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Prologue We stood before the tribunal pleading for mercy. We knew it would fall on deaf ears but it was worth a shot. My father and I were facing certain death, we each took huge risks in supporting my wife and mother in their training but it was worth it. My name is Izod Hammel. I am a grand wizard and president of the Wizard's Council. My father is Ozmodias Hammel, a retired wizard who himself was once president of the Wizard's Council. We have spent the better part of four decades trying to change the old ways to adapt to modern times. So far they have been successful but there is always someone who fights back. That person was Lugar Lizaro, my onetime friend who turned to the dark side of magic when he could no longer master others on his own. Lugar led a revolution to overthrow my changes. My allies slowly fell one by one. Many were forced to resign in disgrace, others vanished without a trace, and others were outright murdered. I was the last one standing. Lugar took no chances. He went after my wife and mother with virulent rage. Two of the loveliest people ever to be born were snuffed out right before our eyes, simply because they dared to try to learn magic and be equals. Lugar had paid a lifetime's salary to every member of my household to get them to reveal what we were teaching them, despite centuries of loyalty to my family they all turned against us. My father expected the worst and had a plan of action in place. As we were standing before the council we were given time to prepare a defense. This delay allowed us to slip our bonds and flee for our lives. Lugar and the council didn't notice until it was too late. We were already clear across the city and at the portal walking through before their goons came for us. There was a brilliant flash and we were gone. Before we could know what happened we were standing in a strange place out in the middle of a large field. The grass and trees were green, the sky was blue, and the clouds white? Where were we? How did we get here? And more importantly why did I look like a young girl! Chapter 1 I did the first thing that came to my mind, I inspected my body and clothes. I had the body of a 12 year old on the cusp of womanhood, dressed in a bright yellow sundress with long blonde hair pinned back with a barrette. I was wearing a backpack filled with various books and a small wallet. It was warm out, the sun low in the eastern sky. It had to be dawn, possibly summer or early autumn. I looked around and could barely make out houses in the near distance. There was a road between the field and the houses. I couldn't see much else, the woods were too dense on either side. I looked around for my father but only saw a woman. She was beautiful, almost as beautiful as my wife. She had to be in her mid-30s, was well built showing years of hard work. I walked over to her. There was something familiar about her. She was just starting to stir and gave me a loving smile as she saw me. She immediately called out, "Izod we escaped!" Dad? He had become female as well? What was going on here! Dad...or rather this woman called my name again and said, "I know you are scared and puzzled but I had no choice. It was either jump to these bodies or die and I don't want you die." There was a lot of sadness in her voice. She was my father, he had done something that would be unforgivable in our culture yet he had saved both our lives. I couldn't be mad at him, he did it out of love for me. I walked over to dad and helped him up. He brushed off his dress and hugged me. It felt strange to have another woman?s breasts brush up against my small body but it felt right. My wife and I never made contact, my mother never touched me. No contact of any kind was allowed in our culture, everything was done by magic. Dad explained to me what happened, "I set this shift up so that we could escape to the one place in the multiverse that Lugar would never think to look, the one place where females are only able to do magic. I chose this life for us so we could escape and start anew, biding our time until you could strengthen your skills enough to defeat him in battle. Magic here is concentrated, mastering it here will mean your own powers back home will be exponentially more powerful. I know you aren?t happy at being so young but this is the only way for you to learn without being noticed. Please give it a chance, I don?t want to lose you the way I lost your wife and mother.? I tried to be angry, I wanted to be upset. I couldn?t find the rage. He had stolen from me my manhood and my life. Instead all I could do was just embrace him and accept my fate. He was now my mother and I was his daughter. Chapter 2 We walked towards the town. It was larger than I expected, roughly about 20,000 people living in it. I saw a sign saying, "Town of Endicott, incorporated 1693?. The place was called Endicott, by the cars it had to be in Massachusetts. I found a map in a store and saw where we were, the same place as the seat of our Wizard?s Council just called something else. We didn?t actually travel anywhere, we just moved across barriers. Mom and I found the house where our bodies lived. It was a little rundown but it seemed large compared with the others on the block. Inside there were multiple bedrooms, a dining room, a den, a basement, and an attic. It was cute and comfortable. It was home for the time being. Even if I liked it I didn?t plan on living here forever. I wanted to return home as soon as possible. This will have to do even if we had to do everything ourselves without the aid of servants and magical items. Mom and I sat down on the couch and had a serious discussion. She told me all about female bodies here and what would happen to me shortly. She explained she had to undergo the same experiences so I wasn?t the only one experiencing the inconveniences. One thing she had to point out was that soon I?d feel the irresistible urge of males, that is if my mind acclimated fully to being female. If not she would support me despite the social norms here looking down upon same-gender relationships. I shuddered at the thought. I missed my wife and could not picture any other person replacing her in my heart. Mom explained that I would have to start school in three days. Children were educated by a professional here, if it was found out that I wasn?t attending both of us could be in trouble. I didn?t like the idea of listening to someone drone on for hours a day but I didn?t want undue attention brought upon us. The biggest thing is that few if any knew about magic and of those even fewer were able to properly use it. I had to limit my magical usage to when nobody was around or during an extreme emergency. If someone found out I?d have to use the, "forget-all? spell on them. Word getting out that magic actually exists would cause mass panic and would result in our deaths at the hands of angry and fearful crowds. Mom let me soak up the information. It was a lot to take in, especially regarding my body. It felt wrong and sickening but it was what females had to endure here. I felt sorry for them, they deserve praise for dealing with it. I asked mom how she knew so much about this place. Mom got quiet and mumbled, "Your mom loved it here.? I can see why, it was a place of empowerment- literally. Mom was a great woman and she would have done great things had she not been murdered by Lugar. Mom turned on the television to allow me to get acclimated to the pop culture of children "my age?. This wasn?t so bad, I found this entertaining and time consuming. I didn?t think about my problems nor feel the sadness that had been lingering, I just felt at ease with myself. Chapter 3 After several hours of watching television I started to consider my plight. I was stuck in the body of a pubescent 12 year old girl in a strange place with a mother who was once my father and with no way home yet. Nope. Nothing wrong with this