The Djinn and The Vartija: In the Kitchen

Emrri

After walking around the block a few times, I decided that enough time had passed since my mother's call. As I approached my house, I scanned the neighborhood for any changes. This was a habit of mine, picked up after critter's became attracted to me. I worried about being followed home and placing my mother in danger.
After a few uneventful moments, I released a sigh. Putting on a smile, I walked up the drive to the front door.
"I'm home!" I announced as I entered the house. Walking through a living room decorated with turtles, I headed for the kitchen.
The kitchen was painted a light purple, and was where my mother was most often found when she was home. She was a waitress at the local diner, but didn't have a set shift. This week she worked the lunch shift, which gave me little hunting time after school. It hadn't been easy to keep my hunting a secret for the past four years, but it was necessary.
My father had been the Vartija of the family, while my mother was human. I was working under the assumption that he hadn't revealed that fact to my mother before his death.
"How was school?" My mother asked from the computer desk, looking up from the monitor.
"Eh," I shrugged as I sat on of the bar stools at the counter, "nothing special. Nathan was going to come over later so we can study for Friday's math test."
She smiled as she spun the chair around to face me. "We could order pizza for dinner. Do you know what toppings he likes?"
"Any type of meat will do." I answered, opening my bag. As I set my books on the counter my mother spoke.
"What happened to your wrist?"
I looked at the bandage wrapped around my left wrist. "Nothing serious. Alicia let me borrow a bracelet, and it got caught on a locker." I explained, taking a large metal bracelet out of my bag. I had borrowed the bracelet from my friend, but only to appease her. Alicia pushed a piece of jewelery on me every day: she had made it her goal to infect me with her love of fashion. It wasn't that I disliked accessories and stylish clothes, but they just weren't suitable for the type of encounters I experienced.
When I looked back at her, my mother shook her head and  sighed. "Oh Emrri, you must be more careful. You're starting to get clumsy again."
I laughed. For the first two years after my Vartija abilities activated, I was plagued by a mischievous Kitsune. Everywhere I went, he played some sort of trick that left me fumbling about. I was relieved when I finally figured out how my binding abilities worked.
"I'll try and be more careful." I promised after my laughter subsided.
My mother smiled, then turned back to the computer. I stood, leaving the kitchen to prepare for the study session with Nathan.

Benefits of being a sidekick

1. The learning opportunities abound. Whether it be slaying a dragon or fixing a tire, your hero will probably have something to teach.
2. As a sidekick, you avoid receiving the majority of blame when one of the hero's adventures goes awry.
3. When you and the hero are captured, you can often count on the villain ignoring you. This is your chance to get free.
4. Depending on the setting, you get a colorful attire and the chance to give witty remarks.
5. It is your job to take care of the team pet. Be sure not to be late with Wonderpup's lunch!
6. You might be the one who gets to test all of the new gadgets you and the hero receive.
7. Other sidekicks will enjoy hearing of your amazing feats; so long as you give them plenty of time to tell theirs as well.
8. Keep an eye out as you explore; something you see may aid the hero.
9. Depending on your hero, the food may taste better then what you can cook.
10. Sidekicks get neat names!

To the tune of the "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

The big scary velociraptor leaped up the building side.
The soldier ran away to try and stay alive.
His partner fired a ray gun which instantly vaporized,
The big scary velciraptor who leaped up the building side.

Cool Accessories

1. Bow tie.
2. Pocket watch.
3. Gauntlet style gloves.
4. Hat.
5. Glasses.
6. Scarf.
7. Belt buckle.
8. A trench coat or duster.
9. Boots.
10. A personalized handkerchief.

Rainy Day

Thunder crashed as lightening ripped a path through the sky.
The rain pelted the city; forming shallow ponds and slippery streets.
Water dripped from a leaky roof into buckets and kiddy pools.
The smell of wet dog saturated the air, coupled with the aroma of mud.
Candles burned and flashlights glowed, giving light in homes where the power had gone out.
Families huddled together, laughing as they focused on each other.
While outside the rain continued to fall.

For Suggestions

1. In an attempt to further the progress of something.
2. When your assistance has been requested.
3. To better personalize a gift.
4. When it can  help break a creative  block.
5. As a help with projects that the you may not be familiar with.
6. They can be an amusing break from reality.
7. They can be the source of a new idea.
8. As an introduction into an activity that you never had an interest for.
9. When a compromise is necessary.
10. To help make someone else smile.

The Firstborn (Part Two)

Seventeen years later

From a cliff overlooking the forest, I watched the sun rise. Raising my hand, I twisted the magic flux. A large crystal phoenix materialized on the cliff, its body capturing the morning light. I looked at the statue, stifling a sigh as I waved my hand. The magic dispersed, leaving the familiar smell of bread in its wake.

