A Calling (A Vampire Academy Fanfic)

Chapter 5

RPOV
"Let's get you girls home." We resumed our previous formation.
That attempt was short-lived.
"Rose! Adelai!" Sydney came running up to us.
"Hey Syd! Didn't know you'd be here." I laughed.
"Aunty Sydney!" Adelai gently tackle-hugged the Alchemist.
"Rose?" Dimitri asked. "How do you all know each other?"
Adelai released Sydney and the three of us laughed.
"Daddy. Aunty Sydney is the Alchemist who keeps track of my kills."
"Oh." Dimitri still hated that she had any kills.
"Dimitri" I turned on him. "Drop it. I know you hate it but she's resilient, I've coached her just as much mentally as physically. Syd's seen her in action."
"I have- she's so skilled she's scary."
He sighed. "Roza, I'm still adjusting to the idea of having a daughter so it's all automatic protective instincts. Especially when she's so unique."
"She's unique?" I scoffed. "How's your young men? Specialised or strengthened yet?" I asked Syd. She'd had three boys with Adrian- all dhampir's with magical powers- Moroi and human style.
"One's specialised- can you guess which element?"
"Spirit?"
"What else?"
I laughed. "The other two?"
"Strengthened for sure. Oh, speaking of which- so have I, and I can tell you some thing."
"Oh?"
"She's gifted too. Let me give her classes? Please?"
I gasped. "You can sense it? She's got power in her blood?"
"Yes, power and potential. Please Rose, please let me unlock it in her."
"Do you think she's gonna need it?" I knew the answer- yes, she would, it could be her last hope at some point. She would need to be as trained in this too, it would take a physical toll on her stamina.
"Yes. I do. You know it too."
"You're right- I do know it. Are you gonna be here tomorrow?"
"Yes- I'm here for just over a month. Is she going to an academy?"
"I guess she will, but I'll get Liss to delay it so you can work with her."
"Mama?" Adelai asked.
"Yes baby?"
"Am I gifted? Am I training with the power like Aunty Sydney until I go to an academy?"
I sighed. "Yes. I'm not going to lie, I'm not surprised and you're going to need it at some point." I pulled her into a hug, then picked her up and kissed her cheek.
"Mom! Put me down!"
I set her back on her feet.
"Rose?"
"Yeah Syd?"
"Can I start today? At least to assess her?"
I sighed. "Adelai? Do you want to go train with Aunty Sydney?"
"Can I Mom?"
"You know better than to answer a question with a question."
"I would like to Mom. Do I have permission to go?"
"You want to, you're going to need it. Yeah. I'll argue it with your dad after you're gone. Get outta my sight already kiddo!"
"Thanks Mom!" She called after her as she walked off with Sydney.
"You know how training works!" I laughed back.
"Focus. I will Mom! Thanks! See ya Dad- oh, and listen to her this time!" She called back.

"What the hell did you just send our daughter off to do?" Dimitri turned on me once we'd started walking again.
"Train, well at least be assessed so Sydney can work out a lesson plan for the rest of the month."
"What do you mean train?"
I sighed. "Do you know what Sydney is?"
"An Alchemist?"
"Yes, but she's an Alchemist, married to a Moroi, with dhampir children. And a witch."
"A what?!" He coughed out.
"A witch. She's magical."
"And so are her kids?"
"And somehow Adelai has the power too. That 'somehow' probably comes from the magic that runs in me- the shadow-kissed powers."
He just looked at me- completely stunned. "Wha-wha-what? Did you just say?"
"I have what's called 'shadow-kissed powers' because the darkness is now considered it's own element, one only the shadow-kissed can work with."
"And what's happening with our daughter?"
"An extra line of self-defense and protection."
"Uh oh. She's scary enough without magic. So are you."
"Get used to it. And she will need it. She will need an intensive crash course. Well, as crash course as is possible when building up magical power. She will need to be able to have the stamina to simultaneously fight hand-to-hand and call on the magic. Both of which are draining, the magic more so. Her diet is about to change as radically as Sydney's did." I thought over how much it had changed thanks to her first callistana. "I've tried avoiding excessive sugar but now she's going to need it. And caffeine is out of the question. She know guardians survive on coffee. She also knows caffeine blocks human magic." I pulled out my phone to ring Syd. Maybe my daughter needed a pet. "Give me a minute Comrade. I need to ask Syd. something." I found the number and dialled.
"Yeah Rose?" she answered on the first ring.
"Do you think a callistana would be useful for her?"
"That gorgeous demonic dragon of a protector? A guardian demon for a guardian angel?" she laughed. Her first cal. held a massive amount of meaning for her and Adrian.
"Yeah. You could put it that way."
"Yes. A Cal would be a perfect protection detail. She's strong Rose. I could have her creating her first Cal by the end of the month if I'm allowed her for eight to ten hours a day. And to change her diet." Now it was my turn to laugh.
"The diet change is obvious. And yeah, she needs all the training she can get. And the sooner she creates her first Cal the better."
"I agree. What does Dimitri say?"
"I'll argue it with him. Just get her as strong as possible please."
"That's the mother-in-distress tone. I'll do my best Rose. A lot falls on her shoulders."
"Thank you. Bribe her with the Cal. You know how she loves yours, she'll work for her own."
"Should I start now?"
"Please. It would be wonderful."
"Sure. Later Rose."
"See ya Syd." I hung up then faced my daughter's father. "She's strong Dimitri. Very strong apparently. And training with Syd will give her a protection pet Cal. In other words a demonic dragon protector child. It will only ever respond to her, it will be her responsibility, but will protect her."
"A demonic guardian for a guardian child?"
"Yes. Trust me, you'll fall in love with it once you meet it. It's a tiny quartz figurine when in statue state, but when released it's a totally adorable moving quartz in the shape of a Chinese dragon. Don't argue with me on this, she will be in training until she gets her guardian dragon."
"You're not budging on this because she's a target and needs every edge possible?"
"Exactly."
"Fine. Let's get you home."