situation. No reason to panic- NOT! Mom sensed my anxiety and decided it was time to confess the truth. She asked what I remembered about our travels in the past, back when he was the President of the Wizard?s Council. That was two decades ago- what could that vacation have to do with this situation? I was only 12 then....oh no! Mom looked at me and nodded. This wasn?t our first time here. In fact this wasn?t the first time I was in this body! I was once a 12 year old girl during our vacation! Mom let this realization sink in. I started to cry, this was almost too much to handle. She let me gather myself then confessed the truth, "When you were younger your mother and I used to take you to this place so you would enjoy your free time and enhance your power without Lugar and his minions knowing. Your mother felt the best way to do so was as a female, which as strange as it sounds was the reason why you became so powerful.? My mouth dropped open. I looked down at myself and saw something familiar, I was starting to recall my memories of past trips. Mom held me close and hugged me for a few minutes until I calmed down again. I could only ask, "Why can?t I remember?? Mom shook her head and admitted the truth, "We felt that it was best that you not remember what happened here, only that your strength had increased due to practice. Time goes slow here so we were able to make multiple trips over several years but it seemed like only a few hours had passed. That?s why you appear so young, you are returning to how you were when you were last here. Alas I could not come here as I appeared so I had to use your mother?s body.? I looked at mom closely. I knew she was telling me the truth but it was hard to fathom. She started to say, "I am going to do a special spell to unlock the memories of this body so you can go out in public and not raise suspicions. You will be Isabel, my daughter. I will be Alexandra, your mother. Izod and Ozmodiar are to be forgotten until the time is right.? He touched my forehead and I recalled everything. I remembered my best friend Sela lived next door and her widower dad Paul was mom?s onetime love interest. I remembered that I was a student in the 6th grade at Endicott Middle School and Sela and I were members of the cheer team. I remembered that mom worked as a clerk for a law firm and dad was a day laborer. Mom raked a lot of money working hard so dad was the primary caretaker. I asked mom about "Dad? which was his onetime body. She shook her head saying, "We have to tell Paul and anyone else that he decided to divorce me and leave you and I alone permanently. Nobody will seem to notice, due to it being ?recent? we will get some sympathy and support from people but they will leave us alone for now.? This was a lot to take in. I started to watch more television and calm myself. I recalled my favorite television channels and shows. The cartoons were funny, the tween comedies were adequate. I couldn?t figure out why I liked them, it had to be the opening of my mind to the forgotten memories. I didn?t care, I just liked spending my time doing this. Just after mom started dinner the doorbell rang. I looked through the peephole and a short, skinny girl with long blonde hair and braces was standing there. This must be Sela, my best friend. I felt that she was coming over but didn?t fully understand why. Sela gave me a big hug. I led her into the living room and sat down on the couch with her. She tried her hardest to remain silent but after a few minutes she finally said, "I?m so sorry about your dad. Your mother didn?t deserve him walking out on you two.? I started to tear up. She was striking a chord with me for some reason. Even though it was a "lie? it was technically true since my dad was gone, my "mom? replaced him. Sela just hugged me and held me until I stopped crying. I could only muster a "Thank you, you are a true friend.? She nodded and held me until the sadness left. After another couple of minute she whispered, "Dad isn?t happy, I think he still loves your mom and doesn?t want to see her hurt.? I don?t know why I did it but I replied, "I hope there is some spark left between them.? Sela looked at me with wide, hopeful eyes., "Do you know what that would mean? We could be sisters!? I somehow felt fine with that. Paul was a nice man and mom deserved someone who loved her. Then it hit me- I had let go of "Dad? easily! I stopped thinking of her as, "Dad? almost immediately. She just didn?t seem like dad, even in my mind she was mom and I was her daughter. Past or not, this was really getting serious. It started to scare me. Sela sensed something was going on and asked, "What is the matter, you look spooked.? I lied and said, "Just thinking about what could happen to dad.? Sela wasn?t sympathetic but tried to be supportive for my sake. I was glad she was a good person, I can see why I liked her as a friend. Mom was watching me closely. She could tell I was taking in the situation a little too quickly but let me realize what was happening on my own. She knew it would take me time to let the memories and sensations take hold but I was off to a good start. Sela decided to ask me what I was wearing to school on Monday. I didn?t realize it was coming up tomorrow until she mentioned it. I had to think fast. ?I don?t know, I was thinking a simple skirt and blouse? I said. Sela took me by my hand and headed towards my bedroom. She looked at my wardrobe and picked out a red skirt and white blouse with leggings. I had to admit she had an eye for fashion, they were cute. She insisted I try them on right then and there. I didn?t know what to do but went with my instincts and started to change. She didn?t bat an eye, just looked over the sizing and suggested a silk camisole to wear under my blouse to go with the outfit. She picked out a similar outfit and started to undress. I was staring at a girl who could have been my own daughter had I had children standing before me in just a training bra and panties and I didn?t feel the least bit odd- my acclimation had to have been at or near finished! Sela asked to borrow the outfit she tried on. I am ashamed to admit that it did look good on her. I agreed but said she had to have something I could wear for the weekend. Mom called us down for dinner. Sela and I ate fast and watched television until it was time for her to go home. Mom hugged her goodnight and asked her to keep an eye on me tomorrow in school. Sela agreed but said I usually kept an eye on her. With Sela gone mom asked how I was holding up. She knew I had endured a lot today, she could see some faint trembling in my hands. She held me tight and kissed my forehead as I tried to pull myself together to tell her. I let loose without thinking saying, "Sela is great and I like her as a friend. It was weird seeing her change and feeling absolutely nothing, just friendship that she radiated. She seems to think that we could be sisters if you and her dad rekindled your flame, whatever that means.? Mom looked at me funny. She quietly admitted, "Paul is a good man and I do feel something for him. We will have to watch our urges but I know I am not looking for a husband right now. I can?t say that I won?t develop feelings for him in the future but you and Sela shouldn?t push us together, let it happen on its own.? I withdrew to my room for the night. I had a lot to think about and needed to rest up for the impending sensory overload of school. Even with Sela by side this would be a very taxing day and I needed all the energy to not do something I would regret or couldn?t explain. Chapter 4 Sela called me early to ensure I woke up on time. Apparently last year I had a nasty habit of not doing so. Oh well, it was odd to be even going to school let alone dealing with other kids. I showered and changed into my school clothes then went downstairs to eat. Mom was already awake and had breakfast made, giving me a kiss on the forehead for not protesting all of this