Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art

Princess Tower

08:20 PM

Elissa walked toward the tower, her thoughts churning. She didn't want to enter her dorms just yet and stopped from time to time to watch the fairies working in the garden. Some of them completely ignored her, others waved at her or flew around her daring her to catch them; sometimes she did while being careful and released them instantly giggling at their surprised expression.

The redhead sighed heavily, pondering why she couldn’t be as carefree as those magical beings; ever since she turned four, Elissa had been raised to become a strong magic user, Malicia had encouraged her to always push her self imposed limits to gain knowledge while still being patient and waiting for her powers to develop. She was being prepared for something, all the training, the magic and the evasions from her parents when she asked direct questions about their native world. Whatever it was, Elissa hoped she would be ready for it; however, she felt desperately weak compared to her sister, her uncle Achilles or mother. She saw them as her goal, and couldn’t wait to arrive at their level of power.

Elissa let her cold aura slightly spread around her and lowered the temperature to ten degrees Celsius, maintaining it without magic had become a real chore but she still strived to raise her control. In those magicless days, she had come to view her dependency as a weakness. There was no reason that she couldn’t control her powers by sheer will, it was just a question of mental discipline. The young woman had decided that even if she got her magic back she would be careful not to over-rely on it.

Falling back on her physical skills had been something of a rush when she battled Price, she couldn’t control her ice as well as she wanted and now she was seeing different ways to fight as she regained control. Fighting while using deception, traps and controlling her foes appealed to her in a way that direct combat had not. It would have also been more effective in the fight of today.

*All warfare is based on deception.*

Elissa resolved to come up with more strategies and tactics for her main powers, she should be aware of and control the terrain around her at all times.

*Maybe being cooped up in the school is a boon, I will be able to think more about how I should fight like dad told me. I seem to be attracting a lot of unwanted attention lately…* Elissa told herself.

The redhead stopped her wander when she reached the tower, the lights were on. She saw Dawn looking at her through the window, her face was a heart-achingly lovely picture of warmth, and kind kindness. Elissa’s core flooded with desire, her heart skipping a beat as she remembered what happened between them when she got back from the security compound in the academy.

---

06:20 PM

 

After giving her statement on what happened between her and Price, Elissa drove back to school with her father. Her ribs had begun to slowly heal thanks to her superhuman constitution but still ached. Her uniform was ripped and torn where the kinetic beam guy had struck her, fortunately, Doctor Jordan had taken care of her wounds and closed them when the security agents had brought her into the school hospital. The black woman had been frantic when she learned what happened and had refused to go heal the boys in the Hospital at the north of the island when the doctors there had asked her to come to facilitate their treatments.

Dawn was waiting for her in the parking lot, Heracles parked in Elissa’s usual space and stopped the car. The little asian girl was on Elissa as she exited the Camaro, hugging her but stopped when saw her wince in pain because of her ribs.

“Sorry, I heard what happened from Danny, are you ok?” She sounded worried, her usual sunny disposition had completely disappeared.

Elissa preferred when Dawn smiled, seeing her sad or anxious was as if all the colors drained from the world.

The redhead soldiered on as she ignored the pain.

“Peachy,” Elissa said as she hugged the petite girl who reciprocated, and then Dawn’s beautiful smile broke out from the anxious expression she had on.

“The doctor at the academy patched me up, but it still hurts a little,” Elissa reassured her friend.

The asian girl’s face brightened as she heard some good news.

“You got those guys good I heard?”

“It was a team effort, Donovan had the lions share of the fight with Danny and the girls.”

“You still took out their leader.”

“Yes I did, but I wish you were there Dawn; maybe we wouldn’t have had to fight at all.”

“Yes, I would have sent them into the ocean.” Dawn mock scowled.

In Elissa’s heart, she knew that Dawn wasn’t just a pretty meek girl, she has a steel core hidden by all this kindness. The redhead wanted to help her friend to blossom into someone who knew when to fight and took no shit from anyone.

“That’s my little tigress.” Elissa passed her fingers through Dawn’s hair and suddenly the world around them ceased to exist as they gazed into each other eyes.

Cough. “Elissa, go to your dorm, your mother will get you later for a little talk.” Heracles interrupted.

He gave his daughter a shit-eating grin, her cheeks were red in embarrassment, Dawn glared at him but that reinforced his smile. He remembered when he had told Elissa about the birds and the bees when she was six years old and hadn’t anticipated that it wasn’t boys that he should be worried about but people of the same sex. It didn’t bother him at all, he was happy that his little treasure met new people and made friends.

The hero threw the car key to Elissa who caught them and left, Dawn waited for him to leave and spoke. “Your dad is cool.”

Knowing Dawn’s sexual orientation, Elissa wasn’t surprised that his aura power just had a charismatic effect on her and not a seductive one as she had seen a lot of time on straight women.

“I know.” Elissa nodded as Dawn took her hand in hers, caressing the inside of her palm with her thumb.

