Pidge started to bounce on her heels, excitement overflowing. At her exhilaration, the sparks on her hands grew brighter and unruly. They departed from her fingers and landed in the dirt, tiny plant sprouts forming. Rover barked at her and Takashi's heels at the surge of magic.
"Whoops!" Pidge cringed, shaking her hands as if to put out the sparks. It worked. Awkwardly avoiding Takashi's eyes, the young Gunderson stepped backward and tossed her hands behind her back in shame.
A smile flushed across his face at the reaction. "Hey, it's okay. Your first attempt at control is always flimsy. But, look, you stopped it. You know how to quell the power. Let's try that one more time," he reassured, placing a strong hand on her shoulder.
Peering up at him, Pidge nodded and slowly brought her hands back out in front of her.
From there, the duo continued their practice for a while, time completely lost to them. It was not until Pidge noted the darkening sky that the realization hit her. It was late and her mom would be returning home soon.
She stopped growing a flower midway through, leaving the bud to bloom on its own. "It's late," she stated, turning to where Takashi watched her progress at her side, "We should call it a day." He nodded in agreement and understanding.
"Then let's do just that. First, let's exchange phone numbers, so we can set up a next training session and in case you ever need me," Takashi offered, a hopeful smile decorating his lips. Pidge fished her phone out of her pocket, holding it out for the taller to grab. Takashi did the same.
They exchanged numbers, Pidge hurriedly typed 'Gunderson' as her name in his phone and Takashi putting, 'Kashi' as his. Seeing the nickname she cocked one eyebrow, an amused expression filling her facial features. "Kashi? Never heard that one before," she admitted, finding the nickname rolling easily off the tongue.
"It's what 'Lura calls me. We have too many Takashis and Alluras in our family, you see. Apparently, it's tradition to reuse the same names over and over again," Takashi explained, "I call Allura, 'Lura. It sets us apart from our cousins and such."
Pidge nodded, finding the notion strange. What was the purpose of having the same name as your grandfather or uncle, anyway?
The two bided each other farewell and went their separate directions, not before Pidge gave Rover a really affectionate goodbye belly rub of course. The walk home was quiet, but something felt off. It was almost as if the neighbors walking the streets would stare at her as she passed. If they were in pairs or groups, they would whisper.
It was making Pidge feel uncomfortable. No one ever gave her more than a second glance, much less a stare. At the edge of her neighbor's yard, she found out why.
At her doorstep was a group clad in either white coats or suits, chatting with her ill father who leaned on the doorframe for support. "I told you exactly what I told everyone else. We know nothing about our daughter having magic powers. This isn't a hundred years ago, it's probably some edited video. Plus, she isn't even home, so please leave," her father tiredly informed, trying to close the screen door, but one of the white coats kept her hand in between the frame and the screen to keep the conversation going.
Pidge took a shaky step backward, fear and alarm igniting adrenalin to pump through her veins. Her breathing quickened along with her pulse. How could anyone other than Takashi know of her powers? If this crew knew about her, did they know about Takashi? The school kept tight reigns on news about the magic incidents that occurred on their property, but it would be hard to keep students from spreading rumors.
But what the white coats and her father were talking about was not a mere word-of-mouth rumor, it was a video of her using magic. She quickly hit behind her neighbors shrubs, hoping to get out of sight. Sneaking around to the back door entrance seemed to be her best choice.
Just as she began to crawl down the long line of shrubs that separated the yards, she heard a car pull up in her house's driveway right beside where she hid. There was not even a driveway right there. Pidge's breath hitched as she began to pray that it was just her mother just as the familiar voice of Mrs. Gunderson cut across the air, "What is all this about?"
The irritation and exhaustion in her mom's voice made Pidge's heart drop. This interaction would not go well and Pidge knew that she would have to either face it or run. Run just like Takashi had suggested.
"Mrs. Gunderson!" a man cried out, joy in his trilling pitch, "We would like to discuss your daughter, Pidge Gunderson, possessing magic."
Pidge had a choice. She would not have to face those white coats or her mother's anger. As her mom began to argue with the guy, the reincarnation of Katie Holt felt a weight lift off her chest. She did not have to stay. She did not have to be Pidge Gunderson, obedient daughter and caretaker. She could just be Pidge, science geek and, now, magic-wielder.
Though, the fantasy of running away quickly melted off her back as the weight returned with the rationales of reality. "My daughter is perfectly normal. She meddles in science, not magic. That crap's been dead for a long time now," Mrs. Gunderson retorted, a thud following her outburst.
Looking between the shrubs' leaves, Pidge could see a cell phone not too far from her mother's vehicle on the other side. On the phone screen was a CCTV footage of the park. The same park she overdid healing the tree.
"Frankly, Mrs. Gunderson, you cannot ignore the facts. Your daughter made that tree grow several feet and flourish with the mere touch of her hands, just as described in history. There are plenty of magic research facilities that would love to establish contact with Pidge. She may be the key to reviving magic," the man continued, voice remaining surprisingly calm as he walked to retrieve his tossed phone.
Pidge held her breath, hoping that the white coat would miss her presence behind the decaying hedge. Going to some facility to be a guinea pig was not her idea of finishing school. Then their eyes met and the man's eyes widened. "Pidge Gunderson?" he breathed, surprised to see the girl, "George over here!" The two came upon Pidge in seconds, trying to grab a hold of her.
Glancing down at her own phone, Pidge caught sight of a new message from Takashi's contact, the idea from a few moments ago settling back in her mind. Now, determined and more scared than ever, she shot up and sprinted away. Shouts followed her heels, those of her own mother and of the coated group, but not exactly how she thought it would go.
Her mother's voice was the loudest. "Run! Pidge, run as far as you can!" her mother called out and Pidge felt a new energy fill her muscles as she ran harder with her destination in her heart. The sounds of a physical fight broke out behind the teen, but Pidge was too scared to look back. Her mom's cheers died out and tears ran down her face.
She knew her mother did love her and that she would do whatever she could for her kids. Pidge had always known that.
YOU ARE READING
Reincarnation BOOK 2 (Shidge AU)
Fanfiction|Celestial Witch Book 2| Katie and Shiro's story had come to a sad end, but after being reincarnated, they get a second chance to live their lives as Pidge and Takashi. Though, this love seems to be very unlikely even when the two learn that they we...