forced normalcy. I ate in silence. I tried to concentrate on how to act and access the memories of my past life as Isabel. Mom sensed what I was doing and told me that it was time to unlock everything. She asked me one final time if this was what I really wanted, I looked her in the eyes and said, "I can?t deal with this anymore, I can?t deal with having a past life I don?t know a thing about. The memories are there but I need to know, even if it brings back painful memories I need to know everything. It?s not right to Sela that her friend doesn?t remember who she is or what they did.? Mom told me to hold still while she chanted a spell. I felt a pressure in my head then blacked out for a minute. Memories started to flood back. I felt myself smile. I could see Mom, dad, and myself sitting around the table talking. I could see myself meeting Sela for the first time. I could see mom and her mom talking while dad and her dad talked. I could see my first kiss with a boy, taken on a dare from the other kids at a party. I could even see my first period and mom?s happiness. It all came back. I remembered everything. Mom removed her hand and told me it was done. I looked up at her and cried, hugging her close. She was going to have to endure a lot more than I had to endure- she had the memories of two lives flooding her mind. Sela rang the doorbell and I let her in. She was wearing a matching outfit which made us both giggle. She planned it perfectly, she knew how I was about school and wanted as little fuss as possible. I loved her for that, she thought more of me than I could of her. She was a true friend. Mom drove us to school. Sela kept talking the whole time to keep me from thinking about anything else but school. She thought my distance yesterday was that I was still reeling from, "Dad? leaving and didn?t want me to dwell on it. At school Sela and I sat down at a table outside to wait for the bell. Other girls in our class came by and we exchanged stories about our summer. They conveniently left me out of the talks, they didn?t want me to feel bad about what happened with, "Dad?. The girls left and two more sat down with us. They were quiet and listened as Sela talked with me. They were polite to us, they weren?t friends but they treated us nicely. They were new to the school, so in a way I empathized with them. They introduced themselves as Jennifer and Philippa, twins who were newly arrived from the UK. Their dad got transferred to a US office and their mom was a lawyer. They mentioned the law firm which coincidentally was mom?s employer. We would be seeing a lot of each other, mom was their mom?s new clerk. We walked to our class only to be stopped by the school?s resident bully. Zoe was relentless. She didn?t waste time in going after my dad?s departure, ensuring that everyone knew how she felt about him. The other girls tried to ignore her but she pressured them into laughing at me. I just ignored her. Sela and the twins followed suit and walked inside. I held back a few seconds and mumbled a quick spell which caused Zoe?s skirt to blow up revealing her panties to all of the boys in school. She screamed in embarrassment as all of the students laughed. I just shook my head in disgust. Magic was forbidden and mom was going to be angry. For the moment I didn?t care, I always hated bullies and Zoe deserved what happened to her. It was worth the possible punishment to get her off my back for a while. Word spread quickly around the school. Sela and the twins were the last ones to know and told me about it. I played dumb, saying, "I can?t say I am sorry that happened to her but at least she gave the boys something they will always remember.? The four of us laughed as we sat down in class. The rest of the students came in shortly thereafter with many still talking about Zoe?s unfortunate situation. Zoe was the last to come in, having changed quickly into jeans that didn?t match her blouse. She had a look of anger and frustration on her face that belied her inner embarrassment. Our new teacher came in last. She greeted us all and told us her name was Ms. Kimball. She had us make nametags to place on our desks and told us until the last day of school those would be our assigned seats and unless something occurred to necessitate a change we would be staying put. The good news was the twins were in front of me and Sela was next to me on my right side. The bad news about this was Zoe was sitting beside me on my left. She scowled at me constantly throughout the day and mumbled that she would get me back later. Throughout the day Ms. Kimball sensed Zoe was up to no good. By recess Zoe had all but told me she was going to make me pay for her humiliation earlier. Even though, "I wasn?t responsible? she felt she needed to send a message to the others. Ms. Kimball heard her muttering that to me and simply said, "Time for recess students. Zoe since you have just mentioned the need to teach a lesson to everyone you get to stay inside and learn some more while the others have fun. I hope this is educational to you as you had hoped it will be.? Her sarcasm wasn?t lost on the other kids. She was caught red handed by Ms. Kimball and was going to pay the price for bullying in school. She swore under her breath that she will make me pay when we were outside of school. I ignored her ranting. She couldn?t actually hurt me, I had ways of stopping her and make her do worse things to herself without anyone being the wiser. It was what she might do to the twins and Sela that was my biggest concern. Sela wasted no time in making sure I realized what happened. Zoe was going to get me no matter what. The twins were inexperienced with bullying here and needed Sela to explain what was going on. They cringed at hearing what Zoe was planning but I took it in stride. Back in class things went smoothly the rest of the day. Lunch was quiet as Sela and the twins were fearful for me but I didn?t let on that I was feeling any way other than optimistic. I was touched that they cared, Sela was like a sister but this was something new for the twins. They actually cared about someone who wasn't family and who was being a good person towards them. I tried to keep their minds occupied by offering to hang out with them after school. Sela and I would help them get used to the US especially New England. The twins were happy to have this tutoring, and were hopeful that we would be close friends. I simply told them the truth- they already were friends with us. In class Ms. Kimball kept us working hard all day. Reviewing the material we learned in fifth grade was tough and boring. She tried to make it up to us by not giving any homework. After school the four of us waited outside for our parents to pick us up. Mom was working so Sela?s dad Paul was picking us up. The twins? nanny was picking them up. We all exchanged cell phone numbers as we left. Chapter 5 Paul was happy to listen about our day at school. He didn?t like hearing that we already had a bully problem and hoped that she wouldn?t cause us any more trouble. The twins sounded interesting, hopefully they weren?t being nice until better friends come along. Paul was very loving towards us, I can see why mom liked him. He treated me like another daughter, as if Sela and I were always sisters. Sela smiled at how he treated me, I didn?t have to read her mind to know she was thinking the same thing I was. Paul asked us if we wanted to learn self-defense. I really didn?t need it but mom would be angry with me if I used magic to help. Sela was scared of Zoe so I went along with her answer of "Yes.? He signed us both up for karate lessons from Sensei Renee. Sensei saw that we were joining for the right reasons and we learned some basics right away. I have to admit, it was fun. Sela was enjoying herself and both of us were learning moves that enhanced our natural reflexes. Zoe wouldn?t have a chance if she tried to hurt us! We left for home and let mom know what