"Yeah," Beth replied, her tone telling Charlie to go on.
"Well, I found a crystal in there, that unsealed magic that I was born with," Charlie couldn't look at Beth as she said that, unsure how Beth would take it.
"Show me," Beth merely told Charlie, both stopping with that statement.
Charlie blew out a sigh of relief. She snuck a glance at Beth and saw a look of amusement on her face. Charlie couldn't be sure if Beth believed her or not, but went on with what she was going to say anyway.
"Okay," Charlie said as she held out her hand and repeated her first attempt at magic. Charlie thought about a rose while pulling on her magic, letting the sense of her magic lend the sense of fire, creating a rose in her hand made completely out of flames.
Charlie saw Beth's eyes widen in shock. "How?" Beth breathed.
"My magic. The crystal I found in the forest explained to me how to use it," Charlie replied. She wished that she could have sounded more assured in her answer, rather than sounding like she wasn't as sure as she felt.
"Can you teach me?" Beth asked.
"Actually, the crystal told me that I should remove the seal on your magic, as well as Tim's, Hannah's, Amelia's, Wes', and Ralph's. Then I can explain how to use your magic, but we should take it slow, because it could be dangerous if we try too much at once," Charlie answered.
"Why didn't you mention this crystal sooner?" Beth asked, as they started forward again.
"The crystal asked me not to tell anyone about it. It mostly doesn't want Petals to know, because the crystal said that it was Petals' memories of before Petals created the forest. It told me that we need to reintegrate it with Petals, but that it can only be done inside the forest and that the forest is becoming unstable because of the Heart of the Forest having been removed," Charlie said, her gaze going over the scenery.
Beth seemed to think about that before she turned back to Charlie. "So, I take it that you got it to let you tell me because I don't share my sources, right?"
Charlie shook her head. "Actually, I thought of you because I trust you. I can't say why but I do."
"Thanks," Beth replied, looking away from Charlie. Charlie could have sworn her eyes were starting to tear up.
"The crystal also taught me how to use magic to talk with it," Charlie said, getting the idea suddenly to show Beth the crystal. She unslung her backpack off of her arm she kept it on and began digging in it, while holding it up so they could continue to walk together. "This is it," Charlie said as she pulled it out.
The crystal was faintly emitting a pink light. Charlie was sure it was faint because they were outside, the sun still giving plenty of light. Beth held out her hand and Charlie handed it to her.
"I've never seen a crystal like this," she said, looking at it.
Charlie fumbled with her magic, trying to talk to Beth with it, but after several attempts while Beth examined the crystal, she finally managed to get it right.
–I picked it up because the crystal called out to me when we were in the forest. I wouldn't have even thought to go over to where it was if it hadn't.– Charlie said to Beth with her magic.
Beth stopped walking as she looked at Charlie, apparently not realizing that Charlie was using her magic to talk to her at first, but clearly realizing what Charlie was doing, as Charlie wasn't moving her mouth. "You were using your magic, right?" Beth asked.
"Yeah, the crystal told me that it'll take practice to get it right, but I'm sure we can get the hang of it soon," Charlie replied.
"Does the crystal have a name?" Beth asked.
"Um," Charlie replied. "Actually, I didn't think to ask."
"So, why not ask it now?" Beth asked.
"Just to be clear, you understand we can't let any of the others know, okay?" Charlie said.
"I understand. Besides, you should know that I'm good at not revealing names of sources, right?" Beth commented smiling at Charlie reassuringly.
"Okay, I'll ask," Charlie said aloud. Then, to the crystal she asked, –Beth was wanting to know what your name was.–
–If you must know, the name I had before I separated myself from was Alairna.– the crystal replied.
"The crystal said that its name is Alairna," Charlie told Beth.
"If it was almost anyone else, I'd say that it was made up," Beth mused.
They walked together quietly for a few minutes.
