to come visit. You hid your book behind your back then, to Hayley's disappointment, made it vanish. Your mother noticed this as well then turned to her sister, annoyed. However, to the surprise of both Hayley and your mother, you picked up the magic book and held it in your hands.
"If mom is indeed a witch, then it would be safe to assume that her sister is one as well." you thought. you frowned. "Mom and Hayley may suspect my power, but aunt Catherine knows nothing. Now we shall see what they would have intended if I were a 'normal' boy."
"I hope I am not interrupting anything." she said, walking in.
"Actually, Cathe." said your mother, with restraint. "Hayley and I were about to have a discussion with John, here."
"Oh?" asked Cathe. "What kind of a-" she stopped, seeing the magic book in your hands then turned to your mother, grinning. "I see. So, Natalie, what are you planning to do to him, now that he knows?"
She threw you a mischievous grin, expecting you to cringe, but paused as you only returned it.
"I'm afraid John is a little different from other boys, aunt Cathe." said Hayley. "That's why its important for us to have a private talk with him."
"What exactly do you mean by 'different'?" asked Cathe, confused. she shrugged it off then smiled at you. "I know, let's have some fun and turn him into a little girl for a while."
You face hardened. "That would not be wise." you warned.
Your aunt Cathe laughed at that and raised her hand to cast a spell. "May I, sis?" she asked, not wanting to upset your mother. "I promise I'll change him back, once I've proven my point."
"I wouldn't, aunt Catherine." you replied, becoming annoyed.
"Catherine..." whispered your mother, showing a face of warning.
Your mother was frustrated. Her sister had just inadvertently ruined her one chance to gain enough of your trust to at least willingly slow down your practice of pseudo magic. There would be no chance if Catherine managed to evoke your rage. She had to get her sister to leave and try to talk some sense into you at another time.
"Oh, come now, sis!" said Cathe, still grinning. "It's all in fun." she turned to you. "He will understand that there's nothing he can do about it... given time."
Your annoyance turned to anger, but not rage. You felt you had to teach your aunt that you were far from helpless.
She rose her hand, mentally reciting out the spell. Before she could cast the spell, however, you suddenly smiled, then vanished from her sight. She let out a low scream, not expecting this from you, as you reappeared a second later, standing right behind her. Hayley and your mother stared at you, their faces turning pale as you then raised your hand in a strange way as if to do something yourself.
"John, NO!" yelled your mother, sternly.
But it was too late. Fortunately, you did not use any of your science, you had a more simple but equally effective means to get your point across, childish intimidation. You clutched her shoulder, yelling "BOO!"
Your aunt Cathe screamed, spinning around to face you but you had already teleported away from there. Shaken, your aunt looked around then all eyes turned to the television as it suddenly came on and you were on the screen with a look of annoyance on your face.
"What's the matter, aunt Catherine?" you asked, sarcastically. "It's all in fun and besides, you will understand that there's nothing you can do about it... given time."
The shocked and annoyed look on Catherine's face made up your mind, although you felt that it might not all be the truth. "I see." you said, still in the television.
Then, the television turned itself off and you suddenly appeared in front of your aunt Catherine, causing her to scream again. "It's only all in fun when it's being forced on someone who CAN'T FIGHT BACK!!"
"You... you have it all wrong, John." said Hayley, tearing up. "You honestly do."
"DO I!?!" you asked, your anger rising. "My own aunt was about to change my gender and age against my will, despite my clear protests!"
You saw Cathe raising her hand again and you turned raising your own, blocking her spell with a telekinetic shield you had just mastered last week. "Don't even think about it!!" you said, barely restraining yourself.
You grabbed her with the same telekinetic power in a way she could not move her arms, then lifted her off the floor and moved her to the couch where your mother and Hayley were sitting and gently but firmly sat her down before releasing her. "SIT DOWN!!"
"Way to go, sis!" whispered your mother. "I TRIED to warn you!"
"Just what would you three have done to me if I could not fight back!?!" you asked. "Turn me into a girl for your amusement!?! Maybe you force me into a wedding dress and try to marry me off!! Even better, throw me into some boarding school and forget about me!!"
You could clearly see frustration and annoyance in both your mother's and your aunt's eyes but you only saw fear and sadness in Hayley's eyes. That was when you decided that, if there was going to be any peace talks, it would be through her alone.