we had done. She looked concerned but Paul reassured her that we were doing it for the right reasons. Sela smiled and got mom to agree to let us continue, she didn?t want to do it unless I joined her and I didn?t want her to try to help me and get hurt in case Zoe went after me for appearing "Weaker.? Sela and I ate dinner mostly in silence while mom and Paul chatted away. She was giggling and laughing at practically everything he said while he listened to her stories about work. Sela and I stole knowing glances, those two were enjoying each other?s company a little too much to be friends, they had the hots for one another. We left the table as soon as we were finished eating. In my room Sela let out a big squeal of joy, her dad and my mom were in love and could barely hide it. I tried to play coy but he had the hots for her, he was trying hard not to show it but it was blatantly obvious. I?d have to talk with mom afterwards but they were getting very cozy and it concerned me. Paul and Sela left after another hour. I asked mom about her relationship with Paul to which she blushed and said, "he?s just a friend.? I rolled my eyes at that. She tried to come up with a valid excuse but I cut her off saying, "You like him. He likes you. you two are more than friends and if you keep this up you two are going to end up in love and make our situation more complicated.? She tried to act like it was no big deal but I stopped her again. I told her, "Sela is practically planning your wedding. I love you and don?t want you to get hurt when the truth comes out. You need to be careful.? Mom shook her head in disbelief and asked, "When did I become the child in our family?? I smiled and said softly, "When you started to act like a little school girl with her first crush.? Mom just laughed and added, "be careful, it?s only a matter of time before you act that way.? I let that one go then told her about the self-defense lessons. She was concerned about them but I told her, "Sela needs them, I don?t want her getting hurt because of me. I know I can handle myself but she won?t stop herself from helping me. You told me to not use magic unless I had to, so this is the best way of protection without magic.? Mom reluctantly agreed. I told her about Zoe and what I did to which I was scolded. She was at least happy that I was able to do it without notice but advised me not to do it again unless I absolutely had to. I told her about the twins. She grew silent then asked that we stay clear of them. When I asked why she told me, "Their mother isn?t the nicest person and she was a bad influence on the girls. Their father is a saint but he can?t see how terrible she is with people.? I was conflicted. Jennifer and Phillipa were nice girls who were trying to be good, if what mom said is true they are great actresses because they were the most timid people I had ever seen. They were quiet and only talked with each other, Sela, and I. Tomorrow I?d invite them over to work on their acclimation to the US. Mom wasn?t happy with the idea but I told her that it was the only way I?d blend in. The four of us hanging together was better than Sela and I all alone. We were less of a target as a foursome than as a duo which means there was less reason to use magic for protection. In the morning Sela again chose my outfit. I told her my plan and she was more than happy to help out. She even suggested we go to her house to do it since they would feel more comfortable there than in their mom?s clerk?s house. Paul was fine with us coming over but he asked we didn?t make a mess. Sela just laughed it off. I promised we?d clean up and put everything away which Sela grumbled about. At school the twins were fine with the plan. They were just as timid as yesterday and even more afraid of Zoe than they were the day before. Sela told them about our taking karate lessons for self-defense which they thought was a wise idea and would ask their parents. Zoe saw the four of us sitting together talking and tried to grab Sela. Sela ducked out of the way and turned Zoe around and knocked her down. The twins were shocked but Sela said, "It?s nothing, that was the first thing we were taught yesterday.? Zoe walked away with her pride wounded and muttering she would get her back. As we were walking to class I had to uses the bathroom and didn?t hear Zoe follow in behind me. She tried to swing at me but I said a quick spell which froze her in place. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sela standing there in shock with her mouth open. Oh crap, she saw! Chapter 6 Sela saw what I had done. I had to think fast. I cast the same immobilizer spell to hold her but it didn?t work! I tried a forget spell and that too didn?t work! Sela looked at me funny. She tried to form word but was struggling. I turned away from her and let Zoe move then cast a forget spell with the instructions, "You will forget that you were going to harm me and Sela. You will remain here for several minutes after we leave and you will tell the teacher that you had an accident in your pants. You will go home in shame.? Sela finally realized what was happening and asked me point blank, "Are you some sort of witch? How are you able to do those spells?? I couldn?t lie to her. As much as I wanted to I couldn?t lie to the only person I cared about as much as my father. Having her know the truth was worth the risk. She was already immune to my magic, I couldn?t protect myself against her even if I wanted to so it was worth the effort to see if she was truly my friend or if she would chase me away in fear. I leaned forward and held her hand to my head then cast a, "See what I saw? spell. Her face clinched in agony as she saw the horrors that Lugar laid upon us. She was crying as she saw my mother and wife perish for being themselves. She nodded in understanding as she saw we couldn?t go back to our home yet. Sela broke the connection. She looked up at me and simply asked, "Is this all true?? I nodded. I could only mutter, "Everything is exactly as I saw it through my own eyes.? She hugged me and kissed my cheek. She swore she would hold our secret for as long as she lived. I could only hug her deeply then say, "We need to get back to class? to which she agreed. Ms. Kimball asked us what took so long, Sela whispered something in her ear then nodded adding, "You are young so it?s understandable.? I didn?t press Sela as to what she meant, I knew she must have been talking about periods because that would be the only thing that would make sense for us taking so long. In class Zoe?s absence was noticed by all and rumors started flying fast. Sela and I didn?t pay them much heed, we didn?t want to be part of it. The twins picked up on our reluctance and asked us why we didn?t enjoy the Zoe rumor mongering, Sela quickly pointed out that we would be no better than her and it wasn?t worth the fight if she found out we participated in it. After school we rushed home. The twins would have to wait another day to get our lessons but they learned a quick one in the form of how cruel kids can be about other kids. We told them we would work with them tomorrow after our karate lessons and if they really wanted they could do some homework on pop culture by watching tween TV shows on Disney and Nickelodeon. In my room Sela was quiet. I told her that mom would want to speak with her so she and I just did our homework then watched as I practiced some basic spells. She watched in awe as I made clothes change color, stand upright on their own, change from cotton to synthetic fibers, and grow and shrink. After several spells Sela joked that she could probably do just as well with the basics. I told her that magic was different than she might think but as I said that she moved her hands and *poof* a bouquet of roses appeared in front of me. I didn?t do that, that was Sela! She could perform magic without even realizing it- she had the power in her! No wonder my spells wouldn?t work on