Time is of the Essence~

Subject: Time is of the Essence~ Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:19 pm

Disclaimer: I don't own Wizards of Waverly Place or the idea of armegeddon in the year 2012, this is purely fan written.

Chapter 1: As We Stand

"Alex you'll never be a good wizard if you don't learn to master your spells correctly. Okay now once more, do the spell." Mr. Russo spoke as he pointed out the mistakes that his daughter had made. I, of course, was not liking this one bit. Spell training was so boring, but I had to do it if I were to become a good wizard.

"Alright, Dad. But if I get it this time you have to promise not to make me do this spell ever again." I spoke while whining a little bit. I couldn't take this "magical" torture. I just wanted it to end already so I could go grab a sandwich and go talk to Harper about things.

"Make weary time, weary." I spoke as time suddenly around me stopped. I couldn't believe it, I actually did the spell right yes! I unfroze my father and allowed him to speak to me, now, instead of a grumpy face, he had a smile on. What a great change of emotion.

"Very good, Alex. You've mastered the time stopping spell. Remember hop on one foot for time to stop.."

"And, don't for time to slow down. I know, Dad."

"Very well. I'm just making sure you know. You know, a wizard's power doesn't ultimately come from their magic, it comes from the wizard's mind and heart alike." He stood there, somewhat proud of what he had just said. However, I was profoundly confused.

"Yeahhh, well whatever you just said Daddy, is awesome. Who's up for some sandwichs?" I stood there and raised my hand with that 'Can I go now?' smile. My dad just smiled and walked over to me, encasing me in his warm arms and embracing me very gently for a moment.

"I know you're not one for touchy moments like this, but I think now is a good time to tell you that as your father, I am proud of you and everything you do. I know one day you'll grow up to be a fine wizard. Oh and before you rush off Alex, there is one last thing I must tell you."

"What's that?"

"Sometimes, there are situations where the wizard must battle him/herself out of the pickle they're in. I know you, Justin, and Max are all very expressive people, with your own set of thoughts and emotions. It is very important that whenever you are battling, whether it is for yourself or for a friend like Harper, that you never focus emotion into spells."

"Oh I knew.. wait what? Why not? Doesn't that make the spell stronger or something? I thought emotion was good."

"Yes it is, at times. Sometimes you need a power boost so you take from your emotions to do so. But ultimately emotions are stronger than magic and sometimes the two can mix together that either the wizard loses control over their own magic, or that the magic they use can become so destructive that it destroys more than it means to. And sometimes it can be both. So Alex, while you have emotion, and it is a good power boost, do not get so mad or upset that your emotions overtake your magic, or something dangerous might happen."

"Wow, I didn't know that emotion was that severe. I'll just be apathetic for the rest of my life. Thanks, Dad. I'll remember that. I'm gonna go get my sandwich now." I left and went upstairs only to be met by Justin, my dorky brother.

"I'm guessing someone just got through spell training with Dad. How did that go, lazy buns?"

"Okay 1, I have a name, it's Alex. And 2, it went fine. I've mastered another spell." I smirked, this was always fun. Rubbing the fact that I can master spells in Justin's face, however he always did have a comeback.

"Oh great, how many is that now? 3, 4? Sorry sis, but it's gonna be a long road until you're able to catch up with me. See ya later." He said that, walking up the stairs as I pouted. Ah, there was no use in hanging around here with dorkwad, I'll just go visit Harper.

"Hey Harper."

"Oh hi Alex, what's up?"

"Nothing, just got bored. Decided to visit you."

"Do you always talk in fragments like that?"

"Yes." She laughed, I smiled. Ah, Harper, always a good friend of mine. I remember the time I had told her I was a wizard. she was freaking out, but in a good way. She had a big smile on her face, but better yet to her it was all "magical" I guess. She just couldn't believe she had a best friend who could do magic, and have it be real with no tricks or anything. And I think telling her my family's secret has made us even closer.

As we turned on the TV, the news channel came on. The reporter looked very serious, of course, don't they all? Anyway, I thought I might just watch the news this once, try to at least not fall asleep.

"Hello residents of Waverly Place and the areas surrounding it, we have received report of a hurricane coming. It is classified so far as a Category 2 hurricane. It is nothing to be alarmed about, we shall keep updated on the reports we get from the meteorologist center studying the hurricane as we speak. Other reports in other news... The ancient philosopher Nostrdomus predicted that the end of the world would come somewhere in the near future, the year 2012. We have studied all claims in evidence that this prediction might be true, and so far our reporters have confirmed that by all evidence, his prediction may very well come true. However there is a chance that it will not. We will keep on close watch for both any more natural disasters storming around the area, and of course keep you updated on the prediction at hand. This is channel..." Her voice faded out as I turned to Harper.

"Do you think the world is really going to end, Harper? I mean what kind of lie is that? I think that this Nos- Nos.. Nostradomus guy was just having a little fun and decided to make a prediction that would scare everyone half to death. Well, this was a good prank dude, but even I wouldn't have gone that far." I spoke while laughing a little bit and finally enjoying the sandwich I've wanted all day.