"By the way," Charlie just remembered another issue she wanted to ask Beth about. "Do you have any idea why my mom would not like you and think that you would be, um, a 'bad influence' on me?"
Beth laughed. "Now that's a story. Are you sure you want to know? You realize that it might corrupt you, right?"
Charlie laughed, surprised at how relaxed she felt at that moment. "If listening to a story will corrupt me, then I would have been corrupted long ago. I've heard several over the years, my mom and dad had plenty, then every so often I get to listen to one from a teacher. Then there's the stories that my sister spins when she's trying to get out of trouble. Not to mention my Aunt Rose."
"Fine, but still. This isn't the kind of story a parent tells their kids, nor is it one that a teacher, or at least a good teacher would tell, and it certainly wouldn't get a parent to reduce a punishment. But anyway, the gist of the story is that I had been going out with Allison when I was in middle school. She was a couple of years ahead of me and was experimenting, but I knew I didn't care if it was a girl or guy, I liked them both the same. In the end, after Allison and I broke up, and I don't know what else was going on with her but she got really depressed afterwards. So a rumor started up that I broke her heart when we broke up. Then there was the time I was talking with Tim about it and we were laughing at the idea, especially since I'm still friends with Allison, but his mother overhears us and takes everything we said out of context. Though, to be fair, she didn't like me much before that anyway, as she had seen me doing drugs a few times, but I didn't like how any of them made me feel, so I didn't keep on with them.
"But that's assuming that's the reason. Another one is how my mom works as an escort. Tim's mom started to dislike me when she learned about that, and I wouldn't be surprised if your mom would hold the same opinion."
"Wait, is your dad okay with your mom working that kind of job?" Charlie asked, a little incredulous at this new information about Beth. Though, she wasn't sure how it was the kind that would be as Beth had described it. Unless she was deliberately trying to be overdramatic about it.
However, Beth looked away at that question. "Actually, my dad died a while back," Beth replied, her tone a little distant.
"Sorry," Charlie apologized. "I didn't mean to get you down."
"Don't worry about it," Beth replied, turning back to Charlie. "But even though he died, my mom still gets pregnant from time to time, and I've never met who the father or fathers are of my half-siblings."
"Yeah, anyway I can see why my mom would be skeptical of you," Charlie commented, holding her hand out to get the crystal back from Beth. Not sure where else to take the conversation on that topic or if she really wanted it to continue on this vein.
"I don't really hold it against your mom for holding that against me. I mean, it wasn't anything that shows me in a good light specifically, so I'm in agreement that I wasn't a good person then and the stuff with my mom really doesn't define me. Even if they don't accept that I've changed, their opinions won't really affect me anyway," Beth said, handing the crystal back to Charlie.
Charlie didn't say anything after that, she merely put the crystal away. Then, after a minute, she finally thought of what to respond with. "Thanks for telling me. I didn't know about that, and…" Charlie trailed off as she realized something about what Beth had said. "You're friends with Allison Smith! That's how you knew about what I had talked about with both Alex Williams and Allison. She's your source."
Beth looked at Charlie levelly. "I can neither confirm or deny that," was all Beth said.
Charlie didn't mind. She didn't even have to read Beth's thoughts to know she was right.
They continued on the rest of the way to where Petals' forest was in mostly companionable silence. Occasionally they'd start talking about one topic or another, but mostly it was in silence.
When they neared where the bushes were, Hannah saw them as she was about to enter the bushes. She ran over to them, calling out, "It came! It finally got here!"
As she slowed down when she got over to them, both Beth and Charlie walking at the same casual pace, Beth held up her hands. "What came?" she asked, clearly wanting Hannah to explain.
"The Studio Ghibli piano music I'd ordered. I finally got 'Morning of the Slag Ravine' in, and that was what I wanted most," Hannah said, as she started to walk with both of them.
"What's 'Studio Ghibli?'" Charlie asked.
"It's the anime studio that made Hayao Miyazaki's movies. Like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Castle in the Sky," Hannah said.
