“Ms. Kor, how did you get all the way over there?” Scout looked and sounded dumbfounded. “And what are you holding?”

Viera searched out Tiffany, and her mug of coffee. It was where she’d placed it originally, standing proud, unharmed by Scout. She searched Tiffany’s face, but there was no red burn, no hint of being splashed with the scalding hot drink. No indication of the incident.

With trembling hands, she picked up her mug and clutched it in both hands. “Scout, will you get me another mug of coffee? I really need it this morning.” She finished what was in her mug in a single gulp.

From across the table, Juniper’s eyes narrowed. “Get her more food, too. I think she’ll need the calories.” Juniper turned to Betsy. “Magic takes extra food, right?”

Betsy smiled at the other woman. “Exactly so.”

Viera started eating her first breakfast. She was feeling more and more like a hobbit. First breakfast, then she’d have second. Maybe third would be on the schedule. “Betsy, if I’m visiting Flower Prancer, should I have another soak first?”

Her friend smiled a bit evilly. “Probably not a bad idea.”

Chapter 10 - If I Could Turn Back Time

Viera

The trip to Torville Station Number Six wasn’t long. Viera had hoped she could avoid the training rooms, and Flower Prancer in general, for the few days it took to fly to the space station. She figured once they got there she could avoid the yonat because he’d be busy, and she’d be way beneath his notice.

She sat in the training room with Betsy. The pencil on the table was still the only decoration. The wall that could become a mirror was back to being just a wall. “Did you know the wall could become a mirror?” Viera asked her friend.

Betsy considered it. “I didn’t. I’ve never been down here, but it doesn’t surprise me. It’s a training room. These rooms are usually pretty flexible. They can meet the needs of trainers and trainees. That wall is probably a supersized panel ready to do anyone’s bidding.”

Viera deflated. “Last time I was here, Flower Prancer sent me off to get coffee and water. He was just getting rid of me for a bit, wasn’t he? That panel could’ve created anything he needed.”

A soft chuckle was her only answer.

The door opened, and the yonat himself walked in. It amused Viera how much Flower Prancer looked like a kid's dream of a unicorn: pure white with a sparkling golden horn. His hair was a perfect rainbow, and when he wasn’t gazing at her in pure disapproval, his violet eyes could be considered pretty.

His tail swished and his ire preceded him into the room. Viera could sense emotions. Kids' emotions were simple and pure, and easy to ignore. Betsy, and the other Pillars, knew how to block what they felt. Betsy had taught her skill to Thorn. Flower Prancer, for all his arrogant Elder knowledge, either didn’t know how, or didn’t care. His emotions filled a space as if he stood on a hill, heralding his feelings for all to hear.

From the day the krottel had attacked Viera and opened up her magic, Flower Prancer had insisted on being her trainer. Despite his insistence, he acted as if it were a hardship. There were five wizards on Earth who were more than happy to help Viera learn, but he wouldn’t hear any of it. It was like he felt guilty that she’d been kidnapped while on a station during a summit being hosted by the Elders, and his penance was teaching her.

His magical specialties didn’t all match up with hers. He didn’t have sensing, even though that was one of the most common non-elemental magic types. Despite being common throughout the galaxy, Zuza was the only other Earthing who had it. He’d taken to helping her learn to harness the wild third specialty the krottel had bequeathed her. Though Viera had sensing as a magic proficiency, after discussing it with Flower Prancer and the other Pillars, they’d figured it came from the krottel when they’d pushed magic into her. It wasn’t naturally hers, which is why her sensing magic was so hard to control. Zuzu was doing a great job helping her to learn.

Viera’s natural proficiencies were energy and time, both magic types that Flower Prancer shared. Time was almost unheard of as a non-elemental magic, so rare that Viera should be grateful for having the moody yonat as a teacher. The only type less common was imbuement, and most believed that only the dwarves had that, and there were very few of them still around.

Everyone could learn a bit of any of the specialties, but a true master had to have it naturally.

“So, Earthling, how did you mess things up today?” His tone relayed the unspoken thought that she messed something up every day.

Betsy, who’d been leaning against the wall, right leg bent with her foot up, pushed out, her anger breaking through her barrier of emotional void.

Viera held out a hand in Betsy’s direction but spoke to the yonat. “I stopped and reversed time at breakfast.”

Flower Prancer paused and narrowed his darkening violet eyes at her. “You did this without aid, or do you have that pocket watch of yours?” His eyes widened. “What in blazes are you holding, Ms. Kor?”