"Yeah, I don't think that was a prank, Alex. I think that this guy really has a serious prediction. The world could end, that means all of us are dead, does that mean anything to you?"

"Yes. I like my life, I don't want it to end."

"Well it's almost the new year. It's 2011, and you're 16 years old, the new year is coming very soon. I'll tell you this much, I don't want to lose my best friend." Harper spoke rather gently in a tone I did not recognize before. It almost appeared as if she were hurt. I guess I would have to comfort her.

"I don't want to lose anything either. I like my life here, as discontent as I may seem, I like it here with you, and my family. I don't think I could even live without Justin." I paused and then thought a moment before resuming. "Oh what am I saying? I could do without Justin. Anyway, my point is, do you think I want to lose all of this? I don't want the world to end as much as you don't Harper, but wishing it wouldn't happen won't do anything. There isn't anything we can do to prevent this. I guess we just have to brace for it and hope that we die together."

"That might be the deepest thing you've ever said, Alex. But there has to be something we can.. No, you can do." She smirked and I wondered what that meant. I just spoke that and once I'm done thinking deep, I'm done thinking really at all.

"Harper, what are you talking about? You have that scheming look in your eye that Max gets when he thinks he's being all smart and figures out something."

"You're a wizard, Alex. Maybe you could prevent everything from happening."

"Oh by doing what, just waving my wand and saying a couple of rhymes? No, even a wizard cannot stand up alone against fate. This is powerful and I would need extreme power to handle it. I don't think even I could save the world, plus it's too big of a job for me. But right now, I think you're being a little too paranoid about all of this."

"But you can at least try right?"

"Try what? Trying isn't going to do anything. Yes, I can zap you from here to there. Yes, I can make things appear from nowhere. Yes, I can even stop time, but none of that is going to help or work out in this situation. Harper you have to listen to me, everything is going to be okay, just so long as we're friends. Okay, I promise I won't let anything happen to you, but right now you have to calm down, the prediction might not even come true."

"You really think so?"

"Well I'm just saying what I know, face it, I don't really think a lot at all." We sat back on the couch to watch the TV again. Another breaking report happened, what was so exciting about today?

"We have received notice that the hurricane brooding in the ocean is coming towards land and will make contact with it at any given moment. However everything about the storm has changed. Its velocities and destructive forces have now been moved up to and categorized as a Category 5 hurricane. All residents and citizens in this area are instructed to stay grounded and make sure you have a food and water supply. This is channel.." Her voice faded once again.

"Oh man, a category 5 hurricane?" Harper spoke, seemed to be more worried than was before.

"Eh, I wouldn't worry about it much. Yes, it's a harsh force to take, but we can. At least it's one hurricane and not 4 of em coming at us."

"You're right. Geez, Alex, when did you get so optimistic?"

"I don't know." Another pause and then I spoke again. "They said we should stay grounded. Do you mind if I stay here or do you wanna go back to my place?"

"Oh, your place. Because then I'll get to see my beloved Justin."

"I don't know what makes you so googly eyed for my brother, but okay. Not one but a pair, transport us from here to over there." After the last word, we appeared in my living room.

"You know, I still have to get used to that." Harper spoke as I just giggled.

"Alex, oh hi Harper."

"Hi Justin." She spoke in a dreamy tone. Before this could get any farther, I interrupted.

"What do you want dweeb?"

"You'd better get started learning those spells. The wizard competition is coming up, they're giving us a retrial since the first time something big happened that we all had to pool together for to fix. They say that you must know at least 200 spells to enter and about 50 more after that to compete. Otherwise you're going to be left behind ."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I know 150 already, so.. wait, why am I talking to you?"

"Oh fine, but I just wanted to let you know that. Good day to the both of you." He stormed out of the room and his talk of the wizard competition piqued an interest in Harper. And then came the questions.

"Wizard competition?"

"Yeah."

"What's that about?"

"Oh you see, my dad, when he was younger, had siblings, all three of them were wizards. But the laws of the wizard world state that when the time comes for a wizard competition, whomever wins it will determine who gets to keep their powers. My dad won his, but he also fell in love with my mother, a mortal. And of course he had to choose between his power or the love of his life, and he chose love. That's how Justin, sadly, me and Max are here today."

"Wow that sounds exciting. So now it's Justin, Max, and of course you in the wizard competition...?"

"Yes, it is. But I forgot to mention one thing."

"What happens to the losers..?"

"Well that's the thing I forgot to mention. The losers of the wizard challenge or competition lose their magic and become mortal, so it's best they have a backup plan. The winner will keep his or her magic and become one of the most powerful wizards of all time.. that is if he or she doesn't fall in love with a mortal."

"Wow that sucks. It seems you really grasp that concept well, Alex."

"Thanks, that's after my dad kept repeating it and pounding it into my head to make sure I knew it."