"She has all the movie's they produced," Beth commented. "If you ask her, she'd probably let you borrow them, though she'd probably want to watch them with you."
Hannah giggled. "Guilty."
Charlie rolled her eyes. Even though she was interested, despite herself, she wasn't sure she should go all in like that.
They quickly made their way to the bushes and entered as soon as they got there. Once inside, they found Tim, Ralph, and Amelia were already waiting.
"Where's Petals?" Charlie asked, unsure where the unicorn could be.
"She's in her forest," Ralph replied. "She spends as much time in there as she can, though she does get kicked out the way we did every so often."
"I'll be right back," Charlie said, starting for the entrance for Petals' forest.
She almost reached it when Petals emerged from her forest. –Am I late?– Petals asked, seeing Charlie almost to her forest.
–Not really, I was just coming to let you know we were almost all here.– Charlie said. Marveling at the sight of Petals' horn no longer fading in and out of her perception. It was clear to her view for the first time and no longer seemed like a phantom horn to her.
Petals bumped Charlie gently with her muzzle. –You have your magic unsealed, I see.– she said to Charlie.
–Would you be willing to help me unseal the others' magic? All I would need you to do is touch everyone with your horn when I get to each of them while unsealing their magic.– Charlie asked, not doubting that Petals wouldn't be willing, but more worried that she would go about it on her own and not really work with Charlie.
–Sure, just let me know what you want me to do.– Petals replied.
Charlie walked back to where she had been, next to Beth with Hannah on the other side of Beth.
"So, where's Wes?" Hannah asked. "I could have sworn he left before me."
"I think he had to take care of something at his house before he could get here," Tim said. "He never mentioned anything to me about not being able to show up today."
"Then maybe Charlie should get started on unsealing each of our magic," Beth commented, putting her hand on Charlie's shoulder.
Charlie couldn't have been more surprised if she'd been knocked off of her feet. Though, she suspected that Beth was as eager to be able to use magic as she had been.
"Wait, magic?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah, I can't explain how my magic was unsealed, but I can unseal all of your magic and help show you a few ways to use it," Charlie said.
"What's the catch?" Ralph asked as the same moment Amelia asked, "We have magic?"
"That I'll unseal yours against my better judgement," Charlie retorted to Ralph, not paying attention to Amelia's question.
"Aww, you're acting like you don't like me," Ralph replied, a grin showing how serious he was taking Charlie's statement.
"That's because I don't," Charlie said.
Ralph blinked, his surprise evident on his face. "Why?"
"You did drug me on Tim's last birthday," Charlie told Ralph.
"Seriously?? That was last September," Ralph protested.
"Ralph, I told you then that it was a bad idea," Amelia said.
"I didn't even mean to drug Charlie. All of you know I meant to drug Beth," Ralph complained.
"You're not really helping yourself," Wes said, as he entered the bushes.
"You're going to abandon me like that?" Ralph asked Wes.
"I don't care who you meant to drug or why. I care that you drugged me," Charlie said.
Ralph sighed. "Fine, but I'll tell you why anyway," Ralph said.
"He meant to drug me and Tim because he was convinced that we were interested in each other but were denying it. He decided that if we were drugged that we'd find ourselves in a position we wouldn't be able to deny and so admit our feelings for each other," Beth interrupted. "That's why he'd drugged Tim too. I guess you're lucky you're Tim's cousin or something or who knows what Ralph might have attempted with you."
"I was going to say that," Ralph complained. "And I wouldn't have tried to do anything to Charlie with Tim. I mean, he was clearly into you."
"You'd have taken too long and I'm sure you were seeing things that weren't there," Beth replied. Then to Charlie, "Let's get on with it. I'm sure the sooner you get it done, the easier it will be for you."
Charlie nodded.
"Wait, what are we doing now?" Wes asked, clearly confused as to what was going on.
"You'll see," Hannah replied.
