Before I knew it, the lukewarm sun had outgrown its morning dreariness and was shining a brighter hotter afternoon day.

Sammy never got to know if she was right or right, left her on read, sidestepping that question like how I sidestepped my rehabilitation for today. I walked my fair share already just getting back home, I figured a little slacking off could do no harm.

'Sides, there were other things in mind that I'd rather be refining aside from my motor skills…

Just for a bit, a wincy bit… some little magic, yeah? I just learned how to tame it, control it, and make it my own… and I barely used it after doing so. Tell me, who's going to pass up the opportunity to live out a childhood fantasy come to life?

Maybe somebody out was that somebody, but that somebody certainly wasn't me. Nope, I have an empty plate at bedside, and also a metal spoon clattering atop of it, and I'm gonna go on and attain my childhood ambition of becoming a worldwide famous street magician.

And all from the comfort of my bedroom walls too. 21st-century living is best living.

Bending spoons. Seems enough easy on paper, but five minutes of grunting later, and I had nothing to show for my labor… was seriously better off just melting it off with a high-powered laser.

Alas, since I ain't in possession of laser eyes, I could only continue to grunt away my efforts in vain at it, hoping for just the slightest curve.

Honestly don't get it… I'm capable of spiriting away a fictional being from a fictional place to this world using just barely the bare minimum - a feat never been attempted nor achieved before, but dining utensils is where shit gets real for me? Really? Are you for real?

I stopped the metal bending. I had to. The last attempt, concentrated so hard I nearly passed out from lack of air. Today, just this time, I will concede defeat to the elusive spoon of metal, it shall go on living, feeding mouths for another day… for now.

Thank God this street magician is yet to have an audience, wouldn't be able to handle my expected applause to turn into boos and jeers.

Or at least, I thought I didn't have an audience… turns out though…

My phone buzzed on the tableside - Sammy, I presume, unsatisfied with the lack of a conclusion on her end. Nope… so much nope, shouldn't have presumed.

>

"How did you…?" Outloud, the disbelief in my voice was plain as day… in worded form, it was just as ridden with it too. >

Her response was as casual as they come.

>

Sense me? All the way, hundreds of miles apart, living in the rural countryside?! What in the…

>

My reply was tempered with the greatest straight-laced composure I could then possibly muster, but on the inside, I was screaming hoarse. She made it sound so effortless, non tedious and a little touch insidious.

How does she do it?

> She promptly texted back. >

A little? What constitutes a little? Guess I'll test the waters a little.

>

My fingers were fidgeting so much waiting for her tiny little blurb to start blurbing.

>

Me and Mom? Okay.

I tossed my plate aside, and threw myself back into bed, thumbs perked, and questions ready.

>

As I would come to find out in a span of a full hour of questions - a lot. My little sister can do a lot of things, and then as I would come to realize even later, I can't do what she can do.

She burnt a portion of Dad's crops one training lesson… she wiped her palms and accidentally sparked a wildfire. Panic-stricken, she tried to snuff it out with her breath.

> I asked.

Sammy sent me a photo shortly after taken from her bedroom window - there was now a big ass iceberg where there was once a wheat field. She blew ice. Been sitting under the glare of the sun for a week and still has yet to melt.

She also shared that she's also done the basic baby steps too like throwing a tennis ball to make it disappear.

> inquired I with bated breath.

First try, first throw. Sammy thought the ball at first must have bounced away from her field of vision.

>

She replied in pronto pace. >

There was plenty more, but I believe that's enough to get the gist on it. 'It' being the fact that my little sister had pretty much upstaged and surpassed me in every conceivable way possible.

>

I laid beaten and battered, typing away slowly with a dispirited gaze, >

>

Amanda's…? Oh yeah… hostess, cosplayer, artist, college prodigy - forgot streamer was also in the mix. Guess that convention is being watched by all, then.

> I said.

> She said.

And just like that, on this fateful day, glimmer-eyed street magician I received a grim humbling reminder. Anything I can do, anybody else can do better. Sammy was running laps around me, and I've barely left the starting line.

Should I just give up? Give in to the fact that of course there's always someone better than I? Perhaps weeks back, the answer would have been a sound 'yes'.

