All Shades of Magic

A Short Trip Back to Friendship

"Valerie?" I knew the voice. I knew it immediately. Fear trickled through me. Oh no. Oh no. Nononononononononono. "Valerie?" they called again. I refused to move. Maybe they'd go away. But I knew them, they weren't like that.

I walked over to the doors of the balcony, and she turned and faced me.

Kimi.

"Valerie," she sighed. She sounded so relieved. Maybe she thought I'd died when she left or something.

"Kimi," I said. My voice came out neutral, but I was surprised to see her here.

And just like all those nights ago, I know how I should feel. I should be angry, or afraid, I should be cursing her with the darkest spell known to man. I should push her off the balcony and watch her flail and fall down to the ground with a loud crack.

But I knew in my heart that I would just do a reversal spell as soon as possible, I would feel guilty after being angry, and I would jump off the balcony to go and save her before the loud crack of the skull. Because I love her.

I love Kimi.

Even if I really don't want to.

"Valerie, I'm so sorry," Kimi said. "I was afraid because you kept it a secret, and all the myths and rumors had me terrified. I thought you were dangerous, but then I got home and realized you had just saved my life and I ran away from you, and then I heard you'd come home and I knew I just had to say that I am so sorry. I like you Valerie, and I'm not afraid of you anymore," Kimi blurted out. Then she added, "I don't think i ever really was,"

I smiled, and I felt tears coming to my eyes.

"Kimi..." I took a deep breath so I could get it out before I started to cry. "I forgive you, I really do, I was never mad just..." I gulped. "I was really upset for you to be afraid of me, i would never hurt you,"

Kimi gas[ped out a sigh of relief. Then she looked mournful again.

"And i- I heard about your dad," Oh god. "I'm so sorry Valerie,"

Now I am crying. Kimi hugged me, whispering to me that it was going to be ok, just holding me. It felt so nice.

It felt like I wasn't alone.

I hugged her back, digging my head into her chest and sobbing. She didn't let go or tell me to stop, she just hugged me tighter and repeated the comforting sentiments she had for me. We stayed like this for a while, just together, I could hear our hearts beating as one, and slowly I started to calm down. Kimi never let me go.

"Thank you," I murmured.

"Of course Queenie," Kimi replied. I laughed.

"A new nickname already?" I grinned. "You're so perfect,"

All alerts went off in my brain. WHY DID YOU SAY THAT? My brain was screaming. If not for Kimi holding me I would've clamped my hand over my mouth. I almost apologized when she said.

"No, I'm a mess," She laughed. "I just act perfect for you,"

I laughed too and lifted my head.

"Do you want to come in? It's going to get cold soon,"

"Yes please,"

So we went into my room and Kimi sat on my rug and we talked. Kimi talked about how she wasn't sure i had the moonstones, and how when she found out i was back she raced around the rooms until it was late enough for her to slip away. I told her about the battle, the whole story, not the fairy tale I told the guards. She told me she was damn impressed. We laughed. Then she asked the strangest question.

"Hey... can you... can you do a spell for me?"

"Depends on the spell," I laughed. Kimi looked a little nervous, but asked.

"Can you do a light spell?" She asked. For a second I thought she was talking about white magic, then I realized she actually wanted me to create light. I glanced towards my spellbook, which I had left in my travelers pouch, and hesitated. Sharing my spellbook with someone felt scary, because for the longest time my magic had been secret. My spellbook had been a spellbook. "You don't have to, but i've always wanted to see one happen,"

But looking at her face, I knew she was lying. I totally had to.

"Let me see if I know it," I smiled, though she smiled wider. "Do you happen to know the incantation?"

"The what?"

"The activating word, like umh..." I tried to think of one that wasn't all that harmful. I decided to do the teleportation spell on some chocolates. "Lanuae," the chocolates appeared in front of me at my feet. Kimi gasped in surprise. Then she faked annoyance.

"You seriously could've just teleported us THIS WHOLE TIME?" She screamed.

"No," I giggled. "I just learned that spell properly today,"

"Oh," Kimi said. "Well thanks for the chocolates," She picked one up and I did too, carefully unfolding the wax paper enclosing the sugary treat. I looked up at her and decided to ask again.

"So, do you know the incantation?"

"Uhm, it could be lux," She replied uncertainly. I nodded.

"That sounds about right, the Latin makes sense," I muttered. "Alright, let's try it!"

Kimi looked over the moon.

I focused on a small ball of light, and the sun, and just anything bright in general. The image formed in my head. I had performed plenty of light spells before Kimi started coming at night, staying up on the balcony and throwing the small balls of light into the sky. They started to form stars before burning out in the sky.

"Lux," I say. And a small ball of light appears. It hovers in my hand as Kimi watches in awe at the small bright light. She reaches out to touch it, then hesitates nervously. I smile at her. "Go ahead, it's not fire, it can't hurt you,"

Kimi reached out to touch it and I placed it in her hands, it hovered there as she stared at it. Wonder filled her expression as she started to shift it from hand to hand. She looked up at me and smiled.

"It's... it's beautiful," She admired. I nodded.

"Do you wanna do something fun?" I asked. Kimi nodded. "Ok, come on, we need to go on the balcony,"

"But we just got inside!"

"Don't be a grump, and don't drop the light,"

We walked out onto the balcony and I told Kimi I was going to do a quick spell on her, but it wouldn't hurt and it wouldn't be painful. She said it was ok.

"Maior viribus," I recited, my hand on her arm. "Ok, now throw it at the sky,"

Kimi did, it made a perfect arc way up in the sky, and with amplified strength it went far into the distance, almost to where I had been looking at the mountains before. It appeared like a shooting star. Kimi gasped in amazement.

"I did that?" she squealed.

"With my help of course," I gloated playfully. A thought occurred to me from the back of my mind, and I had no choice but to act on it. "Hey Kimi,"

"Yeah?"

"You know i'm not mad at you for running away from me, not anymore, or maybe even ever, but i do want to ask, what did you do when you left?"

"It's kinda a long story,"

"Well, we have a long time," I said. But then quickly added, "But maybe try to sum it up,"

"Just because you said that i'm going to tell you the long version,"

"Seriously Kimi?"

"Yup," Kimi said. "Sit down Queenie, it's time for a story,"

**again, two chapters because of the draft thing. sorry.**