Lou and Slick argued with me about the idea of coming out, but when I reiterated that I was content to lay low for the time being, they relented.

Still, the atmosphere was changed. I was no longer a little secret tucked away till I ceased to exist, by this world’s standards. This was my world now, and suddenly, things mattered.

September 1st felt heavy in a way it otherwise wouldn’t have. Germany began its invasion of Poland. The war was no longer this whispered promise, but now a thing of certainty. Death was coming to allied soldiers in a far off land, and many people had come from Europe. The radios made the news so tangible and close - even though the events were on the other side of the world, we were able to hear about events quickly. Sometimes even the same day.

Prior to my acceptance of my fate here, I would have discarded the information as yet more war mongering between nations. Now, though, I began to feel the anxiety that was the undertone of so many discussions. America did decide to stay neutral, which came out just days after Germany’s attack, which put a lot of minds at ease.

The pawn shop was able to handle an employee, so we hired Alice on. It was a challenging transition for her, but she was happy to be working with Dorothy. Since the pawn shop was in walking distance of the house, she moved into one of the guest rooms.

Slick was depressed, thinking about what he should do for a job, now that the band was done. So he claimed, anyway. Mostly he seemed to be just drinking.

For my part, I spent my time plotting. If I were going to reveal myself, I needed a plan. It only took me a few days to think of one.

“I’ve got it!” I said one morning, as I charged upstairs.

Lou, Slick, and Alice looked at me in some confusion as they stopped eating breakfast.

“Got what?” Slick asked.

“I’ve figured out how I can help people!” I said, grinning as I held something behind my back. “The problem of how to use my power to help, but keep all the benefits of secrecy. Alice is the one who gave me the idea!”

“I did?” Alice said, looking confused, and glancing at the others.

“It’s all right here!” I said, giggling a little as I pulled out one of the Superman comics.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Lou said.

“I’m serious!” I said. “See, I’d use a better disguise, of course. I was thinking short red hair, and maybe a really unusual skin tone. Greenish, maybe? They could think I’m an alien, like Superman.”

“Did I miss something?” Lou asked. “Am I having a bad dream?”

“What’s wrong with the idea?” I asked, frowning.

“I think it sounds great,” Alice said.

Lou looked dumbfounded.

“So… so many things,” she said. “For one, isn’t Superman immune to everything? Like bullets?”

“I’m sure I can block bullets,” I said dismissively. “I don’t know of anything your people can do that would threaten me.”

“Big difference between ‘blocking things’ and ‘being immune,’” Lou said. “What if you mess up?”

“As long as I protect my brain, it doesn’t matter,” I said. “I could heal everything else.”

“You could get caught by surprise,” Lou said. “You could get followed, and your real identity found. You could get hurt in ways you aren’t expecting. You could be studied at a distance, and weaknesses found out, and used against you.”

“What weaknesses?” I asked, my frown deepening.

“Everyone has weaknesses,” Lou said. “With that many eyes on you - and there would be so many - someone would find them.”

“Well… I’d just make enchantments to protect me,” I said.

“Don’t want you to get hurt, Aera,” Slick said, “Maybe you could protect your body, but your heart would get hurt. Seeing people like that…”

“But what does that matter?” I asked. “Sure, some situations may be trying, but… but I could save so many lives!”

“You think you can say no when people are asking you for help?” Slick asked. “I’ve got magic, too, Aera. I know how it works. You’d run out of magic before you said no. Then you’d be too tired to keep safe.”

I looked down at that. He had a point. In fact, it was a lesson I’d already learned before. That was not an easy balance to find.

“Sometime, somehow, you’d mess up,” Lou said. “How many mistakes till your whole life, and ours, are wrecked? And the whole world pays the consequences?”

“Why are you so certain that I’d fail?” I asked.

“Everyone makes mistakes, Aera,” Lou said, her voice getting heated. “Most jobs, you learn from your mistakes and move on with life. You pull a stunt like that, and you’re living on the line. Even a single mistake could lose everything. Even if you do everything right, it still might not be enough.”