She squeezed the walking stick and refused to wilt under his harsh criticism. “It’s a walking stick, Flower Prancer.”

“It glows with magic. It is more than just a stick. Tell me, were you holding that thing when you did this feat of magic? I want the full story.” His disapproving glare slid to Betsy. “And what are you doing here, Pillar Doeth?”

Betsy smirked. “Well, you’re the master trainer. I’m here to take notes, obviously.” The dry humor that Betsy was known for probably flew right over Flower Prancer’s head.

He snorted and shook his head in a horse-like motion, then returned his regard to Viera.

She nodded. Patting down her pockets, Viera felt the circular impression of the pocket watch. She hadn’t even thought about slipping the artifact into her pocket that morning, it was as much a habit as her phone. Ever since she’d found it in Ghana, the watch hadn’t left her person. It helped focus her magic. Huh, I have two imbued items to help me. I wonder how unusual that is.

She licked her lower lip, realizing it gave away her nerves. “Yes, I have the artifact in my pocket. I always do. This,” she wiggled the walking stick, “was Gandalf’s. It’s …” She sighed, uncertain how to explain. “The thing likes me.”

“What do you mean it ‘likes’ you?” Flower Prancer’s voice was low and gravely.

“Well, Betsy keeps locking it up in her house, and it keeps following me. I didn’t bring it on the ship … yet, here it is.” Viera smiled and shrugged.

“‘Likes’ you.” His voice and emotions were filled with disappointment.

With a huff, Viera pursed her mouth tight. Then she said, “Can we focus on my reversing time? We can spend time on this,” she shook the stick again, “later.”

Flower Prancer snuffled and swished his tail, obviously not willing to move on. His anger sparked from his eyes. He opened his mouth to snap at her. Viera clenched her jaw. Why is he so fucking cantankerous all the time? Why are you mad at me? Can’t we just move past this? Viera breathed out slowly, trying to calm herself.

“Whereas I don’t like you dictating our time, Ms. Kor, in this, I agree. We need to make sure you understand how to control your powers.” Once Flower Prancer realized she wasn’t going to respond, he shifted his focus to Betsy. “Pillar Doeth, please secure a ball. We need to focus on the time issue first.”

Betsy went to the wall. “One blue bouncy ball, ten inches wide.”

The ball appeared and Betsy bounced it to test if it were what she wanted. Satisfied, she turned to Flower Prancer. “What now, Elder?”

He faced Viera. “Pillar Doeth will toss the ball to you. You will freeze it in time. If you can do that, I want you to reverse time to move it back to her. That is our goal for today. I do not expect success; that would be unheard of.” He said that last bit quietly, as if only to himself. “So don’t feel bad when you fail.”

With such motivation, no wonder I’m thriving as his student. Asshole.

Viera smiled and faced Betsy, who rolled her eyes. She tossed the ball and Viera barely had time to catch the ball, much less figure out how to stop time.

She threw the ball back, then leaned the walking stick against the wall. As she did, she thought about what she’d felt in the dining room. Don’t fail, Viera, just don’t fail.

Betsy tossed the ball again and Viera lifted her hands thinking ‘stop.’ The ball didn’t stop, but since her hands were up, she snatched the ball from the air.

It took five tosses for her to stop the ball. The problem was everything in the room stopped—everything except Flower Prancer. He sniffed in disapproval. “Well, at least you can stop time, that’s a start. You just need to learn control, Ms. Kor.”

She turned to him. “Could you stop a single item the first time you tried?”

“This isn’t about me, Ms. Kor, this is about you. It’s your lesson. I’m getting tired of this room and having to repeat myself as if you’re a toddler. Now, take the ball. You can practice on your own by throwing the ball against the wall. If you take a ven or two into the room with you, you’ll know if you’ve stopped only the ball.”

She was surprised at the helpfulness of his suggestion but annoyed at his belittling her. His evasion of her question, however, didn’t surprise her.

It didn’t take her long to start time back up and catch the ball. Flower Prancer had left, so she explained to Betsy the outcome of the lesson.

They decided to have lunch and then Viera wanted to spend time relaxing and studying. She knocked on Scout’s door. “Hi, kiddo. I’m planning on trying out the new app Juniper made for me. I’m going to study in your mom’s room. I think I want ven therapy. Can I take Fezzik with me?”

“Sure, but Mom may not be happy when she sees that. You know her opinion of the ven.”