"That's a lot of pressure to put on one person, don't you think? Win this challenge by any means or lose your magic forever? And you're competing against family."

"Well Max, he won't win, even if he knows spells and all that he's dumber that a stick of wood. Justin is the one I have to watch out for. He's, even though I hate to admit it, smarter than I am, and he knows more spells than I do. He could easily win this thing if I don't watch it. And believe me I don't want to lose my magic for good. I know magic doesn't make me whole as a person but without it, I just couldn't be. My magic is a part of me and to have that gone for good, it wouldn't feel right, you know?"

"Oh Alex. Is that how much being a wizard really means to you?"

"Yes, and no one ever takes the time to realize, I use magic for everything because I practice and because I really love using it. It makes everything so simple and easy and not hard. So when people pick on me, or I can't do something, it helps me out. It's kind of like my little cheat sheet or my trick up my sleeve."

"Well even though I shouldn't allow for cheating, I can see your emotional attachment to your magic. Anything I can do to help you win this competition."

"No, not really. All you can really do is support me, the rest is left to me. Wait, you'd actually support me instead of Justin?"

"OF COURSE. You're my best friend, and best friendships mean more to me than boys if I had to choose."

"Aw well thanks Harper. It means a lot to me that you say that." I smiled and then we gave each other a hug. After that the power went out and I could hear Justin's voice from upstairs.

"AH! My experiment, all my hard work! ALEX, what did you do?"

"Nothing Justin, why does it always have to be me?"

"Because you're the troublemaker. That's what happens when you pull pranks on people and they know it was you, they assume the troublemaker did it."

"But I didn't this time. The power just went out by itself, honestly. They said a cateogory 5 hurricane was approaching our shores and that its force might be destructive. We're on the outline of it, imagine what it's like in the eye of the storm." I sounded genuinely concerned for the inlands that we stood on. That was something new, never had I ever really shown that much emotion or expressed a care for it before.

"Wow. I suppose you didn't do it this time. You know what, as soon as the power comes back on, I'll go watch the news for more reports. This time I believe you." Justin said, as he had came into the room before and now was leaving. That left Harper and I in the living room. It was dark and stormy, we couldn't see a thing.

"Alex, where are you? It's so dark, I can't see anything."

"Just hold on Harper. I'm gonna try something. As the mysterious night turns to playful day, magic obey me now and light the way." Suddenly a small ball of light would appear in my palm, illuminating the room. Our eyes caught sight of the others and we made our way over to the couch. As soon as we were on the couch, we began to talk. And when you have nothing to keep you distracted, well let's say the conversations tend to get deep.

"So, back there, when you said you wouldn't let anything happen to me, did you really mean that Alex?"

"Of course I did. Harper, you're my best friend and anything I can do to prevent horrible things that wish to happen to you, well besides the things that I do, I will do. Okay, that was confusing. Basically, anything bad that can happen to you, I won't let happen. I swear it on my wizard's honor." I smiled, although it was an expression to the deepest parts of the dark.

"Well that is very big of you Alex. I will do the same. I may not have any magic powers like you, but I do have the heart of a girl whom loves her best friend like a sister and couldn't see the world without her antics and smart remarks." We both giggled. I knew right then and there that our friendship was built to last. I guess as we stand right now is a stronghold of friendship and the promise of a sister. Harper now was not only my best friend, she was like the sister I never had. I guess that's just how things stand.

Subject: Re: Time is of the Essence~ Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:42 pm

Chapter 2: Revelations

Eventually the power came back on and I was thankful for that. Harper, Justin and I gathered in the living room and started to converse. (this time with light!)

"So what do you think the hurricane can do to us if it hits the mainland?" Justin asked now trying to get his stories straight. That was my nerdy brother, always concerned with the science of "doesn't matter."

"Um, Justin. Nothing will happen, you know that we'll all be safe. All we have to do is be in a grounded place with food it said. And plus we're wizards, what could the storm do to us? Sure it might be strong, but you both are being too paranoid over this." I yawned and started to flip through the channels as I had my TV back.

"Alex, you just don't care about anything do you? I mean this is a Category 5 hurricane. Don't you care what it would do to any of the areas around us that are not so lucky. Yes, we're wizards but we can't control weather until we're full ones, and right now we're only half. Well.. I'm half, you're not even a fourth. You know how many spells?"

"Why don't you shut up and take your act somewhere else Justin? I mean, I'm practicing with Dad everyday, and I've gotten to know more and become stronger with them. Perfecting and mastering them, and even refining them. So don't talk to me about being a slacker."

"Oh wow that's new. I guess Alex has some inspiration now. You know what's funny. ever since the mention that the wizard competition is coming back around again you've been off the wall crazy on learning spells and not the usual slacker that you are. I guess magic is the only thing that keeps you who you are. Let me guess, you don't even have a backup plan for the future, what you want to do is win the challenge and you think everything will be okay. Everything will go your way and just be a breeze. You'll be the almighty wizard and your brothers will have nothing. Well, that's quite shallow of you Alex." I blinked and then I could feel myself starting to get angry.