"John, please listen to me." said your mother. "I know you are angry..."
"I am frustrated!" you yelled. "You have NOT seen me angry, yet!"
Your mother fell silent but Hayley spoke. "Okay, you're frustrated, we get that." she said, calmly. "Yes, if you had no power, we would have played pranks on you that would have involved turning you into a girl."
She cautiously stood up and approached you. "But you are a loved member of this family, we would NEVER take it that far. Besides, mom would punish us all if we even thought of treating you as a mere toy."
You turned to her as she nodded. "I love you as equally as I do the girls, John." she said, quietly. "Yes, I would have 'played' with you for a while but only to give you a sense of involvement." she cautiously approached you as well. "I would never intentionally harm you."
You took a distrusting step back from her, causing tears to form in her eyes as Hayley began to sob in frustration.
"Please, John." said Hayley. "We're telling you truth!"
You turned to her and she became greatly relieved as your face softened a little.
"You wanted to talk?" you asked, more calmly.
Hayley swallowed hard, sensing that you were giving everyone a last chance. "Yes, we need to talk." she said. "There will be no tricks, no deceptions, I promise."
You let out a long, low sigh, trying to let go of your frustration and think clearly. It was not easy, considering that your aunt tried to have her fun with you immediately after seeing that you knew the family secret.
"I will take to you." you said finally. "But ONLY to you, Hayley. You are the only person I saw who was not annoyed at the fact that I had power of my own." you then whispered, "I'm not mad, just a little annoyed."
Hayley nodded, understanding your emotions then asked, "Where do you want to talk?"
You then suddenly but gently gripped her hand. "Where mom and aunt Catherine can never follow."
With that, you and Hayley were both gone with a quick flash of energy. A second later, Hayley looked about, wide eyed, finding herself inside a massive well lit chamber. There were stations everywhere that looked like props from science fiction movies. She knew that this place could only have been your chaotic science laboratory.
"Welcome to my home away from home." you said, with a courteous bow. "Please do not fiddle with anything unless I am watching you closely. Like your magic, chaotic science is not a toy, it's dangerous."
Hayley was awe struck. "Your power must me immense!" she said. she shivered at the thought.
"Actually, this is just the basics of chaotic science." you told her. "I am no more powerful than you are, by comparison. I just allowed mom and aunt Catherine to make their own assumptions of my power."
Hayley smiled at that, relieved that you were not as powerful as you seemed. Still, you HAD power and you were not about to allow yourself to be pushed around.
"If this is just the basics." said Hayley. "How do you advance?"
You smiled. "Robots, programed by uncle Jack, are building the advanced laboratory in a different location as we speak." you said. "Advanced chaotic science is called pseudo magic."
Hayley again, swallowed hard. "Science so advanced it becomes magic." she thought. "It's up to me to convince him NOT to advance. Maybe he can get stronger without it." she sighed then thought, "This going to turn out to be a very long night."
Meanwhile, inside the living room, your mother turned sharply to her sister, Catherine.
"Thanks a lot, sis!" she said. "We tried to tell you that John is different!"
"How did he..." asked Catherine.
"Jack gave John his book and his laboratory!" yelled your mother, now angry. "We could never find it, no matter how hard we tried! Now John is practicing the very same science that got Jack killed!"
She took a deep breath to calm herself. Jack was indeed a master of pseudo magic but such a power took a lot out of a person to use. An evil ex-witch, stripped of her power by her grandmother, the head witch, used magical artifacts to wear Jack down before she poisoned him. She had intended to steal his knowledge and learn pseudo magic so to take her revenge on your mother, the new head witch. Your mother knew that she would do so by trying to kill the next girl in line, Hayley.
Fortunately, your mother and Catherine returned home, unexpected, to find her over Jack's body before she could begin her search. Jack died in your mother's arms, telling her that his secrets were safe. She never guessed that they were safe in your hands.
"I... I'm so sorry, Natalie." said Catherine, softly, also knowing how Jack had died. "I had no idea..."
Your mother sighed. "Neither did I until just today." she then fell silent, no longer wishing to talk.
"I'll go." said Catherine. she paused. "Do you forgive me?"
"I forgive you, Cathe." said your mother. "You're timing was just off." she sighed. "It's not going to take some work to regain John's trust."
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