Charlie decided to start with Ralph. Mostly because he could already talk with Petals, so she figured she should start there. After she finished, she moved to Beth. It didn't take long before she'd unsealed the magic of the others. Petals didn't say anything as she followed Charlie's directions and held the tip of her horn on each person's head as their magic was unsealed.
Afterward, Charlie explained how to use magic, giving a small demonstration with her flower of fire. She didn't tell anyone exactly how she used her magic but explained all she could remember of what the crystal had told her. She didn't think she had forgotten anything but planned on checking with the crystal afterwards.
Beth formed a small ice cube in her hand, Hannah arched lighting between her fingertips, Amelia brought out yellow glowing orbs of light, Wes grew a tree's bark over his hand, Tim created a mini-tornado in front of him, and Ralph was floating about three feet off of the ground.
Everyone was excited about what they were now able to do. It took a while before they stopped, but not before Amelia fell asleep, or pass out as Ralph phrased it, which made everyone stop, realizing how much of an impact using their magic was having on themselves.
"I'll get Amelia home," Hannah offered. "We live by each other."
"I can help you," Beth offered. "It's not that far out of my way."
"Thanks," Hannah said.
"When should we get together again?" Wes asked.
"How about tomorrow at Amelia's?" Ralph suggested. "We could watch a movie and practice talking with magic. Besides, I'm pretty sure she was going to ask us to her place tomorrow anyway."
"Not a bad idea," Tim commented. "Only question would be what movie we should watch."
"Amelia probably has a movie in mind," Hannah commented, putting Amelia's arm over her shoulders, giving Tim a look that was clear to Charlie that they were communicating something that she couldn't figure out.
"What if she doesn't have us at her place?" Charlie asked, not sure if she'd be invited as everyone seemed to think Amelia would. Charlie also felt like there was something that everyone else knew that she didn't and none of them were talking, partly evidence with the unspoken communication between Hannah and Tim just now. While Charlie wasn't surprised that she didn't know things about them, given she had only started willingly joining their group for a little over a week, it still felt like this was something that they should at least give her a heads up about.
"If Amelia really doesn't have anything going on, then we'll meet at Tim's," Ralph replied, his tone telling Charlie that he didn't believe that.
"And if that's the case, then Charlie should choose the movie," Beth suggested, her tone telling Charlie that she wasn't likely to find out what they weren't saying from her.
Charlie was as surprised as she was uneasy. She'd never been all that interested in movies before, so she wasn't really sure what movies there were to begin with, let alone which one she should pick. Although, she did occasionally watch one with her family, but that was a mixed result. Some were sort of interesting to Charlie, others weren't at all. Not to mention the part of whatever it was that they weren't saying to her.
"Um, Beth?" Charlie began. "I have no idea what movie would be one that I even might like." Truthfully, if she tried, she was sure she could come up with some, but she really wasn't interested in doing that.
Beth laughed as she put Amelia's other arm over her shoulders. "I can't say I'm surprised, but how about we go with a movie that we've all seen before and liked so we can see if Charlie might like it if it comes to that."
There didn't seem to be much discussion after that, so everyone started to head home. So, as Charlie started to head over to her home, she was conflicted. Part of her was ecstatic to be included in a group while another part of her was unhappy about having her personal time reduced. She wasn't sure what she should be feeling and didn't know if she should be concerned at feeling so conflicted.
It was as if her world was being shaken up and there wasn't anything for her to hold on to that she knew was a sure thing.
_
"And that's what Mrs. Garfield told me," Charlie told her parents after she finished explaining what the forms she'd handed them were about. She had mixed emotions about telling her parents about the offer for her to be a junior counselor at a 'math camp.' Part of her was sure they'd be happy with it while another part of her thought the whole subject was ridiculous. She couldn't think of what would be done at such a camp.
"It sounds like it might be a good idea," Charlie's mom said after thinking for a minute. "What do you think, Scott?"
