Lainey and the Magicians (First Draft)

Chapter 31

 "Yes. My fingers were crossed behind my back. It feels like we're two seperate beings even though we're the same. You're right. I don't want to risk the chance of her going behind my back. I want to use their powers because I've saved people recently when I've used them, but I still want to start slowly," Lainey answered. She hungered for use of the powers more, but she didn't know if she should use them. She contemplated back to what Piopold had told her in the Alternative Jopiline about how he used light powers and dark powers to accomplish his goals of reforming the Magicians. How would she make sure that her Rider nature kept itself in check on Mars? What if she dragged her into the conflict against the Magicians for the sake of getting revenge on Pumpkin? She wanted to say the magic words to transform into Shadow Rider, but she tried to hold herself back. She had told herself that she was her master, but how could Lainey know that for sure? Well, she had been honest with herself a little bit when she had been in the shower, but it seemed not completely trustworthy.

 "That loosens the hold of the deal. What was it?" David inquired, breathing a sigh of relief.

 "She is my servant, and I am her master. She swore it, and I swore to be her friend. I took a loophole though just in case she tries to betray me even though we're bound to each other," Lainey answered. The board lit up! Balls of gold and green flowed up out of the board.

 "David Lars, what do you request of us?" the Photonic spirits asked in unison.

 "Lainey Paris has a speech block spell put on her by Pumpkin. I would like an idea of the best course of action to take in the least amount of time so I can ask her more questions about her family," David Lars requested.

 "The fastest course of action is to pour Nipiod onto a paper full of words and to say the words, 'Speechos Fenknowsos' as you look intently at the paper. You have the person put their tongue or hand onto the paper and you focus your mind on them as you use the spell. Piopold must also say the words and place his hand on Lainey's voice box," the Photonic spirits replied.

 David looked weirded out. He didn't know if the fastest course of action was the best one, but he followed the Photonic spirits suggestion. He poured Nipiod onto a paper full of regular words. Lainey placed her hand onto the paper. Part of her squirmed. She didn't want to do rituals like this, but she understood that she had to push through it to get to Mars. Piopold placed his hand on her voice box. "Speechos Fenknowsos!" David and Piopold yelled.

 A block had been removed from her speech. "Pumpkin erased my family's memories of me and placed a dislike spell on them. I think Pumpkin might be watching me based off the trip to the other dimension I went into last night. Now, I definitely know that my Shadow Rider nature is me and not the new Shadow Rider, but it could all be a trick," Lainey shrugged. She felt freer, but she knew there must have been more spells placed on her.

 "That explains things. I assumed about the dislike spell, but Pumpkin erased all their memories of you. What happened next?" Piopold asked.

 "I don't know what he did to them next. He erased my memories of that with a non-reversal spell. We'd have to get to his memories themselves, but I don't know if Pumpkin would let me get close to him to probe his memories if I rejoined the Magicians just yet if he was watching my moves. He drained my bank account and had my family throw me out. It's too risky for me to go back to my parents and sister to see if the spells you put on me actually wore off because the Magicians could have them under some form of control or protection around Salt, Arizona. During my time in Salt alone I'd never seen any obvious Magician activity, but I can never be too sure. Piopold, when I leave to Mars today after I do some concerts around Nevada or Jopiline, I'll buy a spaceship and go to Mars, and you can have your people get close to Pumpkin instead of me. Sure, I'm one of the most powerful half-Riders, but I'm not going back to the Magicians even as a reformer. It's too traumatic. I can push through the trauma, but I'm dead-set on getting to Mars," Lainey honestly answered.

 "You're not thinking of anything I told you earlier. Photonic spirits, can the spell be reversed?" Piopold asked.

 "No, it can't," the Photonic spirits answered.

 "Can you probe into Pumpkin's mind for us when you receive the chance?" Piopold questioned.

 "Yes. We can try," the Photonic spirits answered.

 What had Pumpkin done to her parents? What spell did he put them under?

 "Any extra spells you think Pumpkin might have used on you?" David scratched his face.