her, she was one of the gifted in this realm! Sela was shaking, she had no idea how to react. First I could perform spells on others now she could do it herself. I tried to tell her she was special but she was shaking uncontrollably. I could only hug her to calm her down, which she did then proceeded to cry on my shoulder. Mom saw what happened and without saying anything took her hand and sat her at the kitchen table. She asked her if what she had witnessed had happened before, Sela nodded and told us that she once made her ice cream jump from the ground back up onto her cone after if fell on the ground. Mom nodded and told her quietly, "You are a witch like us, you have special abilities that only a few in the entire world possess. Your powers are strong and with training you can be a powerful witch like us. If you want to learn we can teach you but the longer you refuse to accept your gift the harder it will be to control it.? Sela nodded and told her quietly, "I want to learn. I want to be like Isabel and you. I want you to be my sister and mother.? She spurted out that last part without thinking. Mom gave me an odd look but I knew exactly what she meant- she wanted her dad and mom to marry. Mom was happy to teach her and told her, "Saturday and Sunday I?ll teach you. You have obligations to the twins to keep as do you have to Sensei Rene. I?ll tell your dad that you want to spend the weekend.? She thanked mom and the two walked to her house while I got dinner started. Mom came back a few minutes later and asked what really went on. I told her about Zoe and Sela seeing me then about her accidentally seeing me and the spells not working on her. Mom shook her head sainyg, "I told you to be careful, but the good from that error is you have awakened her to what she really is. Now what was that about being your sister and my daughter?? I blushed then blurted out, "She wants you and her dad to get together. She likes you a lot and she likes me as a sister, she wants the four of us to become a family.? Mom blushed at this. She clearly felt something for Paul and wouldn?t admit it but thankfully he was a good man and she could do a lot worse. I like him, he?s good to us and cares about us. Sela may be a little na?ve but she is at least perceptive enough to see he is a good match for mom and her dad. If we are lucky they might admit there is some attraction but knowing mom it might take a while and some prodding. Chapter 7 Sela and I went off to school without saying a word. She was embarrassed at what she said to mom, I know she was still in shock when she said it but it was the truth. I agreed with her, mom and her dad are a good couple and she would be a great sister to me. When we were alone I told her exactly what I thought. She hugged me and shed a few tears adding, "Thank you for understanding? before we broke the embrace. I added, "Paul would make a great father and perfect husband for mom? which got her smiling brightly. We were in agreement but we would take it slowly for their sake. The twins gave their report to us. They weren?t impressed with the TV shows and scoffed at the trends shown. We agreed with them, both of us not really big TV watchers instead preferring to read or watch movies instead. The twins were eager to learn more but we were tapped out of ideas, which seemed to make them a little standoffish and distant. I recalled mom?s warning about them. I didn?t like what I was seeing, this might be the start of the inevitable split. We showed kindness and they might have taken advantage of it. I was hoping they would come around to the idea that you need to be an individual but it looks like they wanted to go with the trends and be part of the crowd rather than be their own person. Sela was unaware of their attitude and let them have a few suggestions as to what to read and do. She mentioned magazines. I know the magazines weren?t exactly helpful but they would get an idea as to what others were doing on. Sela read them all the time and often laughed at the idiocy of them, I think she was really interested in the boys in them than the articles and tips they gave. After a quiet day in school thanks to Zoe getting suspended again(OK that was my fault but it was in self defense!) we attended our weekly karate class with Sensei Rene. Lugar was defenseless in this realm but he was still a man and able to hurt us physically so we needed to defend ourselves. Sela was happy to be able to join me in using magic against him, especially now that she was intent on getting our parents together. The twins made some snide remarks about the karate classes being unladylike. Sela pointed out that if they were attacked ladylike behavior goes out the window and survival was more important than looks. They had no reply to that, how can you say how you look is more important than staying alike or getting away from someone who wants to hurt you? I was beginning to see that they were becoming as superficial as their mother. I asked about their dad and they weren?t entirely happy. Their dad was a good person but he was being driven away by their mom. She was obsessed with looks and money while he wanted to do the right thing and help clients. They weren?t getting along and she was being accused of crafting the girls in her image instead of letting them be themselves. They were becoming like her, they didn?t notice the selfishness and vanity but it was there. I asked who they would rather take after to which they started to cry and waver. The answer was obvious but they couldn?t give it without admitting that what they were being told was wrong. Sela hugged them and told them bluntly, "looks and money only get you so far, a good reputation and actions get you a lot farther.? The twins asked, "Do you see us acting like her?? Sela wavered but I calmly admitted, "Sometimes it shows but a lot of the time you are sweet and kind. You are only 12, you have years ahead of you to find out what you are. It?s wrong to force you to be anything now especially as you are in a new country getting used to new customs and traditions.? The twins looked down in shame. I felt bad for admitting it but then told them more truth, "Your mom has a nasty reputation that precedes her, I don?t want that to happen with you two. You are more than her influence, you are a couple of kind, caring, inquisitive girls who without any influence can become two of the best friends anyone could ever want.? That set them off. They cried hard into our shoulders, thanking us for telling them the truth. The admitted they didn?t like what she was trying to do and hoped that we would see beyond their mom?s attempts to steer them towards "better? kids and remain friends. I wasn?t sure that was possible but I hoped it was. After the twins left Sela was silent. It took a lot of prodding before she admitted, "If they split up I hope she doesn?t make a play for dad. She gets what she wants and if she wants him she will take it out on your mom. I don?t want to lose either of you, she is the perfect mom and you are the perfect sister.? She started crying heavily. Like yesterday mom came in just at the end and missed the context of the conversation. When she finally calmed down we ate dinner and did our homework with Sela going to bed early. It was a Friday and we were training the next day so she was spending the weekend with us. Mom finally got the chance to ask what this was all about and shook her head in shame. Sela was right, the twins? mom would get rid of mom and go after her dad quickly as he was the most eligible man in town. Our friendship would be ruined in the process as would the twins? reputation but she didn?t care she only wanted what she wanted and didn?t care who was impacted as a consequence. Mom was pleased that the twins weren?t like their mom. She hadn?t fully met them yet but there was no lingering dark energy which would mean they lied to us, in fact there was an abundance of good energy showing they