“Well, I, for one, think it’s worth it,” Alice said, frowning at Lou. “You’re so pessimistic, Lou. She’s talking about being a hero!”

“She’s talking about getting herself killed, or worse,” retorted Lou. “And probably dragging us into trouble, too, for what we might know.”

“Probably?” Slick said. “We’d get dragged into it for sure.”

“If she thinks she can do it, I believe in her,” Alice said, getting heated as well.

“If she thinks she can do magic, heal people, stop disasters, sure, I’m there, too,” Lou said. “If she thinks she can outsmart some of the sharpest minds in the world, backed by the richest bastards ever born, then I say she’s crazy.”

“But… I need to help people,” I said. “I have this power… I can’t just do nothing.”

“I get that, I really do,” Lou said. “But the start of a war like this, like I’ve said before, is not the time. You do this now, and we’ll have to distance ourselves, just to stay safe.”

Slick nodded in agreement.

I pulled back, sorrow hitting me.

I’d… I’d lose her as a friend? Slick, too?

“Fine,” I said, looking away. “For now. I’ll… I’ll keep thinking.”

Alice looked a little disappointed.

“I think it’s a great idea,” she mumbled beneath her breath.

I turned and went downstairs to my lab.

They thought I couldn’t be certain of being safe. I wasn’t going to reveal myself yet - even with this plan, it’d take time. I’d prove myself, to them. There were many legitimate concerns, and I’d address them, one at a time.

The first thing I needed to create was an enchantment to stop bullets. A necklace seemed perfect. Time to get to work.

It was only about a week after the fire before phone calls started coming in for both Rick and Johnny. The phone calls for Rick were polite enough, but the phone calls for Johnny weren’t nearly as friendly.

It seemed they had quite a bit of debt, and the debtors had had enough.

Rick had even forged documents claiming he’d part owned the house, and had taken out a loan on it. After a bit of hassle demonstrating the actual ownership, we were left alone, though it seemed like Rick was going to have the police on his tail.

Those days also had some emotional frustrations, too. Slick and Lou could hardly leave the house at all, without being bothered by people about the fire. Some blamed Slick, others blamed Lou, and many hearts had been hurt by the losses. Sometimes hurting hearts aren’t exactly reasonable.

I wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about the fact that absolutely no one seemed to pay me any attention whatsoever.

At least I was able to work on the development of my enchantment over those days. I was almost ready to try testing it.

From what I understood about guns, which was admittedly limited, the concept seemed simple. A little stone made of metal was flung at high speed by the gun, and would tear through the flesh of whatever it impacted. Like a slingshot powered by magic. Or an explosion, in this case.

Reflecting the bullet would have a potential of hitting bystanders, so I couldn’t use that method, even though it’d be easier. My approach would be more energy intensive, but should have absolutely no risk of harm to others.

The enchantment was designed to detect things approaching me at high speed - hopefully I’d judged that right - and if it was triggered, activate the defense. It would dissolve whatever was detected using Aquas, then infuse chaos and redirected movement into the sludge with a blend of Aeros and Flamus. Some of the energy would get through, but I figured it’d be harmless, since it’d be spread out. It seemed the point of bullets was a pinpoint strike.

If everything went according to plan, it would seem to impact, and look like a little goo explosion. Once the magic left the “goo,” it would return to normal physics - either metallic dust, or perhaps metal scraps. I wasn’t entirely sure. Metal really wasn’t my thing.

At present, it was also linked directly to the wearer - myself, naturally - to supply the power needed. I’d create a “battery” for it once I got a sense of how much power it needed to function.

My lab was helpful for building enchantments in the first place, as I’d created tools to help lay the groundwork of the various magical connections. Once made, though, I could do little adjustments from wherever.

So, to the perspective of the others, I probably seemed like I was just lazing about the house, constantly fiddling with a necklace. I hadn’t told anyone about it, yet - once it was ready, I’d surprise and impress them. Lou, in particular.