Charlie's dad seemed to take longer to think about it. Finally, he said, "I'm sure Heathcliff would be willing to let us know more details about this camp, but I think the decision about this should be yours, Charlie."
"Scott," Charlie's mom reprimanded.
"What?" Charlie's father asked.
"We need to be looking out for our daughter's future. Her college applications will get a boost from this."
Her father shook his head. "Maybe so, but this is Charlie's decision. We need to support her in whatever decision she makes. Even if we disagree with what that decision turns out to be."
Charlie had actually hoped that her parents would make the decision for her, just like they'd done with pretty much every other decision she could remember in her life in regards to things like this.
"Even so, you know Charlie isn't likely to agree to that herself. We need to push her so she can improve what her future will look like," Charlie's mother replied.
"Jackie, we still don't know if this is something that will benefit Charlie herself. Maybe it would look good for college applications, but what good would that be if Charlie isn't emotionally ready to be in that kind of position?" Charlie's father asked.
"Um, mom? Dad?" Charlie ventured. While she'd like to not have to make this decision herself, she couldn't help but be interested in the offer to begin with, despite her usual reserved attitude towards things like that. She also felt this probably would be the best way that she'd be able to get to be the closest to the Heart of the Forest in the first place. "I think that I might actually like to do this."
Both her parents were stunned. Her father got up, walked over to Charlie and put the back of his hand on her forehead. "She doesn't seem to have a fever," her commented thoughtfully.
"Scott, sit back down." Charlie's mother told him, clearly trying to sound stern, but failing while she was chuckling.
As he sat back down, Charlie's mother continued. "So, Charlie, you realize what you'll be committing yourself to? Once we get this back to Heathcliff you won't be able to back out easily. Do you understand that?"
"Yeah, I understand. I'm well aware that if I wanted to back out, I would need a very good reason, such as injury or getting very sick. I think it's something that I need to do regardless," Charlie replied. Let them interpret that in any way they'd want to, Charlie told herself.
Charlie watched her parents look at each other, a clear signal that they were communicating silently, using things Charlie had never been able to figure out how they knew what the other was thinking, just that they seemed to be able to anyway.
"If you want us to fill these forms out for you we can do that or if you'd like us to help you we can do that too. When you're done, I'll take them over to Heathcliff on Monday," Charlie's father said, turning back to face her.
"Thanks," Charlie replied. She got up from the table, leaving her plate, and went around the table to hug each of her parents in turn. She then went back, picked up her plate and took it over to the kitchen sink.
"By the way," Charlie's mother called out to her as Charlie started to begin on washing the dishes. "Remember, while you're there at the math camp, you won't be able to come home any time you want, so you'll have to trust your garden to us."
"Got it, mom," Charlie replied, not too worried. She'd left her garden untended before since she'd had a garden, such as once when they went on a trip for a month a few years back and when she'd returned, her garden was mostly fine. It just was a little overgrown with weeds that Charlie had made short work of. She also knew that if her parents did do anything with her garden, it wouldn't be much or for very long.
Which made Charlie wonder if she shouldn't try to get someone else to tend to her garden. She didn't think Beth would object but couldn't be completely sure. She also wondered if any of the others in the group that she'd been hanging out with would be interested if Beth declined.
However, right now her mind was more worried about getting the Heart of the Forest back. Not that she could tell her parents about it, as aside from sounding crazy, she didn't have any evidence that it existed in a way that she could show her parents without risking even more complications coming up. Charlie didn't feel like trying to get them into Petals' forest either. That would take a lot of coaxing and she wasn't sure how her parents would react if Charlie did manage to convince them that she was telling the truth about it. Sometimes not giving the full story did prevent complications from occurring, though other times complications abounded regardless of which choice was made.
All that was left to do now was just get through the rest of the school year. Which might be harder given that Charlie now had something to look forward to after the end of the school year. In the past she didn't have anything she looked forward to, other than more time to herself, but now she had something. Which made her rather unsure what effects it might have on her all around.