I was in quite a bit of trouble, but not as much as I would have been if my parents had known I had blown apart my hands. Instead, I was just in trouble for destroying part of the house.

  Not in a lot of trouble, it was just a light scolding from my mom for making my Pop a pin cushion and blowing away a part of the roof.

  On the other hand, Pop was so proud of me that he promised to go all out from now on. He did not seem to care that there were shards of metal sticking out of his body.

  When I profusely apologised, he waved it off, saying that his defensive spell protected him from most of it. Just the force was great enough that some slightly penetrated his skin.

  Robin and Kylie spent the rest of the morning plucking off the bits and pieces while Mom fixed the roof.

  The first time, I found out that Mom was strong, and she remade the rood in a couple of minutes and then returned to her usual chores.

  She left Pop to stew in his predicament and went about her day.

  I never saw Mom angry, but how she ignored Pop made me think I got off easy. Pop’s meals also seemed smaller than before, and when I went to sneak off that night, I found Pop sleeping in the living room.

  On my side, at least, there was good news. Mom and Pop were proud that I gained a new ability that made me safe. Mom was especially happy that my stupidity now had a defence. However, she warned me not to go overboard.

  I was also delighted to see that I instinctively knew some of what it could do whenever I earned a new ability. Not the nuances; otherwise, I would have figured out that my enhancing ability affected everything, now just my body or what I touched.

  In the case of my new one, it healed me or anything I touched. In my head, it could heal my friend, too.

  That dream died quickly when I heard that she was already under a medication that constantly restored her and dampened her magic.

  But she was proud of me getting stronger. The maid, however, looked at me more warily than before. I even remember her saying “monster” under her breath.

  It did not affect me much, as most of the vilge thought the same. But it did hurt my Pop’s chances.

  Not to mention the fury on Charlotte’s face when I realised she also heard it.

  We did our usual nightly rendezvous, and I left feeling sad. But the hurt was more muted now. Maybe it was because I was beginning to accept the inevitable, or perhaps I finally got stronger after that pteau I hit a while ago.

  As months passed, I eventually accepted her fate. I only wanted to spend as much time as possible before that inevitable day. Happiness was my final goal.

  Happiness in this small vilge I called home.

  I eventually came to accept my feelings for Robin and Kylie, especially as they started to show more affection as I opened up to them. It was in no small part because of Charlotte.

  “You like them, stupid.”

  These were her words when I told her my plight.

  I knew nothing about the affection people showed to their peers or any form of love outside the family.

  “It’s because you got isoted, and your idea of a good time is fighting to an inch of your life with your father.”

  Charlotte was smart, far smarter than my country bumpkin self, and now that I no longer thought of her as a bitch, I started accepting her wisdom.

  I learned how to understand the emotions of those around me. I learned how to read when a girl was sad or angry. How did the adults see the world, and why was I so hated.

  More and more, I learned to be… more human.

  It all started from stupid things I would spout as though normal. Like when I ughed at how half my hand vanished in an attack or when my Pop chopped off my arm in an accident.

  Dueling with him now became a matter of life and death. It was also the most fun I ever had. Fighting to the point one of us might die was really thrilling. Granted because of this bouts with him became only a monthly thing now instead of daily.

  I also had to hide what we were doing from mom and the girls. Something about how we would be buried if they ever found out.

  But Charlotte was not on that list so I bragged it to her.

  But her response was not what I expected. It was anger at me and my father, a compin about how me and Pop were ‘boys’.

  But I learned why that was so. Me and Pop were fighting as though nothing else in world mattered. No regard to how it made those who cared about us feel.

  My Mom and Pop taught me how to accept myself. How to become strong and love myself for who and what I was.

  Charlotte taught me how to be human…

  How the world was a complicated pce with rules within rules that had exceptions on exceptions.

  But she also taught me the value of connections, ones I always took for granted.

  I learned how to love others and how to show kindness and affection in a way that was satisfying not only for me but also for others.

  Sure, most of what she tried to teach me was lost; I was not all a noble and did not have her smarts or upbringing.

  What I did have, however, was a friend who showed the world was much wider than I realized even if I had no intention on stepping on the grand stage.

  What we had transcended even the affection I felt for Kylie and Robin. Rivaled only by the love I felt for my parents.

  Maybe that was why it hurt so much when it all came crashing down.

  SpoilerOkay, the next chapter should be the st of the prologue. I am sorry if it dragged a little, but I personally think it was necessary to set the scene for what is about to happen next. I warn you, there is a huge reason why it is tagged with tragedy. I hope I was vague enough with the supporting characters that none of you got all that attached.

  [colpse]