Globe Tracers 1: The Case of Thomas Crain

Chapter 12: Blades of Lightning

Kyle:

"I really don't want to go back to that tower," I said aloud in the car, after assuring myself in my own mind that they wouldn't go back to Janet's. I looked at our swords riding with me in the back seat of Allen's car. I picked up the blade Jessica had given me. "Hey Jess," I called up to her.

"That's my name... well kinda, it's a nickname and-"

"Yeah yeah, anyway, I was wondering, could you teach me to use this thing? How long did it take you to master lightning?"

"Actually throwing lightning?" she asked back.

I eagerly nodded. Even without the need to avoid the tower, I loved the idea of learning to throw electricity. "Yeah, how long?"

"Oh, I was born able to do that-parents had to play dodge whenever I was upset as you can imagine."

"No, I mean..." I had to think for a moment on that. "Exactly where are your parents?"

"Not sure... wouldn't blame them if they skipped town a few days after I was born considering." She was grinning, but it started to fade.

Trying not to think about that on too deep a level, I proceeded with my inquiry. Truth was, I wasn't sure if she was serious. "No, I mean when did you finally master the actual blade?"

She paused like she was thinking of something. Then she resumed. "It's not something you master per se," she replied. "There's no on-off switch... kinda like my personality, but not at all." My mind tried to think on that comparison, but I mentally told it not to bother. "Ya see, the skill evolves over time. For you, actually pushing a bolt out six feet would be impressive I'm sure. As you practice you'll be able to throw bolts of energy further and with more power... who knows, one day you might actually compare to me in any way shape matter, or form."

I decided to ignore her brag at the end- it was kinda true anyway. "So that six-foot bolt I pushed out earlier... that was normal?"

"I told you I customized the blade for you, of course, it works," she said looking back at me from the front.

I took out the blade. "I want to train with... Bobby here."

"Oh no, you don't!" Jessica shouted at me. "It's your sword now. You name it. You sleep with it and take it everywhere you possibly can. That thing needs to become apart of you."

"I'm not a soldier Jess."

"Yeah, like you'd make it as a soldier." She said chuckling, which stung a little because her tone sounded a tad honest. "It's part of training kid. I need you to get used to having that thing. Your body needs to be able to push part of itself into that blade, something it has only ever done with things that are actually part of you. I want you to feel lost without that thing." She nodded at me. "Well put it on." I clipped the scabbard to my belt. "It's your baby... so what are you gonna call it?"

"I'm not naming a sword Jess."

"You're not naming your own flesh and blood?!" she demanded. "I won't hear of this."

"I don't think-"

The girl reached back and grabbed me by the collar. "NAME IT!"

"Rita..." I said with wide eyes and a voice that almost squeaked in fear.

"And thus shall be her name," Jessica said pushing me back into my seat and returning to hers. "Don't forget it. No one forgets the name of their own child."

"It's not my child Jess."

"The point is to treat it like it is Kyle," Allen said back. "Jessica is trying to teach you proper weapon discipline from the sounds of it. You clean it, name it, keep it with you at all times, and always know where it is when it can't be with  you." Turning a corner, Allen continued to speak. "The werewolves have properties that we unofficially own all over town. There's an exclusive gym with a very large basketball court not far from here. We've set aside a pretty decent chunk of change to maintain it. It's where we practice using our powers. It should work pretty well for training."