“Crystal again?” Asked the only voice I had ever heard besides mine. I looked at my master. Due to being exposed to the magic flux, his body had been disfigured. With a short stature and abnormally long arms and fingers, large gold eyes, and wide ears, he had commonly been referred to as an imp in the past.

“Yes. It is still the default substance for my manipulations.” Concentrating as I flicked my fingers, a silver flask appeared before me. Catching my creation, I lifted it to my lips. Magic flowed onto my tongue, each drop a different flavor. As I drank, my master spoke.

“It is time.” I stopped drinking and studied his appearance. His golden hair was fading to blonde, while his face showed signs of his centuries.

“How long do you have left?” I asked, snapping my fingers. A small, cushioned chair appeared; which my master sat on.

“Not much longer. Three hundred and eighty-seven is quite a long life.” He stared out at the sunrise. “Most likely another day or two. Then you will take my place.”

I looked out at the sun, the magic in my blood allowing me to stare into the fiery orb.

“Am I ready?” I asked quietly.

A shrill laugh, followed by a sigh. “You know enough. My master taught me for twenty-three years.”

I closed my eyes, remembering the lessons of my life.

The first; the effects of drinking magic. It was what separated my master and I from normal people. Having drank magic all but three days of my life, I was able to sense and reconfigure magic. It also had an affect on on my body. I would live longer then a human. My appearance was not disfigured in the same way as my master, but it was changed by the magic. My skin was crystal, altering its coloration based upon the light. My eyes were copper, while my hair shone silver. Despite my crystal skin, I could still bleed.

The second lesson; my inheritance. After my master's death, I would inherit his duty. Go into the world, and aid those in need for a price. For all magic had to have a price. We had paid ours; disfigurement and a reliance upon the magic we drank.

“How should I begin?” I asked, looking at my master. He snapped his fingers and a scroll materialized. He opened it: revealing a map of the surrounding area.

“There is a kingdom to the south of these woods. That would be a good area to begin.” He handed me the map. I took it and placed in a pouch on my belt.

“When should I leave?”

“Soon. But before you leave, there is a final lesson that I must teach.” My master stood. Facing me, his gold eyes revealed an ancient life. "There will come a time when you must choose your successor. Before that time comes, you must make a decision."

He snapped his fingers. Two images etched in fire appeared before me in the air. One was of a couple with a child. This image changed, following the growth of the child; spanning lifetimes, the child and father lived while the the wife parished.

The other image was of my master, taking a child from a woman with straw colored hair.

"You may choose to take a wife while you are within a human lifespan. If you choose this, you and your child will have to watch as she grows old and dies; eventually fading to nothing but a wistful memory of days gone by. Or you can choose as I did: to gamble your name for a child. "

I turned away from the image of my mother to stare at my master. For one who has drank magic all their life, to reveal your name to another was to place your life in their hands. Bound to their whim, incapable of using magic unless commanded by the keeper of your name. It was a dangerous deal, but equal in value. A life for a life.

"So either I raise a child of my own, and watch as we both lose a woman we love; or I risk my name to claim a child who will have no memory of their parents, and thus not need to suffer the agony of watching a parent die."

He nodded. "If you choose to make the bargain, you must be careful in raising the child. As you have been raised without knowledge of your biological family, so must the child." Then my master took a purple pouch from his belt. "Until the time comes when that child must venture into the world." He flicked his hand and the pouch appeared before me. "These were the tokens I received from your mother before claiming her firstborn. They now belong to you."

I opened the pouch and tossed the contents into the air. Floating within the magic flux I had called fourth, I studied the two items. They were plain pieces of jewellery, such as a peasant would own. The first piece was a crude clay ring, which had a lumpy bit bulging out of the center. The next piece was a necklace: fashioned out of a leather thong wrapped around gray stone speckled with white.

"So she was a peasant?" I asked after returning the jewelery to the pouch.

"The miller's daughter. She had to spin straw into gold; an impossibility for one without magic. For three nights I spun for her: first claiming the necklace, then the ring. On that third night I received the promise that after she was wed, I would receive her firstborn child. A year later, you were born." My master shook his head. "As I had expected, she was reluctant to relinquish you into my care. I gave her three nights to guess my name. She failed."

I nodded. I knew the rest, for it was my life.

Raised in this hidden wood, surrounded by powerful magic. Taught how to manipulate others to my advantage, and how to lose a lesser bargain in order to win that which was of most importance.

My entire life had been in preparation to take my master's place.

"What should I call myself?" I asked. There would be instances when I would need a name to go by.

"Something easy to remember, that is not similar to your true name." He smiled, "I have gone by many names, but Spinner Gold was the one that I favored."

I nodded, stretching my arms. I bowed my head. "I will remember you."

My master met my gaze, his gold eyes softening. "That is all I can ask."