This simple but intimate skinship from Dawn made Elissa think about what Danny at told her, that she took what she wanted. She thought that maybe she was thinking too much instead of following her heart. The redhead decided that she will address how to ask the asian girl out later.

“Hum, I have food in the back of the car, take out for tonight that we will heat in the microwave.” The young lady showed the takeout boxes in the back seat of her car.

“You didn’t want to cook tonight.” Dawn flashed her a mischievous smile.

It was Elissa’s turn to cook today, the two girls had come up with a rotation system that made them shares the chores and cooking duty.

The redhead shook her head.“I felt that I wouldn’t be in the mood for it while expecting a fight.”

Elissa looked rather awkward but didn’t want her friend to stop touching her. The more she was in contact with her, the more she didn’t want to stay just ‘friends’. Now that she thought about it, the hell did she think when she asked Dawn that?

*Oh yeah, I was afraid; and mom had taken my magic so I couldn’t think straight.* She realized.

“Take them, I will port us into our room,” Dawn said innocently.

Elissa listened, opened the passenger door and bend over to take the boxes of food; Dawn smiled as she could see the redhead’s perfect legging covered behind. Boxes in hand, Elissa was embraced by the asian girl who focused on the anchor point she had left in the living room on their floor of the Tower. Space warped around them and suddenly there were somewhere else. In their living room to be precise.

“And here we are, Eli,” Dawn said not letting her go.

Elissa was surprised that she didn’t feel nauseous like she was with the teleporter of the academy.

“I prefer teleporting with you, teleportation based magic is smoother than the technological one.” The redhead praised.

The asian girl giggled and reluctantly let go of Elissa.“Thanks, I will take those boxes and put them in the fridge.”

“Ok.” Elissa began to take off her uniform while walking toward her room.

But when she entered, the redhead found herself being pushed onto her bed and as she righted herself she was straddled by Dawn who took her two arms and immobilized her.

“I didn’t anticipate this.”

“No one expects the shy asian girl to do this.”

Elissa exercised a bit of strength and reversed their positions, Dawn squeaked and tried to struggle. But quickly quit doing that as she felt the weight of the redhead settling on her. To Dawn, Elissa smelled of strawberry and cherry flowers, and then Elissa’s lips pressed against hers. When the redhead stopped, Dawn didn’t know what to think besides “do it again”. Elissa must have read her desire in her eyes because she leaned forward to kiss Dawn again. The redhead lured Dawn’s tongue into her mouth, her hands sliding on the asian girl’s arms. For five minutes the two exchanged kisses that in reality had been a long time coming as they had suppressed their desire for each other.

“Elissa I am…” Malicia entered her daughter’s bedroom and eyes wide couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Elissa and Dawn had frozen when they heard Malicia’s voice and perfectly mimicked the deer in the headlights expression.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Malicia said as she closed the door.

Clack. They heard as the door was closed; when the sorceress left, the two girls held each other in fright, Elissa had expected her mom to separate them, but she didn’t. Dread filled her mind as she had recognized the gleam of amusement in her mother’s eyes when she closed the door.

“This is so embarrassing!” Dawn whined.

Elissa won’t be able to live this down, she knew her mother would use it against her. “Tell me about it!”

---

Sigh. Elissa’s heart settled, she wasn’t ready for the intense teasing that her mother would without a doubt prepare. Purple arcs of mana appeared as space distorted around her and the redhead recognized them as she was teleported. It was the first time Elissa realized that that Dawn was capable of remote teleportation without touching others.

Dawn was waiting for her near the window with the blue and green curtains, she was rather smug as she looked at the redhead.

“You couldn’t wait for me to enter the tower?” Elissa went to sit on the sofa.

Dawn followed suit, practically gluing herself to the redhead and interlace her fingers with Elissa’s. The young lady could literally taste Dawn’s embrace and smell her soft and warm feelings.

The asian girl tilted her head cutely, causing Elissa’s heart to melt at her cuteness. “But you were just standing there.”

Elissa rolled her eyes. “Dawn, do you know what a boundary is?”

A sly smile spread on the asian girl’s face. “A real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something?”

“Argh yes! But that’s not the point!” The redhead whined.

“I am just pulling your chain! And,” Elissa shut her eyes tightly trying to tune out the temptation caused by her… what was Dawn to her? A friend or her girlfriend now? The young lady felt Dawn let go of her hand and move on the sofa; Elissa found herself in a lap pillow position on the asian girl’s thighs. Dawn began to stroke her hair. “tell me you want me to stop.”

Elissa relaxed, giving up resisting Dawn’s advances, it clearly wasn’t working and she loved this position already.

“You win.” The redhead said looking at Dawn in the eyes.

Elissa rolled her eyes at the eastern beauty’s victorious smile, with her synesthesia and Dawn’s facial expression it was so easy to read her feelings. The asian girl was like an open book to her. They stayed like this in companionable silence.