"Oh then, shall we go over the time that you told me you were nothing without magic? Yea, you said that you were destined to be this family's wizard and right now it doesn't seem so. The most powerful and skillful wizards, the greatest wizards, they became that way because they didn't know what they were doing. The one who knows the least shall succeed. Improvisation, I have learned, is key. Sure I might not know a lot of spells, but that doesn't mean that I can't be creative with them. And doesn't a wizard's power rely on the creativity of the mind and the heart? You have none of that, all you have is science, fact and direct recitation of the spell. Memorization. Which if you miss a word will never work." I stuck my tongue out at him. It seems that we were right back to fighting again. This however, I had missed. We took a vacation some time ago and that I will never forget, I missed insulting him. I'm not gonna miss out on an opportunity to do it now.

"It may be true that you won, yes. But don't forget! Your good heart wished it so that things were back to the way they were. You could've been greedy and wished us back, keeping your ultimate powers and having us be losers with no magic at all, but you chose to give us our magic back, and sacrifice that ultimate power you had in order to bring us back and reverse the spell. Well we wouldn't have had to do that challenge in the first place if you hadn't screwed things up with that spell." He paused and I was about to say something, but before I could, he smiled and then opened his mouth again. He interrupted the thoughts I was about to speak. "But what I really should be doing is thanking you. You saved this family, and you saved us. You restored everything to normal which is how I wanted it to be. It seems you have a pure heart as well Alex, you just don't show it too often. Anyway, I gotta go. My experiments call for me in my room, I shall speak to you two later."

"Yeah, bye Justin." I waved carelessly.

"Bye my beloved!" Harper seemed to wave and see him out of the room until we were alone once again.

"So, Alex, you're practicing more with your Dad to become a better wizard? But, I thought you, from that story, already won the wizard challenge, but I'm so confused!"

"Well short version. My mother and I had a fight to where I wished that her and Dad never met. It came true and then Justin and I spent our time, the limited time we had, trying to get the stone of dreams to reverse the spell I had accidentally cast. Besides having it stolen from us, we had to face each other in a wizard challenge since Max disappeared and I had won, becoming the full wizard. Whatever I tried wasn't working, that's when my mother showed up with the stone and gave it to me. I wished everything back to how it should be, and thus gave us every single ounce of that ultimate wizard power to see my family back to the way it was. The end. Wow, what an amazing story, right?" Although I was being sarcastic, Harper's smile grew.

"YES! That's amazing, ALEX! That sounds like it could be a movie! You know, sometimes I wish I was a wizard, it seems so cool, all of the adventures you go on and all the perils and danger you face. It seems as if nothing can stop you. And plus, you get to be braver than you already are, because you have magic to back you up." Harper's smile lessened a little and I smiled even wider.

"True, but you would have to use your magic for the right reasons." I winked.

"Yeah but most of the time you use it in the wrong way or you screw things up. Isn't Justin sometimes bothered by always having to fix the problem?"

"Well, no, not really. He's my older brother and he knows why now, as I do too. Oh come, my dad says it's time for wizard training and this time you can watch." As we both walked down to the lair smiling, Dad sat there waiting impatiently as usual.

"Oh! Alex, you're finally... uh, what's Harper doing here?"

"Oh Daddy, can't she watch this once? I mean you never know she might come in handy some time, in case we need her."

"Hmm.. oh fine." Just as my Dad was about to begin the lesson on whichever spell he was going to teach us, a huge tremor struck the outside area and shook us violently. It seemed as though an Earthquake was happening.

"Um, Alex, Mr. Russo, what was that?" Harper spoke with small hints of fright in her eyes. I sighed and shrugged it off.

"Eh, it might be Max with that giant T-Rex again. I mean we all agree he is careless with his magic!"

"No, Alex. I think this might actually be an Earthquake. Did one of you do this? Justin, Alex, Max?" Dad seemed serious about this. The intent in his eyes on finding the culprit never looked more deep.

"Yeah, Alex, did you do this or not?"

"Oh Justin, you're always pointing fingers at me. when it can clearly be you or Max."

"Wait! Guys. I have something important to say!" Max interrupted and we all sighed, expecting it would be something useless.

"Yes, yes. We know Max. That cucumbers are better than celery. But now isn't the time for that." Dad spoke as he held his head, a little stressed about everything that was happening.

"Well, that's a good point to argue too, but I was just gonna say that how can it be one of us when you haven't taught us weather spells or anything like that..?"

"You know what? Max is right. Dad, you said only a fully powered wizard could do those spells without having some sort of side effect that is dangerous to you. So it couldn't be one of us. Maybe the world is just having some trouble right now. Or wait.. no... the prediction of 2012 is coming true! The world is slowly deteriorating!" Justin spoke and the emotion grew in his voice. He had a way of building suspense with certain matters, I'll give him that.