About two weeks after the fire, we had yet another knock on the door. I’d taken to answering it, to spare Lou and Slick the unending heartache. I sighed, displeased at having been distracted from my work, and got up, expecting another angry face.

When I opened it, though, I was surprised. There were quite a lot of faces. Quite a lot of pale, freckled faces, topped by red hair, attached to similarly dressed bodies.

The man who’d knocked on the door was a sight. Pudgy, short hair, and sharply dressed, he had a look of arrogance on his face so absolute that even my father would have taken notice, mundane or not.

“My, aren’t you a sweet thing,” the man said in a possessive way, sporting an Irish accent, not unlike the officer’s, a few weeks past. “Johnny’s been keeping some interesting company.”

“Ah… can I help you?” I asked, feeling off put by his tone and approach.

“Yes, you can,” he said, smirking at me. “We’re here for Johnny.”

“I see,” I said. “I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place. This is not his residence.”

“We’ve been told that,” he said, pulling a cigar out of his jacket. “Seems like he’s disappeared. A man who owes that kind of money doesn’t just disappear. Rumor has it he’s been here on a number of occasions, and has made some friends here.”

“That would be correct,” I said, still a little confused. “He practiced here, back when the band was together, but we haven’t seen him since the fire.”

“What’s going on?” Lou asked, coming to the door. She must have heard my tone from the other room.

“Another cute young thing,” the man said, giving Lou a very inappropriate look over. “Not as nice as your friend, but you’d do.”

“Who the hell are you?” Lou asked.

“Call me Buddy,” he said, and smiled, starting to step forward. I stepped back for want of personal space, still confused. “I’m afraid I can’t quite take your word for it, ladies. My men and I will be having a looksee in your house, here, just to make sure Johnny isn’t hiding somewhere.”

My jaw dropped as he continued forward, and I stepped back in utter confusion. Lou seemed strangely subdued. It was like she was afraid, for some reason.

“Sir,” I protested, “This is my house. You don’t just barge into someone’s house.”

“I do,” he said, and men started following him inside.

“Aera,” Lou said, bizarrely quiet. “Just… just let them search, alright?”

She was… accepting this?

“It’s my home,” I said indignantly. “They have no right to be here!”

Buddy laughed as he continued into my home. The filthy cur was in my living room, his shoes leaving tracks on my carpet. The carpet that I had personally woven.

Confusion began to be replaced by anger, though shock was still dominating. I stepped around to get in his way.

He continued to walk past me, as if entirely unconcerned by my existence.

Slick appeared then, leaning against the wall of the kitchen for support. His mouth worked as he tried to understand what was happening. Scarcely two seconds passed before he’d decided the correct action was to raise his hands in a cowering gesture of surrender.

Both of them were just going to give up and permit this?

This was our home!

“You are more likely to get what you desire if you ask,” I said, glaring at Buddy.

“Not in my experience,” he said.

“Perhaps you misunderstand the rules of society,” I said, my voice heating. “If you desire something, you are to ask. I gave no permission for you to enter my home.”

“You two, head upstairs. Sean, head to the basement,” he said, ignoring me.

Actually ignoring me. In my house. My breathing was growing strained.

“Aera,” Lou said, her tone pleading. She stayed right next to me.

The men followed his orders, and the violation of my space became more thorough.

A strange squeak emerged from my throat.

“Do not ignore me,” I said.

He smiled again, but didn’t look at me. He directed one of his men, who began tearing cushions off of my sofa. Alice was at the pawn shop, fortunately.

I’d have addressed him by name, but the name was repulsively familiar sounding. He was no buddy of mine.

“Intruder. I order you to leave this place,” I said, moving to stand in front of him again.

“You’re a cute thing,” he said, grinning at my order, and stopping to face me. “I might even want to keep you.”

“Keep… me…?” I asked, jaw dropping again.

My mind couldn’t seem to decide between shock, indignation, and anger. I was almost getting dizzy between them.