were good people at heart. They needed us to help them along and keep them grounded and stave off their mom?s influence. If she was right their mom would make a mistake and lose the girls? hearts and minds for good in the near future. The next morning Sela?s energy was growing and mom felt that she could be ready for more complex spells by that evening. We did a lot of transfiguration spells to temper her eagerness especially ones that turned simple items into more expensive items. Sela learned fast and mom was proud of her, I hadn?t see her smile so brightly in a long time. I was having trouble lowering my level to match Sela?s so she wasn?t self-conscious but mom would have none of it- it was doing more harm to me than good. Sela bluntly told me to do my best as it was important for my own self defense! Mom nearly fell over laughing and hugged Sela for her honesty, Sela didn?t know how to react until I smiled back nodding in approval. We worked hard for several hours and after dinner mom started us on some more complex spells such as personal protection and invisibility spells. We were in the middle of casting body change spells when Paul entered the house without us hearing him. The color in mom?s face drained as we looked up to see Paul staring at us with his mouth wide open and trying to find the right words. Sela undid her spell and hugged him begging him to not do anything until he heard the explanation. Mom tried to find the right words as well, only I could say anything. I went over to Paul and asked him one question: "Do you love us?? Paul sat down on the couch and had his head in his hands. Mom and Sela were afraid to say or do anything. Paul looked at mom and Sela and asked, "I do love you three and I only want to know what is going on.? Mom tried to speak but couldn?t get words out. Sela was scared to say anything. I told the truth, "We are wizards from another realm who are in hiding from an evil overlord who is trying to kill us. Sela is a witch who inherited her power from her mother. We are practicing to protect each other from the man who tried to kill us. Sela is learning to protect this realm from those who want to harm it.? Paul shook his head in frustration. This was a lot to take in and he was struggling to make sense of it. I looked at mom who agreed with me, I put my hand on his head and shared the whole story letting him see for himself what was going on. Paul grew pale and silent. He looked at mom and I in disbelief. Sela could only mutter a quiet, "It?s true daddy, all of it is true.? Paul started to shed tears, adding, "Your mom was special and things happened that were odd but I still loved her. I don?t know how I feel about you Alexandra but I know you are a good person and regardless of who you really are I care about you. Sela loves you like a mother and Isabel like a sister so I can?t abandon you. Whoever is coming for you will have to get through me first, I won?t let him hurt you!? Mom hugged him deeply and kissed him on the lips. Sela and I gasped in shock, we didn?t expect her to react that way but her feelings finally won out. Paul cared enough about us to try to protect us and mom can?t deny her feelings anymore. Sela was getting what she wanted, she was getting herself a mom and sister! Chapter 8 Paul didn?t say a word after the kiss, he just kissed her back and smiled. Sela was bursting at the seams, I had to drag her away so they could talk privately. As much as I loved her she was pushing things a little too hard and needed to let them flow naturally. After an hour mom and Paul came in hand in hand. Sela and I didn?t need to know any details, the subtle gesture spoke volumes. Paul did finally manage to say that we were in this together and despite where we were from originally that isn?t who we are now. The two wanted to take things slow but they already knew where we stood with their relationship. Sela finally asked the big question, "When are you two going out? Maybe we could give you two some alone time.? Mom and Paul looked at one another and had to think. Sela picked up her phone and called the twins to ask them if they were willing to host us for a night. Paul was reluctant, especially knowing their mother wasn?t exactly the best person. Mom gave him a suspicious look, I knew she was thinking that their mother would exhibit wrath upon Sela and I if she found out Paul was with her. The twins were more than pleased to have a sleepover. Sela didn?t need to explain why, they wanted to do one anyway and it was the perfect chance to get to know them without any time limits. Mom and I held off training for a few days because of this date but promised that it was only delayed, we were still going to do regular training the following weekend. Paul was silent. His daughter caught him by surprise with her forceful nature and it was as if she was a whole new person. I whispered a simple, "She wants you to be happy and cares about us more than you realize.? Mom nodded in agreement, Sela was starting to become a more headstrong, assertive young lady and it was all thanks to us. At school on Monday Zoe was back at it but thankfully her spell induced instructions held firm. She left us alone and tried to pick on someone else for a change. I felt guilty but it was for her own good, eventually she would hurt herself trying to hurt me and going after someone else would allow her to at least have some chance of not getting hurt. Plus the other kids weren?t going to let her push them around, the whole reason why she went after us was because she could push us around. It didn?t take long before Zoe pushed the wrong person and again got in trouble, but before she could get hurt she stopped and moved on. She looked miserable, something was going on with her that made us think that maybe she wasn?t entirely acting on her own. Like the twins, she might have some bad influences at work. In class Zoe was quiet and the kids left her alone. I felt sorry for her, bullies get their just desserts all the time but this was different. During lunch I did a simple mind reading spell and saw the awful truth- her mother, like the twins? mom, was a total waste of human flesh. She hate anyone who was better looking than her and Zoe being tall, skinny, and good looking had gotten a lot of verbal abuse from her. It explained why she was so mean to kids, she was being hurt for being better than her mother. Zoe was a smart and beautiful girl who had to hide the real Zoe because she feared what her mother would do to her. Sela attuned to my spell and shed a tear, Zoe needed help and the only ones who could help her were us. The problem was how do we help without it being obvious? We needed to discuss this at home with mom and Paul. If we got authorities involved it might cause her more trouble and send her over the edge, if we waited too long she might end up getting expelled. It was a tough situation. Back at home mom and Paul were in agreement that we had to do something. Sela thought that maybe trying to steer her towards friendship. She wasn?t able to harm us, if we could get her to open up to us she might allow us to get close and make changes from within. That sounded most plausible, and if trouble brewed we could use our magic to wipe minds and protect ourselves. Tuesday we put our plan into action. Zoe was again looking miserable, kids were ignoring her rather than fearing her now. We sat down beside her and asked her bluntly, "Are you alright? You look miserable.? Zoe got up and left, but we followed behind. She went right for the bathrooms, the best place for us as it was the only place we could talk in peace. She went into a stall and we could hear soft crying. Sela asked again if she was alright, to which we got a "go away?. I wouldn?t let I stand, I pressed on asking, "You haven?t been the same since you tried to beat us up, what?s going on and how can we help.? Zoe opened the door and looked at us with fear. She mumbled quietly, "mom didn?t