"Oh guys. The world's not gonna end. There has to be some wizard out there just getting used to his or her new powers and thought to try them out. No big deal, so there were a couple of small tremors, big deal." After I spoke that, the biggest tremor yet shook us all off balance. Most of us were on the floor, aching to get up from the fall. "Or... not. Oh my goodness! The world really is ending!"

Mom came down then and seemed to express genuine concern in her eyes and body language.

"Everyone okay?"

"Yes, mom. What about you?"

"Oh I'm fine, Mi ha, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. And Justin and Max, and Jerry." Harper cleared her throat and crossed her arms, awaiting her mention.

"What..? Am I forgetting something?"

"No, but thanks anyway." Harper made her way to a latent chair in the lair and sat down awaiting the next order of business.

"Okay, so what exactly is going on here?" Max asked that curiously and since we all had no clue, we turned our heads in a uniform fashion over to Justin. Justin thought for a moment and than began to tell us the story.

"Nostradomus of course!" He cleared his throat. "A long time ago, in ancient times, there lived a philosopher named Nostradomus. He was the greatest psychic of his time. All his predictions, near of far have come true. He drew pictures. Wrote riddles and from the decoded text, they all have come true, just as he said. He was able, back then, to predict all the way into our future now when the world would end. There are 2 known predictions, 2 years. One of them is 2012, and the other is somewhere in the 3000s. But by then we will all have been dead and gone. It seems that from what's been happening recently, the world is slowly starting to crumble to its fall and his prediction of 2012 is correct. That means the world is ending very slowly, piece by piece." Justin sighed and we all felt a pang of worry in our hearts. I had spoken up, been the brave one of the pack with hope still clinging to me.

"But. Justin, isn't there something we can do to maybe stop this from happening? I think we're all a little too young to say goodbye to this world right now." He shook his head and I felt my eyes become pressured.

"I'm afraid not, sis. The best all 3 of us combined could do is slow this down for a small interlude but we can't stop it. Ceasing this event would not be possible if it was..-" I interrupted his ramble to ask this with a rasp in my voice from the worry I was feeling course through me.

"How long?"

"Excuse me?"

"How long, Justin..? How long can we put this off for?"

"Well I don't know. I mean are you talking about if each of us tries individually or if we work together?"

"Well we'd have to, don't you think so? This is way too much for one wizard alone to handle, bro." Max spoke, sure now he's intelligent.

"Yes that's true. Well together, we might be able to put it off for a couple of months, almost a year. And individually we don't stand a chance. A month at most."

"Well, then I guess we're gonna have to do that then, aren't we guys?" I tried to sound braver than I was.

"Alex! Are you crazy? You can't do something like that. Honey, I respect that you want to save this world and prevent it from ending, but saving the world is just too big of a leap right now. It's going to end, we can put it off but that'd take the life away from you also, the same as it would if you were to not do anything. I'm sorry, but we're just gonna have to let this one slide."

"Your father's right, Alex. I care about you, but I can't have myself lose 3 of my children over some stupid magical spell. I'd rather have us all healthy and die together than to have you completely incapacitated along with your 2 brothers and die unhealthy, alone." My mother rubbed my shoulder with her hand that had already gripped it. I sighed and thought to myself that there had to be another way. This wasn't it. I had to do something!

"Okay well. If you guys want to be useless then fine! Do it! I don't care! But I'm not gonna sit here and let something I DO care for deteriorate to nothing! I live on this planet and so do all of you, and if you don't wanna save it then die. But I'm gonna try." I said that, tears almost falling from my eyes. After that I ran out of the room and into the living room. As I thought about this whole decimation of the world, I realized that this was happening all too soon and too suddenly. It was happening in a non-organized fashion but in an unsuspicious one. Hm, this was clever. It had to be something else, the world wouldn't just end. And then my thoughts spilled out of my mouth as I was alone in my living room, pacing back and forth.

"Something isn't right about this. This is happening so out of tune. But it isn't TOO random to the point where it's suspicious. I don't know. Something seems off to me. Someone or something had to be doing, something has to be behind this. The world wouldn't just fall apart in its prime. It has to be something else.. but what..?" And back to thinking I went. The revelation I had just come across still fresh and secretive in my mind.

Subject: Re: Time is of the Essence~ Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:53 pm

Chapter 3: Truth and Lies.

In the wizard council, the decisions are unbiased and fair. However if both parties are not present then it becomes a problem. However, I couldn't take it to the wizard council this time, I am a mortal, and mortals do not take stuff to things they claim do not exist or they do not know exist. I used to be a wizard. My magic and everything, power, I had it all in my hands, and from one slip up, from one minor fall through, I lost everything. Luke, my little brother lost everything and she gained everything. My sister, Taylor, she is nothing but a conniving and evil creature. I decided to sever my ties with her when she first revealed to me she couldn't be trusted. Which is when she did something unthinkable to both my brother and I. Sadly, he isn't smart enough to figure out why she did the things she did, and what happened exactly, but I do remember clearly, and I will remember clearly.