“But this one seems more obedient, like a lady should be,” he said, looking over at Lou. “Men, grab that one. We’ll keep her to ensure Johnny shows up.”

Two of the men grabbed onto Lou.

Shock and indignation lost the battle to rage in that instant.

“You, on the other hand -” he began.

“You will release her,” I said, my voice almost a growl.

“Look, boys, the kitten thinks she’s a tiger,” Buddy said, laughing, and his men laughed with him.

I glanced over at Lou. She was unquestionably frightened. Her expression was still hard, and she was by no means panicked, but…

My hands clenched into fists.

Never cast magic when angry, unless death is an acceptable outcome. My mother’s predatory grin blended with her voice. It’s quite useful, then.

But...

“Go ahead and take the quiet one away,” Buddy said. “I’m curious to see how red the kitten can get.”

“You cannot have her,” I said, my voice raising far beyond what is proper.

“Aera, don’t do anything rash,” Lou said, as the men began to lead her to the front of the house. “We’ll figure this out, alright?”

Buddy began to laugh in my face again, as I tried not to choke on my own tongue.

Time… I needed to buy time…

Perhaps a little scare. Yes. Just his leg. A muscle spasm. Make him have to work to keep that arrogance on that ugly face.

I reached out my hand, and Lou cried out my name, as though to stop me.

But I couldn’t bring myself to care.

Magic poured from my hand. It felt good… so deliciously pure, as it flowed into his unresisting leg. How pathetic that little spirit was, how faint the resistance.

How much I ached to gain control over his flesh.

My power seeped into his blood, as blood rang in my ears.

I tried to focus. Just the muscle. That was all. I’d prove my focus was sufficient, even in the face of rage.

Just a little pull…

His flesh was mine to pull...

“Aaaahhhhh!” Buddy screamed, as the muscle of his thigh was torn out through his pants and exposed to the open air. Blood sprayed from the torn vessels onto the carpet.

Oops.

He fell to the ground, grabbing at his leg, trying to control the bleeding.

In almost the exact same instant, a series of clicking noises filled the room, as guns instantly appeared in the hands of every man there.

Most of them pointed towards me.

Most of them made a remarkably loud sound, followed by a flash of light.

Pain…

------------

By god, what has she done? Lou thought, as the mobsters fired at Aera’s furious form.

Lou moved fast. She had to cover this up, somehow. She pulled her gun from her jacket and fired at Buddy’s leg.

They’d think the damage was caused by her shot. They’d get it mixed up. This would work out.

Surprise replaced the anger on Aera’s deceptively angelic face, as the bullets hit and she went flying across the room, just like in the movies.

“Aera!” Lou cried out, choking.

No… she has to be okay!

A groan and a cough emerged from Aera’s form.

“Guns down or I shoot him again!” Lou said, slipping away from the men who’d been guiding her.

Guns were pointing at Lou, now, which didn’t make her feel better. But most of the men were looking at Aera in horror. Was something wrong?

“It worked!” Aera called out, sounding both happy and a little dazed.

Lou just stared as her friend got up and brushed off several clumps of some sort of grey goop from her dress. Not even her dress was torn, and there was no blood.

The look on Aera’s face made Lou shudder, and several men began to cross themselves. They pulled back in confusion, as Buddy’s screams began to grow hoarse. Aera looked triumphant, fervent, and even a little bloodthirsty as she looked down at him.

Aera’s gaze moved to Lou, and instantly softened. It was as though Lou reminded her of little things like being a sane, non-murdering, decent human being.

The graceful, too-perfect body darted over to the screaming mobster, and she reached out a hand to his thigh. She covered it up with both hands, as though trying to block the view, but the damage was too extreme. Lou’s stomach turned at the unholy, unnatural sight of muscle writhing as it slipped back into position. Blood creeped from the ground back inside, until the carpet looked completely clean, and even the pant leg of the suit fused into perfect shape.

Buddy stopped screaming, and just stared at Aera incredulously.