“Say, Elissa, are we…” Dawn tried to say, her voice was trembling, the sour feeling of her fear invaded Elissa’s sense and contentment.

The redhead decided to make things clear with the usual bluntness that made her so many enemies as of late. She couldn’t bear this awkward feeling, Elissa caught Dawn’s hand and kissed it.

“Dawn I like you and yeah let’s start dating. I am sorry, I was a selfish bitch but… I was afraid.” The redhead confessed.

Elissa tasted love when a blissful smile blossomed on Dawn’s face, love of a different kind than the familial one she was used to. Had her heart skipped a beat? the redhead felt as if she was bewitched as if she was being caught in a divine spell. When Elissa saw that feeling in Dawn’s eyes she told herself *It’s like magic.*

“Hey it’s ok, I was afraid too when I discovered I liked girls.” Dawn tried to reassure her.

The asian girl was proud of herself and giddy that she finally made the redhead her girlfriend. She realized that her mother was right, in trying to build a relationship you must be proactive and not wait for the other to suddenly be aware of your feelings. Dawn had called her mother and conversed about how to help Elissa realize her feelings. Dawn’s mother, Briana had mercilessly teased her until giving her advice about stopping to wait for Elissa to make the first move and to hunt her until she gave in.

“Huhu, so far you are the only girl I am attracted to, but I still like boys too,” Elissa said.

Dawn decided to change the subject, she didn’t care about boys unless they were friends.“By the way, I heated that food that you brought.”

The asian girl had been surprised that Elissa had bought asian food in disposable food containers. She noticed that the redhead was being influenced by her bit by bit; first anime and soon manga. Unaware of Dawn’s ambition, Elissa let a contented sigh escape her lips.

“Can we stay like this another five minutes?” The redhead asked.

“Yes,” Dawn answered, stroking Elissa’s hair.

---

Mercer Island Hospital

Intensive Care Unit

08:30 PM

Noah Price, a married man, a member of the conservative party and a member of the Assembly super team from Washington D.C. had always liked to think that he was part of this new wave of humanity called superhumans. Through his success in life, he had always carried his belief like a torch for all to see. He had even chosen his wife, Isobel for her powers and for her similar way of thinking as himself. That they were superior and deserved the best that the world had to offer. They had instilled the same philosophy into their son, Benjamin, they had given him the means to indulge in a life of excess and let him run rampant doing whatever he wanted.

Now looking at his son who was in a medically induced coma with his face smashed in and his pelvis fractured; the two parents regretted not having instilled caution and self-preservation in their son. Isobel kept crying, seated near the bed as she saw her son in this sorry state. The man looked like his son, a brunet with blue eyes looking like he was in his twenties; however, his eyes looked far older than his son’s.

“Noah! What happened to him? you still haven't told me!” Isobel cried as she touched her son’s hand.

Isobel was a blonde woman with grey eyes, a beautiful face and thanks to her superhuman constitution looked like a top model, an occupation that she still had since she was semi-active as a super for the Assembly. She looked at her husband who could still barely believe that his son has turned up like this by a woman; From the information, he had been able to glean he had used the same method he came up with to get girls with the hellion who did this to him.

Noah had gathered everything from the school on this Von Braun girl and began to understand why his son became attracted to her, she was strong and beautiful; however, her stats seemed to not be up to date if she could do this with just her fighting skills. Noah had thought his son strong enough to do whatever he wanted, he had even facilitated his vices while using his influence but it seemed that it was wishful thinking.

The result of his hubris laid bare before his eyes.

“It’s a young woman who did this to him,” Noah told her, taking the time to look at his wife’s tears stained face.

The blonde’s eyes flashed with malice, she stood up and went toward her husband and put her hands on his black jacket holding him by his lapels.

“Who?! Give me her name, I will kill her!” Isobel’s voice became cold as she said this with conviction.

Noah shook his head.

“You shouldn’t rush like this, Izzy! We don’t know which family she comes from, and…” Her husband tried to explain.

Isobel slapped him on his torso, she hurt her hand in doing so but ignored it. Her eyes were full of rancor and feeling of betrayal. “How dare you try to stop me?!”

The man took his wife in his arms and thanks to his super strength the woman found herself unable to move. “Calm yourself! Damnit!”

Isobel struggled in her husband embrace like a tigress, but for naught as she couldn’t extract herself from the bear hug.

“I already have things in hand, Izzy; we are going to meet this girl with her parents tomorrow,” Noah said to calm his beautiful wife.

Isobel stopped moving, looked at Noah and said with tears in her eyes. “Really?”

“Yes, don’t worry hon, I won’t let them get away with this!” Noah swore.

Isobel saw the same flame of revenge burning in her husband’s eyes, he had the same expression on his face when he schemed something. The blonde woman relaxed in his embrace, and Noah kissed her on the brows.

“Good.” She said barely satisfied.

Looking at her son who laid unmoving on his hospital bed she said, “Benny, mom will make that girl pay for what she did to you.”