My name is Kevin Weatherly, and I am 17 years old. Let me take you back to the times when everything was innocent and what it seemed to be. The truth.

"Alright kids. Gather around, we're going to learn a little bit about our next spell. It's called the duplicating spell. Now remember, when you use this spell, clear your mind, concentrate, and focus. Because if you don't you won't make an exact copy. The spell's name is Edgebonoutusis." Two boys, my brother and I, sat there taking the notes. My brother patiently waiting his turn to try. I, watching my mom teach us about this stuff. My sister, of course, was being the lazy, laid back, uncaring person she always was, well at least with magic. She'll never learn anything, she has to take notes and stop improvising all the time or else she'll never win the wizard competition. Our father wasn't in the equation sadly, he was a mortal and died a mortal one evening night. It had been 3 years since he died then. My mother was a top notch witch when she was younger, she married my father and gave up her magic, but the questioning to give a widow back her magic is still in discussion of the wizard council. The verdict is open. However, now is the time my mother would be getting a little annoyed with Taylor.

"Taylor Weatherly. You're never going to win, and I know that's what you want, if you don't study and learn. Now, watch as the only scholar in the room takes the stage. If you please, Kevin, show them how it's done. At least one of my kids pays attention to me. Oi." She held her head and walked over to my seat at the table/desk set up. She sat in my seat and I walked over to the small table in the center of the room grabbing my wand. I pointed it at the lamp in front of me. Before performing the spell, obviously, I took a deep breath in, cleared my mind and concentrated. After a small brief moment of silence I opened my eyes and recited the word, 'Edgebonoutusis.' The lamp became a set of 2 instead of 1 and I set my wand back down on the table. My mother impressed with my actions weaved her way to me and hugged me softly before excusing me back to my seat.

"You see kids. That is how it's done." My mother applauded me before I retook my seat again. Then she did something surprising. You see, normally, she would move on to where and when to use the spell but then she spoke again. She cleared her throat and crossed her arms, and soon her glance shot over to my slacker sister, Taylor. This couldn't be good. "Alright, it's your turn Taylor. Get up here and show me what you can do." My sister looked up with all of her "innocence" and responded in a lazy attitude, as usual. It was expected and slightly getting old. Nonetheless, I waited for her to rise and take her position. This lesson wouldn't be over and we would never get dinner if she didn't do this, that's the way my mother was, we all knew, and so she reluctantly stood up slowly and took her position. Then she looked back.

"Do I really have to?"

"Yes, Taylor. Now perform the spell." She groaned about it but eventually picked up her wand and pointed it at some object in the room nearby. Her voice rang sharply in my ears and Luke's as well. "Edgebonoutusis." The object replicated and it seemed it was all perfect, maybe it was for once. She then set her wand down and with much of an excited tone to her voice asked, "Can I go now?"

"Wait a second!" My mother went to check if she had actually done something right. Indeed, she had, confirmed by my mother with a small smile on her face, we all had shock on our faces.

"What?! I have my moments. Anyway, I'm hungry, why don't we get some dinner?" She asked quite hurriedly. Then my stomach seconded that question by grumbling loudly. A nervous laugh escaped from my lips and my mom smiled ever wider.

"Fine fine. I won't cook tonight. Let's celebrate her first spell that she didn't screw up. Let's go out to eat. Oh I remember when your father was still alive, we used to go out to dinner all the time. In fact, I'll take you to the place where we used to go. It was a nice place and I bet you'd know it if I took you there. It's called the Stardust Cafe. It's here in the city, not too far from here actually. Let's go. Luke, get your shoes. Taylor, I would do whatever you have to do. And Kevin, get your coat. I'll be waiting in the kitchen for you guys." Everyone nodded and departed. Taylor practically was about to take off up to her room, when before she passed the stairs I stopped her.

"And what do you want, nerd?"

"I want to know what's up. Why you're always in such a hurry to get to your room all the time. We just finished a magic lesson in which you rocked, I hate to admit it, for once. Why in such a hurry?" I smiled in that, 'I've got you.' way, it seems she wasn't buying it. A real twister of words, what she is.

"You know me, I'm a girl, I have makeup and clothes and everything in my room I have to deal with. It's nothing of your concern since you're a boy. Unless you're interested in a makeover, then you can come to me anytime bro. I'll be 'happy' to do it for you." She smiled in that creepy way and my eyes went wide as I let her past me, saying one last thing before she hurried up to her room.

"No, that's okay. I'll see you when you're ready."

"K." She arrived in her room, what she did in there, no one knew. And I think she liked it that way, it was her own personal business and no one needed to know. I respect that, but you know we all couldn't help but wonder. It seemed she was the last one done and down to us in the kitchen. I was ready with my coat, my mother had been waiting, and Luke tied his shoes quickly, now all we had to do was wait for Taylor. I don't get it, she wanted to go so badly and yet she was taking the longest.

"Ugh. What's taking her so long?"