“It was just a bruise,” Aera said in an artificially cheerful voice to Buddy, as though hoping to somehow persuade the men of that insane interpretation of events. “You’re such a big baby, making such a fuss over that!”

She stood up, and looked downright smug.

“Yeah,” Buddy said, reaching down to feel his leg. “A bruise.”

He stood up carefully, keeping his distance from her. Lou kept her gun on him, since she had no idea what else she should do at this point.

“So, my men did a good job searching, and we didn’t find Johnny,” Buddy said, his voice strained. “That means we’re done here, right boys?”

The men responded in a variety of exceedingly uncomfortable sounds of agreement.

“Our business is concluded,” Buddy said, backing towards the door.

“I do not believe you will ever have reason to visit our home again, I’m sure,” Aera said, sounding as though she believed she were a queen or something.

“Not at the moment,” Buddy agreed.

He gave her a tight sort of smile as he and his men carefully backed out of the house, keeping their guns trained on Aera the entire time.

Aera sighed as soon as they were gone.

“It seemed mother was right,” she said, her tone mildly bemused.

Lou felt staggered at Aera’s attitude. Was this some trivial thing to her? Even this?

“I really should not use magic when angry. Oh, well,” Aera sighed again. “I think some tea would be lovely. Would anyone like some?”

-----------------

Lou and Slick seemed to be having a really hard time understanding that it was an honest, simple mistake. It was an accidental reveal of magic, to be sure, but really, it wasn’t as though anyone was hurt. I’d fixed all the damage.

Well. Almost all. A bruise seemed appropriate to leave on the cur’s leg, all things considered. And I’d been bruised, too, from the ten or so impacts. The guns were stronger than I’d given them credit for, but even so, I’d healed the bruises before I’d gotten up from the floor.

“What I should do at this point is seek them out,” I said, sipping at my tea.

“For the love of… why, Aera?” Lou asked, exasperated. “Why in the name of god would you seek them out?”

“To negotiate an agreement of mutual non hostility,” I said.

Their lack of training on such matters was really tiresome.

“To negotiate an agreement of mutual non hostility,” Lou repeated back my sentence, emphasising each word, as though each individual word was uniquely offensive to her sensibilities.

“That sounds completely nuts, Aera,” Lou said.

“Things are currently unpleasant between their group and myself,” I said. “I would like to have reason to believe they will not seek retaliation, or some other response.”

“Or maybe you can just let it go,” Lou said, burying her face in her arms.

“But… but they might want to respond,” I said. “You should never leave an enemy without resolution.”

“You know what, just…” Lou began to say, then made a frustrated noise and got up. “Just don’t, okay Aera? Please just don’t do anything else. Don’t go after them. Don’t make things worse.”

“But…” I said softly, as she went up the stairs.

Slick wouldn’t even look at me. After the events of the afternoon, he was curled up in his favorite chair, drinking an exceptionally unhealthy amount of alcohol.

“But I…” I said uselessly, reaching towards where Lou had disappeared from sight.

It felt very cold in my home, that afternoon.

---------------

“And that is the story of the fox and the bear,” my mother said as I snuggled in her arms.

I smiled at her as she levitated the book back into its place on the shelf.

“My sweet Aera,” she said, lovingly brushing my hair from my forehead. “Can you tell me what lesson we learned from that story?”

“It’s the same one as always!” I giggled.

She smiled. “Yes, my child. But what is the lesson?”

“When a bear comes… ROAR!” I raised my hands and roared at her with all the enthusiasm in my eight year old body.

She giggled and hugged me close.

“That’s one, yes,” she said. “And why do you roar at bears?”

“Because they think they’re strong, but we’re stronger,” I said. “And they’ll be afraid, and run run run away!”

She kissed my forehead, and I felt the warmth of her breath in my hair.

“Very good,” she said. “And what are bears?”

“Big, furry, monsters!” I said, sticking my tongue out at her.

Laughing, she shook her head. “Those are real bears, but the bears in this story represent something, remember?”