Nope. Today, I say, nothing gets a person going than some good ol' fashion sibling rivalry. Plus this whole magic business has given us some common ground to talk about things now. Perhaps the next we chat, it'd be me this time with things to brag about… as well as y'know maybe poking fun at the utter ridiculousness that we're descendants of a Goddess and a Hero.

Sammy always wanted to be an author, she basically got a lucky break here - her first manuscript was unfolding itself before her very eyes.

As for me… guess I gotta hang my coat on that street magician notion, and just continue practicing.

Maybe slacking off wasn't a very good idea, after all.

I put my phone down, got showered, dressed… and began walking my steps, balancing the silver tray in hand, unassisted. Sure, my joints and muscles ached, but no pain, no gain, right?

Hard to magic stuff when you're too busy stifling your winces. If Adalia was awake, surely she'd freak that the instructions in her handy scrap paper were being deliberately neglected, especially under her watch.

Clambering down the stairs without help, I thought it'd take a few more days before I tried tackling that prospect. Right now - way I am? I'd be surprised if I even managed it in an hour.

Five minutes later and I've already reached the bottom. Sammy's achievements have lighted a newfound spark in me. If she can get that good with so little struggle on her end, how good can I get with so much struggle in mind?

I'm itchy to find out.

If I didn't want any vapid dull days, I just had to make my own stimuli. Sunny day outside, windless day too spoke the forecast today - if there wasn't any wind, how about I try creating a little breeze? Should be a breeze.

Once I deposited, soaped, and washed my dishes in the kitchen, I waddled my way over to the front door, creeping past a snoozing Adalia on the couch as I did, and opened the door to the bright, beautiful afternoon sky.

And also a humming Tyler sitting atop the porch steps.

"Ah, big man!" He exclaimed upon catching sight of me. "Damn. Though I could pull a sneaky on ya and just disappear all mysterious like, ya know?"

"Disappear?" I frowned, then I had a closer look. He's got his bag slung around his back again, got his sneakers on and his shades out too. That's when it clicked.

"Wow, is it really time already?" I snorted, taking a seat just right beside him. "Didn't know twenty-four-hour challenges operate on daylight savings too."

He burst into a short cackle, it was a very distinct laugh - like a dolphin being shaken at very high speeds or something.

"Not just a player, but a funny man as well," He said, finally settling down. "Dude, you gotta consider making videos sometimes, man - you'd be on a fire! I mean, you seen the latest vid? You are on fire!"

I pretended to consider the prospect just to be polite, before the inevitable shake of the head and the wave of the arm happened. "Nah, I'm an absolute muppet on camera - I'll pass. I'll stick to what I do best."

Tyler raised a brow. "Oh yeah? What do you do anyway? Big house here, lotta babes - you must be earning the big bucks right?"

"Ah nah, nothing special. My dad's friends with the city's mob boss, I'm basically just freeloading off of the Mafia at the moment."

His dolphin laugh was even louder this time, so wide was the smile on his face, I'm frankly surprised it hadn't wrapped around to the back of his hand and connected again.

"Y'know after from what I've seen and heard, I'm like this close to actually believing that right now," He said, sighing loudly.

Still hadn't answered the question, I just realized…

"So, you actually leaving now?" I asked, nudging my head at him. "That bored of this place, you can't stand three more hours?"

"Fuck dude, I'd live here my whole life if I could," Tyler replied, sniggering. "No, just got something needed doing that ain't done yet, sadly it's gonna be taking the rest of the hours I still have here."

"Oh?" Now I got my curiosity piqued. "That something can't wait another three hours?"

"Nope, no can do, my dude."

"Can't wait, not even for more time with the babes?"

"Nopety nope."

"You tilted the video part one though," I pointed out. "Where's the part two, Tyler? Fans are wanting, you really can't film more?"

"Already filmed the rest earlier! Y'know the police, the scary sister? That whole shit from before is good shit!" Tyler chuckled again, shaking his head slow… that cheery smirk always there. "And 'sides… Mom's grave ain't really gonna clean itself, you know?"

Oh.

Oh…