"Now Luke, we wouldn't want her makeup getting messed up right buddy?"

"Oh yeah. I've seen her on one of her bad days. She kinda looks like a female grudge, with all her mascara running and everything." My brother and I joked. We were poking harmless fun at our sister that is until my mother interjected and defended her.

"Now boys, stop making fun of your sister. whatever it is she is doing, I'm sure it's important. It could be makeup, she could be in the bathroom. Who knows? Give her a little time, it's only 5:30."

"Fine." We both said in unison and nodded as I grabbed a seat on the couch and waited for Taylor to descend down from her room. Luke went into the kitchen and grabbed some water to drink, he was getting thirsty. My mother waited patiently in a chair across the room from where I was sitting. Eventually, within the next 5 minutes I would say, Taylor came down with a smile.

"K, I'm ready. Let's go. I'm starved." And we went. But you would've never expected that innocent tone she held in her voice to be so evil and vile. Held in such deep damnation and wretchedness. She was a master of acting, more like a master of everything that seemed to be deceitful. A few short minutes in her bedroom, a day, and one day to have pushed her over the edge. A few hidden things and the future had changed for the worst. You would've never expected to have had things turn out like this. Everything isn't what it seems. Everything I knew, back then to now, Lies.

Subject: Re: Time is of the Essence~ Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:42 pm

Chapter 4: Taking Chances

Something was up! Definitely up! If only I knew what. My family and I had been moved to a small shelter underground with a couple of other families. This was for our own safety. It seems the 2012 prediction was coming true. Or whatever was going on, the ending of the world, the discintigration of it was progressing.. oh goodness, I sound like my brother. I was lost in my thought anyway, thinking too deeply to be paying attention to whatever my family was discussing. It seemed that I was off in my own world, I was talking out loud to myself, mumbling something not understandable until the final sentence...

"This doesn't make any sense." A brief moment of silence passed before a voice behind me responded.

"Mind telling me what you're thinking about there sis?" Justin. I'd never expect him to come and talk to me. But then again, I guess telling him what I was thinking would be for the best. We haven't had the greatest past and history together, and we tend to want to keep our lives separate, but in truth he really is a good listener and intelligent. He's considerate and the only one in this time that would listen to me and actually understand me. Max is too stupid to understand, his brain orientates around food. Harper is too off in her own world. And my parents themselves are off in their own worlds too. Justin and I, we were the only ones thinking clearly in this moment right now.

"Well, I'm thinking about how this whole thing is happening too fast. I'm thinking something or someone else is behind it. It's just moving too fast and too quick, like it's impatient or something to be happening naturally. No one ever notices these things or think something supernatural like magic is involved, until someone points it out. And these mortals won't even know what hit them since it's ending like one of the ancient philosopher predicted it. So they won't suspect a thing, but knowing the lot I do, I am suspecting that someone is behind this."

"Right Alex. so you mean to tell me that some wizard or witch is behind this whole thing. And they would want the world to end why?"

"I don't know, I haven't figured that out yet. No one knows, the thing I am pretty sure of though is that someone is using magic. I can't really explain it, but I can feel it you know?"

"Well, I guess you have better sensory abilities than Max and I do." I nodded and smiled. He was being serious and calm, collected. Surprisingly this is different how he acted around me, and this helped when talking about a topic I was serious about.

"Well maybe. But, I'm looking into it and it all seems too good to be true you know? Justin, I am asking you for your help because I know you're the better wizard here. You're smarter and better at spells, and well you always fix things I mess up. But I can't do this by myself. Justin, I'm asking for your help as not Alex your competition, I'm asking as Alex, your sister. Will you help me? Please?" He smiled sincerely.

"Yes. I will help you, Alex. I mean you're my sister. We make each other better wizards, so how can I say no? We're family." He hugged me softly and I smiled then too. "Now, what is it you called me again? Sorry, I missed that."

"I'm not repeating it."

"Didn't think so." He smiled and let me go, before walking over to our family to calm their tensions too. Now, if only I could explore the topic more... I didn't care. I had to find out what was going on, even if the surface of this city wasn't in the most stable condition. I thought for a minute and then picked up my two fingers, my Dad must have caught me getting ready to perform magic and ran after me, telling me not to go anyway. But by the time the meaning of his words had hit my ears, I was out and on the ground of the city. It seemed almost completely empty from what I'm used to.