like that you were able to beat me twice. She says I?m not good enough to be her daughter and I?m a disgrace to her. I don?t want to be the bully anymore, I hate doing it.? She was in full blown bawl now. Sela tried to comfort her only to have me join in. Zoe stopped after a minute and looked at us with concern. She showed weakness and we didn?t take advantage, didn?t tease her, didn?t retaliate for past abuse. We showed kindness and empathy, something she hadn?t had shown to her before. Sela finally told her the truth, "We know you aren?t the kind of girl who hurts people. You are better than your mother and she can?t hurt you anymore. You are a beautiful young woman who will have boys drooling over you, you will have more friends than you could dream of, and more importantly you are smarter than most of the kids in our class! Don?t let your mom?s insecurities hurt you, take a stand!? Zoe perked up. Sela had said what Zoe needed to hear and shown that she was sincere in her words. We walked outside together which got stares and whispers from the other kids but we didn?t care, we had done something important and helped someone who needed help. Through the day Zoe tried to ignore the whispers but eventually it got to her and she had to go to the nurse to go home early with a stomach issue. On Wednesday we saw the results of what we had said to Zoe- a black eye and bruises. Her mom didn?t like her ignoring her taunting and took out her frustrations on her. Ms. Kimball and the principal noticed both and pulled Zoe aside to talk. Sela used a, "listen in? spell to overhear the conversation which made us cringe in horror. Zoe was excused from school and sent off to speak with social services and the police while her mother was arrested. The rumor mill at school wasn?t kind to Zoe but once the truth came out the kid stopped. Abuse like that even against the school bully was against the code of the playground, the kids all knew that it could happen to any of them and it was not something to use against anyone. The kids understood what the bathroom meeting was all about now and held us in high esteem for doing something right. Zoe would be given a free pass and allowed to restart her social life once she settled into her new home, it was her one shot at starting anew and would be under scrutiny by all. After school we were driven home by Paul to see mom waiting for us. She asked about our day and we told her what happened to Zoe. We were upset that she was hurt because of us and wanted to do something to help her She had news that would shock us but we prepared for the worst. When she opened the front door there sitting on the couch was Zoe! Once the shock was over mom explained that she was asked by the principal to foster Zoe while things settled regarding her mother. She had nowhere else to go and there weren?t any foster homes for her nearby so she would have to be pulled from school. It was felt that since Sela and I were the ones to take notice and try to help her we might be the only people who would keep her from breaking down mentally. Sela ran over to her and gave her a deep hug. Zoe winced at the display but didn?t pull away. Mom and I watched as Sela gave her some healing energy without even thinking to which Paul tried not to notice. Zoe felt a lot better but was too scared to say or do anything yet. Sela took her up to her new room and helped her get settled while mom and I talked. When they were out of earshot mom explained that Zoe was likely to be with us for a long time. Her mother did a number on her confidence and she needed a stable home with people who cared about her. Paul added that social services were aware of their relationship and wished us the best, with her social worker hoping that marriage was ahead. Mom blushed at the thought but the idea didn?t register with me, I knew it was inevitable. I asked about our training now that we had Zoe to deal with. Mom would do it discretely but if she found out we would have to let her in on the secret. Paul added that our sleepover would have to be moved to here and that their date would be cancelled. It wasn?t necessary, they spent the day together already and Zoe needed all of us. The three of us had a quiet dinner as Paul and Sela let us have some alone time. Zoe was scared of us and feared that this was all going to collapse on her with her mother coming through the door screaming at her to come home. Mom reassured her but it didn?t seem to take. Before we went to bed I told her what happened in school which made her cry. She honestly didn?t want to do any of what her mother made her do and wanted to start over but the kids would find a way of getting revenge. Playground code or not they would get revenge on her. I shut her up fast with one sentence:, "Sela and I have your back. They mess with you they mess with us. You are my sister now and we protect family.? Chapter 9 In the morning we got dressed and showered as fast as possible, hoping to get to school early. Mom tried to calm us down but it didn?t work. Zoe was anxious and wanted to be in class before the others, I didn?t want to leave her alone so I had to go along with her. Sela came over and talked briefly as she ate her breakfast but Zoe was mostly silent. We tried to cheer her up but it had little effect on her. When she left to use the bathroom Sela quietly asked how we were going to train with her at home, I had no clue how to answer that only hoping that we could do it without her even noticing we were missing or weird things were happening. At school we were the first to arrive and quickly went to our classroom. Ms. Kimball was already there and noted that Zoe was staying with mom and I. She didn?t make any further comments, just asked that we get her up to speed so she doesn?t fall behind. Zoe was fine with that and was actually pretty smart and understood the work better than Sela to the point that she was tutoring Sela instead of Sela tutoring her! Ms. Kimball took notice of this and smiled. She asked Zoe why she kept this under wraps then recoiled as she heard the truth. Zoe was smart, possibly the smartest in the class yet her mother insisted that she was always too stupid to do things right. Ms. Kimball reassured her and gave her the chance to redo her work for an improved grade, the one she should have earned the first time. Zoe reluctantly agreed and was given several hours? worth of schoolwork to do over the weekend with Paul being asked to supervise her. She winked at Sela who realized she had just set Paul up for a little impromptu father/daughter time, I just giggled at it then whispered to Zoe, "She set Paul up to spend time with you and get to know you?. Zoe blushed and thanked her for what she was doing, not elaborating on either. Just before the bell rang Zoe started to get anxious the point of wanting to flee. Sela and I had to subtly direct some calming energy into her which relaxed her and allowed us to focus on work instead of just her. Zoe whispered quietly, "Whatever you are doing, thank you? which caught both of us by surprise, she seemed to indicate the motion of our fingers which both of us quickly stopped doing but was clearly noticed by Zoe who tried to hide her stare. Zoe?s reappearance didn?t go unnoticed or unchallenged by our classmates. At least two made snide comments about the, "foster kid? while others joked about it being better yesterday without her. Ms. Kimball dropped a book loudly on her desk then proceeded to single out and warn each of the jokers to the amusement of the class then further went on to ask how many had endured physical or mental abuse. When none dared raise their hands she added, "If you have never had to endure it then you have no right to joke about it. Those of us who have don?t find it the lease bit funny.? Sela and I kept close to Zoe during lunch and recess. The twins held back from us, they were uncomfortable around us now that Zoe was with us and didn?t try to say anything