“I know that already,” I said, burying my face in her arms. “People who act scary, who act like they’re strong and tough, like a bear.”

Her hand stroked my cheek again, and her smile made my heart feel so warm. My mommy loved me so much, and I loved her so very very much.

“What about the other lesson from the story?” she asked after a moment.

“That the cute little fox is worse than a bear,” I said.

“Perhaps a bit more specific,” she said, and her smile looked strained, like she was trying not to laugh.

I sighed.

“Being hunted by a fox is the scariest thing in the world,” I said.

“That’s right,” my mother said, pinching my cheek. “And what do you do if you’re hunted by a fox?”

“Nothing else matters in all the world, save one truth,” I said, making a face as I recited the line. “Not family, not friends; neither gods nor kings. The only truth is this: the hunt must end.”

“Very good, my sweet Aera,” my mother said, cooing as she hugged me close. “And you remember what that means?”

“Either I make a deal with the fox, or I kill the fox,” I said. “But I don’t want to kill anyone.”

“Don’t worry, sweet little Aera,” my mother said, stroking my cheek again. “If ever a fox hunts you, I’ll be happy to kill them for you.”

“You won’t make a deal?” I asked.

“Our family is special,” she said, running her hand through my hair. “We’re too powerful to let anyone think that it’s acceptable to hunt us. If anyone dares hunt us - fox, bear, or any other kind of person - no matter the cause, death is the only acceptable option.”

“What if I’d rather make a deal?” I asked.

“That’s your right, my darling,” she said. “I’d just be careful with that choice. If people learn that they can get things from you merely by threatening you or what you love, they’ll just keep doing that again and again. Best to end that line of thinking with excessive violence, to prevent anyone else from taking that approach.”

I nodded sadly. I didn’t even like killing the bugs that kept getting into my garden.

“Mommy?” I asked.

“Yes, Aera?” she said, my name a little song in her voice.

“Will you sleep with me tonight?”

“Why?”

“Because the bear illusions were scary,” I said, curling into her arms.

“Silly, sweet Aera, you should never fear bears,” she said, laughing. “You could kill one right now.”

“But I’m scared, and I can’t use magic when I’m scared,” I said, pouting.

“No one can, my child,” she said. “Fear paralyzes everyone’s magic. But as long as you control or redirect your fear, you could absolutely kill a bear. Maybe tomorrow, we can go bear hunting. The one you kill, we can use to make a new blanket for you. How does that sound, sweetie?”

“It sounds scary,” I mumbled.

“The whole family will be there,” she said. “And then you’ll have the fur of a great, big bear to protect you, and keep you warm at night. How could you fear bears, if you sleep with the fur of one you killed?”

“I guess,” I said. “You’d protect me?”

“Of course,” she said. “I’ll sleep with you tonight, my child, and tomorrow, we’ll go on an adventure, all of us together.”

“Okay,” I said. “Goodnight, mommy.”

“Goodnight, my darling angel,” she said.

The lights dimmed at her will, and soon she was humming a lullaby. The world drifted away in the comfort of my mother’s arms.

-------

The room was dark, and my blanket was just a woven thing of cotton. I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. I missed my mother. I missed my family. I missed our adventures, even if they did involve killing more than I’d prefer. I missed my bear blanket. I was still sleeping with it, even to the night before the explosion that brought me to this land.

And I’d frightened off some bears - the idiot, arrogant Buddy, and his fool servants. Of course, it would be better to meet them, and ensure that they were frightened enough to never threaten me again. Still, it probably would be alright if I let it be, for Lou’s sake. She seemed really upset at the situation.

I rolled over onto my side, frowning at my window, as the dawn light started to trickle in.

It was sad to think that, even though I’d “roared” at some figurative bears for the first time in my life, both of my parents would have been disappointed in how I’d handled it. Even here, infinitely distant from my home, I couldn’t stop being a disappointment to them.

Closing my eyes, I tried to remember the lullaby my mother loved to sing to me. Her boundless joy of life carried me back to sleep.