"Wow, I'm on the actual ground. Now it's time to figure out what's going on here. I should go back to the lair first though." And with that I ran into the Waverly Sub Station owned by my father, and into the kitchen. I dispelled the lock on the door and ran into the lair. Grabbing the spellbook, I made a dash out of the kitchen and into the streets once more. "This will definitely help a lot when I'm trying to figure this out." I looked at the spellbook in my hands and then opened it. "Hm, here it is. The tracking spell. It allows the caster to find and track a magical scent as if they were blind, kind of like a seeing-eye dog. Nice. I can't bear with things that are amiss, help me track and find the magic responsible for this. What? It says to close my eyes." I respected the book and closed my eyes. It seemed that now I could see all the magical paths in the air. I saw one of pink, one of red, one of blue, one of green, one of white, and one of purple. Before they would have all been the same color, I suppose, but now they are different. All I have to do is find the one that is causing all of this. Or I can concentrate on which one the spell is emphasizing. I know that the green one is Max. The blue one is Justin and the pink one was me. The red one I wasn't all too sure of, nor the white one. Two were left and it seemed that the red line was much thicker than the white one. I opened my eyes and the sense of it came to my nose and body. Now I knew where I was going. Right before I was about to take off in the direction of the red magic, someone came up on the surface and spoke behind me, slightly startling me again.

"Alex." I turned around to the sound of my name.

"Harper." My expressions washed over with shock. "What are you doing up here?"

"I want to come with you. I know I'm not a wizard or whatever, but I'm your best friend and best friends don't hide away with their friend's family like a coward when their friend is trying something new. Sure, I might be skeptical about this. Sure, I might be a little afraid, but that's only because I was afraid of what I might find out. I'm your best friend, I should be supporting you, Alex. So I guess.. I haven't been a good friend lately, and now I want to make it up to you.."

"Aw, Harper. Come here." I hugged her and smiled softly before letting go to look her in the eyes. She would know I said what I meant at this very moment. "You've been a good friend to me all my life and I wasn't expecting you to come with me. I wasn't mad at you or anything. I was angry with my family since they weren't willing to give a fighting chance to save the planet they live on. I mean for goodness sakes, they're wizards and they won't even try? That's lame. But anyway, thank you Harper, this means a lot to me. And it proves also that you're way braver than any wizard I've ever known." We hugged again and then it was back to business.

"So what's going on here Alex? Why'd you leave all of a sudden and why is there a spellbook in your hands?"

"Well Harper, I have an idea that someone else may be using magic to make all of this happen. It's not something natural, I just have feeling that something's not right. And I intend to find out if I'm right or wrong. So, I went to the lair and grabbed the spellbook. It says in it that it has a tracking spell that I can use to track the magic responsible for this, almost as if we were blind and using our noses."

"Wow. You can track magic?"

"Well yeah apparently according to this book. So I saw different paths of magic. I followed them and tried to scope out which one was the most suspecting. I found the line and now all I have to do is follow the different vibes it gives me to it. If anything, the magic I feel, if we find it, we can stop it and all of this will come to an end."

"You're an evil scheming genius Alex! Usually I would expect this thing from Justin. But.. wow."

"Correction. I am a scheming genius, but I'm not evil. Now come on. Let's go." We began on our journey to find this red magic and the source of which it was coming from. However on the way to finding this, it began to rain and rain a lot. Both Harper and I were wet, drowned, it looked almost as if we just took a shower. But the storm grew worse, it was lightning and thundering now and raining like it never rained before. Suddenly Harper pointed to the other horizon and saw something big and blue approaching us very fast.

"Hey Alex isn't that.."

"The Atlantic Ocean higher than it should be! Harper we need to run! There's a gigantic tidal wave."

"Can't we fly...?"

"Not without my magic carpet. Right now we can only run." We began running and the wave seemed as though it was chasing us from a small distance behind. It was like we upset it somehow and it was set out to kill us.

"Hey. Looking for a ride?"

"JUSTIN!" I screamed out excitedly.

"Hop on." Harper and I both got on and Justin pulled us up into the air just in time. It was only then that I realized Max had stowed away too. Our parents were in the underground safe, safe and sound.

"You saved us Justin."

"Yeah well you're welcome. Now would you mind telling me where we're going?"

"To find and stop this person. I have a lead on the magic."

"which means you're right, it actually is a wizard doing all of this."

"Well again, only a lead. So it may not be true yet, but I'm pretty sure it is. Now just steer where I tell you to. I have a spellbook we can use."

"You really pulled out all the stops on this one sis, didn't you?"

"Well I had to. I'm in the midst of saving something that I care for. And I mean something that I live on and want to continue to live on. And for something that's going to eventually end, it seems too fast and too soon. And even if I'm wrong with my suspicions, and even if we cannot stop it, it was well worth the try." Justin smiled and nodded the same as I did.

"Okay, and now we're going to save the world." Max spoke as if he still wasn't believing all of this.

"Yes, Max, we're all going to save the world. The Russo family to the rescue." Harper began to frown and then I smiled at her and spoke again. "All of us." Her face brightened up with a smile to that frown. And we were back on our path to finding the person responsible for this. But then we looked down and saw all of the water flooding the city.

"Alex, could you imagine what it would be like if that tidal wave had caught us and drown us?"

"No, but I'd think we'd be dead and running out of air. But we're alive, thanks to Justin and Max."

"Well he took the magic carpet, I had the idea."

"I don't care. It's my brothers to the rescue." We all smiled and continued to fly in the dark stormy sky of the city we call home.

» Time of Shinobi
» Let me take this time to apologize
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