to us when either of us were alone. We could tell who was responsible and didn?t like it, hopefully they realize their mother is wrong to fill them with such vile filth about someone else. Back at home Zoe finally asked us what we were really doing. We tried to hem and haw but she refused to accept any answers other than the truth. She was blunt. "I saw you moving your fingers and say something nobody else heard, you did it yesterday as well. Within seconds it was like I felt a weight off my chest and I know that is impossible. What did you really do to me?? Sela and I tried to come up with an answer. Mom chose that moment to come in and try to save us. Zoe looked at her and was on the verge of tears, she was looking for a reason but we weren?t telling her and it was taking a toll on her. Mom finally couldn?t handle the tears and told us to tell her the truth. We sat Zoe down on the couch and politely asked her to never repeat what we were about to tell her. Sela blurted out, "We can do magic, all three of us.? I added, "We were doing a healing spell to make you calm down so you didn?t go overboard, we didn?t want you to hurt yourself.? Zoe started to realize what was going on. She then popped her head up and asked, "You were the one who caused my skirt to blow up and you stopped me in the bathroom from hurting you.? I nodded, then asked her, "how could you remember the bathroom, I wiped your memory with a spell.? Zoe looked up at mom who nodded. Zoe admitted quietly, "Yesterday when I came in with your mom. As soon as I put away my cloths something flashed in front of my eyes and I could remember what happened. Your mom didn?t say anything but she seemed to realize what happened.? We all turned to mom who dipped her head and quietly admitted, "It stops working on loved ones. When she came into my care and by extension Paul?s care and we showed that we were willing to help her by taking her into our home the spell broke. They won?t work on loved ones, be they old, new, blood, or adopted.? The three of us looked up at Paul and mom. Mom had a ring on her finger which none of us had noticed. Sela and I looked at each other and shared a "No way!? which Zoe took to mean what she thought it meant. Zoe was the first to ask, "When did you make it official?? Mom blushed and proudly said, "This morning after you went to school. We had some paperwork to file and it was as good of a time as any to do it.? Zoe softly asked, "Did you rush because of me?? Mom proudly smiled and said, "partially, you got us thinking and there was no reason to wait. The girls are already close enough so there is no reason to delay the inevitable. We are going to have a simple ceremony after school on Friday that way all three of you can go.? Mom sat down and got down to business. She asked Zoe, "Ms. Kimball asked if you could redo your work, so you are going to do that with Paul on Saturday. The girls have training that day so it works out for you three. After that we will gather together at Paul?s house to decide what to do about living arrangements, but I feel we might just move in with him as his house is bigger. Is that alright with you three?? We all nodded in agreement. We went right into our homework after all that news. Zoe breezed through hers fast and helped Sela with hers much to Sela?s annoyance. Dinner was a simple meal that mom threw together in a few minutes but was tasty. After that it was watching TV until 8 then off to bed. We had a taxing day and all of us were tired. Zoe didn?t need any healing energy after this morning so she slept soundly while I had to ponder a few things. My magic didn?t work on Sela because she was magical, yet it doesn?t work on Zoe because she is now family. Does that mean that Zoe could be magical too? She hasn?t shown any tendencies, maybe we should test her. Downstairs I could hear mom and Paul talking. Paul was happy that the news went well and Zoe is adjusting. He hoped that she was able to stay around for a long time, he was fond of having another daughter to spoil. Mom suggested they look into adoption if her mother is found guilty and all rights are removed from her permanently. I texted Sela this news, she immediately texted back, "They better adopt her!? which got me smiling and finally falling asleep. By Friday the others had adjusted to Sela and I being Zoe?s sisters in all but name. There were few who would taunt her lest they get either Sela or myself to shoot back a quick putdown. Zoe started to ease up as her bruising faded and Ms. Kimball made it clear that she wasn?t just some dumb bully but a smart girl who was one of the brightest in the class. Ms. Kimball seemed to know what was going on that afternoon and congratulated Sela and I on becoming sisters. Zoe remained silent but I whispered a quick, "Give it time and they might make it three sisters instead of two.? Zoe didn?t seem to know what I meant but Sela added, "They just have to wait for the paperwork to come through.? At the courthouse on Friday mom and Paul went before a judge and were wed. Paul and mom signed the paperwork to have Sela adopted by mom and myself adopted by Paul. He was now no longer Paul but now my dad just as mom was now Sela?s mom. Zoe remained silent, the judge quietly asked what was going on with her which mom and dad quietly told him out of earshot of anyone else. He pulled out some paperwork for them to sign then asked Zoe to come forward. Zoe walked up to the bench and was asked, "Do wish you be adopted by these two people?? Zoe looked over at mom and dad and nodded. The judge smiled then stated, "given the circumstances and the fact that social services were adamant that you be placed with them I don?t see the need to delay the inevitable especially not when you are going to suffer in the interim.? He signed the paperwork and offered his congratulations. Zoe asked what just happened to which mom smiled and said, "You are now our daughter. The judge didn?t feel it was wise to wait the required three months when your mental health is at risk. You beat the system, you are our daughter.? Zoe looked at mom and cried. Dad leaned in and hugged her while Sela and I stayed back. On the drive home Zoe hugged me and kissed my cheek thanking me for intervening. Sela got the same which caused her to cringe and laugh. Dad tried hard not to laugh at the three of us but it was too sweet and funny. Mom tried hard to get us to focus on tomorrow but it failed so we just turned it into an impromptu slumber party in my room. Saturday morning mom got us up early. Zoe went to dad?s house with all of her books and tests while Sela came over dressed for exercise. Sela grumbled about needing to wear those loose, ugly clothes but mom insisted. I was already dressed but I knew how to dress for such days having endured countless days in our old home universe. After an hour we heard a crash and bang from dad?s house. Mom and I rushed over and saw Zoe with an orb of light hovering over her hands. She was scared and didn?t know what happened, only that she created it when she stretch and complained about it being dark in the room. Dad ran in and saw the light and turned to mom and asked her bluntly, "Are you absolutely sure she can?t do magic?? Chapter 10 Mom got Zoe to calm down which caused the orb to dissipate. We looked at one another in disbelief with Sela asking the obvious, "Do you have to be born to magic to have magical abilities?? Mom wanted to faint at the realization. She quietly uttered, "Power of three? over and over again. Dad sat her down while Sela and Zoe ran to get her some tea to calm her nerves. I waited until they returned and asked her softly, "What is the power of three?? Mom had tears in her eyes as she blurted out, "You three were chosen to be the defenders of this realm. Only sisters are chosen and only if there are three of the same age and of the same birthday.? Zoe tried hard to think what she meant. Sela again took the initiative and asked, "What is